Any way to add "Links" toolbar to Windows Explorer?

[PPettit]

Is there a hack or a third-party app that will restore the "Links" toolbar to Windows Explorer (not Internet Explorer)? I might even settle for a launcher app as long as I configure it to open and close with Windows Explorer.

In XP, I use this toolbar to quickly access some scripts that I use throughout the day. With Windows 7, my only option appears to be to add a toolbar to the taskbar. I'm not wild about this solution because it either clutters up my taskbar (keep the toolbar expanded to show the icons) or causes me twice as many mouse clicks (show hidden icons in the toolbar then click the icon I want - repeat for each script).

 

[aich69]

I searched high and low for this myself and for the life of me (while sitting in front of my work laptop running XP) I can't remember how I did it in the end...however,

Does this work for you?

http://windows.microsoft.com/en-US/windows-vista/Show-or-hide-the-Links-toolbar-in-Internet-Explorer

I'll check when I get home to see what I did if you post back and the above hasn't worked for you.



I used to have a handle on life... but it broke. Cpt. Red Bull

 

[aich69]

Now I know I have the links bar showing but this may be worth reading too, it's a link from another forum where someone has asked the same question.

http://www.microsoft.com/windows/products/winfamily/ie/ie8/customizelinks/default.mspx

I used to have a handle on life... but it broke. Cpt. Red Bull

 

[aich69]

IE8 uses the 'Favourites' bar... move the contents of your 'links' folder to the folder called 'Favourites Bar' it's found at user\Favourites\Favourites Bar. Your links will then display in the same way that they used to with XP/IE7

Still be checking when I get home as I'm sure I have a 'Links' bar on IE8

I used to have a handle on life... but it broke. Cpt. Red Bull

 

[PPettit]

Unfortunately, neither one of those links were of any use. Both of them are for Internet Explorer, not Windows Explorer.

 

[aich69]

That'll teach me to read the question... apologies

I used to have a handle on life... but it broke. Cpt. Red Bull

 

[linney]

The only thing I can suggest is that you put all your links in a folder and then drag that folder to the Taskbar and allow it to be "Pinned to All Tasks".

This will give you an Icon to right-click on to open your Pinned folder to access your links.

Probably too many Mouse clicks for you, but I can't think of anything else at the moment, also it does leave one Icon on the Taskbar near the Start Button.

 

[PPettit]

linney, I don't see a way to make something "Pinned to All Tasks". My only options are to pin something to Windows Explorer or the Start menu. Even if your suggestion is possible, it would still cause extra clicks.

What's really odd about all this is that if you enable the menu bar (Organize>Layout>Menu bar), you can right click on it and get a menu that has one option: "Lock the toolbars". It's as if we should be able to access other toolbars, but Microsoft's developers didn't bother to finish this bit of code.

 

[linney]

I knew it was too many clicks for you but it is all that I can think of. Why I get the "All Tasks" option rather than Explorer is probably some dark secret from my evil past?

Pin A Folder To Windows Explorer Jump List In Windows 7

http://www.lockergnome.com/windows/...r-to-windows-explorer-jump-list-in-windows-7/

As to "Lock the toolbars", I think that applies to toolbars on the Explorer Menu Bar itself and not other areas?

What you need is a computer with "ESP" to cut down on those Mouse clicks. Maybe something like Speech Recognition?

 

[PPettit]

On my system, there are no other toolbars available in Windows Explorer. Also, you can't do anything to the menu bar itself, other than show or hide it. You can't even change its size or position. That's why it's odd. Why have a "Lock the toolbars" menu item when there's absolutely no use for it?

Mind control over a computer would be nice, but all I really need is for the "Links" toolbar to be available like it is in XP.