Toolbars/Address Bar

Toolbars/Address Bar

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For general information about Explorer++'s toolbars, ie. moving, resizing, customizing, etc., see the toolbars Overview.

The Address Bar serves 3 general purposes:

1. it displays the icon associated with the current folder (tab),
2. it displays the address of the current folder (tab); this address can be copied to the clipboard (if desired), and
3. it allows the user to enter an address and, using the Go button, jump to that address.

Folder icon

This area displays any folder icon associated with a particular folder; the default is usually as shown in the image.  Most special folders on the Go menu have distinct icons associated with them and will display those icons here.

Tip: Dragging and dropping the Address Bar's icon to a folder (in the Folders or Files pane) - or to another tab - creates a Windows shortcut (ie. a LNK file) in that folder.  The shortcut points to the original location.

Address/text field

Address display

If a location for the active tab is selected, by any valid means, the address/text field of the Address Bar displays the current address.  If the address is too long to fit in the space allotted (ie. the Explorer++ window has been resized, and the Address Bar is now too small to display the full address, or the address is deeply nested in subfolders), the text in the address/text field can be scrolled by placing the cursor in the field, then moving the curser (left/right arrow, Ctrl+left/right arrow, etc.).

Text in the address/text field may be selected and manipulated (eg. copied to the clipboard), by using Windows hotkeys (eg. Ctrl+C for copy), or through the use of a small context (ie. right-click) menu.  The Copy Folder Path operation copies the entire address to the clipboard.

 

Address entry

You may enter an address in the address/text field and jump to that address by pressing Enter or clicking the Go button.  The address must one of either

• a fully qualified path, ie. <drive letter>:\<folder>\<folder>\... etc.  An example might be:
      C:\WINDOWS\system32\drivers
  Note that fully qualified paths should not end in the backslash ( \ ) character.
   

  Tip: Every time you enter backslash ( \ ) character, Explorer++ opens a special (resizable) window and displays a list of the contents (files and folders both) of the path as typed so far (if valid).  You may select a folder from this list; Explorer++ will jump to that folder.  Selecting a file will attempt to open it in any registered application, the same as if you tried to open the file using a double-click (or single-click, with an option set).  A refresh will restore the true address.

• the name of a subfolder in the current location.  The folder must already exist.  This is the only time Explorer++ will accept less than a fully qualified path, except for special locations (following).

• the name of a special location.  Explorer++ recognizes the following locations in the Address Bar as special:

  	Special location	Target
  	Desktop	<drive>:\Documents and Settings\<user>\Desktop
  	Documents	<drive>:\Documents and Settings\<user>\My Documents
  	Pictures	<drive>:\Documents and Settings\<user>\My Documents\My Pictures
  	Music	<drive>:\Documents and Settings\<user>\My Documents\My Music
  	Videos	<drive>:\Documents and Settings\<user>\My Documents\My Videos

  Entering one of the above locations (case-insensitive) in the address/text field and clicking the Go button (or pressing Enter) jumps to the target location.  Explorer++ also recognizes several virtual folders, as shown on the Go menu, namely

  • My Computer
  • Recycle Bin
  • Control Panel
  • Printers and Faxes (opens in Windows Explorer)
  • My Network Places

  although, it is likely easier just to use the Go menu for these locations.

Address drop-down

The drop-down list for the Address Bar shows all subfolders (folders only - no files) in the current location.  You may click on any folder in the list to put its name in the address/text field; pressing Enter or clicking the Go button will take you there.

Go button

The Go button, when clicked, set the address for the current tab to the address shown in the address/text field of the Address Bar.  Pressing Enter is the same as clicking the Go button when the Address Bar has the focus.  The Go button has a context (ie. right-click) menu identical to the Toolbars menu.

Info: The Tab, Shift+Tab, F6 and Shift+F6 keys cycle the focus in Explorer++ between the Address Bar, Folders pane and the Files pane.