explore your roots

[microsoftne]

EXPLORE YOUR ROOTS


This works with all Windows 95/98/NT4/2000/ME/XP/2003 Explorer.exe releases.
To control the specific target path (drive/partition/folder) where Windows Explorer opens, create a shortcut to Explorer with this command line to open it (for example) at the host/local root directory of the boot drive/partition, usually C:\ (dual pane view):
%windir%\Explorer.exe /e,/root,C:\

or (single pane view):

%winbootdir%\Explorer.exe /n,C:\

Of course, you can replace C:\ with any other valid folder name (complete path required).
This Explorer shortcut opens at the mydir directory located on the myserver remote server (dual pane view):

%systemroot%\Explorer.exe /e,/root,\\myserver\mydir

The path to Windows Explorer doesn't need to be mentioned because Explorer.exe is located in your main Windows folder (%windir%, %winbootdir%, %homepath% or %systemroot% = usually C:\Windows if using Win9x/2000/ME/XP/2003 or C:\Winnt if using WinNT4), listed on the default PATH statement and winbootdir/windir/systemroot/homepath SET <environment> variables which load in memory upon every bootup.

Command line syntax:

EXPLORER.EXE [/e] [/n] [[(,)/root],<object|servername>] [[(,)/select],<subobject>]

Command line parameters:


/e = Opens Explorer in dual/multiple (side by side) pane view.
/n = Opens Explorer in single pane view (default).

/root,<object|servername> = Opens Explorer using the folder specified by <object> as root level view. Default is My Computer in Win95/98/NT4 and My Documents in Win2000/ME/XP/2003.
You can use the UNC (Uniform Naming Convention) standard for <servername> to open Explorer at a internet/network/remote/shared path/location/URL/server/directory/file.

/select,<subobject> = Opens Explorer using the file/folder/application specified by <subobject> as selected (highlighted) view. Default is root/parent drive/partition/folder letter/name or first file/folder/application in root/parent drive/partition/server/directory.

Defaults are assumed for all switches not enumerated on the command line.
LFN (Long File Name) files/folders and shared/remote/network server/directory/file UNC names are almost always case sensitive.