One-click opening of folders in Explorer

[Stan Brown]

For some reason I'm just failing to find the relevant setting in
Folder Options; can you direct me? In Windows XP it was "display
simple folder view", and the idea was that when I single-click a
drive or folder in the left pane it would expand to show the
subfolders.

I'm not very good with a mouse, and hitting those little triangles to
the left of drives and folders in Win 7 is hard for me. Is "simple
folder view" available in Win 7 under another name? (I tried
searching Help for that term, but it just described folder options
and none of them does what I want.)

 

[Dave-UK]

For some reason I'm just failing to find the relevant setting in
Folder Options; can you direct me? In Windows XP it was "display
simple folder view", and the idea was that when I single-click a
drive or folder in the left pane it would expand to show the
subfolders.

I'm not very good with a mouse, and hitting those little triangles to
the left of drives and folders in Win 7 is hard for me. Is "simple
folder view" available in Win 7 under another name? (I tried
searching Help for that term, but it just described folder options
and none of them does what I want.)

Isn't 'Show all folders' what you want ?
Control Panel (Appearance and Personalization) > Folder Options
On the General tab - Navigation pane - Show all folders etc.

 

[bd]

For some reason I'm just failing to find the relevant setting in
Folder Options; can you direct me? In Windows XP it was "display
simple folder view", and the idea was that when I single-click a
drive or folder in the left pane it would expand to show the
subfolders.

I'm not very good with a mouse, and hitting those little triangles to
the left of drives and folders in Win 7 is hard for me. Is "simple
folder view" available in Win 7 under another name? (I tried
searching Help for that term, but it just described folder options
and none of them does what I want.)

Go to COntrol Panel and open Folder Operations. Under the General tab you
will see a line which says 'Single click to open an item'. Check that box
and folders will open with a single click.

bdog

 

[Stan Brown]

Isn't 'Show all folders' what you want ?
Control Panel (Appearance and Personalization) > Folder Options
On the General tab - Navigation pane - Show all folders etc.

The same screen is accessible through Tools » Folder Options in
Explorer, but I brought it up in Control Panel as you suggested. That
box was already checked. I wish there was some description of what
it's supposed to do, but there's no help icon on that screen and
right-clicking that setting doesn't give a "What's This?"

 

[Stan Brown]

Go to COntrol Panel and open Folder Operations. Under the General tab you
will see a line which says 'Single click to open an item'. Check that box
and folders will open with a single click.

Thanks anyway, but I just tried it and it doesn't do what I'm asking.
If I'm not mistaken, it applies to *files*, e.g. single-clicking on
an .XLS opens it in Excel.

 

[Dave-UK]

The same screen is accessible through Tools » Folder Options in
Explorer, but I brought it up in Control Panel as you suggested. That
box was already checked. I wish there was some description of what
it's supposed to do, but there's no help icon on that screen and
right-clicking that setting doesn't give a "What's This?"

So if I've got it right, your problem is seeing and clicking on the small black triangle
to open out the relevant folder. It looks like the single-click action in the navigation
pane and simple folder view were removed in Win 7.
Instead of clicking once on the triangle you could double-click on the folder to open it.

Also, I find the washed-out appearance of the selected folder in the navigation pane
to be a royal pain in the arse. The same effect is in Regedit, where you can't see on the left
pane where you are in the navigation tree.
To fix this I use a small program, RegDirXP:
http://www.ptorris.com/outils.php#regdirxp
It's in French but easy enough to understand what to do.
You can then have the selected folder in a colour of your choice.
It won't help with the small triangles but may make it easier to see
where you are.

 

[nooneyouknow]

If I'm not mistaken, it applies to *files*, e.g. single-clicking on
an .XLS opens it in Excel.

It applies to everything.

 

[Stan Brown]

It applies to everything.

Well, you snipped where I said I had tried it and it doesn't.

 

[Stan Brown]

So if I've got it right, your problem is seeing and clicking on the
small black triangle to open out the relevant folder.

Yes, exactly.

It looks like the single-click action in the navigation pane and
simple folder view were removed in Win 7. Instead of clicking once
on the triangle you could double-click on the folder to open it.

I guess I'll get used to it in time, but it's not like Microsoft to
completely remove a user interface feature. It's more common to just
bury it behind a preference setting or Registry key.

But everything I could find in Google was either statements that this
feature has been removed, or lame statements of the "Try this"
variety, which usually means "I didn't try it, but I'll post
anyway."

 

[chrisv]

Well, you snipped where I said I had tried it and it doesn't.

I tried it and single-click DOES open folders.

 

[bd]

Yes, exactly.


I guess I'll get used to it in time, but it's not like Microsoft to
completely remove a user interface feature. It's more common to just
bury it behind a preference setting or Registry key.

But everything I could find in Google was either statements that this
feature has been removed, or lame statements of the "Try this"
variety, which usually means "I didn't try it, but I'll post
anyway."

I have double click selescted and I can still open a folder in Windows
Explorer with a single click either on the triangle or the name.

bdog

 

[Dave-UK]

I tried it and single-click DOES open folders.

Read the thread.
The OP needs to expand the folder tree in the navigation pane.
Selecting 'Single click to open an item (point to select)' will open folders
and files on the Desktop but it won't expand the folder tree in the navigation pane.
In the navigation pane, a single click will open the folder over on the right
pane but it won't expand the folder list in the left pane - the navigation pane.
A single click on the triangle will expand the tree or a double click on the folder.