Windows 7-Customize Open & Save Dialog boxes, favorites, etc

Info about changing the links that show up in the "Common  File Dialog Box" when opening programs. Trying to find the best way to add custom links or favorites to make browsing for common file locations easier.



"File Dialog", "Filebox eXtender", etc






excerpt below from original article HERE:

Common File Dialog Box - Customize Places Bar

How to Customize Default Places Bar in Windows Common Open File Dialog Boxes

   Information

This will show you how to customize the list of items displayed in the Places Bar in the Windows XP stylecommon open file dialog box (ex: Save As, Open) for all users in Vista, Windows 7, and Windows 8.

You can specify from 1 to 5 items to be displayed in the Places Bar.

   Note

The valid items you may display in the Places Bar are:

1) Shortcuts (full path) to a local folder -- (ex. C:\Windows)
NOTE: Do not include full path in quotes.

2) Shortcuts (full path) to remote folders -- (\\server\share)

3) FTP folders 

4) web folders 

5) Shell Commands for locations (SEE BELOW for MORE)

6) Common Shell folders -- (examples)

• MyComputerFolder


• MyDocuments


• MyFavorites


• MyMusic


• MyPictures


• MyNetworkPlaces


• MyFavorites


• CommonDocuments


• CommonMusic


• CommonPictures


• Desktop


• Printers


• ProgramFiles


• Recent


• shell:desktop


• shell:documentsLibrary


• shell:MusicLibrary


• shell:PicturesLibrary


• shell:VideosLibrary


• shell:MyComputerFolder

EXAMPLE: Default and Custom Places Bar Items in Common Open File Dialog Box
NOTE: These will be the smaller Windows XP (ex: Browse type) common dialog box style windows that have shortcut icons (places) instead of the normal Navigation Pane that has a folder tree.

 OPTION ONE 

Customize Places Bar using the Local Group Policy Editor

1. Open the all users, specific users or groups, or all users except administrators Local Group Policy Editor for how you want this policy applied. 

2. In the left pane, click/tap on to expand User Configuration, Administrative Templates, Windows Components,Windows Explorer (Vista and Windows 7) or File Explorer (Windows 8), and Common Open File Dialog. (see screenshot below)

 

3. In the right pane of Common Open File Dialog, double click/tap on Items displayed in Places Bar to edit it. (see screenshot above)

4. To Restore Default Items Displayed in the Places Bar

A) Select (dot) either Not Configured or Disabled. (see screenshot below step 6)

B) Go to step 6.

5. To Customize Items to be Displayed in the Places Bar

A) Select (dot) Enabled. (see screenshot below step 6)

B) Under Options, you can type in up to 5 separate items (locations) for Places to display. (see screenshot below step 6)
NOTE: See the NOTE box at the top of the tutorial for more on valid items you may display in the Places Bar.

6. Click/tap on OK. (see screenshot below)

7. Close the Local Group Policy Editor window.

Shell commands below from HERE:

Shell Command	Path of Folder it Opens
shell:AddNewProgramsFolder	Control Panel\All Control Panel Items\Get Programs
shell:Administrative Tools	hidden C:\Users\User-Name\AppData\Roaming\Microsoft\Windows\Start Menu\Programs\Administrative Tools
shell:AppData	hidden C:\Users\(User-Name)\AppData\Roaming
shell:AppUpdatesFolder	Installed Updates
shell:Cache	hidden C:\Users\User-Name\AppData\Local\Microsoft\Windows\Temporary Internet Files
shell:CD Burning	hidden C:\Users\User-Name\AppData\Local\Microsoft\Windows\Burn\Burn
shell:ChangeRemoveProgramsFolder	Control Panel\All Control Panel Items\Programs and Features
shell:Common Administrative Tools	hidden C:\ProgramData\Microsoft\Windows\Start Menu\Programs\Administrative Tools
shell:Common AppData	hidden C:\ProgramData
shell:Common Desktop	C:\Users\Public\Desktop
shell:Common Documents	C:\Users\Public\Documents
shell:CommonDownloads	C:\Users\Public\Downloads
shell:CommonMusic	C:\Users\Public\Music
shell:CommonPictures	C:\Users\Public\Pictures
shell:Common Programs	hidden C:\ProgramData\Microsoft\Windows\Start Menu\Programs
shell:CommonRingtones	hidden C:\ProgramData\Microsoft\Windows\Ringtones
shell:Common Start Menu	hidden C:\ProgramData\Microsoft\Windows\Start Menu
shell:Common Startup	hidden C:\ProgramData\Microsoft\Windows\Start Menu\Programs\Startup
shell:Common Templates	hidden C:\ProgramData\Microsoft\Windows\Templates
shell:CommonVideo	C:\Users\Public\Videos
shell:ConflictFolder	Control Panel\All Control Panel Items\Sync Center\Conflicts
shell:ConnectionsFolder	Control Panel\All Control Panel Items\Network Connections
shell:Contacts	C:\Users\User-Name\Contacts
shell:ControlPanelFolder	Control Panel\All Control Panel Items
shell:Cookies	hidden C:\Users\User-Name\AppData\Roaming\Microsoft\Windows\Cookies
shell:Cookies\Low	hidden C:\Users\User-Name\AppData\Roaming\Microsoft\Windows\Cookies\Low
shell:CredentialManager	hidden C:\Users\User-Name\AppData\Roaming\Microsoft\Credentials
shell:CryptoKeys	hidden C:\Users\User-Name\AppData\Roaming\Microsoft\Crypto
shell:default Gadgets	C:\Program Files\Windows Sidebar\Gadgets
shell:desktop	C:\Users\User-Name\Desktop
shell:device Metadata Store	hidden C:\ProgramData\Microsoft\Windows\DeviceMetadataStore
shell:documentsLibrary	Libraries\Documents
shell:downloads	C:\Users\User-Name\Downloads
shell:dpapiKeys	hidden C:\Users\User-Name\AppData\Roaming\Microsoft\Protect
shell:Favorites	C:\Users\User-Name\Favorites
shell:Fonts	C:\Windows\Fonts
shell:Gadgets	hidden C:\Users\User-Name\AppData\Local\Microsoft\Windows Sidebar\Gadgets
shell:Games	Games
shell:GameTasks	hidden C:\Users\User-Name\AppData\Local\Microsoft\Windows\GameExplorer
shell:History	hidden C:\Users\User-Name\AppData\Local\Microsoft\Windows\History
Shell:HomeGroupFolder	Homegroup
shell:ImplicitAppShortcuts	hidden C:\Users\User-Name\AppData\Roaming\Microsoft\Internet Explorer\Quick Launch\User Pinned\ImplicitAppShortcuts
shell:InternetFolder	32-bit Internet Explorer.
shell:Links	C:\Users\User-Name\Links
shell:Libraries	Libraries
shell:Local AppData	hidden C:\Users\User-Name\AppData\Local
shell:LocalAppDataLow	hidden C:\Users\User-Name\AppData\LocalLow
shell:MusicLibrary	Libraries\Music
shell:My Music	C:\Users\User-Name\Music
shell:My Pictures	C:\Users\User-Name\Pictures
shell:My Video	C:\Users\User-Name\Videos
shell:MyComputerFolder	Computer
shell:NetHood	hidden C:\Users\User-Name\AppData\Roaming\Microsoft\Windows\Network Shortcuts
shell:NetworkPlacesFolder	Network
shell:Personal	C:\Users\User-Name\Documents
shell:PicturesLibrary	Libraries\Pictures
shell:PrintersFolder	All Control Panel Items\Printers
shell:PrintHood	hidden C:\Users\User-Name\AppData\Roaming\Microsoft\Windows\Printer Shortcuts
shell:Profile	C:\Users\User-Name
shell:ProgramFiles	C:\Program Files
shell:ProgramFilesCommon	C:\Program Files\Common Files
shell:ProgramFilesCommonX64	C:\Program Files\Common Files (in 64-bit Windows only)
shell:ProgramFilesCommonX86	C:\Program Files (x86)\Common Files (in 64-bit Windows only)
shell:ProgramFilesX64	C:\Program Files (in 64-bit Windows only)
shell:ProgramFilesX86	C:\Program Files (x86) (in 64-bit Windows only)
shell:Programs	hidden C:\Users\User-Name\AppData\Roaming\Microsoft\Windows\Start Menu\Programs
shell:Public	C:\Public
shell:PublicGameTasks	hidden C:\ProgramData\Microsoft\Windows\GameExplorer
Shell:PublicLibraries	C:\Users\Public\Libraries
shell:PublicSuggestedLocations	C:\Users\Public\Library\PublicSuggestedLocations
shell:Quick Launch	hidden C:\Users\User-Name\AppData\Roaming\Microsoft\Internet Explorer\Quick Launch
shell:Recent	hidden C:\Users\User-Name\AppData\Roaming\Microsoft\Windows\Recent
shell:RecycleBinFolder	Recycle Bin
shell:ResourceDir	C:\Windows\Resources
shell:Ringtones	hidden C:\ProgramData\Microsoft\Windows\Ringtones
shell:SampleMusic	C:\Users\Public\Music\Sample Music
shell:SamplePictures	C:\Users\Public\Pictures\Sample Pictures
shell:SampleVideos	C:\Users\Public\Videos\Sample Videos
shell:SavedGames	C:\Users\User-Name\Saved Games
shell:Searches	C:\Users\User-Name\Searches
shell:SearchHomeFolder	search-ms:
shell:SendTo	hidden C:\Users\User-Name\AppData\Roaming\Microsoft\Windows\SendTo
shell:Start Menu	hidden C:\Users\User-Name\AppData\Roaming\Microsoft\Windows\Start Menu
shell:Startup	hidden C:\Users\User-Name\AppData\Roaming\Microsoft\Windows\Start Menu\Programs\Startup
shell:SyncCenterFolder	Control Panel\All Control Panel Items\Sync Center
shell:SyncResultsFolder	Control Panel\All Control Panel Items\Sync Center\Sync Results
shell:SyncSetupFolder	Control Panel\All Control Panel Items\Sync Center\Sync Setup
shell:System	C:\Windows\System32
shell:SystemCertificates	hidden C:\Users\User-Name\AppData\Roaming\Microsoft\SystemCertificates
shell:SystemX86	C:\Windows\SysWOW64
shell:Templates	hidden C:\Users\User-Name\AppData\Roaming\Microsoft\Windows\Templates
shell:User Pinned	hidden C:\Users\User-Name\AppData\Roaming\Microsoft\Internet Explorer\Quick Launch\User Pinned
shell:UserProfiles	C:\Users
shell:UsersFilesFolder	C:\Users\User-Name
shell:UsersLibrariesFolder	Libraries
shell:VideosLibrary	Libraries\Videos
shell:Windows	C:\Windows

Additional Links:
http://www.techsupportalert.com/content/make-full-use-of-favorite-links.htm

Add Your Own Folders to Favorites in Windows 7

When you open Explorer in Windows 7 you’ll see a list of Favorites in the Navigation Pane. Microsoft has already put some there, but today we show you how to remove them and add your own favorite folders including Search Connectors.

Remove Favorites

By default Microsoft has included some favorite locations for you that you may not want. The default locations are Desktop, Downloads, Recent Places, and Recorded TV if you’ve set up Live TV in Windows Media Center.

To delete the locations from Favorites, simply right-click on the location and select Remove from the context menu.

Add Favorites

Adding you favorite locations that you visit often is easy. While your in the folder you want to add, right-click on Favorites and select Add current location to Favorites.

You can also drag a folder over to Favorites to link it there as well.

In this example we removed all of the default locations and added four locations…a FLAC folder from a home server, My Documents, My Videos, and our Dropbox folder.

If you want to get the default locations back just right-click Favorites and select Restore favorite links. It won’t delete the locations you added, but will just restore the originals.

Search Connectors

You can’t add Internet Explorer Favorites or files to your favorites in Windows Explorer. However, you can add Search Connectors which allow you to search a favorite website and view it in Windows Explorer. This is a neat trick we covered in a previous article.

This should help make navigating through your favorite locations a bit easier and allow you to add Search Connectors as well. Make sure to check out our links below that will help better understand Search Connectors and why they might come in handy.