Make windows remember a folder sort setting across sub-folders

Question

The solution in this SE answer works but Windows keeps forgetting this setting each time I restart or move to a different folder.

Is there any way to make this setting permenant or a default?

Sort files by date modified, but folders always before files in Windows Explorer?

The goal is the following:

Is it possible to sort files by date modified, but display directories before files?

This is the solution that works well":

First, put the directory into “Details” view mode (if it isn’t already) so you have column headings.

If you click on the “Date Modified” heading, which will sort by Date Modified (descending), and then Shift+click on “Name”, it should remain sorted by Date Modified (descending), but with the folders at the top.

Now the only problem is how does this make this permanent across all folders and saved between restarts.

Is there a batch file etc. that could do this? I was assuming it would be remembered across all sub-folders but apparently not.

Keith Miller · Answer 1 · 2020-09-15T04:36:27.743

Following up on your comment to harrymc's answer. Apply to Folders works on a per-FolderTYpe basis, but it's only available to a subset of the defined FolderTypes. To the frustration of many, it's most notably absent from Searchesults and Libraries. The FolderTypes and their default views are difined in the Registry under: HKLM\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Explorer\FolderTypes
You can view the comeplete list with this PowerShell code:

gci 'HKLM:\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Explorer\FolderTypes' |
     select @{ N = 'ID'   ; E = { $_.PSChildName } },
            @{ N = 'Name' ; E = { $_.GetValue('CanonicalName') } } |
     Sort Name |
Out-GridView

When you execute Apply to Folders, A REG_BINARY value named for its associated FolderType is created under:
HKCU:\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Explorer\Streams\Defaults This PowerShell will list the FolderTypes that have a customized default view set by Apply to Folders:

$Defaults = 'HKCU:\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Explorer\Streams\Defaults'
$FT       = 'HKLM:\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Explorer\FolderTypes'
( Get-Item $defaults ).Property | ForEach {
     ( gi "$FT\$_" ).GetValue( 'CanonicalName' )
}

ProcMon has revealed that the explorer.exe process only checks the ...Streams\Defaults key for the following values:

ID                                     Name
--                                     ----
{885A186E-A440-4ADA-812B-DB871B942259} Downloads
{5C4F28B5-F869-4E84-8E60-F11DB97C5CC7} Generic
{7D49D726-3C21-4F05-99AA-FDC2C9474656} Documents
{94D6DDCC-4A68-4175-A374-BD584A510B78} Music
{B3690E58-E961-423B-B687-386EBFD83239} Pictures
{5FA96407-7E77-483C-AC93-691D05850DE8} Videos
{4F01EBC5-2385-41F2-A28E-2C5C91FB56E0} StorageProviderGeneric
{DD61BD66-70E8-48DD-9655-65C5E1AAC2D1} StorageProviderDocuments
{672ECD7E-AF04-4399-875C-0290845B6247} StorageProviderMusic
{71D642A9-F2B1-42CD-AD92-EB9300C7CC0A} StorageProviderPictures
{51294DA1-D7B1-485B-9E9A-17CFFE33E187} StorageProviderVideos
{DB2A5D8F-06E6-4007-ABA6-AF877D526EA6} AccountPictures
{DE2B70EC-9BF7-4A93-BD3D-243F7881D492} Contacts
{24CCB8A6-C45A-477D-B940-3382B9225668} HomeFolder
{C4D98F09-6124-4FE0-9942-826416082DA9} UsersLibraries
{D674391B-52D9-4E07-834E-67C98610F39D} Programs
{CD0FC69B-71E2-46E5-9690-5BCD9F57AAB3} UserFiles
{0B0BA2E3-405F-415E-A6EE-CAD625207853} Searches

So to modify other FolderTypes, and avoid the undesireable, brute-force method of modifying the FolderTypes under HKLM, there are two options. Both involve creating registry entires that don't exist by default -- which means reversing the edits is a simple matter of deletion.

One option is to create GUID-named subkeys under:
HKCU\SOFTWARE\Classes\Local Settings\Software\Microsoft\Windows\Shell\Bags\AllFolders\Shell
and creating these is the simplest method if you only want to change the icon mode, for example, setting SearchResults to Details rather than Content.

Windows Registry Editor Version 5.00
[HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Classes\Local Settings\Software\Microsoft\Windows\Shell\Bags\AllFolders\Shell{20338b7b-531c-4aad-8011-f5b3db2123ec}]
"Mode"=dword:00000004
[HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Classes\Local Settings\Software\Microsoft\Windows\Shell\Bags\AllFolders\Shell{36011842-dccc-40fe-aa3d-6177ea401788}]
"Mode"=dword:00000004
[HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Classes\Local Settings\Software\Microsoft\Windows\Shell\Bags\AllFolders\Shell{3D1D4EA2-1D8C-418a-BFF8-F18370157B55}]
"Mode"=dword:00000004
[HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Classes\Local Settings\Software\Microsoft\Windows\Shell\Bags\AllFolders\Shell{4dcafe13-e6a7-4c28-be02-ca8c2126280d}]
"Mode"=dword:00000004
[HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Classes\Local Settings\Software\Microsoft\Windows\Shell\Bags\AllFolders\Shell{503a4e73-1734-441a-8eab-01b3f3861156}]
"Mode"=dword:00000004
[HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Classes\Local Settings\Software\Microsoft\Windows\Shell\Bags\AllFolders\Shell{59BD6DD1-5CEC-4d7e-9AD2-ECC64154418D}]
"Mode"=dword:00000004
[HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Classes\Local Settings\Software\Microsoft\Windows\Shell\Bags\AllFolders\Shell{71689ac1-cc88-45d0-8a22-2943c3e7dfb3}]
"Mode"=dword:00000004
[HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Classes\Local Settings\Software\Microsoft\Windows\Shell\Bags\AllFolders\Shell{7fde1a1e-8b31-49a5-93b8-6be14cfa4943}]
"Mode"=dword:00000004
[HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Classes\Local Settings\Software\Microsoft\Windows\Shell\Bags\AllFolders\Shell{921C636D-9FC8-40d7-899E-0845DCD03010}]
"Mode"=dword:00000004
[HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Classes\Local Settings\Software\Microsoft\Windows\Shell\Bags\AllFolders\Shell{e053a11a-dced-4515-8c4e-d51ba917517b}]
"Mode"=dword:00000004
[HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Classes\Local Settings\Software\Microsoft\Windows\Shell\Bags\AllFolders\Shell{ea25fbd7-3bf7-409e-b97f-3352240903f4}]
"Mode"=dword:00000004

But because these entries use the same format as the individual folder views saved under HKCU\...\Bags, they don't lend themselves to modifying default columns, sortBy, or GroupBy specifications as those are rather cryptic binary values:

    Hive: HKEY_CURRENT_USER\SOFTWARE\Classes\Local
    Settings\Software\Microsoft\Windows\Shell\Bags\116\Shell
Name                           Property

{5F4EAB9A-6833-4F61-899D-31CF4 Rev              : 2
6979D49}                       FFlags           : 1090519041
                               Vid              :
                               {137E7700-3573-11CF-AE69-08002B2E1262}
                               Mode             : 4
                               LogicalViewMode  : 1
                               IconSize         : 16
                               Sort             : {0, 0, 0, 0...}
                               ColInfo          : {0, 0, 0, 0...}
                               GroupView        : 4294967295
                               GroupByKey:FMTID :
                               {23620678-CCD4-47C0-9963-95A8405678A3}
                               GroupByKey:PID   : 100
                               GroupByDirection : 1

So to modify those, it's easier to go with the other option: creating a copy of HKLM\...\FOlderTypes under HKCU. When these entries exist, they override the HKLM values.

With these copies, you can modify the various values found under the varous GUID-named TopViews, which lend thesmselves more readily to human reading/editing:

{dfbd6ba3-1846-438f-8675-b65a6bd9d418} ColumnList      : prop:0System.ItemNameDisplay;0S
                                       ystem.ItemDate;0System.ItemTypeText;0Sy
                                                         stem.Size;0System.Media.Duratio
                                       n;0System.ItemFolderPathDisplay;1System
                                                         .DateCreated;1System.DateModifi
                                       ed;1System.Search.Rank;1System.Media.Da
                                                         teEncoded;1System.Image.Dimensi
                                       ons;2System.Video.FrameWidth;2System.Vi
                                                         deo.FrameHeight
                                       LogicalViewMode : 1
                                       Name            : @shell32.dll,-34839
                                       Order           : 7
                                       QueryType       : 1
                                       SortByList      : prop:System.ItemNameDisplay

You'd be wanting to edit the SortByList values for the various TopViews, here's a rundown of their defaults:

PS C:\...\Mirror-Folder>$rp.ft | gci |
>>  ? { $_.GetValue('CanonicalName') -match 'SearchResults$' } |
>>        gci -Recurse | ? PSChildName -like '{*}' | gp |
>>              select @{ N = 'LVM'        ; E = { $_.LogicalVIewMode }},
>>                     @{ N = 'FolderTYpe' ; E = { ( Split-Path $_.PSParentPath | gp ).CanonicalName  }},
>>                     @{ N = 'ArrangeBy'  ; E = { gls $_.Name }},
>>                     SortByList |
>> ft -AutoSize -Wrap
LVM FolderTYpe                   ArrangeBy     SortByList

1 Contacts.SearchResults       Name          prop:System.ItemNameDisplay;-System.Date
                                               Modified
  1 Contacts.SearchResults       Folder        prop:System.ItemNameDisplay;-System.Date
                                               Modified
  1 Contacts.SearchResults       Category      prop:System.Category;-System.DateModifie
                                               d
  5 Documents.SearchResults      Top results   prop:-System.Search.Rank;-System.DateMod
                                               ified;System.ItemNameDisplay
  5 Documents.SearchResults      Date modified prop:-System.DateModified
  5 Documents.SearchResults      Tag           prop:System.ItemNameDisplay;-System.Date
                                               Modified
  5 Documents.SearchResults      Type          prop:System.ItemNameDisplay;-System.Date
                                               Modified
  5 Documents.SearchResults      Author        prop:System.ItemNameDisplay;-System.Date
                                               Modified
  5 OtherUsers.SearchResults     Date modified prop:-System.DateModified
  5 OtherUsers.SearchResults     Top results   prop:-System.Search.Rank;-System.DateMod
                                               ified;System.ItemNameDisplay
  5 Pictures.SearchResults       Date modified prop:-System.DateModified
  3 Pictures.SearchResults       Top results   prop:-System.Search.Rank;-System.ItemDat
                                               e;System.ItemNameDisplay
  3 Pictures.SearchResults       Rating        prop:-System.ItemDate;System.ItemNameDis
                                               play
  3 Pictures.SearchResults       Tag           prop:-System.ItemDate;System.ItemNameDis
                                               play
  3 Pictures.SearchResults       Day           prop:+System.ItemDate;System.ItemNameDis
                                               play
  3 Pictures.SearchResults       Month         prop:-System.ItemDate;System.ItemNameDis
                                               play
  5 Communications.SearchResults Top results   prop:System.Contact.FileAsName;-System.M
                                               essage.DateReceived;-System.Search.Rank
  5 UsersLibraries.SearchResults Date modified prop:-System.DateModified
  5 UsersLibraries.SearchResults Top results   prop:-System.Search.Rank;-System.DateMod
                                               ified;System.ItemNameDisplay
  5 Music.SearchResults          Top results   prop:-System.Search.Rank;-System.DateMod
                                               ified;System.ItemNameDisplay
  1 Music.SearchResults          Song          prop:System.Music.Artist;System.Music.Al
                                               bumTitle;System.Music.TrackNumber;System
                                               .Title
  5 Music.SearchResults          Genre         prop:System.Music.Artist;System.Music.Al
                                               bumTitle;System.Music.TrackNumber;-Syste
                                               m.DateModified
  5 Music.SearchResults          Date modified prop:-System.DateModified
  5 Music.SearchResults          Rating        prop:System.Music.Artist;System.Music.Al
                                               bumTitle;System.Music.TrackNumber
  5 Music.SearchResults          Artist        prop:System.Music.Artist;System.Music.Al
                                               bumTitle;System.Music.TrackNumber;-Syste
                                               m.DateModified
  5 Music.SearchResults          Album         prop:System.Music.Artist;System.Music.Al
                                               bumTitle;System.Music.TrackNumber;-Syste
                                               m.DateModified
  5 Generic.SearchResults        Date modified prop:-System.DateModified
  5 Generic.SearchResults        Top results   prop:-System.Search.Rank;-System.DateMod
                                               ified;System.ItemNameDisplay
  5 PublishedItems.SearchResults Top results   prop:-System.Search.Rank;System.ItemName
                                               Display;-System.DateModified
  5 PublishedItems.SearchResults Date modified prop:-System.Search.Rank;System.ItemName
                                               Display;-System.DateModified
  5 UserFiles.SearchResults      Date modified prop:-System.DateModified
  5 UserFiles.SearchResults      Top results   prop:-System.Search.Rank;-System.DateMod
                                               ified;System.ItemNameDisplay
  3 Videos.SearchResults         Top results   prop:-System.Search.Rank;-System.ItemDat
                                               e;System.ItemNameDisplay
  3 Videos.SearchResults         Year          prop:+System.ItemDate;System.ItemNameDis
                                               play
  5 Videos.SearchResults         Date modified prop:-System.DateModified
  3 Videos.SearchResults         Type          prop:System.ItemNameDisplay;-System.Date
                                               Modified
  2 Videos.SearchResults         Length        prop:-System.Media.Duration
  1 Videos.SearchResults         Name          prop:System.ItemNameDisplay

The Arrange By> options are available for SearchResults folders when the search is initiated from a Library:

****This answer in progress...nedd some sleep...

score 0 · Answer 2 · answered Sep 10 '20 at 09:28

0

To apply the current folder's view and sort order to all folders:

Go to the View pane
Click on Options > Change folder and search options
Go to the View Tab
Click on Apply to Folders

answered Sep 10 '20 at 09:28

harrymc

498,455

score 0 · Answer 3 · answered Oct 06 '23 at 12:55

0

The free app WinSetView will let you globally set all default folder views, including Libraries and Search results. It applies the same HKCU FolderTypes registry values that are noted in Keith Miller's answer.

answered Oct 06 '23 at 12:55

LesFerch

575

Make windows remember a folder sort setting across sub-folders

3 Answers3