Difference between Folder and Directory HKCR Keys?

[kelaniz]

I posted part of this in the above 7-Zip context menu thread, but felt the need to expand on it, since it's such an annoying problem. So, without further ado...

First question.. Does anyone know what exactly the difference is between these two items?

 [HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\Directory\]

and..

   [HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\Folder\]

Specifically, what types of folders/dirs does each entry apply to? For example, I have a context menu entry for Flash Renamer (below) in my HKCR\Directory\Shell key. I also added the same value to HKCR\Folder\Shell to see if it made any difference, but it didn't do anything noticeable.

 [HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\Directory\shell\Flash Renamer]
 @="Start Flash Renamer..."

 [HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\Directory\shell\Flash Renamer\command]
 @="\"C:\\Program Files\\Flash Renamer 5.11\\FlashRen.exe\" \"/p %1\""

All my context menu entries appear only on folders that have at least one subfolder, but not on those without one. I can't figure out why that is. For example, in my F: drive (which also contains a backup of my build's $OEM$ folder) I have the following dirs:

--F:\--

$

$1

$Docs

$Progs

Reg2Add

Temp

Mp3

DMW

Misc Crap

----------

Now, If I right-click all of these folders individually, click properties, and check the type, they all say "File Folder". However, for the Temp and DMW directories, none of my \Shell entries display. Just the ContextMenu Handlers. The only difference between these two directories is, they have no subdirectories. If I add an empty folder, all the context menu items appear.The same behavior extends to subfolders. If the subfolder has no subfolder, no entries. That's incredibly annoying.

Anyone have any idea why this is, or how to fix it, without adding useless directories to every folder I want to be able to manage? I can't find an answer anywhere, and I'm sure i'm missing something obvious here

Kel

[jcarle]

I believe Directory is the entry that deals with actual file folders, I'm not sure what the Folder entry handles.

Edited April 23, 2007 by jcarle

[kelaniz]

Hmm. Neither do I. Though Directory does seem to be more important. Even weirder, changes to Directory seem to apply instantly, whereas changes to Folder seem to be delayed.

[kelaniz]

****. Guess nobody knows the details. Or, if they do, they aren't telling me

Expanding on what jcarle said, 2 hours of searching yielded one confusing answer (an admitted best guess... In Spanish)

Translated, it said "I think Directory handles actual file folders, and Folder handles file folders, shell folders, drives and any other special folders combined.

Makes sense to me. Dunno if he's right, though.

Kel