Music-note watermark in Explorer (XP/SP3)

[ChrisGreaves]

eraseme.PNG

I can't believe I've not noticed this before!
When I am examining the contents of a folder of music folders in Windows Explorer, a watermark image appears at the lower right-hand corner of the right-hand pane.

Before I sacrifice both cats to rid myself of this omen, can anyone shed light on it?
Is it a new thing in Windows XP/SP3? Surely not at this late stage of the game.
Is it visible evidence that I have been downloading adult porn? I hope not.
Too many games of Bubble-Shooter late at night?

I feel stigmatized.

[mbarron]

There are two others.
Folders with Videos

myVideos.jpg

and folders with Pictures.

myPicts.jpg

Go here for instructions on how to remove them.

[Argus]

No, Chris, you can rest assured that it's been there all the time (and the possibility, also a long time in the Windows era sort of) and it's not related to what you download or anything else but your choice of theme and appearance in XP.

First, it is not there if one use "Windows Classic Folders"
(Tools, Folder Options, General tab); i.e. the setting used if one doesn't want the task pane in Explorer folders (common tasks and links to the left in the folders).

It's not there if you use the "Windows classic" theme (Right-click desktop, Properties, Themes tab), or if you change the appearance on the Appearance tab to "Windows classic"; with this setting the task pane will be there, but not the XP style.

It's not there, if you deactivate Visual Effects or change the Use a background image for each folder type in System properties (more or less the same as the above, but yet another way of doing things...; System Properties, Advanced tab, Performance section, Settings, Visual Effects).

It's called a Folder Template, and it's been possible to change these for quite some time. Windows XP includes some standard templates/backgrounds. When you create folders XP can decide which template to use for the folder (the "My folders", Music etc. are created by the OS, and XP has applied templates, in fact, you can't customize these folders, only their sub folders); or you can do it manually.

When you are showing a folder in Explorer you can select: View; Customize This Folder from the menu, or via right-click on an empty space in the folder (or, if in a parent folder, right-click and select Properties, Customize tab).

Note, it isn't only about the little background image, watermark, in the corner; when you change template for a folder it will also change some tasks in the task pane, i.e. they are created for different activities (if you are showing the task pane that is... see above ).

You can create custom backgrounds via the hidden Desktop.ini files in folders, using IconArea_Image.
For example:

Code: Select all

[ExtShellFolderViews]
{BE098140-A513-11D0-A3A4-00C04FD706EC}={BE098140-A513-11D0-A3A4-00C04FD706EC}
[{BE098140-A513-11D0-A3A4-00C04FD706EC}]
IconArea_Image=X:\path\to\the_image_file.xyz
[.ShellClassInfo]

The icon text will be black, as usual, as if using IconArea_Text=0x00000000, but if you want something else add it and change the HEX; for example IconArea_Text=0x00FF0000 will result in blue text.

There are also, no surprises, software out there to help with this for those who want.

Oh by the way, if you change a lot of folders now, you might notice that XP suddenly forgets some customizations that you have done earlier. It can keep track of 5000 folders, changed in SP2, the earlier value was 400. http://support.microsoft.com/default.aspx?kbid=813711" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

[ChrisGreaves]

First, it is not there if one use "Windows Classic Folders"

Argus, thanks for the comprehensive reply.
I checked my Folder settings:

1.PNG

Either I have inadvertently set myself away from Classic, or Windows has it in for me.
O mean, me, of all people, not choosing and sticking with the old way of doing things
It *is* possible that it has been there all along, but not likely, since I spend far too much time rebuilding my D:\Music\ subfolders.

[ChrisGreaves]

Go here for instructions on how to remove them.

Thanks, mbarron.
The site you linked to will probably suck up another hour of my day, if I let it

[Argus]

I checked my Folder settings:
Either I have inadvertently set myself away from Classic, or Windows has it in for me.

I'm not going to argue with you, but if "Windows" suddenly changes the setting to "Show common tasks in folders" (default setting in XP), instead of classic folders, then the little watermark in the corner is the smallest change you'll see; you get a Task pane covering 20-25 % of the folder.

TP.png

I thought you used the classic theme/appearance, and as mentioned (my second example) there's no images in that theme, and then, as shown in your first attachment, had changed to the XP theme for some reason.

[ChrisGreaves]

you get a Task pane covering 20-25 % of the folder.

Not me, Argus. :Argu[e]s:
I just switched back away from Classic View, and re-checked the various menu possibilities.
I see no Task Pane.

I suspect that my Windows XP/SP3 is messed up enough to start showing the watermarks but not the Task Pane.
I really think I'd have spotted those watermarks over the past 8 years had they been there.

Each time I reload Windows (about once per year) I run through a checklist which includes the various Explorer settings dear to my heart; Classic View is high on the list.

Of course, now I'm worried that I don't get a Task Pane!
We can close this thread; I was mainly curious as to where this watermark came from (Also worried that my mind was slipping away faster than predicted!). I couldn't imagine that it was a new feature in WinXP after all these years.

2.PNG

[HansV]

Try turning off the "Folders" button in the toolbar...

[ChrisGreaves]

Try turning off the "Folders" button in the toolbar...

Well, :Duh Me:.
There I was looking for something along the lines of "Make Task Pane Visible", and I should have been looking for "Make Folders Invisible"

That did the trick.
Task Pane, eh. That's a novelty.

I use the Folders button only to revert to my normal view after perusing and pursuing a Search.
That is, I've always treated the Folders button as a get-out-of-search-mode button.

Thanks, Hans.

[Argus]

Not me, Argus. :Argu[e]s:
I just switched back away from Classic View, and re-checked the various menu possibilities.
I see no Task Pane.

Nah, but that is because you are looking at a random folder that you have created, with Explorer (Winkey-E; or via Start, All Programs, Accessories, Windows Explorer), and in that mode Explorer will show the Navigation pane by default. The Folders button toggles between the Task pane and the Navigation pane, if you are using the Folder Option "Show common tasks in folders". Another way, if you click on the "X" (close button), top right in the Navigation pane, you will also see the Task pane.

But if you have the Folder Options set to Windows classic folders the Folders button will toggle between Navigation pane and no pane at all.

If you take a look at, for example, the default "My Music" folder via the Start menu, or My Computer, (if you haven't removed them from that place), you will see a Task pane in Explorer at first view in that mode, if you still have the Folder Option set to "Show common tasks in folders", as mentioned in your other post.

As I mentioned, when we create a folder XP tries to decide what is the "common denominator" for the files; music, pictures etc. and then it applies a folder template for the folder, and if it doesn't it will use the standard (Documents), or we can change that later on.

So it has nothing to do with the Task pane per se, I just mentioned that you will not see the "watermark" if you turn off the task pane and in certain other cases. I see nothing odd at all in your setup, seems to be the default XP theme and Folder Options, and then the “watermark” is expected in some folders that have certain templates applied to them.