macro to insert the path-statement of the active folder into a particular notepad file?

KingL2

Hi
I'd like some kindof of macro in Windows 10 desktop that copies the path statement of the currently active/focussed window and pastes (inserts) it into the sixth line of a particular notepad text file (which is open).

If it is not possible to invoke it from the current window (but, for example, it must be run by clicking on a shortcut file on the desktop); then, obviously, it would be the path statement of the _previously_focussed folder that gets copy-pasted.

If it's not possible to paste-into a particular line of an open notepad file, then pasting into line 1 would be OK, but it must INSERT-paste, not overwrite the existing contents of the file.

If it's not possible to Insert-Paste into an open notepad file, I could live with it opening a new, empty, notepad file and pasting into that; (then I could manually copy-paste that over to where I really want it).

To run from Windows 10 desktop/explorer, not the command-line.

I have no idea if that is possible, or how to do it.  Help, please! 

thanks

Neil_Jones

Something like AutoIT may be able to do this.

John_Gray

I have difficulty in understanding what you mean by "the path statement of the currently active/focussed window".  I think that whatever that is would have to be extracted by a Windows API, and thus some form of program. 

With these sort of questions, it can be more productive to indicate what you are trying to do rather than to propose a possible solution!

Heedtheadvice

Like John writes, to me your question does not make much sense!

Are you really wanting the window's location, the program using that window, the file shown in the windows contents (such as the file olened as a document in that program) or something else?

a

I would look at the OPENFILES command, it is not the answer, but could be part of the solution you write

KingL2

if I drill down (in windows explorer) to a useful folder:
d:\data\folder6\tier3folder7\tier4folder8\tier5folder3

I can copy the path statement of that folder into the clipboard by going :

• Alt+D  (makes the 'address' field of that window editable)
• Cntl+C
• then navigate to my (already open) notepad file
• and Cntl+V the text "d:\data\folder6\tier3folder7\tier4folder8\tier5folder3" into the notepad file.
• and save the notepad file
  

I just want to be able to do that regularly with a single mouseclick (or two), whenever I am in one of my favourite folders; so adding the path statements of various folders to an ever-growing list in the notepad file.

- - -

Over time, I will build (in my notepad file) a list of the locations of all those folders that I have deemed somehow 'special' ; and I can then use that list of path statements to make (probably just in MSWord) some kind of quickreference/homepage of clickable links that I can use to easily reach my favourite folders whenever I want to.

The requirement is just to 'automate' the addition of a folder to my 'homepage.docx'.

Just the folders. Not the files, not the apps.

I'm aware that there are features in Windows that seek to 'bookmark/favourite' folders, but I don't get along with them - I'd rather just make my own list of pathstatements in plaintext. 

debitcardmayhem

Have a look here perhaps ? https://www.techspot.com/guides/1670-windows-right-click-menu/

Semple

Is it possible for you to view your folder contents via cmd prompt or powershell? That'll make it much easier to pass the absolute path into a text file. 

KingL2

jnhuasd said:

Autohotkey can do this easily, something like (using the F1 key as the 'hotkey' to activate the script:

F1::
    Send, !d ; activate the currently active explorer address  bar
    <snip>
    WinActive("Titled - Notepad") ; change to your notepad title
    <snip>
Return

Awesome. Thanks, that makes light work of it.  I didn't know about Auto Hot Key - it looks pretty handy.

[

Warning, not tested. Just off the top of my head, may need some testing.

yer, is seems that it is     WinActivate, Titled - Notepad
rather than Winactive ("Titled - Notepad")

Also, as soon as you make any changes to the notepad file, Windows puts an asterisk on the front of its Windowname, which means that the notepad window isn't recognised/activated when you run it a second time.  Is there a way to get it to ignore the asterisk (so you don't have to save the notepad file every time before you invoke F1)?

KingL2

Just a note to add that if you don't want to save the notepad file everytime in order to get rid of the asterisk (I didn't), you can use the Proces i.d. (pid) instead of the Windowname in the WinActivate command, e.g.
    Winactivate, ahk_pid 12345
(where 12345 is the identifying number of the window that you want to switch to. (You can discover what the particular number is by using the windowspy.exe file that comes in the installation folder for AutoHotKey).
Using the pid, rather than the name, can also help in other situations where WinActivate fails to locate the window that you are trying to switch to.