"Open folder in File Explorer" command? #1773
Description
Problem to Solve
In much older versions of OneNote, one used to be able to open the current folder containing the .ONE file of the current section in File explorer. (It was so long ago that I don't remember it it was a regular menu item or a context menu item.) I used to use this to be able to store other, non-OneNote, files in the same folder as the .ONE files. Then, I would simply link to those files, rather than embed them within the OneNote page. This makes those files available for other programs to easily open or modify, as necessary, even without OneNote running. (As you know, when opening an embedded file, OneNote can only open that file using the default application.)
By being able to open that folder in File Explorer, I could quickly and easily stick other project files right in the same folder as where I was keeping the .ONE files. Some may argue against using this strategy. But I enjoyed the convenience.
Did you know that you can simply create a new OneNote Notebook at the top of an entire folder structure, and OneNote will automatically "create" section groups to match that entire folder structure? I have a huge library of digital books, in a deeply nested folder structure, matching the Library of Congress Catalog System. I often want to take notes about those books. Rather than create an entirely separate hierarchy of OneNote section groups and sections (that I have to constantly battle to keep matched), I used to simply open the folder that is the top level of my entire library and OneNote would match that folder structure, simply by creating .ONETOC files throughout. This would appear in OneNote as just a hierarchy of section groups that had no sections in them (unless some .ONE files already existed somewhere in that folder structure). Thus, my OneNote hierarchies always completely matched my library's folder structure. (If I moved folders using File Explorer, then OneNote automatically compensated. If I moved section groups in OneNote, then it would move the section files, but leave those folders with other files in them behind. This would then cause OneNote to automatically create yet another, empty, section group there. So, I learned to always move the folders using File Explorer, while OneNote was closed.)
Then, when I wanted to take notes on one of my books, I would simply go to the appropriate section group in OneNote, Create a new section, for my notes about that book. Then, I could right-click on that section and choose "Open in File Explorer." (Yes, that was really a feature, way back when. They took it away back when they were trying to force everyone to use only OneDrive for their OneNote notebook storage.) Once I had that folder open, I could copy the path to it from the address bar in File Explorer, and then use that while creating a link to the actual file that was my book. On the first page of my section for this book, I could then paste a link to the book's file.
Now the notes about that book are in the same folder as the book itself. If I need to move the book, I can move the .ONE files along with it. OneNote compensates the next time it is opened. Naturally, if that link to that book included the full path, then it will be broken. But that can be easily fixed, and one rarely moves books around once they are in a systematized folder structure.
New Feature/Solution
Simply provide a command to be able to open the current folder, containing the current section's .ONE file, in the Windows File Explorer. (NOT a "File Open" dialog.)
Alternative Solutions
Sure, one could simply dig around in the File Explorer to get to the correct folder. But that is the pain in the butt that we are trying to avoid here.
You could simply copy the full path to the folder containing the current .ONE file to the clipboard. Then, users could open File Explorer and paste that path in the address bar.
Additional Context
I understand that this will not be able to work for notebooks that are stored on OneDrive. (Because Microsoft is hiding the file structure from us when notebooks are on OneDrive.)
I am also aware that taking a local folder that is designated as a OneNote notebook which contains other, non-OneNote files, and telling OneNote to move that folder to OneDrive may likely just delete all those other, non-OneNote, files. So, one may need to exercise caution and planning before using my strategy.