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Exploring Data with Windows Explorer

 

 

Contents

 

1 Starting the Program
2 Working with Windows Explorer
2.1 Choosing the Pane
2.2 Navigating in the Tree View

 

Windows NT Explorer is the NT version of the Windows Explorer application. I use the shorter of the both application names.

 

Windows Explorer is a data tree view combined with a file and folder management tool. It gives a clear vision of the tree-like organization of data in drives, folders and files on your computer.

 

1 Starting the Program

 

There are various different ways to start the Windows Explorer. Here are two of them.

  1. With a shortcut: WINDOWS+E
  2. Through the Start menu \ Programs sub-menu:
    press WINDOWS key
    to open the Start Menu
    use UP/DOWN ARROW Keys or P
    to select the Programs Menu. If there is more than one item starting with 'P' in the Start Menu, you will have to press P repeatedly to select the Programs item. Otherwise the chosen program will open immediately.
    RIGHT ARROW or ENTER
    to open the selected Programs folder, if you used ARROW keys to select it or you used P in a menu with more than one items starting with this letter.
    UP/DOWN ARROW keys or W
    to select the Windows Explorer program. If Windows Explorer is the only item starting with "W" the application will open immediately on pressing W.

 

 

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2 Working with Windows Explorer

 

Windows Explorer provides a split screen with the tree view of your data structure displayed on the left side and the contents of the currently selected folder on the right side. The right side pane is actually the My Computer program integrated in a more complex environment, but functioning exactly the same way as the stand alone version of My Computer.

Windows Explorer can only display one split screen at a time. That means you can only see the contents of one folder at a time. When you want to copy or move files with Explorer you need to copy or cut files to the clipboard first, then browse to find the destination folder where you can paste the files. From time to time, it is easier to open two Explorer windows at the time: one with the original and the other with the target folder view. You can then easy switch between them.

 

 

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2.1 Choosing the Pane

 

You can move the focus between the All Files Display (left pane) and the Contents Display (right pane) with TAB and SHIFT+TAB. Use TAB to change from the left pane into the right pane and SHIFT+TAB to move the focus from the right pane into the left.

 

 

Back To Contents

 

2.2 Navigating in the Tree View

 

The All Folders Display in the left pane shows only the branches - drives and folders, and never the leaves - the files. The drives and folders containing sub-folders can be displayed open or closed. An open folder displays its sub-folders under its own name. The sub-folders are always shifted some steps to the right of their parent folder.

You navigate through the tree view as follows:

UP and DOWN ARROW keys or the initial letter of an item
selects an item. The contents of the selected drive/folder is immediately displayed in the Contents Display (right pane).
RIGHT ARROW or ENTER
opens a folder. All first level sub-folders of the selected drive/folder appears under it.
LEFT ARROW
closes the selected folder. Its sub-folders disappear from the display.

 

With the mouse:

Use a single click to select an item.
Use Open Folder and Close Folder buttons on the left from each folder to execute the corresponding operation.

CAUTION: By highlighting the floppy disk drive you get an error message if there is no disk inserted. The ARROW key users have to pass very fast over this drive to overcome it.

 

The only situation in which I use Windows Explorer instead of My Computer is when I want to view the contents of a software CD. Opening an software installation CD with the My Computer application, starts ever the setup program. That makes the viewing of the CD contact impossible.

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