Why do my folder view options keep changing?

[PeterPSA]

I've noticed that when I change a folder view to show large icons, for example, other folders change to that, too; or when I change the view to Details, other folders also change to that. I have to be forever setting and resetting folder views. Is there a way to get Windows 7 to accept a change to the view settings of a folder without propagating that to other folders unless I ask it to?

Thank you.

 

[whs]

Yeah right. The settings seem to always apply to the whole library. I have the same problem. If someone knows a way around that, I would like to know too.

 

[koolkat77]

same here.

 

[fseal]

For the OP, were you talking about library folders specifically? Or any folder on your drive?

If it's just the library folders, I'd think that this was probably by design. The libraries are supposed to gather multiple folders of the same document type. That combined with the fact that the libraries are really a collection of links to other folders, I think it is assumed that you would want one view for all folders under the library.

I'm sure that if you have "Remember each folders settings" enabled that the /actual/ folders would still have their respective views, but when viewed through the "lens" of a library, the library view takes over.

 

[writhziden]

There unfortunately is no way around it. Libraries store the view options for each particular library. If you want to retain the view of each folder, you have to open them normally, i.e. open c:\users\myuser and then you can open the folder contained within and specify how you want to view them. The other option is to open a library, and then click the down arrow next to the folder icon to the left of where it says Libraries in the dialog box and choose your username to exit the libraries setup.

 

[writhziden]

See if you like this better:

1. Right click the folder icon pinned to your taskbar
2. Right click Windows Explorer
3. Click Properties
4. Change target from %windir%\explorer.exe to %userprofile%

Now the pinned folder will open your user folder instead of libraries.

 

[PeterPSA]

thanks writhziden, but this is not what I'm looking for. I use Windows Explorer a lot. The solution I'm looking for has to be in there. I used to be able to do this in Windows XP, where you would change the view of a folder and then optionally propagate that to other folders. Your previous solution posted here sounds more along the lines of what I'm looking for, though it sounds so much more complicated than it used to be. Is this really the only approach?? What in the world is wrong with those people at Microsoft that they had a great feature and then decided to replace it with something far less intuitive and far more convoluted?????? How annoying.

 

[writhziden]

thanks writhziden, but this is not what I'm looking for. I use Windows Explorer a lot. The solution I'm looking for has to be in there. I used to be able to do this in Windows XP, where you would change the view of a folder and then optionally propagate that to other folders. Your previous solution posted here sounds more along the lines of what I'm looking for, though it sounds so much more complicated than it used to be. Is this really the only approach?? What in the world is wrong with those people at Microsoft that they had a great feature and then decided to replace it with something far less intuitive and far more convoluted?????? How annoying.

My above solution still is explorer.exe, it just opens to a different folder. Sorry if that was confusing. It opens to your current users folder instead of to the libraries, so you will have Documents, Pictures, Music, Downloads, etc. listed, and any folder view changes you make will only be applied to the folders you want them to be applied to.

Edit: The above solution also will not affect how explorer.exe functions. You will still have full use of explorer.exe

Edit2: Changing the functionality of the shortcut to explorer to be a shortcut instead to your userfile does not affect Windows explorer, it only affects the shortcut.

 

[whs]

Yeah, Windows 7 is not always like good old XP. You have to take the good with the bad - I suppose.

 

[fseal]

Ok, if you are not talking about library folders. Then yes, each folder can have it's own settings. If you right click on a folder and select properties then customize you can set it to whatever you want and optionally set all folders underneith with a checkbox just like XP.

Or you can use the view changing slider near the upper left in explorer to change them and they should stick for that one folder only and not afffect any others.

However, saying that, I only use "Professional" and above. It's entirely possible that maybe home editions could be different?

There used to be a setting for "Remember each folders settings" under "Organize"->"Folder and search options"->"View". You can see if that is there, it's missing on my pro install but it works exactly as if it was enabled.

 

[whs]

There used to be a setting for "Remember each fodlers settings" under "Organize"->"Folder and search options"->"View". You can see if that is there, it's missing on my pro install but it works exactly as if it was enabled

Does not look like it is there any more - Home Premium.

 

[fseal]

There used to be a setting for "Remember each fodlers settings" under "Organize"->"Folder and search options"->"View". You can see if that is there, it's missing on my pro install but it works exactly as if it was enabled

Does not look like it is there any more - Home Premium.

Yeah it's missing on my Professional, but acts as if it is enabled.

If you have confirmed that on your "Home" machine, right clicking a non-library folder and changing the view or changing the document type of the folder also changes it on a sibling folder, then I guess the answer is that on Home it acts as if that option were unchecked.

And I bet there is a registry entry for it. I just took a quick look and couldn't find it but I bet it's there...

 

[writhziden]

There used to be a setting for "Remember each fodlers settings" under "Organize"->"Folder and search options"->"View". You can see if that is there, it's missing on my pro install but it works exactly as if it was enabled

Does not look like it is there any more - Home Premium.

Yeah it's missing on my Professional, but acts as if it is enabled.

If you have confirmed that on your "Home" machine, right clicking a non-library folder and changing the view or changing the document type of the folder also changes it on a sibling folder, then I guess the answer is that on Home it acts as if that option were unchecked.

And I bet there is a registry entry for it. I just took a quick look and couldn't find it but I bet it's there...

I have Home Premium, and it behaves as yours does in Professional. Libraries are the only place where the parent library folder governs how the subfolders behave for view options. That is why I suggested :

See if you like this better:

1. Right click the folder icon pinned to your taskbar
2. Right click Windows Explorer
3. Click Properties
4. Change target from %windir%\explorer.exe to %userprofile%

Now the pinned folder will open your user folder instead of libraries.

Which changes the shortcut to explorer.exe that is initially included on the Windows 7 taskbar so it points to the current user file instead of the default libraries.

 

[whs]

If you have confirmed that on your "Home" machine, right clicking a non-library folder and changing the view or changing the document type of the folder also changes it on a sibling folder, then I guess the answer is that on Home it acts as if that option were unchecked.

Unfortunately that is the way it seems to be.

 

[writhziden]

If you have confirmed that on your "Home" machine, right clicking a non-library folder and changing the view or changing the document type of the folder also changes it on a sibling folder, then I guess the answer is that on Home it acts as if that option were unchecked.

Unfortunately that is the way it seems to be.

Odd, I do not have that problem at all if I go through the full path. Try my fix and see if you notice a difference.

 

[BrotherHolmes]

I had this problem when I was trying to view photos that a program was keeping in a sub-folder in my Documents folder, but like was said before it was in a library. After reading this thread I had a great idea, I went directly to the Documents folder and added it to my favorites in the sidebar. Basically MS messed this up when they made the libraries feature. I'm happy with this work-around and I hope it helps other people. Added with edit: I forgot to say that I don't want to change my shorcut target because I already have it set to %windir%\explorer.exe /e,::{20D04FE0-3AEA-1069-A2D8-08002B30309D}