[osuire]

The file browser that pops up when you choose the output folder does not display the shortcuts which can be present on the desktop.
This is a bit annoying because it forces to browse through the network and (at least in my case) through a buch of sub-sub-sub...folders to find the wanted location.
What's wrong with the standard windows browser ?

Cheers,

--
Olivier

[JDHill]

That is the standard windows folder browser.

As far as I know, the only difference between what you see there and what you see in the folder tree in Explorer is that Explorer shows .zip files and saved searches. The reason why Windows does not show shortcuts here is that there is no guarantee that any particular shortcut points to a folder -- in order for Explorer to know which shortcuts should be shown would require it to hit any number of different networks.

One way to handle this is not to use shortcuts for this purpose -- share the folder and map it to a drive letter instead, so that Windows knows it is a folder; it will then show up in the top-level (My) Computer node and you won't have to dive down through the hierarchy to reach it.

[osuire]

Well I would rather have the flavor of file explorer that DOES list shortcuts.
And we do use drive letters, but for our main folders only.
But to create shortcuts for all the projects we are currently working on, it would take the chinese alphabet !

I don't mind dealing with an error message if a link is broken, but I do mind spending all that time browsing through the network of the company.

--
Olivier

[JDHill]

I'm not saying that your request is not valid, I'm only giving you my understanding of why that dialog works the way it does, based on what I've read from some of the people who are responsible for writing that part of Windows.

[osuire]

Err... Can I haz the linkz ?

[osuire]

Various browser flavors which all display shortcuts....

[dk2079]

use fileboxextender; much better than the windows shortcuts ...

[JDHill]

These are all file browsers, Olivier, not folder browsers.

If you are on Windows Vista or better, see here: http://blogs.msdn.com/b/junfeng/archive ... 76568.aspx. Basically that page will tell you that you can create the type of link you need by opening a command line with admin priveleges, and doing like this:

Code: Select all

C:\Users\Jeremy\Desktop>mklink /D models "\\Server\models"

That will put a shortcut on my desktop that points to \\Server\models, which, unlike a shortcut you create via right-click > create shortcut, will show up in the Explorer folder tree. I suppose there may be other ways of creating such shortcuts, but I don't know what they might be. If you want to learn more, google shortcut, symlink, hard link, junction, etc.

Also, I doubt that the utility linked in the post above will help, as it appears to be concerned with file dialogs -- I see no mention of folder browsers on its web page.

[dk2079]

hmm.. it does work with xp64... but i can't verify for win7/vista

[JDHill]

Cool. Does it work well with the plugin's custom file dialog (plugin options > use custom file dialog)?

[dk2079]

never used "custom file dialog" yet... just enabled it .. looks like this, and works:

[JDHill]

Looks good so far -- I'd check about opening some MXM, MXI, or image files, and see if the image preview on the right still works okay.

[dk2079]

it does work as expected. preview displays fine!

i have been using this tool for almost 2 years now.. and it pretty much worked in any dialog to browse for file/folders.

the only issue i have is, that occasionally the buttons to access it disappear; but it is a rare error and not a show stopper.
unfortunately the tool is not developed anymore, but it is under GNU license now, with source code in C++

[osuire]

Hi Jeremy,

Thanks for your idea, and thanks also to dK for his suggestion.
I don't mean to be a PITA , but I don't really want to create my links programmer style, or use a software for this.
Wouldn't it make sense to make a special browser for this, with "links enabled" ?

--
Olivier

[Polyxo]

Hey Olivier,
just give fb-Extender a try. It's not Software - it's just there
When I have to work on a machine which doesn't have FB installed I my mood decreases rapidly.