1. MJW0808's Avatar
    I use my Playbook to read school assignments often and I was wondering if there was a way to easily create a direct link to say a PDF file on the Home screen or in the Apps list.

    On my Bold I can add a file to the Home screen, is there a way to do this on the Playbook that I'm just missing somehow?
    04-13-12 09:31 PM
  2. mandony's Avatar
    Not possible for a file.
    The only short-cut is to a webpage using a customized browser favorite on desktop
    04-13-12 09:34 PM
  3. MJW0808's Avatar
    Sigh...that's a real bummer seems like a simple thing to have and it would make my life easier. Guess it's time to search for some kind of work around/alternative.
    04-13-12 09:42 PM
  4. FF22's Avatar
    Not possible for a file.
    The only short-cut is to a webpage using a customized browser favorite on desktop
    Now that you mentioned creating a desktop favorite, the OP could get a bit closer using that concept.

    OP, into the browser address bar enter the / character. This will take you to the file system on the pb at the top. Click accounts, then 1000, the Shared. Then click the folder where your pdf files are stored. If you create a folder in Documents/pdf, you'd have less files to scroll through to find your needed one. Once looking at the folder with your pdf file, click the STAR+ icon at the top, create a Desktop Favorite. Close the browser. Go to the desktop, find the favorite and it will open to your folder, find your file/pdf and tap it and the Adobe reader will open.

    Not direct but closer than nothing.

    Or you can use a file manager to get there.
    04-13-12 11:39 PM
  5. MJW0808's Avatar
    didn't know you could do that. Thanks for the info
    04-14-12 09:44 AM
  6. Toodeurep's Avatar
    Now that you mentioned creating a desktop favorite, the OP could get a bit closer using that concept.

    OP, into the browser address bar enter the / character. This will take you to the file system on the pb at the top. Click accounts, then 1000, the Shared. Then click the folder where your pdf files are stored. If you create a folder in Documents/pdf, you'd have less files to scroll through to find your needed one. Once looking at the folder with your pdf file, click the STAR+ icon at the top, create a Desktop Favorite. Close the browser. Go to the desktop, find the favorite and it will open to your folder, find your file/pdf and tap it and the Adobe reader will open.

    Not direct but closer than nothing.

    Or you can use a file manager to get there.
    This is an often forgotten feature of the browser. Anything you view with the browser can be a shortcut. If you navigate to a .jpg via this method you can add that shortcut to your home screen. I know it isn't perfect but saving a particular file as a .jpg (or another file that opens in the browser) can give you a direct link.
    04-14-12 11:02 AM
  7. BerryClever's Avatar
    Now that you mentioned creating a desktop favorite, the OP could get a bit closer using that concept.

    OP, into the browser address bar enter the / character. This will take you to the file system on the pb at the top. Click accounts, then 1000, the Shared. Then click the folder where your pdf files are stored. If you create a folder in Documents/pdf, you'd have less files to scroll through to find your needed one. Once looking at the folder with your pdf file, click the STAR+ icon at the top, create a Desktop Favorite. Close the browser. Go to the desktop, find the favorite and it will open to your folder, find your file/pdf and tap it and the Adobe reader will open.

    Not direct but closer than nothing.

    Or you can use a file manager to get there.
    Nice tip, thanks! I am glad I looked at this thread, as I assumed it was impossible and didn't know about this little work around.
    04-14-12 11:05 AM
  8. Toodeurep's Avatar
    Here is a screen shot of a shortcut to a specific document.
    04-14-12 11:19 AM
  9. FF22's Avatar
    The limitation is the the browser does not directly open pdf files. So I think you are stuck with the more generic, get to the pdf folder, then manually select the file and it launches the adobe reader. Other file types the Browser can open. I'm not sure if it is faster than opening Adobe and then browsing for the file. But the other examples cited are good ones, too.
    04-14-12 10:25 PM
  10. Ittles's Avatar
    F2 thats a great tip, I didn't know that. It will come in very handy, thank you!
    04-15-12 07:29 AM
  11. FF22's Avatar
    Just a brief comment. Rim has changed the "string" to have the browser get to the folders on the pb.

    You use to need "file:///" and then they changed it to something else. I think at one point they actually removed any access (or we needed to figure out the string). Now the simple "/" is sufficient. Who knows what they might do next.
    04-15-12 09:39 AM
  12. Ittles's Avatar
    I have to say, I have spent most of this day saving files to my home screen then grouping them into folders. This has been a great organizational tool. Thanks again.
    04-15-12 01:43 PM
  13. FF22's Avatar
    Glad this series of tips helped.
    TOphotog likes this.
    04-15-12 02:12 PM
  14. TOphotog's Avatar
    ... and five years later, I'm still finding great tips to use on my constantly-used 5 Playbooks! Thanks so much, FF22!
    02-12-17 09:01 AM
  15. TOphotog's Avatar
    As mentioned below, great idea. One little catch: if your folder name has two words, join by a period or dash, otherwise it won't open with this method. ie Real Estate = Real.Estate
    dmlis and FF22 like this.
    02-12-17 11:39 AM
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