Knowing nearly nothing about javascript I would like to ask helpers to have a
look at my attached screenshots and guide me to a functioning custon toolbar
button for toggling the Win7 ClassicExplorer Navigation Pane. It is really
essential to me because I use my 1050x1680 22 inch LED display in Portrait
orientation in order to display a complete Word page on the screen without
having to scroll, but of course with considerable drawbacks in Win7 Explorer.
If you would like to refer to this comment somewhere else in this project, copy and paste the following link:
The second screenshot in the first posting should have rather been the
following one because (if my poor understanding is correct) it is not the
layout of the toolbar that matters for the script but the submenus under the
"Organize" button.
If you would like to refer to this comment somewhere else in this project, copy and paste the following link:
In my present thread here I indicated that this solution has not worked in my
case. Did I present this problem in the wrong forum - because there has no
answer been given so far? It would be extremely important to me to get this
sendkeys procedure working because it is mandatory to me to use my LED display
in Portrait orientation and with that orientation and the navigation pane
present I can only see name, date and type on the right explorer side i.e. no
file size without resetting the column widths!
I think it could be very useful for users with the same problem if in addition
to the above reference they would find here a second example with a different
"Command" line for the CustomButton. I have the naïve idea that it must be
rather easy for you expert helpers to write down the command that pertains to
the diagram of my Win7 explorer in my posting #2 (the German language does not
present any difficulty does it?)
If you would like to refer to this comment somewhere else in this project, copy and paste the following link:
Sorry for not responding. I do not have a solution to this, aside from the
sendkeys that was suggested by somebody in another forum. AFAIK the solution
depends on specific keys, which are different from langugage to language. Now
that you mention German, that's a very likely reason why it is not working for
you.
I have not tried this solution myself and can't vouch how well it works, and
can't offer a solution how exactly to change the script to work for other
languages.
If you would like to refer to this comment somewhere else in this project, copy and paste the following link:
Anonymous
-
2012-05-31
I gave another solution independent of SendKeys in that same thread you linked
to, which is to modify the registry to put the 'Navigation pane' button
directly on the Explorer command bar. Looks like you did not read the thread
you linked to in its entirety. If you want it done with an easy GUI way, use
this: http://www.nirsoft.net/utils/custom_explorer_toolbar.html to add the button.
If you would like to refer to this comment somewhere else in this project, copy and paste the following link:
Thanks a lot, xpclient, for referring me to your Explorer command bar
solution. I had indeed noticed it in my referenced link but considered it too
complicated for me at that time.
When you gave me the nirsoft link to a GUI solution of your custom explorer
toolbar button I decided to muster the courage to give it a try. At first I
started CustomExplorerToolbar.exe in my Admin account with partial success:
The NavPane Toolbar Button did only show up for a folder after one of its
subordinate folders had been selected before. Any folder selection on the same
or superimposed level would cause this button to disappear again.
When I started CustomExplorerToolbar.exe as administrator in a user account it
produced the button rather eratically if at all.
So I went back to your registry tweak in https://sourceforge.net/projects/cla
ssicshell/forums/forum/1049755/topic/3932317 and decided to try to follow
the steps you indicated there although I am not on safe ground on such matters
as dealing with taking ownership or granting admin rights. I did it only with
respect to one of the six folder types i.e. HKLM\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows\
CurrentVersion\Explorer\FolderTypes{5c4f28b5-f869-4e84-8e60-f11db97c5cc7}.
This time it did work reliably. Hurra.
The only question remaining is whether I should undo the changes to ownership
and admin rights for the registry keys concerned. Please be so kind as to
answer that last question and many thanks again for your help.
My system:
Intel Core i3 540, 8 GB RAM, 2 SATA-HDD with 640 GB each, Win7 64-Bit with
Classic Shell by Ivo Beltchev, Kaspersky Internet Security 2012, WinPatrol
PLUS, Firefox 12 with NoScript, Thunderbird 12 (POP3)
If you would like to refer to this comment somewhere else in this project, copy and paste the following link:
There was a highly disfiguring error in my last posting. I badly miss an edit
function in this forum so that the wrong sentence would not need to remain in
place. As it is, it only remains for me to supply the correct version of the
last sentence in para 2 of my previous posting (#6) in hindsight:
"Any folder selection on the same or subordinate level would cause this
button to disappear again."
If you would like to refer to this comment somewhere else in this project, copy and paste the following link:
Anonymous
-
2012-06-05
You can set the permissions to what they were but no need I think. As long as
you have added it for both cases - Items selected and Items not selected and
for the 6 core folder templates - Generic, Documents, Music, Videos, Pictures
and whatever, it should always show up on the Command bar. :)
If you would like to refer to this comment somewhere else in this project, copy and paste the following link:
I followed your advice and did your registry tweak for all of the 6 core
folder templates, but the NavPane Toolbar Button appeared to show up only for
folders optimized wrt General Items as shown in the following screenshot
(sorry for the German language there):
Unfortunately the appearance of the button is not 100 percent reliable over
time but is still a useful expedient for my purposes. A drawback however is
the fact that the button will not show up when clicking on a folder in the
file pane. Here a functioning ClassicExplorer custom toolbar button for
toggling the Win7 ClassicExplorer Navigation Pane would be clearly superior
since it would be available under all circumstances. But as I said in my first
posting it does not work for me.
If you would like to refer to this comment somewhere else in this project, copy and paste the following link:
Anonymous
-
2012-06-15
Merging this should definitely make it work for Generic folder type whether
anything is selected or not and should work when either folder pane or file
pane is active (Edit the commands as you wish of course or merge as it is):
If you want it for all folder types and also add buttons for all other panes,
merge this reg: http://sdrv.ms/MaiuDn Works for me on Windows 7 and
Windows 8 for all folder types. It should merge successfully without errors.
If you get errors while merging, it means you haven't taken ownership and
admin permissions of all child objects correctly.
If you would like to refer to this comment somewhere else in this project, copy and paste the following link:
merge this reg: http://sdrv.ms/MaiuDn Works for me
on Windows 7 and Windows 8 for all folder types.
This is great! Thank you xpclient. Now I have at least a workable solution
(NavPane Toolbar Button also in the file pane) with more (hopefully) still to
come once I have fully understood ownership and admin permissions. For
although I have studied these things for over a week now I still do not get
the NavPane Toolbar Button for folders that are optimized i.a. for pictures
and documents.
I got two error messages, one upon changing ownership and permissions and the
other one when trying to merge your reg-file referenced in your #11. I hope I
will be able to sort out the first one by myself. As concerns the reg merging
I got the following message (even as Administrator in Safe Mode):
I will try to translate this into English:
“C:\Users\<username>\Desktop\Command Bar Actions for all Folder Typers.reg
cannot be imported: Not all data could be entered into the system registry.
Some keys are used by the system or other processes.”
What could be the reason for this message? Is the storage location of the reg
file to be merged significant?
If you would like to refer to this comment somewhere else in this project, copy and paste the following link:
The error is because the registry key ownership and permissions are not being
fully set for child objects. Okay I will give step by step instructions.
Open Regedit.
Go to the key: HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Explorer\FolderTypes
Right click it and select Permissions.
Click Advanced button.
Ownership must be taken before granting admin permissions. On the Owner tab, change the owner to "Administrators" group (note the Group called Administrators, not "Administrator").
Make sure to check the box "Replace owner on subcontainers and objects" and click Apply.
Now on the Permissions tab, give "Full control" permissions to the "Administrators" group and again check the box "Replace permission entries on all child objects".
Now click OK twice to close the Security properties and try merging the reg file. You should not ideally get any errors, everything should be merged if you have taken the permissions correctly.
I improved the reg file a little bit. Download the new one here: http://sdrv.ms/MU7Sww . I tested it on Windows 7 SP1 x64 and Windows 8 Release Preview x64 and it's certainly working (Windows 8 only works if you disable the Ribbon using Ribbon Disabler).
If you would like to refer to this comment somewhere else in this project, copy and paste the following link:
Hey raffnixpert, were you able to finally get that toggle 'Navigation pane'
button for all folder types? Otherwise, I have found another tool that may be
a simpler way for you to get the job done: http://winaero.com/comment.php?com
ment.news.16
If you would like to refer to this comment somewhere else in this project, copy and paste the following link:
Owing to your step-by-step instructions on how to set registry key ownership
and permissions correctly I was able to perform this task without error
messages this time. Thank you very much for this valuable lesson.
I then merged your new reg file, again without any error message. I am not
aware, though, where the difference to the old reg files are; perhaps some
buttons that I do not urgently need. This multitude of buttons is certainly
nice to have if you have got a wide screen display operated in normal
landscape orientation. In my case with portrait orientation (cf. my posting
1) too many buttons are rather disadvantageous because sometimes I would even
have to open a drop-down list in order to find the “Navigation pane” button,
which is the most important one for me besides the “New folder” button.
The functionality is perfect at volumes/folders optimized for General Items
and, as far as I could evaluate up to now, for documents. But as concerns
music, pictures and video, the behaviour with respect to the presence or
absence of the navpane button is somwhat enigmatic to me irrespective of
whether the folders are in My Computer or in other volumes than (C:).
So I think I will try Explorer Toolbar Editor linked in your #15 and will
revert to your great reg file if the tool proves inadequate for my purposes.
What puzzles me a bit is that your reg file requires registry key ownership
and permissions to be set whereas the tool obviously can do without such
settings.
If you would like to refer to this comment somewhere else in this project, copy and paste the following link:
Well the tool may be silently taking ownership and admin permissions or it may
be operating with another privilege level like SYSTEM. You can edit the reg
file to remove the unnecessary commands you don't want and add any new ones
separated by semicolons. A list of all possible commands is at: HKEY_LOCAL_MAC
HINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Explorer\CommandStore\shell .
The reg file also clearly mentions the "Canonical name" or folder template for
which the commands are.
If you would like to refer to this comment somewhere else in this project, copy and paste the following link:
I have to come back once more to the subject in order to correct my statements
in #16 as follows: The reg file works perfectly in my admin account for all
types of folders and volumes, even for "My Computer". The NavPane button is
always present.
The minor deviations described in #16 only occur in the user accounts where
the NavPane button ist also missing for "My Computer".
If you would like to refer to this comment somewhere else in this project, copy and paste the following link:
The minor deviations described in #16 only occur in the user accounts where
the NavPane button ist also missing for "My Computer".
Do you have a proposal on ownership and permissions in addition to the group
of administrators as stipulated in paras 5 and 7 in your #13 (quoted below for
convenience) that could solve the deviations in may user accounts?
Ownership must be taken before granting admin permissions. On the Owner
tab, change the owner to "Administrators" group (note the Group called
Administrators, not "Administrator"). 6. Make sure to check the box "Replace
owner on subcontainers and objects" and click Apply. 7. Now on the Permissions
tab, give "Full control" permissions to the "Administrators" group and again
check the box "Replace permission entries on all child objects".
I assume there is a simple answer to this. Otherwise, I would not want to
prolong this thread just for myself.
If you would like to refer to this comment somewhere else in this project, copy and paste the following link:
Not understanding what you are asking. You want the 'Navigation pane' button
to also appear for (My) Computer? Or you are not getting the navigation pane
button for other folder types? If the account is not from Administrators
group, all registry related operations must be done as administrator. Right
click Regedit and use "Run as" to do them as administrator.
If you would like to refer to this comment somewhere else in this project, copy and paste the following link:
If the account is not from Administrators group, all registry related
operations must be done as administrator.
I cannot remember exactly under which account and context I had set key
ownership and permissions. So I repeated your step-by-step instructions of
your #13 in my user account making sure I was running regedit as
Administrator.
This time, in contrast to the situation before, the navpane toolbar button for
“My Music” and “My Videos” is always present in Classic Explorer irrespective
of what items I click and in what sequence.
But when I open My Computer - e.g. with Win+E - the navpane toolbar button
appears in the administrator account whereas it is missing in the user
account. How can I get it in the user account too?
If you would like to refer to this comment somewhere else in this project, copy and paste the following link:
I installed and configured Explorer Toolbar Editor, which you proposed in your
15. Now I am uncertain about two things:
Whether or not I had undone the registry changes made before in accordance
with your regfile given in #11 for all folder types and whether the navpane
button in My Computer (Admin Account) appeared already before or only after
installing Explorer Toolbar Editor. Anyway, it is there as you can see here
(first and only item in the drop down list):
By the way, I did not become aware of any differences to the situation before
installing the tool. In fact, I unfortunately did not look out for such
differences. Otherwise I might have perceived a change in My Computer if it
had occurred.
If you would like to refer to this comment somewhere else in this project, copy and paste the following link:
Good news. The latest Classic Shell 4.0.6 has a built-in button now to toggle the folder/navigation pane as well as the Details pane and the Preview pane!
If you would like to refer to this comment somewhere else in this project, copy and paste the following link:
I read the solution in https://sourceforge.net/projects/classicshell/forums/f
orum/1049755/topic/3932317 and tried to realize the sendkeys script on my
system. But it does not work.
Knowing nearly nothing about javascript I would like to ask helpers to have a
look at my attached screenshots and guide me to a functioning custon toolbar
button for toggling the Win7 ClassicExplorer Navigation Pane. It is really
essential to me because I use my 1050x1680 22 inch LED display in Portrait
orientation in order to display a complete Word page on the screen without
having to scroll, but of course with considerable drawbacks in Win7 Explorer.
The second screenshot in the first posting should have rather been the
following one because (if my poor understanding is correct) it is not the
layout of the toolbar that matters for the script but the submenus under the
"Organize" button.
There is a recurring wish expressed in the SourceForge.net Forums to be able
to toggle the Win7 explorer navigation pane - the last time on 2012-05-21
under Open Discussion as Feature Request. https://sourceforge.net/projects/cl
assicshell/forums/forum/1049755/topic/3932317 was referenced there for
solution.
In my present thread here I indicated that this solution has not worked in my
case. Did I present this problem in the wrong forum - because there has no
answer been given so far? It would be extremely important to me to get this
sendkeys procedure working because it is mandatory to me to use my LED display
in Portrait orientation and with that orientation and the navigation pane
present I can only see name, date and type on the right explorer side i.e. no
file size without resetting the column widths!
I think it could be very useful for users with the same problem if in addition
to the above reference they would find here a second example with a different
"Command" line for the CustomButton. I have the naïve idea that it must be
rather easy for you expert helpers to write down the command that pertains to
the diagram of my Win7 explorer in my posting #2 (the German language does not
present any difficulty does it?)
Sorry for not responding. I do not have a solution to this, aside from the
sendkeys that was suggested by somebody in another forum. AFAIK the solution
depends on specific keys, which are different from langugage to language. Now
that you mention German, that's a very likely reason why it is not working for
you.
I have not tried this solution myself and can't vouch how well it works, and
can't offer a solution how exactly to change the script to work for other
languages.
I gave another solution independent of SendKeys in that same thread you linked
to, which is to modify the registry to put the 'Navigation pane' button
directly on the Explorer command bar. Looks like you did not read the thread
you linked to in its entirety. If you want it done with an easy GUI way, use
this: http://www.nirsoft.net/utils/custom_explorer_toolbar.html to add the button.
Thanks a lot, xpclient, for referring me to your Explorer command bar
solution. I had indeed noticed it in my referenced link but considered it too
complicated for me at that time.
When you gave me the nirsoft link to a GUI solution of your custom explorer
toolbar button I decided to muster the courage to give it a try. At first I
started CustomExplorerToolbar.exe in my Admin account with partial success:
The NavPane Toolbar Button did only show up for a folder after one of its
subordinate folders had been selected before. Any folder selection on the same
or superimposed level would cause this button to disappear again.
When I started CustomExplorerToolbar.exe as administrator in a user account it
produced the button rather eratically if at all.
So I went back to your registry tweak in https://sourceforge.net/projects/cla
ssicshell/forums/forum/1049755/topic/3932317 and decided to try to follow
the steps you indicated there although I am not on safe ground on such matters
as dealing with taking ownership or granting admin rights. I did it only with
respect to one of the six folder types i.e. HKLM\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows\ CurrentVersion\Explorer\FolderTypes{5c4f28b5-f869-4e84-8e60-f11db97c5cc7}.
This time it did work reliably. Hurra.
The only question remaining is whether I should undo the changes to ownership
and admin rights for the registry keys concerned. Please be so kind as to
answer that last question and many thanks again for your help.
My system:
Intel Core i3 540, 8 GB RAM, 2 SATA-HDD with 640 GB each, Win7 64-Bit with
Classic Shell by Ivo Beltchev, Kaspersky Internet Security 2012, WinPatrol
PLUS, Firefox 12 with NoScript, Thunderbird 12 (POP3)
There was a highly disfiguring error in my last posting. I badly miss an edit
function in this forum so that the wrong sentence would not need to remain in
place. As it is, it only remains for me to supply the correct version of the
last sentence in para 2 of my previous posting (#6) in hindsight:
"Any folder selection on the same or subordinate level would cause this
button to disappear again."
You can set the permissions to what they were but no need I think. As long as
you have added it for both cases - Items selected and Items not selected and
for the 6 core folder templates - Generic, Documents, Music, Videos, Pictures
and whatever, it should always show up on the Command bar. :)
I followed your advice and did your registry tweak for all of the 6 core
folder templates, but the NavPane Toolbar Button appeared to show up only for
folders optimized wrt General Items as shown in the following screenshot
(sorry for the German language there):
Unfortunately the appearance of the button is not 100 percent reliable over
time but is still a useful expedient for my purposes. A drawback however is
the fact that the button will not show up when clicking on a folder in the
file pane. Here a functioning ClassicExplorer custom toolbar button for
toggling the Win7 ClassicExplorer Navigation Pane would be clearly superior
since it would be available under all circumstances. But as I said in my first
posting it does not work for me.
Merging this should definitely make it work for Generic folder type whether
anything is selected or not and should work when either folder pane or file
pane is active (Edit the commands as you wish of course or merge as it is):
Windows Registry Editor Version 5.00
@="Windows.navpane;Windows.previewpane;Windows.readingpane;Windows.selectall;W
indows.removeproperties"
@="Windows.navpane;Windows.previewpane;Windows.readingpane;Windows.SelectAll"
If you want it for all folder types and also add buttons for all other panes,
merge this reg:
http://sdrv.ms/MaiuDn Works for me on Windows 7 and
Windows 8 for all folder types. It should merge successfully without errors.
If you get errors while merging, it means you haven't taken ownership and
admin permissions of all child objects correctly.
This is great! Thank you xpclient. Now I have at least a workable solution
(NavPane Toolbar Button also in the file pane) with more (hopefully) still to
come once I have fully understood ownership and admin permissions. For
although I have studied these things for over a week now I still do not get
the NavPane Toolbar Button for folders that are optimized i.a. for pictures
and documents.
I got two error messages, one upon changing ownership and permissions and the
other one when trying to merge your reg-file referenced in your #11. I hope I
will be able to sort out the first one by myself. As concerns the reg merging
I got the following message (even as Administrator in Safe Mode):
I will try to translate this into English:
“C:\Users\<username>\Desktop\Command Bar Actions for all Folder Typers.reg
cannot be imported: Not all data could be entered into the system registry.
Some keys are used by the system or other processes.”
What could be the reason for this message? Is the storage location of the reg
file to be merged significant?
The error is because the registry key ownership and permissions are not being
fully set for child objects. Okay I will give step by step instructions.
Here's the proof:
Hey raffnixpert, were you able to finally get that toggle 'Navigation pane'
button for all folder types? Otherwise, I have found another tool that may be
a simpler way for you to get the job done: http://winaero.com/comment.php?com
ment.news.16
Owing to your step-by-step instructions on how to set registry key ownership
and permissions correctly I was able to perform this task without error
messages this time. Thank you very much for this valuable lesson.
I then merged your new reg file, again without any error message. I am not
aware, though, where the difference to the old reg files are; perhaps some
buttons that I do not urgently need. This multitude of buttons is certainly
nice to have if you have got a wide screen display operated in normal
landscape orientation. In my case with portrait orientation (cf. my posting
1) too many buttons are rather disadvantageous because sometimes I would even
have to open a drop-down list in order to find the “Navigation pane” button,
which is the most important one for me besides the “New folder” button.
The functionality is perfect at volumes/folders optimized for General Items
and, as far as I could evaluate up to now, for documents. But as concerns
music, pictures and video, the behaviour with respect to the presence or
absence of the navpane button is somwhat enigmatic to me irrespective of
whether the folders are in My Computer or in other volumes than (C:).
So I think I will try Explorer Toolbar Editor linked in your #15 and will
revert to your great reg file if the tool proves inadequate for my purposes.
What puzzles me a bit is that your reg file requires registry key ownership
and permissions to be set whereas the tool obviously can do without such
settings.
Well the tool may be silently taking ownership and admin permissions or it may
be operating with another privilege level like SYSTEM. You can edit the reg
file to remove the unnecessary commands you don't want and add any new ones
separated by semicolons. A list of all possible commands is at: HKEY_LOCAL_MAC
HINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Explorer\CommandStore\shell .
The reg file also clearly mentions the "Canonical name" or folder template for
which the commands are.
Yes, I see. I think this rounds the subject off nicely and I now have
sufficient info at hand to play with. Thank you xpclient.
I have to come back once more to the subject in order to correct my statements
in #16 as follows: The reg file works perfectly in my admin account for all
types of folders and volumes, even for "My Computer". The NavPane button is
always present.
The minor deviations described in #16 only occur in the user accounts where
the NavPane button ist also missing for "My Computer".
Hello xpclient,
in #19 I wrote
Do you have a proposal on ownership and permissions in addition to the group
of administrators as stipulated in paras 5 and 7 in your #13 (quoted below for
convenience) that could solve the deviations in may user accounts?
I assume there is a simple answer to this. Otherwise, I would not want to
prolong this thread just for myself.
Not understanding what you are asking. You want the 'Navigation pane' button
to also appear for (My) Computer? Or you are not getting the navigation pane
button for other folder types? If the account is not from Administrators
group, all registry related operations must be done as administrator. Right
click Regedit and use "Run as" to do them as administrator.
I cannot remember exactly under which account and context I had set key
ownership and permissions. So I repeated your step-by-step instructions of
your #13 in my user account making sure I was running regedit as
Administrator.
This time, in contrast to the situation before, the navpane toolbar button for
“My Music” and “My Videos” is always present in Classic Explorer irrespective
of what items I click and in what sequence.
But when I open My Computer - e.g. with Win+E - the navpane toolbar button
appears in the administrator account whereas it is missing in the user
account. How can I get it in the user account too?
Dunno how you got the Navigation pane button to appear for (My) Computer. I
would like to do that myself. :)
I installed and configured Explorer Toolbar Editor, which you proposed in your
15. Now I am uncertain about two things:
Whether or not I had undone the registry changes made before in accordance
with your regfile given in #11 for all folder types and whether the navpane
button in My Computer (Admin Account) appeared already before or only after
installing Explorer Toolbar Editor. Anyway, it is there as you can see here
(first and only item in the drop down list):
By the way, I did not become aware of any differences to the situation before
installing the tool. In fact, I unfortunately did not look out for such
differences. Otherwise I might have perceived a change in My Computer if it
had occurred.
Good news. The latest Classic Shell 4.0.6 has a built-in button now to toggle the folder/navigation pane as well as the Details pane and the Preview pane!