Customizing WinXP....

[StykFacE]

I don't know if this is a long shot question, but I like the "Common Tasks" in each Window folder. It's just the Left Pane in each Window of WinXP....

My question is, if there's a program or a way to actually customize this: specifically the "Other Places" task pane. I'd like to add my own directories at work, so I don't have to constantly browse through directories. I use ExplorerXP, which uses Tabs but it's not a fluid as WinXP, and it doesn't refresh automatically - so I only use it for specific uses. I could get over the look and feel of it, but no auto-refesh gets old quick. I have TweakUI installed for a few things, but haven't disected it completely to see if I can with it.

So.... am I barking up an empty tree? or is there something out there that can do this? Thanks in advance all who reply.

[EzyStvy]

TweakUI has an option customize the "Places Bar."
It's under Common Dialogs....

[StykFacE]

Ezy... thanks for the tip, but unfortunately this isn't what i'm talking about. What this does is alter the side panel for like a "Save Target As..." from IE or something similar. I'm talking about Windows Explorer, the "Other Places" links pane on the left-hand side of the Window. If you have any more ideas, feel free to shoot them my way... but thanks again for the effort - and sorry if it was my wording that made you unclear about what I was needing. Thanks

- T

[noneoftheabove]

open up the registry by typing regedit in the command prompt. after that you are on your own.

[glc]

What is that going to accomplish? If you are going to assist, please post something meaningful, such as exactly what to edit and how. Thank you.

- Admin -

[StykFacE]

glc, i was certain you would know how to do thi!! haha, j/k... you've helped me about 85% of the times i've been on here, so i'm givin ya a small roast.... lol....

[glc]

Roast all ya want but I don't even use XPee. Even if I did, I'd have everything set to classic.

[macko72]

XP makes a big use of the webview: you have a choice of minimizable menus containing common places and tasks, file details and more. Unfortunately the webview has been integrated directly into the shell and the code/images are loaded directly from dlls: main code (untouchable...), texts, icons and layout are in shell32.dll and the visual style's shellstyle.dll adds the style sheets (and special pictures). In addition the HKCU\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Explorer\WebView\BarricadedFolders key contains the folder that are blocked.

But you can still customize the XP webview, just not as easily as in older windows versions. There are actually two ways: editing the dlls (very limited), or customize each and every one of your folders using desktop.ini files. An older folder.htt linked with a desktop.ini will work on XP, allowing to customize specific folders, just place a desktop.ini file containing the lines:

[{5984FFE0-28D4-11CF-AE66-08002B2E1262}] PersistMoniker=file://c:\path\Folder.htt
... and set the folder attributes to system. 2k sp3 and Xp sp1 remove the use of non signed webview by default. However the following three registry values are available to allow Web view functionality in Windows Server 2003, Windows XP SP1, and Windows 2000 SP3:

Create these registry values in the following registry key: HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Policies\Explorer

"AllowLegacyWebView"=dword:00000001

Permits Windows to display the Web view templates or customizations (Folder.htt) that have an MD5 hash registered with Windows. By default, only Windows 2000 Web view templates and some other few have an MD5 hash registered with Windows. Web view templates or customizations that do not have a hash registered are not displayed.

"AllowUnhashedWebView"=dword:00000001

Permits Windows to display the Web view templates and customizations (Folder.htt) that do not have an MD5 hash registered with Windows. In this case, you receive a security message for Web view templates or customizations that do not have a hash registered. If you click Yes to the security message, the hash for the template or customization registers. When Windows displays the Web view templates later, you do not receive the security message.

"RevertWebViewSecurity"=dword:00000001

Permits Windows to display the Web view templates and customizations (Folder.htt) that do not have an MD5 hash registered with Windows. In this case, you receive a security message only for Web view templates or customizations that contain potentially unsafe scripting. This is the same behavior that occurs in Windows XP before SP1 and Windows 2000 before SP3. For this policy to work you must also set the AllowLegacyWebView value to 1.

This makes it difficult to customize many folders at once, but you could grab Webview Installer (free, Win XP), that will apply them for you (change the folder.htt path in the provided desktop.ini). It will apply any desktop.ini to a folder and it's subfolders while renaming the old ones, and set the folder to 'system'. In general check this item on desktop.ini files (including the last part regarding the use of ieshwiz.exe) for more on applying webviews on a single folder in xp.

Now if you want to edit the real hardcoded XP webview (you won't be able to add functions, just remove/reorganise them and change the styles/images), check shell32.dll in resource hacker (modding page), there are two UIFILEs (them again), the second one is a xml file that will get parsed by shellstyle.dll to add the style/html. Each panel is defined as:



http://www.virtualplastic.net/html/w...ml#commontasks

[StykFacE]

Originally Posted by glc Roast all ya want but I don't even use XPee. Even if I did, I'd have everything set to classic.

Everything is set to classic. The only reason I use XP is cuz of AutoCAD.... it's a must. :-(

Macko, thanks for the post... im going to look into this now... i'll Post back if i'm successful. Thanks again.