MyFolders File Explorer Right Click Menu Item

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hlewton
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MyFolders File Explorer Right Click Menu Item

Post by hlewton »

First off, sorry about the length but I think explanations here are necessary.

I am posting this in hopes of getting some comments either agreeing or disagreeing with what I may have discovered to be my problem in losing Office’s Right click items of “Open, New & Print.” this post was about that Here Anyway, I think I may have found the flaw that causes this, but I am sure not 100% positive. I will only say that I got these items of “Open, New & Print” back twice.

I use a program called MyFolders to map and save those paths to all the drives and folders I copy folders to. It is a whole lot of shortcuts in my case. At some point MyFolders will no longer allow me to open its “Settings” option. That means I cannot delete any unwanted folder paths or do a couple other tasks that I think are irrelevant to what I think I found. What is relevant is that the “Settings” option will no longer open.

So, believing I had found a flaw I posted at another site for suggestions for a program to replace MyFolders. What MyFolders does is allows you to easily work with your frequently used folders in Windows File Explorer.

At this time, I had gotten back the of “Open, New & Print” right click options. But I was asked, because of my problem with MyFolder, which version I was using. I was told there is a more recent version and it may be the answer to my problem. I installed it and again I lost the “Open, New & Print” options and no matter what I did, I could not get MyFolders to allow me to open its “Settings” option.

I used Windows 10 restore option, restored my computer to its previous state and once again managed to get “Open, New & Print” back.

Here is what I did and would like comments for or against what I think happened.

MyFolders itself adds a Right Click Menu Item and from there you choose what you want MyFolders to do.

I had a lot of saved paths in MyFolders. MyFolders is a right click option on any file you choose to right click on. MyFolders develops a problem of its own and I believe that problem occurs when, like mine, there are TOO many saved shortcuts stored in it. MyFolders problem is that you can no longer get its "Settings" option to open. You can click on it but it is just dead in the water and does absolutely nothing. You need that "Settings" option for a few reasons like aligning shortcuts as you wish, add separators, and to delete existing shortcuts. There may be more uses for it but that is how I use it.

Anyway, I had a need to delete 9 shortcuts and 8 separators. Since I couldn't get MyFolders' "Settings" to open I couldn't delete those items. I accidentally found a method to get "Settings" to open, though not fool proof, it worked most of the time. It was by choosing it when I had chosen and right clicked on 3 Outlook messages I had stored outside of Outlook in a separate folder on my computer. Once I was able to delete those 17 items mentioned above my right click options on an Office file of "Open, New, and Print" reappeared.

However, when I tried updating to the newer version of MyFolders mentioned above it took away the "Open, New, and Print" options once again. Not sure why but was willing to delete a few more of MyFolders shortcuts but was not able to get MyFolders to open its "Settings" no matter what I did. So after much fooling around I managed to run a restore, trick version 4 to open MyFolders' "Settings" and once again deleted those 17 items and my "Open, New, and Print" reappeared again

So here is my theory and would welcome comments for against it.

Since I managed to get the "Open, New, and Print" options back twice using the same procedures I am thinking that all my many shortcuts were taking up room or space that the right click on a file needed to display the "Open, New, and Print" commands. Also, I believe MyFolders, probably unintentionally, alerts one to the fact you have used to many shortcuts by not allowing its "Settings" option to open, but give you no work-around. Had I not stumbled on a way to open the "Settings" option in version 4, I would still not have those "Open, New, and Print" choices available to me, I believe.

Thanks
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hlewton

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HansV
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Re: MyFolders File Explorer Right Click Menu Item

Post by HansV »

That sounds plausible, but I have no experience with MyFolders, so I can't confirm it with certainty...
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Re: MyFolders File Explorer Right Click Menu Item

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HansV wrote:
28 Jul 2020, 18:21
That sounds plausible, but I have no experience with MyFolders, so I can't confirm it with certainty...
I know, I can't either but thanks for the reply. I have been trying to find somewhere that would support MyFolders and the best I have come up with so far is a site where it can be downloaded called Core Technologies. They offer a support option but I am not at all sure what they support. Never-the-less, I sent them a note asking if they or anyone they are connected with may have an interest in hearing about what I found and believe could be a design flaw. I have not heard back from them but it has only been 2 days so I am still holding out hope they will reply.
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hlewton

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Re: MyFolders File Explorer Right Click Menu Item

Post by jolas »

It maybe a right-click shortcut limitation. It is not authoritative I suppose and it pertains to a Windows 7 installation.

Test if you do not go beyond the 16 limit (or less) if the “Open, New & Print” options would stick. Just a thought.

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Re: MyFolders File Explorer Right Click Menu Item

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jolas wrote:
02 Aug 2020, 11:38
It maybe a right-click shortcut limitation. It is not authoritative I suppose and it pertains to a Windows 7 installation.

Test if you do not go beyond the 16 limit (or less) if the “Open, New & Print” options would stick. Just a thought.
Thanks for this information. However, I am way past the 16 limit. I have 90 MyFolders entries. My Open, New, and Print are available. However, I had over 110 entries at one time and that is when those options were not available. I was able to finally edit and cut those entries back to the 90 that I have now to get it to work. So, I am not at all sure what the 16 means unless it means that on a Right Click the maximum Right Click options that can be available is 16. What I am trying to say is, MyFolders may be counted as 1 of the 16 allowed but then it seems that once in MyFolders I am allowed the 90 paths I have now and still have all function correctly. Hope that makes sense.
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Re: MyFolders File Explorer Right Click Menu Item

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jolas wrote:
02 Aug 2020, 11:38
It maybe a right-click shortcut limitation. It is not authoritative I suppose and it pertains to a Windows 7 installation.

Test if you do not go beyond the 16 limit (or less) if the “Open, New & Print” options would stick. Just a thought.
I have been thinking about this and I can't decide what the link is saying for sure. Here is what that link tells me; "Yes! there's a limit of 16 entries for each context menu entry, including submenus and any entry inside of them.. If I'm not mistaken this limit exists since the dawn of Windows, at least as far back as Windows 95. At the time, leaving that feature without any limit could negatively impact system performance. This limit however, doesn't seem to apply to COM shell extensions, so there might be a solution around. I think it's best to organize and be more selective on what's included in the context menu." I thought at first it was saying that you can only have 16 options when you Right Click and open the context menu but that has to be wrong because I have 21 options as you can see in the attachment.
Right Click Options.jpg
Then I thought it meant that you can only have 16 entries under each Right Click option but MyFolders has 90 entries there. So I am not sure what it is saying.
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hlewton

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Re: MyFolders File Explorer Right Click Menu Item

Post by HansV »

No, what it means is that the context menu options will not be available if you select more than 15 files at the same time and then right-click.
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Re: MyFolders File Explorer Right Click Menu Item

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HansV wrote:
02 Aug 2020, 20:13
No, what it means is that the context menu options will not be available if you select more than 15 files at the same time and then right-click.
OK thanks. I didn't get that at all. However, I think I just read somewhere that the setting for that could be adjusted. If I am remembering it correctly, I checked it out and what was supposed to be set at 16 was set at 100 on my machine. Wish I could put my hands on that article so I could post it here.
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Re: MyFolders File Explorer Right Click Menu Item

Post by HansV »

See How To Open More Than 15 Files At Once from Context Menu in Windows. Be careful! Trying to open a large number of files simultaneously can have a negative impact on performance and it might cause the application to crash.
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Re: MyFolders File Explorer Right Click Menu Item

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HansV wrote:
02 Aug 2020, 20:56
See How To Open More Than 15 Files At Once from Context Menu in Windows. Be careful! Trying to open a large number of files simultaneously can have a negative impact on performance and it might cause the application to crash.
Yes it was something very similar to what you posted here. However, i must be thinking of something else because whatever it was I already had the Registry key there and its value was 100. I never have and never plan on opening more than 2 or 3 files at the same time. Thanks for the link.
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Re: MyFolders File Explorer Right Click Menu Item

Post by hlewton »

hlewton wrote:
02 Aug 2020, 21:32
HansV wrote:
02 Aug 2020, 20:56
See How To Open More Than 15 Files At Once from Context Menu in Windows. Be careful! Trying to open a large number of files simultaneously can have a negative impact on performance and it might cause the application to crash.
Yes it was something very similar to what you posted here. However, i must be thinking of something else because whatever it was I already had the Registry key there and its value was 100. I never have and never plan on opening more than 2 or 3 files at the same time. Thanks for the link.
it wasn't something similar, it was exactly the link you posted. I looked at the wrong Registry key a few minutes ago. In any case, see the attached and see the 100 value. I did not make that change. It was there when I first checked it a while back and it is still there now. How it got a value of 100, I have no clue.
16Right.jpg
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Re: MyFolders File Explorer Right Click Menu Item

Post by HansV »

That entry must have been added by you, either manually or by using some kind of "tweaker" utility, for by default there is no MultipleInvokePromptMinimum entry. (If this entry doesn't exist, Windows uses the default value of 15).
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Re: MyFolders File Explorer Right Click Menu Item

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HansV wrote:
02 Aug 2020, 21:48
That entry must have been added by you, either manually or by using some kind of "tweaker" utility, for by default there is no MultipleInvokePromptMinimum entry. (If this entry doesn't exist, Windows uses the default value of 15).
I bet you're right. I just forgot I probably did make this entry and I suppose it was when I was trying everything to get the Open, New, and Print options back. Since I did make that key, do you think I should set it back to 16 or so or since I have those 3 options now, should I leave well enough alone?
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Re: MyFolders File Explorer Right Click Menu Item

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If you never try to open or print many files at once from File Explorer, it doesn't really matter.
But if you might accidentally do that, it would be wise to either delete the MultipleInvokePromptMinimum entry, or set it to 15.
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Re: MyFolders File Explorer Right Click Menu Item

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I checked my other computers and none of them have this Registry key so I'm sure I had to have edited into the Registry. Just not sure where I ran across the article that would have instructed me on how to do that.
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Re: MyFolders File Explorer Right Click Menu Item

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HansV wrote:
02 Aug 2020, 22:20
If you never try to open or print many files at once from File Explorer, it doesn't really matter.
But if you might accidentally do that, it would be wise to either delete the MultipleInvokePromptMinimum entry, or set it to 15.
I will delete it and hope it doesn't mess up the Open, New, and Print options I have now. Thanks.
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Re: MyFolders File Explorer Right Click Menu Item

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If necessary, you can always create that entry again...
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Re: MyFolders File Explorer Right Click Menu Item

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HansV wrote:
02 Aug 2020, 22:34
If necessary, you can always create that entry again...
LOL yeah if i remember where I learned to do it the first time. My mind is getting pretty old, that's for sure.
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Re: MyFolders File Explorer Right Click Menu Item

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I decided to make that value 15 instead of deleting the key. I rebooted and I still have my Open, New, and Print options. So hopefully I am protected from myself as far as trying to open too many files at one time.
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Re: MyFolders File Explorer Right Click Menu Item

Post by DaveA »

Also you need to check different file types as there may be different entries count for the different types.

I have 27 for the png type of files.
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