What s New with Windows 7

Transcription

1 What s New with Windows 7 What s New in Windows Understanding the Start Menu... 1 Finding programs using the All Programs command... 2 Pinning and unpinning programs on the Start Menu... 3 Customizing the appearance of the Start Menu... 3 Customizing the left side of the Start menu... 4 Customizing the right side of the Start menu... 4 Changing your Start menu picture... 5 Customizing your computer s visuals... 6 Customizing your desktop background... 7 Customizing your color scheme... 8 Customizing sounds... 9 Customizing your screen saver... 9 Customizing mouse pointers...10 Creating and saving your own theme...11 Adding gadgets to your desktop...11 Removing gadgets from your desktop...13 Maximizing your use of the taskbar Understanding the taskbar...13 Customizing the taskbar by adding and removing programs and files...13 Pinning individual files to an application button on the taskbar...14 Changing the size, appearance, and grouping of taskbar buttons...14 Moving among open windows...15 Understanding Jump Lists...16 Customizing the Jump List to show your recently-opened files...16 Finding your stuff Understanding the rules behind how searches work...18 Searching for your stuff via the Start Menu...19 Understanding the Search Results window...19 Using the search filter options...19 Getting help Finding the Help system...20 File management Understanding the parts of the Windows Explorer window...22 Returning to the traditional Windows XP navigation pane s tree structure...23 Working with folder views...23 Changing a folder view...24 Sorting within a folder...24 Grouping within a folder...25 Undoing grouping...25 Understanding the Arrange by options...25 Creating new folders...26 Creating a new folder on the fly...26 Selecting folders or files within Windows Explorer...27 Copying or moving files and folders...27 Using drag and drop to move or copy files/folders...27 Using cut or copy and paste to move or copy files/folders...27 Copying a file to the same folder...28 Deleting files and working with the Recycle Bin Deleting files and folders...28

2 What s New with Windows 7 Things to keep in mind when deleting...29 Understanding the Recycle Bin...29 Restoring deleted files...29 Miscellaneous tips and tricks Adding shortcuts to the Favorites folder...29 Understanding libraries...30 Creating a new library...30 Adding folders to a library...31 Adding additional folders to a library...31 Saving files to a library...31

3 What s New in Windows 7 What hasn t changed? Start button on the lower-left side The clock and a few icons on the lower-right side A taskbar across the bottom of the screen where you can see open programs What s new? Improved ability to manage the icons in your taskbar Taskbar buttons can open programs now, as well as allow you to switch between open applications Simplified searching for files and other stuff Easier access to tools for personalizing your desktop, screen saver, etc. Introduction of gadgets small programs to perform simple tasks Files can be organized into libraries virtual folders that link to your files, wherever they might be actually located Desktop shortcuts Calendar gadget Slide show gadget Desktop Start button Taskbar System tray Understanding the Start Menu The Start button has traditionally been the place where everyone goes to open their applications. Fortunately, improvements to the taskbar discussed in the next section may allow you to spend much less time trying to find things on the Start Menu. What s New with Windows

4 As in previous versions of Windows, the Start menu is split into two columns. The left side contains shortcuts to programs that you use frequently. The right side is configured by the IT Department to give you access to important locations on your computer. These programs have been pinned to the Start Menu for easy access. Shortcuts to important areas on your computer. Click here to see all the applications available on your computer they will show up in a list on the left side of the Start Menu. Use this search box to look for applications or files on your computer. Finding programs using the All Programs command In prior versions of Windows, clicking on the All Programs command would open a series of additional windows to the right side of the Start Menu. Now, when you click on All Programs it opens the program list on the left side of the Start Menu, with a vertical scrollbar to move through the list. To view the contents of a folder, click on its name and the contents will display below it. Click on an application name to open it. Use this scroll bar to move up and down in the list of programs. Click on a folder name to display its contents. What s New with Windows

5 Pinning and unpinning programs on the Start Menu For your own convenience, you can pin those programs you use all the time to the Start Menu. Once you find a program on the All Programs list, right-click on it and select Pin to Start Menu from the shortcut menu. Right-click on an application name and use these options to pin it to the Start menu or Taskbar for easier access. Those items pinned to the Start Menu can be reordered by clicking on them and dragging them into a new spot. If you find that you ve cluttered up your Start Menu unnecessarily, right-click on a pinned item and select Unpin from Start Menu from the shortcut menu. Customizing the appearance of the Start Menu To change the appearance of the Start Menu, right-click on the Start button and select Properties from the shortcut menu. The first customization to consider is turning on the ability for the Start menu and taskbar to remember what programs and files you ve recently opened. The advantage of doing so is that it gives you quicker access to applications; the disadvantage is that it allows others to see what you ve been doing as well. What s New with Windows

6 Note: if you have already pinned your most-frequently-used items to the Start menu or taskbar, you probably don t need to worry about taking this step. If you do want to turn on this feature, check the appropriate boxes in the Privacy section. For additional customization options, click on the Customize button. If you did turn on the ability to remember recently-used programs, you can adjust the number displayed in the Start menu size area at the bottom of the window. In the top of the window, you can scroll through a number of options to customize the left and right sides of the Start menu. I ve highlighted below the options I think you re most likely to want to use. Customizing the left side of the Start menu Use large icons: uncheck this box if you want to display more items on the menu Sort All Program menu by name: if this box is checked, the All Programs list sorts alphabetically. Otherwise, it sorts by the order in which items were added or the order you have imposed by clicking and dragging to move items around on the All Programs list. Highlight newly installed programs: if this box is checked, newly added programs show up on the All Programs list with a colored background that makes them easier to find. Open submenus when I pause on them with the mouse pointed: if this is checked, hovering over the name of a program brings up any associated jump list items and/or submenus. Enable context menus and dragging and dropping: if this is checked, you can more easily move items on the left side of the menu. Customizing the right side of the Start menu The main thing you can change on the right side of the Start menu is how the items listed there display. Your choices are as follows: Display as a link: the item name functions as a link that opens the folder in Windows Explorer Display as a menu: the item has a button that opens a submenu off to the right What s New with Windows

7 Don t display this item: removes the item from the right side of the Start menu The Documents title is customized to display as a link so that clicking on it opens it as a Windows Explorer folder. The Pictures title is customized to display as a menu so that you can navigate directly to a picture. You can apply these options to a number of options, including Computer, Control Panel, Documents, Games, Music, and Pictures. Other folders, including the Favorites menu, Network, Recent Items, and Devices and Printers, only allow you the ability to display them or not on the right side of the Start menu. Changing your Start menu picture The graphic that appears on top of the Start menu s right side is associated with your user account. Everyone who logs on to the computer will have a different picture. To pick a different picture, click on the current one to open the User Accounts window. Once there, click on the Change your picture link. A new window appears with a variety of pictures available. If you see one you like, click on it and then click on the Change Picture button. If you don t like the choices available here, you can select a picture of your own. Click on the Browse for more pictures link at the bottom of the window, which opens the Pictures Library folder. From here you can select a picture stored on your computer, or navigate to a picture you have stored elsewhere. Once you find the appropriate picture, select it and click on the Open button. What s New with Windows

8 The picture you selected above should now show up on the top-right side of the Start menu. Customizing your computer s visuals The quickest way to change your computer s appearance is to select one of the predesigned themes, which bundles together settings that control the desktop background, windows color, sound scheme, screen saver, desktop icons, and mouse pointer appearance. If you prefer a more granular approach, you can modify any of the individual facets listed above. See the following sections for specifics on each. The first step for any customizations is to right-click on the desktop and select Personalize from the shortcut menu. To select a different theme, click on one listed in the Aero Themes area of the Personalization window. Any themes you have created are stored here. Windows default themes are listed here. If you don t care for any of the default themes, click on the Get more themes online link to access the themes available for download from Microsoft. To modify individual elements, rather than an entire scheme, click on a particular item here. What s New with Windows

9 On the Windows 7 themes webpage, you can choose from different categories by clicking on the tabs on the left side of the screen. Once you find a theme you like, click on the Download button. A new window will appear asking if you want to open or save the file. Click on the Open button. Once the theme downloads, it will automatically replace the prior theme and be stored in the My Themes section of the Personalize window shown in the previous section. Customizing your desktop background If you want to personalize the desktop background, right-click on the desktop and select Personalize from the shortcut menu. In the Personalization window, click on the Desktop Background link near the bottom of the window. In the Choose your desktop background window, click on the dropdown arrow beside Picture Location to access one of the locations where Windows thinks pictures are most likely stored. Note: if you want to use your own pictures as your background, navigate to wherever you have stored them on your computer using the Browse button. Click here to move to one of the locations where lots of pictures are stored. If you do not want to include a picture in the slideshow, you can uncheck its checkbox. Click here to navigate to a location where you have stored pictures. Use the options available here to change how pictures are positioned on the screen. Check this box to vary the order in which pictures are displayed. What s New with Windows

10 Once you have selected a picture location, the images stored there will show up in the window. By default, Windows will create a slideshow out of all the pictures in this location; follow the directions below to specify what pictures are displayed, and how often they change. You can choose not to display certain pictures by unchecking the checkbox in the upperleft corner of that particular picture. To change the position of the picture, click on the dropdown arrow below Picture position. To modify the amount of time between picture changes, click on the dropdown arrow below Change picture every: and select a new time increment. Once you have made all necessary changes, click on the Save changes button in the lowerright corner. You will be returned to the Personalization window, where you can continue customizing your computer if needed. Otherwise, just close the Personalization window and enjoy your new desktop background! Customizing your color scheme If you want to personalize the color applied to window borders, the Start menu, and taskbar, right-click on the desktop and select Personalize from the shortcut menu. In the Personalization window, click on the Window Color link near the bottom of the window. In the color personalization window, you have several ways to choose a color: Select a color from the range of choices displayed at the top of the window. Click on the Show color mixer link near the bottom of the window to display the Hue, Saturation, and Brightness commands so that you can create your own color. The color intensity slider bar allows you to modify the appearance of either the preset color blocks or a color that you mix yourself. Once you find a color that you like, click on the Save button to return to the Personalization window. Select from the colors available here or click on the Show color mixer command to create your own color at the bottom of the screen. What s New with Windows

11 Customizing sounds If you want to personalize the sounds that play when you perform certain actions, right-click on the desktop and select Personalize from the shortcut menu. In the Personalization window, click on the Sounds link near the bottom of the window. Click on the dropdown arrow here to select a different sound theme. To create your own custom sound theme, select an event from the list here and then specify what sound plays when that event occurs. In the Sound window, you can quickly change your sounds by selecting a different theme from the dropdown list under Sound Scheme. If you want a more customized set of sounds, select a program event and then specify the sound to be associated with it. Once you have made all necessary changes, click on the OK button. Customizing your screen saver Screen savers are no longer necessary to preserve your monitor s health, but they are fun! If you want to turn on a screen saver, right-click on the desktop and select Personalize from the shortcut menu. In the Personalization window, click on the Screen Saver link near the bottom of the window. In the Screen Saver Settings window, you can select the type of screen saver from the dropdown list below screen saver. Choose from the list of available screen savers here. Specify how much time elapses before the screensaver runs here. What s New with Windows

12 The Settings button lets you configure certain features of the screen saver, such as how quickly it moves, or how frequently photos display. The Preview button turns the screen saver on so you can see it on the full screen. The Wait box is where you specify how many minutes of inactivity should elapse before the screen saver turns on. Note: to use your own pictures as a screen saver, select Photos as the screen saver type, and then click on the Settings button. Once the Settings window displays, click on the Browse button to navigate to the location where your pictures are stored. Once you have configured other features as desired, click on the Save button to close the Settings window. Click on the Browse button to navigate to and select your own pictures for use as a screen saver. If you make any changes in the Settings window, click on the Save button to save and exit. Once you have made all necessary changes, click on the OK button. Customizing mouse pointers If you have strong feelings about the way your mouse pointer should look, you can change it up as well. Right-click on the desktop and select Personalize from the shortcut menu. In the Personalization window, click on the Change Mouse Pointers link on the left side of the window. In the Mouse Properties window s Pointers tab, you can select a different preset scheme from Choose from one of the preset schemes by clicking on the dropdown arrow here. Create your own custom scheme by selection a mouse pointer type here and then clicking on the Browse button to choose a different look. the list available near the top of the window, or you can create your own custom scheme. Once you have made all necessary changes, click on the OK button. What s New with Windows

13 Creating and saving your own theme If you go through the processes described above for customizing the different parts of your computer s visual appearance, you should save all that hard work into your own theme. Right-click on the desktop and select Personalize from the shortcut menu. In the Personalization window, you should see a My Themes section, which includes any themes you have previously applied, plus an unsaved theme that includes all of the specific customizations you have done. This is my unsaved theme. Click here to save the currently-selected theme. Make sure that the unsaved theme is highlighted. Click on the Save theme link at the bottom of the My Themes section. A Save Theme As window appears; give your theme a name and then click on the Save button. You should now see your theme in the same My Themes section, but with its name applied. Here is my newlysaved theme. Adding gadgets to your desktop Gadgets are small programs that do things like display a clock or calendar, convert currency, and display weather information. While they will not change your life, they can be a useful way of gathering snippets of useful information. To see the gadgets available by default, right-click on the desktop and select Gadgets from the shortcut menu. What s New with Windows

14 The Gadgets window lists the default gadgets available for you to display on your desktop. To see what a gadget will do, click to select it and then click on the Show details link in the lower-left corner. Details about the currently-selected gadget are displayed here. The Gadgets window expands with a description of what that particular gadget does. To install a gadget, you can drag it to the desktop or right-click on it and select Add from the shortcut menu. When you hover over a gadget, its command buttons appear. Every gadget has different options, so it will be worth your while to play around with them a bit to see what they can do. Close Close Larger size Larger size Options Drag gadget Drag gadget To find additional gadgets, click on the Get more gadgets online link in the lower-right corner of the Gadgets window. What s New with Windows

15 If you are connected to the Internet, a browser window opens where you can see the gadgets available on Microsoft s website. If you see a gadget there that you want, click on the Get now link to download it. Removing gadgets from your desktop If you find that you no longer need a gadget, hover over it to bring up its command buttons and then click on the Close button. To remove it completely from your computer, right-click on it and select Uninstall from the shortcut menu. Maximizing your use of the taskbar Understanding the taskbar The taskbar is the area along the bottom of the screen with the Start menu at one end and the system tray (best known as the location of the clock) at the other. The purpose of the Start menu is to allow you to open programs, switch between programs, and get notifications from the computer when needed. The taskbar button for a program that is not open has no border and shares the background of the taskbar itself. The taskbar button for an open program has a border around it. Internet Explorer Windows Media Player Help Click here to minimize all open windows and display the desktop Start button Windows Explorer Microsoft Word with multiple files open Excel shortcut no files actually open System tray area home of the clock and various notification icons that you mostly won t need When you have multiple files open for the same application (for example, three different Word documents), the taskbar button looks like a set of stacked buttons. Note: when you have multiple files open within the same location, right-clicking on the taskbar button brings up a Close all windows command, which can be a great timesaver when you re trying to get your computer shut down at the end of the day. Customizing the taskbar by adding and removing programs and files The greatest thing about the taskbar in Windows 7 is that you can add a whole variety of items to it shortcuts to programs, specific files, or specific folders. This ability to customize lets you get to the stuff you need much more quickly. To pin an application to the taskbar, find its icon on the Start menu and then drag the icon or its shortcut to the taskbar. A popup window appears informing you that you are pinning to the taskbar; release the mouse button to conclude the operation. Drag a program onto the taskbar to pin it there for easier access. To remove a pinned application or program, right-click on it on the taskbar and select Unpin this program from the taskbar from the shortcut menu. Click here to unpin What s New with Windows an application. 13

16 Pinning individual files to an application button on the taskbar Once you have pinned an application to the taskbar, you can add specific files to it so that you can open them more easily. Click on the Start button and then click on the Documents link on the right side of the Start menu. In the Documents window, navigate to where the files is stored. Once you can see the file, click to select it and then drag the file s name over top of the appropriate taskbar button until a popup window appears informing you that you are pinning to that application. When you see this Pin to message appear, you will know that you have succeeded in pinning your file to the application. Release the mouse button and the file is now pinned. Right-click on the application to view a list of specific files pinned there. To remove a pinned file or folder, right-click on its application button and then hover over the item until the pushpin icon appears. Click on the pushpin to unpin the file or folder. Click on the pushpin icon to unpin the file from the taskbar. Changing the size, appearance, and grouping of taskbar buttons To change the appearance of taskbar items, right-click on a blank area of the taskbar and select Properties from the shortcut menu. In the Taskbar tab of the window, you can do the following: Unlock the taskbar so that you can change its height by clicking and dragging. Set the taskbar to hide except when you hover over the taskbar s location with your mouse Modify the size of icons (from default large to small) Change the taskbar s location on the screen (choose from bottom, left, right, top) Change the number of taskbar buttons that display What s New with Windows

17 Once you have made the desired taskbar modifications, click on the OK button to save your changes. To change the order in which items appear on the taskbar, simply drag an item to a new location on the taskbar. Click here to unlock the taskbar so you can change its size and appearance. Click here if you want to hide the taskbar. Click here to modify the size of taskbar icons. Use this dropdown to change the taskbar s location. Use this dropdown to modify how many buttons appear for an application. Moving among open windows To switch between open windows, you can click on the appropriate taskbar button. However, instead of seeing a list of file names, you will now see small thumbnails of the open files, so that you can more easily get to the correct item. If the thumbnails don t help, hover over a thumbnail image, and it will bring that particular window to the front so that you can see it in full size. These are the three files I currently have open in Word. If you prefer to use the keyboard to move among open windows, hold down the Alt key and then hit the Tab key. A window appears showing all open files, with the name of the currentlyselected file at the top of the window. As you continue to hold down the Alt key and hit the Tab key, you will cycle through the open This is the title of the file that will come to the front of the screen when I release the Alt and Tab keys. What s New with Windows

18 files. When the correct file appears, release the Alt and Tab keys to open that window. Understanding Jump Lists A new feature on the taskbar is the jump list, a menu of options for a particular program. It is available for taskbar items by right-clicking on the item, which brings up a menu of relevant options, including pinned items and the ability to open or close the application from the jump list. The Jump List for Internet Explorer includes pinned pages and the ability to open and close the application, among other options. Note: what s available on the jump list varies depending on the application. Jump list for Microsoft Word Jump list for Windows Media Player Customizing the Jump List to show your recently-opened files The Jump List can be very helpful if you configure it to show your recently-opened files, because that is the most efficient way to open files. Right-click on a blank area of the taskbar and select Properties from the shortcut menu. In the Properties window, click on the Start Menu tab to open it. What s New with Windows

19 In the Privacy section, check the box beside Store and display recently opened items in the Start menu and the taskbar. To modify how many items appear on the jump list, click on the Customize button near the top of the Start Menu properties window. At the bottom of the Customize Start Menu window, adjust the number shown to the right of Number of recent items to display in Jump Lists. Click on the OK button to save your changes. What s New with Windows

20 Finding your stuff You can now search for your files wherever you see a Search box, which includes the following locations: The bottom of the Start Menu The upper-right corner of a Windows Explorer window The upper-right corner of the Control Panel The upper-right corner of many windows within an application, such as Save, Save As, Open, etc. Search box on the Start menu Search box in a Windows Explorer window Search box in a Word Save As window The one place you can no longer search from is a dedicated Search window that you open from the Start Menu, as you may have been accustomed to doing in Windows XP. The Search window at the bottom of the Start Menu is intended to make up for this. Understanding the rules behind how searches work No matter where you are searching, certain rules will always apply once you start typing a term into the search box: The search function will look for text you enter at the beginning of a word. Search terms are not case sensitive. Searches ignore accents, umlauts, etc., but if this is important functionality for you, you can configure your machine to override this. Use quotation marks to search for an exact phrase. What s New with Windows

21 Searching for your stuff via the Start Menu If you need to look for a particular file or program, click into the Search textbox and begin typing your search term. After you type in a few characters, the Search Menu is replaced by a list of possible results. Location headers identify where the search item can be found. Click on a header to open it in a separate Search Results window. After typing in four characters, I have a list of possible search results able the Search box. Search results are grouped by location; click on a header to open it in a separate window. Understanding the Search Results window In the Search Results window, you can open a file by double-clicking on it. If the search didn t turn up the right file, enter a new search term in the upper-right corner s textbox. Identifies where these search results are located. Search term box if you don t find what you want from the first set of results, type in a different term and hit the Enter key on your keyboard. Search results with location and file size information. Using the search filter options If your search returns far too many results, use the search filters embedded in the search box itself to set up some filters or criteria. What s New with Windows

22 Click into the search box, and you will see a dropdown window with Add a search filter at the bottom. Click on one of those filters to bring up a new window where you can specify the criteria that should be used in your search. Click on one of these filters to limit your search by this parameter. Once I selected the Date modified filter, I can limit search results to a specific date using the calendar or use one of the more general search terms at the bottom of the window. Once you ve added the necessary filtering information, click on the Enter key on your keyboard to apply it. If the filter does narrow the list of search results, you should see a different list in the search results window. To remove a filter, click and drag to highlight the text and then hit the Delete key. You should see a new list of results. Getting help Finding the Help system Use one of these methods to open Help: Click on the Start button and select Help and Support from the right side of the Start menu. While on the desktop (or in any application, for that matter), hold down the Windows key and the F1 key. When you are in an application, click on the Help button a small blue circle with a white question mark inside it in the upper-right corner of the window. The Help system opens in its own window. At the top is a textbox where you can type in a search term; right above there is a small toolbar of command buttons. Help and Support Home command takes you to the Help home page Print Click here to customize the Help window. Forward and Back commands allow you to navigate through the Help system Browse Help command opens the table of contents Access additional help resources What s New with Windows

23 Once you ve typed in your search term, hit the Enter key on your keyboard or click on the magnifying glass at the end of the search textbox. A list of linked results will be displayed below the search box. Search results display here. Each search result is classified by type, which can include training sessions, articles, l and blog posts. Click on a link to see what information it contains. Use the Forward and Back buttons to return to the search results or revisit a prior link. File management Windows Explorer is the best tool for file management. It is designed to allow you to accomplish a variety of tasks, including creating new folders, moving files around, renaming, deleting, and finding files quickly. How you open Windows Explorer will determine what displays when you open it. Method for opening Windows Explorer What displays when you open it Click the Windows Explorer button on the taskbar All available libraries selected in the navigation pane Click on the Start button and then click on the user Opens the user s profile with separate folders for name on the upper-right side of the Start Menu Windows key + E different types of information Computer selected in the navigation pane (the equivalent of opening My Computer in Windows XP) Windows Explorer button on taskbar You can also open Windows Explorer by clicking on your user name here. What s New with Windows

24 Understanding the parts of the Windows Explorer window In order to manage your files efficiently, you need to understand how Windows Explorer works in Windows 7. Toolbar: buttons available here depend on what you are doing at the time, but the following should always be included: o Organize menu o Views menu o Show/hide preview pane o Help window Menu bar: normally hidden because all of its functionality can be found elsewhere; to make it available by hitting the Alt or F10 buttons. Library pane: appears above the file list when a library is selected, but it can be hidden. Address bar: shows where you are and has breadcrumbs that allow you to hop back up the chain of folders. Search box: enter a search term here to search only within the current location, which is a great way to search more efficiently by limiting possible results Navigation pane: shows various locations within your computer; unlike Windows XP it doesn t default to a tree structure that shows all folders, but you can configure it to look that way if you want. Contents pane: shows what s contained in your current location. Details pane: displays properties for the file or item that is currently selected. Preview pane: this feature can be turned on or off using the show/hide preview pane button on the main toolbar. Toolbar Address bar Library pane Search box Navigation pane Contents pane Details pane Preview pane What s New with Windows

25 Returning to the traditional Windows XP navigation pane s tree structure If you prefer the Windows XP navigation pane with its flat tree structure, you can duplicate that look in Windows 7. Click on the Organize menu and select Folder and search options from the submenu. In the Folder Options window, check the box beside Show all folders in the Navigation pane area. Note: if you want the navigation to expand automatically to show the contents of the current folder, check the next box, Automatically expand to current folder. Click on the OK button to close out of the Folder Options window. Working with folder views You can customize different folders with different views, or you can set all folders to use the same view. The key to success with views is to understand what s useful about each one, and then know how to change them to suit your needs. View name What it displays Extra large icons Shows each file and folder as a very large icon with the file name listed under or beside the icon. You can display your files and folders in groups. Large Icons Shows each file and folder as a large icon with the file name listed under or beside the icon. You can display your files and folders in groups. Medium Icons Shows each file and folder as an icon with the file name listed under or beside the icon. You can display your files and folders in groups. Small Icons Shows each file and folder as a small icon with the file name listed under or beside the icon. You can display your files and folders in groups. List Shows the contents of a folder as a list of names; each name is preceded by a small icon. This view is helpful if you have a folder with many files and you are looking for a particular name. You can sort and display in groups. Details Lists the contents of the open folder and gives detailed information about each file, including name, type, size, and date modified. You can sort by each of these categories and show your files in groups. Details view is the What s New with Windows

26 Tiles Content most efficient way to work with text files. Files and folders display as icons. Whatever information you use to sort the files displays under the file or folder name. Intended primarily for use with search results, because it shows a snippet of the text with matching search terms highlighted. Changing a folder view Use one of these methods to change your view of a folder s contents: Right-click in the contents pane, select View from the shortcut menu, and then select a viewing option from the submenu. Use the slider to move among the view options. Click on the dropdown arrow beside the Change your view button on the Windows Explorer toolbar. Use the slider on the view menu to select a different option. Within the icon view options, you can adjust the size of the icon incrementally by dragging between the main size classifications. Change your folder view by clicking on the dropdown arrow beside the Change your view button. Sorting within a folder The details view gives you the easiest way to sort; you simply click on a heading to sort by it. To do a reverse sort by the same heading, click on it again. In Details view, click on one of these headings to sort by it. However, if you really, really love some other view, you can apply sort options there as well. What s New with Windows

27 Right-click within the folder, select Sort by from the shortcut menu, and then select a sorting option from the submenu. Grouping within a folder When you group items within a folder, all of the items that have that common property are displayed together; you will be able to expand or collapse groups (much as you can do when This folder is now grouped by Date Modified. grouping in Outlook). To group within a folder, right-click on the contents pane, select Group by from the shortcut menu, and then select a grouping option from the submenu. Undoing grouping If you find the grouping option you applied unhelpful, you can reverse the process by rightclicking, selecting Group by from the shortcut menu, and then selecting (None) from the shortcut menu. Understanding the Arrange by options The Arrange by command, available in the header area of the contents pane, offers a quick way to organize your view of a folder. The options available under that command will vary depending on the type of data contained there; for example, your My Pictures folder will have options to arrange by month, day, and rating, while the My Documents folder can be arranged by folder, author, and date modified, among other options. What s New with Windows

28 To choose a different Arrange by option, click on the dropdown arrow beside the Arrange by command and select from the available choices. To get back to the original view, click on the Arrange by command and select Folder, which is the default. Creating new folders When creating new folders, the key to remember is that you have to start in the correct location. If you want the new folder to be in the main level of your My Documents folder, then start in My Documents. If it is intended to be a subfolder of an existing folder, then start in the folder in which you want the new folder to appear. Use one of these methods to start the folder creation process: Right-click the contents pane, select New from the shortcut menu, and then select Folder from the submenu. Click on the New folder command on the Windows Explorer toolbar. A new folder icon appears with the label New Folder. Enter a name for the folder and then hit the Enter key on your keyboard. Note: if you accidentally click elsewhere and are then unable to enter a new folder name, right-click on the folder, select Rename from the shortcut menu, and then enter a new name for the folder. Creating a new folder on the fly If you realize while saving a file that it really needs to be in a new, separate folder, you can create a folder from within the Save As dialogue box. Click on the File menu and select Save As. Navigate to the folder to which your new folder will be a subordinate. Click on the New Folder command on the toolbar. A new folder appears; enter a name for the folder and then hit the Enter key on your keyboard. What s New with Windows

29 The new folder is highlighted in the folder list; to make sure that you re saving your file into the new location, double-click on the folder name to open it. Click on the Save button to complete the save process. Selecting folders or files within Windows Explorer Depending on the view you are using for the folder in question, you can use one of these methods to select folders or files prior to moving or copying them to a new location: Hold down the Ctrl key and click on each file or folder To select everything in a folder, use the keyboard shortcut Ctrl + A, or click on the Organize command and choose Select All To select a group of neighboring or contiguous items, click on the first item, hold down the Shift key, and then click on the last item Click on a blank space in the window, hold down the mouse button, and drag around a group of items to select all of them. Copying or moving files and folders There are two main ways to copy or move files and folders: Dragging and dropping Cutting or copying and pasting Using drag and drop to move or copy files/folders First, be sure that the destination folder is visible in the left side of the Windows Explorer pane. On the right-hand side of the pane, select the files or folders using one of the methods described above. Hold down the mouse key and drag the selected files from the right-hand side of the pane to the desired destination folder on the left-hand side of the pane. Once the destination folder is highlighted on the left-hand side, release the mouse button. When to move, and when to copy: By default, if you want to transfer files from one drive (the C drive or My Documents folder) to another drive (your department s networked drive, a USB memory stick, or a CD), Windows will make a copy of the files rather than moving them. By contrast, if you are transferring files from one location to another on the same drive (for example, within the My Documents folder), Windows will move the files and not leave a copy in the original location. To force a copy of files no matter what your ultimate destination: Hold down the Ctrl key while dragging and dropping. To force a move of files: Hold down the Shift key as you drag and drop. To avoid thinking about the matter, you can train yourself to always use the right mouse button when dragging and dropping. It will bring up a shortcut menu where you have to choose Copy Here or Move Here in order to complete the drag and drop operation. Using cut or copy and paste to move or copy files/folders First, be sure that the destination folder is visible in the left side of the Windows Explorer pane. On the right-hand side of the pane, select the files or folders. Use one of these methods to initiate the cut or copy process: Click on the Organize menu and choose Cut or Copy Right-click and choose Cut or Copy from the shortcut menu Hold down the Ctrl + C keys (to copy) or Ctrl + X keys (to cut) What s New with Windows

30 Select the destination folder and then complete the process using one of these methods: Click on the Organize menu and choose Paste Right-click and choose Paste from the shortcut menu Hold down the Ctrl + V keys Copying a file to the same folder Click on the file you want to copy; right-click and choose Copy from the shortcut menu or hold down the Ctrl + C keys. In a blank area of the folder, rightclick and choose Paste from the shortcut menu or hold down the Ctrl + V keys. A new version of the file appears with the word - Copy added to the end of the file name. To give the file a new name, rightclick on it, select Rename from the shortcut menu, and enter a different name, or hit the F2 key and then enter a new name. Deleting files and working with the Recycle Bin Deleting files and folders It is pretty easy to delete files and folders, which can sometimes be a very bad thing. Always pay attention and keep your wits about you when deleting files! Select the files or folders to be deleted. Use one of these methods to delete the files or folders: Press the Delete key on the keyboard Click on the Organize menu and select Delete. Right-click on the selected item(s) and select Delete from the shortcut menu Drag the selected items into the Recycle Bin. A warning window appears asking if you really want to do this; click on Yes if you are sure about your selections. Any files you delete are sent to the Recycle Bin, from which they can usually be recovered. However, if you are deleting items stored on a server or a removable drive (floppy, USB memory stick, rewritable CD), recovery may not be possible, so always proceed with caution. What s New with Windows

31 To really, really delete items: hold down the Shift + Delete keys on the keyboard. Items deleted in this way do not go into the Recycle Bin. They are probably still recoverable, but it would take the services of a high-priced helper to do so. Things to keep in mind when deleting If you delete a folder, you also delete everything inside it. Be sure it s empty, or that you really do not want any of the files stored there. If you re cleaning up a shared computer or shared network drive, don t delete others files unless you ve talked to them about it. If you re looking around at files on your local PC, don t just delete files that you can t identify. Windows and its many applications work in mysterious ways, and place their files in sometimes strange places. If you re not certain what a file is, don t delete it. Understanding the Recycle Bin Every file you delete from your local hard drive goes to the Recycle Bin, and they stay there until you delete them or they are deleted automatically because they occupy too much disk space. To open the Recycle Bin, double-click on the icon on your desktop. You will see a window that looks very much like the Windows Explorer window: If you set your Recycle Bin to Details view, it will include useful information such as Date Deleted and Original Location, which can be helpful if trying to find a specific file. Restoring deleted files If you restore a file from the Recycle Bin, it goes back to the location from which it was deleted. To restore an individual item: Select the file you want to restore, and use one of these options to restore it: Click on the Restore this item button on the toolbar at the top of the window. Right-click on the file and choose Restore from the shortcut menu To restore all files in the Recycle Bin: Make sure no individual items are currently selected and then click on the Restore All Items command on the Windows Explorer toolbar. Miscellaneous tips and tricks Adding shortcuts to the Favorites folder If you are in the habit of creating lots of folders, you may find it a timesaver to add shortcuts to your most-frequently-used folders to the Favorites list so that you can access them easily. In the Navigation pane, navigate to the frequently-used folder and click on it to select it. What s New with Windows

32 Drag the folder within the Navigation pane up to the Favorites link at the top of the screen (see screenshot below left), so that the Favorites link is highlighted. When you hover over the Favorites link, release the mouse. Click on the Favorites link, and you should see the folder s shortcut displayed in the Contents pane (see screenshot below right). Drag the folder over the Favorites link to add it there. The Favorites folder now has a link to this frequently-used folder. Understanding libraries A new organizational feature of Windows 7 is the library, which allows you to work with files that are stored in different locations as if they were really all in the same location. A library is a virtual folder that aggregates folders and files stored in various locations so that you can view, sort, search, and filter items that are not necessarily stored on your computer. For example, if I were working on a project that required collaborating with coworkers in different departments, I could create a library that contained folders stored on my machine, plus folders stored on my department s networked server, and also folders that live on the networked servers of those other locations. To see the libraries that are created by default for you, click on the Libraries link in the Windows Explorer navigation pane. The four default folders appear: Documents Music Pictures Video Creating a new library Click the Libraries link in the navigation pane. Use one of these methods to create a new library: Click on the New library command on the toolbar. Right-click in the contents pane, select New from the shortcut menu, and then select Click here to see available libraries. What s New with Windows

33 Library. When your new library appears, enter a new name for it and then hit the Enter key on your keyboard. Once you ve created and named the library, you must add some folders to the library, so that if you add a file, it has somewhere to go. Note: the library is not an actual folder in the traditional sense; you can t save files directly there. Instead, you will save files to a folder which has been included in the library. Adding folders to a library Click on the Libraries link in the navigation pane to display the list of all libraries, and then click on your library. In the contents pane, click on the Include a folder button. Your new library should appear in the list here. Click here to add additional folders to your library. When the Include Folder window opens, navigate to the correct location and then click on the Include folder button. Adding additional folders to a library Once you ve added the first folder to a library, the Include a folder button disappears. From now on, use this technique to add more folders to your library: Open Windows Explorer and use the navigation pane to get to the folder you want to include in the library. Click on the folder to select it, and then click on the Include in library command on the toolbar. A dropdown menu appears listing all of the libraries created on your computer; click on the appropriate library to select it. To double-check that the folder is there, click on the library link on the left to view its contents. Select the library in which you want to include the folder from the dropdown list here. Highlighted folder Saving files to a library Any files saved to a folder that is included in a library will automatically show up when you re looking through the folders collected into a library. If you want to save newly-created files to a library, you can do so. Just remember that the files must be saved to a folder within that library, because the library itself is a virtual folder that can contain folders, but not individual files. Create the new file and hit the Save command. What s New with Windows

34 Within the Save window, use the navigation pane on the left side to select the correct library. Use the navigation pane to select the correct library. Select the folder within the library where you want to save the new file if you don t select a library, the file is saved by default within the first folder. Once the library is selected, click on the folder within the library where you want to save the file. Note: if you do not select a folder, the file will save by default within the first folder. Click on the Save button. What s New with Windows