Windows – Win Explorer shortcut to expand folder in navigation pane

You could try another file manager, but it is unlikely you can get rid of 'Windows Explorer' - it is rather integral to Windows.

To get that specific behaviour, under the 'Tools' menu, click 'Folder Options', and check 'Automatically Expand to Current Folder'; Click OK and restart Windows Explorer.

I can't vouch for the latest version of TextPad because I haven't tried it. However Textpad v5.4.2 has a persistent folder/file tree. View > explorer.

Notepad++ has a plugin called Light Explorer that does Tree View with files. To Install:

1. Download Notepad++
2. Plugins > Plugin Manager > Show Plugin Manager > Available > Light Explorer
3. After this it will add a folder looking shortcut in the top toolbar

You can also run Light Explorer in its own instance separate from another notepad++ install. It will take a separate space in the taskbar which is nice. See Below:

1. Download notepad++ v5.7: https://notepad-plus-plus.org/download/v5.7.html (.zip file)
2. Download LightExplorer.dll (UNICODE) {I used v2.0Unicode}: https://sourceforge.net/projects/npp-plugins/files/LightExplorer/
3. copy/paste into plugins directory.
4. Open notepad++ Plugins > Light Explorer > Light Explorer
5. Full screen Light Explorer
6. Create Shortcut from notepad++.exe
7. Change icon of shortcut to a Folder Icon in order to show up differently in the taskbar. There are folder icons in: C:\Windows\System32\shell32.dll

Here is an Autoit snippet from Yashied: https://www.autoitscript.com/forum/topic/124430-display-on-the-fly-a-directory-tree-in-a-treeview/

#Include <GUIConstantsEx.au3>
#Include <GUIImageList.au3>
#Include <GUITreeView.au3>
#Include <TreeViewConstants.au3>
#Include <WindowsConstants.au3>
#Include <WinAPIEx.au3>

Opt('MustDeclareVars', 1)

Global $hForm, $hTreeView, $hImageList, $hItem, $hNext, $hSelect = 0, $hInput, $Input, $Dummy1, $Dummy2
Global $X, $Y, $sPath, $sRoot = @HomeDrive

$hForm = GUICreate('MyGUI', 600, 600)
$Input = GUICtrlCreateInput('', 20, 20, 560, 19)
$hInput = GUICtrlGetHandle(-1)
GUICtrlSetState(-1, $GUI_DISABLE)
GUICtrlCreateTreeView(20, 50, 560, 530, -1, $WS_EX_CLIENTEDGE)
$hTreeView = GUICtrlGetHandle(-1)
$Dummy1 = GUICtrlCreateDummy()
$Dummy2 = GUICtrlCreateDummy()

If _WinAPI_GetVersion() >= '6.0' Then
    _WinAPI_SetWindowTheme($hTreeView, 'Explorer')
EndIf

$hImageList = _GUIImageList_Create(16, 16, 5, 1)
_GUIImageList_AddIcon($hImageList, @SystemDir & '\shell32.dll', 3)
_GUIImageList_AddIcon($hImageList, @SystemDir & '\shell32.dll', 4)
_GUICtrlTreeView_SetNormalImageList($hTreeView, $hImageList)
$sRoot = StringRegExpReplace($sRoot, '\\+\Z', '')
$sPath = StringRegExpReplace($sRoot, '^.*\\', '')
If StringInStr($sPath, ':') Then
    $sRoot &= '\'
    $sPath &= '\'
EndIf

;_GUICtrlTreeView_BeginUpdate($hTreeView)
_TVUpdate($hTreeView, _GUICtrlTreeView_AddChild($hTreeView, 0, $sPath, 0, 0))
;_GUICtrlTreeView_EndUpdate($hTreeView)

GUIRegisterMsg($WM_NOTIFY, 'WM_NOTIFY')
GUISetState()

_GUICtrlTreeView_Expand($hTreeView, _GUICtrlTreeView_GetFirstItem($hTreeView))

While 1
    Switch GUIGetMsg()
        Case $GUI_EVENT_CLOSE
            Exit
        Case $Dummy1 ; Update
            GUISetCursor(1, 1)
            $hItem = _GUICtrlTreeView_GetFirstChild($hTreeView, GUICtrlRead($Dummy1))
            If $hItem Then
                While $hItem
                    $hNext = _GUICtrlTreeView_GetNextSibling($hTreeView, $hItem)
                    If Not _TVUpdate($hTreeView, $hItem) Then
                        _GUICtrlTreeView_Delete($hTreeView, $hItem)
                    EndIf
                    $hItem = $hNext
                WEnd
                _WinAPI_RedrawWindow($hTreeView)
            EndIf
            GUISetCursor(2, 0)
        Case $Dummy2 ; Menu
            $hItem = GUICtrlRead($Dummy2)
            $sPath = _TVGetPath($hTreeView, $hItem, $sRoot)

            ConsoleWrite('-------------------------------' & @CR)
            ConsoleWrite('Handle: ' & $hItem & @CR)
            ConsoleWrite('Path:   ' & $sPath & @CR)
            If _WinAPI_PathIsDirectory($sPath) Then
                ConsoleWrite('Type:   ' & 'Directory' & @CR)
            Else
                ConsoleWrite('Type:   ' & 'File' & @CR)
            EndIf
            ConsoleWrite('X:      ' & MouseGetPos(0) & @CR)
            ConsoleWrite('Y:      ' & MouseGetPos(1) & @CR)
            ConsoleWrite('-------------------------------' & @CR)

    EndSwitch
WEnd

Func _TVGetPath($hTV, $hItem, $sRoot)

    Local $Path = StringRegExpReplace(_GUICtrlTreeView_GetTree($hTV, $hItem), '([|]+)|(\\[|])', '\\')

    If Not $Path Then
        Return ''
    EndIf
    If Not StringInStr($Path, ':') Then
        Return StringRegExpReplace($sRoot, '(\\[^\\]*(\\|)+)\Z', '\\') & $Path
    EndIf
    Return $Path
EndFunc   ;==>_TVGetPath

Func _TVSetPath($hTV, $hItem, $sRoot)
    GUICtrlSetData($Input, _WinAPI_PathCompactPath($hInput, _TVGetPath($hTV, $hItem, $sRoot), 554))
    $hSelect = $hItem
EndFunc   ;==>_TVSetPath

Func _TVUpdate($hTV, $hItem)

    Local $hImageList = _SendMessage($hTV, $TVM_GETIMAGELIST)
    Local $Path = StringRegExpReplace(_TVGetPath($hTV, $hItem, $sRoot), '\\+\Z', '')
    Local $hSearch, $hIcon, $Index, $File

    $hSearch = FileFindFirstFile($Path & '\*')
    If $hSearch = -1 Then
        If Not @error Then
            If FileExists($Path) Then
;               If _WinAPI_PathIsDirectory($Path) Then
;                   ; Access denied
;               EndIf
            Else
                Return 0
            EndIf
        EndIf
    Else
        While 1
            $File = FileFindNextFile($hSearch)
            If @error Then
                ExitLoop
            EndIf
            If @extended Then
                _GUICtrlTreeView_AddChild($hTV, $hItem, $File, 0, 0)
            EndIf
        WEnd
        FileClose($hSearch)
    EndIf
    $hSearch = FileFindFirstFile($Path & '\*')
    If $hSearch = -1 Then

    Else
        While 1
            $File = FileFindNextFile($hSearch)
            If @error Then
                ExitLoop
            EndIf
            If Not @extended Then
                $hIcon = _WinAPI_ShellExtractAssociatedIcon($Path & '\' & $File, 1)
                $Index = _GUIImageList_ReplaceIcon($hImageList, -1, $hIcon)
                _GUICtrlTreeView_AddChild($hTV, $hItem, $File, $Index, $Index)
                _WinAPI_DestroyIcon($hIcon)
            EndIf
        WEnd
        FileClose($hSearch)
    EndIf
    Return 1
EndFunc   ;==>_TVUpdate

Func WM_NOTIFY($hWnd, $iMsg, $wParam, $lParam)

    Local $tNMTREEVIEW = DllStructCreate($tagNMTREEVIEW, $lParam)
    Local $hItem = DllStructGetData($tNMTREEVIEW, 'NewhItem')
    Local $iState = DllStructGetData($tNMTREEVIEW, 'NewState')
    Local $hTV = DllStructGetData($tNMTREEVIEW, 'hWndFrom')
    Local $ID = DllStructGetData($tNMTREEVIEW, 'Code')
    Local $tTVHTI, $tPoint

    Switch $hTV
        Case $hTreeView
            Switch $ID
                Case $TVN_ITEMEXPANDEDW
                    If Not FileExists(_TVGetPath($hTV, $hItem, $sRoot)) Then
                        _GUICtrlTreeView_Delete($hTV, $hItem)
                        If BitAND($iState, $TVIS_SELECTED) Then
                            _TVSetPath($hTV, _GUICtrlTreeView_GetSelection($hTV), $sRoot)
                        EndIf
                    Else
                        If Not BitAND($iState, $TVIS_EXPANDED) Then
                            _GUICtrlTreeView_SetSelectedImageIndex($hTV, $hItem, 0)
                            _GUICtrlTreeView_SetImageIndex($hTV, $hItem, 0)
                        Else
                            _GUICtrlTreeView_SetSelectedImageIndex($hTV, $hItem, 1)
                            _GUICtrlTreeView_SetImageIndex($hTV, $hItem, 1)
                            If Not _GUICtrlTreeView_GetItemParam($hTV, $hItem) Then
                                _GUICtrlTreeView_SetItemParam($hTV, $hItem, 0x7FFFFFFF)
                                GUICtrlSendToDummy($Dummy1, $hItem)
                            EndIf
                        EndIf
                    EndIf
                Case $TVN_SELCHANGEDW
                    If BitAND($iState, $TVIS_SELECTED) Then
                        If Not FileExists(_TVGetPath($hTV, $hItem, $sRoot)) Then
                            _GUICtrlTreeView_Delete($hTV, $hItem)
                            $hItem = _GUICtrlTreeView_GetSelection($hTV)
                        EndIf
                        If $hItem <> $hSelect Then
                            _TVSetPath($hTV, $hItem, $sRoot)
                        EndIf
                    EndIf
                Case $NM_RCLICK
                        $tPoint = _WinAPI_GetMousePos(1, $hTV)
                        $tTVHTI = _GUICtrlTreeView_HitTestEx($hTV, DllStructGetData($tPoint, 1), DllStructGetData($tPoint, 2))
                        $hItem = DllStructGetData($tTVHTI, 'Item')
                        If BitAND(DllStructGetData($tTVHTI, 'Flags'), $TVHT_ONITEM) Then
                            _GUICtrlTreeView_SelectItem($hTreeView, $hItem)
                            If Not FileExists(_TVGetPath($hTV, $hItem, $sRoot)) Then
                                _GUICtrlTreeView_Delete($hTV, $hItem)
                                $hItem = _GUICtrlTreeView_GetSelection($hTV)
                            Else
                                GUICtrlSendToDummy($Dummy2, $hItem)
                            EndIf
                            If $hItem <> $hSelect Then
                                _TVSetPath($hTV, $hItem, $sRoot)
                            EndIf
                        EndIf
                EndSwitch
    EndSwitch
    Return $GUI_RUNDEFMSG
EndFunc   ;==>WM_NOTIFY

The above snippet has the correct icons for each file. It isnt as fast as the snippet below. No drag N drop features. But they could definitely be added.

Heres another Autoit snippet from spudw2k: https://www.autoitscript.com/forum/topic/80327-filebrowser-with-treeview/?do=findComment&comment=580714

#include <GUIConstantsEx.au3>
#include <TreeViewConstants.au3>
#include <WindowsConstants.au3>
#Include <GuiTreeView.au3>
#Include <File.au3>

$gui = GUICreate("File Browser", 362, 378, -1, -1)
$tree = GUICtrlCreateTreeView(0, 0, 361, 377)
GUICtrlSetFont(-1,10)
GUICtrlSetColor($tree, 0x00FF00)
GUICtrlSetBkColor($tree,0x000000)

$hImage = _GUIImageList_Create(16, 16, 5, 2)
_GUIImageList_AddIcon($hImage, @SystemDir & "\shell32.dll", 4)
_GUIImageList_AddIcon($hImage, @SystemDir & "\shell32.dll", 54)
_GUICtrlTreeView_SetNormalImageList($tree, $hImage)

GUIRegisterMsg($WM_NOTIFY, "WM_NOTIFY")

$root = _GUICtrlTreeView_AddChild($tree,"","C:",0)
GUISetState(@SW_SHOW)

While 1
    $msg = GUIGetMsg()
    If $msg= -3 Then ExitLoop
WEnd

Func _SearchFolder($folder,$parent,$level=0)
    If $level >= 1 Then Return
    $files = _FileListToArray($folder,"*",1)
    $folders = _FileListToArray($folder,"*",2)
    _FolderFunc($folders,$folder,$parent,$level)
    _FileFunc($files,$parent)
EndFunc

Func _FileFunc($files,$parent)
    For $i = 1 To UBound($files)-1
        _GUICtrlTreeView_AddChild($tree,$parent,$files[$i],1,1)
    Next
EndFunc

Func _FolderFunc($folders,$folder,$parent,$level)
    For $i = 1 To UBound($folders)-1
        $parentitem = _GUICtrlTreeView_AddChild($tree,$parent,$folders[$i],0)
        _SearchFolder($folder & "\" & $folders[$i],$parentitem,$level+1)
    Next   
EndFunc

Func WM_NOTIFY($hWnd, $iMsg, $iwParam, $ilParam)
    Local $hWndFrom, $iIDFrom, $iCode, $tNMHDR
    $hWndTreeView = GUICtrlGetHandle($tree)
    $tNMHDR = DllStructCreate($tagNMHDR, $ilParam)
    $hWndFrom = HWnd(DllStructGetData($tNMHDR, "hWndFrom"))
    $iIDFrom = DllStructGetData($tNMHDR, "IDFrom")
    $iCode = DllStructGetData($tNMHDR, "Code")
    Switch $hWndFrom
        Case $hWndTreeView
            Switch $iCode
                Case -451
                    $item = _GUICtrlTreeView_GetSelection($hWndTreeView)
                    $root = $item
                    If _GUICtrlTreeView_GetChildCount($hWndTreeView,$item) <= 0 Then
                        $txt = _GUICtrlTreeView_GetText($hWndTreeView,$item)
                        Do
                            $parent = _GUICtrlTreeView_GetParentHandle($hWndTreeView,$item)
                            If $parent <> 0 Then
                                $txt = _GUICtrlTreeView_GetText($hWndTreeView,$parent) & "\" & $txt
                                $item = $parent
                            EndIf
                        Until $parent = 0
                        _SearchFolder($txt,$root)
                    EndIf
            EndSwitch
    EndSwitch
    Return $GUI_RUNDEFMSG
EndFunc

The above snippet doesn't have the correct icons for each file, but is surprisingly fast. No Drag N drop.

Here is .NET source code that does exactly what your asking. All you would have to do is modify to suite your needs:

https://code.msdn.microsoft.com/windowsapps/File-System-Tree-View-3a28325c

For those who don't have the ability to modify the source, I have taken the above source code, made slight modifications, and compiled the executable. Here it is:

https://www.dropbox.com/s/xb4f3skrcs20om4/ExplorerTreee.zip?dl=1

Alternatively, there is a program called QTTabBar that can do this in the form of context menus:

There are two version of this program though. 1038 has a sorry install package, but is feature packed and awesome. 1.5.0.0 Beta 2 has an awesome install package but is not as awesome and doesn't have as many features.

Awesome version 1038

Awesome version 1038 plugins

Awesome version 1038 plugins source

Good installer version 1.5.0.0 Beta 2

Good installer version 1.5.0.0 Beta 2 all files

Good installer version 1.5.0.0 Beta 2 source code

You could probably make a plugin for the awesome version 1038 that would have a persistent Tree View w/files.

You could modify the source code of the Good installer version 1.5.0.0 Beta 2 to get the persistent Tree View w/files.

Sometimes the awesome version installs on some PCs just fine. I have had trouble installing the awesome version in the past, and what I have done to fix it is install the version that has the awesome installer.