[html] How can I create a link to a local file on a locally-run web page?

I'd like to have an html file that organizes certain files scattered throughout my hard drive. For example, I have two files that I would link to:

• C:\Programs\sort.mw
• C:\Videos\lecture.mp4

The problem is that I'd like the links to function as a shortcut to the file. I've tried the following:

<a href="C:\Programs\sort.mw">Link 1</a>
<a href="C:\Videos\lecture.mp4">Link 2</a>

... but the first link does nothing and the second link opens the file in Chrome, not VLC.

My questions are:

1. Is there a way to adjust my HTML to treat the links as shortcuts to the files?

2. If there isn't a way to adjust the HTML, are there any other ways to neatly link to files scattered throughout the hard drive?

My computer runs Windows 7 and my web browser is Chrome.

If you are running IIS on your PC you can add the directory that you are trying to reach as a Virtual Directory. To do this you right-click on your Site in ISS and press "Add Virtual Directory". Name the virtual folder. Point the virtual folder to your folder location on your local PC. You also have to supply credentials that has privileges to access the specific folder eg. HOSTNAME\username and password. After that you can access the file in the virtual folder as any other file on your site.

http://sitename.com/virtual_folder_name/filename.fileextension

By the way, this also works with Chrome that otherwise does not accept the file-protocol file://

Hope this helps someone :)

I've a way and work like this:

<'a href="FOLDER_PATH" target="_explorer.exe">Link Text<'/a>

back to 2017:

use URL.createObjectURL( file ) to create local link to file system that user select;

don't forgot to free memory by using URL.revokeObjectURL()

Janky at best

<a href="file://///server/folders/x/x/filename.ext">right click </a></td>

and then right click, select "copy location" option, and then paste into url.