Windows XP Hacks

Control Windows Explorer with Command-Line Shortcuts

Create customized Explorer views from the command line, and save your favorite views in desktop shortcuts.

I rarely open Windows Explorer in its default view. Instead, I generally want to open it at a specific location, with a specific set of viewing features—for example, with the Folders bar in the left side on or off.

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.

For example, when I want to open Windows Explorer to the C:\Power Tools Book\Hacks subfolder only, with no folders above it, and using the Folders bar, I open the command prompt and issue this command:

explorer /e,/root,c:\Power Tools Book\Hacks

When I do that, the view pictured in Figure 3-7 appears.

Figure 3-7. Opening Windows Explorer to a specific folder with a specific view

Compare that view with my default view that I get when I launch Windows Explorer the normal way (shown in Figure 3-8). Not only does the Explorer view in Figure 3-7 open to a specific subfolder, but it also shows no folders above it. In contrast, Figure 3-8 shows the entire structure of my hard disk and opens to C:\. I use the view in Figure 3-7 when I want to work exclusively on a specific subfolder and ...