| My Computer Open files with a different program to usual
Ever wanted to open an html document with notepad rather than your web browser on a one
off occasion? Well rather than starting notepad and then using the open command to find
your document, just select the file in My Computer / Windows Explorer, and then hold down
shift and click right mouse button. An option will then be added to the context menu
"Open with...". Just choose this and find notepad in the program selection
window that appears. Then click OK and the file will be opened with your selected
application.
How to stop files that you delete going to the recycle
bin
If you do not want a file that you delete to go into the recycle bin just press and
hold Shift and then press delete. The file will then be deleted, just make sure you don't
want the file, so there is no way to get it back!
How to select more than one file
If the files you want to select are not next to each other (you can use shift to select
adjacent files), just click on the first one and then click on any other files whilst
holding down the Control key.
Moving, copying and creating shortcuts by dragging files
Have you managed to work out when windows copies files rather than moves them or
creates shortcuts etc? Well here's what happens when:
- If you drag a program file to a new destination, a shortcut will be created.
- If you drag any other file to a different drive (whether a disk drive or just to another
hard drive) it will copy the file.
- If you drag a non program file to another place on the same hard drive it will move that
file.
If however you would like to choose whether it copies, moves or creates a shortcut,
then just drag the file whilst holding down the right mouse button, rather than the
left and you will get a pop menu so you can make a choice.
Going up a directory level
If you want to go up a directory level in My Computer windows, you do not need to have
the toolbar visible. All you have to do is press the backspace key. |
