Add an item to the 'send to' menu for ALL users (winxp)

Question

How to add an item to the 'send to' menu for ALL users (winxp) We want to have a link to a debug log viewer available to all users on a server i'm building. Quite simple to add it to one user (start->run->sendto) but i want it for all. Any ideas thanks?

Answer 1

Here is an idea:

Put a .bat file in your All Users Startup folder (so that it will get run whenever someone logs on).

The .bat file will then copy the shortcut to the users own SendTo folder.

Something like:

copy "c:\Notepad.lnk" "%userprofile%\SendTo" /Y

(Replace Notepad.lnk with your own shortcut)

Simple.

Answer 2

The SendTo folder is determined on a per-user basis (usually at C:\Documents and Settings\USER\SendTo). It's an absolute path that's located in the registry, there is no common SendTo folder that applies to all users. You can, however, easily change the location of the SendTo folder without muddling around in the registry.

Simply right-click-drag the SendTo folder to the new location and select "Move To". The registry entry will be updated automatically for that user. Unfortunately, you have to do this for each user, or load up that user's registry hive and edit it manually (again, per user).

It would probably be best to update one user's registry (By using 'Move To' or manually) then export that registry key to a file. Then, distribute that file to the users and have them double click it themselves, merging the new SendTo location into their respective registries.

The key is at HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Explorer\Shell Folders and my default location was the absolute path, C:\Documents and Settings\Grant\SendTo

The contents of the whatever.reg file that could be distributed would look something like:

Windows Registry Editor Version 5.00

[HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Explorer\Shell Folders]
"SendTo"="C:\\Documents and Settings\\Grant\\SendTo"

except with the new file location.

Answer 3

When I used to use windows, I would customize the SendTo menu using a nice little program called 'Send To Toys'. You can still download it here. I can't tell you whether it works for all users or not; it may well do though.

Answer 4

According to Using the "Send To" folder in Windows 2000 or higher ...

If you wish to make the shortcuts available to all users, add the shortcuts to C:\Documents and Settings\All Users. Since this folder does not exist by default in Windows 2000 or XP, you can either copy an existing user’s folder and rename it to "All Users" or create a new folder and enter the folder name as SendTo.

If you cannot see the SendTo folder in Windows Explorer, you may need to turn on the ability to see hidden and system folder by doing the following:

• Open Windows Explorer.
• Select Tools -> Folder Options from the menu.
• Click on the "View" tab.
• In the "Advanced Settings" window, there is an option for "Hidden files and folders".
• Select "Show hidden files and folders".
• Click Apply, but do not close the dialog form.
• To apply these settings to all folders, click on "Apply to all folders" in the "Folder views" section of this dialog (at the top).
• Click OK to exit the dialog box.

Edit per comments: Do any of your custom SendTo shortcuts show up? You may be missing a registry entry or a registration. Check out Shortcuts in the "Send To" folder not appearing in the menu?, see if that helps at all.

Answer 5

Try this function, it will find SendTo folders for all users.

Private Function GetSendToPaths() As String()
    Dim localsendto As String = Environment.GetFolderPath(Environment.SpecialFolder.SendTo)
    Dim userpath As String = Environment.GetFolderPath(Environment.SpecialFolder.UserProfile)
    Dim subuser As String = Path.GetDirectoryName(userpath)
    Dim subsendto As String = localsendto.Substring(userpath.Length)
    Dim dirinfo As New DirectoryInfo(subuser)
    Dim paths As New List(Of String)
    For Each dir As DirectoryInfo In dirinfo.GetDirectories
        Dim path As String = dir.FullName & subsendto
        If Directory.Exists(path) Then
            Dim dirpath As String = dir.FullName & "\Contacts"
            If Directory.Exists(dirpath) Then
                If New DirectoryInfo(dirpath).GetFiles.Length > 0 Then
                    paths.Add(path)
                End If
            End If
        End If
    Next
    Return paths.ToArray
End Function