How To Open Internet Shortcuts (.URLs) In Google Drive

[JetsetBkk]

I have a folder on my PC that contains many Internet shortcuts.

When I click on one of them, Google Chrome runs and the web page appears in a new tab.

I have copied this folder to my Google Drive.

When I go to Google Drive using Google Chrome and click on one of the shortcuts, I get this:

 

 

The full .URL is displayed at top left, an "Open with" drop-down link in the middle and a few more options at top right.

It's as if the .URL file is being treated as a text file and not as an Internet shortcut.

 

What I want to do is run Google Chrome by clicking on the .URL file, just like on the PC.

 

Has anyone done that?

 

 

[gamb00ler]

It sounds like you're using the web browser interface to Google Drive.

 

If you want access to saved URL's why not save them as bookmarks?  You can organize your bookmarks in multiple levels of folders much like files in directories.

 

You can also set up Google Drive so that it's content "appears" to be on a network drive.  That is how I have it configured.  The downside is that this method requires that a background task is always running to keep the cloud version of your data updated.  One of the advantages is that most operations on the file will function normally.

 

 

[GrandPapillon]

those .url files are windows specifics, and only interpreted under windows, Google doesn't know what to do with them

 

you need to look at each file properties and extract the url, some apps might do that for you

 

otherwise, launch Edge or IE 11, drop the whole folder into "Favorites" and then do an export in IE11 if you can do or do an import under FireFox (migration tool)

 

hope that helps,

[The Hammer2021]

Copy them into a Word document

[JetsetBkk]

2 hours ago, gamb00ler said:

It sounds like you're using the web browser interface to Google Drive.

 

If you want access to saved URL's why not save them as bookmarks?  You can organize your bookmarks in multiple levels of folders much like files in directories.

 

You can also set up Google Drive so that it's content "appears" to be on a network drive.  That is how I have it configured.  The downside is that this method requires that a background task is always running to keep the cloud version of your data updated.  One of the advantages is that most operations on the file will function normally.

 

 

Yes, I'm using Google Chrome to view drive.google.com. The folder full of Windows URLs is there. I want to be able to send one or more of them to people so that they can view the web pages.

 

I'm very much interested in what you say about 

 

OMG! Thank you!

I just found a "Google Drive" folder on my 2.0TB "E:" drive! And all my files appear to be in it. I don't know how they got there.

According to Windows "Properties", the size of this Google Drive on my E: drive is only 20GB, whereas Drive reports the following:

                                     

  - 143 GB used!

 

So I really don't know what's going on here. I'd like to know how Drive determines how much storage I've used.

But the good news is - as you said - the URLs in the folders when viewed by Explorer do behave as expected: a single click and the web page opens.

 

Most of my folders' icons have a green disc with a tick inside, underlined. I guess that means they are up to date.

 

Update:

Actually, according to drive.google.com it means "Ready for offline":

 

 

The ones that have a red X are the ones I've changed recently. I don't remember how I set up syncing, if that is what is happening.

 

 

 

Looks like I've got a lot of Googling to do to find out what the heck is going on here - why there is a Google Drive on my hard drive, how to get it all synced, where is all my Drive storage being used, etc.

[GrandPapillon]

sounds like your were using "Google Drive" Windows apps that would sync a folder on your desktop PC to Google Drive

 

145GB in your Google Drive? that's insane, it can't only be URLs there. How much extra are you paying Google for that much space for documents that you never use? No wonder Google is super profitable with customers like that ????

 

you need to cold storage all that sh*t, it's barely usable at this stage

[Rimmer]

A personal attack has been removed

[Chad3000]

16 hours ago, JetsetBkk said:

Yes, I'm using Google Chrome to view drive.google.com. The folder full of Windows URLs is there. I want to be able to send one or more of them to people so that they can view the web pages.

 

I'm very much interested in what you say about 

 

OMG! Thank you!

I just found a "Google Drive" folder on my 2.0TB "E:" drive! And all my files appear to be in it. I don't know how they got there.

According to Windows "Properties", the size of this Google Drive on my E: drive is only 20GB, whereas Drive reports the following:

                                     

  - 143 GB used!

 

So I really don't know what's going on here. I'd like to know how Drive determines how much storage I've used.

But the good news is - as you said - the URLs in the folders when viewed by Explorer do behave as expected: a single click and the web page opens.

 

Most of my folders' icons have a green disc with a tick inside, underlined. I guess that means they are up to date.

 

Update:

Actually, according to drive.google.com it means "Ready for offline":

 

 

The ones that have a red X are the ones I've changed recently. I don't remember how I set up syncing, if that is what is happening.

 

 

 

Looks like I've got a lot of Googling to do to find out what the heck is going on here - why there is a Google Drive on my hard drive, how to get it all synced, where is all my Drive storage being used, etc.

I never use sync. It's totally stupid.

 

I also think onedrive is a total POS as well.

[Chad3000]

4 hours ago, GrandPapillon said:

145GB

Impossible. Limit is 15gb free and that includes mail and all workspace

[GrandPapillon]

4 hours ago, Chad3000 said:

Impossible. Limit is 15gb free and that includes mail and all workspace

if you use Google business, you can pay extra for space

 

I think a storage plan is also available for gmail.com addresses, probably something like 100 USD a year for the extra storage in your email

[Chad3000]

31 minutes ago, GrandPapillon said:

if you use Google business, you can pay extra for space

 

I think a storage plan is also available for gmail.com addresses, probably something like 100 USD a year for the extra storage in your email

Even non business. But he's clueless so undoubtedly he has no package of any kind