Windows 11 Explorer alternative

LesFerch · Sep 16, 2023

Anixx said:
Hmm. I think command bar and folder type features should not influence each other. EP does not switch to use "old code" systemwide, it switches on and off certain features. Maybe it is aware about folder type bug and fixes it, I do not know, but it is not because it switches all the explorer to "old code".

I can guarantee you that it really is a matter of what code is being used. The authors of Explorer Patcher (EP) and StartAllBack did not program a folder type bug fix into their products. I checked.

When you select "Windows 10 Ribbon" in EP, or "Kinda 10" mode in StartAllBack, you most definitely get the Windows 10 Explorer behavior. That is, it's the same as opening Explorer via the Control Panel. You can test this for yourself:

Select a folder that contains lots of subfolders of data (preferably with some folders containing pictures, some music, some a mix of file types, and so on. The more folders the better, but let's say a minimum of 3 levels deep with 3 folders at each level and at least 3 files per folder.

Right-click that folder (i.e. the top of the folder tree) and select Properties, Customize, select a folder type, other than General items, check the "Also apply this template to all subfolders" and then click OK (and, no, it does not matter if you click Apply before clicking OK).

Navigate your way through the subfolders and this is what you can expect to see for the different scenarios listed below:

Windows 10
Windows 11 Explorer launched via Control Panel
Windows 11 with EP set to "Windows 10 Ribbon"
Windows 11 with StartAllBack set to "Kinda 10"

Every folder will be set to whatever folder type you select, without exception, and they will stay that way.

Windows 11 22H2 or 23H2 (without any mods)
Windows 11 with EP set to "Windows 11 Command bar"
Windows 11 with StartAllBack set to "Proper 11"

If you're on a "local disk", such as C:, you will see a mix of folder types within your test folder tree. Windows automatic folder type discovery will revert most folders back to their "detected" folder type. Your selected folder type may apply to some folders, but it will be very inconsistent.

If you're on a USB drive (that does not mount as a "local disk"), you will see that all folders are stuck at type "General items".

hdmi · Sep 17, 2023

LesFerch said:
@Fabler2 and @hdmi Perhaps I gave the wrong impression. It's just a 67KB portable executable that launches Explorer via the Control Panel. I'm not asking for a long term commitment, but just a quick test to confirm it works on computers other than my own. It's literally a quick download and double-click. Should take less than a minute.

Because I am on non-English Windows 11, it opens the default browser to www.bing.com with This PC entered in the search field of Bing Search. You can substitute This PC with shell:MyComputerFolder in your code to fix that problem.

Anixx · Sep 17, 2023

LesFerch said:
I can guarantee you that it really is a matter of what code is being used. The authors of Explorer Patcher (EP) and StartAllBack did not program a folder type bug fix into their products. I checked.

For switching the ribbon style EP uses this registry key: {D17F1E1A-5919-4427-8F89-A1A8503CA3EB}. This effect was found by WinClassic forum user TechSalit. One can do the same without EP.

Stigg · Sep 17, 2023

There are many great third party file managers that are far more efficient than File Explorer. I wouldn't waste my time with it. It's slow and cumbersome. I'm a long time Directory Opus user. To me, it's the pinnacle of file managers, but there are other options less powerful which may suit you.

hdmi · Sep 17, 2023

Anixx said:
For switching the ribbon style EP uses this registry key: {D17F1E1A-5919-4427-8F89-A1A8503CA3EB}. This effect was found by WinClassic forum user TechSalit. One can do the same without EP.

AFAIK on Windows 11 version 22H2 and higher you can no longer do the same without EP.

LesFerch · Sep 17, 2023

hdmi said:
Because I am on non-English Windows 11, it opens the default browser to www.bing.com with This PC entered in the search field of Bing Search. You can substitute This PC with shell:MyComputerFolder in your code to fix that problem.

Good catch. Thanks!

The code has now been updated to use shell:MyComputerFolder. I also found that Alt-D no longer works to select the address bar in the old Explorer on 23H2. I've changed the code to use Ctrl-L instead.

LesFerch · Sep 17, 2023

Anixx said:
For switching the ribbon style EP uses this registry key: {D17F1E1A-5919-4427-8F89-A1A8503CA3EB}. This effect was found by WinClassic forum user TechSalit. One can do the same without EP.

I think that's the GUID for registering EP as a Shell extension, but it's irrelevant.

When EP (or StartAllBack) switch to the Windows 10 ribbon, you get the same result as launching Explorer via the Control Panel. That is, you get the old Windows 10 Explorer with all of its capabilities.

You can't switch to the Windows 10 ribbon and still run the new Windows 11 Explorer. The behavior, in regards to setting the folder type, that I explained in detail, proves that. Different behavior = different code.

Please note that it's the same Explorer.exe in all cases. The difference is in the list of DLLs that Explorer loads.

Anixx · Sep 17, 2023

LesFerch said:
you get the same result as launching Explorer via the Control Panel.

What do you mean? How to launch Explorer via control panel?

LesFerch · Sep 17, 2023

Anixx said:
What do you mean? How to launch Explorer via control panel?

Open Control Panel and click the up arrow once or twice (depending on your starting view in Control Panel).

Or run the command control admintools

hdmi · Sep 18, 2023

LesFerch said:
When EP (or StartAllBack) switch to the Windows 10 ribbon, you get the same result as launching Explorer via the Control Panel. That is, you get the old Windows 10 Explorer with all of its capabilities.

Only difference, using your code it takes a little moment each time before it continues to navigate to This PC, and, to make matters only worse, also each time there is the bright white background flash that annoys my eyes because I use the dark theme. I tend to open a new File Explorer window a lot so, as a result using your code would make it unbearable to me pretty quickly. It's one of multiple reasons why I use EP. So much so, I would have reverted back to Windows 10 a very long time ago. The whole idea of using EP is not to make new Windows look like older Windows. Instead, its key purpose is to turn a Windows that looks to be a productive Windows into a productive Windows. The same also holds true about Open-Shell. The fact that almost no one on here besides me appears to be using at least some of the Classic Explorer features of Open-Shell knocks me unconscious.

jimbo45 · Sep 18, 2023

Hi folks
I've long thought that file explorer has passed its sell by date

It needs something on these lines -- OK this one is a little plain as regards theme but it does the job beautifully (not on Windows I'm afraid) but really something similar should be available without having to "break the OS" . Definitely 2 panel working should be easier with a load of key functions to standard required functionality like move, copy, create, delete, compare etc.

I seem to remember back in old Win 3.1 and Ms Dos days Norton commander and XTREE were good programs.

cheers
jimbo

LesFerch · Sep 18, 2023

hdmi said:
Only difference, using your code it takes a little moment each time before it continues to navigate to This PC, and, to make matters only worse, also each time there is the bright white background flash that annoys my eyes because I use the dark theme.

The brief white background occurs because Microsoft did not update Control Panel to support the dark theme. However, if you use StartAllBack, it will change the Control Panel background to the dark theme. I also read that Rectify11 does the same thing. I guess EP is missing that feature?

I reduced the delay by changing the default start folder to C: but, unless someone can find a way to directly launch the old File Explorer from a command line (i.e. no registry changes), instead of via Control Panel, that's as good as it gets.

Anyhow, my little launcher is targeted to people who are currently using the Control Panel method to get to the old Explorer and just want that process to be a little slicker. I'm definitely not competing with mods like EP. There are some people who want/need to launch the old Explorer but can't (or don't want to) install any mods.

P.S. Every time I test EP something goes wrong, but I've never had a single issue with StartAllBack. In previous tests of EP, I got stuck in an Explorer relaunch loop. In my tests yesterday, I got a non-responsive Start menu (fixed with a reboot) and an Explorer that could go down through a folder tree, but not back up (fixed by restarting Explorer). EP is a good program, but if I were recommending one of those mods to a less technical user, I'd go with StartAllBack. I haven't tested any other mods, such as Rectify11.

Anixx · Sep 18, 2023

LesFerch said:
Open Control Panel and click the up arrow once or twice (depending on your starting view in Control Panel).

Or run the command control admintools

This does not add a new explorer process. So, if there are differences in behavior, they are not because of different code running.

jimbo45 · Sep 18, 2023

Even back in Ms / DR Dos days XTREE was an infinitely superior product.

Cheers
jimbo

LesFerch · Sep 18, 2023

Anixx said:
This does not add a new explorer process.

It does add a new explorer.exe process. Use Details view in Task Manager. The process stays loaded for a while, so if you previously opened Control Panel, you won't see an additional process. Either wait until the process list goes back down to one explorer.exe or logout and login and test again.

Edwin · Sep 18, 2023

Anixx said:
This does not add a new explorer process.

Anixx · Sep 18, 2023

Edwin said:
View attachment 71474

Interesting. So, what the options /factory and -Embedding mean? Definitely it is what makes the behavior different.

Edwin · Sep 18, 2023

Anixx said:
factory and -Embedding mean?

Short answer:
Separate Single Process Explorer Host

LesFerch · Sep 18, 2023

Anixx said:
Interesting. So, what the options /factory and -Embedding mean? Definitely it is what makes the behavior different.

Different embedding command lines correspond to different Explorer process modes.

The one shown in the screenshot (and below) is what you get when Explorer is started in Windows 10 mode (i.e. Control Panel):

C:\WINDOWS\explorer.exe /factory,{5BD95610-9434-43C2-886C-57852CC8A120} -Embedding

The one below is what you get when you provide a folder name on the command line (i.e. a new Explorer file manager process without the desktop and taskbar):

C:\WINDOWS\explorer.exe /factory,{75dff2b7-6936-4c06-a8bb-676a7b00b24b} -Embedding

An odd thing is that if you kill all Explorer processes and run one of those embedding command lines, the Explorer process starts, but no window is displayed.

hdmi · Sep 19, 2023

LesFerch said:
The brief white background occurs because Microsoft did not update Control Panel to support the dark theme. However, if you use StartAllBack, it will change the Control Panel background to the dark theme. I also read that Rectify11 does the same thing. I guess EP is missing that feature?

I know. Personally, I, don't plan on using StartAllBack or Rectify11 anytime soon, though. But anyway.

LesFerch said:
I reduced the delay by changing the default start folder to C: but, unless someone can find a way to directly launch the old File Explorer from a command line (i.e. no registry changes), instead of via Control Panel, that's as good as it gets.

You can reduce the delay a little bit further still. Like so:

Code:

using System;
using System.Diagnostics;
using System.Runtime.InteropServices;
using System.Threading;
using System.Windows.Automation;
using System.Windows.Forms;

class Program
{
    private static string Folder;

    private static void OnWindowOpened(object src, AutomationEventArgs e)
    {
        try
        {
            var elem = src as AutomationElement;
            Process proc = Process.GetProcessById(elem.Current.ProcessId);
            if (elem != null && proc.ProcessName == "explorer")
            {
                WindowPattern windowPattern = null;
                windowPattern = elem.GetCurrentPattern(WindowPattern.Pattern) as WindowPattern;
                if (windowPattern.WaitForInputIdle(4000))
                {
                    Thread.Sleep(200);
                    for (int i=10; i>0; i--)
                    {
                        Thread.Sleep(100);
                        if (Array.Exists(new string[] { "Administrative Tools",
                                                        "Control Panel\\All Control Panel Items\\Administrative Tools",
                                                        "Windows Tools",
                                                        "Control Panel\\All Control Panel Items\\Windows Tools" },
                                         element => element == elem.Current.Name))
                        {
                            SetForegroundWindow((IntPtr)elem.Current.NativeWindowHandle);
                            SendKeys.SendWait("^{l}" + Folder + "{Enter}");
                            break;
                        }
                    }
                }
            }
        }
        catch (Exception) {}
        Process.GetCurrentProcess().Kill();
    }

    static void Main(string[] args)
    {
        if (args.Length > 0)
        {
            Folder = args[0];

            // Fix issue where argument is quoted and ends with backslash
            if (Folder.EndsWith("\""))
            {
                Folder = Folder.Remove(Folder.Length - 1) + "\\";
            }
        }
        else
        {
            Folder = "C:";
        }

        System.Windows.Automation.Automation.AddAutomationEventHandler(
            WindowPattern.WindowOpenedEvent,
            AutomationElement.RootElement,
            TreeScope.Children,
            OnWindowOpened);

        ProcessStartInfo startInfo = new ProcessStartInfo
        {
            FileName = "control.exe",
            Arguments = "admintools",
            RedirectStandardOutput = false,
            RedirectStandardError = false,
            UseShellExecute = true,
            CreateNoWindow = false
        };

        Process process = new Process
        {
            StartInfo = startInfo
        };

        process.Start();

        // Wait
        Thread.Sleep(10000);
    }
    [DllImport("user32.dll")]
    private static extern bool SetForegroundWindow(IntPtr hWnd);
}

LesFerch said:
Anyhow, my little launcher is targeted to people who are currently using the Control Panel method to get to the old Explorer and just want that process to be a little slicker. I'm definitely not competing with mods like EP. There are some people who want/need to launch the old Explorer but can't (or don't want to) install any mods.

Of course.

LesFerch said:
P.S. Every time I test EP something goes wrong, but I've never had a single issue with StartAllBack. In previous tests of EP, I got stuck in an Explorer relaunch loop. In my tests yesterday, I got a non-responsive Start menu (fixed with a reboot) and an Explorer that could go down through a folder tree, but not back up (fixed by restarting Explorer). EP is a good program, but if I were recommending one of those mods to a less technical user, I'd go with StartAllBack. I haven't tested any other mods, such as Rectify11.

EP works fine for me alongside Open-Shell. Occasionally after I reboot to finalize the install of a Windows Cumulative Update, I have to start the explorer process manually (i.e. press Ctrl+Shift+Esc to open Task Manager, choose Run new task, enter explorer.exe and press Enter). Apart from this it never crashes explorer for me nor ever causes it to get stuck in a relaunch loop. When it causes File Explorer to keep acting up like how you describe, then if a reboot still doesn't fix the issue(s), try re-installing EP after downloading the latest installer again from GitHub (i.e. don't just assume that the ep_setup.exe file that you already have in your C:\Program Files\ExplorerPatcher folder is all you need to be able to fix it...).

Another thing is, each time after EP has finished downloading the new symbols I always reboot again. This is to avoid the risk of having to reboot later due problems that may later occur otherwise. As a matter of fact, by doing this I have been able to successfully avoid these problems altogether. The only exceptions are minor known bugs I can live with like Task View and the Volume Change popup/overlay not working when you choose to use the Windows 10 taskbar option in EP.

Windows 11 Explorer alternative

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