Files & Folders:
Views- WinXP

In WinXP, there two types of windows: My Computer and Explorer.

Most tasks having to do with files and folders can be done from either type of window. Each has advantages in certain situations and there are a few things that are special to each. We will look at the basics, so keep in mind that there are more ways to do things and more options exist than we can cover in this lesson.

There are several different views you can use in this window and you can sort what you see in several ways. This lets you arrange what you see to suit yourself and what you need to do.

My Computer: Icon view (WinXP)

Icons View (WinXP)

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Glossary

View: My Computer

The My Computer icon on the Desktop opens a window that shows all your drives. Just double-click the icon on your desktop.

The default My Computer view has two panes. The selected area of your computer shows in the Address bar.

On the left is a set of Common Tasks that are often used on whatever kind of objects that are in the right pane. The list of tasks changes to fit the kind of objects shown in the right pane.

The right pane shows your drives, folders, and files. The default view uses Icons arranged by name, in alphabetical order going across the pane.

Default My Computer window in WinXP - labeled

Default My Computer window in WinXP

Each type of drive, folder, and file has its own icon image. Special areas like the Control Panel and the Recycle Bin have their own icons. Smaller versions of these icons appear in other views.

View: Explorer

An Explorer view shows two panes. The left pane contains the folder tree, which shows visually how the drives and folders are related to each other. The right pane shows the contents of the drive or folder that is selected on the left.

You can switch between My Computer and Explorer views in the same window, using the Folders button . It's about time! Click the button to show the folder tree and click it again to return to Common Tasks.

default Explorer window in WinXP

Default Explorer window in WinXP

means that the drive or folder has subfolders in it.

means that this drive or folder has been expanded in the folder tree, to display all its subfolders.

The name of the selected drive or folder shows in the Address bar. In the case of a folder, the icon will change to an open folder.

Dialog: Folder Options - Windows classic folders Windows Classic: For those who don't want to use the new look, you can change to the Windows Classic style, where My Computer and Explorer views look like they did under Win98. From the menu select Tools > Folder Options > Use Windows classic folders. The toolbar remains the same, so you can still switch between My Computer and Explorer in the same window with the Folders button.

My Computer in Windows Classic style (WinXP) Explorer view in Windows Classic style (WinXP)
Windows Classic style in WinXP

Folder View Styles

You have several choices for how to display the files and folders in the right pane of a My Computer window. Change the view using the Views button on the toolbar or right click on the right pane and choose from the context menu.

Normally, folders are listed first, then files.

Thumbnail

Big icons or thumbnails of images.

Alphabetical across columns.

Folders that have images in them will display up to 4 thumbnails on the folder, like the one at the top right of the illustration.

My Computer: Tiles view (WinXP) Tiles

Alphabetical across columns.
Beside each file icon is information about the file. What information depends on how you are sorting in this view.

My Computer: Icon view (WinXP) Icons

Alphabetical across columns.

My Computer: List view (WinXP) List

Alphabetical down the column.
You can see many more items with this view. It is more natural to alphabetize down the column.

My Computer: Details view (WinXP) Details

Alphabetical down the column.
The default details are:

Name

Size

File type

Date modified

Filmstrip

My Computer: Filmstrip view (WinXP)

This view is offered only in the My Pictures folder or folders that WinXP recognizes as picture folders.
The pictures extend to the right in a strip.

Click on an image in the strip at the bottom to show larger view above.

Sorting

Normally the items in the right pane are sorted alphabetically by name, with folders being listed first.

You can sort based on the name, the size, the type, or the date modified. These are the column titles in the right pane in Details view. You can just click on a column title to sort. Click again to reverse the sort. For other views, use the menu View > Arrange Icons By or the right click menu.

Show in Groups

WinXP can now group the items shown in the right pane, based on how you choose to arrange the icons. The List and Filmstrip views cannot show groups.

The illustration at the right will change when you click on the links below.

Examples of group labels:

Name - Other, A, B, C, ...
Size - Zero, Tiny, Small, Medium, Large
Type - Cascading stylesheets, configuration settings, HTML, images, folders, Word documents, Excel documents
Modified - Today, Yesterday, Earlier this week, Last month, Two months ago, Earlier this year, Last year, Two years ago, A long time ago

Change Details Shown

The choices you see in the Arrange Icons By list are the Details that are shown in Details view.

To change this list, from the menu select View > Choose Details... In the dialog that appears, click on the checkboxes to clear the ones you do not want and to check the ones you do want to use.

You can also change the order that the columns appear in the Details view by moving items up and down in the list.

Files & Folders: Views- WinXP