This article is a tutorial on how to add the printer directory feature for folders in Windows XP, Windows Vista or Windows 7. The procedure for Windows Vista and Windows 7 is the same.
STEP-BY-STEP GUIDE
FOR WINDOWS XP USERS
Follow these simple steps
STEP 1 – CREATE THE PRINTDIR.BAT FILE
1. Click Start, click Run, type notepad, and then click OK.
2. Paste the following text into Notepad:
@echo off
dir %1 /-p /o:gn > “%temp%\Listing”
start /w notepad /p “%temp%\Listing”
del “%temp%\Listing”
exit
3. Go to File, click Exit, and then click Yes to save the changes.
4. In the Save As dialog box, type %windir%\Printdir.bat, and then click Save.
STEP 2 – CREATE A NEW ACTION FOR FILE FOLDERS
1. Click Start, click Control Panel, and then click Folder Options.
2. On the File Types tab, click File Folder.
3. Click Advanced, and then click New.
4. In the Action box, type Print Directory Listing.
5. In the Application used to perform action box, type printdir.bat.
6. Click OK.
7. Click OK two times, and then Close.
STEP 3 – EDIT THE REGISTRY
After you are done with the previous steps, Search Companion may start when you double-click a folder instead of the folder getting opened. Or, if you have associated other actions with file folders, those actions may be performed instead of the folder opening as usual.
To solve this, do the following
1. Open Registry Editor.
2. Locate the Default value under the following registry subkey
HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\Directory\shell
3. On the Edit menu, click Modify.
4. In the Value data box, type none.
5. Click OK.
6. Exit Registry Editor.
FOR WINDOWS VISTA/WINDOWS 7 USERS
Follow these simple steps
STEP 1 – CREATE THE PRINTDIR.BAT FILE
1. Click Start, click Run, type notepad, and then click OK.
2. Paste the following text into Notepad
@echo off
dir %1 /-p /o:gn > “%temp%\Listing”
start /w notepad /p “%temp%\Listing”
del “%temp%\Listing”
exit
3. Go to File, click Exit, and then click Yes to save the changes.
4. In the Save As dialog box, type %windir%\Printdir.bat, and then click Save.
STEP 2 – EDIT THE REGISTRY
1. Open Registry Editor.
2. Locate the following registry key
HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\Directory\shell
3. On the Edit menu, click New, and then click Key. Type Print Directory Listing, and then press ENTER.
4. Select Print Directory Listing, click New on the Edit menu, and then click Key.
5. Enter a command for the name of the new subkey, and then press ENTER.
6. Double-click the default entry that is listed in the “command” subkey.
7. In the Value data box, type Printdir.bat %1.
8. Click OK, and then exit.
Users should note that in the process of modifying the registry, if the method employed is incorrect, chances are serious damage can be caused to your computer system’s functioning. Therefore, it is highly recommended that the above outlined steps be followed carefully. For added protection, it is advisable to back up the registry before modifying it. By doing so, you can restore the registry in case of any errors.
