Windows 7 libraries are a really useful feature of Windows 7, however unfortunately they arrive in a slighly cut-down form out of the box. Microsoft decided against exposing some really useful capabilities to users, like adding network locations, pretty much the first thing I tried to do. You get this message:
Luckily, you can add network locations (and any other un-indexed locations), but it must be done programatically. MS supply a command line utility slutil.exe, candidate for the worst named executable in history. Pretty sure it stands for shell_library_util. Anyway, I decided to write a tool to make it easy to add network locations, and added a few other features as well:
- Add network (UNC or mapped drive) and any other un-indexed folders to libraries.
- Backup library configuration, such that a saved set of libraries can be instantly restored at any point (like after a re-install of the OS or for transfer between multiple computers).
- Create a mirror of all libraries (using symbolic links) in [SystemDrive]:\libraries. This means you can reference all your files using a much shorter path, and also provides another entry-point to your files in many places in the Operating System (e.g. file open/save dialogs).
- Change a library’s icon.
Hopefully it’s easy enough to use, so I don’t have to explain it 
You can download it for free below. (Note: This will only run on >= Windows 7.)
Download Installer | Source Code
I must give credit to Josh Smith for his TreeView CodeProject article, upon which this solution is modelled.
The application uses the Microsoft API CodePack to manipulate libraries, which I encourage you to check out if you are writing software to integrate / take advantage of new features in Windows 7.
If you want to learn why and how libraries were introduced in Windows 7, including diving into the .library-ms file format, you can read this MSDN article.
nice tool, thank you!
Does this mean that the files will then be picked up my Xbox 360 media centre extender.
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Thanks for this, it’s a great improvement on the basic Win 7 Library functionality.
MAN!!! This is what I’ve been looking for!! Much thanks!
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I am running Windows 7 via Parallels 5 on a MacBook Pro with OS X. To synchronize my MP3 Player I need to use Windows Media Player (running on Window 7), and I want it to have access to the music I have on the Mac folders.
I can see and have access to the Mac folders in Windows. When I try to add a Mac folder on the Windows’ Music Library I get the message “This network location can’t be included because it is not indexed”.
Then I use the Win 7 Library Tool to add the Mac folder to the Windows’ Music Library. The Mac folder is added to the library but still appears as “Unsupported” on the Music Library Locations. Also, in the explorer a message appears saying “Some library features are unavailable due to unsupported library location…”
Of course Windows Media Player cannot use the Mac file and no music is shown.
Any idea on how to solve this? Thanks!
It’ really a useful software.
Good!
I have been able to add NAS folders, but they are not indexed. Does this tool make windows 7 index the NAS folders?
regards, M
Very useful. Thanks for doing that.
As Mark points out, the NAS folders are not indexed, therefore, the Arrange By button in Windows Explorer is functionally disabled; it only allows the “Folders” view. It’s important to plan which folders should be included in which library to retain maximum functionality.
Improvement suggestion: when I clicked the Apply button for the first time, the program failed to create the libraries. Error dialog said that one folder was damaged (or words to that effect). It would have been helpful to know *which* folder was causing the problem. I resolved the issue by deleting all the folders but one from each library, then building it up from there. Knowing the name of the faulty folder would have allowed me to delete just that one folder.
Great piece of work!
Thanks for the suggestion. This has been added in 1.05.
[...] Win7 Library Tool, a handy little utility that makes it easy to add network folders to your Libraries. So, for [...]
[...] Win7 Library Tool, a handy little utility that makes it easy to add network folders to your Libraries. So, for [...]
Thanks man, you are a genious… now I can see all the music in my NAS in my WMP library. Big thanks!
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Many thanks for making this app available.
Worked well the first time I used it, some weeks ago.
Today I used it again and it wiped out all of my libraries and my quick launch taskbar.
I now have to go back and set it all up again…
Hmm – Not sure why the quick launch bar disappeared – but I now realise that loosing my library set up was my fault.
I should have read the on screen message!!
And – why hadn’t I used the facility to backup the library setup that this excellent little program provides!
Roy
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Outstanding tool. Thank for sharing, it is so useful.
One feature request for furture editions: would it be possible to make the libraries (and their contents) sortable, either manually or alphabetically?
Either way, this is a really great utility. Thanks for your hard work.
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Great tool – really useful.
Only problem for me is that the UNC paths you add have to exist at the time. I have a work laptop and I want to add UNC paths for network shares at work, and at home – but I can’t connect to both networks at once so it won’t let me.
Is it possible to add a prompt – such as “Network path doesn’t exist – add anyway?”
Thanks!
Unfortunately, the API Microsoft fails if you try to add a folder that is not currently accessible
So the tool cannot be made to allow this. What happens if you add your work ones at work, then add the home ones when you get home, separately?
Bit of a problem
I used the tool to add a network location to the Documents library and it’s now lost the Music, Pictures and Videos libraries. They now only appear as a strange blang sheet icon that cannot be opened.
Am i being stupid here? Any suggestions?
Try the advice here.
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Scratch that – I restarted my machine and all was well. Looks like i was being stupid. C’est la Vie.
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Great tool, I needed just that. Thanks a lot for creating this.
I would like to ask you if you have any idea on how to disable the recurring tooltip message above the folder listing :
“some libraries features are unavailable due to unsupported librairies location”
Quite annoying :[
xDx
Hi Guys,
How do you index your NAS? Using windows 7 search is useless. You can add the network shares in your library, but they aren’t indexed. Do you use any other software?
Copernic and X1 are useless aswell, because you can’t select all results found through a search, copy them and for instance paste them in a temporary directory on my desktop.
Any tips?
@Vinzzz
I don’t run any indexing except Synology’s own indexing service via the Webgui (application->Mediacenter; which took 12h on my setup)
How is Win7 search useless? it’s not spotlight-fast but still does the work :]
xDx
@xDRAN0x
My QNAP doesnt have any indexing service. Win7 search is useless while it doesnt search the labels of pictures of non indexed shares. So I still have to rely on good directory structures, while it was just the idea of centralising data and dont care where a file resists…
Windows Seven add UNC path not indexed to Library…
Here you are a little software that handle the problem of adding UNC path to the Windows Seven library, even if this path are not indexed. Download Win7 Library Tool from here. This little program allows you to quicly modifiy the detail of the library,…
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Just installed and ran on Win7 x64 and it has deleted all my non user created libraries
Scratch that… When the app recreates the libraries it also re catalogues. While it is doing this, still to be catalogued libraries are not visible.
My own fault for having 2Tb of storage
On the plus side App works great in Win7×64.
Finally!
THANKS A LOT!
That is what I was looking for!
Your are my hero of the day ^^
[...] there’s a handy free utility you can use that makes adding network locations a lot easier. Win7 Library Tool is small and straight forward to use. Just click on the Create a new library [...]
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[...] [from the programmer’s site] Windows 7 libraries are a really useful feature of Windows 7, however unfortunately they arrive in a slightly cut-down form out of the box. Microsoft decided against exposing some really useful capabilities to users, like adding network locations, pretty much the first thing I tried to do. You get this message: [...]
[...] to get used to it. Moreover adding network locations to libraries is not a very easy task. The Windows 7 Library Tool is a simple and free app which lets you perform management tasks of your libraries with just a [...]