How to add "favourite places" to File Open/Save dialogs

Joao Sapiro

hey guys does anybody know of a hack to add a custom folder to the tabs on the left because right now i have to click all the way to the folders , i tried making a shortcut on my doccuments, but then it got too cluttered and i kept clicking them by accident

IxenonI

use a programm called filebox extender.

http://hyperionics.com/

airbrush

direct folders is another app for quick access...originally i had filebox extender but switched to this, just prefer its simplicity...just double click in an open window to bring up your favorite locations. Either way, both save tons of time and irritation browsing folders.

http://www.codesector.com/directfolders.php

Joao Sapiro

thanks alot folks ! will try those and write my veridict !

Ryan Clark

You don't need any third-party program.
The feature you want is built-in to windows.

That bar on the left is called the "places bar." You can customise it.

First, install the "TweakUI" control panel from microsoft.

http://www.microsoft.com/windowsxp/downloads/powertoys/xppowertoys.mspx

Now, launch TweakUI. You will find the "places bar" settings under "common dialogs."

Michael Knubben

http://lifehacker.com/software/windows/ask-the-readers--edit-locations-area-in-the-opensave-dialog-box-189838.php
http://www.filiberto.org/archive/2006/06/how-to-configure-windows-opensave-dialogue-to-meet-your-needs/

"The link also describes how to set up these entries to be common Windows places (My Documents, etc.). If this latter is all you want, then the TweakUI solution mentioned in the original LifeHacker article will work. Unfortunately, though, TweakUI won't let you specify arbitrary directories; you can only choose from a list of "common" windows directories."

The second link tells you how to do just that.

MoP

Nice links guys.
The easiest way I saw was the small comment someone posted at the bottom of the last link MightyPea gave, I'll quote it here just in case anyone missed it:

You can use gpedit.msc to change this through a GUI, no registry editing and no downloading TweakUI:
-Type GPEDIT.MSC in the Start, Run
-Navigate to this location:
User Configuration | Administrative Templates | Windows Components | Windows Explorer | Common Open File Dialog
-Double-click Items displayed in Places Bar and add your places

Joao Sapiro

wow guys thanks alot ! mop, that was EXACTLY what i was looking for , thanks everyone ! now this saves me like 4 seconds each time i have to go to the folder i most visit :P

Michael Knubben

Now that you're all happy and thankful, let me inject a note of bastardly-ness and tell you that the Thread Title is there to tell people what the thread is about, not to umm and aah like at the till of McDonalds.
The mood, it was too high, so I just had to bring it down a notch.

Mop: Ah, good one. I didn't read down that far, that's actually a good tip.

MoP

Fixed the thread title just for you, Pea!

Michael Knubben

How will he ever learn, that way?

hehe.
Nah, good one. Might be good for searches, especially, as Johny definately isn't the first who wants to do this, so it might come up again. In which case we can browbeat whoever asked and smugly ask them wether they'd considered maybe "searching for themselves, like a big boy". I'm getting excited just thinking about it.