Set first image as folder preview in Windows 7

Question

I am trying to customize the way image folders appear in Win7 explorer, but I can't seem to get it under control.

Is there a way to force it to always pick the first image in the folder as the preview image? Explorer has perfectly fine natural sort order. I don't understand why it messes it up by picking semi-random images.

Answer 1

windows will either pick a photo, or used the photo named folder.jpg.

If you want the first folder to be used, you'd have to copy the first photo to a file named folder.jpg.

I don't know if there is any program or extended feature where you can change this behavior. I'd be interested in knowing too

UPDATE:

I've had this old script for years now, which i use to search and replace strings in directories. You can prob easily modify it to find the first jpg and copy it to folder. There's probably a way better method of doing this, but hopefully this will jump start ya.

create_folderdotjpg.vbs

Dim MyFile
MyFiles = GetFileArray(".")

For Each MyFile In MyFiles
    ' psuedo logic here
    ' get a list of all files in sub folder
    ' find the first jpg, and copy the file to folder.jpg
Next

MsgBox "Done..."

function GetFileArray(ByVal vPath)
    'Get our objects...
    Set FSO = CreateObject("Scripting.FileSystemObject")
    Set Folder = FSO.Getfolder(vPath)
    Set Files = Folder.SubFolders

    'Resize the local array
    'Arrays are 0 based but Files collection is 1 based.
    if Files.count = 0 then
        GetFileArray = array()
        Exit Function
    Else
        Index = 0
        Redim FileList(Files.Count-1)
        For Each File In Files
            set FileList(Index) = File
            Index = Index + 1
        Next
        GetFileArray = FileList
    End If

    'Always good practice to explicitly release objects...
    Set FSO = Nothing
    Set Folder = Nothing
    Set Files = Nothing

End function

Answer 2

This step has to be applied manually on each folder but works for me.

Steps:

1. Right-click on a Folder and select Properties

2. In the Properties windows select the Customise tab

3. Under "Folder pictures" click "Choose File..." and select an image

4. Under "Folder icons" click "Change Icon...", click "Restore Defaults", then Apply and OK.

That's it. It should work.

Source: http://www.sevenforums.com/customization/17237-how-apply-image-folder.html

Answer 3

You can manually change the preview picture here's how

Right Click > Properties > Customize