how to force folder view permanently everywhere ?

Code:

reg delete "HKCU\Software\Classes\Local Settings\Software\Microsoft\Windows\Shell\Bags" /f
reg delete "HKCU\Software\Classes\Local Settings\Software\Microsoft\Windows\Shell\BagMRU" /f
reg delete "HKCU\Software\Classes\Wow6432Node\Local Settings\Software\Microsoft\Windows\Shell\Bags" /f
reg delete "HKCU\Software\Classes\Wow6432Node\Local Settings\Software\Microsoft\Windows\Shell\BagMRU" /f
reg delete "HKCU\Software\Microsoft\Windows\Shell\Bags" /f
reg delete "HKCU\Software\Microsoft\Windows\Shell\BagMRU" /f
reg delete "HKCU\Software\Microsoft\Windows\ShellNoRoam\Bags" /f
reg delete "HKCU\Software\Microsoft\Windows\ShellNoRoam\BagMRU" /f
reg add "HKCU\Software\Classes\Local Settings\Software\Microsoft\Windows\Shell\Bags\AllFolders\Shell" /v "FolderType" /t REG_SZ /d "NotSpecified" /f
taskkill /im explorer.exe /f & explorer.exe
rem Open Explorer - Choose the desired View - View - Options - View - Apply to Folders - OK - Close Explorer ASAP

 

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Please accept that I am not an expert like many on this board. I tried the above bat file, but it didnt give me what I wanted. I have tried various options I have Googled, but none seem to work. Not sure if it is possible. I have a lot of music folders and files with very long names which I want to see in full. Say 70 characters which must always be in the first colum. Easy enough to customise a folder, but it doesnt seem to stay the same on reopening, and I have hundreds of other non music folders which I want to use the same settings, and never loose them, even after Windows Update. A bat file where I could change size either way, bigger or smaller would be brilliant. I dont need many more columns, but it would be nice if their size also stayed the same. Thanks in advance.

PS no point unless in can apply to all folders on a drive or drives. A choice of drive would be even more brilliant. I hate visual interfaces, too old to teach an old dog new tricks. Bring back DOS 6.3, much quicker for real work!

 

I have a similar need, and the solution I posted serves very well indeed
It takes a bit of effort (at first) but the backup needs to be created just once

1. Set all your folders exactly the way you wish them
2. Run the Backup_and_Restore_Folder_View_Settings_Tool.bat
3. It creates a number of .REG files pertaing to your settings (usually saved to the Desktop)
4. When needed (usually after each upgrade) - Run the .BAT file again (or simply merge the files) to re-apply your desired settings

I actually use a .Bat file (with all the generated .REG folder view settings combined) that I call via setupcomplete.cmd to have the settings applied with each fresh install

 

Sorry - just one more point. You say set all your folders exactly the way you want them. I might have 10000 sub folders under about 100 main folders. What I was hoping is that only one folder would act as default for the whole system. When setting do you mean dragging the column widths to the desired width and I set view to details, then close folder, or is there soemthing else? I ran the bat file and the changes on one folder were not there the next time I opened it. Maybe I am doing something wrong?

 

Regardless of the number of Folders/Sub-folders... they all have to fall within each of said Templates - General, Documents, Music, Pictures and Videos

I use the General Template as a base, basically this post expanded on the method I was originally using (modified below)

Spoiler: All_Folders_Use_Custom_View_Folder_Template.bat

Code:

:: win 10 has an annoying habit of always changing the folder view settings,
:: and no longer applies custom settings to all folders like win7 used to
:: (the folder view config and the 'apply to all folders' just doesnt work)

:: Q; Is there a way to (really) force a Custom View Setting to all folders
:: (including documents, downloads, pictures etc...)

:: Solution, Credits to: TairikuOkami (MDL), Shawn Brink (tenforums)
:: Modified by: W0LF (drew84MDL)

:: To Remove All Folder View Settings (Current)
    reg delete "HKCU\Software\Classes\Local Settings\Software\Microsoft\Windows\Shell\Bags" /f
    reg delete "HKCU\Software\Classes\Local Settings\Software\Microsoft\Windows\Shell\BagMRU" /f
    reg delete "HKCU\Software\Classes\Wow6432Node\Local Settings\Software\Microsoft\Windows\Shell\Bags" /f
    reg delete "HKCU\Software\Classes\Wow6432Node\Local Settings\Software\Microsoft\Windows\Shell\BagMRU" /f
    reg delete "HKCU\Software\Microsoft\Windows\Shell\Bags" /f
    reg delete "HKCU\Software\Microsoft\Windows\Shell\BagMRU" /f
    reg delete "HKCU\Software\Microsoft\Windows\ShellNoRoam\Bags" /f
    reg delete "HKCU\Software\Microsoft\Windows\ShellNoRoam\BagMRU" /f

:: To Replace All Folder View Settings with (to use) General Items Template
    reg add "HKCU\Software\Classes\Local Settings\Software\Microsoft\Windows\Shell\Bags\AllFolders\Shell" /v "FolderType" /t REG_SZ /d "NotSpecified" /f

:: To Reset and Restart Explorer with the Desired View Settings
    taskkill /im explorer.exe /f & explorer.exe

:: Open Explorer - Choose the desired View - View - Options - View - Apply to Folders - OK - Close Explorer ASAP *

* Run the above, then.. Select a ROOT folder and adjust to suit -> Customize (should be already set to General)

0. -> View - Set to details
1. -> Sort - (add desired sort - Length, Time etc., drag your columns to the order you which to view them)
3. -> Group - if needed
3. -> Apply (don't forget to check the subfolder box)
4. -> In the Ribbon, go to View->Foder Options and Apply to all Folders

Pretty sure this adds an entry to the right click context menu, comes in handy

Spoiler: SizeAllColumnsToFit.reg

Windows Registry Editor Version 5.00

[HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\Directory\Background\shell\Windows.SizeAllColumns]
"CommandStateSync"=""
"Description"="@shell32.dll,-37467"
"ExplorerCommandHandler"="{f4e8bc67-9616-4a28-a332-cf27a5ca6736}"
"Icon"="imageres.dll,-5366"
"MUIVerb"="@shell32.dll,-37466"

Not sure what you are doing? Hope the above gives a clearer picture

... may come back to this, EDIT: and I have ... Edit below for your CHOICE of overall Template

Spoiler: All_Folders_Use_Custom_View_Folder_Template_CHOICE.bat

:: win 10 has an annoying habit of always changing the folder view settings,
:: and no longer applies custom settings to all folders like win7 used to
:: (the folder view config and the 'apply to all folders' just doesnt work)

:: Q; Is there a way to (really) force a Custom View Setting to all folders
:: (including documents, downloads, pictures etc...)

:: Solution, Credits to: TairikuOkami (MDL), Shawn Brink (tenforums)
:: Modified by: W0LF (drew84MDL)

:: To Remove All Folder View Settings (Current)
reg delete "HKCU\Software\Classes\Local Settings\Software\Microsoft\Windows\Shell\Bags" /f
reg delete "HKCU\Software\Classes\Local Settings\Software\Microsoft\Windows\Shell\BagMRU" /f
reg delete "HKCU\Software\Classes\Wow6432Node\Local Settings\Software\Microsoft\Windows\Shell\Bags" /f
reg delete "HKCU\Software\Classes\Wow6432Node\Local Settings\Software\Microsoft\Windows\Shell\BagMRU" /f
reg delete "HKCU\Software\Microsoft\Windows\Shell\Bags" /f
reg delete "HKCU\Software\Microsoft\Windows\Shell\BagMRU" /f
reg delete "HKCU\Software\Microsoft\Windows\ShellNoRoam\Bags" /f
reg delete "HKCU\Software\Microsoft\Windows\ShellNoRoam\BagMRU" /f

:: Remove REM (before reg add) from one of the selections below to apply your desired BASE template (applies to ALL folders)

:: To Replace All Folder View Settings with (to use) General Items Folder Template
rem reg add "HKCU\Software\Classes\Local Settings\Software\Microsoft\Windows\Shell\Bags\AllFolders\Shell" /v "FolderType" /t REG_SZ /d "NotSpecified" /f

:: To Replace All Folder View Settings with (to use) Documents Folder Template
rem reg add "HKCU\Software\Classes\Local Settings\Software\Microsoft\Windows\Shell\Bags\AllFolders\Shell" /v "FolderType" /t REG_SZ /d "Documents" /f

:: To Replace All Folder View Settings with (to use) Music Music Template
rem reg add "HKCU\Software\Classes\Local Settings\Software\Microsoft\Windows\Shell\Bags\AllFolders\Shell" /v "FolderType" /t REG_SZ /d "Music" /f

:: To Replace All Folder View Settings with (to use) Pictures Folder Template
rem reg add "HKCU\Software\Classes\Local Settings\Software\Microsoft\Windows\Shell\Bags\AllFolders\Shell" /v "FolderType" /t REG_SZ /d "Pictures" /f

:: To Replace All Folder View Settings with (to use) Videos Folder Template
rem reg add "HKCU\Software\Classes\Local Settings\Software\Microsoft\Windows\Shell\Bags\AllFolders\Shell" /v "FolderType" /t REG_SZ /d "Videos" /f

:: To Reset and Restart Explorer with the Desired View Settings
taskkill /im explorer.exe /f & explorer.exe

:: Open Explorer - Choose the desired View - View - Options - View - Apply to Folders - OK - Close Explorer ASAP *

Note: Once Applied (Done) don't forget to run the backup .BAT file previously posted

 

Thanks I will give it all another go. Will have to work through your points in detail.

Sorry still cannot get it to work. I have many disks and Drives. EG E: has music photos documents etc. A lot of the work I keep is valuable to me, so I will have copies on multiple physical drives in case of failure. Some drives are not usually connected to protect against encryption virus. I tried just now on E:

You are correct in that all top level folders retain settings but below each folder there will be many sub levels, and none of these display correct column widths.

Just for example E: has

E:\Photos2021
E:\Photos2020
E:\Private

I call all those top level folders, and your method works

but beneath a top level folder there can be dozens of lower levels. I click apply to subfolders. Maybe still something wrong

Eg (ignore any diffs in case)
E:\Photos21\rivers\Thames\Boats
E:\Photos21\rivers\Thames\Islands
e:\Photos21\rivers\Trent\Fish
e:\Photos21\rivers\Trent\fish\chub
And so on . There will be thousands of separate folders on each drive when all levels down are included.

Only way I can cope is having folders for each Music Album or a days photos when date will be part of folder name etc. Could be many sub folders under that sub folder. I hate way windows tries to organize things for you. Probably because I was brought up with DOS, and still find disk layout much easier with DOS apart from shorter folder/directory names.

 

@lostpassword
Not sure what you are doing/missing

Some of my stuff
OS Win10 b21322 (Current)
System Drive (1TB), Data Drive (1TB Raid1) + 4 Raid5 Drives (24TB Each)

I have to re-apply all my Folder View settings after each upgrade (applied via backup Folder_View_MERGED.REG file)
Settings are applied to all folders and any included sub folders, and they stay that way until the next upgrade.

as an example structure of One of my folders...
H:\(FRANCHISE)\[GN] - Marvel Cinematic Universe (2008-2021)\01 Captain America (2011) - (The First Avenger) [2K, 4K]\Featurettes\Deleted Scenes - Captain America The First Avenger Deleted Scenes 1080p BDrip x265 DD 2.0 xxxxxx[xxx].mkv

and another
H:\[00 Music - Lossless]\Classical\Mozart, wolfgang amadeus\Requiem\01 Süssmayr Edition\69 Kröper, Concertino Notturno Praha (Milan Vlcek, 1996) - (01) [Andreas Kroper, I.Hospesova, M.Kozena, Z.Korda, J.Klecker] Mozart - Requiem. I. Introitus - Requiem.ape


Only thing I can think of is - Have you enabled Long Filename support?

... addendum: just noticed for some reason settings for Downloads Folder have not been applied, all others OK.. strange!!!

 

Just checked - Enable long paths not configured. Wasnt even aware of Group Policy Editor before. As I have said before I am not an expert. Quite happy to regedit stuff, but have never used all Windows 10 resources. If I ever have a system problem I just wipe C: and reinstall. I have all data on different partitions and physical drives as well. Really important stuff is also backed up to Google My Drive. Use Winrar with quite a long password and encrypted filenames to give some security

As an aside - I have never understood why Windows doesn't create a data partition as standard. Eg C: for system and programs. D:for everything else. Makes using AOMEI system backup much quicker.

 

From what I recall, I had to make some of the registry keys read-only since each folder was poped into the MRU areas if I ever tweaked any. My goal was to make all types Detailed with standardized columns - what I ended up doing was adjusting/perfecting the view then exporting the layout to the other types then marking as readonly. I never automated the process - but looking at the above key paths does seem about right.

 

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