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Is there a way in Windows 7 to create a shortcut to:

Libraries\Music\some_file.mp3

instead of:

D:\Users\Myself\My Music\some_file.mp3

This way when I move my special libraries, or reinstall using different hd partitioning on a new system, I don't have to bother changing the shortcuts?

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  • I'm curious why do you need this? I mean is it for documents? I dont see any point in creating shortcuts to music files.. Oct 21, 2013 at 16:49
  • @tumchaaditya - The question is actually generic for any file under these special Windows Library folders, the mp3 was just an example
    – Jonathan
    Oct 21, 2013 at 20:18

3 Answers 3

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+25

A simple way to point to sub-folders in libraries is to use the old environment variables, accessible through Control Panel -> System -> Advanced tab -> Environment Variables.

To add an environment variable inside the User or System/All section, click the New button and define for example a variable named MUSIC having the value C:\Users\Public\Music, then click OK twice.

With this environment variable, a file whose address is C:\Users\Public\Music\Sample Music\Kalimba.mp3 can be referred to as %MUSIC%\Sample Music\Kalimba.mp3.

If in the future you move your music to another folder, you only need to change the MUSIC environment variable, but all your shortcuts will still stay valid.

To find the path of any sub-folder in Libraries, open Explorer and navigate inside that sub-folder, then click in the Location field to the right of any displayed value (in a blank spot), and the value in the Location field will then change to show this sub-folder's full path, that you can copy and paste.

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  • The only downside would be when I just create a shortcut without entering path manually, it will still have absolute path.....I guess that's something one has to live with... Oct 21, 2013 at 16:48
  • Another good answer. Unfortunately it still doesn't help me, for the same reason as I posted in a comment on PatricK's answer (going in to the Subversion library through a path, rather than the actual library makes the Commit/Update/Show Log buttons disappear). Oct 25, 2013 at 9:05
  • Which SVN product are you using? TortoiseSVN is said to have a good integration with Explorer, but otherwise some other extension might do the job.
    – harrymc
    Oct 25, 2013 at 9:42
1

This should do...

Right click the Music in Libraries, click Properties.

RightClickMusicLibrary

Click the Include a folder... button, browse to the folder and click button Include folder. Then click Apply or OK.

Once the folder has been indexed, right click on the file/folder and click Create Shortcut, then drag it out to where ever you want to keep. Just make sure after rebuilding the system, the drive letters for the partitions are the same and Include the folders back. But skipping the Create Shortcut part. This way the shortcuts are always pointing the correct location.

IncludeFolderMusicLibrary

References: Microsoft Libraries

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  • @DannyBeckett you response so quick! Check update.
    – PatricK
    Oct 21, 2013 at 5:23
  • This answers the original question perfectly actually, so I've given you an upvote. It unfortunately doesn't help me though. Try applying an icon to the shortcut. It converts it to use an absolute path. Have a look at this screenshot i.stack.imgur.com/ZMLTf.png - I want icons on the repos you see in my Favorites list without icons. (I also have big icons on my taskbar like these). Oct 21, 2013 at 5:50
-1

Your libraries are stored in %appdata%\Microsoft\Windows\Libraries.

I haven't tried it myself, but you can try to create a shortcut file with such a path. Using a script to create a whole gaggle of shortcuts makes more sense, IMO. Hardcoding the path into a shortcut file is likely to break IMO. . .

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  • 2
    I tried it and it didn't work. Are you sure that's the syntax?
    – Jonathan
    Jul 26, 2011 at 20:40
  • Yup. msdn.microsoft.com/en-us/library/dd378457(v=VS.85).aspx The real path is something like Appdata\Roaming\Microsoft\Windows\Libraries. . .
    – surfasb
    Jul 26, 2011 at 20:52
  • 1
    From the Command Prompt, explorer %appdata%\Microsoft\Windows\Libraries works, but explorer %appdata%\Microsoft\Windows\Libraries\Music does not. Oct 18, 2013 at 14:58
  • 1
    %appdata%\Microsoft\Windows\Libraries\Music.library-ms works, but %appdata%\Microsoft\Windows\Libraries\Music.library-ms SomeChildFolder does not. Oct 18, 2013 at 15:05

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