how to turn off automatic folder and file selection?

  • Thread starter Thread starter jdrake
  • Start date Start date
J

jdrake

Does anyone know how to turn off the most annoying feature that is the
automatic selection of files and folders in explorer, when you hover
your mouse over them? I never want items selected unless I left click
them. I am using vista ultimate.

Thanks,

James
 
Hi James,

Click Start, type CONTROL FOLDERS and press ENTER
Select "Double click to open an item (single-click to select)
Click OK

--
Regards,

Ramesh Srinivasan, Microsoft MVP [Windows Shell/User]
Windows® Troubleshooting http://www.winhelponline.com


Does anyone know how to turn off the most annoying feature that is the
automatic selection of files and folders in explorer, when you hover
your mouse over them? I never want items selected unless I left click
them. I am using vista ultimate.

Thanks,

James
 
Hi James,

Click Start, type CONTROL FOLDERS and press ENTER
Select "Double click to open an item (single-click to select)
Click OK

--
Regards,

Ramesh Srinivasan, Microsoft MVP [Windows Shell/User]
Windows® Troubleshootinghttp://www.winhelponline.com


Does anyone know how to turn off the most annoying feature that is the
automatic selection of files and folders in explorer, when you hover
your mouse over them? I never want items selected unless I left click
them. I am using vista ultimate.

Thanks,

James
Click to expand...

Thanks, but that option is already set, but it is not behaving like
that. For example when I just want to highlight a folder by left
clicking it, its like the action of moving the mouse over it has
already highlighted it, so clicking it opens the folder.
This stupid behaviour has already caused me to delete a file by
accident, I highlighted a file, moved my mouse pointer over some other
files in the same folder (explorer window), then hit delete. However
by the time I did that, another file had been selected because my
mouse hoevered over it for about 0.8 seconds longer than it should
have...or so it seems.

James
 
I had a feeling that was going to be your reply ;-). Basically in Vista,
when you get the mouse pointer anywhere near an icon, you select it. It
drove me crazy for a while too. It's tough to find a neutral place to put
the mouse pointer when you want to select multiple icons by lassoing them.
If you try to drop files into a folder that contains lots of subfolders,
it's hard to find a drop spot in that destination folder.



As far as what you're doing, if you use double-click to open files, then
just make sure you click the item you want to delete before you press
Delete. I imagine it would be even tougher if you use single-click to open.
I've always been a right-click person. I just right-click the thing I want
to move/copy/rename/delete/send/shortcut or whatever. It's quick, efficient,
and you don't have to use the keyboard or move the mouse pointer to some
other area on the screen like a toolbar or something. If you get in the
habit of right-clicking, it'll be easier.



Hi James,

Click Start, type CONTROL FOLDERS and press ENTER
Select "Double click to open an item (single-click to select)
Click OK

--
Regards,

Ramesh Srinivasan, Microsoft MVP [Windows Shell/User]
Windows® Troubleshootinghttp://www.winhelponline.com

message
Does anyone know how to turn off the most annoying feature that is the
automatic selection of files and folders in explorer, when you hover
your mouse over them? I never want items selected unless I left click
them. I am using vista ultimate.

Thanks,

James
Click to expand...

Thanks, but that option is already set, but it is not behaving like
that. For example when I just want to highlight a folder by left
clicking it, its like the action of moving the mouse over it has
already highlighted it, so clicking it opens the folder.
This stupid behaviour has already caused me to delete a file by
accident, I highlighted a file, moved my mouse pointer over some other
files in the same folder (explorer window), then hit delete. However
by the time I did that, another file had been selected because my
mouse hoevered over it for about 0.8 seconds longer than it should
have...or so it seems.

James
 
See the discussion in the thread "Mouse Hover Activate" too. I have
experienced this same problem, with an HP Pavilion laptop computer with a
built-in Synaptics touchpad "mouse." It is very frustrating, and have not
been able to find any solution with that mouse.

However, at the suggestion of one of the other posters, that it might be
related to the mouse driver, and not a Windows Vista setting, I installed a
wireless mouse and am using that instead of the touchpad mouse. I have not
had the "automatic selection" problem with the Logitech mouse at all. I'm
not pushing Logitech, though they make fine products, just mentioning the one
which worked for me. Other mice may work as well.

Hope this helps!

-- Dennis


Puppy Breath said:
I had a feeling that was going to be your reply ;-). Basically in Vista,
when you get the mouse pointer anywhere near an icon, you select it. It
drove me crazy for a while too. It's tough to find a neutral place to put
the mouse pointer when you want to select multiple icons by lassoing them.
If you try to drop files into a folder that contains lots of subfolders,
it's hard to find a drop spot in that destination folder.



As far as what you're doing, if you use double-click to open files, then
just make sure you click the item you want to delete before you press
Delete. I imagine it would be even tougher if you use single-click to open.
I've always been a right-click person. I just right-click the thing I want
to move/copy/rename/delete/send/shortcut or whatever. It's quick, efficient,
and you don't have to use the keyboard or move the mouse pointer to some
other area on the screen like a toolbar or something. If you get in the
habit of right-clicking, it'll be easier.



Hi James,

Click Start, type CONTROL FOLDERS and press ENTER
Select "Double click to open an item (single-click to select)
Click OK

--
Regards,

Ramesh Srinivasan, Microsoft MVP [Windows Shell/User]
Windows® Troubleshootinghttp://www.winhelponline.com

message
Does anyone know how to turn off the most annoying feature that is the
automatic selection of files and folders in explorer, when you hover
your mouse over them? I never want items selected unless I left click
them. I am using vista ultimate.

Thanks,

James
Click to expand...

Thanks, but that option is already set, but it is not behaving like
that. For example when I just want to highlight a folder by left
clicking it, its like the action of moving the mouse over it has
already highlighted it, so clicking it opens the folder.
This stupid behaviour has already caused me to delete a file by
accident, I highlighted a file, moved my mouse pointer over some other
files in the same folder (explorer window), then hit delete. However
by the time I did that, another file had been selected because my
mouse hoevered over it for about 0.8 seconds longer than it should
have...or so it seems.

James
Click to expand...
 
See the discussion in the thread "Mouse Hover Activate" too. I have
experienced this same problem, with an HP Pavilion laptop computer with a
built-in Synaptics touchpad "mouse." It is very frustrating, and have not
been able to find any solution with that mouse.

However, at the suggestion of one of the other posters, that it might be
related to the mouse driver, and not a Windows Vista setting, I installeda
wireless mouse and am using that instead of the touchpad mouse. I have not
had the "automatic selection" problem with the Logitech mouse at all. I'm
not pushing Logitech, though they make fine products, just mentioning theone
which worked for me. Other mice may work as well.

Hope this helps!

-- Dennis



Puppy Breath said:
I had a feeling that was going to be your reply ;-). Basically in Vista,
when you get the mouse pointer anywhere near an icon, you select it. It
drove me crazy for a while too. It's tough to find a neutral place to put
the mouse pointer when you want to select multiple icons by lassoing them.
If you try to drop files into a folder that contains lots of subfolders,
it's hard to find a drop spot in that destination folder.
Click to expand...
As far as what you're doing, if you use double-click to open files, then
just make sure you click the item you want to delete before you press
Delete. I imagine it would be even tougher if you use single-click to open.
I've always been a right-click person. I just right-click the thing I want
to move/copy/rename/delete/send/shortcut or whatever. It's quick, efficient,
and you don't have to use the keyboard or move the mouse pointer to some
other area on the screen like a toolbar or something. If you get in the
habit of right-clicking, it'll be easier.
Click to expand...
Hi James,
Click Start, type CONTROL FOLDERS and press ENTER
Select "Double click to open an item (single-click to select)
Click OK
--
Regards,
Ramesh Srinivasan, Microsoft MVP [Windows Shell/User]
Windows® Troubleshootinghttp://www.winhelponline.com
message
Does anyone know how to turn off the most annoying feature that is the
automatic selection of files and folders in explorer, when you hover
your mouse over them? I never want items selected unless I left click
them. I am using vista ultimate.
Thanks,
James
Click to expand...
Click to expand...
Thanks, but that option is already set, but it is not behaving like
that. For example when I just want to highlight a folder by left
clicking it, its like the action of moving the mouse over it has
already highlighted it, so clicking it opens the folder.
This stupid behaviour has already caused me to delete a file by
accident, I highlighted a file, moved my mouse pointer over some other
files in the same folder (explorer window), then hit delete. However
by the time I did that, another file had been selected because my
mouse hoevered over it for about 0.8 seconds longer than it should
have...or so it seems.
Click to expand...
James- Hide quoted text -
Click to expand...

- Show quoted text -
Click to expand...

I read the other thread, but I still think this topic is not
conclusive. I am using a standard USB microsoft intellimouse, probably
about 4 years old. If they can't make their own OS to work with their
hardware properly god help us :)

James
 
As was suggested before I'm thinking that this is a mouse driver issue. I use
a variety of Microsoft USB mice in my lab. They all work just fine using the
standard HID drivers included with Vista. They do NOT work just fine when I
install InterlliPoint software. Likewise, the Synaptics and Alps touchpads
I'm using on Vista notebooks here are dismal -- so dismal, in fact, that I
had to disable them in the BIOS and use USB mice on those notesbooks. If you
do happen to be using the IntelliPoint software you might try uninstalling it
just to see if that eliminates the behavior you're describing.

Yeah, it would be nice to have access to the extended features with which
IntelliPoint is supposed to embue my mice. But not at the expense of basic
functionality. I don't blame Vista. I blame the folks who wrote IntelliPoint.

[email protected] said:
See the discussion in the thread "Mouse Hover Activate" too. I have
experienced this same problem, with an HP Pavilion laptop computer with a
built-in Synaptics touchpad "mouse." It is very frustrating, and have not
been able to find any solution with that mouse.

However, at the suggestion of one of the other posters, that it might be
related to the mouse driver, and not a Windows Vista setting, I installed a
wireless mouse and am using that instead of the touchpad mouse. I have not
had the "automatic selection" problem with the Logitech mouse at all. I'm
not pushing Logitech, though they make fine products, just mentioning the one
which worked for me. Other mice may work as well.

Hope this helps!

-- Dennis



Puppy Breath said:
I had a feeling that was going to be your reply ;-). Basically in Vista,
when you get the mouse pointer anywhere near an icon, you select it. It
drove me crazy for a while too. It's tough to find a neutral place to put
the mouse pointer when you want to select multiple icons by lassoing them.
If you try to drop files into a folder that contains lots of subfolders,
it's hard to find a drop spot in that destination folder.
Click to expand...
As far as what you're doing, if you use double-click to open files, then
just make sure you click the item you want to delete before you press
Delete. I imagine it would be even tougher if you use single-click to open.
I've always been a right-click person. I just right-click the thing I want
to move/copy/rename/delete/send/shortcut or whatever. It's quick, efficient,
and you don't have to use the keyboard or move the mouse pointer to some
other area on the screen like a toolbar or something. If you get in the
habit of right-clicking, it'll be easier.
Click to expand...
Hi James,
Click to expand...
Click Start, type CONTROL FOLDERS and press ENTER
Select "Double click to open an item (single-click to select)
Click OK
Ramesh Srinivasan, Microsoft MVP [Windows Shell/User]
Windows® Troubleshootinghttp://www.winhelponline.com
Click to expand...
messagenews:[email protected]...
Click to expand...
Does anyone know how to turn off the most annoying feature that is the
automatic selection of files and folders in explorer, when you hover
your mouse over them? I never want items selected unless I left click
them. I am using vista ultimate.


Thanks, but that option is already set, but it is not behaving like
that. For example when I just want to highlight a folder by left
clicking it, its like the action of moving the mouse over it has
already highlighted it, so clicking it opens the folder.
This stupid behaviour has already caused me to delete a file by
accident, I highlighted a file, moved my mouse pointer over some other
files in the same folder (explorer window), then hit delete. However
by the time I did that, another file had been selected because my
mouse hoevered over it for about 0.8 seconds longer than it should
have...or so it seems.
Click to expand...
James- Hide quoted text -
Click to expand...

- Show quoted text -
Click to expand...

I read the other thread, but I still think this topic is not
conclusive. I am using a standard USB microsoft intellimouse, probably
about 4 years old. If they can't make their own OS to work with their
hardware properly god help us :)

James
Click to expand...
 
so basically noone knows how to disable this "bug"? ... I find it
extraordinary that microsoft spend so much money on usability and then go and
do this which flouts the most basic rule of usability .. dont preempt a user
action.

Puppy Breath said:
I had a feeling that was going to be your reply ;-). Basically in Vista,
when you get the mouse pointer anywhere near an icon, you select it. It
drove me crazy for a while too. It's tough to find a neutral place to put
the mouse pointer when you want to select multiple icons by lassoing them.
If you try to drop files into a folder that contains lots of subfolders,
it's hard to find a drop spot in that destination folder.



As far as what you're doing, if you use double-click to open files, then
just make sure you click the item you want to delete before you press
Delete. I imagine it would be even tougher if you use single-click to open.
I've always been a right-click person. I just right-click the thing I want
to move/copy/rename/delete/send/shortcut or whatever. It's quick, efficient,
and you don't have to use the keyboard or move the mouse pointer to some
other area on the screen like a toolbar or something. If you get in the
habit of right-clicking, it'll be easier.



Hi James,

Click Start, type CONTROL FOLDERS and press ENTER
Select "Double click to open an item (single-click to select)
Click OK

--
Regards,

Ramesh Srinivasan, Microsoft MVP [Windows Shell/User]
Windows® Troubleshootinghttp://www.winhelponline.com

message
Does anyone know how to turn off the most annoying feature that is the
automatic selection of files and folders in explorer, when you hover
your mouse over them? I never want items selected unless I left click
them. I am using vista ultimate.

Thanks,

James
Click to expand...

Thanks, but that option is already set, but it is not behaving like
that. For example when I just want to highlight a folder by left
clicking it, its like the action of moving the mouse over it has
already highlighted it, so clicking it opens the folder.
This stupid behaviour has already caused me to delete a file by
accident, I highlighted a file, moved my mouse pointer over some other
files in the same folder (explorer window), then hit delete. However
by the time I did that, another file had been selected because my
mouse hoevered over it for about 0.8 seconds longer than it should
have...or so it seems.

James
Click to expand...
 
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