Sort folder's contents by date

[owend]

Hi there,

I have been writing an AHK script to open a number of explorer windows to different folders and arrange them on my screen using WinMove.

I need some of them to be arranged by date - can this be done in an ahk command? To save me going through each one, scrolling across to date modified and clicking (my windows are about 200x200 px), which usually takes 20 seconds. I need these folders sorted as soon ass possible after I open them.

Any and all suggestions welcome, but I am only a beginner with ahk!

Owen

[boiler]

Is your AHK script scrolling across to date modified and clicking in each window, or are you doing it manually? Seems like it should be a lot faster than 20 seconds (and a lot easier) if the script did it.

[jeeswg]

I don't think that AutoHotkey has any built-in functionality for this, which is I worked on these functions:
Explorer column interaction (get/set: which appear, width, ascending/descending order) - AutoHotkey Community
https://autohotkey.com/boards/viewtopic.php?f=6&t=33129

Here is an example which sorts by the Date column:

Code: Select all

q:: ;sort columns by date modified
WinGet, hWnd, ID, A
oWin := JEE_ExpWinGetObj(hWnd)
JEE_ExpGetInterfaces(oWin, isp, isb, isv, ifv2, icm)
;MsgBox, % JEE_IFV2GetSortColumns(ifv2)
;1: ascending, -1: descending
;vList := "System.ItemNameDisplay 1" ;Name
vList := "System.ItemDate 1" ;Date
;vList := "System.ItemTypeText 1" ;Type
;vList := "System.Size 1" ;Size
;vList := "System.Media.Duration 1" ;Length
;vList := "System.DateModified 1" ;Date modified
JEE_IFV2SetSortColumns(ifv2, vList)
isp := isb := isv := ifv2 := icm := ""
return

Note: you would also need to copy and paste some (or all) of the functions from that link into your script, as well as the example code above. Or keep the functions in a separate script, see #Include.
#Include
https://autohotkey.com/docs/commands/_Include.htm

Some of this code might be useful for tiling windows. Note: it's a good idea to SetWinDelay to make it faster when moving windows.
Tiling notepad.exe - AutoHotkey Community
https://autohotkey.com/boards/viewtopic.php?f=5&t=36611

[owend]

Thanks jeeswg, I'll have a look through this and let you know if it works! Looks quite complicated...But I'll have a go

(@boiler, I meant it takes 20 seconds to click through them all! I hadn't found a way for AHK to do it!)

[boiler]

You can have AHK simulate your scrolls and clicks. That's what it's good at doing.

[joefiesta]

It seems your code only sorts the Date Modified field ASCENDING.

You include the commented out line: ;1: ascending, -1: descending

The only line I see to modify from "1" to "-1" is: vList := "System.ItemDate 1" ;Date. But making that modification does not cause the script to sort DESCENDING. Am I missing something?

I run Windows 7 Pro, build 7601. My Explorer is version ??? (is there such a thing?)

Joe P.

[just me]

ShObjidl.h:

Code: Select all

/* [v1_enum] */ 
enum tagSORTDIRECTION
    {
        SORT_DESCENDING	= -1,
        SORT_ASCENDING	= 1
    } ;

System.ItemDate

If "System.ItemDate 1" is working correctly for you, "System.ItemDate -1" should also work.

Otherwise you might try System.DateAccessed, System.DateCreated, or System.DateModified (see https://docs.microsoft.com/en-us/windows/win32/api/propsys/nf-propsys-psgetpropertydescriptionbyname).