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FlashFolder

July 7, 2007 By 19 Comments

FlashFolder a small toolbar that docks onto the Windows’ “Open/Save” and “Browse for Folder” dialogs.

It provides a number of functions including the ability to bookmark and quickly access favorites folders as well as quick access to recently used folders.

It also offers a number of other related functions.

Another program for tweaking the Windows “Open/Save” dialog, but this one is my favorite yet. This is the kind of freeware find that I love: a tiny program that provides very useful and user friendly functions that make Windows easier to use.

Here’s a list of function:

  • Quick access to recently used folders (through a drop down menu)
  • Quick access to favorite folders: define your frequently used folders and you’re on your way. Note that this can use the directory menu from Total Commander.
  • Easy access to all folders with currently open files; not sure why I would need these, exactly, especially when most of the folders in the dropdown are system folders that are being accessed by Windows and other background processes. It would have been great to be able to suppress system folders from this dropdown in the ’program options’.
  • Adds a folder address bar to the “Open/Save” dialog. This offers the option to manually edit the folder path if you need to. At first I was inclined to think this was an entirely unnecessary but in fact it placed so efficiently in the FlashFolder dock that it quickly started to make sense to have it there.
  • Centers the dialog on the screen; enlarges it and makes it resizeable.
  • Provides a button to quickly set the *.* (All file types) filter.
  • Works with MS Office’s “Open/Save” dialog (requires Windows XP)

See screenshots to get a feeling for this (recommeded) program. [Thanks go again to reader Risk for tipping me off about this program].

Version tested: 1.7.76.0 beta

Compatibility: Windows 2000, XP.

Go to the Sourceforge download page to get the latest version (approx 410K). Also visit the program home page.


 
 
 
Samer Kurdi

Samer Kurdi

Has been reviewing software since 2006 when he started Freewaregenius.com
Samer Kurdi

@freewaregenius

July 7, 2007
Samer Kurdi
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  • http://zett42.de/flashfolder zett42

    Thanks for mentioning FlashFolder on your site.

    I just want to correct something: The program does NOT work under Windows Vista right now. Vista has some new kind of open/save dialog, which is not “understand” by FlashFolder.
    I will need some time to fix this for Vista.

    Regarding “all folders with currently open files”:
    I have already added “suppress system folders” to the bug tracker.
    I’m also a bit unsure about this feature. I’m wondering if it really is an essential feature that everyone needs by default. Otherwise it would best be made optional and be off by default.

  • http://zett42.de/flashfolder zett42

    Win9x is also not (and will never be) supported, so the compatibility list should be: Windows 2k/XP

  • Samer

    Yes.. Sorry. I meant to check compatibility but somehow didn’t. I’ve got it fixed now.

  • Sam Jones

    You forgot to mention to big downsides of this program: (1) it has no un-installer (aside from of Control Panel >Add/remove programs, which is not nice); and (2) it RUNS AS A WINDOWS SERVICE, which is stupid for such a little utility, and suspicious to me.

    I couldn’t wait to un-install it.

  • Rarst

    Menu with all “active” directories sounded not too useful… until I found out that this program auto-detects and moves to top current active directories of Total Commander. This feature is seriously great! It instantly eliminated my hate for open\save dialogs.

    2Sam Jones

    1. This program comes in msi package. So it uses built-in windows features to (un)install itself. So separate uninstaller is not needed (and may even be harmful).

    2. Running as service has totally no means to make program more (or less) dangerous. Program is open source and considered totally safe and garbage-free by large download site softpedia:
    http://www.softpedia.com/get/System/OS-Enhancements/FlashFolder.shtml

    No downsides for me so far.

  • http://zett42.de/flashfolder zett42

    Thanks for the feedback.

    I can understand complains about running the tool as a service since this seems like hooking too deep into the system.
    There is excactly one reason for this behaviour:
    To make the program work well under restricted user accounts.

    Working mainly with a restricted account is recommended by security experts so that malicious software like viruses and spyware can do less harm.
    But sometimes you need to start administrative programs via “Run As” from the restricted account. Without the system service, FlashFolder could not be used in such programs, because it would not have the required privileges.

    If I find some time, I will make the system service an optional feature that can be choosen in the installer.

  • Morgan

    I have seen a number of tools that do the same thing but are pay. I have just started to use this and it seems great! Thanks for providing this zett42! I hope you continue to develop it!

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  • Gazda

    Looks good. I’ll test it. Thanks!

  • http://alekdavis.blogspot.com Alek Davis

    Just tried this tool (on XP) and love it! Thank you.

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  • http://www.mp33pm.co.uk HitMe WithIt

    Oh well … I arrived here looking for something to replace the great FileboxExtender I have been so used to in XP for ages…that doesn’t work properly in windows 7.
    It would seem the developer of this flashfolders has decided not to continue on with this project as the pages are removed from his site and, as he says in this thread, it wasn’t compatible with Vista so not much chance of a windows 7 fix for it :(

  • http://FireLightChurch.com Hugh Langford

    Flashfolder, without warning, disables many right click options such as ExploreFromHere, Open and Open New Window which typically appear in SAVE AS dialog boxes.

    Normally, from Firefox one may click File/Save As and right click on a folder in that dialog and see Explore Here or Open. FlashFolder takes all that away.

    Inexcusably Flashfolder requires a reboot and at times would cause explorer to hang and peg the cpu to 100%.
    FileBoxExtender does everything FlashFolder does but doesn’t need a reboot, doesn’t hang explorer and doesn’t disable right click options. FileBoxExtender is simply fantastic though!

  • http://FireLightChurch.com Hugh Langford

    FlashFolder sounds great in theory but after asking me to reboot my computer (strike one) it then removed, without warning, all the ExploreHere, Open, Open Window right click options from every Save As dialog box. This is a big nightmare for power users. However, a very lightweight app also recommended here, FileBoxExtender does not require a reboot nor does it remove right click options from the Save As dialogs. I can’t live without FileBoxExtender! But I spent 3 days messing with the registry until I relized the problem was FlashFolder.

    By the way, I no longer trust this site because this helpful warning to users was removed. Why in the world the site mod would not want users to know this information is beyond me. Then again, it could be due to my church website. Lot’s of homosexuals, Muslims and atheists who will not think twice about stomping on Jesus because he says they are evil as he mentions in John chapter 3 :-)

  • Pipps

    One of the most useful Windows applications ever. This is a prime example of functionality which should have always been included as standard. An incredible useful aid for quick and repeated folder navigation. Thank you to the developers for making it, and to FreewareGenius for introducing it!