Mouse wheel scroll in Windows Explorer

[hedron]

Anytime I open windows explorer I have to click the panel in order for the scroll wheel to "kick in" and scroll the files. I want it to auto-select the panel so there is no need to click select the panel. How is this done?

 

[Snowknight26]

Sounds like something's preventing the Exlorer window from taking focus as it works the way it's supposed to for me. Have any extra toolbars loaded in Explorer?

 

[Joe Average]

If you clean open Explorer (like with Windows+E) it defaults to selecting Computer in the left hand pane, so if you're trying to scroll or manipulate data in the right hand pane (more typical), you'll have to move the focus to that side, and that requires a click.

The auto-focus thing (taken from the old days of X on UNIX boxen) is neat up to a point, but for most people it'll drive them insane fast if they've never ever used it before. I tried many many years past (decades, actually) and it just drove me batshit almost instantly, especially with several windows open at once.

Who knows, you might prefer it...

 

[Snowknight26]

If you clean open Explorer (like with Windows+E) it defaults to selecting Computer in the left hand pane

It actually doesn't. Press one of the arrow keys and items on the right side will be selected. Same applies to the scroll wheel.

 

[Joe Average]

True, but why bother pressing a key on the keyboard if your hand is already on the mouse (or mousewheel) waiting to be used to scroll, eh? That's what the OP is looking for: a method to alter the focus so the mouse-wheel scrolling functionality kicks in, and since it's logical to assume the hand is already on the mouse, then... *click*

 

[Snowknight26]

The point was, opening Explorer causes the right pane to have focus. Scrolling will work.

Try it yourself:
Type C:\windows into the start search, press enter, then simply scroll down.

 

[Joe Average]

Ugh... so complicated, what is it with you folks. Windows+E man... learn it, live it, love it.

 

[Snowknight26]

You missed the point again. Doing the C:\windows method brings you to a list where scrolling actually does something, whereas most of the time, opening Explorer at 'Computer' will give you a short list of items that isn't scrollable.

I'm just showing you that no matter what method you do, the right pane is active and the scroll wheel works as intended.

Even with your Windows key+E way, scrolling still works (provided the list requires scrolling), a la http://stfcc.org/misc/vids/?name=Explorer scroll wheel. (Mouse gets moved to the top right of the screen - I never click on the Explorer window.)

 

[Joe Average]

Yah, I got that... I'm not the one that missed that aspect of this whole fiasco.

 

[Snowknight26]

If you clean open Explorer (like with Windows+E) it defaults to selecting Computer in the left hand pane,

True, but why bother pressing a key on the keyboard if your hand is already on the mouse (or mousewheel) waiting to be used to scroll, eh? That's what the OP is looking for: a method to alter the focus so the mouse-wheel scrolling functionality kicks in, and since it's logical to assume the hand is already on the mouse, then... *click*

Ugh... so complicated, what is it with you folks. Windows+E man... learn it, live it, love it.

So what was all that about and why constantly go on tangents when they don't really have anything to do with the issue at hand?