FolderSize & IColumnProvider
The FolderSize project on Sourceforge does not work on Vista because it uses the IColumnProvider. After looking at this MSDN documentation about IColumnProvider, it is clear that Vista has replaced it with the Property System. I figure it is a matter of implementing the IInitializeWithStream interface, but I am nott sure where to begin.
The original author of FolderSize does not know what is required to add a custom column to Explorer in Vista. FolderSize calculates the total size of all folders and files (it also can display the # of folders, # of files and the # of siblings). It sure would be nice to get this working on Vista. I looked at the source code, and it's not too complicated, I might even take stab at modifying the source if I can get pointed in the right direction.
Thanks,
Mark
All Replies
- This is was one of the main features that should have been added in Vista. Now killing IColumnProvider makes it worse because now FolderSize for XP does not work for Vista. I am a 24x7 user of FolderSize and I hope other users raise their hands with me to help get this project up and running with or without support from Microsoft.
- MICROSOFT YOU DID WRONG SHAME ON YOU!
Seriously, unless you absorb foldersize into your OS so that I can do a sort on Folder Size and know where all my freaking data is going, you should allow this program to work by providing the API wrapper deal.
Anyway, now I am sad because Vista sucks in one more way.
___
djDef TreeSize Free is a good alternative for the the FolderSize column:
http://www.jam-software.com/freeware/
Best Regards,
Joachim
- Hey Mark,
I'm the developer of Folder Size. It should be portable to Vista, but I don't have a lot of time to spend on it. Let me know if you manage to modify the column to support the new Vista interface. I'll incorporate it into the program for everybody!
Cheers,
Brio - I'm just an avid fan of Folder Size. Not a very big fan of programming myself, but I appreciate the time that went into it and that it integrates so seamlessly into the OS.
I wont be switching to Vista until its made more stable and software compatible than it is now. Folder Size is one of those utilities that I need in order to efficiently manage my data.
Thanks Brio! I'm just converting over to Windows Vista on my new Core Duo system, as I'm having some significant Realtek sound related problems with (a fresh install of) Windows MCE.
Low and behold, I find that not only did the Vista folks not include a Folder Size column, they've made it difficult (hopefully, not impossible) for the author of the Folder Size program to update it?
You've really got to wonder how the folks at MS expect us end users to prune our file folders.
Hint: sorting by size, which is something they should've included with Vista AND XP, like they did with Outlook . . . .
I have used TreeSize Pro for years; it provides a shell extension that adds a "TreeSize" column to Explorer. I have noticed that the column does not appear in Vista, and TreeSize support confirms that "similar extension of the Explorer is not possible under Windows Vista."
Yes, please, make foldersize work for me in Vista!!! I've gone up to vista, but keep an older computer next to it, just to be able to use foldersize. And yes I've seen treesize, but it's not te same as having a foldersize right there inside explorer.
So, please, someone somewhere somehow make this work again...
I am devistated that there is no FolderSize support for Vista! I used it all the time and so did everyone I showed it to! Two years ago when I started using it I was just convinced that the next Windows OS would support the feature natively but instead they've gone the opposite route??
So now I'm using Vista without FolderSize and I don't know which folders are empty and which ones are exactly the same size, what's going to fit on a CD-R or my Flash drive, etc. etc. etc. etc.
Please respond to this post, Microsoft, FolderSize is EXTREMELY USEFUL!!!
PS: FolderSize developers, how do I donate? Please keep working on it!- Why does anyone care about Vista? Everyone I know is either sticking with XP Pro or ditching Micro$oft altogether and buying a Mac. So when is XP SP3 coming out?
- Because dx10 is vista exclusive
. So I upgraded.
Now I'm sad I have no foldersize. Shame on microsoft not only is the control panel a f*cking zoo, but I miss my address bar in explorer too. Oh ya and the parent directory up arrow. Oh ya and well ya you get the point I'm about to go back to XP. - buddy...no need for vista to use DX10...there is a hack for that... more details here http://www.technospot.net/blogs/download/#dxxp
- they have so much other grabage added to the columns but not what counts. And removed the api that allowed for custom soultions. Vista seems to of lost a lot of the file managment tweaks that where in xp. sure would like some guru to help this project get ported over to vista.
- I cant believe that MSFT hasnt implemented this great feature in first place, but deactivating all ways to add FolderSize capabilities is so incredibly stupid that I hardly find any words for it
- For some reason, foldersize DOES work on ONE of my vista machines... I'm not sure exactly how I got it to work but I am able to use it.
I will try installing it on my laptop, and I will post how I got it to work. - Do share!
- Oh!, I completely forgot to report back, thanks to the post alerts I linked back to here.
It did not work on my laptop, but it's so strange that it worked on my desktop without a hitch.
I just installed it like I would on XP. Very very strange.
I reformatted my desktop a few days ago because I got a few bluescreens (turns out it was my GFX card, so the reformat was a waste), so I am unable to try to determine how it worked on that machine.
Quite interesting I must say, I wonder if some sort of App, or hotfix I installed somehow made it work. - I have used Macs, Windows, and Linux since their early days. This feature has been on the Mac for a long time, but the main technical argument, I have seen, that MS avoids implementing this feature because it would be difficult to minimize the impact on performance with network drives.
Ignoring for the moment that somehow the Mac doesn't have this problem, so it isn't insurmountable, this feature is one that I depend on every day. I was forced into Vista because my new laptop has it (multiple cores, 4GB RAM) and there are features of Vista that I want (and many I don't).
My "solution" has been to download and install Virtual PC, install WinXP on a virtual HD JUST so I could get this feature back. It isn't a great solution, but at least it works.
Dale - This is incredibly frustrating. All I want is for it to display the size of all the items inside a folder when I am at the folder level.
If
'D:\porn" contains 1TB of porn in 1024 files
"D:\work" contains 2MB of word docs in 50 files
"D:\music" contains 1GB of music in 100 files
When I point explorer to D:\, I want to see folders for porn, work, and music, with 1TB, 2MB, and 1GB next to them. The Vista columns seem like they would work, but they aren't. I'm running Ultimate, updated recently. RIP FolderSize.
I am seriously considering switching to Apple for this basic functionality. - Is there any news on this with vista sp2 or windows 7 RC 64bits? I have 6gb of ram with quad core and simply can't go back to xp for obvious reasons but I miss my foldersize column so much ... please inform me on any update on the matter. We want this damned IColumnProvider !
Anyhow it should be included de-facto in windows vista+ we don't need the folder size in the tip area at the buttom, it's just plain ridiculous - I also missed FolderSize for a long time on Vista. But then I found this:
www.win.tue.nl/sequoiaview
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/SequoiaView
This, IMHO, is better than FolderSize. I agree it is not embedded in you Explorer, and you cannot sort or anything... but when its time for hard-disk cleanup, this utility really is helpful. I have been using it for about an year now, and am very happy customer of this free software. I have used TreeSize Pro for years; it provides a shell extension that adds a "TreeSize" column to Explorer. I have noticed that the column does not appear in Vista, and TreeSize support confirms that "similar extension of the Explorer is not possible under Windows Vista."
So Brian is not alone with this, as a developer. Microsoft, what's going on? Can a MVP please stand up and reply? Why remove IColumnProvider Interface? I don't think Windows 7 has this either. I haven't tried yet. Please take action on http://foldersize.sourceforge.net/ - it is open source!- I was a happy user of FolderSize as well and after getting vista (and subsequently Windows 7) I am very disappointed that Microsoft has seen it fit to remove the functionality that made this utility possible to use. I do offer a solution for those who really need to see folder sizes: Total Commander. I use total commander almost exclusively now for browsing my computer and managing data and there is a plugin available for TC that adds folder sizes as an optional column. Total Commander isn't free, but it is an extremely useful program thats worth the price.
