PlacesBar Constructor

PlacesBar Constructor is a feather-light application designed for older Windows models, which facilitates a user-friendly interface for personalizing the shortcuts of buttons shown on the placebar on the left side of the "Open/Save" dialog window.

Old, yet functional tool

Before proceeding any further, you should know we failed in our attempt to get the app up and running on newer Windows versions in our tests, even in program compatibility mode. However, it can still be used on older models, such as Windows XP.

Simple installer and interface

Setting it up takes minimal time and effort, thanks to the fact that there are no special options, mandatory software products or third-party components involved.
The interface of PlacesBar Constructor is user-friendly, made from a large window with a plain appearance and neatly structured layout, showing an overview of all options available for customization.

Set custom folders for button shortcuts

The default buttons are set to recently accessed items, the desktop, My Documents, My Computer and My Network. All you have to do is pick a button and change its folder into anything else. This can be done to a single button, all of them, or multiple ones you're interested in. This means that you can leave some buttons to their default locations while changing others.
Modifications are applied with the click of a button and it's not necessary to restart the computer to finalize the process. In the following step, you can open the "Open/Save" dialog of any application to inspect results and take a look at the new buttons. Unfortunately, there are no settings implemented for reverting settings to default, in case you cannot remember the original configuration.

Evaluation and conclusion

The tool worked smoothly on Windows XP in our tests, without causing the operating system to hang, crash or prompt errors. As expected from such a compact utility, it left a small footprint on the computer's performance, running on a low amount of CPU and RAM.
Too bad that PlacesBar Constructor hasn't been updated for such a long time that it doesn't work on more recent Windows versions. Nevertheless, if you're using an older OS on a weaker hardware configuration, then this app comes in handy for making some tweaks to help you with your work and personalize your system.