Solved File Explorer: In Details view, can the Length be added globally for all video files?

Hello,

In File Explorer, I am using the 'Details' view for all folders. I have a number of video files spread over several folders, all of which are subfolders of my overall 'Videos' folder. I want to add the 'Length' attribute (i.e. the video duration) as an additional column for all these video files. Is there a way of specifying this globally rather than having to do it for each video subfolder individually?

Any suggestions gratefully received!

Bruce

Hello Bruce, and welcome.

It depends on if you want to apply this folder view to all folders, or just all folders using the same template (ex: Video). The tutorials below can help show you how to for which one you wanted.

BruceUK said:

In File Explorer, I am using the 'Details' view for all folders. I have a number of video files spread over several folders, all of which are subfolders of my overall 'Videos' folder. I want to add the 'Length' attribute (i.e. the video duration) as an additional column for all these video files. Is there a way of specifying this globally rather than having to do it for each video subfolder individually?

Click to expand...

You can update the view for all folders of type "Videos" (except file dialog views) using the "Apply to Folders" button.

If you wish to only change a given folder tree, and not all folders of type Videos, you're out of luck. There's no way to do that.

The folders, on an NTFS local disk, that contain videos should already be folder type "Videos" since Explorer uses its automatic folder type discovery feature to set them. However, folders on a removable drive (that is not type "local disk") will all be type "General items". If you're running the Windows 10 Explorer (aka Windows 10 ribbon UI) then you can set the template using the "Apply this template to all subfolders" checkbox. But if you're running the Windows 11 Explorer, that feature is completely broken.

Also note that "Apply to Folders" will NOT update the folder view for file dialogs (i.e. the view you see from an app when doing Open or Save) for folders previously opened via a file dialog.

Notes:

• You can use my free WinSetView app to change the folder view defaults for all folder types globally, including file dialog views.
• You can switch to the Windows 10 Explorer using StartAllBack, ExplorerPatcher, or my free SwitchExplorer.

Thanks very much for the replies.

I used the tutorial for all folders of the same template type. I opened the 'Videos' folder, right-clicked on the 'Name' column heading and selected the columns I wanted to display as 'Name', 'Type', 'Date modified', 'Size' and 'Length'. I deselected the 'Status' and 'Date' columns. I also selected the 'Size all columns to fit' option. I then followed the tutorial to select the 'Apply to folders' option.

However, on inspecting some of the subfolders (which contain exclusively video files), I found that they are all displaying the 'Status' column - is this mandatory for some reason? And many of the subfolders are displaying the 'Date' column (instead of the 'Date modified' column). Is there a reason for this?

Any further thoughts?

Bruce

It could be those folders are not using the same template.

BruceUK said:

I used the tutorial for all folders of the same template type. I opened the 'Videos' folder, right-clicked on the 'Name' column heading and selected the columns I wanted to display as 'Name', 'Type', 'Date modified', 'Size' and 'Length'. I deselected the 'Status' and 'Date' columns. I also selected the 'Size all columns to fit' option. I then followed the tutorial to select the 'Apply to folders' option.

However, on inspecting some of the subfolders (which contain exclusively video files), I found that they are all displaying the 'Status' column - is this mandatory for some reason? And many of the subfolders are displaying the 'Date' column (instead of the 'Date modified' column). Is there a reason for this?

Click to expand...

"'Size all columns to fit" is not a setting. It's an action that only occurs when you click it. You can only set fixed default column widths for any given folder type.

The "Date" column appearing, where you do not want it, can be do to those subfolders not being type "Videos" (check that in properties), a registry issue (corruption or hitting the 5000 saved view limit), or because you're looking at the folder via a file dialog within an application.

The "Status" column appears for any folder that is synced via OneDrive. There are significant performance and OneDrive storage implications syncing videos. I use a local account and uninstall OneDrive, so I never see a Status column. You can also remove the Videos folder from OneDrive syncing (I think) or make and use a folder that's not synced such as C:\Movies.

I recommend setting your preferred folder view defaults using WinSetView and make the necessary changes to remove OneDrive from the equation.

Hi Les,

Many thanks for the info and for your suggestions and recommendations. I will look into these as soon as possible, but I'm busy on something else at the moment!

I'll report back soon! Thanks again.

Bruce

OK, I've sorted out the templates for the folders Documents, Music, Pictures and Videos, so I now have File Explorer displaying the columns as I want. I do still want to use OneDrive so I can live with the Status column being displayed, now that I know why it's there.

A couple of points on the Size property. It is obviously displayed for files, but I'm wondering why it isn't displayed for folders as well. It's easy enough to find out the size of a folder, but there seems no reason for not displaying it in the details.

And just a minor gripe - I'm surprised that the Size heading is displayed as left-justified when the actual values for the files are displayed right-justified. It just looks strange. Is there any way of changing the heading to right-justified? I can't see one.

I'm also a little surprised that the 'Size all columns to fit' option can't be applied on a global basis. Is this too difficult for Microsoft to program!?

Thanks again for your help.

Bruce

BruceUK said:

A couple of points on the Size property. It is obviously displayed for files, but I'm wondering why it isn't displayed for folders as well. It's easy enough to find out the size of a folder, but there seems no reason for not displaying it in the details.

Click to expand...

Size is not calculated on the fly for folders for performance reasons. That design decision goes back decades, so it may not be so much of an issue with today's powerful hardware. Microsoft could choose to add it as an optional feature that is disabled by default, but don't hold your breath.

I'm surprised that the Size heading is displayed as left-justified when the actual values for the files are displayed right-justified. It just looks strange. Is there any way of changing the heading to right-justified? I can't see one.

Click to expand...

I'm not aware of any way to change the justification of any of the columns or column headings.

I'm also a little surprised that the 'Size all columns to fit' option can't be applied on a global basis. Is this too difficult for Microsoft to program!?

Click to expand...

Microsoft actually tested it that way (a very long time ago) and rejected the idea due to "constantly shifting column widths". That explanation only makes sense to me if the folder is shared and has two or more users simultaneously making changes. I can't see any problem having it automatically resize the column width for a non-shared folder. Why they didn't make it an option (disabled by default) when they already had the code is probably just a matter of what time they had left to ship the product and then never revisited the idea (low priority for them).

That's interesting - thanks for the info Les.

I've marked my original query as Solved now - again thanks to both of you for your help.

Glad we could help.