And, Oh, Please, How do you turn off the Library and Preview panes? And, is there a way to remove these useless "Split Button" controls, which sometimes work and sometimes don't! I'm a heavy user of Windows Explorer, and this is exactly the kind of info I'm looking for to restore the lost efficiency of Windows 7 and 8. I'm just horrified by this endless fiddle-fumbling around imposed on us by these useless stops along the way between here and there.
Louis Gosselin From: Marc Solomon [mailto:[email protected]] Sent: Friday, April 25, 2014 8:51 AM To: [email protected] Subject: Understanding the file management dialog boxes in Win 7 and Win 8.1 Hi Robin, While the Open and Save dialogs in Windows 8.1 have more pieces and parts when compared to their counterparts in earlier versions of Windows, the good news is that you can still do things in the same way once you get the hang of it and make a few adjustments. The first tip I want to pass along is how to access and use the address bar. You mentioned a pull down that you used to use, this combo box has been replaced by the address bar. The shortcut to access the address bar is Alt-D just like it is in Internet Explorer and other web browsers. The address bar supports both auto completion and suggestion lists. So, if you want to save a file or open a file from your Documents library or your Desktop, just go to the address bar and type the location followed by Enter. You can also type in full file or folder paths if you are a bit more old school and know the exact location of what you are looking for. If you are lazy like me, I stop typing the location after I hear Window-Eyes announce the suggestion list and just arrow to the correct location and press Enter. This allows me to select locations with 3 or 4 key presses. You can also press Alt-Down to drop down the address edit combo box to review a list of its history. Overall, I have found that the address bar can really make you more efficient once you learn how to use it. Keep in mind that the address bar is just one way of selecting a location. As you mentioned, you can also use the tree view in the navigation pane if that is easier for you. The tree view gives you not only your standard files and folders but also favorites and libraries which can be customized to include the f olders you use most. If you are in the oldest of the old school, you have memorized all files paths and important folder paths from your days of using DOS and just simply use the File Name edit combo box to type in the full path of the file you want to open or the location and name for the file you want to save. Pressing Backspace while in the files and folders list box for the selected location still moves you back in the hierarchy in the current file path. One difference that I notice is that once you reach the lowest level of the file path, for example, the root of C, pressing backspace again takes you to Computer and pressing Backspace again takes you to the Desktop. This is my experience in Windows 8.1. One other tip is to set the files and folder list box view to either list or details and make sure grouping is turned off. Disabling the Library Pane and Preview Pane can also simplify the dialog's user interface. I hope you find this information helpful. Regards, Marc From: "Van Lant, Robin" <[email protected] <mailto:[email protected]> > Date: Thu, 24 Apr 2014 16:43:10 +0000 I recently moved to Windows 7 and work and Windows 8.1 at home. I had been on Windows XP in both places before that. I was very accustomed to how to navigate through the Windows Explorer, Open and Save dialog boxes in XP, but I'm struggling with how things are organized and the interface with the buttons across the top of the dialogs in Win 7 and Win 8.1. Can someone recommend a good summary of how best to navigate? I'm using WE 8.4. I first thought that it was best to 'declutter the screen by getting rid of the navigation pane, but I just added that back, realizing that there doesn't seem to be the look in drop down box at the top of the dialog any more. In the navigation pane, I'm not clear when I should go to libraries, Favorites, etc.. There also is something called a Name split button, so a single shift Tab doesn't' seem to take me right into the file list view anymore, rather I have to do it twice. The other day I was trying to get to my booksense to transfer files and I really bumbled along to find that in Windows 8.1. At work, we have network drives and I feel like I can't get to them nearly as easily as I could in XP. I used to be able to backspace while in the file list and it would move be backward through eh file structure. Now it seems that I can do that maybe once, but then it jumps be back to the level I was on. Believe me, I am creating desktop shortcuts to folders I use most commonly, but at work there are too many places I need to go, sometimes just once. If you reply to this message it will be delivered to the original sender only. If your reply would benefit others on the list and your message is related to GW Micro, then please consider sending your message to [email protected] so the entire list will receive it. GW-Info messages are archived at http://www.gwmicro.com/gwinfo. You can manage your list subscription at http://www.gwmicro.com/listserv.
