Windows Vista--a new day brings new discoveries

by Greg Shultz | Mar 22, 2007 7:00:00 AM

Tags: Microsoft Windows Vista (Longhorn), Operating systems, Greg Shultz, Microsoft Windows, Start Menu, Open Command Window Here, file extension, Microsoft Windows Explorer, Microsoft Windows XP, Microsoft Windows Vista

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Takeaway: Author Greg Shultz shares some new Windows Vista tricks he has discovered.

Now that I'm using Windows Vista as my full-time operating system, a day doesn�t go by when I don�t discover a new trick. In this article, I'll share some of the tips I've discovered lately.

Rename just the filename

As you know, in Windows XP you can rename a file in Windows Explorer simply by selecting the file and pressing [F2]. While this little trick makes renaming files a snap, more times than not, I�ve discovered that I�ve inadvertently forgotten to add the file extension back before I press [Enter]. (I have Windows Explorer set to show file extensions.) When that happens, XP pops up a confirmation dialog box that asks "are you sure?" If you click No, XP undoes your name change and you have to start from scratch. It�s a real inconvenience.

I�ve discovered that Vista has solved that annoyance. With Vista, if you have Windows Explorer set to show file extensions and press [F2] to rename a file, the extension is not selected as shown in Figure A. This rename trick works when you select Rename from the File menu as well as when you select Rename from the context menu.

Figure A

By default, the file extension is not selected during a rename operation.

Using the Open Command Window Here command

If you installed the Open Command Prompt Here Power Toy on your Windows XP system and used it frequently, chances are that you were often frustrated when working on another XP system that didn�t have that feature installed on it. Well you�ll be glad to know that it's now a permanent addition to Windows Vista. It�s been renamed to Open Command Window Here, but it provides the same functionality.

Just hold down [Shift] while you right-click on any folder in the right-hand section of Windows Explorer and you�ll see Open Command Window Here on the context menu, as shown in Figure B.

Figure B

Holding down [Shift] while you right-click brings up the Open Command Window Here on the context menu.

Change the function of the Start menu power button

The power button on Windows Vista�s Start menu is by default configured to put your system into Sleep mode, a new feature under which the operating system saves your work to the hard disk, including information about the programs you were using, such as window location and size and then sleep puts your computer in a power-saving state.

If you prefer to actually shut down your computer when you�re done, you can still do so by clicking the Lock button and selecting the Shut Down option. If that feels like too much work, you can change the function of the Start menu power button.

To do so, access the Control Panel and open the Power Options tool. In the Power Options window under the Preferred Plans section, click the Change Plan Settings link under the currently selected plan. In the Edit Plan Options window, click the Change Advanced Power Settings link. Now, when you see the Power Options dialog box, expand the Power Buttons and Lid branch, open the Start Menu Power Button section, and select Shut Down from the drop down list, as shown in Figure C.

Figure C

You can set the Start menu power button to shut down the computer in the Power Options dialog box.

As soon as you click OK, you can click the Start button and see that the Start menu power button also reflects the change, as shown in Figure D.

Figure D

When you change the Start Menu Power Button setting to Shut Down, the button graphic on the Start menu changes accordingly.

Enhanced visual cues for drag and drop

When copying and moving files in Windows XP via drag and drop, you know that you can move a file simply by dragging it from one window to another. To copy a file, you hold down [Ctrl] while you drag it from one window to another. You can create a shortcut to the file by holding down [Alt] while you drag it from one window to another. When you perform any of these drag and drop operations, XP provides you with tiny, almost imperceptible visual cues.

However, when you perform any of these drag and drop operations in Windows Vista, the visual cues are unmistakable. Vista uses large icons that are accompanied by a pop up-like text box containing a description of the impending operation. These new visual cues are shown together in Figure E.

Figure E

In Windows Vista, drag and drop operations are accompanied by large visual cues and descriptive text.

I�ll cover more tips and tricks in upcoming editions of the Windows Vista Report. In the meantime, please drop by the discussion area and let us know if you have discovered any cool tricks in Windows Vista.

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