How always display Explorer files in the 'Details' -view?

whitek

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I find it annoying when I use windows Explorer to browse my files and see folders where my files are not displayed in 'Details'-view.
(Other views are: Icons, Tiles, Content etc...)

How do I set up Windows 8 so that it always displays all foders in the 'Details' -view
 

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Since the tutorial doesn't address the libraries, here's an alternative and easy way. Create a library, add the folders, set the view. As long as you access the files thru the library, you'll get what you want.
 

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By chance I right-clicked on 'My Documents' and in the 'Customize'-tab I chose Optimize this folder for: 'Documents' and checked 'Also apply this template to all subfolders'.

This seems to have done the trick also. All is now in detail-view except image-folders but that works well for me.

However I've only tested this method a couple of minutes so its good to have your methods as back up in case things go south.

Thanks guys! :-D
 

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Like I said, both methods work, but neither one is a silver bullet :) You customized the folder and it worked? Great. But if you open it via a library, it may have a different view (the one set for the library).

To see what I'm talking about, open the Documents library and set the view as List. Now press Win+R -> %userprofile%\documents. The same folder opens in Details view.

The bottom line: if you access a folder both ways, you have to configure its view in both places :)
 

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Since the tutorial doesn't address the libraries, here's an alternative and easy way. Create a library, add the folders, set the view. As long as you access the files thru the library, you'll get what you want.

Why create a new library? :confused:


All included folders in a library share the same folder view, so all whitek has to do is change the folder view to "Details" in each current library.
He can then use what I posted previously below to change all folders (not libraries) to have "details" view as well. :)
 

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Why create a new library? :confused:


All included folders in a library share the same folder view, so all whitek has to do is change the folder view to "Details" in each current library.
Why not create a new library? In the first post, whitek didn't mention that he needed the Details view for Documents or any other specific file category. It could be anything, so you can do anything with a new library :)
All included folders in a library share the same folder view, so all whitek has to do is change the folder view to "Details" in each current library.
Yes, but you didn't mention libraries in your first post, and now you're basically repeating what I have said :) My post was supposed to supplement yours, not to argue with it...

Anyway, I think the problem is solved :)
 
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Why create a new library? :confused:


All included folders in a library share the same folder view, so all whitek has to do is change the folder view to "Details" in each current library.
Why not create a new library? In the first post, whitek didn't mention that he needed the Details view for Documents or any other type. It could be anything, so you can do anything with a new library :)
All included folders in a library share the same folder view, so all whitek has to do is change the folder view to "Details" in each current library.
Yes, but you didn't mention libraries in your first post, and now you're basically repeating what I have said :) My post was supposed to supplement yours, not to argue with it...



Vadikan,

I'm not arguing with you either.

I'm just pointing out that there's no need to create a new library for something that can just as easily be done in his existing libraries. It's just not needed, or helps with the main situation since whitek is wanting to do this for all folders and libraries.

What I posted about libraries is mentioned in the tutorial I linked to in my first post above. :)
 

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Sure, it can be done with the existing libraries. But what if he wants to keep the default view for the existing libraries? :) A new library takes care of it. He asked a generic question, I've provided a generic solution, there's nothing more to it.
What I posted about libraries is mentioned in the tutorial I linked to in my first post above. :)
What I see there is
This will not affect the folder view settings in libraries.
It doesn't explain how to set the view for the libraries. While this part is obvious, I bet people came to these forums confused about two different views for the same folder :)
 

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This topic seems to come up a lot, is there a pinned tutorial somewhere? Maybe we need to have the site set aside a new forum for common things like this, unless there already is something like that, is there?

The way I set this up is I open a drive or folder and set it up for detail view then I open the Folder Options and "Apply to all folders"
 

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This topic seems to come up a lot, is there a pinned tutorial somewhere? Maybe we need to have the site set aside a new forum for common things like this, unless there already is something like that, is there?

The way I set this up is I open a drive or folder and set it up for detail view then I open the Folder Options and "Apply to all folders"

Hey mate,

We have these tutorials for this so far. :)

http://www.eightforums.com/tutorials/9753-folder-view-set-default-all-folders-windows-8-a.html

or

http://www.eightforums.com/tutorials/9751-folder-view-apply-folders-windows-8-a.html
 

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I agree to disagree that creating a new library is not what whitek was asking for. :)

I've updated the tutorial to this below to help make the point about libraries more clear in it.

http://www.eightforums.com/tutorials/9753-folder-view-set-default-all-folders-windows-8-a.html
Shawn, I don't mind your disagreement, because your agreement is more important :) That is thanks for updating the tutorial.

Since you've said "A", I suggest you say "B" by providing additional clarifications to address a common confusion. Something along these lines:
A folder may have two different views depending on whether you access it from a library. Imagine you have the "Reports" folder inside the "My Documents" folder. You have set a custom view for the "Reports" folder and created a shortcut on the Desktop.

When you open the "Reports" folder from the:
  • Documents library, you get the view set for the library
  • Desktop shortcut, you get the view set for the folder

Now, going back to creating another library :) While it may not be relevant to the TS, it's an important part of the UX.

I've got a few folders inside "My Documents" where I prefer the docs sorted by the author. Hence, I have the Details view with the Author column added. I do need these docs within "My Documents", but I don't need this layout for other folders and files in the Documents library. So I create another library (say, Articles), add these folders to it, and I'm all set :)

One may say it's not a typical pattern, most users don't need it, etc, etc. Well, most users don't use libraries as libraries at all ;) They have the default libraries with the default folders in them, and I bet they don't even remove common folders, even if they don't need them.

I'd say libraries is one of the most "useless" features for most users. I put "useless" in quotes, because they don't use the concept to their benefit :) On the other hand, it creates a confusion with different views and layouts, which is a pretty poor UX in the end.

Vadim
 
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I've updated it with this.

This will not affect the folder view settings in libraries. All included folders in a library share the same folder view, so you can easily manually set a default folder view per library.

  • When you open an added folder in a library, you get the view set in that library.
  • When you open a folder directly (not in library), say from a shortcut or in File Explorer, you get the view set for that folder from the location it was opened from.


Yeah, libraries are misunderstood a lot of the time. They can be quite useful if used as intended for a collection point to view files in a library from added folders saved at different locations instead of having to go to each location to view them.
 

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Another benefit is that the library serves a global search filter, but this is even more "useless" :)

Thanks for the update, Shawn! Here's another peculiar thing that makes it hard to explain. A shortcut in File Explorer or even on Desktop can open in a Library view when you send a folder to Desktop or Nav pane from the library, and not from the folder location :)
 

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Thanks for discussion about quirky behavior of folder views.


Just as much, thank you for entering extra space between thoughts or steps. It makes the OP easier to understand and your replies easier to understand.

I wish more people would take the time to at least hit Enter once after a step , thought or period.
 

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Hey pcRAT! I'm glad you enjoy the discussion as well as paragraphs ;)

Here's a bonus library quirk: you can't change the folder icon from the library, you have to open the folder location first :)
 

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Thanks for that one. It explains the stubbornness I've run into a few times but didn't get excited.


The paragraphs makes it easier for readers to understand you and stay focused. I don't really get upset about if if someone doesn't but it's easier than copy a long paragraph of 10pt, paste to wordpad and add spaces between lines.

I see you've been here a little while and seem to know your way around 8 pretty good.
 

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Adding spaces in Wordpad? o_O I can rarely force myself to make an effort like this ;) On the other hand, there are plenty of people in need of assistance who make an effort to describe the problem coherently. Usually, they are better at following instructions and get problems resolved faster. I admire people willing to go an extra mile in cases like this, so as a token of my appreciation here's another library tip for you ;)

Creating a Backup library makes it much easier to set up file backup, if you need to go beyond the default settings in File History and legacy Windows 7 backup.

The quirky thing about File History is that you can only exclude folders or libraries you don't need (e.g. Videos). If you want to add a folder (e.g. C:\tools), you have to add it to a library. All libraries are automatically covered by File History, including your Backup library.

It works similarly in legacy backup, but more straightforward.

P.S. I don't view the number of forum posts as an accurate measurement of knowledge ;)
 

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Adding spaces in Wordpad? o_O I can rarely force myself to make an effort like this ;) On the other hand, there are plenty of people in need of assistance who make an effort to describe the problem coherently. Usually, they are better at following instructions and get problems resolved faster.


That's the reason I copy to wordpad and add space between lines when someone types out 1 paragraph that is really long. It's easier to interpret their message and follow their instructions.



You're full of good tidbits about this library thing. Something I'll be using here shortly after it soaks in.


If I go into Documents thru the library and attempt to move a file by clicking it , then clicking the down-arrow beside Move to in the Share & Organize of the ribbon

A list of folders I've moved stuff to previously pops out. New ones don't get added and I can't clear all or some of that list.
There are 14 folders altogether but lets just say #s 2-6 are subfolders of #1

I'm a little confused about this right now about clearing that list. Is the answer in the directions you just gave?
 

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