Default columns in Explorer searches

[Java Jive]

The results of searches online have led me to wade through a number of
methods of obtaining a different search results column layout in
Explorer in those version of Windows where the Tools, Folder Options,
View, Apply to Folders button is so stupidly disabled on more recent
versions of Windows, but I think I might be on the trail of a simpler
way. However, I need some help ...

Exporting the folder types keys for Generic Search gives the following
in Windows 10 (as always in ng posts, beware unintended line-wrap) ...

Windows Registry Editor Version 5.00

[HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Explorer\FolderTypes\{7fde1a1e-8b31-49a5-93b8-6be14cfa4943}]
"CanonicalName"="Generic.SearchResults"
"Mode"=dword:00000001
"Parent"="{5c4f28b5-f869-4e84-8e60-f11db97c5cc7}"

[HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Explorer\FolderTypes\{7fde1a1e-8b31-49a5-93b8-6be14cfa4943}\TasksItemsSelected]
@="Windows.burn"

[HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Explorer\FolderTypes\{7fde1a1e-8b31-49a5-93b8-6be14cfa4943}\TasksNoItemsSelected]
@="Windows.burn"

[HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Explorer\FolderTypes\{7fde1a1e-8b31-49a5-93b8-6be14cfa4943}\TopViews]

[HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Explorer\FolderTypes\{7fde1a1e-8b31-49a5-93b8-6be14cfa4943}\TopViews\{4804caf0-de08-42ec-b811-52350e94c01e}]
"ColumnList"="prop:0System.ItemNameDisplay;0System.DateModified;0System.ItemTypeText;0System.Size;0System.ItemFolderPathDisplay;1System.Search.Rank;1System.DateCreated;1System.Author;1System.Keywords;1System.Title"
"GroupAscending"=dword:00000000
"GroupBy"="System.DateModified"
"LogicalViewMode"=dword:00000005
"Name"="@shell32.dll,-34819"
"Order"=dword:00000003
"PrimaryProperty"="System.DateModified"
"QueryType"=dword:00000001
"SortByList"="prop:-System.DateModified"

[HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Explorer\FolderTypes\{7fde1a1e-8b31-49a5-93b8-6be14cfa4943}\TopViews\{bdbe736f-34f5-4829-abe8-b550e65146c4}]
"ColumnList"="prop:0System.ItemNameDisplay;0System.DateModified;0System.ItemTypeText;0System.Size;0System.ItemFolderPathDisplayNarrow;1System.Search.Rank;1System.DateCreated;1System.Author;1System.Keywords;1System.Title"
"LogicalViewMode"=dword:00000005
"Name"="@shell32.dll,-34822"
"Order"=dword:00000000
"PrimarySettings"=dword:00000001
"QueryType"=dword:00000001
"SortByList"="prop:-System.Search.Rank;-System.DateModified;System.ItemNameDisplay"

... in which I've tried changing the local view mode to read ...

"LogicalViewMode"=dword:00000001

... and the column list entries to read ...

"prop:;0System.ItemPathDisplay;0System.ItemNameDisplay;0System.ItemTypeText;0System.Size;0System.DateModified"

... and this works, all new searches are now in Details layout and have
the column order ...

Path, Name, Type, Size, Modified

... however there remain two problem:

1) How to set the default column width?

2) What is the column identifier for the Attributes column? I've tried
various obvious guesses based on the ones above, but none have worked,
and, so far at least, I've not been able to find an example in the Registry.

[Java Jive]

1)  How to set the default column width?
2)  What is the column identifier for the Attributes column?  I've tried
various obvious guesses based on the ones above, but none have worked,
and, so far at least, I've not been able to find an example in the Registry.

I've solved 2, it's 'System.FileAttributes', so the column list now reads:

"ColumnList"="prop:0System.ItemPathDisplay;0System.ItemNameDisplay;0System.ItemTypeText;0System.Size;0System.DateModified;0System.FileAttributes"

Just the column widths now. Anyone?

[Andy Burns]

Post by Java Jive
How to set the default column width?

Shell\Bags or BagsMRU reg keys? always a bit mysterious though.

[Java Jive]

Post by Java Jive
How to set the default column width?

Shell\Bags or BagsMRU reg keys?  always a bit mysterious though.

I'm not entirely certain about all this, but I suspect that the ...

HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Classes\Local
Settings\Software\Microsoft\Windows\Shell

... branch, which has the keys you name as subkeys, is for storing the
details of remembered folders, including the column widths, whereas I'm
trying to hack the system somewhat deeper, by making the *DEFAULT* views
to be how I want them, so that views for individual folders don't even
need to be remembered.

[Java Jive]

1)  How to set the default column width?

Solved. I had wondered whether the '0' prefixing each column name meant
'default width' and whether putting actual numbers in like so ...

"ColumnList"="prop:600System.ItemPathDisplay;300System.ItemNameDisplay;<etc>"

... might do it, but, because it's Microshit, inevitably the truth is
much more complicated and unnecessarily spaghettified.

To begin with, the column widths are measured in units of 8, so you need
to calculate a multiple of 8 nearest to the column width you actually
want, and accept that this will be the best you can get.

Then you need to alter the above as follows ...

"ColumnList"="prop:0+(75)System.ItemPathDisplay;0+(38)System.ItemNameDisplay;<etc>"

... which bizarre incantation works well enough for my purposes.

[Java Jive]

Post by Java Jive
The results of searches online have led me to wade through a number of
methods of obtaining a different search results column layout in
Explorer in those version of Windows where the Tools, Folder Options,
View, Apply to Folders button is so stupidly disabled on more recent
versions of Windows, but I think I might be on the trail of a simpler
way.  However, I need some help ...
Exporting the folder types keys for Generic Search gives the following
in Windows 10 (as always in ng posts, beware unintended line-wrap) ...
Windows Registry Editor Version 5.00
[HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Explorer\FolderTypes\{7fde1a1e-8b31-49a5-93b8-6be14cfa4943}]
"CanonicalName"="Generic.SearchResults"
"Mode"=dword:00000001
"Parent"="{5c4f28b5-f869-4e84-8e60-f11db97c5cc7}"
[HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Explorer\FolderTypes\{7fde1a1e-8b31-49a5-93b8-6be14cfa4943}\TasksItemsSelected]
@="Windows.burn"
[HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Explorer\FolderTypes\{7fde1a1e-8b31-49a5-93b8-6be14cfa4943}\TasksNoItemsSelected]
@="Windows.burn"
[HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Explorer\FolderTypes\{7fde1a1e-8b31-49a5-93b8-6be14cfa4943}\TopViews]
[HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Explorer\FolderTypes\{7fde1a1e-8b31-49a5-93b8-6be14cfa4943}\TopViews\{4804caf0-de08-42ec-b811-52350e94c01e}]
"ColumnList"="prop:0System.ItemNameDisplay;0System.DateModified;0System.ItemTypeText;0System.Size;0System.ItemFolderPathDisplay;1System.Search.Rank;1System.DateCreated;1System.Author;1System.Keywords;1System.Title"
"GroupAscending"=dword:00000000
"GroupBy"="System.DateModified"
"LogicalViewMode"=dword:00000005
"Order"=dword:00000003
"PrimaryProperty"="System.DateModified"
"QueryType"=dword:00000001
"SortByList"="prop:-System.DateModified"
[HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Explorer\FolderTypes\{7fde1a1e-8b31-49a5-93b8-6be14cfa4943}\TopViews\{bdbe736f-34f5-4829-abe8-b550e65146c4}]
"ColumnList"="prop:0System.ItemNameDisplay;0System.DateModified;0System.ItemTypeText;0System.Size;0System.ItemFolderPathDisplayNarrow;1System.Search.Rank;1System.DateCreated;1System.Author;1System.Keywords;1System.Title"
"LogicalViewMode"=dword:00000005
"Order"=dword:00000000
"PrimarySettings"=dword:00000001
"QueryType"=dword:00000001
"SortByList"="prop:-System.Search.Rank;-System.DateModified;System.ItemNameDisplay"

So, given all the fixes in the thread, a registry file to set all new
Explorer searches to have a usable and professional default layout,
might read as follows (again, beware line wrap):

Note 1: The settings applied are:
Details layout
Columns:
Path 600 is sort order
Name 304
Type 256
Size 80
Modified 104
Attributes 64

Note 2: This sets defaults for NEW searches, previously searched
folders will retain the settings given at the time they were last searched.

Note 3: You will probably have to restart Explorer to see the results;
if you have selected Tools, Folder Options, View, Launch Folder Windows
in a Separate Process, then most probably you can just close all open
(File) Explorer windows, and then open a new one, but otherwise you may
have to reboot the PC.

Windows Registry Editor Version 5.00

[HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Explorer\FolderTypes\{7fde1a1e-8b31-49a5-93b8-6be14cfa4943}]
"CanonicalName"="Generic.SearchResults"
"Mode"=dword:00000001
"Parent"="{5c4f28b5-f869-4e84-8e60-f11db97c5cc7}"

[HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Explorer\FolderTypes\{7fde1a1e-8b31-49a5-93b8-6be14cfa4943}\TasksItemsSelected]
@="Windows.burn"

[HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Explorer\FolderTypes\{7fde1a1e-8b31-49a5-93b8-6be14cfa4943}\TasksNoItemsSelected]
@="Windows.burn"

[HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Explorer\FolderTypes\{7fde1a1e-8b31-49a5-93b8-6be14cfa4943}\TopViews]

[HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Explorer\FolderTypes\{7fde1a1e-8b31-49a5-93b8-6be14cfa4943}\TopViews\{4804caf0-de08-42ec-b811-52350e94c01e}]
"ColumnList"="prop:0+(75)System.ItemPathDisplay;0+(38)System.ItemNameDisplay;0+(32)System.ItemTypeText;0+(10)System.Size;0+(13)System.DateModified;0+(8)System.FileAttributes"
"GroupAscending"=dword:00000000
"LogicalViewMode"=dword:00000001
"Name"="@shell32.dll,-34819"
"Order"=dword:00000000
"PrimaryProperty"="System.ItemPathDisplay"
"QueryType"=dword:00000001
"SortByList"="prop:System.ItemPathDisplay"
"GroupBy"=-

[HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Explorer\FolderTypes\{7fde1a1e-8b31-49a5-93b8-6be14cfa4943}\TopViews\{bdbe736f-34f5-4829-abe8-b550e65146c4}]
"ColumnList"="prop:0+(75)System.ItemPathDisplay;0+(38)System.ItemNameDisplay;0+(32)System.ItemTypeText;0+(10)System.Size;0+(13)System.DateModified;0+(8)System.FileAttributes"
"LogicalViewMode"=dword:00000001
"Name"="@shell32.dll,-34822"
"Order"=dword:00000000
"PrimarySettings"=dword:00000001
"QueryType"=dword:00000001
"SortByList"="prop:System.ItemPathDisplay"
"GroupBy"=-