Shelling out on Windows

[Lone Wolf]

Windows Secrets… http://mos.techradar.com//classifications/computing/software/operating-systems/images/shellfolder-218-85.jpg Shell folders: It's just one simple command away.

Finding the system folders in Windows can be a hassle, especially in Windows Vista, where Microsoft has relocated many of them for no apparent reason. Can you remember where Windows stores your cookies, for instance? Your Send To shortcuts, desktop themes, saved searches? Spend a while browsing in Explorer and you'll probably find whatever you need, eventually, but there's a much quicker and easier way: the shell command.

Get speedy access to just about any Windows system folder with these handy shortcuts. Click Start (or Start > Run in Windows XP), type shell: and the folder name and you'll see the folder immediately. So entering shell:Cookies will display the cookies folder; shell:SendTo reveals the Send To shortcuts; shell:ResourceDir brings up your themes, and any searches you've saved are just a shell:searches command away.

Some shell folders work well as shortcuts. For example, Windows Vista SP1 took the Search button away from the Start menu, but now it's easy to add it back. Right-click an empty part of the desktop, click New > Shortcut and enter the command explorer.exe shell:SearchHomeFolder. Click Next, type Search as the shortcut name and click Finish. Drag the shortcut over the Start button, drop it at the very top of the Start menu, then click this to call up the Search tool whenever you need it.

There are plenty of other shell folders available, more than 80 in Windows Vista and around half that in XP. They have been sorted into categories to make life easier. However, if you insist on having the gory details then you'll find them contained in the Registry at HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows\Curr entVersion\explorer\FolderDescriptions (Windows Vista) or HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Windows\Curre ntVersion\Explorer\Shell Folders (XP).


Internet Explorer

shell:Cache - Applies to XP, Vista
Displays the Temporary Internet Files folder

shell:Cookies - Applies to XP, Vista
Displays the Internet Explorer Cookies folder

shell:Favorites - Applies to XP, Vista
Displays the Internet Explorer Favorites folder

shell:InternetFolder - Applies to XP, Vista
Displays Internet Explorer


Applets and applications

shell:AddNewProgramsFolder - Applies to Vista
Displays the Control Panel "Install a program from the network" applet

shell:Administrative Tools - Applies to XP, Vista
Displays shortcuts to the applets in your Control Panel\Administrative Tools folder

shell:ChangeRemoveProgramsFolder - Applies to Vista
Displays the Control Panel "Uninstall or change a program" applet

shell:Common Administrative Tools - Applies to XP, Vista
Displays shortcuts to the Public applets in your Control Panel\Administrative Tools folder

shell:ConnectionsFolder - Applies to Vista
Displays the list of Network Connections

shell:ControlPanelFolder - Applies to Vista
Displays Control Panel

shell:SearchHomeFolder - Applies to Vista
Displays the Windows Vista Search tool


Multimedia

shell:My Music - Applies to XP, Vista
Displays the user Music folder

shell:CommonMusic - Applies to XP, Vista
Displays the Public Music folder

shell:SampleMusic - Applies to Vista
Displays the Sample Music folder

shell:My Pictures - Applies to XP, Vista
Displays the user Pictures folder

shell:CommonPictures - Applies to XP, Vista
Displays the Public Pictures folder

shell:SamplePictures - Applies to Vista
Displays the Sample Pictures folder

shell:SamplePlaylists - Applies to Vista
Displays the Sample Playlists folder

shell:Original Images - Applies to Vista
Displays the folder containing the original versions of images tweaked by Windows Photo Gallery

shell:PhotoAlbums - Applies to Vista
Displays the user Pictures\Slide Shows folder

shell:My Video - Applies to XP, Vista
Displays the user Video folder

shell:CommonVideo - Applies to XP, Vista
Displays the Public Video folder

shell:SampleVideos - Applies to Vista
Displays the Sample Videos folder


Windows Vista Sync Centre

shell:ConflictFolder - Applies to Vista
Displays Sync Centre Conflicts

shell:SyncCenterFolder - Applies to Vista
Displays Sync Centre

shell:SyncResultsFolder - Applies to Vista
Displays Sync Centre Results

shell:SyncSetupFolder - Applies to Vista System Folders
Displays the Sync Centre Setup options


System Folders

shell:AppUpdatesFolder - Applies to Vista
Displays installed Windows Updates

shell:Common AppData - Applies to XP, Vista
Displays the Public Application Data folder

shell:Common Desktop - Applies to XP, Vista
Displays the Public Desktop

shell:Common Documents - Applies to XP, Vista
Displays the Public Documents folder

shell:CommonDownloads - Applies to XP, Vista
Displays the Public Downloads folder

shell:Common Programs - Applies to XP, Vista
Displays the Public Start Menu Programs folder

shell:Common Start Menu - Applies to XP, Vista
Displays the Public Start Menu folder

shell:Common Startup - Applies to XP, Vista
Displays the Public Startup folder

shell:Common Templates - Applies to XP, Vista
Displays the Public Templates folder

shell: Default Gadgets - Applies to Vista ignore space after colon
Displays the default Sidebar Gadgets folder

shell:Fonts - Applies to XP, Vista
Displays the Fonts folder

shell:Games - Applies to Vista
Displays the Games folder

shell:LocalizedResourcesDir - Applies to XP only
Displays localized Windows Resources

shell:MAPIFolder
Displays the MAPI mail previewer (but can't be used manually)

shell:MyComputerFolder - Applies to Vista
Displays the Computer folder

shell:OEM Links - Applies to XP, Vista
Displays links provided by your PC manufacturer (if links are installed)

shell:NetworkPlacesFolder - Applies to Vista
Displays the Network Places folder

shell:PrintersFolder - Applies to XP, Vista
Displays the Printers folder

shell:ProgramFiles - Applies to XP, Vista
Displays the Program Files folder

shell:ProgramFilesX86 - Applies to Vista
Displays 32-bit programs stored on 64-bit Windows

shell:ProgramFilesCommon - Applies to Vista
Displays the Program Files\Common Files folder

shell:ProgramFilesCommonX86 - Applies to Vista
Displays the Common Files for 32-bit programs stored on 64-bit Windows

shell:Public - Applies to Vista
Displays the Public folder

shell:PublicGameTasks - Applies to Vista
Displays the Public Game Explorer folder

shell:ResourceDir - Applies to XP, Vista
Displays the Windows Resources folder (themes are stored here)

shell:RecycleBinFolder - Applies to XP, Vista
Displays the Recycle Bin

shell:System - Applies to Vista
Displays the Windows System folder

shell:Systemx86 - Applies to Vista
Displays the Windows System folder for 32-bit files on 64-bit Windows

shell:TreePropertiesFolder - Applies to Vista
Can't be used manually

shell:UserProfiles - Applies to Vista
Displays the folder holding all user profiles

shell:Windows - Applies to XP, Vista
Displays the Windows installation folder (usually \Windows)


User Folders

shell:AppData - Applies to XP, Vista
Displays the user Application Data folder

shell:CD Burning - Applies to XP, Vista
Displays the folder where files are stored before being burned to disc

shell:Contacts - Applies to Vista
Displays the user Windows Contacts folder

shell:CredentialManager - Applies to Vista
Displays the user Credentials folder

shell:Cryptokeys - Applies to Vista
Displays the user encryption keys folder

shell:CSCFolder - Applies to XP, Vista
Displays the Client Side Cache Offline Files folder if supported.

shell: Desktop - Applies to XP, Vista ignore space after colon
Displays the user desktop folder

shell: Downloads - Applies to Vista ignore space after colon
Displays the user downloads folder

shell: DpAPIKeys - Applies to Vista ignore space after colon
Opens the users AppData\Roaming\Microsoft\Protect folder

shell:Gadgets - Applies to Vista
Displays the user folder of downloaded Sidebar Gadgets

shell:GameTasks - Applies to Vista
Displays the user Game Explorer folder

shell:History - Applies to XP, Vista
Displays the user History folder

shell:Links - Applies to Vista
Displays the user Links folder

shell:Local AppData - Applies to XP, Vista
Displays the user Application Data folder

shell:Local AppDataLow - Applies to Vista
Displays the user Application Data (Low Integrity) folder

shell:NetHood - Applies to XP, Vista
Displays the user Network Places folder

shell:Personal - Applies to XP, Vista
Displays the user Documents folder

shell:Playlists - Applies to Vista
Displays the user \Music\Playlists folder

shell:PrintHood - Applies to XP, Vista
Displays the user printer shortcuts folder

shell:Profile - Applies to XP, Vista
Displays the user profile folder

shell:Programs - Applies to XP, Vista
Displays the user Start Menu Programs folder

shell:Quick Launch - Applies to Vista
Displays the Quick Launch folder

shell:Recent - Applies to XP, Vista
Displays the user's Recent Documents folder

shell:SavedGames - Applies to Vista
Displays the Saved Games folder

shell:Searches - Applies to Vista
Displays the saved searches folder

shell:SendTo - Applies to XP, Vista
Displays the user Send To folder

shell:Start Menu - Applies to XP, Vista
Displays the user Start Menu folder

shell:Startup - Applies to XP, Vista
Displays the user Startup folder

shell:SystemCertificates - Applies to Vista
Displays the user certificates folder

shell:Templates - Applies to XP, Vista
Displays the user Templates folder


Original article by Mike Williams – Tech Radar

[Farley]

Nice! :thumbsup:

There's gotta be something you need to do for the commands with a space. Like: "shell:Common Desktop ". shell:Common Desktop brings up the current desktop, shell:CommonDesktop sends an error. :kukoo:

[Lone Wolf]

Dear :confused: RTFM ;) Those with a colon (:D) tend to throw up a smilie - as you can see - so I put a space (: D) as a preventive measure... as far as I can see I have mentioned the removal of the space where this might take place. I haven't tried them all out as yet, so other than the "shell: D" I can't comment.

Edit: have tried some of them out 'as is' on the post??? and they work for me? Some commands have spaces... some do not. I guess you just have to go with the flow.