ShellFolderFix - Manage folder window positions/size

[NancyAnne49]

ShellFolderFix

I am a graduate student at CSUF and for the past year I have been spending 5 to 15 minutes rearranging my desktop each time I log on.

I have searched & searched for a solution - Even got a hotfix from Microsoft - No Go

This was such an easy fix and I'll thank you every time I hit that power button.

 

[Tedgrant2]

Options Window opens at Startup

Hi y'all,
The application is brilliant and I really can't live without it, however I don't like the fact that at System Startup, the Options Window always appears, so I have to close it everytime. I've tried creating a shortcut with the Run Minimized option and modifying the "Target" command line with -hide as a switch (I don't even know what that is supposed to do!) but no luck. Oddly, if I close the program and restart it, the Options Window doesn't appear. It only happens at System Startup. The other odd thing is that when I use MSCONFIG, the program appears twice, but then deleting it from the Start Menu, Programs, Startup (once), makes both entries disappear.
Any ideas and education on these points will be gratefully appreciiated.
Regards from tedgrant2 of u2b fame.:shock:

 

[Monsoon]

Hi y'all,
The application is brilliant and I really can't live without it, however I don't like the fact that at System Startup, the Options Window always appears, so I have to close it everytime. I've tried creating a shortcut with the Run Minimized option and modifying the "Target" command line with -hide as a switch (I don't even know what that is supposed to do!) but no luck. Oddly, if I close the program and restart it, the Options Window doesn't appear. It only happens at System Startup. The other odd thing is that when I use MSCONFIG, the program appears twice, but then deleting it from the Start Menu, Programs, Startup (once), makes both entries disappear.
Any ideas and education on these points will be gratefully appreciiated.
Regards from tedgrant2 of u2b fame.:shock:

I had a couple of quirks occuring like that too, so I deleted the application folder. Downloaded a fresh copy and reinstalled it.
Has worked perfectly since.

<shrugs>

 

[retiredfields]

I've been using this for a long time and I still appreciate you adding the "disable state recording" option. This allows me to set up my explorer windows for each drive (I have 6) just where I want them and have them always open in the same location each time. However.........

Ever since you added this, there are rare instances where the saved location of a window changes, even though I have the "disable state recording" checked. For example, I have my D: drive explorer window set up to the bottom right corner of the display. It almost always opens there, even if I have moved it around the screen and closed it in a different location. But, on rare instances, it will re-open in the last location I closed it, without using the control key to save the state. Somehow it's saved location gets changed without me doing it.

It has happened several times in the last few days, which prompted me to write this. I am trying to duplicate the problem, on demand, but have not had any luck so far. When I do figure out the circumstances that cause it, I will post here.

Any ideas where I should look for the cause?

Thanks

 

[tweaker]

at System Startup, the Options Window always appears

There have been a few occasions where someone gets a window that always opens on startup. I still don't know why that would happen. I know I've read about some general windows issue, on some windows versions, where a folder insisted coming pu on startup, but so far I can't think of any rational explaination why it would happen with SFF.

there are rare instances where the saved location of a window changes, even though I have the "disable state recording" checked.

...

I am trying to duplicate the problem, on demand, but have not had any luck so far. When I do figure out the circumstances that cause it, I will post here.

Any ideas where I should look for the cause?

I don't know off hand why that might be happening, I'll have to see if I can find something. The only intended way that the state is updated when recording is disabled, is if "Enable control key modifier to record" is enabled and control is pressed.

 

[retiredfields]

Here is what is happening

Open a windows explorer window using this shortcut:

"C:\Windows\explorer.exe d:\, /e"

The window opens in the correct, saved position. Open a second window, using the same shortcut. The OS, or you, place the second window slightly below and to the right of the first window. Close both windows. Re-open a window using the same shortcut.

It opens in the slightly right/lower position, not the original saved position. The slightly right and lower position has become the new default.

Right now this is happening with all my shortcuts to system drives.

Any ideas?

Thanks

Ken

 

[retiredfields]

Minor update. The above happens on more than one computer and even if I have the "disable state recording" and the control key override turned off, the "new" window position is still saved. This is a persistent save, updating the on disk database across system boots......

 

[chuck447]

Two questions - clear database? Open workspace on startup?

Great program!

Two questions -

First, is there a way to clear the database of folder size/positions, and start over? I did not see anything about this in the readme.

If not, I think it would be useful to have a way to make ShellFolderFix forget windows.

Like the Workspaces dialog, it could show the current database, and you could highlight an entry (or several) and "Forget it" to remove it from the database. (This dialog could also be another way of opening folders... highlight 1 or more and click "Open these".)

The only way I can see how to do this now, would be uninstalling and reinstalling, or maybe setting the database size to 1 and then back to 500. I've been playing with ShellFolderFix and moved around lots of folders to test, but now I want to start over and use "Disable State Recording" and selectively record just a few specific folders.

Second - is there a way to make ShellFolderFix open up a Workspace on startup?
I don't think I'd use the "Restore previous at login", as I usually close everything before shutting down by habit, but I would like an option in the Workspaces dialog to "Open this workspace at startup". Right now I'm just putting shortcuts to these folders in my Windows Startup, but it seems more logical to have ShellFolderFix do it.

Anyway, great program! I don't think I could stand using Windows 7 without it. Thank you!

 

[chuck447]

Other programs that restore the basic functionality of Windows XP?

Hopefully this isn't too off-topic - I figure anyone reading this thread is after the same thing I am...

I've been putting off making the switch from XP to Windows 7 for a while now. ShellFolderFix is terrific - it looks like I'll be able to continue using Windows the way I've been for the last 15+ years!

I'm wondering if there are any other utilities that "restore the basic functionality of Windows XP"? Besides ShellFolderFix, I know of two more, am I missing any?

Classic Shell, Welcome to Classic Shell
Not just a clone of the XP start menu, it also comes with "Classic Explorer" that provides massive tweaks. There is a tiny bit of overlap with ShellFolderFix, both programs allow you to show window titles/icons in Areo.

7 Taskbar Tweaker, 7 Taskbar Tweaker - RaMMicHaeL's home page
You can prevent grouping in the taskbar, so the order is like it was on XP. Lots of other great tweaks.

It's sad that I have to run 3 programs to get Windows 7 to act like XP - Why aren't these just registry entries? Anyway, thanks again tweaker, and everyone else working to fix these things!

 

[g4qber]

m'soft please put copy process in separate process

shellfolderfix alllows closing of other windows explorer windows while the copy window continues.

in XP, the copy process was separated from other windows explorer windows

try this:
1. winkey-E x10, create 10x windows explorer windows
2. copy a large file to USB flash drive
3. close group of windows explorer windows; right click on tab & select <close group>

compare vista & 7 with XP.

one good thing about vista & 7 is that speed is shown.
in OSX & XP, only time remaining is shown.

at least with win 7 SP1, cancelling of copy to USB flash doesn't take as long as original copy would have taken.
eg.
1. copy large file to USB flash (2GB)
2. wait for 30 secs
3. click <cancel>

try this out in vista sp2 & win7 unpatched
now try with XP & win 7 sp1

here are some results:
http://www.editgrid.com/user/g4qber/copy_cancel_vista_jim

 

[fcremc]

Shell Folder Fix

Hi, first let me thank you for this great software. My question is: the folder that I use your software on is only in the correct order after I open it & then click on restore workplace. Then all is well. Is there a setting that will keep this restored workplace ` setting when I first open the folder?

Thank you,
fcremc

 

[Ascend4nt]

I have a problem with Save/Restore Desktop Icons - it doesn't remember the positions. I'm not sure if this is due to me resizing the icons (Ctrl+mouse-scroll), or the fact the desktop window handle changes from the old 'Progman' sometimes depending on some conditions. I'm not sure if Aero is to blame, but sometimes the desktop handle has no name and is a window class of 'WorkerW'.. if this is the problem, check this workaround I've come up with (note: programmed in AutoIt) here: Desktop Class: WorkerW - AutoIt Forums.

 

[Bobbby]

Hello,
I use ShellFolderFix and I am very happy with it...thank you Georg!

As someone who writes a software like this is participating
in this forum, I see a chance that my question of understanding icons in
Win7 could be answered here...sorry fo beeing a little off topic.

When I change Icons of folders (by choosing properties in contextmenu),
sometimes these icons are non-permanent...
e.g. when copying the folder to another
external hard-drive, or after some win-update I think...

Is there a way to save custom-icons somewhow better?
Are these Icons in a central Database in OS, or in the file itself?
I couldnt find any information about that....anywhere.
Would appreciate any suggestion
Bobby

 

[NoelC]

To this day I believe ShellFolderFix is still my favorite piece of freeware, which has turned Windows 7 from barely tolerable into a workhorse for me.

-Noel

 

[billearl]

If you haven't already done so, have a look at Classic Shell. Another excellent free addition to Windows 7.

Welcome to Classic Shell

 

[kazink]

... and 7 Taskbar Tweaker: 7 Taskbar Tweaker - RaMMicHaeL's home page

By the way: tweaker, any updates on releasing the version with this bug fixed? You said that it was already fixed and you were going to release a new version soon, but the newest version has been still the same since then.

 

[billoutt]

tweaker - This is an app to make win7 explorer folder windows remember their size and position. It has a couple of additional features too, and hopefully some more later on. It does NOT manage window size/positions of regular applications, if you want that, other apps like Window Manager do it. Although I haven't tried it, in theory it should work to run Window Manager simultaneously, if it's configured to ignore folder windows (found as "CabinetWClass"). I'd strongly recommend configuring WM to ignore them, or disable WM, before running ShellFolderFix, to avoid any potential "fighting" between the two apps.


Packages available are non-installer versions (.zip) and a unified installer for both 32- and 64-bit systems (ShellFolderFixSetup.exe). When using the installer to upgrade from a previous version, it's good practice to exit any currently running ShellFolderFix before starting the installer, to reduce chances of needing a reboot.

Upgrade strongly suggested for anyone using a version older than 1.0.9


Current release 1.1.4:

Changes:

• added pages to options dialog to be able to fit more options, and to make a clear separation between normal and advanced/expert options
• added folder list dialog, that lists all open folder windows with commands to activate, minimize and close windows.
• added option to show "Save Database Now" command in menu, instead of always displaying it (now hidden by default)
• added option to specify start delay that used when the app auto-starts and the Windows folder option "Restore previous folder windows at logon" is enabled, this option might help solve problems with windows that end up with incorrect size/pos at startup
• added control modifier option so that windows can be closed without database or recent file list getting updated, when holding down a control key during close
• added "Disable State Recording" functionality, when enabled it suspends database updates so that windows can be resized and moved without their new size/position being saved (optionally this can be overridden with a control key modifier)
• added option to control behavior of newly opened windows, to allow the app to be configured to not affect window size/pos (suitable for users that would only like to use other functionality, like for example workspaces or recent folder list)
• ReadMe updated with more (and reworded) information, courtesy of kind forum poster Yahya

Thank you very much for your useful app to help correct Microsoft's relentless march backward.

 

[guygo]

I dont know how i could live with win7 without ShellFolderFix. The best darned free app around. thx tweaker.

 

[ReneGnam]

I dont know how i could live with win7 without ShellFolderFix. The best darned free app around. thx tweaker.

Ditto!

 

[dafreak]

Hi,

I am getting "could not read environment variable "APPDATA"

Why?