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About Jesse H.
Expertise
I have been working with Windows XP since it was released. I know a lot of shortcuts; some are specific to Windows XP and some work with previous versions of Windows, too. I am working in the Windows registry almost on a daily basis, so I can help with configurations, too.

Experience
I have worked with Windows XP since it was released. Before it was released, I worked with Windows 2000 and Windows NT.

You are here: Experts > Computing/Technology > Focus on Windows > Windows XP > Adding 'open' to file folder option in Win XP Home edition

Windows XP - Adding 'open' to file folder option in Win XP Home edition

Expert: Jesse H. - 1/20/2005

Question
I just added 'print directory' feature for folders and file folders in Windows XP. I added it in folder options and it works fine. BUT..Before I did this when I double clicked on any folder or file folder in Win Explorer it opened in Win Explorer window. It stil works that way with folders but when opening file folders they open with ACD SEE which is a right click option. There is no 'open' action in the action box under folder options>find type>advanced>edit file type action box which I find odd as I did not remove it. I see that I can add 'open' to the 'new action' box but what do I put in the 'application used to perform action' box? This should be QED but I can't figure it out. All I want to do in Win Explorer is to double click on file folders and have them open in Explorer window and not with ACD SEE. Right now I have to right click and use 'open' command that is there but its not on folder options action box as stated before. Thanks for any help you can give.

Terri

Answer
Hi, Terri!

I have never really been able to find a good explanation as to why Folder and File Folder are two different file types. If you look at the options in Folder and then look at the options in File Folder, you will find that all the options from both of those file types are available in the right-click context menu for any directory.

The only reason that I can think of as to why these are two different file types is that Windows Explorer needs them that way. Within Windows Explorer, when you are using the Explore method with the folder tree on the left side of the window, there are times when the same folder is shown twice (once in the folder tree on the left side and once in the file view on the right side). I think that the folder shown in the folder tree is the Folder file type and the folder show in the file view is the File Folder file type (wow, that is a lot of "file" and "folder" words for a single sentence!). That is just a guess, though.

Anyway, using a tip I got from searching Google, I was able to reproduce your issue (well, it wasn't opening ACDSee, but close enough) and then resolve it. You do not want to add an Open option to the File Folder file type because it does not need one (that option is available in the Folder file type). The problem is that a default action was set on the File Folder file type, and that file type should have no default set because the default is set by the Folder file type.

So, to correct this problem, you will need to go into the Windows Registry. I normally don't tell people how to edit the Registry because it is too dangerous, but you knew enough to change around file types, which most people don't even know about, so I think you are good enough with computers to understand the risks of editing the registry.

Click Start and select the Run option. Type "regedit" and hit enter. As with any Registry edits, you should backup your Registry before starting (File->Export->All or File->Export->Selected Branch "HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT"). Find and select the key "HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\Directory\shell". On the right hand side of the window you will see a value named "(Default)"; double-click on this value. Set the value to "none". Once you make this change, your folders should instantly be back to normal.

Let me know if you need anything else.

Sincerely,
Jesse

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