Problem with folder layout inheritance

[Keith Howard]

Vista has more powerful capabilities than XP at specifying folder layout
(e.g. width in pixels, via View | Choose Details...). However, Tools | Folder
Options... | View | Apply to Folders does not seem to inherit to certain
folders. I’m not sure, but it seems that folders that have been migrated from
XP do not inherit the layout specified on new folders in Vista, even if they
are below in the hierarchy when the Apply to Folders command is selected.

Does anyone know of how to get around this, e.g. to force to application of
the layout to all folders? Is there a command line utility that I can use? I
understand that CACLS is used for folder permissions. I don’t think this is a
permissions problem, but perhaps CACLS is relevant.

 

[Keith Miller \(MVP\)]

In Vista, 'Apply to Folders' now works on a per-template basis: All Items,
Documents, Pictures, Music Icons, Music Details & Videos can each have
different default settings. So you'll need to use 'Apply to Folders' once
for each folder type.

'Apply to Folders' sets per-user defaults for the various folder types, but
Explorer will still try to auto-sense the best type to use based on content.

Perhaps you have set 'All Items' to your liking but some folders have either
auto-sensed to Documents or some other template. Using the 'Also apply this
template to all subfolders' option (found on the 'Customize' tab of the
folder's Properties dialog) should apply the template of your choice to all
subfolders of a given folder.

However, you also mention folders migrated from XP. These could contain a
desktop.ini file (normally flagged Hidden & System, so you have to set
Explorer view settings accordingly to find them) which is specifying a
folder template. So look for that in misbehaving folders.

P.S. You're not the Keith Howard, CPA from Herrin, IL - are you?

 

[Keith Howard]

Keith M.,

Thanks for the advice. I have experimented with your thoughts, and I now
have the inherited view that was looking for, but the inheritance feature
seems a bit flakey (or at least not intuitive). The technique that you
mention in your paragraph 3 (Also apply this teplate to all subfolders) does
not seem to work reliably for me. I understand that this is native Vista
functionality. I sometimes need to go into what seems to be XP compatibility
functionality (Tools, Folder Options, View, Apply to Folders), to get the
desired result, and sometimes even this does not work. I also flail around
and try both, but I can't find a reliable behavioural pattern.

Also, you mention ini files. Note that I checked and I do not have any ini
files between the level at which I am setting the inheritance and the level
further down below where the lack of conformance problem reared its head.

Also, a semi-solution that seemed to work for me is not to set the default
at the top level Documents folders. Instead, I set the defaults repeatedly in
each of my several folders 1 level below the Documents folder. It seems like
a round-about approach, but it sort of seems to work.

Thanks for your feedback.

Regs,

Keith H.

P.S. (Alas, I am not the Keith Howard that you seem to know! I am from NYC
and live in London...)

In Vista, 'Apply to Folders' now works on a per-template basis: All Items,
Documents, Pictures, Music Icons, Music Details & Videos can each have
different default settings. So you'll need to use 'Apply to Folders' once
for each folder type.

'Apply to Folders' sets per-user defaults for the various folder types, but
Explorer will still try to auto-sense the best type to use based on content.

Perhaps you have set 'All Items' to your liking but some folders have either
auto-sensed to Documents or some other template. Using the 'Also apply this
template to all subfolders' option (found on the 'Customize' tab of the
folder's Properties dialog) should apply the template of your choice to all
subfolders of a given folder.

However, you also mention folders migrated from XP. These could contain a
desktop.ini file (normally flagged Hidden & System, so you have to set
Explorer view settings accordingly to find them) which is specifying a
folder template. So look for that in misbehaving folders.

P.S. You're not the Keith Howard, CPA from Herrin, IL - are you?


--
Good Luck,

Keith
Microsoft MVP [Windows Shell/User]

Vista has more powerful capabilities than XP at specifying folder layout
(e.g. width in pixels, via View | Choose Details...). However, Tools |
Folder
Options... | View | Apply to Folders does not seem to inherit to certain
folders. I’m not sure, but it seems that folders that have been migrated
from
XP do not inherit the layout specified on new folders in Vista, even if
they
are below in the hierarchy when the Apply to Folders command is selected.

Does anyone know of how to get around this, e.g. to force to application
of
the layout to all folders? Is there a command line utility that I can use?
I
understand that CACLS is used for folder permissions. I don’t think this
is a
permissions problem, but perhaps CACLS is relevant.

 

[Keith Howard]

Keith M.,

Thanks for the advice. I have experimented with your thoughts, and I now
have the inherited view that was looking for, but the inheritance feature
seems a bit flakey (or at least not intuitive). The technique that you
mention in your paragraph 3 (Also apply this teplate to all subfolders) does
not seem to work reliably for me. I understand that this is native Vista
functionality. I sometimes need to go into what seems to be XP compatibility
functionality (Tools, Folder Options, View, Apply to Folders), to get the
desired result, and sometimes even this does not work. I also flail around
and try both, but I can't find a reliable behavioural pattern.

Also, you mention ini files. Note that I checked and I do not have any ini
files between the level at which I am setting the inheritance and the level
further down below where the lack of conformance problem reared its head.

Also, a semi-solution that seemed to work for me is not to set the default
at the top level Documents folders. Instead, I set the defaults repeatedly in
each of my several folders 1 level below the Documents folder. It seems like
a round-about approach, but it sort of seems to work.

Thanks for your feedback.

Regs,

Keith H.

P.S. (Alas, I am not the Keith Howard that you seem to know! I am from NYC
and live in London...)

===========

In Vista, 'Apply to Folders' now works on a per-template basis: All Items,
Documents, Pictures, Music Icons, Music Details & Videos can each have
different default settings. So you'll need to use 'Apply to Folders' once
for each folder type.

'Apply to Folders' sets per-user defaults for the various folder types, but
Explorer will still try to auto-sense the best type to use based on content.

Perhaps you have set 'All Items' to your liking but some folders have either
auto-sensed to Documents or some other template. Using the 'Also apply this
template to all subfolders' option (found on the 'Customize' tab of the
folder's Properties dialog) should apply the template of your choice to all
subfolders of a given folder.

However, you also mention folders migrated from XP. These could contain a
desktop.ini file (normally flagged Hidden & System, so you have to set
Explorer view settings accordingly to find them) which is specifying a
folder template. So look for that in misbehaving folders.

P.S. You're not the Keith Howard, CPA from Herrin, IL - are you?


--
Good Luck,

Keith
Microsoft MVP [Windows Shell/User]

Vista has more powerful capabilities than XP at specifying folder layout
(e.g. width in pixels, via View | Choose Details...). However, Tools |
Folder
Options... | View | Apply to Folders does not seem to inherit to certain
folders. I’m not sure, but it seems that folders that have been migrated
from
XP do not inherit the layout specified on new folders in Vista, even if
they
are below in the hierarchy when the Apply to Folders command is selected.

Does anyone know of how to get around this, e.g. to force to application
of
the layout to all folders? Is there a command line utility that I can use?
I
understand that CACLS is used for folder permissions. I don’t think this
is a
permissions problem, but perhaps CACLS is relevant.