If you've ever wanted to add custom buttons to the Windows Vista/7 explorer toolbar, here's how.

We're going to add 2 buttons to the toolbar that will allow us to use Tortoise SVN, specifically the Update and Commit functions.

Open regedit and navigate to this key

HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Explorer\FolderTypes\{5c4f28b5-f869-4e84-8e60-f11db97c5cc7}

You'll need to take ownership of this key before you'll be able to edit it.

Right click on the key > Permissions > Advanced > Owner tab > Select your username > tick the box 'Replace owner on subcontainers and objects' > hit Apply - OK > Select your username from the list and give it full control > Hit OK

Now below that key you want to create the following structure

Download this file to create all the necessary keys or use the code below.

Windows Registry Editor Version 5.00

[HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Explorer\FolderTypes\{5c4f28b5-f869-4e84-8e60-f11db97c5cc7}]
"CanonicalName"="Generic"
"PerceivedType"=dword:00000000
"Theme"="default"
"MostRelevant"="prop:System.Kind;System.DateModified;System.StructuredQuery.Virtual.Type;System.Size;System.ItemNameDisplay;System.ItemFolderPathDisplay;System.ItemAuthor;System.Keywords"
"LayoutType"=dword:00000001

[HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Explorer\FolderTypes\{5c4f28b5-f869-4e84-8e60-f11db97c5cc7}\Modifiers]
"Library"="{5f4eab9a-6833-4f61-899d-31cf46979d49}"
"LibraryFolder"="{da3f6866-35fe-4229-821a-26553a67fc18}"
"SearchResults"="{7fde1a1e-8b31-49a5-93b8-6be14cfa4943}"

[HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Explorer\FolderTypes\{5c4f28b5-f869-4e84-8e60-f11db97c5cc7}\TasksItemsSelected]

[HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Explorer\FolderTypes\{5c4f28b5-f869-4e84-8e60-f11db97c5cc7}\TasksItemsSelected\0]

[HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Explorer\FolderTypes\{5c4f28b5-f869-4e84-8e60-f11db97c5cc7}\TasksItemsSelected\0\{C3B93FE3-9821-4c29-A189-95A9A00479E5}]
"InfoTip"="Update Repository"
"Title"="Update"

[HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Explorer\FolderTypes\{5c4f28b5-f869-4e84-8e60-f11db97c5cc7}\TasksItemsSelected\0\{C3B93FE3-9821-4c29-A189-95A9A00479E5}\shell]

[HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Explorer\FolderTypes\{5c4f28b5-f869-4e84-8e60-f11db97c5cc7}\TasksItemsSelected\0\{C3B93FE3-9821-4c29-A189-95A9A00479E5}\shell\InvokeTask]

[HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Explorer\FolderTypes\{5c4f28b5-f869-4e84-8e60-f11db97c5cc7}\TasksItemsSelected\0\{C3B93FE3-9821-4c29-A189-95A9A00479E5}\shell\InvokeTask\command]
@="\"C:\\Program Files\\TortoiseSVN\\bin\\TortoiseProc.exe\" \"/command:update /path:%*\""

[HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Explorer\FolderTypes\{5c4f28b5-f869-4e84-8e60-f11db97c5cc7}\TasksItemsSelected\1]

[HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Explorer\FolderTypes\{5c4f28b5-f869-4e84-8e60-f11db97c5cc7}\TasksItemsSelected\1\{B8000CD6-3C35-49ad-B44F-7FE987951BE2}]
"InfoTip"="Subversion Commit"
"Title"="Commit"

[HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Explorer\FolderTypes\{5c4f28b5-f869-4e84-8e60-f11db97c5cc7}\TasksItemsSelected\1\{B8000CD6-3C35-49ad-B44F-7FE987951BE2}\shell]

[HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Explorer\FolderTypes\{5c4f28b5-f869-4e84-8e60-f11db97c5cc7}\TasksItemsSelected\1\{B8000CD6-3C35-49ad-B44F-7FE987951BE2}\shell\InvokeTask]

[HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Explorer\FolderTypes\{5c4f28b5-f869-4e84-8e60-f11db97c5cc7}\TasksItemsSelected\1\{B8000CD6-3C35-49ad-B44F-7FE987951BE2}\shell\InvokeTask\command]
@="\"C:\\Program Files\\TortoiseSVN\\bin\\TortoiseProc.exe\" \"/command:commit /path:%*\""

[HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Explorer\FolderTypes\{5c4f28b5-f869-4e84-8e60-f11db97c5cc7}\TasksNoItemsSelected]

[HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Explorer\FolderTypes\{5c4f28b5-f869-4e84-8e60-f11db97c5cc7}\TasksNoItemsSelected\0]

[HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Explorer\FolderTypes\{5c4f28b5-f869-4e84-8e60-f11db97c5cc7}\TasksNoItemsSelected\0\{6A56F6CC-1321-49b8-B7AB-94BE35683404}]
"InfoTip"="Update Repository"
"Title"="Update"

[HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Explorer\FolderTypes\{5c4f28b5-f869-4e84-8e60-f11db97c5cc7}\TasksNoItemsSelected\0\{6A56F6CC-1321-49b8-B7AB-94BE35683404}\shell]

[HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Explorer\FolderTypes\{5c4f28b5-f869-4e84-8e60-f11db97c5cc7}\TasksNoItemsSelected\0\{6A56F6CC-1321-49b8-B7AB-94BE35683404}\shell\InvokeTask]

[HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Explorer\FolderTypes\{5c4f28b5-f869-4e84-8e60-f11db97c5cc7}\TasksNoItemsSelected\0\{6A56F6CC-1321-49b8-B7AB-94BE35683404}\shell\InvokeTask\command]
@="\"C:\\Program Files\\TortoiseSVN\\bin\\TortoiseProc.exe\" \"/command:update /path:%*\""

[HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Explorer\FolderTypes\{5c4f28b5-f869-4e84-8e60-f11db97c5cc7}\TasksNoItemsSelected\1]

[HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Explorer\FolderTypes\{5c4f28b5-f869-4e84-8e60-f11db97c5cc7}\TasksNoItemsSelected\1\{37070D52-CFA5-4054-A5BF-BE21C094C4AC}]
"InfoTip"="Subversion Commit"
"Title"="Commit"

[HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Explorer\FolderTypes\{5c4f28b5-f869-4e84-8e60-f11db97c5cc7}\TasksNoItemsSelected\1\{37070D52-CFA5-4054-A5BF-BE21C094C4AC}\shell]

[HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Explorer\FolderTypes\{5c4f28b5-f869-4e84-8e60-f11db97c5cc7}\TasksNoItemsSelected\1\{37070D52-CFA5-4054-A5BF-BE21C094C4AC}\shell\InvokeTask]

[HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Explorer\FolderTypes\{5c4f28b5-f869-4e84-8e60-f11db97c5cc7}\TasksNoItemsSelected\1\{37070D52-CFA5-4054-A5BF-BE21C094C4AC}\shell\InvokeTask\command]
@="\"C:\\Program Files\\TortoiseSVN\\bin\\TortoiseProc.exe\" \"/command:commit /path:%*\""

[HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Explorer\FolderTypes\{5c4f28b5-f869-4e84-8e60-f11db97c5cc7}\TopViews]

[HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Explorer\FolderTypes\{5c4f28b5-f869-4e84-8e60-f11db97c5cc7}\TopViews\{00000000-0000-0000-0000-000000000000}]
"Name"="NoName"
"Order"=dword:00000000
"ColumnList"="prop:0(34)System.ItemNameDisplay;0System.DateModified;0System.ItemTypeText;0System.Size;1System.DateCreated;1System.Author;1System.Keywords;1System.Title"
"LogicalViewMode"=dword:00000001

For reference see these links

http://www.experts-exchange.com/articles/OS/Microsoft_Operating_Systems/Windows/Windows_7/Add-a-Delete-Button-to-the-Windows-7-Explorer-Toolbar.html

http://www.experts-exchange.com/articles/Programming/System/Windows__Programming/Add-a-Custom-Command-Button-to-the-Windows-7-Explorer-Toolbar.html

Thanks for the tip.

I keep getting "Access denied" when I try to change the permission of the key. Changing the permission on parent keys worked. I also tried running regedit as Administrator but I get the same message. Any thoughts?

Guy

I took a few screen shots of the process I went through to take ownership of the key on a fresh install.

Right click on the key and press Permissions



Click the Advanced button



Switch to the Owner tab then press the Other users or groups



Enter you're username then hit Check Name, make sure your account has administrative access. Press OK



Tick Replace owner on subcontainers and objects. Press OK



Click the Add button.



Enter your username again clicking the Check Names button. Press OK



Select your username from the top list, then in the list below select Full Control and press OK