Select Columns…

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Explorer++ allows you to set data column visibility for folder listings on a tab-by-tab basis. Columns available also depends on the current tab’s folder type. The settings here apply only to the current tab; future (new) tabs adopt the settings from the Default Columns… setting.

For more information about column settings, see here.

Columns available

This area shows the list of columns available for the type of folder currently being viewed; checking the checkbox beside the name enables the column in the Files pane. This list of available columns may vary with the type of folder currently being viewed (ie. the active folder for a tab). In addition, while a particular column may be checked, not every file in the folder may possess the type of data placed in that column. For example, image files may show data in the Width and Height columns, but text files will not. In addition, the columns is different for virtual folders, etc, as outline in the lists following.

Column Order

Columns are displayed (left to right in the Files pane) in the order shown, from the top down. The order may be changed using the Move Up and Move Down buttons.

Folder type

Folder type/name

Comments

Control Panel

Windows virtual folder: a collection of applets for modifying your system, etc.

General

This is a normal (ie. real) folder on your system. This type of folder comprises 99% of what you will view and presents, therefore, the most common list of columns.

My Computer

Windows virtual folder: shows volumes (ie. drive letters) and some other virtual or system folders, such as My Documents, Control Panel, etc.

Network Connections

Windows virtual folder: This is actually the Control Panel applet which manages connections.

My Network Places

Windows virtual folder: This is actually the Control Panel applet which manages connections.

Printers and Faxes

Windows virtual folder: list of printers, faxes and printer drivers connected to your system.

Recycle Bin

Windows virtual folder: collection of erased files which are still recoverable.

Following is a list of all columns available for the different types of folders which can be viewed. Default columns (with a checkmark in the Def column) and default column order, assigned by the system (ie. order, left to right) ,are also shown. The user may change the default widths (always 150 pixels) through the Save Column Layout as Default menu item.

Incomplete

Columns marked as “n/a” (not available) may not be implemented as of this version of Explorer++, ie. they may be present but contain no data.

Control Panel

Def

Column

Description

✓ 1

Name

applet name

✓ 2

Comments

brief description of applet’s purpose

General

Applies to real files or folders. Not all tags apply to all file types.

Def

Column

Description or Comment

✓ 1

Name

file or folder name

✓ 2

Type

Windows associated descriptive file type

✓ 3

Size

file size or folder contents size (if enabled)

✓ 4

Date Modified

date of last file/folder modification. Some applications may modify the file without changing this attribute.

Attributes

common file attributes

Size On Disk

amount of disk space used by file

8.3 Name

file name in older (ie. DOS) 8 character name, 3 character extension format

Owner

Windows security - owner of file or folder

Product Name

executable - from Version property sheet

Company

executable - as above

Description

executable - as above

File Version

executable - as above

Product Version

executable - as above

Shortcut to

target of shortcut (.LNK or .PIF) file

Hard links

number of hard links associated with this file - see here for more

Extension

file extension (minus dot)

Date Created

date of file or folder creation

Date Accessed

date of last access (read or write) of file or folder. On Windows XP this may only reflect the nearest hour. Also see tip below.

Title

user supplied - title of file - entered in Summary property sheet

Subject

user supplied - subject of document - entered in Summary property sheet

Author

user supplied - author of document - entered in Summary property sheet

Keywords

user supplied - associated key words - entered in Summary property sheet

Comment

user supplied - comment - entered in Summary property sheet

Camera Model

EXIF data, recorded by camera in an image file

Date Taken

EXIF data, recorded by camera in an image file

Width

width of image (bits)

Height

height of image (bits)

Note: The following media tags may be associated with audio, video or ? - tagging of media files allows many options!

Bit rate

media (audio/video) file - bit rate associated with data

Copyright

media (audio/video) file - internal tag identifying file as copyrighted

Duration

media (audio/video) file - play time

Protected

media (audio/video) file - identifies file as protected media

Rating

media (usually video) - internal tag for rating

Album artist

media (audio) - internal tag (text)

Album

media (audio) - internal tag (text)

Beats-per-minute

media (audio) - internal tag

Composer

media (audio) - internal tag (text)

Conductor

media (audio) - internal tag (text)

Director

media (video) - internal tag (text)

Genre

media (audio) - internal tag (text)

Language

media (audio) - internal tag (text)

Broadcast date

media (video) - internal tag (text)

Channel

media (video) - internal tag (text)

Station name

media (video) - internal tag (text)

Mood

media (audio) - internal tag (text)

Parental rating

media (video) - internal tag (text)

Parental rating reason

media (video) - internal tag (text)

Period

media (video) - internal tag (text)

Producer

media (video) - internal tag (text)

Publisher

media (audio) - internal tag (text)

Writer

media (video) - internal tag (text)

Year

media (audio) - internal tag (text)

Tip

The Date Accessed timestamp may not be reliable in Windows XP. It is subject to a registry setting - NtfsDisableLastAccessUpdate - which does not exist, by default. To enable automatic updating of Date Accessed, open a command prompt window and execute the following command:

fsutil behavior set DisableLastAccess 0

Executing this command creates the required registry entry and enables automatic updating of Date Accessed. Updating can be disabled by setting the value to 1.

My Computer

Def

Column

Description

✓ 1

Name

drive name (and letter) or special folder name

✓ 2

Type

Local Disk, CD Drive, Removable Disk, Folder, etc.

✓ 3

Total Size

size available on drive

✓ 4

Free Space

unused drive space available (bytes, GB, etc.)

Comments

provided by Windows - folder function, drive details, etc.

File System

FAT (ie. FAT16), FAT32, NTFS, Unknown

Network Connections

Def

Column

Description

✓ 1

Name

name of connection, eg. Local Area Connection

✓ 2

Type

n/a (future feature?)

✓ 3

Status

n/a (future feature?)

✓ 4

Owner

n/a (future feature?)

My Network Places

Def

Column

Description

✓ 1

Name

name of tool or applet

✓ 2

Comments

description of tool or applet

Printers and Faxes

Def

Column

Description

✓ 1

Name

device or driver name (descriptive name, not file name)

✓ 2

Documents

number of documents in queue (ready for printing)

✓ 3

Status

Ready, Printing, error status, etc. - driver dependent

✓ 4

Comments

user assigned, or place there by installation

✓ 5

Location

user assigned? network?

✓ 6

Model

brand name, model name

Recycle Bin

Def

Column

Description

✓ 1

Name

file or folder name

✓ 2

Original Location

original file or folder location

✓ 3

Date Deleted

date the file or folder was deleted

✓ 4

Size

file size or folder contents size (if enabled)

✓ 5

Type

Windows associated descriptive file type

✓ 6

Date Modified

date of last file/folder modification