How To Add Image To Windows Explorer Left Panel

You can't add an image on the left side. You can make it whatever color you want however.

In skinstudio go to edit explorer. IE shell parts. Than click on Edit Explorer Parts in the menu. Look for Folders Bar and click on Extra Settings. Here you can change the color of the left side using the drop down menu. 

You can also make your own colors if you open Change skin colors from the main menu. Than you can go back to the drop down menu and it will be there. Remember after you make your own colors before leaving the color section you must click Apply.

Note in the Folders bar section you will see a graphic. It really isn't visible anywhere but a graphic must be in this location so don't get rid of it.

Thanks for the quick reply. Is there a way to change the background color of the right side Explorer preview pane?

I thought above you said you figured out the right side. If you just want a color you still need to add a graphic but just add one with the color you want. Also it can be small in size. For example you can just make it 10px by 10px. In SS you would go to the Backgrounds section and open it. Under Explorer backgrounds the top one is active window. The next one is inactive window. You don't need the inactive window if you don't want it. THe inactive window shows the color lets say when the window is open and you click on the taskbar button for it. If you are going to use both than make the inactive a different color. 

We´ve been requesting updates for this forever.

Transparency & or image in that field, but.............................................................

ded end.

Dave, maybe the OP  means the preview pane also, not just  the explorer backgrounds. As far as if there is a way, that would be no through sks on the preview pane.The right side,normally hidden portion.

As far as the explorer  and the tiled image, you have to make a tile that can be laced together on all sides to use a small image,seamless look. To do just a gradient or such, tall or wide are better . Say 1pixel by 1 or 2 thousand pixels.Takes some practice to get what you want.Apologies if I misunderstood.

I wonder also if the lack of being able to change these ares is because it is considered hacking the code?Or some term..The reason I wonder is because people do change that to transparent and such, just not with sks. And, on that note, while making Urban Sound, every time I applied the skin after a change, I would get transparent images on that left side. wow it looked nice. Just a short term glitch I guess. But says its possible to me. Hmm, Stardock, please, with sugar on top.

You can make a super large image, say 2000 x 2000 and see how it looks.

May try addin text to the code editor also to change tile.

Insert: Tile=then 1,2 ,3 ,4 see what happens.Or 0 I guess. Works for me anyhow.

I browse the code in some skins made by stardock to see what differences there are and there are several added lines it appears. Is there a list?

Making patterns into tiles is a separate skinning venture in itself. There is a textures section here at WC if you are interested in that.Download a few and see how they are made. If you like, I could send you a few of my originals to examine. Just takes practice and imagination. I would also be glad to help if you needed it with making the actual texture file so you could share here.Offers out there, no need to respond, just send me a PM if you decide down the road you do, or, throw up a post like you did, tons of skilled help available here on a daily basis.DT1

Thanks all for your responses. Dave, I was able to change the main right side explorer but Doortech was right about what I meant. I was speaking of the expandable preview pane that you can open on the right side for quick viewing pictures and media. Before I bought WindowBlinds and Sks I had experimented with Resource Hacker and used it to alter the Aero msstyles file. I was able to change the color of the right side but not the left or preview pane with the recommended tweaks so I got frustrated and tried something. I went thru the 'variant' string in msstyles and changed every instance of FFFFFF to BABABA and I changed the left side and preview pane to gray but everything else was gray too. So it can be done, I just don't know which instance  of FFFFFF needs to be modified to change the preview pane specifically. There where just to many instances of FFFFFF to go thru and change one by one, testing after each one. Boy Linux sure is a lot easier to customize than windows. Thanks again for all your reply's. I'm glad I posted. 

Question...what if the graphic for the left pane contained an image. Wouldn't that work just as well as a solid color or gradient? Instead of adding to it make it a part of the graphic.

My bad. Sorry as Brian figured what you were asking and I missed it. 

That would make all skinners stupid, were not!We would have figured that out,lol.

Which answer do you prefer DoorTech. The one that is reasonable or the one that isn't. I think my question was a sound one. IMO

I prefer the answer I gave as opposed to Neone, but you do not I guess.That is why I put a LOL on the end, so as not to ruffle your feathers, sorry. :'(

I should also mention that if you did a giant image to overcome the tile effect, it will not be consistent.Meaning as you stretch or resize the window it will change somewhat. Just FYI.DT1