I don't usually get excited about utilities, but this is one of those little tools that
stands out so far from the crowd. Why? Because it addresses a serious flaw in the Windows
environment: the inability to pick the folder you want to Save a file to quickly and
easily.
If you are like me and download files frequently, or even save files into special
directories frequently, it becomes a royal pain in the ass to navigate the Windows
directory structure. Worse yet, so many Windows programs always default to either C:\My
Documents or their own parent directory, thereby compounding the problem by scattering
your files all over your hard drive.
Ever remember saving something, but not remembering where you saved it or what you
called it? Then you need to start using Windows to search for files created between dates.
Ugh. The problems just grow and grow.
But wait, there's help on the way! Access Folders, from ShellToys.com (the
same people who brought you Cool Desk), has a
simple little utility guaranteed to make your life easier. Once downloaded, the utility
loads fast, minimizes to your system tray, and can be automatically loaded at start-up.
Then the next time you need to save a file, simply right click the question mark icon
in the upper right corner of your screen, and bingo, up pops a list of your favorite
directories for saving files. This is completely configurable, too.
Not only can you use this tool when you want to save a file, but you can
use it when you need to find a file, too. For instance, I do a lot of web development, and
store my images in a few frequently used folders, not in the common places like C:\My
Documents. Now, with just a right click, I can automatically hop to the directory I always
use instead of having to waste a lot of my time being forced to navigate my way through
Windows' clumsy interface.
You can download a trial at ShellToys.com, developers of some of the world's easiest and
most useful tools. The tool retails for only $14.95, and it is worth every penny in
the time it will save you!
Access Folders
