Folder finder

  • Thread starter Thread starter Martin Cleaver
  • Start date Start date
M

Martin Cleaver

I notice that I expend most mouseclicks/keystrokes roaming my
folder tree in explorer or similar (open file/save file
windows).

Has anyone come across a nifty utility to help ease folder
navigation? There must be a better way that roaming the tree
and double clicking to navigate around...

Rgds

Martin
 
I notice that I expend most mouseclicks/keystrokes roaming my
folder tree in explorer or similar (open file/save file
windows).

Has anyone come across a nifty utility to help ease folder
navigation? There must be a better way that roaming the tree
and double clicking to navigate around...
Click to expand...

You already have more than enough software for wrangling folders.

Here's a couple of suggestions that will ease the load a little using
nothing more than Windows Explorer.

First, try setting your mouse to single click. That automatically cuts
clicking in half. :)

Next, try creating a folder on your desktop and drag shortcuts of favorite
folders to them.

Send shortcuts of folders to the SendTo folder for quickly moving files to
them.

Perhaps try opening the SendTo folder and drag a shortcut of the SendTo
folder to itself. That's handy for sending shortcuts to it, but it will also
send files, so be careful. Don't count the "send's" in that paragraph.

Folder shortcuts can also be dragged to the Links Bar of the Windows
Explorer or the QuickLaunch Menu, and even nested. Very cool and neat.

Another good way to keep folders handy is to use a toolbar such as Jet
Toolbar and drag folders to it for quick opening. But that requires
software. :)

Bob
 
There are at least 2 freeware, dos-based, programs that, to me, are the ideal
solution: You type some letters and, if desired, wildcards, and the program
autocompletes what you typed it there is a unique folder, say, that starts with
'fol' and just goes there. If several folders (or directories) match your
string, a menu is shown and you hit a key to instantly go to the folder you
want. This is done by creating a database of all your folders, and
adding/changing this database as you work with folders.

Two popular dos programs like this are: acd (for advanced change directory)
and wcd. Both reside on Rich Green's old dos site. To use them in windows
create a batch file something like this:

---------change.bat--------------
start acd %1
start /wait .
exit
--------------------------------------

This will bring up a window showing the folder you want and end the dos
session. If you prefer an explorer window use, start /wait explorer -e . (there
are other explorer command line options to specify what files are in the right
window, and what folder is started in the left window.

There is one windows program that works something like these. It comes as an
internal command that is part of the take command package -- letting one run
windows and navigate from a command line. The windows 3x version of take
command is free. But I do not know if it is worth using take command, just to
get a quick change directory program.
 
I notice that I expend most mouseclicks/keystrokes roaming my
folder tree in explorer or similar (open file/save file
windows).

Has anyone come across a nifty utility to help ease folder
navigation? There must be a better way that roaming the tree
and double clicking to navigate around...
Click to expand...

I just posted about one earlier. Seems to work very well.

DirKey 2.0a (Dec 7, 2003)

http://www.protonfx.com/dirkey/

Dirkey is a small utility that enables you to define bookmarks for
folders and go back to these bookmarked folders from within File
Open/Save dialogs and Windows Explorer. You can set and go to these
bookmarks using your keyboard or your mouse. When Dirkey is active you
can press Ctrl+Alt+0..9 in e.g. an Open/Save File dialog and a bookmark
will be set on the current folder. You can go to any bookmarked folder
by using Ctrl+0..9 in the same or another supported window. All
bookmarks are global and are preserved when you turn your computer off.
You can also open bookmarked folders in a new Explorer window.

There's also DialogBox Assistant:

http://www.dualitysoft.com

Dialog Box Assistant is a small program that helps you to deal with the
standard Open and Save As dialog boxes.

Dialog Box Assistant places 2 buttons in the upper-right corner of the
dialog box. When you press the left button you see a drop-down list
that contains most recently used files. Right button is for the
recent folders.

HTH
 
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