3.3. Optional Window PanesMost Explorer windows have some basic informational stuff across the top: the Address bar and the task toolbar, at the very least. But that's just the beginning. As shown in Figure 3-4, the Organize menu on the task toolbar lets you hide or show as many as four other strips of information. Turning them all on at once may make your windows feel a bit claustrophobic, but at least you'll know absolutely everything there is to know about your files and folders.
The trick is to choose a pane name from the Organize Layout command, as shown in Figure 3-4. Here are the options youll find there. Tip: You can adjust the size of any pane by dragging the dividing line that separates it from the main window. (You'll know when you've got the right spot when your cursor turns into a double-headed arrow.) 3.3.1. Search PaneAs shown in Figure 3-1, the Search pane appears across the top of the window, just below the Address bar. Of course, the Search box already appears in every Explorer window, next to the Address barso why do you need a Search pane as well? Because the pane gives you a lot more control. It lets you specify more elaborate search criteria, including where you want Windows to look. Details are on Section 4.3.1. 3.3.2. Details PaneThis strip appears at the bottom of the window, and it can be extremely useful. It reveals all kinds of information about whatever icon you've clicked in the main part of the window: its size, date, type, and so on. You can even edit some of this information, like the name, "tags" (keywords), and star rating. This is the sort of information that, in the old days, you could see only if you right-clicked and opened the Properties window. 3.3.3. Preview PaneThe Preview pane appears at the right side of the window. That's right: Microsoft has now invented information strips that wrap all four sides of a window. Anyway, the Preview pane can be handy when you're examining pictures, text files, Office documents, PDF files, sounds, and movies. As you click each icon, you see a miniature version of what's actually in that document. As Figure 3-5 demonstrates , a controller lets you play sounds and movies right there in the Explorer window, without having to fire up Windows Media Player. (Cool.)
3.3.4. Navigation PaneThe Navigation pane has two halves : Favorite Links (the top part) and Folders (the bottom part). 3.3.4.1. Favorite Links listThis area lists places to which you want quick access. For example, click the Pictures icon to view the contents of your Pictures folder in the main part of the window (Figure 3-6).
The beauty of this parking lot for containers is that it's so easy to set up with your favorite places. For example:
3.3.4.2. Folders listThe bottom of the Navigation pane, if you've chosen to view it (Figure 3-7), is a folder "tree" that shows the hierarchy of your entire computer. In essence, this view shows every folder on the machine at once. It lets you burrow very deeply into your hard drive's nest of folders without ever losing your bearings.
This hierarchical displays only disks and folders; the main window displays the contents (folders and files) of whatever disk or folder you click. When you double-click a folder or disk name (or single-click the flippy triangle next to it), you turn the list view into an outline; the contents of the folder appear in an indented list, as shown in Figure 3-7. Double-click again, or click the flippy triangle again, to collapse the folder listing. By selectively expanding folders like this, you can, in effect, peer inside two or more folders simultaneously , all within the single Folders list. You can move files around by dragging them onto the tiny folder icons, too. If you expand folders within folders to a sufficient level, the indentation may push the folder names so far to the right that you can't read them. You can remedy this problem either by making the pane wider (Figure 3-8), or by pointing to a folder whose name is being chopped off. Vista temporarily displays its entire name.
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