Desktop Folder

In WIN 7 Pro I created a desktop folder and placed several icons (program shortcuts) in this folder. When I open the folder, I get a directory on the left and the shortcuts on the right. How do I get the icons (shortcuts) only to display in this folder only?

Thanks

You might be able to find a 3rd party tool that can "get the icons (shortcuts) only to display in this folder only".

Natively, if you turn off the navigation pane for this one folder, then that pane is off for all folders.

A work around might be to make the explorer window so narrow that the navigation pane goes out of view.

You can't make the window small enough. There is a lower limit allowed. I will try to look for a 3rd party tool.

Thanks

You should be able to make the Windows Explorer window narrow enough to hide the nav pane. I do this via script many times each day. The explorer window can be as tall as you like. Its width determines if the nav pane is hidden.

I am able to adjust the explored window to eliminate the nav pane. However, every desktop folder I open reverts to the same as the one I just modified. Can I have them all appear different, without 3rd party software?

I am able to adjust the explored window to eliminate the nav pane. However, every desktop folder I open reverts to the same as the one I just modified. Can I have them all appear different, without 3rd party software?

Here's some ideas using batch registry edits:

Code:

::Change registry key to hide navpane
reg add "HKCU\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Explorer\Modules\GlobalSettings\Sizer" /v PageSpaceControlSizer /t REG_BINARY /d c80000000000000000000000d7030000 /f
::Open target directory
explorer C:\MyFolder
::Wait for directory to open
ping -n 2 127.0.0.1 >nul
::Change registry key to enable navpane
reg add "HKCU\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Explorer\Modules\GlobalSettings\Sizer" /v PageSpaceControlSizer /t REG_BINARY /d c80000000100000000000000d7030000 /f

When you run the code above your folder should open with the navpane hidden. After a couple seconds the navpane re-enables and becomes visible in subsequent Explorer windows. This also means that if you change directories from within your target folder, the Layout will update. That may not be a problem since you just have "icons (program shortcuts) in this folder". To prevent the cmd terminal from popping up you can add a vbscript and make things look seamless.

Step by step example:
~~~~
- Create new folder called "HideNavpane" in "C:\Windows"
- Open new Notepad and enter batch code above
- Save as "HideNavpane_MyFolder.bat" in "C:\Windows\HideNavpane"
- Open new Notepad and enter string:

Code:

CreateObject("Wscript.Shell").Run """" & WScript.Arguments(0) & """", 0, False

- Save as "silent.vbs" in "C:\Windows\HideNavpane"
- Create a shortcut on Desktop with target:

Code:

C:\Windows\System32\wscript.exe "C:\Windows\HideNavpane\silent.vbs" "C:\Windows\HideNavpane\HideNavpane_MyFolder.bat"

- Double click shortcut and it should open the folder with the navpane hidden
- Then open a different folder and it should have the navpane visible
~~~~

I used the "PageSpaceControlSizer" values from Brink's Navigation Pane - Turn On or Off tutorial for this. There are other keys in the same location called "LibraryPaneSizer", "PreviewPaneSizer" and "ReadingPaneSizer" that do kinda what they sound like. You can customize the Explorer Layout how you want, then export those registry keys to use in a batch.

For instance; this:

Code:

reg add "HKCU\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Explorer\Modules\GlobalSettings\Sizer" /v PreviewPaneSizer /t REG_BINARY /d ea0000000100000000000000dd010000 /f
reg add "HKCU\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Explorer\Modules\GlobalSettings\Sizer" /v PageSpaceControlSizer /t REG_BINARY /d 11010000010000000000000095010000 /f
reg add "HKCU\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Explorer\Modules\GlobalSettings\Sizer" /v ReadingPaneSizer /t REG_BINARY /d 4c010000010000000000000016020000 /f
reg add "HKCU\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Explorer\Modules\GlobalSettings\Sizer" /v LibraryPaneSizer /t REG_BINARY /d 370000000000000000000000dd010000 /f

Makes the Layout look like this:


Therefore you could "have them all appear different" depending on what batch you are calling.

Good info harvey263.

...and all native tools too