Windows Explorer Tree view - set "root"?

  • Thread starter Thread starter unfrostedpoptart
  • Start date Start date
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unfrostedpoptart

Hi.

I need some help in configuring Windows Explorer (XP-Pro-SP2). I found
how to set it to default to Folder Tree view instead of the Tasks Pane.
However, when it's in Tree View it shows the whole tree, from Desktop
on down. It's very easy to get lost or click on a branch outside the
area I'm interested in. Is there a way to set a folder as the root of
the tree view for an explorer window? If the native explorer can't do
it, can someone suggest a good replacement/add-on?

Thanks much!

David
 
Hi,

Here are three options. Create a new shortcut and enter one of the
commands.

Open to the root of C: (without folders)
%SystemRoot%\Explorer.exe /root, C:\

Open to the root of C: (with folders) expanded
%windir%\EXPLORER.EXE /e,c:

Open to the root of C: (with folders) not expanded
%SystemRoot%\Explorer.exe /e, /root, C:\

How To Customize the Windows Explorer Views in Windows XP
http://support.microsoft.com/default.aspx?scid=kb;en-us;307856

Command Line Switches Examples for Windows Explorer
http://www.kellys-korner-xp.com/xp_c.htm#comline
 
Edit the shortcut's "Target" to read;
%systemroot%\explorer.exe /e,C:\
Where C:\ is the drive or directory you wish to expand.


--

Regards,

Dave Patrick ....Please no email replies - reply in newsgroup.
Microsoft Certified Professional
Microsoft MVP [Windows]
http://www.microsoft.com/protect

:
| Hi.
|
| I need some help in configuring Windows Explorer (XP-Pro-SP2). I found
| how to set it to default to Folder Tree view instead of the Tasks Pane.
| However, when it's in Tree View it shows the whole tree, from Desktop
| on down. It's very easy to get lost or click on a branch outside the
| area I'm interested in. Is there a way to set a folder as the root of
| the tree view for an explorer window? If the native explorer can't do
| it, can someone suggest a good replacement/add-on?
|
| Thanks much!
|
| David
|
 
Bert said:
"unfrostedpoptart" wrote
Click to expand...
Here are three options. Create a new shortcut and enter one of the
commands.
... lines deleted...
Open to the root of C: (with folders) not expanded
%SystemRoot%\Explorer.exe /e, /root, C:\
Click to expand...

Thanks a bunch: the /root was what I was looking for. Now I can just
type this in Start->Run.
I found that I can shorten it to
Explorer /e, /root, drive:\path

It would still be even better to be able to do this from within an
Explorer window. I'd like to be able to right-click on a folder and
make it the new root. I tried setting up something with Tools->Folder
Options->File Types->None Folder->Advanced, but I can't quite get the
syntax. I created a new Action called Explore-tree-root. I set the
application used to
%SystemRoot%\Explorer.exe /e, /root
However, when I select this on a folder with right-click, I get the
error
x:\folder_name
Accress is denied

Any ideas? Do I need to do something with the dde option?

Also, once I've added a new action, I'm not able to edit or even delete
it - those choices are greyed out.

David
 
It's very easy to get lost or click on a branch outside the
area I'm interested in.
Click to expand...

Simple Folder View FriendlyTree might be what you're looking for.

Open Folder Options...
Start | Run | Type: control folders | Click OK |
View tab | Select: Display simple folder view in Explorer's Folders list |
Click Apply | Click OK

Display simple folder view in Explorer's Folders list
[[Click a folder in Windows Explorer to automatically display its contents
as well as all subfolders within that folder. All other folders are
automatically closed when a different folder is clicked. Click the plus or
minus sign to hide or display other folders and their contents, without
closing previously opened folders.]]

Description of Simple Folder View in Windows XP
http://support.microsoft.com/kb/282002

--
Hope this helps. Let us know.

Wes
MS-MVP Windows Shell/User

In
 
unfrostedpoptart said:
Thanks a bunch: the /root was what I was looking for. Now I can just
type this in Start->Run.
I found that I can shorten it to
Explorer /e, /root, drive:\path

It would still be even better to be able to do this from within an
Explorer window. I'd like to be able to right-click on a folder and
make it the new root. I tried setting up something with Tools->Folder
Options->File Types->None Folder->Advanced, but I can't quite get the
syntax. I created a new Action called Explore-tree-root. I set the
application used to
%SystemRoot%\Explorer.exe /e, /root
However, when I select this on a folder with right-click, I get the
error
x:\folder_name
Accress is denied

Any ideas? Do I need to do something with the dde option?

Also, once I've added a new action, I'm not able to edit or even delete
it - those choices are greyed out.
Click to expand...


Anyone? I'm so close!! Any pointers to documentation about adding
actions to folders? Good books on this? Online forums? It's really
hard to do web/MS searches on keywords like Windows Explorer Action
Folder: you end up with thousands of irrelevant matches.

David
 
Bert said:
Hi,

Here are three options. Create a new shortcut and enter one of the
commands.

Open to the root of C: (with folders) not expanded
%SystemRoot%\Explorer.exe /e, /root, C:\
Click to expand...

I just noticed something really weird. If I open folders with /e
/root, when I create new sub-folders or move folders/files to another
folder (in another explorer window) the changes don't show up until I
manually do a View->Refresh. In a "normal" explorer window, changes
are reflected automatically.

This is very strange, and a pain. Why does is work differently? Is
this documented anywhere?

Thanks again,

David
 
I wouldn't have realized an answer if I hadn't seen your reference t
the Tools..Folder Options. My suggestion is a little riskier, an
involves an addition to your registry [WARNING: ATTEMPT AT YOUR OW
RISK. MAKE BACKUPS OF YOUR REGISTRY AND FILES BEFORE TRYING AN
REGISTRY MODIFICATIONS. DO NOT TRY THIS IF YOU DON'T UNDERSTAND WHA
THE CONSEQUENCES OF MODIFYING YOUR REGISTRY, CORRECTLY OR INCORRECTLY
MIGHT ENTAIL.]

That said, open your registry editor and go to

HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\Folder\shell\

In there, add in the command name you want as a new key, e.g. "Reroot
(no quotes).
Under that, add a new key called "command" (literally, but no quotes)
The default value type (on the right hand pane) should be a string
Change its value from null to:

Explorer.exe /e, /root, "%1"

(this time including quotes)
Close the registry editor. When you right-click on a folder i
explorer, you will see the 'Reroot' show up as one of the options
Click, and voila. Only snag is that this will open up a new explore
window - I don't know yet how to keep it in the same window), but yo
should have the folder at the root and all.

If you look at the other commands under the Folders 'shell' handlers i
the registry, you'll see something equivalent, but with dde options i
there as well. You may or may not need these in the Reroot command i
order to get the behavior or functionality the way you want it.
haven't tried this out extensively yet, nor can I tell exactly wha
they do, but I like having this function in there.

Cheers,
Questo
 
Questor said:
I wouldn't have realized an answer if I hadn't seen your reference to
the Tools..Folder Options. My suggestion is a little riskier, and
involves an addition to your registry [WARNING: ATTEMPT AT YOUR OWN
RISK. MAKE BACKUPS OF YOUR REGISTRY AND FILES BEFORE TRYING ANY
REGISTRY MODIFICATIONS. DO NOT TRY THIS IF YOU DON'T UNDERSTAND WHAT
THE CONSEQUENCES OF MODIFYING YOUR REGISTRY, CORRECTLY OR INCORRECTLY,
MIGHT ENTAIL.]

That said, open your registry editor and go to

HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\Folder\shell\

In there, add in the command name you want as a new key, e.g. "Reroot"
(no quotes).
Under that, add a new key called "command" (literally, but no quotes).
The default value type (on the right hand pane) should be a string.
Change its value from null to:

Explorer.exe /e, /root, "%1"

(this time including quotes)
Close the registry editor. When you right-click on a folder in
explorer, you will see the 'Reroot' show up as one of the options.
Click, and voila. Only snag is that this will open up a new explorer
window - I don't know yet how to keep it in the same window), but you
should have the folder at the root and all.

If you look at the other commands under the Folders 'shell' handlers in
the registry, you'll see something equivalent, but with dde options in
there as well. You may or may not need these in the Reroot command in
order to get the behavior or functionality the way you want it. I
haven't tried this out extensively yet, nor can I tell exactly what
they do, but I like having this function in there.
Click to expand...

Excellent - this works great (under Win2k, too)!! I did look at the
registry entries for the existing command "explore." As you said,
there's a lot of extra stuff in there that I don't understand. Can
anyone recommend a book/website that explains this stuff?

Anyway - thanks again!

David
 
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