Add button to Win7 explorer toolbar

[nathan323]

Howdy.

I want to add a button that creates a new text document and put it next to the New Folder button in Windows 7, so that clicking it will give me the same result as right-clicking in the folder and choosing New>Text Document.

I have read this page, and this page.


So ive got the button appearing, and i can get it to open the actual program Notepad, but not create a new text document inside the folder. I dont know if its just a variable i need to add onto the command line "c:\windows\system32\notepad.exe", or its a different command altogether..

Any help would be greatly appreciated!

Nathan

 

[office politics]

when you click new text document from the shortcut menu, the windows shell is creating the document. so finding a command that does this won't be possible.

this link describes info about the link in the shortcut menu Add or remove entries in the New objects list (ShellNew)

you could try only entering "notepad.exe filename.txt" and hope it launches using a working directory of windows explorer. Even then, a notepad window would launch and you would have to save the file manually. ...but you're prolly going to open the file immediately afterwards anyway.

it's still a long shot.

 

[nathan323]

Hi thx for the reply.

Argh this is doin my head in.
So sorry if this is obvious, but when u say windoews shell is creating the document - cant i get it to do this when i push a button? I keep thinking about the New Folder button - exactly what i want, but just with a text document. Can i find the key in the registry that makes the New Folder button work?
When i looked at the keys etc in HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\.txt, i saw an Expandable String Value that had the value @%SystemRoot%\system32\notepad.exe,-470... is this the command that its using? i tried putting it into my button's command value, but nothing. though i dont know if im doing something wrong there - i tried to use yr command of "C:\Windows\System32\Notepad.exe filename.txt" but the button does nothing. take the filename .txt out and it opens notepad again. but i know that command works, because if i paste it into a explorer address bar, it works (opens notepad, tells me file doesnt exist, asks if id like to create it). So even if i could get that line to work with the button, id at least know any command i try other than just notepad.exe will actually work.

 

[office politics]

the link below is prolly a better resource for these questions. they should have mvps specializing in windows shell crawling the site and providing answers.

Windows - Help and Troubleshooting | Microsoft Answers

 

[nathan323]

Great thanks for your help buddy!