®® microsoft windows 7 for power users tutorial 3 managing folders and files

®®Microsoft Windows 7 for Power Users

Tutorial 3Managing Folders and Files

XPXPXPXPXPXPObjectives• Examine how Windows 7 organizes folders and files• Examine libraries and the concept of virtual folders• Check view and behavior settings for folder windows• View properties of files and folders• Examine the use of the path, long filenames, and

aliases• Organize files into stacks, and group and sort files

Windows 7 for Power Users Tutorial 3 2

XPXPXPXPXPXPObjectives• Use Start Menu Search to locate a program• Search for folders and files from a folder

window• Assign tags to a file and search for tags• Use Boolean operators and file properties for

searches• Examine indexing and search settings


XPXPXPXPXPXPOrganizing Files


XPXPXPXPXPXPOrganizing Folders and Files• A variety of tools are available for organizing and

using your folders and files• Windows 7 creates a folder structure– User account folder structure• Contacts• Desktop• Downloads• Favorites• Links• My Documents


XPXPXPXPXPXPOrganizing Folders and Files• My Music• My Pictures• My Videos• Saved Games• Searches


XPXPXPXPXPXPWorking with Libraries• A library is a virtual folder that consolidates files

stored in different locations so you can work with all the files as a single group– Documents– Music– Pictures– Videos


XPXPXPXPXPXPWorking with Libraries


XPXPXPXPXPXPViewing the Contents of a Folder• Double-click the folder you wish to view• Click the More options arrow for the Change

your view button and then choose the appropriate view


XPXPXPXPXPXPViewing the Contents of a Folder


XPXPXPXPXPXPChecking Folder Options• Click the Organize button on the toolbar, click

Folder and search options, and then click the View tab in the Folder Options dialog box


XPXPXPXPXPXPViewing Properties of a File• Right-click the file, and then click Properties


XPXPXPXPXPXPViewing Properties of Files• To view the property of a single file, select the

file, and then examine the Details pane• To view properties of two or more files, hold

down the Ctrl key as you point to, and select, each file, and then view the information of the selected files in the Details pane

• To view properties of all the files in a folder, click Organize on the toolbar, click Select all, and then examine the Details pane


XPXPXPXPXPXPViewing Properties of Files• For more information, right-click a single file, a group of

selected files, or all files, click Properties on the shortcut menu, and then examine the General and the Details property sheets. To remove properties or personal information from a file or a group of files, click the Remove Properties and Personal Information link at the bottom of the Details property sheet, choose the way in which you want to remove properties, select each available property that you want to remove, click the OK button to close the Remove Properties dialog box, and then click the OK button to close the Properties dialog box for the file or group of files


XPXPXPXPXPXPViewing Properties of Folders• To view the property of a single folder, right-click the

folder, click Properties on the shortcut menu, and then examine the General property sheet

• To view properties of two or more folders, hold down the Ctrl key as you point to, and select, each folder, right-click one folder, click Properties on the shortcut menu, and then examine the General property sheet

• To view properties of all the subfolders within a folder, click the Organize button on the toolbar, click Select all, right-click one of the folders, click Properties on the shortcut menu, and then examine the General property sheet


XPXPXPXPXPXPViewing Properties of Folders


XPXPXPXPXPXPUnderstanding Paths


XPXPXPXPXPXPOrganizing Files into Stacks• Right-click the Windows Explorer taskbar button, and

then locate and open the folder that contains the files you want to organize into stacks

• In the Library pane, click the Arrange by button, and then choose the property you want to use to create stacks

• To view the contents of a stack, click the icon for that stack, and if necessary, use the Views button on the toolbar to select the view you want to use when examining the contents of a stack


XPXPXPXPXPXPOrganizing Files into Stacks• If you want to organize stacks within a stack,

click the Arrange by button in the Library pane, and choose another property for organizing the stack into stacks

• To return to a previous folder or stack, click the Back button

• To remove a stack, click the Arrange by button in the Library pane, and then click Folder


XPXPXPXPXPXPOrganizing Files into Stacks


XPXPXPXPXPXPSorting and Filtering Files in a Folder• Open the folder that contains the files you want to

sort and filter• Click the More options arrow for the Change your

view button on the toolbar, and then click Details• To adjust all column widths for a best fit of the

longest entry in each column, point to a filename to select it, hold down the Ctrl key, and then click the plus sign ( + ) on the numeric keypad, or double-click the thin vertical border to the right of each column for a best fit of all the data in each column


XPXPXPXPXPXPSorting and Filtering Files in a Folder• To sort a column in ascending order (alphabetical,

numerical, or date and time order), click the column heading button for that column, or right-click the folder background, point to Sort by, and then click Ascending

• To sort a column in descending order (reverse alphabetical, numerical, or date and time order), and then click the column heading button for that column again (or twice if you have already applied a sort), or right-click the folder background, point to Sort by, and then click Descending


XPXPXPXPXPXPSorting and Filtering Files in a Folder• To filter files, click a column heading arrow

button, and then click one or more of the check boxes for that column’s categories. Repeat this process to remove all filters


XPXPXPXPXPXPGroup Files in a Folder• Open the folder that contains the files you want to

use, right-click the folder background, point to Group by, and then click the property you want to use

• To adjust all column widths, point to a file, and after Windows 7 selects the file, press the Ctrl key and the plus sign ( + ) key on the numeric keypad, or double-click the thin vertical border to the right of each column for a best fit of all the data in each column

• To restore your original view of the files in the folder, right-click the folder background, point to Group by, and then click (None)


XPXPXPXPXPXPBoolean Operators


XPXPXPXPXPXPUsing Search• You can initiate a search in one of several ways

from the following locations:– Start menu– Folder window– Search Results window– Searches folder–Control Panel– Save As and Open dialog box–Other dialog box


XPXPXPXPXPXPSearching from the Start Menu


XPXPXPXPXPXPSearching from a Folder Window


XPXPXPXPXPXPSearching Using a File Property, File Type, or Tags• Open the library that contains the folder

where you want to start the search, and then open the folder

• To search a folder using a file property, click in the Search box, select a search filter from the “Add a search filter” menu (or type the name of a property followed immediately by a colon), wait for Windows 7 to compile a list of search filters, and then click the search filter you want to use


XPXPXPXPXPXPSearching Using a File Property, File Type, or Tags• To search for folders only, click in the Search

box, click Type: under “Add a search filter,” wait for Windows 7 to compile a list of file types, and then click the “File folder” search filter

• To search for a tag, click in the Search box, type tags: and then wait for Windows 7 to compile a list of tags so you can select the tag you want to use


XPXPXPXPXPXPAssigning a Tag or Tags to a File• Locate or search for the file that you want to

assign a tag to, and then select the file• In the Details pane, click “Add a tag,” and then

type the first tag. If you want to assign more than one tag to the file, type each tag followed by a semicolon

• Click the Save button in the Details pane or press the Enter key


XPXPXPXPXPXPUsing Boolean Operators• A Boolean operator (or Boolean filter) consists

of a search keyword (also called a logical operator) or a symbol (called a comparison operator or relational operator) that allows you to specify one or more search conditions or perform a comparison between two items (whether numeric values or text)–AND, OR, NOT, “ “ (quotation marks), ( )

(parentheses)


XPXPXPXPXPXPUsing Boolean Operators


XPXPXPXPXPXPUsing Wildcards in File Specifications• Wildcards are symbols that substitute for one

character, a combination of characters, or even all characters in a folder name or filename– Asterisk wildcard– Question mark wildcard– Other symbols• ~< (begins with)• ~> (ends with)• ~~ (contains)• ~*? (matches pattern, or pattern match)


XPXPXPXPXPXPUsing Wildcards in File Specifications


XPXPXPXPXPXPPerforming Relative Searches• You can also perform relative searches

(meaning relative to a fixed reference, such as a day, month, or year)–Date:yesterday–Date:Friday–Date:Monday..Friday–Date:April


XPXPXPXPXPXPExamining Search and Index Settings• Press the Windows key, type i in the Search box, click

Indexing Options in the search results, and in the Indexing Options dialog box, examine the indexing status and information on indexed locations and locations excluded from indexing

• In the Indexing Options dialog box, click the Modify button, and then review and, if necessary, add or exclude locations to index in the “Change selection locations” box of the Indexed Locations dialog box


XPXPXPXPXPXPExamining Search and Index Settings• Click the “Show all locations” button in the Indexed

Locations dialog box, provide Administrator credentials, review and, if necessary, choose locations to index in the “Change selection locations” box of the Indexed Locations dialog box, and then click the OK button, or click the Cancel button to exit without making changes


XPXPXPXPXPXPExamining Search and Index Settings• In the Indexing Options dialog box, click the Advanced

button, provide Administrator credentials, review and if necessary, change File Settings on the Index Settings property sheet, and then use the Rebuild button to reindex selection locations and rebuild the search index. Click the File Types tab, locate a file type in the Extension column, review and if necessary, change the option for indexing this file type, and then click the OK button, or click the Cancel button to exit without making changes

• Close the Indexing Options dialog box


XPXPXPXPXPXPExamining Search and Index Settings


XPXPXPXPXPXPCustomizing Search Options• Press the Windows key, type f in the Search box, and

then click Folder Options under Control Panel in the search results

• Click the Search tab, and then review and, if necessary, change Search settings under “What to search,” “How to search,” and “When searching nonindexed locations.”

• Use the Restore Defaults button to restore default Search settings

• Click OK to close the Folder Options dialog box, or click Cancel to close the Folder Options dialog box without making any changes
