simple question... really!

[Guest]

We just got a new desktop computer with Windows Vista Ultimate installed. I
have been using Windows XP Professional for the past several years.

My question surrounds a very simple aspect of Vista's new display of files
in Explorer windows:

Let's say I have brought up a new Explorer window. In Windows XP I used to
be able to type a key that represented the first letter of the file that I
was after and it would automatically take me to that file or to any files
beginning with that first letter. For example, if I brought up a window that
had 20-30 files in it and I was looking for a file called "taxes" I would
simply type the letter T and Windows XP would immediately begin highlighting
the icons of the documents starting with that letter.

Very simple, right?

I could either do this or I could use the arrow buttons to go up and down,
left or right to go through the icons in this particular Explorer window.

Also very simple.

Well, in Windows Vista I cannot do this any longer. I bring up a new window
in Explorer -- say the Documents window -- and I began pressing on the arrow
keys. Nothing. I start typing the letter T to go to all of those documents
that begin with that letter. Nothing.

The only way that you can control searching through the open Explorer window
is to use the mouse or hit the tab key several times until you finally are
taken to the documents/files themselves.

Can anyone tell me if there is any way to simply bring up an Explorer window
and be able to utilize the keyboard (without having to reach for the mouse)
in the same manner that I was so accustomed to within Windows XP?

Having to reach for the mouse every time (or hit the tab key several times)
before having any control over the file selection in the current Explorer
window is absolutely the most frustrating thing I have ever encountered while
using a computer during the past 20 years!

Thanks for any and all comments!

 

[Paul Smith]

This works in Windows Vista, on my machines, as it did in Windows XP. I can
use the keyboard to move around the list, of files, jump ahead to a certain
letter.

I'd suspect a 3rd party piece of software, has changed the focus off the
explorer pane, and onto something itself.

As a work around for now, you can press CTRL+E to jump to the search box and
enter a few letters about what you're looking for. Pressing down from the
search box will put focus back in the explorer pane.



--
Paul Smith,
Yeovil, UK.
Microsoft MVP Windows Shell/User.
http://www.dasmirnov.net/blog/
http://www.windowsresource.net/

*Remove nospam. to reply by e-mail*

 

[Rob]

We just got a new desktop computer with Windows Vista Ultimate installed.
I
have been using Windows XP Professional for the past several years.

My question surrounds a very simple aspect of Vista's new display of files
in Explorer windows:

Let's say I have brought up a new Explorer window. In Windows XP I used to
be able to type a key that represented the first letter of the file that I
was after and it would automatically take me to that file or to any files
beginning with that first letter. For example, if I brought up a window
that
had 20-30 files in it and I was looking for a file called "taxes" I would
simply type the letter T and Windows XP would immediately begin
highlighting
the icons of the documents starting with that letter.

Very simple, right?

I could either do this or I could use the arrow buttons to go up and down,
left or right to go through the icons in this particular Explorer window.

snip

Hi,

I tried this and it works for me.

Rob

 

[Ronnie Vernon MVP]

Husky86

When you click to open a folder, in the navigation pane, you still need to
click on the right side within that folder to give it focus, before you can
start using the keyboard to navigate those files. This is the exact same way
that it worked in XP?

 

[Guest]

Hello Ronnie,

Actually, this is never the way that he used to work in Windows Professional
XP. I would never have to use the extra click (on the right-hand side) that
you mentioned.

So I'm not sure if this has become absolutely requisite with Windows Vista
or not... but if it has, it's one of the disappointing aspects of Vista.

If Windows Vista is supposed to work without having to perform any
additional mouse clicks, i.e. if a person is simply supposed to be able to
start typing the first letter of a filename on their keyboard and have Vista
automatically go to that file, then it is probably correct that (as is
suggested above) there is something preventing this from happening normally.

How is it possible that I might be able to go about figuring out which
application and/or process is causing this problem?

Actually, I think that this is more than likely the reality of the current
situation, i.e. that there is indeed a third-party application and/or process
that is causing this ongoing situation. I say this because there are many
times in which I will attempt to use an application after pressing the
Alt-Tab keys and switching over to that particular application (such as
Microsoft Word) and I will begin typing. Amazingly, Vista will be beeping at
me telling me that I'm not actually in any application and that I need to
wake up. Sure enough, none of my key strokes have produced anything in the
document within Word.

This is all very strange; nothing like this ever happened in Windows XP
Professional ......

If anyone has any further thoughts or comments, I'd be thrilled to hear them.

Many thanks!

 

[Ronnie Vernon MVP]

Husky86

I have an XP Pro box sitting here that I checked this on before I posted. I
just cannot re-create what you are seeing?

I have my shortcut to Windows Explorer set to open with 'Computer'
highlighted in the Navigation pane. Regardless of how I change this, it
still behaves the same way, requiring a click in the right pane to give
focus inside the folder?

ALT+TAB also works as expected. The only difference is in Vista you see the
multiple windows displayed instead of the single window.

 

[Guest]

That really is interesting. I cannot explain it. But it just doesn't work
like that for me.

But thanks nonetheless for your help!