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File and folder views

Folder view options allow you choose what you want to see in an explorer window - pick what's best for your eyesight.
(NOTE: you can even temporarily change options for a quick view then set them back to your normal view method.)

In an explorer window, select View
  • details (my choice as most useful)
    • file name, date/time last modified, size, type document
    • move columns around by drag-and-drop
    • can sort files by any of the columns just by clicking on the column title


Windows 98:
x

Windows XP:
x
  • list - similar to details view but FILENAME only is shown
  • icons - takes up too much room


Windows 98:
x
  • tiles - takes even more room than icons


Windows XP:
x

  • thumbnails (for images - or temporarily set to thumbnails then switch back to details. I use details view even for images as I can still see the image in the explorer window but only one image at a time.)


Windows XP:
x
  • NOTE: Windows 98 requires moving up one level, right-click on folder name and select properties then "enable thumbnail view")
x


  • Windows XP and Windows ME allow slide show views.


    More advanced options:
  • toolbars
    • standard bar
    • address bar
    • links
  • status bar - at window bottom, # files, size of files
  • explorer bar - what is displayed in left hand pane





XIII. Customize folder views using Tools / Folder Options

These examples show Windows XP but Windows 98 is very similar.

General Tab:
- Show common tasks / Windows classic (XP only)
- Open each folder in same/different window (if open each folder in its own window you have to close each one individually)
- single- or double-click option to open a file / folder


x


View Tab:
x

and if you scroll down in the advanced settings box the other options are:


x
  • Auto search for network folders and printers (waste of resources if not on a network)
  • Display size info in folder tips (user pref)
  • display simple folder view in explorer's folders list
  • Display contents of system folders (OFF for novices)
  • Display FULL PATH in address bar (user pref)
  • Display FULL PATH in title bar (user pref)
  • DO not cache thumbnails
  • Hidden
    • Do not show hidden files and folders (ON for novices)
    • Show hidden files and folders (ON for advanced users)


  • Hide extensions for known file types - (OFF for security / attachment types!!)
  • Hide protected OS folders (ON for novices)
  • Launch folder windows in a separate process
  • Remember each folders view settings (user pref)
  • restore previous folder windows at login (user pref)
  • show control panel in my computer (user pref - BUT BE CAREFUL)
  • show encrypted or compressed NTFS files in color (user pref)
  • show popup description for folder and desktop items (user pref)

Be aware that "My Documents" is a shortcut method of referring to a real place in the folder structure that, in
- Windows XP = C:\Documents and Settings\Owner\My Documents\
- Windows 98 = C:\My Documents\
so folder VIEW options (display full path in title bar) can cause an unexpected (and long) path to be displayed

RESTORE DEFAULTS - resets options if you make a change that you think may cause harm and don't remember what you changed

APPLY TO ALL FOLDERS - after you set the options the way you like them, click this to make all explorer folders look the same




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