Thread: Customizing folder templates in Windows Explorer

Vista tries to identify automatically as to which type of files a folder contains. Then it displays this with the suitable template, e.g. in the form of miniature pictures for photos. But that doesn't always work.

In Explorer, you can quickly customize the template for presenting the folder content. For that, right-click on the folder and select the context command 'Properties'. Switch to the 'Customize' tab. In the combination field 'Use this folder type as template' and now change the setting to 'Pictures and Videos', for example. Besides, you can activate the option 'Apply template for all sub-folders'. You can thus apply this template to the entire following folder structure. Confirm the setting with a mouse click on 'Accept' and 'OK'.

If Windows should not allocate the templates independently, then you can switch of this setting for all new folders using the registry. For that, open 'Run' in the start menu, enter 'regedit' and click on 'OK'. Navigate to the key HKEY_CURRENT_USER\ Software\C lasses\LocalSetti ngs\ Software\M ic rosoft\ Wi ndows\She 11\ Bags. if you don't find the folder 'Bags' create it by right clicking on 'Shell' and navigate to 'New/Key' and name it 'Bags'. Now do the same by right clicking on 'Bags' and create a key called 'AllFolders'. Similarly, create the sub- key 'shell' in the directory and leave it selected.

Then click on the right side of the window and start the command 'Edit/New/Character String'. As the name, type 'FolderType' and confirm the entry with a click on 'OK'. To edit, double-click on the new entry. As the value, now enter 'NotSpecified' and click on 'OK'. Then close the registry.

Henceforth, the operating system no longer tries to independently identify the type of contained files in newly opened directories. Contents identified once and the user-defined settings remain intact, so that you can continue working with the templates.