Huge icon at pointer during drag and drop (Explorer)

[David Bailey]

I joined their forum & posted there for a solution.

 

[davehc]

Good effort, David, but if you look at Microsoft's own tutorials, it shows that large icon. So, unless someone hacks it, it seems to be the default.

 

[David Bailey]

Good effort, David, but if you look at Microsoft's own tutorials, it shows that large icon. So, unless someone hacks it, it seems to be the default.

I installed the program & do not get an icon at the tip of the cursor. :shock:

EDIT---

Maybe I'm doing it wrong.
If someone would describe what they are doing when the icon appears I could try to duplicate it.

Full page screenshots would be useful.

 

[davehc]

Sorry, but, What program?

Later. Oh, I see. I guess all the file manager alternatives will solve the problem. I think what the complainers are asking for in this thread is a solution to how to do it in the built in File manager.

 

[David Bailey]

Sorry, but, What program?

Later. Oh, I see. I guess all the file manger alternatives will solve the problem. I think what the complainers are asking for in this thread is a solution to how to do it in the built in File manager.

I had assumed we were talking about Free Commander.

EDIT---

 

[Philip Goddard]

It would simplify things so much if people properly read my posts before responding. I made it quite clear that the problem was in Explorer and FreeCommander - except that I now wish I hadn't mentioned the latter program, because people are getting distracted and diverted by that from the actual issue. My screen clip is from Explorer.

 

[4wd]

FreeCommander not affected here, uses just a minimalistic icon when moving stuff around.

In W File Explorer I get the large icon, but as it's transparent + gives continuous info while dragging (see my previous screenshot) there is no complaint here.

But the OP's got a real problem > the massive non-transparent icon in W Explorer hiding everything under it. I'd think he'd be content (at least partially) just getting it transparent (as it is using W File Explorer out-of-the-box in my stock\fresh\newly installed 8.1).

 

[David Bailey]

What text editor are you using ?

Notepad or a third party program ?

 

[Philip Goddard]

I'm using EditPad - not that it makes any difference. True, a transparent icon would be better, BUT I do want to be shot of the distracting huge icon altogether - completely no use. All that's needed is a tiny rectangle, as I do get in some applications, just to show that something is being moved.

Edit:
I'd also point out that it is not just the EditPad icon that is opaque, but any other filetype icon too, such as .gif or .html.

 

[XweAponX]

Ah, so the icon is Opaque.

Transferring from File Explorer to Free Explorer, the icon is transparent. But dragging and dropping from FreeCommaner to Explorer, it shows a small rectangular box.

Something has turned off your Drag and Drop Transparency. You have Aero turned on for your taskbar? I dont know where the settings that control drag and drop transparency are, but that's where I would look for a setting for this, I think there is a way to control how much Opaqueness is in the drag and drop icon. I vaguely remember seeing something about this somewhere, but I can't recall where I saw it.

I had read your OP, but my brain had myopia and made me think you were talking about the Cursor for some reason, sorry, my bad.

 

[4wd]

Seems like an ongoing question with no solution, found some old topics, like this Disable Large Icon when Drag/Drop Files to New Location - Windows 7 Help Forums

Technically, when an item gets moved it seems the generated moveable icon equals a 'Large icon' in Explorer's view menu. Now, how to change that into 'Small icon'... While waiting for someone to come up with some genial regedit hack, maybe it's worth investigating why the transparency is missing on your pc, would solve most of the practical side of the annoyance.

 

[David Bailey]

Since the OP can't remember what he did to cause this problem, a refresh or restore would quickly fix it.

 

[XweAponX]

Should do a DISM first though - SHow him how David, I gotta take off, band practice.

 

[davehc]

I must admit, Philip, that I had only read, in your OP, the reference to the File explorer. Now that the transparency issue has emerged, the goalposts have moved, for me. I only use the built in File explorer, and my icon is, and has always been, very transparent. It is a nuisance but, now finally, I can see you have a big problem with a solid one. Since my last post, I have looked through every available setting, to try and make mine solid, without success.

I did find out one thing, which could be related.

In the Control Panel - System- advanced system settings - Advanced - Performance.
There is a setting "Show translucent selection rectangle"
On my settings, I have always had this UNTticked. Ticking it, for some odd reason, made the icon under discussion, even more transparent.

As David says, if there is something you have wrongly customised, a restore or refresh will possible sort it for you.

The last suggestion:
run the following command (As Admin):

Dism.exe /Online /Cleanup-Image /Scanhealth

It takes quite a while, and will, at the end, the result of the scan. If it has found something corrupt, then run the following command to repair it.

Dism.exe /Online /Cleanup-Image /Restorehealth

 

[Philip Goddard]

Thanks indeed for the time taken in checking out this issue. I've just done the dism.exe scan, and it reports no problems. I also tried that 'translucent selection rectangle' option, and it makes no difference. As far as I know I'm not in aero mode, and I definitely have taskbar transparency turned off. I just tried enabling it with the little Opaque Taskbar for Windows 8 utility, but that makes no difference to the Explorer drag thumbnail.

I certainly have no plans to do a 'restore' or 'refresh' anytime soon, as that would mean having to reinstall all my software again - a big and stressful task. MS made it sound as though a refresh would keep one's installed programs, but I found out the hard way that it doesn't. It keeps only one's personal files and settings. As far as I can tell anyway, the issue became really bad (I suppose opaque drag thumbnail) upon my 'upgrading' from Win8 to 8.1, and I don't see myself downgrading to 8.0 again just for that one issue (which might well not be fixed anyway by that big upheaval).

Maybe I'd better experiment with other file managers to see if any show something better than that obstructive thumbnail when dragging - though I think it would be difficult to find anything that matches FreeCommander for my purposes otherwise.

 

[XweAponX]

A lot of people have had multiple issues, not like yous,. but all kinds - when Updating from 8 to 8.1 through the Store - I don't know how to explain it, but the evidence is all through these forums.

MS made it sound as though a refresh would keep one's installed programs, but I found out the hard way that it doesn't. It keeps only one's personal files and settings.

And in some cases, it does not even keep your personal data and settings. You have to read their fine print well- ALL installed Programs will vanish. IN Windows 8, the Tile Apps are supposed to stay, I don't know if this is the case in 8.1

The issue may be only in Windows 8.1 - I'm in 8, and I have the transparent Icon. If you cant get Aero back on, your Video Driver may not be Aero-Compatible. Usually, when there is an Aero issue, it will tell you the moment you open "Personalization" - It will say, right underneath "Wallpapers" - "Troubleshoot for Aero Problems"

Also, with the Opaque Icon - You can still work with that, you have to see what it says on the icon while dragging it, it will either say "Copy to ___" or it will say "Open With ____" in which case you have to move it around until it says "Copy To ___" with your Target Folder in "_____"

 

[Philip Goddard]

Thank you for further response. Yes, actually I'd noticed and then pretty well forgotten those actually helpful textual indications of where one's drag is currently pointing to, and what file operation is about to be performed. As you intimate, actually the situation isn't as bad as I was imagining - though I still want to be clear of those large thumbnail size icons at the mouse pointer while dragging - even though that may be only because they are so flaming distracting and completely unnecessary.

 

[Philip Goddard]

Eureka! - Well, actually half a "Eureka!" No, I haven't progressed with regard to what happens in Windows Explorer, BUT I have solved it in FreeCommander. Belatedly I perused the FreeCommander Forum, in the Beta Discussion, and found a thread relating to this very issue (i.e. with regard to FreeCommander and not Windows Explorer), and it turns out that FC actually has a setting that gets rid of that horrible thumbnail icon. The setting is in the big Settings menu > File / folder operations > Drag&Drop tab > Use blocking transfer. Disable that option and the big drag icon is gone from FC.

 

[davehc]

Have a look at explorer++ (64Bit, if that is yr preference), Philip. You cannot be disappointed!

Explorer++ - A small and fast file manager for Windows

 

[Philip Goddard]

Thank you for the suggestion, Davehc, though at the moment I see no reason to be using an additional third-party file manager (i.e. as well as FreeCommander), unless it would be a complete replacement for Windows Explorer. In my experience so far, Windows Explorer is sometimes needed in addition to one's regular third-party file manager - which is the only reason why I use it at all - and I assume that it is actually more limited Explorer windows that come up as file Open or Save / Save as... dialogs in applications. I'll have a brief look at Explorer++ anyway, just so I know what potential it has, for future reference.

Edit:
I've now given the program a test run, and actually found it considerably wanting and short on configuration options. Although it doesn't show the horrible obstructive big icon when dragging, it actually gives very little indication of what will happen when you drop a dragged item, and I couldn't get it to drop a file on a relevant program. I see it as in some respects deficient compared with Explorer, even though, yes, it does have some additional features. I'm kicking it off my system.