Classic Shell: Forum

Build 10162...



I have tried everything to eliminate the visibility of Quick access from the File Explorer Navigation pane. I don't need it and I don't want it.

The only method that works comes with a bad side effect:

Changing the Attributes value in the ShellFolder subkey of {679f85cb-0220-4080-b29b-5540cc05aab6} hides Quick access all right, but also causes an inability to drag and drop files or folders into the Navigation pane.

I'm wondering if helping to hide Quick Access is something the Classic Explorer component of Classic Shell could ultimately help do... What made me think of this is that I've managed to get Quick access to disappear for the current instance of the Explorer window by doing the following:

1. In File Explorer, choose View - Options - Change folder and search options.

2. Ensure all the Privacy checkboxes are unchecked, then hit the [ Clear ] button.



Voila, Quick access disappears for the duration of that Explorer window, leaving (for me) only This PC and Network, which is my goal.



Granted, it's not THAT hard to ignore one line item in the Navigation pane, but it's better not to have that tiny distraction.

Is there a way you could facilitate key parts of that same event sequence internally at Explorer startup to cause that to happen?

-Noel

To which Registry branch as you adding the "Attributes" value?

Instead of HKCR\CLSID\{CLSID}, try HKCU\Software\Classes\CLSID\{CLSID} (the advantage being no permissions required to be set on Registry keys). Then Quick Access gets hidden and on my Windows 10 build at least, drag and drop from, to and in the Navigation pane seems to be working fine after restarting Explorer.exe.

_________________
Links to some general topics:

● Compare Start Menus

● Read the Search box usage guide.

I am a Windows enthusiast and did Classic Shell's testing and usability/UX feedback.

You're right, I was changing the HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT value. It hadn't occurred to me to create a new key under the user-specific area. Thanks for the idea.

However, when I do that for me it re-invokes the problem with drag and drop.

It's possible something else I have done has caused this, or that something else you have displayed in Explorer that I don't have is altering the behavior. Do you have more than This PC and Network showing in the Navigation pane?

-Noel


P.S., The following is the specific batch file I had been using:

:!
:! This registry file hides "Quick access" from the root namespace tree within the navigation pane of File Explorer and
:! sets Explorer to start new windows on This PC instead of Quick Access
:!

:! Change "Open File Explorer To" "This PC" in Folder Options

REG ADD "HKEY_CURRENT_USER\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Explorer\Advanced" /f /v "LaunchTo" /t REG_DWORD /d 0

:! Hide Quick Access from the root namespace tree

SetACL -ot "reg" -on "HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\CLSID\{679f85cb-0220-4080-b29b-5540cc05aab6}" -actn setowner -ownr "n:Administrators"
SetACL -ot "reg" -on "HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\CLSID\{679f85cb-0220-4080-b29b-5540cc05aab6}" -actn ace -ace "n:Administrators;p:full"
REG ADD "HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\CLSID\{679f85cb-0220-4080-b29b-5540cc05aab6}" /f /v "System.IsPinnedToNameSpaceTree" /t REG_DWORD /d 0

SetACL -ot "reg" -on "HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\Wow6432Node\CLSID\{679f85cb-0220-4080-b29b-5540cc05aab6}" -actn setowner -ownr "n:Administrators"
SetACL -ot "reg" -on "HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\Wow6432Node\CLSID\{679f85cb-0220-4080-b29b-5540cc05aab6}" -actn ace -ace "n:Administrators;p:full"
REG ADD "HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\Wow6432Node\CLSID\{679f85cb-0220-4080-b29b-5540cc05aab6}" /f /v "System.IsPinnedToNameSpaceTree" /t REG_DWORD /d 0

:! Change Quick Access attributes so it simply does not show in the navigation pane
:! The original attributes value is a0100000

:!!! NOTE: This is disabled because it breaks dragging and dropping in Explorer's Navigation Pane

:!!! SetACL -ot "reg" -on "HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\CLSID\{679f85cb-0220-4080-b29b-5540cc05aab6}\ShellFolder" -actn setowner -ownr "n:Administrators"
:!!! SetACL -ot "reg" -on "HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\CLSID\{679f85cb-0220-4080-b29b-5540cc05aab6}\ShellFolder" -actn ace -ace "n:Administrators;p:full"
:!!! REG ADD "HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\CLSID\{679f85cb-0220-4080-b29b-5540cc05aab6}\ShellFolder" /f /v "Attributes" /t REG_DWORD /d 0xA0600000
:!!!
:!!! SetACL -ot "reg" -on "HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\Wow6432Node\CLSID\{679f85cb-0220-4080-b29b-5540cc05aab6}\ShellFolder" -actn setowner -ownr "n:Administrators"
:!!! SetACL -ot "reg" -on "HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\Wow6432Node\CLSID\{679f85cb-0220-4080-b29b-5540cc05aab6}\ShellFolder" -actn ace -ace "n:Administrators;p:full"
:!!! REG ADD "HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\Wow6432Node\CLSID\{679f85cb-0220-4080-b29b-5540cc05aab6}\ShellFolder" /f /v "Attributes" /t REG_DWORD /d 0xA0600000

FYI, I have still found no method for removing Quick Access persistently without causing the unwanted side effect of breaking Drag And Drop in the Navigation pane.

-Noel

Yes you are right. I disabled it in Windows 10 build 10240 and drag and drop was indeed broken in the Navigation pane.

_________________
Links to some general topics:

● Compare Start Menus

● Read the Search box usage guide.

I am a Windows enthusiast and did Classic Shell's testing and usability/UX feedback.

a0100000 stuff is everywhere guys. Why not try 88000, which will not remove QA, but will keep it dimmed out and inop.
Check out the *last* part of the post here: How to Remove Quick access and Other Shell Folders from File Explorer? http://www.winhelponline.com/blog/remov ... -explorer/

I guess Gaurav knows this.

@w32sh, That's interesting. Thanks for sharing it. I didn't know that. Noel will find it useful.

_________________
Links to some general topics:

● Compare Start Menus

● Read the Search box usage guide.

I am a Windows enthusiast and did Classic Shell's testing and usability/UX feedback.

I don't know, there's something disturbing about an empty field with just a star. I'm not sure I like that workaround. But thanks for posting it.

-Noel

You're right, it shouldn't be an empty field with a star showing. However, I have an idea that might work for that. Find out where the icon for the quick access star.ico is, in which dll or folder. Use an editor such as 'resource hacker' ( or possibly something else ) and replace the star.ico with a transparent blank.ico icon instead. If it works, you'll have an empty space without a star there.

However, I read above that it 'dims' the quick access bar. Does that create a huge space where it was supposed to be? If so, it might not be the most viable solution as you said.

For removing Q.A altogether without breaking drag-drop... I'll have to play with more SFGAO values..
Adding this to my "To do" list.

For what it's worth I've been using the "blank everything but the star" mod for quite a while, and I'm STILL not used to it. That wasted space at the top is simply an eyesore. That the Quick Access field can't be eliminated entirely is just another of Microsoft's utter failures!



-Noel