ShellFolderFix - Manage folder window positions/size

[PeteMc]

SFF basically remembers where it was launched from. So is it possible that you launched it from the Program Files (x86) folder first? Then moved it to the Program Files folder?

And the Start With Windows is not selected by default. You need to go check it after you've started the program.

I'm guessing the fix to your current issue would be to UNcheck the Start With Windows and shut down SFF. Reboot. Go to whatever folder you have the program located in and launch it manually. Then re-check the Start With Windows box. And reboot again to see if it starts correctly.

 

[Kivlov]

SFF basically remembers where it was launched from. So is it possible that you launched it from the Program Files (x86) folder first? Then moved it to the Program Files folder?

And the Start With Windows is not selected by default. You need to go check it after you've started the program.

I'm guessing the fix to your current issue would be to UNcheck the Start With Windows and shut down SFF. Reboot. Go to whatever folder you have the program located in and launch it manually. Then re-check the Start With Windows box. And reboot again to see if it starts correctly.

I did exactly the same, but it didn't fix the issue.

The full story:

1. I used a portable version on my 2nd HDD - it was located at D:\Tools\ShellFolderFix
2. Then I decided to move all programs, which exist in my autostart list to the system drive.
3. I turned off autostart from the ShellFolderFix menu.
4. Firstly, I moved it manually to Program Files (x86) folder, but then I decided that I was wrong, as it's x64 application.
5. Again, I turned off autostart from the ShellFolderFix menu.
6. And this time I used the version with installer - it was installed correctly to Program Files folder.
7. I launched it and enabled autostart from the ShellFolderFix menu, but it added a link to Program Files (x86) folder instead of Program Files in my autostart list.
8. I edited the link manually to Program Files.
9. I tried redoing everything like you described, but without success.

 

[Kivlov]

Addition:

I just checked this issue on another PC, where ShellFolderFix was never located in "Program Files (x86)" folder. I installed it (in the "Program Files" folder), and after I checked the autostart option, it added the wrong path to the "Program Files (x86)" folder.

 

[PeteMc]

I have installed SFF on multiple machines and have always put it in Program Files and have never had a problem.

I'd suggest double checking that the only folder/program location is in Program Files folder. Turnoff the Auto Start and Exit the program. Reboot and then go search the registry (if you're comfortable with do that) for: shellfolderfix and delete all entries.

Reboot and then go into you folder in Program Files and start SFF again and check off the Auto Start.

 

[billearl]

Just want to thank the author for ShellFolderFix and for updating it to 1.1.5. Such a critical app - Microsoft has no clue.

 

[JohnW2]

ShellFolderFix under Windows 10

Hi there,

My first post here, since I'm a bit of an impostor, in never having used Windows 7!

Since it appeared to offer functionality that I would very much like to have, and since people seem to have indicated that it works OK under Win 10, I've just installed SFF under Windows 10 Pro (64-bit).

Installation went without a hitch, and I can 'open' SFF and change the configuration settings etc. but it does not seem to be 'doing anything' at all, so I wonder what I'm missing.

I have got autostart configured, it appears (with correct location) in the startup list and also as an icon in my Task Bar. It appears as an active app in Task Manager whilst I have the 'configuration' window open, but disappears from Task Manager as soon as I click on 'OK' (and the window closes) - so I'm not really convinced it is actually 'running' (other than when I am viewing/changing settings).

Anyway, as I said, it appears to be 'doing nothing'. WEhat am I missing?

Edit: I've just discovered that it is always present in the 'Details' tab of Task Manager, although not in the 'Processes' tab - so it is actually 'running' all the time - simply not apparently 'doing anything'.

Kind Regards, John

 

[JohnW2]

... a further update to the preceding message (too late to edit it again) ...

.... I have discovered that it IS doing at least one thing - causing each folder to remember the shape/size/position of its window, on a per-folder basis. However, that's the only folder setting (see **) that I have so far found being 'remembered'. In particular, the feature I most want to be remembered (whether the Navigation Pane is on/off) does not get 'remembered' on a per-folder basis. If one changes that for one folder, that change gets applied to all folders.

** one odd thing about Windows 10 (without SFF) is that, having essentially got rid of the ability to remember individual folders' settings, the one thing it does remember (individually for each folder) is whether icons or 'details' are displayed.

Kind Regards,m John

 

[kazink]

the feature I most want to be remembered (whether the Navigation Pane is on/off) does not get 'remembered' on a per-folder basis.

I don't believe SFF have ever remembered the view settings. It was always for position/size only.

 

[JohnW2]

I don't believe SFF have ever remembered the view settings. It was always for position/size only.

Thanks. Yes, you're right. I've just discovered that for myself, and was about to report that here. In fact, I've discovered that in his penultimate post (prior to his sudden disappearance after one more most, 4 days later), on 25th March 2011, Tweaker (the author of SFF) posted the following in response to a questiin similar to mine
(someone having suggested that remembering of view settings had "stopped working" with his SFF) ...

Everything is in working order, it never started working SFF only affects (and remembers) the size and position, nothing else. If it were (easily) possible it would also remember view settings, I want that myself.

I had been confused by the person who recommended SFF to me, who had told me that it brought back the functionality of the "Remember each folder's view settings" option which had existed in XP and Vista - which I now realise overstated what SFF actually does.

Do I take it that there is nothing out there which will bring back the remembering of view settings to Win7 and beyond? I've certainly hunted high and low and have so far found nothing.

Thanks again for your input (and confirmation!).

Kind Regards, John

 

[Barman58]

JohnW2

not sure if this might help ... it's a generic thread dealing with folder appearance in our Sister Site for Windows 10

Windows 10 not saving my folder view options. - Windows 10 Forums

Check Post #4

 

[JohnW2]

not sure if this might help ... it's a generic thread dealing with folder appearance in our Sister Site for Windows 10 ...

Thanks for your interest. At first glance, I think that thread may be like many others I've found, talking primarily about folder settings which apply to all folders (or, at least, all folders of one 'type'), rather than individually for each folder - but I'll have a more careful read.

I did post a question in your sister Win10 site a little while ago, asking about folder-specific view settings, but was essentially told that it can't be done with W10 itself (which I knew) but with no-one suggesting any 3rd-party apps that could do it, either.

Thanks again for your input. If I do discover anything useful, I'll report it here, since its possible that it might also be applicable to Win7.

Kind Regards, John

 

[Barman58]

I think that individual settings for folder appearance went with the end of XP, at least with regards to windows itself, you may find some basic 3rd party tool from the XP era that was written well enough to still work,

Windows versions rarely actually remove the settings in the registry even for controls that they remove from the user interface, so that may be a possible way if they are there and still documented correctly somewhere

 

[JohnW2]

I think that individual settings for folder appearance went with the end of XP, at least with regards to windows itself, you may find some basic 3rd party tool from the XP era that was written well enough to still work, .... Windows versions rarely actually remove the settings in the registry even for controls that they remove from the user interface, so that may be a possible way if they are there and still documented correctly somewhere

Thanks again.

If one compares the registry entries ('database') for folders in XP (I imagine that Vista is similar or identical) in

HKCU\Software\Microsoft\Windows\ShellNoRoam\Bags....

with the equivalent for Win10 in

HKCU\Software\Microsoft\Windows\Shell\Bags....

... one can see what at least part of the problem is. Unfortunately contrary to what you suggest above, all the registry entries for things like window size/position which were present in XP (and probably Vista) have disappeared in Win10 (and, I assume, also Win7/8), and I presume this is why SFF had to maintain its own database of window sizes and positions.

I have seen it suggested that the reason for removal of the this functionality from Win7 onwards was that having to look up per-folder information in a registry 'database' was having a performance hit. However, that seems a daft excuse to me - since, even with Win7/8/10 as it is, it still has to look at that 'database' for information on 'display type' (Details, List, Icons etc.) and icon size, so I seriously doubt that it would take noticeably longer to look up other things as well!

Kind Regards, John

 

[Danette]

Options Screen At Logon

I have selected the "Start automatically at logon" option and, when the computer starts up, the ShellFolderFix options screen also loads. It should not be loading. How do I get ShellFolderFix to load, but not the options screen? The shortcut link is placed in the Startup folder for the user, as it should be.

 

[PeteMc]

I've seen that occasionally with other folders.

One "fix" with this has been to close the offending folder and then do a ShutDown, not Restart. See if it goes away after you turn the PC back on.

If not, rather than going crazy trying different options, my suggestion would be to try removing ShellFolderFix. Uninstall, Restart, reinstall ShellFolderFix, set your options, make sure the Option window is closed, Restart. Hopefully SFF will start as expected and the Option window will not open.

 

[jayteee]

I just want to thank the author for writing ShellFolderFix. I can't tell you how annoying it is to open windows for them to not appear where exactly you want them to. It's my desktop. I want the windows to open where I want them, not were Microsoft decides. Worse than that, they seem to have completely given up on saving shell window positions at all in Windows 10. ShellFolderFix fixes what should have been built into the OS. The whole damn bagmru limit and associated crap has been an issue for years. This from a long time IT person, using/installing/deploying Windows professionally since Windows 3.x. Thanks again.

 

[hub2000]

Hello,
everything working as expected, very good. I tried so many other programs which are fully overloaded and not really working.

I would like to give a feature request:

- to be able to store keyboard shortcuts for each workspace

I would also suggest to offer a simple and a paid pro version with more features. That would be fully ok for me.
- pro version also with support for exe program windows

 

[Draper]

Is there any way of doing a complete backup of the settings?
The reason I ask is that on occasion when I have to hard boot my computer, shell folder fix loses every single setting, and then i'm deleting, reinstalling, and setting up every window again.
So I wonder where are the settings stored? Is this something I can copy to another folder and use as a backup?

 

[alihor]

Hi Tweaker,
I am using ShellFolderFix since long time and I am very satisfied, BUT:
My System: i7; WIN7-64 8GB
On my main Windows Desktop I am using a lot of individual folders. Within these folders I arragened a lot of application icons in an individual order and position. Now due to some reconfigurations with my grafic cards the desktop is sometimes reordered with all the application icons and folder icons. AND, unfortunately, the icon position inside the folder are dearranged as well.
With your tool SFF I rearrange all the icons, and that works realy good. BUT INSIDE FOLDERS it doesn't work.
What am I doing wrong? Is there another tool available?
best regards
Alhard

 

[Draper]

Hi Tweaker,
I am using ShellFolderFix since long time and I am very satisfied, BUT:
My System: i7; WIN7-64 8GB
On my main Windows Desktop I am using a lot of individual folders. Within these folders I arragened a lot of application icons in an individual order and position. Now due to some reconfigurations with my grafic cards the desktop is sometimes reordered with all the application icons and folder icons. AND, unfortunately, the icon position inside the folder are dearranged as well.
With your tool SFF I rearrange all the icons, and that works realy good. BUT INSIDE FOLDERS it doesn't work.
What am I doing wrong? Is there another tool available?
best regards
Alhard

Did you increase the memory from the default of 500 folders?
I set mine at the max 10,000, and I never have that happen.