Tips and Tricks, April 2004

I have so many files and folders on the four computers (two at work, home desktop and notebook) that I am always looking for ways to make it easier to view what I have and to get information about the files and folders quickly. There are a number of options available in Windows XP that help.

I like to use the Detail view most of the time. Most of us know that you can sort the folder and file names in a window by clicking on the bar that displays “Name,” Type, Date Modified, and so on, but you can also show the names in Groups when you use the Detail view option. First, sorted by Name only, the usual view:

If you open a folder and click on View, Arrange Icons By, you will find “Show in Groups.” Click and your display will change.

As you can see, now the files (and folders) in the right pane are in groups. It becomes much easier to quickly locate a file or folder and it’s just plain better organized for the human brain to take in.

You can also easily choose the details that will display when you opt to display the details. To display details, either select the option from the view menu or click on the icon that resembles a Windows at the end of the Taskbar. You can not only choose the details, but you can arrange them in the order that is best for you. You can also specify the column width.

One of the nice options about this is that as you go down the list, you will find a number of choices related to images. You can display the dimensions, camera model, date taken and more.

Note that the view options change when you select “My Pictures” or its sub-folders. You will have the additional choice of viewing the files as a filmstrip. If you select Tiles as the view, files and folders will be displayed as Icons, with the file name, type and size next to the icon. Image files automatically show the dimensions instead of the file size.

You can also change what displays in the left hand pane very quickly by clicking on the Folders button in the taskbar. It switches between an Explorer type view with the folders structure shown in the left view to the My Computer type view with task panes, File and Folder Tasks, Other Places and Details. The options in the File and Folder Task are also context sensitive—they change depending on what you have selected in the right pane.

Explore what you have. You may find something that will be useful to you.