Files & Folders:
Select Folder(s)

Step-by-Step: Select Folders

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What you will learn:

to select folders by clicking to select folders that are adjacent to select folders that are not adjacent to deselect folders

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Start with: , Removable drive in Explorer or Computer window, Details view.

Select in Contents Pane

1. In the folder tree pane, click on the icon for your removable drive or on its name to select it. The name is highlighted and the contents of the drive displays in the right pane.

   

2. In the right pane, click on the folder name my docs  to select it. The name is highlighted but nothing else happens.
    
3. In the right pane, double-click the folder icon or name for my docs . The right pane changes to show any files and folders in the my docs  folder. Right now you don't have anything in this folder. The folder tree remains unchanged.
    
4. Double-click my docs in the left pane to expand the branch in the folder tree.
   WinXP has already done this automatically.

   

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Select Adjacent Folders: SHIFT key

1. In the right pane, click on the folder excel docs to select it.
    
2. Hold the SHIFT key down and click on the folder word docs. All three folders are selected.

   

   Using the SHIFT key this way selects all files and folders between the two clicked. It doesn't work on the folder tree!

   The technique will also work other views, but what is considered to be "between" depends on what view is in use. Remember that some views list items going across the pane and some list going down the pane. You can have an unhappy surprise if you don't notice which view you are using when you select.
    

3. Click in a blank spot in the right pane to deselect the folders.

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Select Adjacent Folders: Drag

1. Drag from a blank spot in the right pane below the folders until the marquee select has highlighted all three folders in the pane. Release the mouse button. All three folders are selected.

   

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Select/Deselect Folders- Not Adjacent: CTRL key

1. Hold the CTRL key down and click on the folder paint docs. This deselects that folder.

   Using the CTRL key selects or deselects files and folders one at a time. You can use this method to select items that are not next to each other. Again, this doesn't work on the folder tree. It will work in a My Computer window.

2. Experiment! Change to different views and experiment with selecting adjacent and non-adjacent items. Can you figure out which items will be selected when SHIFT is held down?