Windows XP Hacks [Electronic resources] نسخه متنی

Hack 22 Control Windows Explorer with Command-Line Shortcuts

Create customized Explorer views from the
command line, and save your favorite views in desktop
shortcuts.

I rarely open Windows Explorer in its
default view. Instead, I generally want to open it at a specific
location, with a specific set of viewing featuresfor example,
with the Folders bar in the left side on or off.

I launch Windows Explorer from the command line, along with a set of
switches for controlling how it opens. I also create desktop
shortcuts out of these command-line launches, so that my favorite
views are always only a couple of clicks away.

For example, when I want to open Windows Explorer to the
C:\Power Tools Book\Hacks subfolder only, with
no folders above it, and using the Folders bar, I open the command
prompt and issue this command:

explorer /e,/root,c:\Power Tools Book\Hacks

When I do that, the view pictured in Figure 3-7
appears.

Figure 3-7. Opening Windows Explorer to a specific folder with a specific view

Compare that view with my default view that I get when I launch
Windows Explorer the normal way (shown in Figure 3-8). Not only does the Explorer view in Figure 3-7 open to a specific subfolder, but it also
shows no folders above it. In contrast, Figure 3-8
shows the entire structure of my hard disk and opens to
C:\. I use the view in Figure 3-7 when I want to work exclusively on a specific
subfolder and want to get to it quickly.

Figure 3-8. My default for launching Windows Explorer

This is just one of the many uses for launching Windows Explorer from
the command line with switches; no doubt you'll be
able to find other uses for it. You'll be able to
use it not only on the command line and with desktop shortcuts, but
also if you run scripts and batch programs.

The syntax for running Explorer from the command line with switches
is:

explorer  [/n]  [/e] [,root,object] [[,/select],subobject]

You don't have to use switches; you can type
explorer by itself, though doing that launches
your default Explorer view.

Here is an explanation of how to use the switches and syntax:

/n

Opens Windows Explorer without displaying the Folders bar, the tree
structure of the hard drive. Instead, it launches the view shown in
Figure 3-9.

Figure 3-9. The view of Explorer using the /n switch

/e

Opens Windows Explorer displaying the Folders bar.

/root ,object

Opens Windows Explorer to a specific object, such as a folder,
without displaying the folders above it, as shown in Figure 3-7. You can also use Global Unique Identifiers
with this switch, as explained later in this hack.

[[/select] ,subobject]

Opens Windows Explorer to a specific file or folder that is then
highlighted or expanded. You can use the subobject
switch only without the /select parameter. When
you include the /select parameter, the branches
are not expanded, the folder is highlighted, and the subobject is
highlighted in the right pane.

3.3.1 Create Desktop Shortcuts for Explorer

Typing command-line shortcuts can
quickly give you a case of carpal tunnel syndrome, so a better idea
is to run them as desktop shortcuts. Right-click on the desktop,
choose New Shortcut, and in the location box type the
Explorer command-line syntax you want to use. Click Next and give the
shortcut a descriptive namefor example,
"Hacks folder"and click OK.

3.3.2 Using Global Unique Identifiers (GUIDs) with Command-Line Switches

You might want to open Explorer
to certain

system foldersfor example, to My
Network Places. To do so, run explorer from the
command line and follow it by a space, two colons, and the
Global Unique Identifiers (GUIDs) that
identify specific system folders, like this:

explorer  ::{208D2C60-3AEA-1069-A2D7-08002B30309D}

That command opens Windows Explorer to My Network Places.

If you're using switches, similarly put a space and
two colons in front of the GUID, like this:

explorer /e, ::{208D2C60-3AEA-1069-A2D7-08002B30309D}

You can use GUIDs in desktop shortcuts, batch files, and scripts, as
well as at the command line. Table 3-1 lists the
GUIDs for various system folders.

{20D04FE0-3AEA-1069-A2D8-08002B30309D}

{208D2C60-3AEA-1069-A2D7-08002B30309D}

{7007ACC7-3202-11D1-AAD2-00805FC1270E}

{2227A280-3AEA-1069-A2DE-08002B30309D}

{645FF040-5081-101B-9F08-00AA002F954E}

{D6277990-4C6A-11CF-8D87-00AA0060F5BF}