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ralphtricoche

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Change the color of my folder in WinXp and Vista

I need an inexpensive way to organize my NETWORK folders. So what I am looking for is a way to change the color of my network folders. To color coordinate if you will. This must be a stand along product, inexpensive that I can use from my desktop. Whatever changes I make to our network folders must be represented on the network shares so that folks can -place their files where they belong.
One last thing, it should be future proof, with the advent of Windows 7 and all.
Thank you.
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authen-tech
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ralphtricoche

ASKER

I tried that product and it hangs when I try to make changes with the PRO version to the network folders. I am using the free version. I dont want to commit to the paid version until I know it works. However I dont think it will. I am not a network admin. However we do have unlimited access to this particular share.
We have much mess in this shared folder and we need color coordination. Any other ideas?
Thank you.
oh, yes...you will not be able to use any programs unless you have network admin rights.  I would either get your network admin to try these programs or become more organized from a folder-naming convention level.

good luck
Well, I can see the changes, on my end. I can see for example the color change. From yellow to black. But no one else seems to be able to see it. Are there any other products or soemething else that can be done to simply change colors fot he folders?
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I'm not sure if this can be done on "other client computers" from your desktop
 but in order to achieve this you need a theme.dll on your desktop, there is visual  styles and themes.
for example I use xp styler with an added plugin Icons I can change the folders colours per icon packs by removing specific folders icons and adding new folders icons colours from diferent packs into the particular visual style of my preferences, I do this wihtin xpstyler interface then save that as a theme.
Snapshot included

http://www.tgtsoft.com/index.php?show=icons
http://www.tgtsoft.com/
It's around 19.00 Dollars Australian a year to use it
There is also Stardock/Object Desktop free versions/ it has very good icon packages which I bought and added to XP styler
http://www.stardock.com/products/iconpackager/
http://www.stardock.com/
Hope it assists you

xpstyler-icons.jpg
ASKER CERTIFIED SOLUTION
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BillDL
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demazter
Did you read my suggestion above?
Wow, lots to go over. Thank you. I will go over these suggestions and try them. I just wanted to be clear, that whatever changes I make have to be seen by others on our network share. Ok, on to some reading. Thank you again.
Hi Ralph
Have you had any success so far?
Just curious, not being pushy.  I would like to see the Desktop.ini principle work for network folders just as it does for local folders, but I really wasn't sure that it would.
Hi angelIII

Although authen-tech, Merete, and I all gave some potential solutions, the problem was that none of us were either in the position to test the theories in a network environment or did not want to risk messing around with workstations and servers.  So in the end, we simply don't know if our suggestions WOULD have worked.  I would have been most pleased if my "relative path" theory for Desktop.ini files could have been tested, but we'll never know.

I'm not too bothered about the points really, but I thought there was some quite good information in here, although untested.

Suggestions anyone else?
Points split of 125 points?
Thankyou BillDL, I do agree at least it will stay in the knowledgbase
With no feedback or updates of any progress from ralphtricoche
this question is left hanging.
But good advise was given and I know they will produce the desired outcome on his system
However the users will  not see the same folders icons in my humble opinion unless they have the same theme.dll used on their folders. When I access another system here via a network the folders do not look like mine using the xp styler Icons Blue
Regards Merete
angelIII

In view of the fact that Merete has tested his suggested "XP Styler" program unsuccessfully in a network setting, I think I'm going to be greedy here and ask for you to accept my comment ID:24772796 as the answer and split the points with demazter's comment ID:24780780.

Here's my reasons.

In my comment I stated that "The Desktop.ini file accepts 'relative' paths as well as 'absolute' paths." In my exploration of this with examples, I slightly missed the fact that a single icon in EACH of the folders on the server would do the trick, but essentially my information was good and a little experimenting should have confirmed this had Ralph tested it.
I prefer explaining things myself rather than just providing links, but in the last of demazter's links:
http://msdn.microsoft.com/en-us/library/cc144102(VS.85).aspx
If you look under the "Creating a Desktop.ini File" section, Table entry "IconFile", you will see confirmation of my statement about relative paths:

Quote:
"If you want to specify a custom icon for the folder, set this entry to the icon's file name. blah, blah. If you use a relative path, the icon is available to people who view the folder over the network. Blah, blah."
That seems to be confirmation "from the hoses mouth" so to speak
The example Desktop.ini file given at the bottom of that page shows that the icon in the SAME folder as the Desktop.ini file should then be visible to users opening this folder from another computer in a networked environment.
[.ShellClassInfo]
ConfirmFileOp=0
NoSharing=1
IconFile=Folder.ico
IconIndex=0
InfoTip=Some sensible information.
Hmmm.  I'm arguing over a 125 points split between two?  That's sad :-)
Bill
No, not "from the hoses mouth", that should be "from the horses mouth" (unless you're a fireman or a gardener).
I am with Bill
I am with Bill.
I will test this out. Sorry I am the only tech here for the entire Institute and the semester just started. I was installing new workstations. You all know how that is.
Give me a day to test this out.
Thank you angelIII and ModEErf