I am knowledgeable about personalizing columns and displays in folders on a Windows 10 computer. Specifically, I modify the views for my image and video folders to include details like the date the media was captured or its length. By altering the folder view for all folders of that type, I can extend these changes to subfolders as well.
However, we have an enormous number of images stored on a server that we access through a mapped drive, and I want to be able to apply the same views to all of those folders without having to customize each one individually. Unfortunately, the usual options to customize folders, which are accessed through the right-click menu or the Properties tab, are not available.
Therefore, I am wondering if there is a clever workaround for this issue, or if there is something that I am overlooking.
2 Answers
Introduction
Customizing columns and views on a Windows 10 PC is a useful tool for organizing and displaying files in a way that is most convenient for the user. However, when accessing files on a server through a mapped drive, the ability to customize columns and views for all folders may not be readily available. In this blog post, we will explore some solutions to this problem and provide step-by-step instructions on how to customize columns and views for all folders on a server.
Method 1: Using Group Policy
One way to customize columns and views for all folders on a server is by using Group Policy. Group Policy is a feature in Windows that allows administrators to manage user and computer settings centrally. Here are the steps to follow:
1. Press the Windows key + R on your keyboard to open the Run dialog box.
2. Type “gpedit.msc” and press Enter to open the Local Group Policy Editor.
3. In the left pane, navigate to User Configuration > Administrative Templates > Windows Components > File Explorer.
4. In the right pane, double-click on “Turn off the caching of thumbnails in hidden thumbs.db files” and select “Enabled”.
5. Click on “Apply” and then “OK”.
6. Close the Local Group Policy Editor.
This method disables the caching of thumbnails in hidden thumbs.db files, which can improve performance when accessing files on a server. However, it may not customize columns and views for all folders.
Method 2: Using Folder Options
Another way to customize columns and views for all folders on a server is by using Folder Options. Here are the steps to follow:
1. Open File Explorer and navigate to the folder you want to customize.
2. Click on the “View” tab in the ribbon.
3. Click on “Options” and then “Change folder and search options”.
4. In the Folder Options dialog box, click on the “View” tab.
5. Click on “Apply to Folders” and then “Yes” to confirm the action.
6. Click on “OK” to close the Folder Options dialog box.
This method applies the current folder view to all folders of the same type on the server. For example, if you customize the columns and views for a folder containing images, this method will apply those settings to all image folders on the server.
Method 3: Using PowerShell
If you prefer using PowerShell, you can also customize columns and views for all folders on a server. Here are the steps to follow:
1. Open PowerShell as an administrator.
2. Type the following command and press Enter:
Get-ChildItem -Path "\servershare" -Recurse -Force | ForEach-Object { $_.Attributes = $_.Attributes -bor [System.IO.FileAttributes]::Hidden }
Replace “\servershare” with the path to the folder you want to customize.
3. Type the following command and press Enter:
Get-ChildItem -Path "\servershare" -Recurse -Force -Directory | ForEach-Object { $_.Attributes = $_.Attributes -bor [System.IO.FileAttributes]::System }
This command sets the “System” attribute for all folders on the server.
4. Close PowerShell.
This method may not customize columns and views directly, but it sets the attributes for all folders on the server, which can improve performance when accessing files.
Method 4: Using Third-Party Software
If none of the above methods work for you, you can also try using third-party software to customize columns and views for all folders on a server. One such software is XYplorer, which is a file manager for Windows that offers advanced features for organizing and managing files. Here are the steps to follow:
1. Download and install XYplorer.
2. Open XYplorer and navigate to the folder you want to customize.
3. Click on the “View” menu and select “Folder View”.
4. Customize the columns and views as desired.
5. Click on the “Tools” menu and select “Folder Options”.
6. In the Folder Options dialog box, click on “Apply to All Folders” and then “OK”.
This method applies the customized columns and views to all folders on the server.
Conclusion
Customizing columns and views on a Windows 10 PC is a useful tool for organizing and displaying files in a way that is most convenient for the user. When accessing files on a server through a mapped drive, the ability to customize columns and views for all folders may not be readily available. However, with the methods outlined in this blog post, you can customize columns and views for all folders on a server using Group Policy, Folder Options, PowerShell, or third-party software. Try out these methods and see which one works best for you.
If you modify the template for ‘General Items’, does that modify the view of you’re folders on the mapped drive?