1. Using Explorer Maureen Smith, Professor Saddleback College Unit 3 - Windows 98

2. Using Explorer u Explorer is designed to find, view, and manage files--and use files easily/efficiently

3. Introducing Windows Explorer u Gives more control over files/folders Gives capability of searching for files/folders Icon is magnifying glass over file folder u All disk/folder maintenance operations in My Computer are available in Explorer Additional features make these tasks easier/faster Window has left pane and right pane

4. –Right pane looks like My Computer and functions same way –Left pane displays contents of hard/floppy disks, CD-ROM drive, or any attached resource –Left pane makes it easy to move quickly between folders, see structure of folders, allows you to move and copy files by dragging from one pane to other u Access Explorer from Programs option on Start menu

5. Identifying the Parts of the Explorer Window u Left pane is called All Folders pane; right pane is called Contents pane u All Folders is also called Tree pane because its hierarchical display of all objects on desktop is like tree’s trunk and branch system Upside down; main root (Desktop) is at top and major branches (folders) and lesser branches (subfolders) follow downward to bottom

6. u Contents pane displays whichever folder, disk, or other object is selected in left pane The 2 panes--Tree and Contents--work together

7. Identifying the Icons in the Display Window u Icons should look familiar from My Computer window; but are displayed in a different fashion At top of Tree pane is Desktop icon; represents Windows desktop My Computer icon appears below and to right of Desktop icon--dotted line marking connection shows My Computer is subordinate to (down one level from) Desktop

8. u My Computer icon has icons below and to right; at least 1 floppy drive and hard drive u Explorer has way of determining whether each of these folders has subfolders Boxes containing plus sign (+) show folders that have subfolders not currently displayed Minus sign (-) displays subfolders below folder

9. u Explorer shows in 1 view same information that would require several view in My Computer; very easy to handle file management tasks u Contents pane also shows several types of icons, depending on what object is selected in Tree pane

10. u Can see subfolders in Contents pane even when not displayed in Tree pane Being able to control each pane independently of other gives great flexibility when copying, moving, viewing files

11. Expanding and Collapsing the Tree u When you open Explorer, does not display subfolders except for those on hard drive To display other subfolders, must expand folder list –Click plus sign in box to left of folder –Click minus sign to collapse folder list Collapsing folder makes it possible to view more objects in tree

12. Setting Explorer Options u View menu is identical to My Computer’s view menu u Toolbar is also same as My Computer’s

13. Viewing the Contents of a Drive or Folder u Most folder/file operations require you to first identify drive In Explorer, available drives represented by icons in Tree pane Can also select drive or other object (Recycle Bin) by clicking object in Address Bar drop-down If you have very large tree displayed, easier to select object this way than to scroll

14. u To view contents of folder, click the folder in Tree pane Folder “opens” and its contents appear in Contents pane If folder has subfolders, can double-click the subfolder in Contents pane

15. Using Explorer to Manipulate Files and Folders u Many of techniques for working with folders and files in My Computer work same way in Explorer Also offers additional ways to manipulate folders and files

16. Creating and Naming Folders and Subfolders You create a folder in Explorer just as you do in My Computer

17. Selecting Folders and Files u In Tree pane, can select only one object at a time u In Contents pane, can select single or multiple folders and files To select single folder or file, click it To select files or folders randomly scattered through Contents pane, press and hold down Ctrl while you click each object

18. To select consecutive folders/files, click first object in group, press and hold Shift, click last object in group Additional way: drag rectangle to left and downward until all files in group are highlighted u Object will remain selected until another is selected or selection is canceled by clicking in blank area of Tree pane

19. Changing the Order of Files in the Contents Window u Often easier to select files if Contents pane is sorted according to one criterion, such as file type or size Arrange Icons options from View menu lets you reorder by name, type, size, or date Details view allows you to click any heading to sort in that order –Click same column heading second time will arrange objects in descending order

20. Copying Folders and Files u Folders/files are moved/copied by dragging object from Contents pane to destination drive/folder in Tree pane Select source in Contents pane Expand folder list until destination drive/folder is in view (do not select object or will deselect source object) u To copy folder/file, drag it from Contents pane to Tree pane

21. u Move folder/file by holding down Shift key and dragging object to Tree pane u Use right mouse and choose Copy or Move Note: hold down Ctrl key when copying within a directory, or you will move the file instead

22. Renaming Folders and Files You rename folders/files in Explorer as you did in My Computer

23. Deleting Folders and Files u Can delete folders/files in single action When you delete folder or subfolder, also delete all files in it! u When you delete folder/file from hard disk, sent to Recycle Bin by default and Confirm message displays Can be recovered u When you delete from floppy, is deleted-- period--no Recycle Bin

24. u Delete files in Explorer same way you do in My Computer Confirm Delete message will display

25. Changing File Attributes u Annoying and upsetting to accidentally delete or change files u Windows permits controls on file operations by assigning one or more attributes to a file Attribute is a hidden code or “flag” place in file Used to identify type of file and determine operations that are permissible

26. u Computer will not operate without certain system files Protect them from being deleted by flagging with the Hidden attribute –Will not be displayed when using conventional commands to show or list files –Hard to find--hard to delete! u Can assign up to 4 attributes to single file Read-only, archive, hidden, system

27. u Read-only is most frequently used attribute Limit other users to only reading file; they cannot change it Also helps protect files from many destructive viruses u Select file and click Properties button on toolbar u Remove file attribute using same process

28. Using Explorer’s Find Feature u Being able to quickly find files/folders is a feature of Explorer that will help you work more efficiently

29. The Find Option u Explorer’s Find feature allows you to locate: One file among many within a folder One folder among many on a disk All folders/files with similar names All files that share common characteristic (file type, size, or text)

30. u Select Find option from Tools menu Can use wildcard (*) character if you do not know exact name or want to search for group Can key list of file names in text box u If Include subfolders is checked, when you click Find Now button Explorer searches selected folder and all subfolders

31. u Search Results window can be displayed in 4 views: Large Icons, Small Icons, List, and Details Details view displays match data in 5 columns u Location listing offers path to file you were searching for Always written in standard direction from general to specific

32. u Search can be case-sensitive (usually used for long file name and text searches) u Can save results of search for later use using Save Search option Icon will be created on desktop that, when opened, will display Find: All Files dialog box with search criteria already filled in u Do not have to close and reopen Find: All Files dialog box between searches

33. Searching with Wildcards u People who create lots of files may forget exact file name Can use asterisk (*) as wildcard character for help u Previous versions of DOS/Windows had one- asterisk limit; Windows 95/98 allows multiple Use * for extension when you do not remember

34. Do not know file name, but know extension Know what file begins with, but don’t know entire name or extension Know file name includes certain letters somewhere in name but not sure whether name begins with those letters or ends with those letters

35. Searching by Date u Even occasional computer users fill their disks easily! Will appreciate benefits from using Find: All Files dialog box’s Date tab Narrows search according to creation or modification date of file u Three options: Between x and x

36. During the previous x months During the previous x days

37. Performing Advanced Searches u Third tab is Find: All Files--Advanced Used in combination with other 2 sheets (Name & Location and Date Modified) to further narrow search criteria Of type--exactly which type of folder/file you want to include in search

38. Size is--search for files/folders by size –Options of “at least” or “at most” u Explorer can also search computers on network (if connected)

39. Using the Find Command to Select Files u Can also use Find command as way to select nonadjacent files that have common feature Once Find shows files in Search Results box, can select them just as you would in Explorer Contents pane

40. Running Applications from Explorer u Can click icons in My Computer; can use same techniques to start applications and open documents in Explorer Application file looks like miniature version of program icon (miniature window) Double-click icon in Contents pane or select icon and choose Open from File menu u Document file icon resembles piece of paper with graphic that represents application