How can I access my favorites in a Windows 7 file dialog box?

Question

When I am in an application which allows me to go get a file, the following dialog box pops up.

Of course at this point I often want to have access my favorites, but they are not listed here.

How can I get a link to my favorites listed here?

If there is no answer, I will have to install filebox extender again like I have been since Windows XP, but I just thought they would have solved this by now in Windows 7.

Answer 1

Simply add an additional library called Favorites.

1. Open Explorer and click Libraries from the left-hand side of the window
2. Right-click in the file/folder window (not on a file/folder itself), select New then Library and name it Favorites
3. Double-click it to open the newly created Favorites library
4. Click Include a folder
5. Type %USERPROFILE%\Favorites into the Folder editbox and press Enter. Alternatively (depending on the version and perhaps MUI language of the Win 7 install), use %USERPROFILE%\Links to get the "Favorites" list (God does not know how to explain this).

Job done, you will now be able to quickly get back to your favorites in a matter of two clicks from most dialog boxes - as long as they display the Libraries button (like in your screenshot).

or

An alternative to this, to ensure that you can ALWAYS quickly get to your favorites folder may be to set an environment variable such as %f% which points to your favorites folder.

1. Press Windows key+Pause/Break to bring up the System window
2. Click Advanced System Settings
3. Click Environment Variables
4. Click New in the System Variables section of the dialog box
5. Set the Variable name to f and the Variable value to %USERPROFILE%\Favorites
6. Restart

You can then quickly get to your favorites folder by tapping %f% into the path. This will work with ANY dialog box.

Answer 2

This isn't a flaw in Windows 7. It's more of a flaw for the program. The programmer just hasn't implemented the new OpenFileDialog that you would expect to see in Windows 7.

Answer 3

Much easier than this....

Select the forlder you want to make accesible

Then go to "Tools" menu (right sup corner) and select Add to "my Addreses"

Fron now on this folder will apeared in the common places bar.

Plus: with the right mouse button you can change the order.

Answer 4

To get this working with Windows 7's "folder favorites," follow the same instructions as above, but use this folder location: %USERPROFILE%\Links

Answer 5

Type

 C:\Users\%username%\Favorites

Into the address bar of an open Explorer Window

Answer 6

Following the steps described in How to Customize Common Open File Dialog Box Places Bar in Windows:

You can customize the buttons in the left part of your "Select file to import from" or any similar dialog. Add C:\Users\username\Links to "Places to display:" in your Local Group Policy Settings.

and your favorite links will appear in the "Select file to import from" (or any other similar) dialog.

Answer 7

http://windowsxp.mvps.org/PlacesBar.htm

I guess the Gmail programmer "just hasn't implemented the new OpenFileDialog"

wth