[SngBrdb]

Searched for this as a previous tweak here, couldn't find it... sorry if it's old hat to anyone!

I had this crazy idea the other day... lots of people know the property sheet guid for Author, Title, etc. is {883373C3-BF89-11D1-BE35-080036B11A03}. These properties are stored as alternate data streams in the file. You can right-click just about any file, go to properties, and you'll see a 'Summary' tab where you can set these (and an advanced button to access a few more).

Knowing only the basics of ADS, I wondered if folders could have them. So I went to the following registry key:

HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\Folder\shellex\PropertySheetHandlers

... and added {883373C3-BF89-11D1-BE35-080036B11A03} as a sub-key. I figured I would either have the coolest tweak I'd seen in a long time, or my hard drive would melt. Lo 'n Behold, it worked! Now I can select a dozen folders, right-click, and set categories!!

What's the point? See picture:



Add the column 'categories' (mine is sized to be hidden), and pick 'show in groups'. Voilà!

Complete registry file follows... copy and paste into a file called categories.reg; right-click and 'merge'.

Windows Registry Editor Version 5.00

[HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\Folder\shellex\PropertySheetHandlers\{883373C3-BF89-11D1-BE35-080036B11A03}]
@="Summary Properties Page"

This post has been edited by SngBrdb: 19 August 2009 - 10:54 AM

[fdv]

SngBrdb, on Sep 29 2008, 06:43 AM, said:

Searched for this as a previous tweak here, couldn't find it... sorry if it's old hat to anyone!

! To look at this, it seems obvious... once you actually see it.
But honestly I never would have thought of it.
AFAIK this is 100% original and all yours, and it's really nice.
General note: XP only

edit:
By the way here it is in INF format

HKCR,"Folder\shellex\PropertySheetHandlers\{883373C3-BF89-11D1-BE35-080036B11A03}",,,"Summary Properties Page"

This post has been edited by fdv: 29 September 2008 - 02:14 PM

[DigeratiPrime]

Nice find

[bclem]

Hi SngBrdb,

Many many thanks! For a long time I have quietly cursed the lack of a Properties page for Explorer folders, as I use file Summary fields (Subject, Author, Title, Comments, etc) extensively. Now I can add these fields to my folders as well as files, giving me the ability to sort & group properly (I use Directory Opus, which allows mixing files and folders).

This was such a magical advance in my work process that I had to take time to register on this forum in order to thank you. Major kudos and thanks!

Bruce Clemence

[zandifer]

Does anyone know how to do this in Vista (64 bit)??? Or Windows 7?

[SngBrdb]

fdv says it only works in XP... not sure why that would be, but I'm guessing that Vista uses a different property handler to retrieve and display this information in explorer.

Some initial digging led me here: http://blogs.msdn.com/benkaras/archive/200...accomplish.aspx

From the article:

Quote

The list of properties to show in the preview pane is determined by a "proplist" in the registry filed under your filetype's progid. If the proplist isn't found, the system will fall back to a number of places, but usually settles on HKCR\*. Take a look at PreviewDetails and FullDetails. Follow that format to specify a fully list of properties that you want to see for your file type. I'll be covering the details later in this series.

The CLSID is not mentioned in the documentation at the moment, but it's pretty easy to find. I just opened regedit and looked for the property handler for .doc files. Since you're also using OLE Compound Documents, the handler works for you too.

I think what he's saying is to look at HKCR\*, and there should be a PreviewDetails and FullDetails section, similar to PropertySheetHandler on XP? And under there you would see how to set your own properties for the Folder file type.

I would then navigate to HKCR\Folder and try to mimic what you're seeing under HKCR\*, making sure there is a 'category' property?

The article here: http://msdn.microsoft.com/en-us/library/bb...28VS.85%29.aspx may provide some useful insights.

Without Vista to play with, that is my best guess... post here if you come up with something that works!