If you’re like me and prefer to keep files and folders on your hard drive in an organized mess (i.e. a strict hierarchical structure) it may become a severe pain to access deeply buried locations. The golden rule in organization advises not to let folders become nested beyond eight levels, which may seem like a lot at first, but readily becomes trivial as hard-drives and data continue to grow beyond proportion.

Double-click & Go-To

To remedy this, Code Sector has developed a small and free app called ‘Direct Folders’. After installation, you can double-click on an empty space in any Explorer-window (that includes the Desktop) and a list with saved folder locations will appear. This list looks like a regular right-click context-menu and is configurable in any way you prefer. Direct Folders will keep a list of your recently explored locations, which are accessible from the ‘Recent’ window.

Looking up locations in the ‘Open File’-dialog gets easier too, since you can take advantage of Direct Folder there as well.

Download

‘Direct Folders’ is available for free from Code Sector here. The pro-version is available for around 15 euros and ads a few features:

• Jump to the last used folder
• Scroll to the last used file in that last used folder
• Some other gadgets

Admittedly, the extra features aren’t especially compelling, but if you like the effort Direct Folders is trying to make, it’s certainly worth purchasing the pro-edition, be it only to support the folks at Code Sector.

Hierarchy versus Instant Search

Microsoft, Google and Apple have ushered to overhauling the organized file-system and substitute it with search functionality and Virtual Search Folders. While this system proves to be greatly practical for quick look-ups, I can’t see myself dropping files in my C:\ and assume the Operating System would take care of it. While OSes may have evolved to the point that they could handle this on their own, to me, it just doesn’t feel natural.

Would you confide in the OS (Windows or Mac) to organize the file structure of your hard-drive? It’s a questionable matter.