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How to pin documents directly to the Windows 7 taskbar
First, locate your file -- mine is C:\Users\Server\Desktop\foo.txt. Next, right click on your desktop and New > Shortcut. In the target, specify the program you want to execute and its path in quotes -- "C:\Windows\System32\notepad.exe". Add a space, and input the location of your file (again enclosed in quotes). The full target looks like this:
Now, give your shortcut a name -- this text will appear when you hover over your pinned taskbar icon. Before pinning, you can also right-click and choose properties if you'd like to choose a different icon for your shortcut. Once you're all done, left-click and drag the shortcut to the taskbar. That's it!"C:\Windows\System32\notepad.exe" "C:\Users\Server\Desktop\foo.txt"
I've used notepad for this example and tested with Paint and Paint.NET, but this will work for other files and programs as well. As long as you know the path to your file and the program you want it to open in, you should have no problem pinning items to your taskbar.
Comments
5
Subscribe to commentsTed JoyJan 20th 2011 8:57PM
I've never bothered with pinning a doc to the task bar. Instead I drop it onto the Links toolbar on the task bar.
The hardest thing about this is making sure your Links toolbar is there in the first place.
To do that, just right-click on the task bar, then click on Toolbars and Links. You'll then see Links with >> somewhere on the right side of your toolbar.
You'll only have to do this once.
Next, start up Windows Explorer and navigate to the file you want to use.
Rt-click on it and click on Create Shortcut. A link to the file will appear in WE. Drag it and drop it onto your desktop.
From there you just drag it down and drop it on the >> next to Lists.
To get back to it, just click on >>.
Takes less than 30 seconds that way to save your shortcut to the doc you want.
mark justice hintonJan 20th 2011 11:13PM
If you only use a program with one document, this might be worth the effort. If you use a program with more than one document, it makes much more sense to pin *the program* to the taskbar (or Start menu) and, then, pin the document to the context menu for that program icon. IMO.
@davey_ladJan 21st 2011 3:45AM
I too favour the standard behaviour & pin the file to the jump list.
Also, using the method described here would break if you ever changed the program you normally handle "files" with. e.g. what if you decided to start using notepad++ to handle text files instead... your shortcuts would still work, just not in the program that every other text file is handled by. Too much of a ball ache IMO
Lee MathewsJan 21st 2011 6:51AM
@@davey_lad That wouldn't cause breakage, Davey.
If you uninstalled the program (like Notepad), yes, it would quit working. Otherwise, it'll keep going -- since you're pointing at a specific executable and telling Windows to launch that and open the file specified.
Kenny SchraderJan 21st 2011 5:08AM
I always like the option of another way to accomplish a desired task. I may not use this, but it is good to see the task can be approached from another angle. AWTSAC.