The Windows Explorer Left Panel in XP - Neal's Resources

The Windows Explorer Left Panel in XP

Windows Explorer has two panels: the left shows the computer's drives and folders, and the right shows the contents of the drives or folders highlighted in the left panel (see the top illustration).

Both panels are always visible in Vista and Windows 7. But in Windows XP the left panel may have "File and Folder Tasks" or other options, in blue (see the lower illustration).

Switch between the left panel options by pressing the Folders button

And sometimes Windows Explorer opens with only the right panel visible (or you can close the left panel by clicking on the X at the top right of the "Folders" panel).

If only one panel is visible: click on View in the menu at the top; click on Explorer Bar; click on Folders

Alternative Ways to Open Files From Windows Explorer

Try these, and use the one that suits you best: a. Double-click on the icon or name; or b. Click on the icon or name, click on File in the menu at the top, click on

Open; or c. Right-click on the name, click on Open; or d. Click on the icon or name, press Enter.

Display Filename Extensions in Windows Explorer

Filename extensions-- e.g. ".doc" in "readme.doc" -- may not be shown. If this is the case:

1. Open Windows Explorer; click on any folder in the left panel. 2. Click on Tools > Folder Options 3. Click on the View tab; make sure there is no tick in the "Hide file exten-

sions for known file types" box; click on OK.

Filename Extensions: Text Files

*.doc (Document): files saved in Microsoft Word 97-2003 or Microsoft WordPad

*.docx (Document): files saved in Microsoft Word 2007

*.htm or html (HyperText Markup Language): files normally used for email (e.g. in Outlook Express) or the Internet (e.g. in Internet Explorer); they can be opened in Microsoft Word -- and can also be created and saved in Microsoft Word

*.odt (Open Office Writer Word Processor): Open Office is a suite of programs similar to Microsoft Office, including Open Office Writer. This is free and can be downloaded from the Internet. By default, files are saved as "*.odt", but can be saved in a number of other formats, including "*.doc".

*.pdf (Portable Document Format): files can be opened in Adobe Reader; require special programs to be created (can be created in Word 2007)

*.pub (Publisher): files created in Microsoft Publisher; cannot be opened in Microsoft Word

*.rtf (Rich Text Format): formatted files which can be saved and opened in most word processor programs

*.txt (Text): files saved with no formatting (no variation in font or font size, or bold, italic, etc); open in all word processing programs, including NotePad (they open in this by default).

Text in any of the programs listed above can usually be selected, copied and pasted into other text programs (except into Internet Explorer or Adobe Reader).

Filename Extensions: Graphics Files

*.bmp: (Bit Map): this file has information about each small dot (pixel) saved

*.gif: (Graphics Interface File): compressed bit map (information about only some pixels is saved)

*.jpg: (Joint Photographic Experts Group): compressed bit map

*.png: (Portable Network Graphics): compressed bit map

*.tif: (Tagged Information File Format): non-compressed bit map

*.wmf and *.emf : (Windows Metafile and Enhanced Metafile): "vector" file; information saved includes positions of points, mathematical equations of lines, and fills; these files give smoother lines than bit map types, and are produced by "Draw" programs.

Graphics files can usually be copied and pasted into text programs (except into Internet Explorer or Adobe Reader), and often into other graphics programs.

Many graphics programs (e.g. Paint) can save drawings in a number of these different graphics formats. Graphics and text can be saved in Microsoft Publisher, version 2002 and later.

View and Magnify Images

There are many different programs which may open when you open a graphics file from Windows Explorer, depending on the program which is installed on your computer and set as the default.

Many of these programs have zoom buttons and decrease the size of the picture.

to increase/

These illustrations show two files magnified in Windows Picture and Fax Viewer. The upper is a "bitmap" type (".bmp", ".jpg". ".png", ".tif", etc), the lower is a "vector" type ("wmf").

Find Drives in Windows Explorer, or when Opening or Saving Files

Computers have different drives with different letters: (A:) and (B:) -- floppy drives on earlier computers (C:) -- hard drive (and sometimes (D:) as well, if the hard drive is

"partitioned") (D:) or (E:) -- CD/DVD drive Further drives (F:), (G:) etc -- flash drive, card reader, camera, external

hard drive, external CD/DVD drive, etc

XP: But you may not see these drives listed when the left panel is open. There may only be "Desktop", "My Documents", then "My Computer" (as in the first illustration at right).

To show the drives, click on the + beside "My Computer"

Vista: There may be "Desktop", "User" (or other name), "Public", then "My Computer" (as in the first illustration at right).

To show the drives, click on the beside "Computer"

Windows 7: "Computer" is shown in the left panel (as in the illustration at drives listed below

right), with the

Note that when listings are open their contents are shown in the right panel, and + changes to - in XP, and changes to in Vista and Windows 7

Put Icons on the Windows Explorer Toolbar

The "Delete", "Cut", "Copy", and "Paste" and other icons may not be present initially on the toolbar of Windows Explorer, but they can be added easily. They are useful in copying and moving files and folders to different locations.

1. Right-click on the toolbar of Windows Explorer; click on Customize.

2. In the left box, click on an icon (e.g. "Delete") that you wish to add; click on the Add -> button

3. Repeat for other icons

4. To remove icons: click on the icon in the right box, click on the Quick Launch (there is a tick when the toolbar is visible)

Taskbar

To lock/unlock the Taskbar: in the menu (above), click on "Lock the Taskbar" (there is a tick when the Taskbar is locked)

To hide the Language Bar: The Language Bar

is shown on XP, by default, beside the Notifica-

tion Area beside the clock. It is not normally Language Notification Clock

used, and can be made visible/hidden in the

Bar

Area

same way as the Quick Launch Toolbar.

To show hidden Quick Launch icons: click on the at the right of the Quick Launch Toolbar (hidden icons become visible)

To show more/fewer icons on the Quick Launch Toolbar: with the Taskbar unlocked (see above), carefully drag the at the right edge; lock the Taskbar

If the taskbar suddenly changes to more than one line while you are making changes: drag the top down (it may be necessary to close any open programs before doing this).

To move icons on the Quick Launch Toolbar: drag an icon to a new position. The new position is indicated by an I-bar . Icons can be dragged from the hidden list to the visible list. Dragging from visible to hidden cannot be done directly -- unlock the Taskbar; make the visible part of the Quick Launch Toolbar wider, drag the icon to be moved to a position further along; resize the Quick Launch Toolbar; relock the Taskbar.

To add/remove icons on the Quick Launch Toolbar: see separate instructions.

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