Single-Click Mode Point to Select - Enable or Disable

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    Single-Click Mode Point to Select - Enable or Disable

    Single-Click Mode Point to Select - Enable or Disable

    How to Enable or Disable Point to Select using Single-click to Open an Item
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    Designer Media Ltd


    How to Enable or Disable Point to Select using Single-click to Open an Item

       Information
    This will show you how to enable or disable selecting a item by hovering the mouse pointer over it (point to select) when you have Folder Options set to Single-click to Open an Item in Windows 7.

       Note
    Credit goes to our member Msafi for finding this and bringing it to my attention.
       Warning
    A side effect of disabling point to select is that a taskbar icon's thumbnail previews (if using a Aero theme) for it's open window will not display automatically since it cannot be selected automatically anymore.

    A workaround for this is to either:
    • Use the Windows Key + T and Windows Key + Shift + T shortcut keys to cycle through programs on the taskbar, and press Enter to open the one selected.
    • Right click and then double left click on the taskbar icon of the opened window. The thumbnail preview will now display.

    EXAMPLE: Point to Select Enable and Disabled
    NOTE: This is only for when you have the Single-click to Open an Item Folder Option set, and not when you have Double-click to open an item (single-click to select) set.
    Single-Click Mode Point to Select - Enable or Disable-enabled.jpg

    Single-Click Mode Point to Select - Enable or Disable-disabled.jpg



    OPTION ONE

    Through a REG File Download


    1. To Enable Single Click Point to Select
    NOTE: This is the default setting.
    A) Click on the download button below to download the file below.
    Enable_Single-Click_Point_to_Select.reg
    B) Go to step 3.
    2. To Disable Single Click Point to Select
    A) Click on the download button below to download the file below.
    Disable_Single-Click_Point_to_Select.reg
    3. Save the .reg file to the desktop.

    4. Right click the downloaded .reg file and click on Merge.

    5. Click on Run, Yes (UAC), Yes, and OK when prompted.

    6. Log off and log on, or restart the computer to apply the changes.

    7. When done, you can delete the downloaded .reg file if you like.





    OPTION TWO

    Manually Through the Registry


    1. Open the Start Menu, then type regedit in the search boxand press Enter.

    2. In regedit, go to: (see screenshot below)

    Code:
    HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Control Panel\Mouse
    Single-Click Mode Point to Select - Enable or Disable-step1.jpg
    3. To Enable Single Click Point to Select
    NOTE: This is the default setting.
    A) In the right pane, double click on MouseHoverHeight. (see screenshot above)
    B) Type in 4, then click on OK. (see screenshots below)
    Single-Click Mode Point to Select - Enable or Disable-enable-1.jpg

    Single-Click Mode Point to Select - Enable or Disable-enable-2.jpg
    C) Repeat steps 3A and 3B for MouseHoverWidth.

    D) Go to step 5.
    4. To Disable Single Click Point to Select
    A) In the right pane, double click on MouseHoverHeight. (see screenshot below step 2)
    B) Type in 0, then click on OK. (see screenshots below)
    Single-Click Mode Point to Select - Enable or Disable-disable-1.jpg

    Single-Click Mode Point to Select - Enable or Disable-disable-2.jpg
    C) Repeat steps 4A and 4B for MouseHoverWidth.
    5. Close regedit.

    6. Log off and log on, or restart the computer to apply the changes.
    That's it,
    Shawn










  1. Posts : 15
    Windows 7 Professional 64-bit
       #1

    A possibly undesirable side-effect to this is that taskbar thumbnail preview would be disabled as well.

    Personally, I wish the effect didn't spill over to the taskbar thumbnail previews, but I'll continue to use this tweak.
    Last edited by msafi; 04 Apr 2010 at 12:25.
      My Computer


  2. Posts : 71,977
    64-bit Windows 11 Pro for Workstations
    Thread Starter
       #2

    Hello Msafi,

    It is a unfortunate side effect, but I found a workaround for this is to right click and then left click twice on the taskbar icon that has the open window. You will then have a thumbnail preview of the opened window for the taskbar icon.
      My Computer


  3. Posts : 15
    Windows 7 Professional 64-bit
       #3

    That's cool.

    For me, I can live without the taskbar thumbnails, but the point-to-select feature was too annoying to tolerate.

    In case I really needed to see the thumbnails, I can use this mouse clicks workaround or press Win+T and use the arrow keys to move through the icons and see their thumbnails!

    I usually just use Alt+Tab. It provides window previews.
    Last edited by msafi; 04 Apr 2010 at 13:43.
      My Computer


  4. Posts : 71,977
    64-bit Windows 11 Pro for Workstations
    Thread Starter
       #4



    LOL, I forgot about the shortcut keys. Added. Thank you.
      My Computer


  5. Posts : 1
    Windows 7 Ultimate 86x
       #5

    Alternate option to registry edits


    If you are sceptical or just dont want to mess with the registry you can do this through the graphical interface.

    Single-Click or Double-Click to Open an Item

    Step 1
    Navigate to the Control panel usualy located under START>CONTROL PANEL

    Step 2
    Once in the control panel change the drop down menu in the top right corner to "Small Options"

    Step 3
    Now find the icon that is named "Folder Options" and point and click

    Step 4
    Once in the folder options window under the General tab find the box that is labeled Click Items as Follows. In this box is an option that says Double Click to Open an Item (single click to select) To the left of this is a circle be sure to click this circle and choose Apply then OK
    Last edited by Brink; 22 Nov 2010 at 11:40. Reason: added link
      My Computer


  6. Posts : 71,977
    64-bit Windows 11 Pro for Workstations
    Thread Starter
       #6

    Hello Tom, and welcome to Seven Forums.

    That it fine, but you misunderstood what the tutorial is for. This tutorial is to show people how to enable or disable selecting a item by hovering the mouse pointer over it (point to select) when they have Single-click to Open an Item option selected in Folder Options instead.
      My Computer


  7. Posts : 31
    win7
       #7

    One little problem with this method. If you apply these settings I noticed that hovering over taskbar running app icons you only get the balloon (if switched on) and not the toasters. Like winamp not toasting the play controls, explorer not showing the active explorer windows toast, etc.

    Has anyone fixed this? (desktop window manager service enabled/disabled made no difference)

    EDIT: OK, just found out that IF you have single click select on and leave default mousehover values, you can get explorer to not select the files when hovering over them. BUT you need to use "Use check boxes to select files" or in the registry "HKCU\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Explorer\Advanced\AutoCheckSelect dword 0x1"

    Cheers
    Last edited by tweakradje; 07 Nov 2012 at 17:56.
      My Computer


  8. Posts : 71,977
    64-bit Windows 11 Pro for Workstations
    Thread Starter
       #8

    Hello Tweakradje,

    Does using any of the options in the red warning box at the top of the tutorial as well help? :)
      My Computer


  9. Posts : 31
    win7
       #9

    Thx. It is big and red and I missed it. But those tricks are not very usefull in everyday use. I choose to use single click, and then I have to click 3 times to see the toasters? Pehaps some day one will find another workarround. I stick to the check boxes.

    Cheers

    edit: just wanted to say what a great place you have here. A lot of knowhow and very nice presented.
      My Computer


 
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