Before the main topic it is extremely important establish a few axioms:

  • Anyone attempting to help me figure this out needs to know what the Windows Shell is and how commands to explorer.exe work.
  • When I refer to My Documents I am referring to what Microsoft now calls "User Files".
  • When I refer to Windows Explorer I am referring to what Microsoft now calls "File Explorer.
  • In order to view My Documents in Windows Explorer one must fix the two settings in the Folder Options as I've highlighted in the first image.
  • The Run command to open the My Documents folder is %windir%\explorer.exe shell:UsersFilesFolder.
  • Windows 10 Pro x64.


Tracking specific Explorer shell folder / instance via "//" /title-figure1.png

Question: How do I track the instance of Windows Explorer that is initialized by the command %windir%\explorer.exe shell:UsersFilesFolder\JAB Creations?

Clarification: I have been building a windows batch program that automatically opens up windows in a set order. The one window I am having difficulty with is my work directory, JAB Creations. I have come across a possible method though I will go in to it in a moment. It is extremely important to note that I have removed the My Documents child folders from My Computer (in the second image John's Desktop) as they do not belong there - please no superfluous "you can't do that to your own PC!" comments. When the window launches I want it to open the JAB Creations folder explicitly listed under My Documents instead of My Computer - which I have already figured out (%windir%\explorer.exe shell:UsersFilesFolder\JAB Creations).

Tracking specific Explorer shell folder / instance via "//" /title-figure2.png

I have come across information about tracking individual explorer.exe instances via some parameters as "//" /title however I have not been able to determine how to successfully combine the arguments in to a single command. Typically what happens is either another random explorer.exe instance opens or another command prompt.

The tracking of the window seems to work via the command tasklist /fi "imagename eq explorer.exe" /fo list /v. However I have only been able to track regular windows as again, I have not been able to combine the shell command with the title parameter.

Suggestions please?