Inactive Selection colour in Windows Classic Theme

[jaffamuffin]

Hi All

I've just started to use Windows 7 and I have a whole set of problems with Windows 7 hopefully this forum can help me out, but we'll start with this one for today:


I'm using Windows classic theme for various reasons:
e.g. full path shows in title bar, active windows are easier to distinguish etc, i just prefer it.

But if I have two explorer windows open and select a file in one window, focus the other window and select a file BOTH windows have the selected files coloured the same way, i.e. dark blue

The unfocussed window should have it's selected files made grey.

How do I change this ?

 

[mitchell65]

Hi and welcome to the Forum.
I assume you are talking about Windows Explorer and not Internet Explorer? That being so how do you get two Windows Explorer windows open at the same time? Can you post a screenshot please?
http://www.sevenforums.com/tutorials/9733-screenshots-files-upload-post-seven-forums.html

 

[jaffamuffin]

I have uploaded a picture. See the window on the right is focussed but the inactive window still has the selected file as blue.


Also have uploaded a picture of Windows XP -- this is how it should look :

 

[mitchell65]

I have now set my system to Classic Theme and have replicated the problem! Have found this link:
Changing Display Settings, Background Image, Icons, and Screen Saver (Windows 7) | HP® Support
but cannot see how to change selected file highlight color in inactive window anywhere. I think the answer here is:
"This is Windows 7 not Windows XP. There are differences and this is one of them."
Interested to hear though why you might need to have two windows open at a time?

 

[jaffamuffin]

I have now set my system to Classic Theme and have replicated the problem! Have found this link:
Changing Display Settings, Background Image, Icons, and Screen Saver (Windows 7) | HP® Support
but cannot see how to change selected file highlight color in inactive window anywhere. I think the answer here is:
"This is Windows 7 not Windows XP. There are differences and this is one of them."
Interested to hear though why you might need to have two windows open at a time?

The reasons for having multiple explorer windows open are too many to mention! I can't believe that is a serious question? File management, copying files, comparing directories, moving files, drag and drop, multitaksing, working on more than one thing at once ?

As for 'that just being a difference' I realise it is a difference, but it's different from every other version of window notwithstanding vista as I havent used that.

The reason this was a problem for me was I had 12,000 files and I was copying block of 1000 files out of one directory into another. I was selecting the files with SHIFT and PGUP to get 1000 and drag over to other window. But I kept selecting the files in the wrong window as it's difficult to see which window is focussed/active as the selection is the same colour either way.

Regardless with Aero on - it doesn't have this problem, the highlight selection works as it should, so I still believe this is a bug and/or a setting needs to be changed somewhere.

Theres so many basic issues with win7 explorer I can't believe anyone actually tested it in a real world use case. Slowly working my way though them.

 

[mitchell65]

Well that has put me firmly in my place hasn't it? I have a gven more thought to your problem but as my idea will probably be dismissed I will leave this thread to others who may wish to respond. I have just one small problem, I couldn't understand why, if you are located in the UK your local time is shown as 6.46 am whereas mine (and I know I am in the UK) is 1.46pm. I think you appear to be in the wrong timezone!

 

[jaffamuffin]

Well that has put me firmly in my place hasn't it? I have a gven more thought to your problem but as my idea will probably be dismissed I will leave this thread to others who may wish to respond. I have just one small problem, I couldn't understand why, if you are located in the UK your local time is shown as 6.46 am whereas mine (and I know I am in the UK) is 1.46pm. I think you appear to be in the wrong timezone!

I welcome any input, but I was a bit shocked to hear some ask why I would use two explorer windows ? As if I could solve the problem by using only one.... At any time I can have up to around 10-20 explorer windows open, but maybe only working with 2 or 3 at once. This is fundamental part of the WIMP environment that has been the a main computer interface for the last 25 years.And not to put too finer point on it, the Operating system is called 'Windows' and not just 'Window'.

I am seriously considering using xplorer2 as a explorer alternative to get some work done.

Does anyone know how to get current path in the title bar of an aero window?

I do not know why my time is set the way it is, it is 14:22 here in UK (BST) currently.

 

[lehnerus2000]

Theres so many basic issues with win7 explorer I can't believe anyone actually tested it in a real world use case. Slowly working my way though them.

You could install a 3rd party File Manager (e.g. FreeCommander).

Most of the ones I've looked at allow twin file panes and tabs.

 

[jaffamuffin]

thanks. I'll try free commander out

 

[mitchell65]

I do not know why my time is set the way it is, it is 14:22 here in UK (BST) currently.

Probably because you haven't set your time zone correctly, but then someone as busy multitasking as yourself is bound to make a few mistakes from time to time.
Go to 'User CP' at the top of this thread then in the menu on the left click "Edit Options" then scroll down to "Date and time options" and set your time zone!

 

[lehnerus2000]

Lots of functions

thanks. I'll try free commander out

Those are just a couple of example layouts.
You can make it look like Windows Explorer (tree + file pane) or twin file panes.

You can copy/move files by dragging them to a tab label, or copy/move files between panes by using the copy and move buttons on the pane splitter.

FreeCommander:

• Has the ability to show folder sizes in the File pane (click the KB icon).
• Can generate MD5 hashes.
• Has an excellent mass rename function.
• Can preview various file types like text, audio and video.
• Also has a stack of functions that I've never used.

The only problem I have experienced, is that sometimes the context menu stops working in FreeCommander.

Here is a link to the site.
FreeCommander - freeware file manager