SOLVED: New Folder by F-key for Windows 7

[Brian De Braganza]

This is my first post/request/idea, so I hope I am doing this right 

BaxBex software (www.baxbex.com) has a neat little freeware utility extension for XP which will create a new folder in Windows Explorer when pressing the F12 key. A dialog pops up allowing you to name that new folder and Shift+Enter will then create the folder and open it. Initially, this little utility worked also in Windows 7 (although it was never designed for it or updated) but, due to recent Win 7 updates it no longer works and BaxBex is not interested in updating it. The utility also creates a New Folder button in the Windows Explorer toolbar in XP, but that isn't required in Windows 7 since the new Explorer already has one.

This behaviour is so useful because it means that new folders can be entirely created and entered when named using only the keyboard, which is always time-saving when not having to use the mouse to locate and click a button, create the folder, find it again in the list, and double-click to open it.

Is there any way to recreate this behaviour or a similar solution for Windows 7?

If you want to check out the BaxBex utility, "bxNewFolder", it can be found here:

http://baxbex.com/products.html
http://baxbex.com/images/shoots/bxnewfolder.html
http://baxbex.com/files/bxnewfolder.exe

Brian De B

[Ath]

Welcome, Brian,

This is my first post/request/idea, so I hope I am doing this right 

You started off just fine

[Brian De Braganza]

Thank you Ath 

Brian De B

[MilesAhead]

W7 already has built-in support for Control-Shift-n create new folder in Explorer Window:

http://lifehacker.com/#!5294468/windows-7-creates-new-folders-with-a-hotkey

[Brian De Braganza]

@MileAhead - well, well, well! One learns something new every day! I had no idea that hotkey was there.

Brian De B

[Deozaan]

http://lifehacker.com/#!5294468/windows-7-creates-new-folders-with-a-hotkey

Fixed it for you. 

[MilesAhead]

@MileAhead - well, well, well! One learns something new every day! I had no idea that hotkey was there.

Brian De B

Neither did I until I did the search. I just got lucky.

[MilesAhead]

I don't like 3 key combos and I often use FreeCommander, which has F7 for create new folder. For that reason and inspired by this request I wrote a small tray hotkey for Windows Seven only.  Press F7 in Explorer or on Desktop to create new folder.

There are also some commands in the tray menu to donate, visit my hotkey page, quit etc..

You can download the compiled exe with custom icon from this page:

http://www.favessoft.com/hotkeys.html

Just search on 7Folder for the link.

If run on an OS earlier than 7 it shows a message box and quits.
The exe is stand-alone. Just copy to a folder in your Path. It creates no
Registry entries or .ini file settings. It only requires Windows Seven and that
F7 key be free for use as the hotkey. It will only try to use F7 if an Explorer window or the desktop is the active window.

I looked around for consistent keys to create a new folder for Vista but there didn't seem to be anything I could count on.  Since Control-Shift-n is pretty much guaranteed to work on Windows Seven I limited it to that OS.

[Ath]

Euhm, maybe a bit blunt, but as an Explorer2 user, I'd favor <F8> (New folder) over <F7> (New file). Would there be a possibility to either include the source so I can change that myself, or add a command-line parameter to specify the (function)key to use?

[MilesAhead]

Euhm, maybe a bit blunt, but as an Explorer2 user, I'd favor <F8> (New folder) over <F7> (New file). Would there be a possibility to either include the source so I can change that myself, or add a command-line parameter to specify the (function)key to use?

Sure. The command line param seems like a good idea.  That way no .ini file needed.
I'll post a follow-up after I upload the new one.

[MilesAhead]

I uploaded v. 1.1.  I just did a superficial trial so let me know if you find a bug.  If you wish another key such as F8 or whatnot, specify on command line or edit the target line in the shortcut. If no command line arg given it defaults to F7.

If the specified key does not meet AHK format or if there's more than one command line arg, it will show and error dialog and quit.

The About dialog dereferences the variable holding the hotkey. If you forget what the current hotkey is just double click the tray icon.

[MilesAhead]

Updated to v. 1.2 to limit variable hotkey to Explorer or Desktop as the active window(Hotkey command.)

Version 1.1 could "eat" hotkeys if the program in the active window happened to use that key(such as an editor using F7 or F8 etc..)

[Ath]

Just installed v1.2, and the F8 function, when specified on the command-line, works as expected in Windows Explorer, but I can't seem to get it to work on the plain Desktop. And <Ctrl-Shift-N> does work there, so maybe the filtering is a bit too tight?

I'm on Win7 Ultimate, Euro-English language but locale (number- and date- formats etc.) set to NL.

[MilesAhead]

Thanks for the info. I'll take a look.

[MilesAhead]

It works for me.  Are you clicking in the desktop first to make sure it's the active window?

From playing around it seems if the hotkey shows correctly in the About box, it works wherever Control-Shift-n works.

Here's the source if you want to hard wire it.  Note that the MilesAhead.ahk include is just needed to detect the Windows Version.  You can just cut out the _WinVersion() section of code. I don't have the old version with the hard wired hotkey but it should be easy enough to change it to

IfWinActive,ahk_group DesktopGroup
F8::

yadda yadda

Code

/*
 * * * Compile_AHK SETTINGS BEGIN * * *

[AHK2EXE]
Exe_File=%In_Dir%\7Folder.exe
No_UPX=1
[VERSION]
Set_Version_Info=1
Company_Name=FavesSoft LLC
File_Version=1.2.0.0
Inc_File_Version=0
Legal_Copyright=2011 www.FavesSoft.com
Original_Filename=7Folder
Product_Name=7Folder
Product_Version=1.2.0.0
[ICONS]
Icon_1=%In_Dir%\7.ico

* * * Compile_AHK SETTINGS END * * *
*/

; 7Folder - F7 in Explorer or Desktop creates new folder
; on Windows Seven by sending Control-Shift-n sequence
;
; MilesAhead
;
#SingleInstance force
#Include MilesAhead.ahk
#NoEnv  ; Recommended for performance and compatibility with future AutoHotkey releases.
SendMode Input  ; Recommended for new scripts due to its superior speed and reliability.
SetWorkingDir %A_ScriptDir%  ; Ensures a consistent starting directory.
Menu Tray,NoStandard
Menu Tray,Add,Donate,DoDonate
Menu Tray,Add,Visit Hotkey Page,DoVisit
Menu Tray,Add,About 7Folder,DoAbout
Menu Tray,Add
Menu Tray,Add,Quit,DoQuit
Menu Tray,Default,About 7Folder
Menu Tray,Tip,7Folder

GroupAdd,DesktopGroup, ahk_class CabinetWClass
GroupAdd,DesktopGroup, ahk_class ExploreWClass
GroupAdd,DesktopGroup, ahk_class Progman

If _WinVersion() < 6.1
{
  MsgBox, 4112, 7Folder, 7Folder requires Windows Seven to Run
  ExitApp
}

if 0 = 1
{
	carg = %1%
}
else
{
	carg := "F7"
}

Hotkey, IfWinActive, ahk_Group DesktopGroup
Hotkey,%carg%,DoHotKey,UseErrorLevel
If ErrorLevel
{
  MsgBox, 4112, 7Folder, %carg% is not a valid Hotkey
  ExitApp
}
return

DoHotKey:
  Send ^+{n}
Return

DoAbout:
  FileGetVersion,filever,7Folder.exe
  MyMsg =
  (
7Folder v %filever% Copyright (c) 2011 www.FavesSoft.com`n
Press %carg% to create New Folder in Explorer or on Desktop`n
  )
  MsgBox, 4160, About 7Folder, %MyMsg%
Return

DoDonate:
  Run,"http://www.favessoft.com/donate.html"
Return

DoVisit:
  Run,"http://www.favessoft.com/hotkeys.html"
Return

DoQuit:
  ExitApp

[Ath]

It works for me.  Are you clicking in the desktop first to make sure it's the active window?

Yup, both F8 is shown in About, and Ctrl-Shift-n works, as reported earlier, but F8 doesn't work. Just nothing happens, no error,no action, nothing. But neither does F7 when 7Folder is started without command-line parameter...

I'll investigate the source, and see what's the cause of this, but that'll have to wait until Thursday, sorry, other obligations until then.

[MilesAhead]

Are you running some alternative desktop?  Use the spy tool and see if the desktop has class name "Progman"

If it does, it should work.

[Ath]

Are you running some alternative desktop?

Nope, I'm using Explorer2 as filemanager, but it's not as an Explorer replacement, just as any other app.

Use the spy tool and see if the desktop has class name "Progman"

It shows WorkerW as the ClassName, and also does the AutoIt Window Info tool, so I added

Code

GroupAdd,DesktopGroup, ahk_class WorkerW

just below the line with "progman", and all worked fine

There's a thread in the AutoIt forums about this subject (the AHK forum was the first google hit I got but had no info), and it turns out that the 'Desktop composition' feature of Windows (Aero) is using this WindowClass.
You might want to study that entire forum thread to see if this addition has adverse effects in other places, but I have no intention to turn off Aero

[MilesAhead]

Yet more Windows strangeness. I have Aero and composition enabled but it's the same old Progman as has been forever. In the thread you reference this seems to go on and off.  Also one user noted non desktop windows with WorkerW as class.  So it's not reliable according to that.

I don't understand why they change things that have worked across Windows versions.  Strange.

Guess I'll just leave it the way it is and include source and icon in the download.  People can add WorkerW or whatever they want to the group.

[Ath]

Guess I'll just leave it the way it is and include source and icon in the download.  People can add WorkerW or whatever they want to the group.

That's a fine solution, it'll work for me

[MilesAhead]

Guess I'll just leave it the way it is and include source and icon in the download.  People can add WorkerW or whatever they want to the group.

That's a fine solution, it'll work for me

Thanks for the info and the ahk forum link. 

I've uploaded 1.3.  Now the zip contains the custom icon and source code.  All source used is in one file(no includes) and it calls _EmptyWorkingSet() on startup to use a bit less memory while sitting in the tray.

[Ath]

Ok, Thanks, I'll fix-up my local install of 7Folder.

[MilesAhead]

Ok, Thanks, I'll fix-up my local install of 7Folder.

Could you do me a favor and try v. 1.4?  I changed it to look for Program Manager window title for the desktop instead of Progman class name.  It works on my system but I don't have a Windows with "WorkerW" class name for desktop to try it. 

[Ath]

Could you do me a favor and try v. 1.4?

Well I did... but sorry, my desktop WorkerW windowclass doesn't have a Window title set, so it's not counting in for Program Manager. Still a no-go.
I could suggest to add a -w switch that adds the WorkerW class to the list for the cases that need that, but that could give a minor interference with the alternate hotkey setting ofcourse.
Returning to my fixed-up version works just fine, as before.

[MilesAhead]

I can't believe they will break tons of utilities for some unknown gain.  Seems like they are taking delight in breaking old code these days.  Even desktop icon placers that work all the way from Win95 on won't work right in 64 bit.

To be honest I have no desire to chase them around. Including the source is how I'm going to handle it.  I make a shortcut on the Desktop close to Never unless I'm using a url shortcut maker like deskCut so I don't need it.

Thanks very much for trying it out.

Edit: Going to try one last thing. I'll just add WorkerW class and Progman both. One should work. If not then there's too many variables.

I'll post 1.5 in a bit.

edit2: 1.5 uploaded.