Tutorial: How to Create Command-Line Shortcuts for frequently Accessed folders/files

Hello guyz,

The beauty of being a computer professional reflect upon how efficiently we use KeyBoard. I always try to control my computer with keyboard and avoid mouse as much as possible. Here are some eye catching tweaks for keyboard lovers to access folders in atomic time..

WINDOWS EXPLORER SHORTCUTS:

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.

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

For ppl who dont know how to interpret the syntax, the switches between the square braces are considered optional.

To run the sample commands, Start --> Run and type the command.

/n - Opens Windows Explorer without displaying the Folders bar, the tree structure of the hard drive. Instead, it launches the default view of My Computer.

Eg: explorer /n




/e - Opens Windows Explorer displaying the Folders bar on the leftpane.

Eg: explorer /e



/root ,object - Opens Windows Explorer to a specific object, such as a folder, without displaying the folders above it. You can also use Global Unique Identifiers with this switch. Dont panic, You 'll get to know them soon

Eg: explorer /n,/root, c:\windows



/select, object - Opens Windows Explorer to a specific file or folder that is then highlighted or expanded.

Eg: explorer /n,/select, c:\windows



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

You might want to open Explorer to certain system folders—for example, to My Network Places. To do so, type the following line in the Run window. (Start->Run)

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:

You can use GUIDs in desktop shortcuts, batch files, and scripts, as well as at the command line.

Shell folders

ActiveX Cache------------{88C6C381-2E85-11D0-94DE-444553540000}
Computer Search Results--{1F4DE370-D627-11D1-BA4F-00A0C91EEDBA}
History-------------------{FF393560-C2A7-11CF-BFF4-444553540000}
Internet Explorer----------{871C5380-42A0-1069-A2EA-08002B30309D}
My Computer-------------{20D04FE0-3AEA-1069-A2D8-08002B30309D}
My Documents------------{450D8FBA-AD25-11D0-98A8-0800361B1103}
My Network Places--------{208D2C60-3AEA-1069-A2D7-08002B30309D}
offline Files---------------{AFDB1F70-2A4C-11D2-9039-00C04F8EEB3E}
Programs-----------------{7BE9D83C-A729-4D97-B5A7-1B7313C39E0A}
Recycle Bin---------------{645FF040-5081-101B-9F08-00AA002F954E}
Search Results------------{E17D4FC0-5564-11D1-83F2-00A0C90DC849}
Shared Documents--------{59031A47-3F72-44A7-89C5-5595FE6B30EE}
Start Menu---------------{48E7CAAB-B918-4E58-A94D-505519C795DC}
Temporary Internet Files--{7BD29E00-76C1-11CF-9DD0-00A0C9034933}
Web---------------------{BDEADF00-C265-11D0-BCED-00A0C90AB50F}

Control Panel folders

Administrative Tools------{D20EA4E1-3957-11D2-A40B-0C5020524153}
Fonts--------------------{D20EA4E1-3957-11D2-A40B-0C5020524152}
Network Connections-----{7007ACC7-3202-11D1-AAD2-00805FC1270E}
Printers and Faxes--------{2227A280-3AEA-1069-A2DE-08002B30309D}
Scanners and Cameras----{E211B736-43FD-11D1-9EFB-0000F8757FCD}
Scheduled Tasks----------{D6277990-4C6A-11CF-8D87-00AA0060F5BF}

Control Panel icons

Folder Options------------{6DFD7C5C-2451-11D3-A299-00C04F8EF6AF}
Taskbar and Start Menu---{0DF44EAA-FF21-4412-828E-260A8728E7F1}
User Accounts------------{7A9D77BD-5403-11D2-8785-2E0420524153}

Other

Add Network Places------{D4480A50-BA28-11D1-8E75-00C04FA31A86}
Briefcase----------------{85BBD920-42A0-1069-A2E4-08002B30309D}
E-mail-------------------{2559A1F5-21D7-11D4-BDAF-00C04F60B9F0}
Help and Support--------{2559A1F1-21D7-11D4-BDAF-00C04F60B9F0}
Internet-----------------{2559A1F4-21D7-11D4-BDAF-00C04F60B9F0}
Network Setup Wizard----{2728520D-1EC8-4C68-A551-316B684C4EA7}
Run---------------------{2559A1F3-21D7-11D4-BDAF-00C04F60B9F0}
Search------------------{2559A1F0-21D7-11D4-BDAF-00C04F60B9F0}
Windows Security--------{2559A1F2-21D7-11D4-BDAF-00C04F60B9F0}

I m not that mad to tell you to remember the following GUIDs just for accessing My Computer or Control Panel. The idea behind this is that these serve a different Purpose which you will get to know soon.

CREATE COMMAND LINE SHORTCUTS FOR FREQUENTLY ACCESSED FOLDERS:

Right Click on the Desktop and select New--> ShortCut

In the window, Type the path of the folder in the textbox. suppose say C:\WINDOWS

name the shortcut as something you desired. Suppose i name it as win.

Now, the shortcut is Created for your desired folder. Now, we should access this shortcut through command line. Hence, Copy the shortcut file in c:\windows\system32 directory.

Now, you are done.

Start->Run

Type the name of the shortcut that you saved before and press enter. Now,You will be able to view the contents of the folder.

CREATE COMMAND LINE SHORTCUTS FOR SYSTEM FOLDERS USING GUIDs :

Create a new shortcut and enter the following in the textbox

explorer ::{21EC2020-3AEA-1069-A2DD-08002B30309D}



name it as cpanel.

Now, copy this to system32 folder. Now, you can just open control panel by typing cpanel from run window.


HIDE THE CONTENTS OF THE FOLDER WITHOUT SOFTWARE

Suppose you had an external HDD on which you store Personal Information which should not be viewed by anyone but Your friend often takes your External HDD for his purpose. It is easy to hide/lock the folder until the HDD is connected to your system. Once, it is connected to other, every protection is void. Here is the trick to prevent others from accessing the contents of the folder. Let me Demonstrate this using a dummy folder, but you can always use this trick to any desired folder you want.

Create a Newfolder on the desktop. Now, Rename the folder exactly as
Now, double click the folder... Hmm.. startled?? Yeah, The folder contents cannot be viewed. Your friend percepts it as some shortcut to controlpanel and doesnot care.

Now, to restore the folder properties, use the command prompt and use

c:\>ren "filename.{GUID}" <filename>

For eg, We have created a file named Control Panel and renamed to the above as shown. To restore it,
c:\>ren "Control Panel.{21EC2020-3AEA-1069-A2DD-08002B30309D}" ControlPanel

You can also use this trick to Restore some of the Lost Shortcuts using this method.


Optional Steps for Hiding the folders:

1. First hide the folder by rightclick --> Properties and select hidden attribute.

2. Remove Folder Options either by Registry or Group Policy

Registry Key:

Navigate to HKCU\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Pol icies\Explorer\
Create a DWORD named NoFolderOptions with value 1.

Group Policy:

Navigate to User Configuration\Administrative Templates\Windows Components\Windows Explorer
Disable the folder options by enabling the following setting.
Remove the folder options menu from the tools options.


COMMAND LINE SHORTCUTS FOR SEVERAL WINDOWS APPLICATIONS:

I also want to include list of shortcuts for running several system components through RUN window.


1. Character Map = charmap.exe (very useful for finding unusual characters)

2. Disk Cleanup = cleanmgr.exe

3. Clipboard Viewer = clipbrd.exe (views contents of Windows clipboard)

4. Dr Watson = drwtsn32.exe (Troubleshooting tool)

5. DirectX diagnosis = dxdiag.exe (Diagnose & test DirectX, video & sound cards)

6. Private character editor = eudcedit.exe (allows creation or modification of characters)

7. IExpress Wizard = iexpress.exe (Create self-extracting / self-installing package)

8. Mcft Synchronization Manager = mobsync.exe (appears to allow synchronization of files on the network for when working offline. Apparently undocumented).

9. Windows Media Player 5.1 = mplay32.exe (Retro version of Media Player, very basic).

10. ODBC Data Source Administrator = odbcad32.exe (something to do with databases)

11. Object Packager = packager.exe (to do with packaging objects for insertion in files, appears to have comprehensive help files).

12. System Monitor = perfmon.exe (very useful, highly configurable tool, tells you everything you ever wanted to know about any aspect of PC performance, for uber-geeks only )

13. Program Manager = progman.exe (Legacy Windows 3.x desktop shell).

14. Remote Access phone book = rasphone.exe (documentation is virtually non-existant).

15. Registry Editor = regedt32.exe [also regedit.exe] (for hacking the Windows Registry).

16. Network shared folder wizard = shrpubw.exe (creates shared folders on network).

17. File siganture verification tool = sigverif.exe

18. Volume Control = sndvol32.exe (I've included this for those people that lose it from the System Notification area).

19. System Configuration Editor = sysedit.exe (modify System.ini & Win.ini just like in Win98! ).

20. Syskey = syskey.exe (Secures XP Account database - use with care, it's virtually undocumented but it appears to encrypt all passwords, I'm not sure of the full implications).

21. Mcft Telnet Client = telnet.exe

22. Driver Verifier Manager = verifier.exe (seems to be a utility for monitoring the actions of drivers, might be useful for people having driver problems. Undocumented).

23. Windows for Workgroups Chat = winchat.exe (appears to be an old NT utility to allow chat sessions over a LAN, help files available).

24. System configuration = msconfig.exe (can use to control starup programs)

25. Group Policy Editor = gpedit.msc used to manage group policies, and permissions.

26. Local Users and Groups = lusrmgr.msc Useful in renaming Administrator.

27. Certificate Manager = certmgr.msc used for encryption and certificate management.

28. Device Manager = devmgmt.msc

29.Views the system information = MSINFO32.exe

COMMAND LINE SHORTCUTS FOR CONTROL PANEL OBJECTS:

Accessiblity Options - access.cpl

Add/Remove Prgms - appwiz.cpl

Desktop Properties - desk.cpl

DirectX properties - directx.cpl

Windows Firewall - firewall.cpl

New Hardware wizard - hdwwiz.cpl

Internet Properties - inetcpl.cpl

Regional Languages - intl.cpl

Mouse options - main.cpl

Sound & Audio devices - mmsys.cpl

Network Connections - ncpa.cpl

Network Setup wizard - netsetup.cpl

User Accounts - nusermgr.cpl

ODBC connection - odbccp32.cpl

Power options - powercfg.cpl

System Properties - sysdm.cpl

Phone and Modem - telephon.cpl

Date and time properties - timedate.cpl

Automatic Update wizard - wuaucpl.cpl

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PS: Please post the comments if any