How can I set "save to" so it defaults to the last folder?

Is it possible to add or replace the file system on my new computer? I had XP before, which did direct to the last folder used. I'm primarily using this for downloads of audio, video, image, pdf. Text seems to work the old way anyway.

It is intolerable and time consuming to have to chase down each folder each time. Why do new versions strip out important features like this?

I heard the same complaint there. For me it is as simple as placing a shortcut to the folder I wanted it the default folder the save as is opening by default. One double click and I'm where I want to be. This has worked for over a decade so I don't go hunting and having for over a decade.

Bob

I don't quite understand this. Where and how do you create the shortcuts?

I save to hundreds of different folders. Does each one require a separate shortcut? If so, how would this be any better than the present problem? .

I never had this problem on XP. It would always send me to the last folder I saved to, just as W7 does with text files now.

"hundreds" = what a mess. I can't imagine that use but I could see where a certain type of user, say a "collector" that does nothing but collect could run into such an issue.

But even then I could have the default location filled with 200 shortcuts to the other places I want it to go to.

It's an application issue and not an OS issue. I think you may disagree but I'm just a designer of things, writer of apps and in my app have to decide to keep last location or not. That's my choice in my app and not a Windows OS choice or setting.

Still I feel for you as you download 200 things to 200 locations.

-> But about shortcuts. One of my shortcuts I use during writing an app does not take me directly to each folder but it takes me to the project folder. In the project folder we have documentation, source code, versions and 5 other folders. It would make little sense to add 8 shortcuts for us. One will do to get me to the project.
Bob

How would the shortcuts save time when the folders are all listed in the system anyway? Seems to me it would be the same problem. A project folder would also be the same problem since the necessary next step would be to sort them into the appropriate folders.

It's a lot more than 200. I'm a DJ and collect an audio library for my shows, plus info. Categories, artists, etc., with numerous sub-directories, or there would be chaos. Besides other personal things like pics and articles. Of course I understand that it would be crazy to collect thousands of files for no reason.

Something is very wrong when an existing essential feature is removed, making things very difficult for many users. It's a kind of theft. In fact, it is so unbelievable to me that this would be done that I still wonder if there actually is an option to fix this somehow. If not, there is the question of motive for removing the such a practical feature, because I cannot believe that people creating these programs could be this stupid. Is it possible that programmers from competing companies are sent to sabotage their competitors' products?

Maybe there's an Apple in your future (if they support such a thing.)

I don't want to upset you but the complaint existed before and something's changed and all I can do is nod, supply how I work with such.

Then again, imagine before we had a PC. Some do.
Bob

I appreciate your taking the time to offer help. I'm going to keep looking because it's a serious setback for me. I've been told by others that this is not a usual problem, that it's supposed to default to last folder. I don't know either way.

Are you talking of Internet Explorer (might be a different version than XP had), Firefox, Chrome, Safari, Opera? Or maybe Notepad, Excel, Irfanview?

Windows 7 has no 'save' command. So it must be an application you forgot to mention.

Kees

I previously had XP and used Firefox. I still use Firefox with W7 Professional. I don't know what you call the application (whatever the default is when I ask it to "save to". I'm particularly talking about saving downloads directly to folders. There's supposed to be an option to switch to XP mode within W7.

Then on the General tab there's a place to change the default "Save files to" option. It's always worked for me. Firefox is one of many apps, so are Word, Excel, Wordpad, etc.
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In Windows 7 there is XP mode on the Professional, Enterprise, and Ultimate versions. Some PCs come with it preinstalled, others require you to download it from the Microsoft web site. If you have the Home Premium version of Windows 7, you can upgrade to the Pro version using the Windows Anytime Upgrade option. Last I checked it was $90.
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Good luck.

The default "Save files to" option only offers a choice of either a single default or no default, and no option to default to last folder used. But if I change the default setting each time I want to use a particular folder a few times in a row, that may save a little time.

The XP mode option was installed in W7 when I bought the computer, but I don't know how to use it.

In my post above I mentioned 4 other browsers to try. One of them might default to 'last folder used' or have an option to do so. It's clearly a browser thing, not a Windows 7 thing.

Kees

when I go to save a page, if i go where the file name will be, there's an arrow which opens up the last 10 or more folders I saved pages to. Have you noticed that? So, at least some of the last folders used are immediately available in a list there.

Maybe I don't know where to look.

when you go to save something, you have to enter a filename, or accept the one offered if it does, then you can browse to a folder for it to be placed into, or at the end of where you create a filename there's a small box with an arrow, showing the last 10 places you saved files to.

The only thing I see that resembles that is the arrow beside the file name field which brings up many names of recent file addresses, but no folder names. I'm sorry to be so difficult, but I don't know what I'm missing.

The other option you mention, the need to browse the whole vast file system for the target folder is the problem. That's like being in Boston, but every time you step out to go to the neighborhood store, you are bounced to San Diego or Boulder or Hilldale and have to follow the whole route system back to Boston.

I think James means File>Save as ... from the menu bar to save a html-page. That's surely not the same as downloading a file, so it's understandable you don't see it.

I'm afraid your best solution is to write your own download-to-saved-folder add-on that shows up in the context menu (right-click menu) of a downloadable item, or pay somebody to do it for you. Since it's for your work as DJ, it should be tax-deductable.
After all, Firefox is open source, and quite add-on-friendly. The current count of add-ons is 11.334, so it's not rocket science.
it could become a rather popular add-on.

Kees

This is like setting you GPS to find how to get there but you'll still need to consult something to know where your exact seating is:

"How to Customize the File Open/Save Dialog Box in Windows"

If you can live with five locations as explained in that article - you cited "audio, video, image, pdf. Text" - then you can create these ballparks but you'll have to decide then where you're going to put something. In XP, at least, the Save As box where the location is shown at the top of the box there is the folder applet with a red dot for creating a new folder to save in. So, if your created ballparks are Audio, Video, Images, PDFs and Text, you are there, then use that applet to add another folder if that is what you want.

Just food for thought.

...when you say, "I hope you see why I lead with my non-helpful answer..."

I read the links. Someone said something quite articulate and to the point:

"How utterly stupid has microsoft become? It is one of the most obvious necessities of browsing that when I look for something specific, that I want to download the results to always the same folder. This is extremely obvious. And yet microsoft manages to axe that feature... I should be able to set that as I, the customer who paid for the OS, see fit. It is MY computer, MY software, MY responsibility, and not some incompetent little fool's in SV."

What does SV stand for?

It's an issue and would be highlighted by the use pattern you are using.

-> There is a thought in OS design that you should force the saves to be automatically go here or there but this does chafe "Personal Computer" owners.

If this OS doesn't work for you, why not look again at Linux where it is open source and if it doesn't work the way you want, you can change it?

Richard Stallman has a story about that.
Bob

I have dual-boot with Linux option. I haven't been using it because it's difficult for me. But I'd try it if it would get me out of this trouble. My files and folders are primarily on external drive.

I wrote that if it doesn't do what you want, you have the source and power to change it. And if you find an app that doesn't do what you like, you have a much better chance of finding it's author if you don't want to change it yourself.

Sorry but Linux "hard to use" is a bit hard to accept. It was nearly 10 years ago when I sent out this advice at this link -> http://tips.oncomputers.info/archives2004/0401/2004-Jan-11.htm

From what I've seen the changes have made it more and more less to learn and then we see Android, which is sitting on top of Linux become, well, you tell me.
Bob

I read the link, but don't understand it. But I do have Linux and if I could learn only to download from internet and save to folders as I want, that would be enough.

And I'm not the answer either. I am agreeing with you that the apps don't do what you want. So it's time to go app hunting.

I see I shared how I work around Windows and Linux.
Bob

It sounds like you mean the former.

Are you talking about Firefox, LibreOffice, or what? I'm no Linux expert, but like Windows I don't know of any global setting. With both Windows and Linux I've always been able to tell my app where I want it to save and have it work, but the "how" is different with each app.

I'm not using Linux or apps with it now. I use W7 with Firefox, however it works to download and save mp3 and other files to folders. I have Linux and would need to set it up for that.