ShellFolderFix - Manage folder window positions/size

[CAUGHTUP77]

Thank you so much 'tweaker' you saved me. I bought 2 copies of Windows 7 in the blind and because of the lack of this feature I almost tossed them in the trash.

 

[tweaker]

In the words of MS: Critical Update

A slitghly bigger bug managed to squeeze through, it can (but not necessarily will) trigger when the database is full and the oldest entry is discarded.

Also fixed another thing, which I hope was the cause that sometimes (random) windows were not saved in workspaces. Haven't really had time to check if it really did fix this, as I deemed the above bug important enough to get the version out right away.

 

[MrDeviance]

This app has become a tool for ever day usage! I set it to start with windows and I disabled the tray icon and forgot about it!
If it only had an option to remove the window remember from startup.
Did you make it open windows that didn't get closed before shutting down the pc on purpose? Sometimes I leave multiple windows open and after I reboot they pop back on and I have to manually close them all.
Can the app be tweaked so it doesn't reopen windows automatically on startup?

 

[tweaker]

Can the app be tweaked so it doesn't reopen windows automatically on startup?

Sure I can add an option for that, it's pretty simple. Look for an update sometime later today (I probably won't bump the thread so just check to see if it's there).

 

[macattack]

Tweaker, Thanks again. Just downloaded the latest version of this invaluable add on tool. I set it up to run always too. Happy New Year to you.

 

[MrDeviance]

This app just got perfect. Now anything you add to it like that "up one level button" or "resize status bar" or what ever you think it's needed are going to be just bonus features from my perspective. Good job your app has just achieved everything that it was built for in my book! I will save this app for as along as I will use windows 7!
Too bad that all you have added with your app was already there in xp natively.
What was in their heads when they chose to remove such useful features is beyond me.
What really pisses me off about them is that they ruined explorer completely.
Your app helps to fix part of the problems but problems are still there to be corrected in the future, like the forced auto arrange inside the folder windows, that makes you feel like you have handcuffs on your hands when you try to move or arrange your icons inside a folder.
They removed all that liberty to work with icons in folders and turned it into a mobile os clone where everything is auto arranged and static by default .
That forced auto arrange even makes the name under the icons look awkward.

When they chose to change how explorer handles icons in windows 7, they didn't do it to improve over what xp already had, they did it just for variety and that is what ruined the xp perfection.They had absolutely no strategy over how it will work better, they just did it to make it look different, no matter what the costs of productivity are...
The only logical fact I can think of for this change of explorer to worse, is the fact that they aimed windows 7 at touch screen usage more than mouse and keyboard, which is completely stupid.

 

[AKRAM2009]

 

[EXreaction]

Thanks a lot, this is definitely going to save some time and headache. I regularly use between 6-9 explorer windows when coding (different directories open for easy access to files) and just the workspaces alone are awesome. Fixing the issue with Win7 only saving the most previous explorer window size is very much needed in the OS, but thanks for fixing it for now (we can hope they fix it in the future).

One unexpected thing that I ran into with the default settings; with the number of explorer windows I have open and the browsing around a bit that I do, sometimes I get into a directory that is already open (ex: I have includes/ and includes/core/ open, but want to take the includes/core/ to includes/objects/, so back to includes/ first) and it moves the window I was browsing with. This seems a bit unnatural, perhaps the default should be "temporarily use window as is"?

One feature request if it's possible/easy. Would you be able to save the history of the explorer windows as well for workspaces? So when one would re-open a window or set of windows that way they would be able to move back/forward in each as though it was still set from the initial saving? If what I am trying to explain here isn't clear, let me know and I'll try to explain it better.

Thanks for the great app

 

[tweaker]

One unexpected thing that I ran into with the default settings; with the number of explorer windows I have open and the browsing around a bit that I do, sometimes I get into a directory that is already open (ex: I have includes/ and includes/core/ open, but want to take the includes/core/ to includes/objects/, so back to includes/ first) and it moves the window I was browsing with. This seems a bit unnatural, perhaps the default should be "temporarily use window as is"?

I took the liberty there to default to my own prefered setting :devil:, if for no other reason than at least letting people try that first before changing

I use the "open in each folder in its own window" setting for explorer. But sometimes I want to navigate inside the same window (by holding Ctrl when opening a folder), and in those cases I want it to act as if I closed the previous window and opened a new one. That's why I personally like it, but I realize it's not everyones cup of tea so I added the other options even if I never will use them myself.

One feature request if it's possible/easy. Would you be able to save the history of the explorer windows as well for workspaces? So when one would re-open a window or set of windows that way they would be able to move back/forward in each as though it was still set from the initial saving? If what I am trying to explain here isn't clear, let me know and I'll try to explain it better.

Not entirely sure I follow. Do you mean the actual explorer history, which can be navigated with the back/forward buttons? If that's it then I don't know if that's possible to access (in any sane way). It actually briefly crossed my mind a few times, but realized it would likely be a hair pulling experience to try. I'll keep an eye out for it though.

 

[EXreaction]

Yes, I suppose that option make sense if you have the open each folder in its own window selected. Any way to check to see what that setting is and set the default option of it depending on how it is selected?

Yes, the explorer history of each window is what I mean. If you figure out how to save that setting, it would be great when saving workspaces and maybe for the recent windows.

Also, not sure if it was intentional or accidental, but the version number jumped from 1.0.9 to 1.1.0. No offense intended, but usually when people change from 1.0.x to 1.1.x it involves major changes to the old system resulting in a new branch of development. If it is just the usual changes it would go from 1.0.9 to 1.0.10 (it's not uncommon for people to go from 1.0.9 to 1.1.0 when what their intentions really were would be to go to 1.0.10). If you did intentionally go from 1.0.x to 1.1.x I am sorry, I didn't mean any offense, just trying to help everyone out a little.

 

[tweaker]

Yes, I suppose that option make sense if you have the open each folder in its own window selected. Any way to check to see what that setting is and set the default option of it depending on how it is selected?

There should be some registry key, but I'm not sure it's worth the hassle as it's pretty much a one time config thing (the first time(s) the app is used it's configured to your liking and the you forget about it). Unless there is a large outcry for it

Yes, the explorer history of each window is what I mean. If you figure out how to save that setting, it would be great when saving workspaces and maybe for the recent windows.

ok, well as I mentioned the chances are probably slim, but I'll keep an eye out to see if it's possible.

Also, not sure if it was intentional or accidental, but the version number jumped from 1.0.9 to 1.1.0.

No offense taken. That was actually intentional, there was a never released 1.0.10. After the last few fixes and it having been used by a bunch of people for a while without any reported problems (aswell as the accumulated feature additions), I thought it finally was worth the +0.1, to distinguish it a little from the open betaness of 1.0

 

[EXreaction]

Sounds good.

One more thing I just thought about, if you do release further versions would you mind making an update check to have the tool check for updates every start-up or something? Should be simple enough to setup and would keep us informed of bug fixes or additional features.

Thanks again for the work

 

[NoelC]

Thank you!

One thing: I normally start Explorer windows from several different icons on my desktop. When I start them normally, using ShellFolderFix, they open in one place then jump. Is the best way to avoid this, once the location is set, to open them minimized and let ShellFolderFix restore them the proper location?

-Noel

 

[tweaker]

The jumping thing depends a little where the links point to and I guess the performance of the machine. Network locations (at least UNC paths, \\blaha\) will jump due to the path name for the window taking a little longer to get initialized by windows, compared to a local folder.

I haven't tried anything related to this so I can't recomment a best way. If the minimized "trick" works for you then I don't see any problem doing it that way though.

I could try experimenting a bit with internal workarounds in a future version. I avoided it so far because I didn't want to potentially introduce more problems than what it solved, as it only was a smaller occasional cosmetic issue.

 

[Nosmo]

Tweaker,
Just a quick note of thanks for the program. Works great and will become an all time favorite with the Win 7
users that want to use Windows Explorer as a tool for getting serious work done. My hats off to you.

 

[gss]

I have a little problem.
I prefer to use "temporary use window as is". Sometimes folders opens with default size/position instead of the last size/position of this folder. But they opens properly if I close the folder and double-click that shortcut again.
I see this with "temporary use window as is" only. This is a little bug in a nice program but it annoying for me

Sorry for my English

 

[tweaker]

I'm not sure I understand correctly or if you maybe actually want to use use wndow as is instead of temporary as is. When using temporary, the size/position only should only be recorded for the first folder, the one that opens the window. If you navigate to a new folder inside that existing window, the size/position will not be recorded for the new locations.

Maybe what you want is a 4th option, that records the window size/position for the first opened folder, even if you navigated to a new location in that window? If that's the case I should be able to add that.

 

[gss]

I just try to open a folder using it's shortcut on desktop. First double-click opens it with incorrect size. I close that window and the second double-click opens it properly (with the size it was closed several minutes or hours before). I see this strange situation with "using temporary" only and not every time I open a folder.

I want to use "temporary" for another reason but can't do this because of this "effect" (I do not know why).

 

[tweaker]

I'll do some tests and see if I can replicate the issue.

 

[tweaker]

I just try to open a folder using it's shortcut on desktop. First double-click opens it with incorrect size. I close that window and the second double-click opens it properly (with the size it was closed several minutes or hours before). I see this strange situation with "using temporary" only and not every time I open a folder.

I've been trying to get the bug here too for couple of days, so far with no luck. But I just came to think of something that maybe could cause it. In folder settings do you have "Display the full path in the title bar" disabled? If yes, could you try enabling it and see if the problem goes away.