Explorer.exe Command Line Switches

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	Explorer.exe Command Line Switches

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Added by geKow, last edited by jhonen jones on Aug 08, 2005

This is taken in part from MSDN in Q152457

Explorer [/n(,)] [/e(,)] [/root,<object>] [/select,<object>]

/n
Always opens a new single-pane window for the default selection. This is usually the root of the drive Windows is installed on. If the window is already open, a duplicate opens.
/e
Uses "Explorer" (instead of "Open") with the treeview.
/root,<object>
Sets the "object" (a path, CLSID, or IDLIST item) as the root (ie: you can't navigate above that)
/select,<object>
Starts with this "object" (generally, a folder or file) selected.
/IDLIST
lets explorer use folder's Unique ID's (these are temporary, and seem to have the main purpose of differentiating similar paths ??)

Note that if you use /n or /e you MUST use a comma between them and the <object> (regardless of whether you use /root or /select)

Examples:

Explorer /select,C:\test\application.exe

Opens a window view with application selected.

Example 2:

Explorer /e,/root,C:\test\application.exe

This opens Explorer with C: expanded and application selected.

Example 3:

Explorer /root,\\server\sharename

Opens a window view of the specified share.

Example 4:

Explorer /root,\\\server\sharename,/select,application.exe

Opens a window view of the specified share with application selected.

Comments (Hide)

Would anyone know how to boot explorer.exe as a shell? E. g., these command-line switches are incomplete - somehow winlogon.exe boots explorer.exe as a shell when it's specified in HKLM...\Windows NT\Winlogon\Shell.

Posted by Anonymous at Oct 14, 2005 19:39 | Permalink

There's no way to explicitly call explorer.exe in shell mode. It checks to see if another instance of itself is running in shell mode, so that if you have no shell running and call explorer.exe, it will load in shell mode and not in folder navigator mode. Subsequent calls will load as the familiar windows explorer.

However, I've noticed this behavior as well if you are NOT RUNNING an instance of explorer.exe as shell:
If the HKLM\Software\Microsoft\Windows NT\CurrentVersion\Winlogon\Shell key is not set to "explorer.exe", and you call explorer.exe, it will open a window. If the key does = "explorer.exe", it will run as a taskbar.

NOTE that the only reason that the key would not be set to "explorer.exe" is if you run some desktop shell other than explorer.exe (That should be obvious...).

I don't know what you're trying to do by calling explorer.exe in shell mode, but try these keys:
-HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Explorer\Advanced\SeparateProcess = 1(dword)
This will make explorer.exe not check if it is loaded as shell, so it will always run as an explorer window.

-HKLM\Software\Microsoft\Windows NT\CurrentVersion\IniFileMapping\system.ini\boot
This is what calls the string in the HKLM\Software\Microsoft\Windows NT\CurrentVersion\Winlogon\Shell key

Posted by Anonymous at Dec 15, 2005 20:16 | Permalink

I'm experiencing the same problem.

I wrote an end user license agreement for the computers at my office.
The file is called myeula.exe.
I have replaced the reg value:
HKLM\Software\Microsoft\Windows NT\CurrentVersion\Winlogon\Shell to myeula.exe

When the user logges on to the workstation he gets a windows that asks a question.
if the user answers NO then he is presented with a message and right after will be logged off.
(Working fine)

If the user answers YES i want to open the users desktop (UI), by running the
file "Explorer.exe".

The problem is the command will launch windows explorer and not the Full UI (taskbar, etc..)

I even checked for the reg keys of "desktop process" and "separate process"
Created them, modified them to 1 or 0 and even deleted them. None seems to work.

Did you found an answer since the last post.

10Q

gamgam

Posted by gamgam at Aug 29, 2006 05:13 | Permalink