Command line switches for Windows Explorer

Discussion in 'Windows Vista' started by mikeshipton, Mar 25, 2008.

  1. mikeshipton

    mikeshipton MDL Novice

    Mar 25, 2008
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    #1 mikeshipton, Mar 25, 2008
    Hi.
    Does anyone have a list of command line switches to change how Windows Explorer opens up? Also how would you implement them?
    Thank you.
     
  2. FreeStyler

    FreeStyler MDL Guru

    Jun 23, 2007
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    #2 FreeStyler, Mar 25, 2008
    I always use ",/e" (opens in "Computer" view)
     
  3. urie

    urie Moderator
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    May 21, 2007
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    #3 urie, Mar 26, 2008
    Last edited by a moderator: Apr 20, 2017
  4. FuzzyMaster

    FuzzyMaster MDL Member

    Jun 21, 2007
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    #4 FuzzyMaster, Mar 28, 2008
    Does not seem to apply to Vista

    This is a really old KB article and does not seem to apply to Vista, at least on my HP laptop anyways.
    If you scroll down to the bottom of the article you can see the OS's it applies to.
    I get the same results (the contents of my 'Documents' folder) whether I run 'explorer', 'explorer /n', or 'explorer /e'. I even tried the example '/select' statement with no success.:(
    FYI, I am running Vista x86 Retail, not SP1.
     
  5. FreeStyler

    FreeStyler MDL Guru

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    #5 FreeStyler, Mar 28, 2008
    Last edited by a moderator: Apr 20, 2017
    It needs to be:
    Code:
     %SystemRoot%\explorer.exe ,/e
     
  6. FuzzyMaster

    FuzzyMaster MDL Member

    Jun 21, 2007
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    #6 FuzzyMaster, Apr 1, 2008
    Hmmm....

    FreeStyler,

    Can you try Windows Key-e (hold the Windows Key & press e). Do you get the same result as %SystemRoot%\explorer.exe ,/e ?

    %SystemRoot%\explorer.exe ,/e & %SystemRoot%\explorer.exe ,/n both open the same explorer window with a computer view that I have always openned using Windows Key-e.
     
  7. FredV

    FredV MDL Novice

    Dec 26, 2008
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    #7 FredV, Dec 26, 2008
    Actually these do work in Vista. If you're using the context menu for a folder the problem may be that the shell for 'Explore' has a 'DelegateExecute'. I added a context item 'Explore in New Window' using /n as follows:

    Open RegEdit and export the key HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\Folder\shell\explore.
    Use Textpad or some editor that can edit unicode to modify the file so that it looks something like this:

    [HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\Folder\shell\explorenew]
    "MultiSelectModel"="Document"
    "BrowserFlags"=dword:00000022
    "ExplorerFlags"=dword:00000021
    @="Explore in New Window"

    [HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\Folder\shell\explorenew\command]
    @=hex(2):25,00,53,00,79,00,73,00,74,00,65,00,6d,00,52,00,6f,00,6f,00,74,00,25,\
    00,5c,00,45,00,78,00,70,00,6c,00,6f,00,72,00,65,00,72,00,2e,00,65,00,78,00,\
    65,00,20,00,2f,00,6e,00,20,00,2f,00,65,00,2c,00,2f,00,69,00,64,00,6c,00,69,\
    00,73,00,74,00,2c,00,25,00,49,00,2c,00,25,00,4c,00,00,00
    "xxxDelegateExecute"="{11dbb47c-a525-400b-9e80-a54615a090c0}"

    Register the modified file by right clicking and selecting merge. Notice how I disabled DelegateExecute (but left a shaadow for documentation).

    You can probably use the same concept for whatever Explorer command line switches you want to incorporate for Vista.

    Hope This Helps

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