... The Explorer Window ...

No, this has nothing to do with the IE browser; this is much more important. For working on the computer, whatever you are usually doing, there is no window more important than the Explorer. The default setting is the second line you see upon left clicking "My Computer" usually found in the upper left hand corner of your desktop. Note that this setting can be changed; but we'll discuss that later on. Now let's see what it is all about:

Right-click My Computer and click Explore. You will see a double pane window, and that's the beauty of this function (or applet, or window, or whatever you want to call it). In the left pane you will see Desktop, My Computer with the drives listed under it, Control Panel, Printers, possibly Dial-Up Networking, Recycle Bin, and all the folders you have on your desktop including My Briefcase (if you happen to have the briefcase there).

With me so far? Any questions? If none, let's take a look at the left pane where you will again see the drives, Control Panel, Printers, and possibly Dial-Up Networking. For starts, and to set this window up for maximum efficiency, let's go to View, and click Toolbar, Status Bar, and so that we are set up together now, click List (that's really a personal preference; try any way that's comfortable with you. ). The Details option we'll cover later on.

The toolbar gives you a third small pane when a Down Arrow allowing you to go to a different folder. We'll make use of that later. You also see a yellow box with a curved up arrow. That allows you to go up one level in your system. You will also see the other buttons on that toolbar (cut, copy, paste, undo rename, delete, large icons, small icons, list, and rename … plus a few others which are not important for you now).

Take some time and click these drives, up arrows, and down arrows, don't forget your buttons. Just don't highlight anything and click Delete (if you should, and it ends up in your Recycle Bin, that error can be corrected too. Become comfortable with them … you can always get back to where you are now. You might also click large icons, small icons, list, and details to see what happens. Don't worry, all the above changes are revocable; you have my written and signed guarantee.

Question: Why use the Explore window? Answer: Because you can get to any place on your computer, work on any files or folders, and most important, you can cut, copy, or move, any file or folder from any place to any place on your computer, all with a simple drag, and all in that single window called explorer. Whereas in the default option of My Computer, which is Open, and which gives you a single pane window, you will not have the same ease of file copying or moving. In addition, the Open window keeps opening up to new windows which clutters your desktop. Even though it can be configured for all levels to open in one window, file movements become very cumbersome, certainly compared to working in the Explore window.

NOTE: The Windows Explorer changes after you install Internet Explorer 4 or higher. For example, while it can still open folders in a single window, instead of launching new windows for each, your controls for window options change. You won't find the "Choose Browse Folders Using A Single Window That Changes As You Open" button in the View, Options, Folder tab. Now you'll find a View, Folder Options, General tab where you can click the Custom button, the Settings button, and then decide whether to open each folder in the same window or in its own window.

Tip within a Tip ... To open any folder listed in the left pane, single click it. To open any folder in the right pane, double click it.

MEDIAL SUMMARY (every good lesson should have one)

The Windows Explorer enables you to view the contents of any part of your computer system. As with the My Computer and Internet Explorer 5 windows, you can then use the Windows Explorer to open files (and their associated application programs); start programs; or even open Web pages on the Internet or your company's intranet.

The Windows Explorer, however, is most useful when you need to move or copy files to different disks on your computer -- or even to networked drives, if you're on a network.

To open the Windows Explorer, click the Start button and then choose [P]rograms, Windows Explorer. Windows opens an Exploring window for your disk drive (C:) that is divided into these two panes:

• The All Folders pane on the left shows an outline view of all the components on your computer system.

• The Contents area on the right displays the folders and files in whatever component is currently selected in the All Folders pane (also shown on the Address bar at the top of the window).

To select a new part of your system to view in the Contents area pane, simply click the icon for that component in the All Folders pane. An icon in the All Folders pane, with a plus sign connected to it, indicates a sublevel within that icon.

When you click a plus sign, Windows expands the outline, showing all the subfolders within the next level. Note also that when you click the plus sign, it turns to a minus sign, and the next level in the item's hierarchy is displayed. Clicking the minus sign collapses the sublevel to which it is attached, thus condensing the outline.

When the expanded folder/subfolder outline in the All Folders pane (or the icon arrangements in the Contents pane) becomes too large to view in its entirety given the current Explorer window size, vertical and horizontal scroll bars appear as needed, to help you navigate your way through the lists of folders and system components.

NOW LET'S HAVE SOME FUN; HANDS-ON INSTRUCTIONS:

1. Open your explorer window if it is not now open.
   
2. In the left pane, click the C-drive.
   
3. You will now see in the right pane the root contents of your C-drive.
   
4. Right-click an empty space in that right pane, click New, and click Folder.
   
5. While that new folder is in Edit mode, give it the name: SAMPLE (we can always find it wherever it is that way).
   
6. If it is not in edit mode, right click it and click Rename, and rename it.
   You can always see my ... Renaming a File (or Shortcut) ... tip for more ways to rename.
   
7. Click an empty space again and presto, your folder is renamed.

   Just as an aside, if that folder called SAMPLE should ever get lost in your computer, all you would need to do is click your Start menu, Find, Files or Folders, and type in SAMPLE. Your folder would be found and everyone's happy.

   Now let's do something with that folder. You see it in your right pane. Notice that it is not in the usual alphabetical order. If we left that pane and returned, you would find it alphabetized. But here's a neat trick. Go to the menu bar: View, and click Refresh ... eureka, it is alphabetized.

   Besides entering files or downloading into this folder (I personally download into a folder on the desktop since that is where I would be working on whatever is downloaded) you can also perform three essential actions on it:

   Moving it,
   Copying it, or
   Creating a Shortcut to it.

   This can be done from pane to pane or within any pane in the Explorer window. We'll consider from the right pane to the left pane, and in the left pane we'll call all locations "folders" … though, as I said earlier, if you scroll up and down, you'll see starting with the Desktop on top, the Drives, Control Panel, Printers, Dial-Up Networking, Recycle Bin, and other folders on your desktop.

BASIC RULES:

1. When holding left mouse button down, and dragging from the right pane to a folder in the left pane, but in the same drive, the drag is always a move.
   
2. When doing the same drag to a folder in a different drive (let's say from C to A (your floppy) to D (your zip drive), the drag is always a copy.

   To change the above orientation, do the following:

3. When dragging from one drive to the same drive, and you want to copy, hold down the Ctrl key while dragging, drop the file into the target folder, and let go of Ctrl.
   
4. When dragging from one drive to a folder in another drive, and you want to make it a move, hold down the Shift key while dragging, drop the file into the target folder, and let go of Shift.

   Until you become comfortable with these actions, you can always use the right-click drag.

5. Right-dragging a file/folder to the left pane and releasing the click over a folder gives you a drop-down menu with four options: Move, Copy, Create Shortcut, Cancel.
   
6. Clicking Move, takes the file/folder out of where it is, and places it in the folder you have targeted.
   
7. Clicking Copy, keeps the file/folder in the original location and places a copy in the folder targeted.
   
8. Clicking Shortcut, keeps the file/folder in the original location and places a shortcut in the folder targeted
   
9. Clicking Cancel ... well, you guess ~smile~

LET'S MOVE YOUR NEW FOLDER TO THE DESKTOP.

1. First remember that unless told otherwise, a drag is with the left mouse button.
2. Drag your folder to the left pane hold it over the desktop icon way on top.
   
3. Release the button and note that the folder is no longer in the right pane.
   
4. Minimize your explorer window and notice the folder on the desktop.
   
5. Right-click on an empty space on your desktop and click Undo Move.
   
6. Presto, your folder is back in your right pane. It's not in the usual alphabetical order but that's all right. If we left this part of the explorer window and then returned to it, the folder would be in alphabetical order. Another way is just to click View and Refresh.

LET'S MAKE A COPY OF YOUR FOLDER ON THE DESKTOP.

1. Drag your folder to the left pane (holding the Ctrl key down) Note the small plus mark that shows under the cursor. That is the sign for Copy.
   
2. Release the button and note that you now have your original folder still in your right pane, and a copy of it on your desktop.
   
3. You can right-click on an empty space and click Undo Copy. Your copy then leaves the desktop.
   
4. Try doing the "move" and "copy" but using the right-drag as discussed in the Basic Rules above.

LET'S PUT A SHORTCUT TO THIS FOLDER ON YOUR DESKTOP.

1. Right-drag the folder to the left pane desktop icon, release your finger, and click Create Shortcut Here.
   
2. Now look at your desktop, and notice the shortcut folder (the one with the small arrow in the lower left corner) … it's as easy as that.
   
3. You can safely delete that shortcut knowing that deleting any shortcut in no way affects the file that it is a shortcut to. If that sentence doesn't sound right, I agree with you … but you know what I mean. This is especially true when it comes to shortcuts to executable files (programs). You can safely delete or rename any shortcut.

THE EXPLORER IN FULL-SCREEN VIEW

Windows comes with a full-screen version of the Explorer. To open a full-screen window, press F11 while focused on an Explorer window or hold down the Ctrl key and click the Maximize button at the right end of the Explorer title bar. Your Explorer window will enlarge to cover the Desktop. You can turn this view into a dual-pane view by moving your mouse pointer to the left. The Folders pane slides into view. Move your mouse pointer back to the right side of this Desktop-sized window, and the Folders pane disappears. If you want your taskbar to appear over this window, move your mouse pointer to the edge of the screen to which the taskbar is attached.

I hope to continue this page with more hands-on activities for this Explorer window ... that's how important I think it is. Thank you.

Well, any errors or suggestions? ... ... what? everything's working?

This way is back to ... Tips 'n Tricks Menu ... next line for exit.
Here we'll return to ... Navigator ... that's bon voyage.

Found something worthwhile? Why not drop a line and let me know?