ShellFolderFix - Manage folder window positions/size

[tweaker]

Any folder opens in the same location and size as the last folder closed, not as a folder it self was when it was last closed.

It should work right away without the need to change any configuration. It defaults to "Update Window" for the options "When opening a new window" and "When navigating to a new location", and "Disable state recording" should be left unchecked.

Sounds like it's failing to track folders for some reason. You could double check that by opening the options dialog (while you have a couple for folder windows open) and pressing the "Init Default From >>" button. It should display a list of the open folders, or if it fails to track windows a message box will come up saying that no windows are open.

The only case I'm currently aware of, where tracking completely fails, is running the 32-bit SFF on 64-bit windows (which shouldn't be happening anyway when using the installer). Otherwise maybe some other app could be interfering. Are you running anything else like Window Manager, shell extensions or explorer modifications?

You are running on 32-bit win7? (english?)

 

[MikeK22]

reply

It now works. Thanks. I uninstalled and reinstalled using the installer. I had downloaded the zip for 32 bit and made sure the switches you mention were set to their defaults. I can't say exactly what happened because I had uninstalled before I got your reply.

Now, if only MS would include in the first SP a fix for Win Explorer windows and search to work like they did in XP. As I recall it took XP SP1 or SP2 to get the search right.

Mike K

 

[Lykho]

Now, if only MS would include in the first SP a fix for Win Explorer windows and search to work like they did in XP. As I recall it took XP SP1 or SP2 to get the search right.

man, I've considered making a thread to ask if it's possible to regain the much more precious search options available in ME and XP. hell, I haven't yet found a way to interrupt a search once I've found what I want that doesn't result in erasing the bloody search results themselves!

 

[tweaker]

Now, if only MS would include in the first SP a fix for Win Explorer windows and search to work like they did in XP. As I recall it took XP SP1 or SP2 to get the search right.

I too missed the old search on many occasions when win7 search wasn't enough, however I was pointed to a free app. I've been using it for a while now and I'm very pleased, and wouldn't go back to old Win search even if it returned . Agent Ransack - Free File Searching Utility

 

[retiredfields]

Thanks for the recent updates. just what I asked for

Great............

 

[drumtrucker]

Window jumps around when navigating sub folders

When I open sub-folders I would prefer window to remain in same position (I have settings to not open new window). As it is now, position changes and even WORSE, when I go back to parent, it moves down and right from sub-folders position. At the very least, I would want parent folder position to be same as before I went down.

Is this a configuration issue?

 

[tweaker]

Is this a configuration issue?

Yes it should be, set "When navigating to a new location" to either "Temporarily use window as is" or "Use window as is".

As a side note for the parent folder being the same as before you went down, it does actually work like that for folders that already have a saved state. However for, let's call them "intermediate" folders (unknown folders that are just navigated past) it consideres them as temporary and will not save their state. In any case it's purely academical because selecting one of the above options will have it working without the window jumping around at all, like in older Windows.

 

[drumtrucker]

THANKS!

 

[Lykho]

Hey, I just wanted to report a trivial oddity I've noticed:

after some period of time (perhaps only after a restart, I'm not sure), it seems to forget "group by" settings.

I have one desktop shortcut where I notice that it retains the position and even the "group by: type" folder option for that link, but now and then I'll click the link and, though the position continues to be restored faithfully, the "group by" setting has relapsed to the default.

absolutely trivial, I know--it's not a complaint, I just figure programmers like to be aware of these things.

 

[tweaker]

after some period of time (perhaps only after a restart, I'm not sure), it seems to forget "group by" settings.

It never remembers it in the first place The only parameters that SFF currently affects are the size of the windows and their position. Everything else is how Windows handles things itself.

 

[Lykho]

after some period of time (perhaps only after a restart, I'm not sure), it seems to forget "group by" settings.

It never remembers it in the first place The only parameters that SFF currently affects are the size of the windows and their position. Everything else is how Windows handles things itself.

oh,
so Windows doesn't "globalize" 'group by' like it does other layout settings?

 

[tweaker]

so Windows doesn't "globalize" 'group by' like it does other layout settings?

I don't know exactly how and what it does. Generally it has a couple of different sets of settings. One for folders with images, one for folders with music etc.. So I think it should be possible to set things like sorting and grouping, but it will only apply to all folders of the same type. Possibly you also have to go into Folder Options and click Apply to Folders to have the setting stick to the particular folder type.

 

[username]

This porgram is even worse then windows manager, not only it doeant remamber windows potions but now new windows end up on random places on screeen. Windows had at least little decency and placed new windows almost in the same position as previous...

 

[KremmenUK]

ShellFolderFix working perfectly for me

Am I hearing correct that the SP1 is supposed to fix this problem and remember each folders size and position independently ?

 

[Lykho]

Am I hearing correct that the SP1 is supposed to fix this problem and remember each folders size and position independently ?

whoa, where'd you hear that?


...I wonder what they have planned for SP2, ...putting statuses back in status bars?

maybe a decade from now 7 will be as good as ME was ten years ago :roflmao:

 

[JohnRandall]

Thank you, Tweaker. W7 is missing a number of the "good" characteristics of XP and I'm very thankful that you have supplied one of these. (I have a number of routine tasks involving a number of folders, positioned in particular locations with particular sizes. In XP I opened the folders and did the task. In W7 - until you came along - I had to first move the folders out of each other's way every time I needed to do the task - a minor irritation, but enough to to cause me to make sailors blush.)

A while after installing you tool I began to experience Explorer crashing when I cut a file (to paste it in another folder). Is anyone else experiencing this bug? Has it been associated with your add-in? The Help in the "Explorer has experienced a problem" sequence of windows indicates that one should try uninstalling a recently installed program to see if that makes the problem go away. I've not done that (there may be sailors within hearing distance) but have discovered (I think) that if I drag rather than cut and paste then (so far) Explorer does not fall over.

Once again, many thanks for ShellFolderFix.

(In case you are wondering, I have searched for threads discussing my problem - but found none.)

 

[tweaker]

A while after installing you tool I began to experience Explorer crashing when I cut a file (to paste it in another folder). Is anyone else experiencing this bug? Has it been associated with your add-in?

I haven't seen any report of this so far, or experienced it myself. Does the crash happen all the time or often, or just occasionally? If it happens often enough (like daily) it should be easy to check by just disabling ShellFolderFix (uncheck the start automatically option) for a day or two. You don't have to uninstall it, if it isn't running it has no effect on the system (meaning it doesn't install any system files or such).

 

[JohnRandall]

Does the crash happen all the time or often, or just occasionally?

Occassionally, out of the blue. When it happens, the folder positions and sizes (of only the folders open at the time of the crash?) are lost after Explorer reports failing to find an explanation for the crash and restarts, even though the positions and sizes were set many days previously. This was one of the clues making me suspect ShellFolderFix.

If I'm the only one you know of with the problem, I'm barking up the wrong tree.

Than you for replying.

 

[tweaker]

When it happens, the folder positions and sizes (of only the folders open at the time of the crash?) are lost after Explorer reports failing to find an explanation for the crash and restarts, even though the positions and sizes were set many days previously.

SFF normally only saves the database upon exit, unless you have auto-save enabled (or manually saved it). If you have your computer always running or only hibernate it could explain why it didn't remember the folders allthough you had set them days earlier. If you turn off the computer / log off daily then it indeed seems strange that it didn't remember those folders.

If you always stay logged in you could enable auto-save to at least avoid that particular issue.

 

[JohnRandall]

I found this quote in a related thread:

I do not know this guy but he is a God amongst men.

I'll second that, on the basis of your patient responses to my posts!

I've always had Autosave turned on (every 30 minutes) and today I downloaded and installed the latest version. While doing this I read the section in the ReadMe file on the use of SFF. I see that the checkbox "Start automatically at log-on" is off, so I've turned it on. However the previous version was working just fine with this option off. At least, it opened files with size and position as set. It was certainly loadedautomatically when I started the PC ever morning. (I shut down at night because I have a UPS between the PC and the power supply - I doubt whether a PC does much to my electricity bill but I suspect the UPS is a little more expensive.) Perhaps size and position settings were lost because I had this switch off?

Finally, although I cannot find threads when I search on the likes of "Explorer crashes when right-clicking to cut a folder", I do find threads indicating that Explorer crashes following on a right-click. All of these threads indicate that removing some application solved the problem. However, I got the impression these applications were unusual (used by few users) or that they had been developed in older environments.

I'm not removing SFF. It is not the problem. I'd rather remove W7!

Once again, many thanks.