Windows7How

Windows Explorer in Windows 7

April 27, 2010

Looking back on the move from Windows XP to Windows Vista, you may remember a number of changes to the graphical user interface (GUI) between the two. Microsoft, of course, attempted to improve the interface to make it easier for people to use Windows; why wouldn’t they? In that change, they made some pretty sweeping alterations to the well-used Windows Explorer. Many users like the format of Windows Explorer and would be rather upset if it were to be too different. In Windows Vista, it did look similar, but some of the functionality which could have been very useful was left out. Finally, these improvements have made it into the Windows 7 release, and you could find them to your liking.

We should start off with one which is going to get plenty of use during its time; that would be the Libraries feature. You have already likely heard about this expanded feature in Windows 7 as it is one of the ‘cool new tools’ which Microsoft has given us. It works much like its forbear, Virtual Folders, but is far more thought out this time. If all goes as planned, it is likely you will use this tool to ease your browsing through your operating system (OS); unless, of course, you use Search. This is mostly due to its flexibility and use.

Of course Windows 7 has default Libraries, which they have labeled Documents, Pictures, Music, and Videos. You may customize them if you wish and even make your own. The key difference here is to remember that the Library is not constrained to one single folder – each entry may be connected to any folder which the OS can access. That means that the actual files may exist anywhere on your drives, even on a networked drive, and they will still be listed in your Libraries. To access your Documents Library, simply go to the Start menu and select Documents. You will notice that things are a bit different, and you will see a Library pane on the left hand side of Explorer instead of the usual Folder tree. Look to the top right and you will see that this default Library has two locations where it finds its contents, marked by ‘Includes:’. One is for the My Documents folder and the other is for Public Documents.

Click on the Includes and you will launch the Documents Library Locations dialog box. This box shows you which folders are included in this Library currently. It will also allow you to add more locations as you please; simply click the Add button. If you do go ahead and add other locations, they will all show up in the Documents Library. It is a very nice organizational feature where you should be able to always find what you are looking for when you look for it.

Next, I suppose we would be well served by going to the next most important new feature, the addition of the New Folder button. A useful addition this truly is. Back in the familiar Windows XP, this feature was accessible from the File menu, the right-click menu, and the Folder Tasks pane. Of course, as most users did, you would open up the Folders tree and the Folder Tasks pane along with the Make a New Folder option would disappear. With the release of Windows Vista the New Folder button was placed in the Organize menu, but how many people went there often? It turns out, not many, and it was often forgotten. Windows 7 changes all of that and places the New Folder button as an item on the toolbar. It has been given importance more apt for its use, and you won’t lose it now.

Along the way, we come to the Arrange by menu, which is also featured front and center in the new Windows 7 Windows Explorer. It is almost in the middle of the toolbar and all you have to do is click on the down arrow to launch a drop-down box. The settings here allow you to change the arrangement of the display of files and folders in Windows Explorer. The default is to arrange them by Folder, but the other options are Author, Date, Tag, Type and Name inside of the Documents Library. It will vary slightly depending on where you are in the OS, but most options are available in all of them.

Now, look over the right side of the toolbar for a small icon one stop over to the left of the Help icon. This is the Preview Pane. You can enable and disable it from here, but it also remains in the Organize | Layout menu. The Preview Pane previews your files on the right hand side of the Windows Explorer window. That icon between the Preview Pane and the Help icon is the View icon, believe it or not. It has lost its usual text ‘View’ and is simply an icon now. All of those options are the same.

There may not be numerous big changes to Windows 7 Windows Explorer, but the ones which have been done are useful. Microsoft did very well here; they have simplified the browsing experience and it will serve everyone who uses the Windows 7 OS very well.

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Tags: gui, internet, microsoft, user interface, vista, win 7, windows 7, windows explorer, xp