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.

Thanks!

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

You can manually change the preview picture here's how

Right Click > Properties > Customize