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plencnerb
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join:2000-09-25
53403-1242

plencnerb to Mele20

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to Mele20

Re: [WIN8] Windows Explorer Display full path to files?


Picture #1
 
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Picture #2

Picture #3
 
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Picture #4
said by Mele20:

How do I get Windows Explorer to always, automatically display the full path to files?

I believe the option you want is what I am showing in Picture #1 above. Just check the box "Display the full path in the title bar". The result is what I am showing in Picture #2. When I click things on the right side of the window, it will always display the full path in the title bar. In fact, if you click on the title bar, it will make it look like Picture #3, and you can also copy it as well, like this

C:\Users\Brian A. Plencner\AppData\Local\Temp
 
said by Mele20:

Also, how can I get Explorer tree to ALWAYS open to Computer? ...not libraries that I ignore as I moved all content from those folders to my Data drive.

I'm not quite sure what you are asking about. When I open Windows Explorer by pressing the Windows Key + E, I get what is shown in picture #4. As far as I know, I did not have to modify anything or change any setting for it to do that. It just works that way. From there, I can click on any of my drives on the right side, or drill down in the directory tree on the left.

What does not happen, and you can kind of see this in the 2nd picture I posted, is that the directory tree will not follow my clicks in the right window. As you can see, I drilled down into my local temp directory, yet the tree did not open on the left side. Is that what you are talking about?

--Brian

norwegian
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join:2005-02-15
Outback

norwegian

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Your method if that is correct for Win 8 goes 1 step further, Win 7 was only there for the Classic shell to view the full path.
Mele20
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join:2001-06-05
Hilo, HI

Mele20 to plencnerb

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to plencnerb
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said by plencnerb:

I'm not quite sure what you are asking about. When I open Windows Explorer by pressing the Windows Key + E, I get what is shown in picture #4. As far as I know, I did not have to modify anything or change any setting for it to do that. It just works that way. From there, I can click on any of my drives on the right side, or drill down in the directory tree on the left.

What does not happen, and you can kind of see this in the 2nd picture I posted, is that the directory tree will not follow my clicks in the right window. As you can see, I drilled down into my local temp directory, yet the tree did not open on the left side. Is that what you are talking about?

--Brian

Hmm....this is interesting and ODD. If I open Windows Explorer (actually File Explorer - renamed for Win 8) using your keyboard method, it DOES open to Computer! I always use the mouse partly because I am a mouse person and never learned hardly any keyboard commands and now because this new flatkey multimedia keyboard LACKS the Windows key on the right side. That is the one I am used to using whenever I did use key combinations instead of the mouse on the XP computer. I have no idea why the right side Windows key is being left off most keyboards now but I see a lot of workarounds on the internet for when the right Windows key is missing. So, it is not just this Dell multimedia keyboard that has it missing.

Anyhow, I use File Explorer icon that has been pinned to the taskbar. There must be something wrong with that shortcut and that is why it doesn't bring up Computer but was bringing up My Documents in Libraries and then when I changed the path to Computer it now brings up Melelina...not Computer.

What if I put a shortcut to File Explorer on Quick Launch? I have it there on XP. I wonder if that would get me to Computer like your keyboard method does? Nah...it is the Quick Launch shortcut just pinned to the taskbar instead of in Quick Launch itself.

Is there some other shortcut that would work correctly like your keyboard method does? A different path in the Target box?

plencnerb
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join:2000-09-25
53403-1242

plencnerb

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Picture #1
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Picture #2
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Picture #3
said by Mele20:

Is there some other shortcut that would work correctly like your keyboard method does? A different path in the Target box?

I went looking, and I did find one. The shortcut is called "Computer", and on a default install of Windows, the shortcut is present at the following path

C:\ProgramData\Microsoft\Windows\Start Menu\Programs\System Tools

The icon looks like Picture #1

Of course, since everything in that main path (C:\ProgramData\Microsoft\Windows\Start Menu\Programs\) appears in the "All Apps" Screen of Metro, it also shows up there for me (as I'm not running any classic shell or other Windows 8 start menu replacement) as shown in Picture #2.

I would think that if you pinned that shortcut somewhere else (desktop, task bar, etc) then that would work. I know if I click on that shortcut, it opens "Computer" the same way for me as doing Windows Key + E.
said by OZO:

Now I don't know how to make WE to display full path with '\' as folder separators permanent. But I'd like to find out that too.

I've wondered that to. As you can see in my screen pictures, the top bar does indicate the full path using the slashes. But, I do see where Mele20 See Profile is coming from, when it uses the truncated path names when you go to save a file. I've had that happen on a few programs that I use, and it makes it hard to know exactly where the file is being saved.

I also just found out that the option I mentioned above "Show full Address in the title bar" effects the top of the Window. By default (I believe) that option is off. One of the many steps I do is to check that box. In its default state, all it shows at the top is the current directory name. See my example in Picture #3, where I have now turned that option off. The path name is still there where you can type (I believe that is the address bar, green box), but the Window Title (red box) just has the current directory name, instead of the full path. And the path name in the Address Bar at first is using the non slashed names, and to get them, you have to click in the address bar, and then it turns into the correct name with the slashes. Then, if you have the option checked like I do, that will match what is shown in the Window Title Bar.

So, yes, what I would like to see as well is the Address bar show the full path with the slashes, like the Window Title bar does without having to click on the Address bar. I don't know of a way to do that yet.

I don't remember if Windows 7 was that way or not. I know my Mom is still running Windows 7, so I would have to check it out on her system to verify that and see. I kind of remember Windows 7 not being that way, but I could be wrong.

--Brian
Mele20
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join:2001-06-05
Hilo, HI

Mele20

Premium Member

said by plencnerb:

said by Mele20:

Is there some other shortcut that would work correctly like your keyboard method does? A different path in the Target box?

I went looking, and I did find one. The shortcut is called "Computer", and on a default install of Windows, the shortcut is present at the following path

C:\ProgramData\Microsoft\Windows\Start Menu\Programs\System Tools

The icon looks like Picture #1

Of course, since everything in that main path (C:\ProgramData\Microsoft\Windows\Start Menu\Programs\) appears in the "All Apps" Screen of Metro, it also shows up there for me (as I'm not running any classic shell or other Windows 8 start menu replacement) as shown in Picture #2.

I would think that if you pinned that shortcut somewhere else (desktop, task bar, etc) then that would work. I know if I click on that shortcut, it opens "Computer" the same way for me as doing Windows Key + E.

But, I do see where Mele20 See Profile is coming from, when it uses the truncated path names when you go to save a file. I've had that happen on a few programs that I use, and it makes it hard to know exactly where the file is being saved.

I also just found out that the option I mentioned above "Show full Address in the title bar" effects the top of the Window. By default (I believe) that option is off. One of the many steps I do is to check that box. In its default state, all it shows at the top is the current directory name. See my example in Picture #3, where I have now turned that option off. The path name is still there where you can type (I believe that is the address bar, green box), but the Window Title (red box) just has the current directory name, instead of the full path. And the path name in the Address Bar at first is using the non slashed names, and to get them, you have to click in the address bar, and then it turns into the correct name with the slashes. Then, if you have the option checked like I do, that will match what is shown in the Window Title Bar.

--Brian

This is strange. When I use Explorer, and go to
C:\ProgramData\Microsoft\Windows\Start Menu\Programs, there is NO System Tools folder! I wonder why?

With Start8, you have "Windows 8 Menu" as an entry on the Start Menu. If I click on that, I am taken to Metro screen and if I type "Computer" there then I can click on the icon and it takes me like your keyboard shortcut to Computer on Explorer window, But I don't want to use Metro screen and I'd rather a shortcut I can click on while on the desktop instead of using your keyboard shortcut.

Yes, some programs default to saving in Downloads on the C drive. I save all downloaded programs to a Downloaded Programs folder on the D drive. It's hard to tell with those programs (that want to default save to what Windows prefers) where they are saving and hard to tell also with Gadwin Print Screen files.

I didn't realize that "show full address in title bar" affects the top not the address bar. That is interesting. But I always look at the address bar and want it to show the full path with the slashes.

I just saw a strange popup box that I have never seen before when I hover the mouse over the ? in the upper right corner of Explorer window. Do you see it? It looks crude....like something maybe from Windows 95 (but then some say Win 8 looks like Windows 95 so I guess it is intentional).

plencnerb
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join:2000-09-25
53403-1242

plencnerb

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Picture #1
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Picture #2
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Picture #3
said by Mele20:

This is strange. When I use Explorer, and go to
C:\ProgramData\Microsoft\Windows\Start Menu\Programs, there is NO System Tools folder! I wonder why?

Well, this is interesting. Let me try to explain with pictures!

If you look at picture #1, it is showing what my explorer window looks like at the following directory ---> C:\ProgramData\Microsoft\Windows\Start Menu\Programs

As you can see, the last folder in the list is called "Windows System".

Now, here is where it gets strange!

If you look at the 2nd picture, it shows the contents of "Windows System".

Now, if you look at the red arrow, it is pointing to the Windows Title Bar. It says "C:\ProgramData\Microsoft\Windows\Start Menu\Programs\System Tools"

HOWEVER!

If you look at address bar, it says "C:\ProgramData\Microsoft\Windows\Start Menu\Programs\Windows System"

So, the question then, which one is correct?

To help answer that question, I opened a command prompt, and went to "C:\ProgramData\Microsoft\Windows\Start Menu\Programs", and did a directory listing. The results are shown in Picture #3

If you look at the last directory, it clearly says "System Tools".

So, why does it show up as "Windows System" in Explorer??
said by Mele20:

I didn't realize that "show full address in title bar" affects the top not the address bar. That is interesting. But I always look at the address bar and want it to show the full path with the slashes.

Yes, that is what I am trying to figure out as well. I would like the title bar, as well as the address bar, to show the same thing. Which brings to light the question I noted above!
said by Mele20:

I just saw a strange popup box that I have never seen before when I hover the mouse over the ? in the upper right corner of Explorer window. Do you see it? It looks crude....like something maybe from Windows 95 (but then some say Win 8 looks like Windows 95 so I guess it is intentional).

I've noticed that before. I have seen the ? mark in the top right corner, but I've never clicked on it, or moused over it. Its interesting, as once you mouse over it, you cannot click on anything of that pop-up. You have to click on the ? mark to get a help window. Strange indeed.

--Brian
Mele20
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Hilo, HI

Mele20

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Sigh. This gets even stranger. No wonder I couldn't find System Tools. Did Microsoft issue more than one version of Win 8 Pro? I noticed Character Map in your list of System Tools and that made me think that I had no idea where to find it (except to type it in on the Metro screen because typing it on the Start8 searchbar does not find it). So, I used Agent Ransack to find it on my computer. My System Tools is not located where yours is located. Mine is located at: C:\ProgramData\Microsoft\Windows\Start Menu\Programs\Accessories\System Tools.

I noticed you have a bunch of "tools" listed. I have ONE only (plus Desktop). But I see why. A bunch of them are listed in Accessories not in System Tools folder which is under Accessories.

But I also have your system tools under Windows System and same weird discrepancies between what is in the Windows Title Bar and the actual address bar (which changes the address if you click on it). In this SECOND set of System Tools I have different things listed from what is in the set is under Accessories.

I tried to see what a command prompt would show me and got told that "ProgramData\Microsoft\Windows\Start" is not recognized as an internal command....etc.

I'm wondering if Start8 changed some stuff.

What the heck is the Math Input Panel? I tried to use it and tried to bring up Help for it but Microsoft says it can't find the Help file for it.

This really sucks. If I want all the Windows accessories easily accessible from Desktop (not Metro) it looks like I will have PIN each one either to Start8 Startup list or to the Taskbar because I when I type Windows Accessories into the Start8 search bar ....it only finds four or five of them. There is a whole bunch of them! Some like Snipit I had completely forgotten about and others like Windows Journal (why do I have that...it's just for tablets right?) I didn't know existed until just now. Sigh. I just wish I could have XP back!

Maybe I do want to downgrade to Win 7 Pro. It is very disconcerting to see all these oddities in Explorer on Win 8.

Can you access the System Data folder? I cannot even though I am an Administrator and I have UAC disabled in the registry.

plencnerb
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join:2000-09-25
53403-1242

plencnerb

Premium Member

Well, I should point out that I have made a LOT of changes to the folder structures in order to get how things look for me at C:\ProgramData\Microsoft\Windows\Start Menu\Programs.

On install of the OS, I do the following step (Yes, I actually have a document that I wrote that lists the 75 steps that I perform every time I install Windows 8. I have a similar list for Windows 7 too.
quote:
33) Clean up the "All Apps" part of metro
Create a folder on the desktop called "Default Start Menu Items"

Browse to C:\ProgramData\Microsoft\Windows\Start Menu\Programs

Move all the folders and shortcuts to the "Default Start Menu Items" folder except those listed below
Administrative Tools folder
Startup Folder
Desktop shortcut

Browse to C:\Users\Administrator\AppData\Roaming\Microsoft\Windows\Start Menu\Programs

Move all the folders and shortcuts to the "Default Start Menu Items" folder except those listed below
Administrative Tools
Startup

Cleanup the items in the "Default Start Menu Items" folder so that there is only a root level of folders (no sub-folders or empty folders).
The logic here is that once we are done, and we move these back, the folders will become the headings in the "All Apps" area of Metro.


What I mean by "Cleanup the items in the "Default Start Menu Items" folder is that I go into the folders, and I move some of the items around and put them in place that makes more sense to me. The other thing I do is take the set that is in my local start menu (the one located at C:\Users\Administrator\AppData\Roaming\Microsoft\Windows\Start Menu\Programs) and combine it with what is in the "public" side of things, and then delete what is left in the local version. This way, there is no "local" start menu directory, and every account has the same version.

So that could be why things are in different places.

However, all of the icons you see in the following three folders
• Windows Accessories
• Windows Easy of Access
• Windows System

did come from shortcuts that were created by default on my Windows 8 system after a clean install.

--Brian