Batch-Folder Customization

I have a tool that changes all the folder backgrounds in a directory to an image of my choice, by creating desktop.ini and putting the path to the background as the image I selected.

When accessing these folders over the network, the client computer will only apply these backgrounds if the image file is at a path deeper or the same as the open folder.

For example, if the image is located at e:\Alexander\Music and you access the folder "Music" you will see the background, similarly if it is at e:\Alexander\Music\Rock you will have success. The problem lies in that if the image is at e:\Alexander\ no image will be displayed.

The workaround for this is to have a desktop.ini that points to an image in its own directory, and for this .ini and the appropriate image to be distributed to every folder I wish to customize.

I have not yet found a tool that can do this.

Does anyone know of a batch-folder customizer that changes background in this way (putting the source image in each folder), or a program that can simply distribute files en masse to every subfolder of a given directory?

Better yet, is there an easier way to do what I am trying to do?

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Lantec

Join Date 07/2003

+346

Have you tried Windowpaper XP

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I have now, and I must say, it is the best program I have seen as far as customizing background folder pictures I have seen. Unfortunately, however, it uses the same methods as other batch-programs I have used, i.e it adds a desktop.ini and links to a single image file.

Know of any other programs/solutions?

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Are you trying to use the same pic for all directories?

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Yes, same pic for all directories, but to be viewed over the network that same pic need be duplicated in every folder.

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You should be able to put the image in the topmost directory and have it show in all the sub-directories. Also as far as I can tell relative paths can be used to the image ..\..\Music\image.bmp or ..\Alexander\Music\image.bmp

Let me know if it works out for you.

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Of course, having it in the topmost directory is easy - the point is, if it's not in a deeper directory or the same directory, the image won't display when viewed over a network.

I just used the option "change color", and interestingly enough, it does exactly what I want "change image" to do. It puts a file in every subdirectory and has the .ini link to the file within its own folder, which satisfies networking. I would of course prefer to do this with an image, but this is for now satisfying.

The only problem is this: the file it creates in each subdirectory, "wpxpbackground" is 174kb - much to large to be added to thousands of subdirectories.

Edit: Another problem I've just discovered is that the "include subfolders" option only works on subfolders one directory deeper - it doesn't include "sub-sub directories".

Edit of edit: Apparently this is by design.... Bad design...

Does anyone know of anything that could do this job better?

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Yes I discovered that limitation after I posted, it is odd.

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Actually, I've just tested out the 2.00 alpha version and it lets you choose between storing image per folder or linking back. This is the solution to my problem.

Only thing is, the alpha isn't x64 compatible. My problem is solved, but now I just have to wait...

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Is WindowpaperXP adding something to the registry for each folder? I can make the exact changes to the desktop.ini manually and they won't work, but if I do it with WindowpaperXP it does. I've customized some folders on my flash drive and am waiting to check it when I get to another computer.

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I've read that it changes something called the "attribute" of the folder. If you go to View>Customize this folder> and change the icon of the folder (or even select the same one) it changes the attribute and then all desktop.ini settings will work.

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