{"id":273,"date":"2008-05-09T00:37:27","date_gmt":"2008-05-08T19:07:27","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/198.58.113.91\/blog\/?p=273"},"modified":"2021-05-24T20:50:41","modified_gmt":"2021-05-24T15:20:41","slug":"add-the-open-file-location-context-menu-for-shortcuts-in-windows-xp","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.winhelponline.com\/blog\/add-the-open-file-location-context-menu-for-shortcuts-in-windows-xp\/","title":{"rendered":"How to Add “Open File Location” Right-Click Option in Windows XP"},"content":{"rendered":"

Windows Vista and Windows 7 include the Open file location<\/b> context menu item for Shortcuts, which helps you quickly open the target folder of a shortcut. In Windows XP, it takes four mouse clicks to accomplish the task.<\/p>\n

To open the target folder of a shortcut in Windows XP, you need to right-click on the shortcut file, click Properties and click the Find Target<\/b> button to open the parent folder of the target file or folder. And an additional mouse click is needed to close the Shortcut Properties dialog.<\/p>\n

You can add the Open file location<\/b> feature in Windows XP (similar to what you have in Windows Vista) using two methods. Method 1 uses a registry file, and Method 2 uses a VBScript. No additional shell extensions are needed!<\/p>\n

<\/p>\n

Note:<\/b> The only drawback of Method 1 is that the Open file location<\/b> command will be seen in the context menu of every file and folder, not only for shortcuts. If you need the Open file location<\/b> command shown only for shortcuts (.lnk<\/b> files), you may use my VBScript, which is discussed in Method 2 below.<\/p>\n

Method 1<\/h2>\n

Using Notepad, create a .reg file (e.g., findtarget.reg<\/code>) with the following contents.<\/p>\n

Windows Registry Editor Version 5.00\r\n\r\n[HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\\Directory\\shell\\Open File Location]\r\n@=\"&Open File Location\"\r\n\r\n[HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\\Directory\\shell\\Open File Location\\command]\r\n@=\"\\\"explorer.exe\\\" \/select,\\\"%1\\\"\"\r\n\r\n[HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\\*\\shell]\r\n\r\n[HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\\*\\shell\\Open File Location]\r\n@=\"&Open File Location\"\r\n\r\n[HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\\*\\shell\\Open File Location\\command]\r\n@=\"\\\"explorer.exe\\\" \/select,\\\"%1\\\"\"<\/pre>\n
Right-click on the file and choose Merge<\/b>.<\/p>\n
The Open file location<\/b> command is now added to the context menu for all files.<\/p>\n
Undo file<\/h4>\n
To remove the option, create a file named undo.reg<\/code> based on the following contents. Double-click to run the file.<\/p>\n
Windows Registry Editor Version 5.00\r\n\r\n[-HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\\Directory\\shell\\Open File Location]\r\n\r\n[-HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\\*\\shell\\Open File Location]<\/pre>\n
Method 2<\/h2>\n
Here is a VBScript that I wrote which adds the Open file location<\/b> command to the context menu of shortcuts (.lnk<\/i> files)<\/p>\n