How to force update of explorer.exe?

[forumghost]

Title says it all, I want to modify the registry under Microsoft/Windows/Explorer/Advanced to change some "folder options",

the problem is that explorer won't update to those new settings. For example if I go into folder options and change the option to show all hidden files and folders,

explorer will somehow update itself and then show these folders. But not when I go into the registry and change the key myself.

How do you force explorer to update itself with the new settings?

Thanks

[DaRam]

Get focus of Explorer window and Send F5 (Refresh).

[forumghost]

Get focus of Explorer window and Send F5 (Refresh).

"Refresh view" F5 doesn't work. The explorer must refresh ITSELF to overtake the new settings.

[Yashied]

Title says it all, I want to modify the registry under Microsoft/Windows/Explorer/Advanced to change some "folder options",

the problem is that explorer won't update to those new settings. For example if I go into folder options and change the option to show all hidden files and folders,

explorer will somehow update itself and then show these folders. But not when I go into the registry and change the key myself.

How do you force explorer to update itself with the new settings?

Thanks

Tell me please, what exactly do you change the settings in the registry and how Windows.

[Dougiefresh]

I found this code somewhere on this forum. It was a long while ago and I don't remember who posted it.

Func _Update_Explorer()
    Local $WinExpListArr, $GetWinState, $Hwnd
    $WinExpListArr = _ExplWinGetList()
    If IsArray($WinExpListArr) Then
        For $iWin = 1 To $WinExpListArr[0]
            $GetWinState = WinGetState($WinExpListArr[$iWin])
            $Hwnd = WinGetHandle($WinExpListArr[$iWin])
            DllCall("user32.dll", "long", "SendMessage", "hwnd", $Hwnd, "int", 0x111, "int", 28931, "int", 0)
        Next
    EndIf
    Opt("WinTitleMatchMode", 4)
    $Hwnd = WinGetHandle("classname=Progman")
    DllCall("user32.dll", "long", "SendMessage", "hwnd", $Hwnd, "int", 0x111, "int", 28931, "int", 0)
EndFunc ;==>_Update_Explorer

Func _ExplWinGetList()
    Local $WinList, $iW
    Opt("WinTitleMatchMode", 4)
    $WinList = WinList("classname=CabinetWClass")
    If IsArray($WinList) Then
        Local $WinListArr[$WinList[0][0] + 1]
        For $iW = 1 To $WinList[0][0]
            $WinListArr[$iW] = $WinList[$iW][0]
        Next
        $WinListArr[0] = $WinList[0][0]
        Return $WinListArr
    Else
        Return ""
    EndIf
EndFunc ;==>_ExplWinGetList

Edited April 6, 2009 by Dougiefresh

[Yashied]

I found this code somewhere on this forum. It was a long while ago and I don't remember who posted it.

Func _Update_Explorer()
    Local $WinExpListArr, $GetWinState, $Hwnd
    $WinExpListArr = _ExplWinGetList()
    If IsArray($WinExpListArr) Then
        For $iWin = 1 To $WinExpListArr[0]
            $GetWinState = WinGetState($WinExpListArr[$iWin])
            $Hwnd = WinGetHandle($WinExpListArr[$iWin])
            DllCall("user32.dll", "long", "SendMessage", "hwnd", $Hwnd, "int", 0x111, "int", 28931, "int", 0)
        Next
    EndIf
    Opt("WinTitleMatchMode", 4)
    $Hwnd = WinGetHandle("classname=Progman")
    DllCall("user32.dll", "long", "SendMessage", "hwnd", $Hwnd, "int", 0x111, "int", 28931, "int", 0)
EndFunc;==>_Update_Explorer

Func _ExplWinGetList()
    Local $WinList, $iW
    Opt("WinTitleMatchMode", 4)
    $WinList = WinList("classname=CabinetWClass")
    If IsArray($WinList) Then
        Local $WinListArr[$WinList[0][0] + 1]
        For $iW = 1 To $WinList[0][0]
            $WinListArr[$iW] = $WinList[$iW][0]
        Next
        $WinListArr[0] = $WinList[0][0]
        Return $WinListArr
    Else
        Return ""
    EndIf
EndFunc;==>_ExplWinGetList

This works fine for me. What have you changed in the registry? Edited April 6, 2009 by Yashied

[forumghost]

Doesn't work for me, crashes AutoIt when I call the update func?

expandcollapse popup

Func _Update_Explorer()
    Local $WinExpListArr, $GetWinState, $Hwnd
    $WinExpListArr = _ExplWinGetList()
    If IsArray($WinExpListArr) Then
        For $iWin = 1 To $WinExpListArr[0]
            $GetWinState = WinGetState($WinExpListArr[$iWin])
            $Hwnd = WinGetHandle($WinExpListArr[$iWin])
            DllCall("user32.dll", "long", "SendMessage", "hwnd", $Hwnd, "int", 0x111, "int", 28931, "int", 0)
        Next
    EndIf
    Opt("WinTitleMatchMode", 4)
    $Hwnd = WinGetHandle("classname=Progman")
    DllCall("user32.dll", "long", "SendMessage", "hwnd", $Hwnd, "int", 0x111, "int", 28931, "int", 0)
EndFunc;==>_Update_Explorer

Func _ExplWinGetList()
    Local $WinList, $iW
    Opt("WinTitleMatchMode", 4)
    $WinList = WinList("classname=CabinetWClass")
    If IsArray($WinList) Then
        Local $WinListArr[$WinList[0][0] + 1]
        For $iW = 1 To $WinList[0][0]
            $WinListArr[$iW] = $WinList[$iW][0]
        Next
        $WinListArr[0] = $WinList[0][0]
        Return $WinListArr
    Else
        Return ""
    EndIf
EndFunc;==>_ExplWinGetList

$var = RegRead("HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Explorer\Advanced", "Hidden")
$var2 = RegRead("HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Explorer\Advanced", "HideFileExt")

if $var == "1" then
RegWrite("HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Explorer\Advanced", "Hidden", "REG_DWORD", "2")
else
RegWrite("HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Explorer\Advanced", "Hidden", "REG_DWORD", "1")
endif

if $var2 == "1" then
RegWrite("HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Explorer\Advanced", "HideFileExt", "REG_DWORD", "0")
else
RegWrite("HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Explorer\Advanced", "HideFileExt", "REG_DWORD", "1")
endif

;quit

Macro is designed to switch the view of hidden files and file extensions on and off with one execution of this prog.

Edited April 6, 2009 by forumghost

[DaRam]

That is why Search is your friend http://www.autoitscript.com/forum/index.ph...ow+hidden+files

Macro is designed to switch the view of hidden files and file extensions on and off with one execution of this prog.

[Yashied]

Doesn't work for me, crashes AutoIt when I call the update func?

expandcollapse popup

Func _Update_Explorer()
    Local $WinExpListArr, $GetWinState, $Hwnd
    $WinExpListArr = _ExplWinGetList()
    If IsArray($WinExpListArr) Then
        For $iWin = 1 To $WinExpListArr[0]
            $GetWinState = WinGetState($WinExpListArr[$iWin])
            $Hwnd = WinGetHandle($WinExpListArr[$iWin])
            DllCall("user32.dll", "long", "SendMessage", "hwnd", $Hwnd, "int", 0x111, "int", 28931, "int", 0)
        Next
    EndIf
    Opt("WinTitleMatchMode", 4)
    $Hwnd = WinGetHandle("classname=Progman")
    DllCall("user32.dll", "long", "SendMessage", "hwnd", $Hwnd, "int", 0x111, "int", 28931, "int", 0)
EndFunc;==>_Update_Explorer

Func _ExplWinGetList()
    Local $WinList, $iW
    Opt("WinTitleMatchMode", 4)
    $WinList = WinList("classname=CabinetWClass")
    If IsArray($WinList) Then
        Local $WinListArr[$WinList[0][0] + 1]
        For $iW = 1 To $WinList[0][0]
            $WinListArr[$iW] = $WinList[$iW][0]
        Next
        $WinListArr[0] = $WinList[0][0]
        Return $WinListArr
    Else
        Return ""
    EndIf
EndFunc;==>_ExplWinGetList

$var = RegRead("HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Explorer\Advanced", "Hidden")
$var2 = RegRead("HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Explorer\Advanced", "HideFileExt")

if $var == "1" then
RegWrite("HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Explorer\Advanced", "Hidden", "REG_DWORD", "2")
else
RegWrite("HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Explorer\Advanced", "Hidden", "REG_DWORD", "1")
endif

if $var2 == "1" then
RegWrite("HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Explorer\Advanced", "HideFileExt", "REG_DWORD", "0")
else
RegWrite("HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Explorer\Advanced", "HideFileExt", "REG_DWORD", "1")
endif

;quit

Macro is designed to switch the view of hidden files and file extensions on and off with one execution of this prog.

This also works fine for me. I work in Windows XP SP2, AutoIt 3.3.0.0.

[forumghost]

This also works fine for me. I work in Windows XP SP2, AutoIt 3.3.0.0.

Some rare times it updates the explorer, but 90% of the time it doesn't, I'm kinda confused

[Yashied]

Doesn't work for me, crashes AutoIt when I call the update func?

You contradict himself.

[Valik]

I thought I explained this once before but apparently not. This is from a shell extension I wrote. Convert it to AutoIt yourself:

void CSuperHidden::RefreshShell(HWND hWnd) const
{
    // Sending the WM_COMMAND message with ID 0x00007103 to 
    // SHELLDLL_DefView seems to refresh Explorer correctly.  No other 
    // command seems to work.  The logical solution would be to send 
    // the ID of the Refresh menu item, but that doesn't work.  This ID 
    // was found with Spy++ when the context-menu Refresh is selected.
    HWND hRefresh = FindWindowEx(hWnd, NULL, _T("SHELLDLL_DefView"), _T(""));
    if (hRefresh)
        PostMessage(hRefresh, WM_COMMAND, 0x00007103, 0);
}   // RefreshShell()

[KaFu]

CabinetWClass seems wrong, more ExploreWClass?

_Update_Explorer()

Func _Update_Explorer()
    Local $WinExpListArr, $GetWinState, $Hwnd
    $WinExpListArr = _ExplWinGetList()
    If IsArray($WinExpListArr) Then
        For $iWin = 1 To $WinExpListArr[0]
            $GetWinState = WinGetState($WinExpListArr[$iWin])
            $Hwnd = WinGetHandle($WinExpListArr[$iWin])
            ConsoleWrite($Hwnd & @crlf)
            $Hwnd = ControlGetHandle($Hwnd, "", "[CLASS:SHELLDLL_DefView; INSTANCE:1]")
            ConsoleWrite($Hwnd & @crlf)
            DllCall("user32.dll", "long", "SendMessage", "hwnd", $Hwnd, "int", 0x111, "int", 28931, "int", 0)
        Next
    EndIf
    $Hwnd = WinGetHandle("classname=Progman")
    DllCall("user32.dll", "long", "SendMessage", "hwnd", $Hwnd, "int", 0x111, "int", 28931, "int", 0)
EndFunc;==>_Update_Explorer

Func _ExplWinGetList()
    Local $WinList, $iW
    Opt("WinTitleMatchMode", 4)
    $WinList = WinList("classname=ExploreWClass")
    If IsArray($WinList) Then
        Local $WinListArr[$WinList[0][0] + 1]
        For $iW = 1 To $WinList[0][0]
            $WinListArr[$iW] = $WinList[$iW][1]
        Next
        $WinListArr[0] = $WinList[0][0]
        Return $WinListArr
    Else
        Return ""
    EndIf
EndFunc;==>_ExplWinGetList

Edit: Ts, always double check... there was an array in supplied example above... the

$WinListArr[$iW] = $WinList[$iW][0]

has to be

$WinListArr[$iW] = $WinList[$iW][1]

And for the books:

$aResult = DllCall("User32.dll", "hwnd", "FindWindowEx", "hwnd", $Hwnd, "int", 0, "str", "SHELLDLL_DefView", "str", "")
ConsoleWrite($aResult[0] & @crlf)

is the exact translation of the call Valik provided, though

$Hwnd = ControlGetHandle($Hwnd, "", "[CLASS:SHELLDLL_DefView; INSTANCE:1]")
ConsoleWrite($Hwnd & @crlf)

returns exactly the same handle.

Edited April 6, 2009 by KaFu

[Yashied]

Try this... for me it seems to work , searched this one for ages, thanks Valik for pointing in the right direction (in fact pushing my nose into it , apologies for my too quick first answer).

_Update_Explorer()

Func _Update_Explorer()
    Local $WinExpListArr, $GetWinState, $Hwnd
    $WinExpListArr = _ExplWinGetList()
    If IsArray($WinExpListArr) Then
        For $iWin = 1 To $WinExpListArr[0]
            $GetWinState = WinGetState($WinExpListArr[$iWin])
            $Hwnd = WinGetHandle($WinExpListArr[$iWin])
    ;ConsoleWrite($Hwnd & @crlf)
            $Hwnd = ControlGetHandle($Hwnd, "", "[CLASS:SHELLDLL_DefView; INSTANCE:1]")
    ;ConsoleWrite($Hwnd & @crlf)
            DllCall("user32.dll", "long", "SendMessage", "hwnd", $Hwnd, "int", 0x111, "int", 28931, "int", 0)
        Next
    EndIf
EndFunc;==>_Update_Explorer

Func _ExplWinGetList()
    Local $WinList, $iW
    Opt("WinTitleMatchMode", 4)
    $WinList = WinList("classname=CabinetWClass")
    If IsArray($WinList) Then
        Local $WinListArr[$WinList[0][0] + 1]
        For $iW = 1 To $WinList[0][0]
            $WinListArr[$iW] = $WinList[$iW][0]
        Next
        $WinListArr[0] = $WinList[0][0]
        Return $WinListArr
    Else
        Return ""
    EndIf
EndFunc;==>_ExplWinGetList

Why have you removed the refresh for desktop?

[KaFu]

Why have you removed the refresh for desktop?

Hmmm, good question , added again.

Anyone knows what is and where to find CabinetWClass? I can only find ExploreWClass (which seems to work).

Edited April 6, 2009 by KaFu

[Yashied]

Anyone knows what is and where to find CabinetWClass? I can only find ExploreWClass (which seems to work).

With "ExploreWClass" not works for me.

[Valik]

Sigh, this is why I don't help you people. I end up having to do all the work myself because you can't manage to solve even the most simple of problems. First, Obviously different versions of Windows are using a different class. CabinetWClass is pre-Vista and the other is post-Vista. Or something like that, I don't feel like booting Vista to verify. Second, who gives a fuck, really? Get the right handle to start with and cut out 60% of the code in the process.

Func _Update_Explorer()
    Local $bOld = Opt("WinSearchChildren", True)
    Local $a = WinList("[CLASS:SHELLDLL_DefView]")
    For $i = 0 To UBound($a) - 1
        DllCall("user32.dll", "long", "SendMessage", "hwnd", $a[$i][1], "int", 0x111, "int", 28931, "int", 0)
    Next
    Opt("WinSearchChildren", $bOld)
EndFunc;==>_Update_Explorer

[KaFu]

After a little research I came up with this:

When displaying a standard explorer view, the window has a class of 'CabinetWClass'. When displaying a tree view, it uses 'ExploreWClass'.

So I assume both classes have to be considered.

Edited April 6, 2009 by KaFu

[Valik]

Wow. Your code is 8x longer. That is just... obscene.

Edit: Oh, and kudos on actually doing research on the class difference... finally.

Edited April 6, 2009 by Valik

[forumghost]

still only works sometimes......

it seems as if the explorer takes its loooong time to update itself, anywhere between 2 and 30 seconds (I kept spamming F5 to check), or, well not at all.

(code used atm is

Func _Update_Explorer()
    Local $bOld = Opt("WinSearchChildren", True)
    Local $a = WinList("[CLASS:SHELLDLL_DefView]")
    For $i = 0 To UBound($a) - 1
        DllCall("user32.dll", "long", "SendMessage", "hwnd", $a[$i][1], "int", 0x111, "int", 28931, "int", 0)
    Next
    Opt("WinSearchChildren", $bOld)
EndFunc;==>_Update_Explorer

$var = RegRead("HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Explorer\Advanced", "Hidden")
$var2 = RegRead("HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Explorer\Advanced", "HideFileExt")

if $var == "1" then
RegWrite("HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Explorer\Advanced", "Hidden", "REG_DWORD", "2")
else
RegWrite("HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Explorer\Advanced", "Hidden", "REG_DWORD", "1")
endif

if $var2 == "1" then
RegWrite("HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Explorer\Advanced", "HideFileExt", "REG_DWORD", "0")
else
RegWrite("HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Explorer\Advanced", "HideFileExt", "REG_DWORD", "1")
endif

Call ("_Update_Explorer()")
;quit
Exit

)

Edited April 6, 2009 by forumghost