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I want to generate links that can be pasted in emails so I can show people folders in their directory structure such as where to edit their email signature manually.

I'm trying to put a link to the folder in an email but make it generic enough that when they forward it, everyone who opens it will get the link into their own directory structure properly so I need to use environment variables.

I type the text I want the link to say then highlight and CTRL-K then put %CSIDL_APPDATA%\Microsoft\Signatures\ in the link but Outlook changes my % symbols to %25's. I'd ask how to escape a % but it shouldn't be escaped I don't think since it's actually part of a link.

Environment variable list FYI:http://technet.microsoft.com/en-us/library/dd560744(v=ws.10).aspx

Still.Tony
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Simple answer, you can't. When you're linking like that, the current directory looks like root / to the html. So you could look at a subfolder of current directory (which you aren't guaranteed to know since it could be different on different OS's or even per user configuration) but that won't really help you.

This project will let you edit the actual HTML of your email by adding an Advanced tab but even with full control of the HTML, it can't be done. "It would open up a security hole the size of Denver."

Here's a lot of quality info on Relative Addressing which is what you're trying to do.

AppFzx
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this is because outlook parse your input as HTML link. I did not test it but you should give a try to this file://%CSIDL_APPDATA%/Microsoft/Signatures/

See this answer too : ways to make an html link open a folder

Community
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Brainarts
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  • I tried this and then a few variations (more and less forward slashes, backslashes in the part of the path following `file:///`) and Outlook won't accept it. OK button becomes disabled. The only way I can get to work is `file:///C:\full_path_with_no_environment_variables` – Still.Tony Oct 10 '13 at 19:27
  • @Okuma Tony -> i think to understand that what you want is to send this as is... so it will expand on client receiving the email right? – Brainarts Oct 10 '13 at 19:44
  • That answer would work for opening a link in Internet Explorer but for some reason, opening in Outlook behaves differently. – Still.Tony Oct 10 '13 at 20:24