Copy as Path in Windows 7, Vista and XP

Copy as Path lets you place a file name along with its path information into the Windows 7 clipboard. I only learned about this great Windows 7 feature in November from my friend Ed Bott’s article Ten Tricks every Windows 7 power user should know. I didn’t know that Microsoft had added this function in Vista. It does not exist in Windows XP, but keep reading to find out how to get it in XP.

If you hold down the Shift key when right-clicking on a file or folder in Windows 7 or Vista Windows Explorer you get an extra context menu item Copy as path. If you select this, Windows copies the complete path and file name into the Clipboard. You can then paste it into dialogs or documents. For example, if you simply right-click on the file 02 – Santa Clause Is Coming To Town, the only context menu copy command is to copy the entire file.  But if you hold down the Shift key and then right-click, you can select Copy as path. Doing this puts “D:\Music\Jackson 5\Ultimate Christmas Collection\02 Santa Claus Is Coming To Town.m4a” into the clipboard rather than a copy of the file. You could then copy that information into a document like this one, which is what I did to get it into this paragraph.

I find Copy as Path extremely useful in two situations:

• Attaching files to email.
• Filling in dialog boxes launched from the Browse button in many applications.

It saves you from hunting for the file. In many instances you are already looking at the file in Windows Explorer before you launch the application or write the email.

I find myself using this daily. But I quickly grew weary of having to remember to hold the Shift key before right-clicking. Fortunately, I found a solution to make Copy as path a regular (non-hidden) context menu item, no Shift key required!

Path Copy Copy is a free Windows Explorer add-on that also works in Windows XP as well as Windows 7 and Vista. Here’s a direct link to the download http://pathcopycopy.codeplex.com/releases/view/78108#DownloadId=313146

I suggest you alter the configuration of Path Copy Copy if you install it. The default configuration gives normal users too many choices, when all we want is the path and file name surrounded by quotation marks.

After you install it:

1. Open Windows Explorer and right-click on a file or folder.

2. Select Path Copy > Settings…

   

3. Select Default Command tab.
4. Select Copy Long Path.

5. Select the Disabled Commands tab.

   

6. Uncheck everything to disable all these geeky choices.
7. Click the OK button.

Now the Windows Explorer context menu will always include Copy File/Folder Path as a choice.

I searched for a comparable Mac OS X solution for Mac users. Surprisingly, I couldn’t find one.