windows explorer rename question

[jim.e.dimoni]

ever since forever, to rename a folder in the left pane of WE I had to
hit F2.
Since I did a clean reinstall on my DT I can single click the folder
and it opens rename just like the right side.

what happened and How can I make this happen on my laptops?

thx

 

[Gerry]

Jim

Right click on directory / file name and Rename is an option.

--



Hope this helps.

Gerry
~~~~
FCA
Stourport, England
Enquire, plan and execute
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

 

[jim.e.dimoni]

Sorry, I guess u don't understand the question.

Once highlighted, if I click the item (folder in this case because I
am talking about the folder or left pane) it opens the edit function
for the folder name.

This is the same way it works normally for the file or right pane.

I don't know why it started working like this after I did a clean
install recently, but I want to know so I can make my other computers
work like that.

thx

 

[Gerry]

Jim

I understood the question. You misunderstood the answer. It may be
because your computer does not have a conventional two button mouse.

Does your mouse have two buttons or a single button? On most mice the
left button selects and the right button offers a drop down menu.
Laptops often do not have a conventional mouse. That may be why we are
talking at cross purposes.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Computer_mouse

Laptops have a Touchpad
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Touchpad

Clicking on an item in Windows Explorer be it in the left or right pane
with a single button mouse or with left button of a two button mouse
should open the item. As it does something different would you please
say what type of mouse you are using and what type of computer you have.
If it has special adaptations because you have a disability then it
would also behelpful to know this.

--



Hope this helps.

Gerry
~~~~
FCA
Stourport, England
Enquire, plan and execute
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

 

[jim.e.dimoni]

gerry

this doesn't have anything to do with the mouse.
but i have an ms trackball w/4 buttons, a wheel/button and a ball

if u click on a file/folder in the right pane it will become
highlighted. if u click on it again it opens the name for editing.
note - not a double click.

previous to this install I had to hit F2 to open the name for editing
in the left pane. ( I guess a right click and click rename would have
worked also ut I am not interested in that process.)

currently it operates the same in either pane, click once >
highlighted, clcik again > edit.

the question is how did it get to work this way so I can duplicate it
on other PCs?

 

[Gerry]

Jim

I have heard of a Trackball but know little about how they work.

You can have a single click or double click to suit -Folder Options,
General tab but that doesn't cover the point you are exploring. Does the
Trackball come with it's own software?

--



Hope this helps.

Gerry
~~~~
FCA
Stourport, England
Enquire, plan and execute
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

 

[Nightowl]

previous to this install I had to hit F2 to open the name for editing
in the left pane. ( I guess a right click and click rename would have
worked also ut I am not interested in that process.)

currently it operates the same in either pane, click once >
highlighted, clcik again > edit.

the question is how did it get to work this way so I can duplicate it
on other PCs?

Hi Jim

Try this: in Explorer or any folder window, go to Tools | Folder Options
| View, and UN-check "Display simple folder view in Explorer's Folders
list".

 

[Gerry]

Nightowl

Interesting but how does that relate to the problem the OP has?
http://support.microsoft.com/kb/282002

--
Regards.

Gerry
~~~~
FCA
Stourport, England
Enquire, plan and execute
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

 

[jim.e.dimoni]

THANK YOU VERY MUCH

that did it.

(e-mail address removed) wrote on Sat, 22 Sep 2007:


Hi Jim

Try this: in Explorer or any folder window, go to Tools | Folder Options
| View, and UN-check "Display simple folder view in Explorer's Folders
list".

 

[Nightowl]

Hi Gerry

I've no idea why changing the view has this effect on the
selection/renaming process in the left-hand pane, but it seems it does
-- see Jim's reply and try it for yourself.

I was puzzled reading Jim's original post because my system has always
worked the way his does now (one click to highlight, another to edit). I
had never realised there could be a difference in this behaviour between
the left and right panes. So I experimented a little and found that on
my system with Simple Folder View checked, the left pane didn't allow
the two-single-clicks method.

I did test several times before posting, as I agree it sounds totally
unrelated

--
Nightowl

Nightowl

Interesting but how does that relate to the problem the OP has?
http://support.microsoft.com/kb/282002

[Nightowl wrote:]

 

[Nightowl]

You're very welcome, Jim. Glad it's fixed for you and I've learned
something new too

 

[Gerry]

This is another example where you think you know the answer and you
don't. Funny how often this occurs in answering newsgroup questions.
Just goes to show one should never rule out another answer.

You can have a single click or double click to suit -Folder Options,
General tab.

The viewing options are almost certainly coming into play here. Are you
using Classic View or the other alternative?


--
Regards.

Gerry
~~~~
FCA
Stourport, England
Enquire, plan and execute
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Hi Gerry

I've no idea why changing the view has this effect on the
selection/renaming process in the left-hand pane, but it seems it does
-- see Jim's reply and try it for yourself.

I was puzzled reading Jim's original post because my system has always
worked the way his does now (one click to highlight, another to
edit). I had never realised there could be a difference in this
behaviour between the left and right panes. So I experimented a
little and found that on my system with Simple Folder View checked,
the left pane didn't allow the two-single-clicks method.

I did test several times before posting, as I agree it sounds totally
unrelated

Nightowl

Interesting but how does that relate to the problem the OP has?
http://support.microsoft.com/kb/282002

[Nightowl wrote:]

Try this: in Explorer or any folder window, go to Tools | Folder
Options | View, and UN-check "Display simple folder view in
Explorer's Folders list".

 

[Nightowl]

This is another example where you think you know the answer and you
don't. Funny how often this occurs in answering newsgroup questions.
Just goes to show one should never rule out another answer.

Couldn't agree more. There's always plenty to learn here

You can have a single click or double click to suit -Folder Options,
General tab.

Yes, I know. Choosing that selects an item when you rest your pointer on
it, or opens it with a single click. I don't think that is relevant
here, though, as I have always used double-click and it seems Jim is
also.

The viewing options are almost certainly coming into play here. Are you
using Classic View or the other alternative?

Could be -- I hadn't thought of that. I use "Windows Classic Folders"
(General tab) and the Classic Start Menu, but the XP Theme.

Do I take it that setting Simple Folder View on or off *doesn't* change
the selection/renaming behaviour in the left pane if you are using Show
Common Tasks/XP view? This is interesting. . .

 

[Nightowl]

Do I take it that setting Simple Folder View on or off *doesn't* change
the selection/renaming behaviour in the left pane if you are using Show
Common Tasks/XP view? This is interesting. . .

Sorry for following up my own post, but I've just been doing some more
testing and:

On my system choosing Show Common Tasks in Folders (XP default view)
makes no difference.

~~ *With* Simple Folder View checked, folders in the left-hand pane will
not respond to two single clicks for select/rename. I believe this is
because single-clicking on the folder automatically expands it. Clicking
on the name a second time does nothing.

It's important to note, as Jim the OP said, that files *and folders* in
the RIGHT pane *can* still be renamed this way. It's only the behaviour
of folders in the left pane that changes.

~~ *Without* Simple Folder View checked, folder names in *both* panes
can be edited this way -- even a parent folder that is expanded.

If I'm beating this to death, Gerry, feel free to stop the discussion,
but if your system behaves differently I'm interested to know exactly
what it does. . .

 

[Gerry]

Nightowl

I have never used "Show Common Tasks/XP view" having elected for the
alternative "Use Windows Classic folders".

I tried experimenting with changes but cannot make clicking on any
folder in the left pane do anything other than expand or collapse the
folder. In the one option it expanded but would not collapse.

In this context what do you mean by "the XP Theme" ? Where are you
turning it on and off?

--
Regards.

Gerry
~~~~
FCA
Stourport, England
Enquire, plan and execute
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

 

[Gerry]

Sorry for following up my own post, but I've just been doing some more
testing and:

On my system choosing Show Common Tasks in Folders (XP default view)
makes no difference.

Is it the Default View?

~~ *With* Simple Folder View checked, folders in the left-hand pane
will not respond to two single clicks for select/rename. I believe
this is because single-clicking on the folder automatically expands
it. Clicking on the name a second time does nothing.

It's important to note, as Jim the OP said, that files *and folders*
in the RIGHT pane *can* still be renamed this way. It's only the
behaviour of folders in the left pane that changes.

Not here. Folders are expanded in the right pane. You cannot collapse.
Eventually when youget to a file it opens.

~~ *Without* Simple Folder View checked, folder names in *both* panes
can be edited this way -- even a parent folder that is expanded.

Not here.

If I'm beating this to death, Gerry, feel free to stop the discussion,
but if your system behaves differently I'm interested to know exactly
what it does. . .

--
Regards.

Gerry
~~~~
FCA
Stourport, England
Enquire, plan and execute
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

 

[Nightowl]

I have never used "Show Common Tasks/XP view" having elected for the
alternative "Use Windows Classic folders".

Hi Gerry

Did you see my follow-up message? The Common Tasks/XP View doesn't make
any difference to the behaviour Jim and I see. I use Windows Classic
Folders too.

I tried experimenting with changes but cannot make clicking on any
folder in the left pane do anything other than expand or collapse the
folder. In the one option it expanded but would not collapse.

Perhaps I haven't been precise enough in explaining. . . it is not
actually two clicks on the folder itself (folder icon). I find that
either of these opens the folder name for editing:

1) Click once on the folder icon, move across and click once on the
folder name; or

2) Click twice (two single clicks, not a double-click) on the folder
name.

This is the normal behaviour in the right pane and works in the left
pane when I have Simple Folder View unchecked. When that option *is*
checked, neither method works. Clicking once on either the folder icon
or the folder name expands it, and a second click on the name does
nothing. A single-pane window, such as you get by navigating from My
Computer, is not affected.

In this context what do you mean by "the XP Theme" ? Where are you
turning it on and off?

I was explaining that although I use Classic Folders and the Classic
Start Menu, I do use the Windows XP Theme (Display Properties |Themes)
rather than Windows Classic Theme.

 

[Gerry]

Nightowl

From Help Search "Common tasks"

To display links to common tasks in folders
Open Folder Options in Control Panel.
Click Start, and then click Control Panel.
Double-click Folder Options.
On the General tab, under Tasks, click Show common tasks in folders.
Notes
The hyperlinks to common tasks in the left pane of your folder windows
provide quick access to file and folder management activities and other
places on your computer, such as My Computer, Shared Documents, and My
Network Places. Windows displays these links by default, so they may
already be displayed in your folders. If they are not, you can use
Folder Options to enable this feature.
To disable this feature in your folders, on the General tab, under
Tasks, click Use Windows classic folders.

What do you have selected under View, Explorer Bar? I have Folders
selected! Show Common Tasks does not display when Folders is selected.


--
Regards.

Gerry
~~~~
FCA
Stourport, England
Enquire, plan and execute
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

 

[Nightowl]

[Nightowl wrote]:

Is it the Default View?

Since it is the default on a fresh install of XP, I'd call it that, yes.
Wouldn't you?

Not here. Folders are expanded in the right pane. You cannot collapse.
Eventually when youget to a file it opens.

Here folders in the right pane are only expanded when I double-click. I
suspect your clicks are too close together and are being interpreted
as a double-click. It needs two distinct, separate single clicks, i.e.
with a pause between them -- try on the folder name, not the icon, or
once on the icon, a second time on the folder name. With Simple Folder
View turned off, of course.

Not here.

If it's not a case of clicking too fast, then I don't know the reason
for your system behaving differently. Since my suggestion worked for
Jim, it's not some peculiarity of mine alone Perhaps someone else
will join in and give us a bigger sample.

 

[Nightowl]

What do you have selected under View, Explorer Bar? I have Folders
selected! Show Common Tasks does not display when Folders is selected.

Yes, Gerry, I know, that is why I said it made no difference to enable
it Which I did since you suspected View settings had something to do
with the behaviour.