Basic File Management Skills

To get started using File Manager, you need to learn a few basic skills. Each icon in File Manager represents an object that you can manipulate in a variety of ways, including:

Object selection
Dragging and dropping
Using pop-up menus
Renaming objects
Getting online help on objects
Opening objects
Viewing information about an object

Object Selection

When you select the icon of a file or folder, its name is highlighted. Many choices in File Manager's menus apply to the currently selected file or folder. The Selected menu contains choices that affect only the currently selected objects. The contents of this menu will change as you select different kinds of objects in the view area.

Selecting multiple files is useful if you want to delete several files at once, or move a group of files to a new folder. Note that when you select more than one object, the Actions portion of the Selected menu will be empty.

When multiple icons are selected, dragging any one of the selected icons drags the whole group. The Selected menu and various menu commands that apply only to a single object are inactive.

Tip - To deselect icons, hold the Control key down and highlight those icons again; this causes them to become unselected from the group.

To Select a Single File or Folder (Mouse)

Click once on the icon.

To Select a Single File or Folder (Keyboard)

Use the Tab and arrow keys to move the highlight to the icon you want to select.

Press the Spacebar.

To deselect a file or folder, select another icon or click an empty area within the File Manager window.

To Select Multiple Files and Folders (Mouse)

Drag the mouse from a blank area to draw a box around the icons you want to select, and then release the mouse button.
You can then hold down the Control key and drag around additional icons.

If you have selected icons in File Manager, clicking or dragging anywhere in the File Manager scrolling pane will deselect those icons. However, if you hold down the Control button before clicking or dragging in the scrolling pane, your existing selections are retained. This method is useful for making multiple selections.

Tip - When the icons you want to select are not located next to each other, click mouse button 1 to select the first icon, then hold down the Control key and click mouse button 1 to select each additional icon.

To Select Multiple Files and Folders (Keyboard)

Select the first file or folder icon by pressing the Spacebar.

For each additional icon you want to select, move the highlight to it, then press Control+Spacebar.

To Drag and Drop a File or Folder

Put the mouse pointer over the file or folder.

Press and hold mouse button 1.

Drag the icon to where you want to drop it.

Release the mouse button.
So, the motion for dropping an object is press...drag...release.

To cancel a drag in progress, press Esc before releasing the mouse button.

Figure 5-1 Drag icon showing the object being dragged
If more than one icon is selected, you drag the entire group by dragging any of the selected icons.

Note - You cannot drag and drop an object without a mouse or other pointing device.

Basic Drag-and-Drop Tasks

To move a file to another folder, drop the icon on the destination folder's icon. Or, if both the source and destination folders are open, drag the icon from the source folder's view window and drop it onto the background of the folder's view window.

To place an icon for a file or folder on the backdrop of your current workspace, drop the file or folder icon outside of any window. A desktop object is really just a reference to the real object, which remains in the File Manager view, unchanged.

To print a file, drop the file icon onto the Printer control in the Front Panel (or one of the printers in the Personal Printers subpanel).

To delete a file or folder, drop the file or folder icon onto the Trash Can control in the Front Panel.

If you try to drop an icon in a location that does not support dropped objects, the icon snaps back to its original location in File Manager or on the desktop.

To Display a Pop-up Menu (Mouse)

Each object in File Manager has a pop-up menu. The File Manager window itself has a pop-up menu viewable when the pointer is placed in a location in the view window outside the boundaries of the individual file or folder objects.

Point to the icon whose pop-up menu you want to display and press mouse button 3.
Figure 5-2 Sample Pop-up Menu

To choose a command from the menu, drag to the command, then release. Or, click the command.


5. Managing Files with File Manager Basic File System Concepts Paths See Also


	Basic File Management Skills To get started using File Manager, you need to learn a few basic skills. Each icon in File Manager represents an object that you can manipulate in a variety of ways, including: Object selection Dragging and dropping Using pop-up menus Renaming objects Getting online help on objects Opening objects Viewing information about an object Object Selection When you select the icon of a file or folder, its name is highlighted. Many choices in File Manager's menus apply to the currently selected file or folder. The Selected menu contains choices that affect only the currently selected objects. The contents of this menu will change as you select different kinds of objects in the view area. Selecting multiple files is useful if you want to delete several files at once, or move a group of files to a new folder. Note that when you select more than one object, the Actions portion of the Selected menu will be empty. When multiple icons are selected, dragging any one of the selected icons drags the whole group. The Selected menu and various menu commands that apply only to a single object are inactive. Tip - To deselect icons, hold the Control key down and highlight those icons again; this causes them to become unselected from the group. To Select a Single File or Folder (Mouse) Click once on the icon. To Select a Single File or Folder (Keyboard) Use the Tab and arrow keys to move the highlight to the icon you want to select. Press the Spacebar. To deselect a file or folder, select another icon or click an empty area within the File Manager window. To Select Multiple Files and Folders (Mouse) Drag the mouse from a blank area to draw a box around the icons you want to select, and then release the mouse button. You can then hold down the Control key and drag around additional icons. If you have selected icons in File Manager, clicking or dragging anywhere in the File Manager scrolling pane will deselect those icons. However, if you hold down the Control button before clicking or dragging in the scrolling pane, your existing selections are retained. This method is useful for making multiple selections. Tip - When the icons you want to select are not located next to each other, click mouse button 1 to select the first icon, then hold down the Control key and click mouse button 1 to select each additional icon. To Select Multiple Files and Folders (Keyboard) Select the first file or folder icon by pressing the Spacebar. For each additional icon you want to select, move the highlight to it, then press Control+Spacebar. To Drag and Drop a File or Folder Put the mouse pointer over the file or folder. Press and hold mouse button 1. Drag the icon to where you want to drop it. Release the mouse button. So, the motion for dropping an object is press...drag...release. To cancel a drag in progress, press Esc before releasing the mouse button. Figure 5-1 Drag icon showing the object being dragged If more than one icon is selected, you drag the entire group by dragging any of the selected icons. Note - You cannot drag and drop an object without a mouse or other pointing device. Basic Drag-and-Drop Tasks To move a file to another folder, drop the icon on the destination folder's icon. Or, if both the source and destination folders are open, drag the icon from the source folder's view window and drop it onto the background of the folder's view window. To place an icon for a file or folder on the backdrop of your current workspace, drop the file or folder icon outside of any window. A desktop object is really just a reference to the real object, which remains in the File Manager view, unchanged. To print a file, drop the file icon onto the Printer control in the Front Panel (or one of the printers in the Personal Printers subpanel). To delete a file or folder, drop the file or folder icon onto the Trash Can control in the Front Panel. If you try to drop an icon in a location that does not support dropped objects, the icon snaps back to its original location in File Manager or on the desktop. To Display a Pop-up Menu (Mouse) Each object in File Manager has a pop-up menu. The File Manager window itself has a pop-up menu viewable when the pointer is placed in a location in the view window outside the boundaries of the individual file or folder objects. Point to the icon whose pop-up menu you want to display and press mouse button 3. Figure 5-2 Sample Pop-up Menu To choose a command from the menu, drag to the command, then release. Or, click the command.