computer

Lesson 1 Exploring the Windows XP

Desktop

Lesson 2 Working With Windows

Lesson 3 Investigating Your Computer

Lesson 4 Exploring Disk Organization

Lesson 5 Managing Your Files

Lesson 6 Windows XP Accessories

Lesson 7 Controlling Printing Features

Lesson 8 Copying, Moving, Exchanging,

and Sharing Data

Click a hyperlink to go to the corresponding section.Press the ESC key at any time to exit the presentation.

Press the Space Bar or click the mouse to display the information.

Introducing Operating System Software (cont.)

• Your computer system needs task-specific and general operational software.

• Software that helps you accomplish a specific task is called an application.

• Software that allows you to operate your hardware and use applications is called operating system software.

• The computer follows instructions, or commands, to accomplish specific tasks.


Introducing Operating System Software (cont.)

• The operating system’s user interface dictates how you interact with the computer.

• Windows XP utilizes a graphical user interface (GUI).

• A GUI has on-screen pictures, or icons, to represent common tasks.

• You can use a mouse to execute the tasks represented by the icons.


Starting the Computer With Windows XP

• When you turn on the computer, a built-in program runs a series of tests.

– This is called a Power On Self Test (POST).

– The POST checks the memory, keyboard, display, and disk drives of the computer system.

• Next, files from the hard disk containing essential operating system components are loaded.

• Finally, the Windows XP opening screen appears.

• The entire process is called booting the system or performing a system boot.


Using the Windows XP Desktop (cont.)

• The buttons on the right side of the taskbar are within the notification area.

• The clock is located in the notification area.

• Depending on your system configuration, the notification area may also include additional buttons.

– Speaker volume control

– Message notification

– Printing indicator

• Buttons in the notification area may be hidden when they are not active.

– Click the Show Hidden Icons button to display inactive buttons.

– Click the Hide button to remove inactive buttons from view.

FIGURE 1.1 WINDOWS XP DESKTOP

Icons

Taskbar

FIGURE 1.6 MY COMPUTER WINDOW

Close button

Icons representing storage

devices and locations

FIGURE 1.8 TASKBAR SHORTCUT MENU

Click to open the

Properties window.

FIGURE 1.9 TASKBAR OPTIONS

Start Menu tab

Taskbar tab

FIGURE 1.10 START MENU

These programs have

been accessed recently.

Point here to access all

programs on your computer.

Click here to open

the Start menu.

FIGURE 1.11 A SERIES OF MENUS

The All Programs menu

The Accessories menu

An arrow indicates

that additional menus

or information exists.

The Start menu


Using the Right Mouse Button

• Clicking an item with the right mouse button displays the shortcut menu.

– The shortcut menu lists the most frequently used commands.

• Whenever the instructions in this tutorial say click, use the left mouse button.

• If the instructions say right-click, use the right mouse button.

• To right-click, point to an object, then press and quickly release the right mouse button.

FIGURE 1.12 RECYCLE BIN SHORTCUT MENU

Click to open

the Recycle Bin.

When you right-click the Recycle Bin,

the Recycle Bin shortcut menu appears.

FIGURE 1.13 LOCAL DISK (C:) PROPERTIES WINDOW

Close button

Detailed information

about drive C:

Right-clicking a device icon generates a shortcut menu

from which you can choose the Properties command.


Working With a Graphical User Interface

• In a Graphical User Interface, or GUI, icons represent devices, shortcuts, and other objects.

• All Windows programs are graphical.

• The graphical environment is described as what you see is what you get, or WYSIWYG.

• In a WYSIWYG environment, text and graphics print exactly as they appear on screen.

• Windows programs use similar conventions to make them easy to learn and use.


Working With a Graphical User Interface (cont.)

• A dialog box is a window that requests more information concerning a menu selection.

• Some options provide rectangular boxes into which you can type; these are called text boxes.

– Some text boxes include a default value, or the value that the software uses unless you change the value.

• Most dialog boxes include command buttons that you click to perform specified actions.

• Some dialog boxes include option buttons.

– You can make only one selection among a set of option buttons.


Working With a Graphical User Interface (cont.)

• Some boxes include a drop-down arrow.

– When you click the arrow, a drop-down list of options appears.

• Some text boxes include spinner buttons that you can use to increase or decrease a setting.

• A slider control lets you drag an indicator to the right or left to change a setting.

• A check box is a square box to the left of a dialog option.

– When a check mark appears in the box, the option is selected.

• Some dialog boxes are broken into several screens.

– Click one of the dialog box tabs to display a different screen.

FIGURE 1.14 ELLIPSES FOLLOW THE RUN OPTION FIGURE 1.15 RUN DIALOG BOX

Ellipses indicate that a dialog

box will appear when this

option is selected.

FIGURE 1.16 TEXT BOX

FIGURE 1.17 THREE ESSENTIAL COMMAND BUTTONS

FIGURE 1.18 OPTION BUTTONS

You can type

in a text box.

Uses your settings but

keeps the dialog box open

to make other selections.Closes the dialog box

without making changes.

Uses your settings and

closes the dialog box.

Empty option button

Selected option button

FIGURE 1.19 TEXT BOX WITH DROP-DOWN ARROW AND A DROP-DOWN LIST

The drop-down list

appears when you click

the drop-down arrow.

A drop-down arrow

indicates that a list

of options exists.

FIGURE 1.20 SPINNER BUTTONS

Click the up arrow to

increase the setting. Click the down arrow to

decrease the setting.

FIGURE 1.21 HORIZONTAL SLIDER CONTROL

FIGURE 1.22 CHECK BOX

Drag the indicator to the right

or left to change the setting.

Click here to toggle the

check box on and off.

FIGURE 1.23 FOLDER OPTIONS

Click a tab to display the

screen you want to view.


Turning Off Windows XP

• Close all applications and turn off Windows XP when you are finished working with the computer.

• Make sure to follow the proper procedures to turn off the computer.

– Click the Start button.

– Click Turn Off Computer.

– Click Turn Off.

Press the Space Bar or click the mouse to display the answers.

FIGURE 1.27 IDENTIFICATION1. Icons

2. Start menu

3. taskbar

4. Start button

5. check box

6. dialog box

7. Clock button

8. tabs

9. Close button

10. Windows XP

desktop


Common Window Elements

• The work you do in Windows XP takes place inside windows.

• Most windows have similar components and similar methods of interaction.

• You can change the size and position of a window so you can work more efficiently.

• You can maximize a window to give yourself more room to work.

• You can minimize a window to keep it available but hidden.

FIGURE 2.1 COMPONENTS OF AN ACTIVE WINDOW

Folder icon

Drive icon

Maximize

button

Close

button

Minimize

button

Menu bar

Title barControl-menu

icon


Common Window Elements (cont.)

• The title bar is located across the top of the window.

• The name of the object appears in the title bar.

• You can tell from the color of the title bar if the window is active or inactive.

• The control menu icon is located on the left side of the title bar.

• The maximize, minimize, restore, and close buttons appear at the right side of the title bar.



• The menu bar appears below the title bar.

• The menu bar contains the names of menus you can use within that particular window.

• When you click a menu, a drop-down list of menu options appears below the menu name.

• Menu options are context-sensitive.

– Not all menu options are available at any given time.

– Unavailable menu options are dimmed.

• You can use the keyboard or the mouse to choose a menu option.

FIGURE 2.2 FILE MENU

Menu names

File menu options display

when you click File.

Unavailable menu choice

Available menu choice



• Below the menu bar are the toolbars.

• Toolbars contain icons that represent frequently-used commands.

• Although not all programs use toolbars, most windows include a Standard Buttons toolbar and an Address Bar.


Positioning and Sizing Windows

• You can use the mouse to position a window on the screen.

– Point to the title bar.

– Drag the window to the desired position.

• You can also use the mouse to change the size of a window.

– Drag the window border to change the window’s size.


Arranging Multiple Windows

• Windows XP includes several commands to help you arrange the windows on your screen.

• A cascade arrangement of open windows lets you stack them so that only the top window is fully visible.

• When you tile the windows, they are sized equally and arranged so that they occupy equal portions of the desktop.

– You can tile the windows either vertically or horizontally.

• You can minimize all open windows in a single operation.

– Right-click the taskbar.

– Click Show the Desktop.

FIGURE 2.6 THREE OPEN WINDOWS IN A CASCADE ARRANGEMENT

The three open windows

also appear on the taskbar.

FIGURE 2.8 THREE OPEN WINDOWS TILED HORIZONTALLY

Each window occupies

approximately one-third

of the desktop area.

FIGURE 2.9 THREE OPEN WINDOWS TILED VERTICALLY

Each window occupies

approximately one-third

of the desktop area.


Arranging Icons

• You can move and position icons both on the desktop and within windows.

• To position an icon, drag the icon to the desired location.

• You can arrange the icons in neat rows on the desktop.

– Right-click an empty area on the desktop or within a window.

– Choose the Arrange Icons by command.

– Choose the arrangement option you prefer.


Arranging Icons (cont.)

• Use the Auto Arrange option to tell Windows XP to always align your icons in neat, orderly rows.

– Right-click an empty area on the desktop or within a window.

– Choose the Auto Arrange by command.

– Choose the Auto Arrange option.

• Auto Arrange is a toggle command.

– The first time you choose it, you turn the command on.

– The next time you use it, you turn the command off.

– When the command is on, a check mark appears before its name on the shortcut menu.

FIGURE 2.10 LOCATING THE ARRANGE ICONS BY MENU OPTIONS

Arrange Icons by menu

options allow you to rearrange

icons in the open window.

FIGURE 2.11 REARRANGED ICONS IN THE CONTROL PANEL WINDOW

Icons are arranged

alphabetically by

their descriptions

on the status bar.


Arranging Icons (cont.)

• Windows XP allows you to view icons in windows in several ways.

• In Tile view, each icon appears with the program or document name and its description to the right.

• In the Icons view, the icon is smaller; the program or document name appears beneath the icon.

• Use the List view when you need to see even more items within a window.

• To get more information about the items in a window, use the Details view.

• The Thumbnail view lets you see the contents of graphics files.


Using Scroll Bars

• A scroll bar appears when there is not enough room to display all of the contents of a window.

• If the additional information is above or below the window, you see a vertical scroll bar.

• If the additional information is to the left or right of the window, you see a horizontal scroll bar.

• The rectangle within the scroll bar is the scroll box.

– The scroll box indicates the relative position of the screen information within its window.

• Use the scroll arrows at the end of the scroll bar for slow window navigation.

FIGURE 2.13 AN OPEN WINDOW’S SCROLL BARS, ARROWS, AND BOXES

Scroll box

Scroll arrow

Scroll arrow

Scroll box

Vertical scroll bar

Horizontal scroll bar

Scroll arrows


Closing All Open Windows

• Close all open windows that you are not currently using.

• Click each minimized window to restore the window.

• Click the Close button on each open window.


Getting Help On Screen

• Windows XP provides a powerful on-screen Helpsystem.

– Click the Start button.

– Click Help and Support.

• Click the Home button to display a list of categories.

• When you click the Index button, you’ll see an alphabetical listing of Help topics.

– Words listed in the index are called keywords.

• The Favorites button displays Help pages you have added to the Favorites list.


Getting Help On Screen (cont.)

• Click the History button to see Help pages you have recently viewed.

• The Support button lets you access Help from computer manufacturers and Windows XP Web sites.

• Click the Options button to configure the Help and Support window.

• Use the Search box to search for particular words in the descriptions of Help topics.

FIGURE 2.14 MICROSOFT HELP AND SUPPORT CENTER WINDOW

Navigation barSearch box

FIGURE 2.15 WORKING WITH PROGRAMS HELP SCREEN

The Help window is divided

into two panes: a list of topics

on the left and problems and

tasks on the right.

FIGURE 2.16 START A PROGRAM HELP SCREEN

Click a glossary term to

display its definition.

Clicking a topic in the left pane

displays help information in the

right pane.

FIGURE 2.17 WINDOWS HELP AND SUPPORT INDEX SCREEN

Type help topic here.

FIGURE 2.18 WINDOWS HELP AND SUPPORT SEARCH FEATURE

Type search topic here.

Click the Start searching button

to display a list of topics.

Select topic here.


Self Check

1. When you cascade windows, you can see both the title bar and some of the contents of each open window.

2. Toggle commands change from their “on” to their “off” state (or vice versa) when they are chosen.

3. A scroll box shows you the relative position of the screen information you are viewing in the window.

4. To locate assistance with a specific problem, you should enter one or more keywords in the Help Index text box.

5. The title bar is usually blue within an inactive window.

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FIGURE 2.21 IDENTIFICATION

1. control menu icon

2. active title bar

3. inactive title bar

4. Minimize button

5. vertical scroll bar

6. menu bar

7. toolbar

8. active taskbar button

9. inactive taskbar button10. horizontal scroll bar


Objectives

• Recognize the types of storage devices attached to your computer and their drive letters.

• Distinguish among system, program, and document files.

• Use the Control Panel to examine the hardware resources of your computer.

• Expand and collapse the display of hardware devices and their properties.

• View the settings and capabilities of your printer.

• Understand how to download the latest software from the Internet to keep your devices working at peak efficiency.


Working Inside the My Computer Window

• A file is a named and ordered collection of information stored on a disk.

• Use the My Computer window to find information about the devices and files that make up your computer system.

• The My Computer window displays a drive icon for each of the storage devices attached to your computer.

– Floppy disk drive

– Hard drive (not shared)

– Shared drive

– Zip disk drive

– CD-ROM drive

– Network drive


Working Inside the My Computer Window (cont.)

• Your floppy disk drive is usually assigned to drive letter (A:).

• If your computer has a second floppy disk drive, it is probably labeled (B:).

• Your primary hard drive is (C:).

• Additional drives have their own letters.

• A shared drive is a disk drive attached to your computer that other network users can access.

• A network drive is a storage drive you can use, even though the drive is physically attached to another computer.

FIGURE 3.1 MY COMPUTER WINDOW

Drive icons are shown with

a letter followed by a colon.



• Three basic kinds of files exist: system files, program files, and document files.

• Files that collectively make up your Windows XP operating system as known are system files.

• The application files that you use to perform tasks on your computer are program files.

• The work that you create while you are using your computer are document files or data files.

• Each file type has its own characteristic file icon.



• Two basic types of windows exist: application windows and document windows.

• You work in an application window when you run a program.

• You can perform separate jobs within an application window by working in document windows.



• Storage disks contain files and folders.

• A folder is a named icon that contains files and folders.

– You use folders to organize files and other folders.

– Prior to Windows 95, folders were called directories.

• Folders inside of folders are called subfolders.

– Prior to Windows 95, folders inside of folders were called subdirectories.

• Some folders, known as shared folders, can be accessed by other users on the network.



• You can set your computer to view folders in different ways.

• Click the Start button.

• Click Control Panel.

• Click Tools, Folder Options.

• Click the appropriate options in the General tab.

• Click OK.

• Click Close.



• You can use the My Computer window to view the contents of the disk drives connected to your computer.

• Open the My Computer icon.

• Open the drive icon to be viewed.

• Open a folder to see the contents.

• If you try to open a disk drive that doesn’t contain a disk, you’ll see a reminder.

FIGURE 3.2 DRIVE (C:) WINDOW

Contents of a drive are

shown with folder icons.

FIGURE 3.3 WINDOWS FOLDER

A folder icon

FIGURE 3.4 DISK DRIVE WINDOW

File on the disk

FIGURE 3.5 DISKETTE DRIVE WINDOW WITH NO DISKETTE

Click here if you do not

want to insert a diskette.


Examining System Properties

• The system properties windows allow you to configure and personalize your system.

• To get to the System Properties dialog box, double-click the System icon in the Control Panel window.

• Seven tabs appear in the System Properties dialog box.

– General

– Computer Name

– Hardware

– Advanced

– System Restore

– Automatic Updates

– Remote

FIGURE 3.8 SYSTEM PROPERTIES DIALOG BOX

Tabs Help button


Examining System Properties (cont.)

• The General tab provides general information about your system.

– The version of Windows XP used to boot your computer.

– The owner of the license for the software.

– The type of processor (CPU) running your computer.

– The amount of memory (RAM) installed in your computer.

• You cannot set any options in the General tab.


Examining System Properties (cont.)

• The Hardware tab helps you add and manage computer components.

• The Device Manager button displays information about the system, including devices connected to it.

• Devices connected to the system appear in a tree.

– A tree is a structured list whose branches display and hide their contents as commanded.

• The plus (+) and minus (-) signs to the left of each line in the tree indicate the amount of detail being displayed.

– A plus sign refers to a collapsed level.

– A minus sign refers to an expanded level.


FIGURE 3.10 DEVICE MANAGER WINDOW

Expanded category

shows a minus sign.

Collapsed category

shows a plus sign.


Device Installation

• Window XP has a Plug and Play feature that makes it easy to add new hardware to your computer.

• You can usually install a new device just by plugging the device into your computer and then turning on the device.

• If you are installing an older, non-Plug and Play device, you can use the Add Hardware feature to install it.

– Older hardware is sometimes referred to as legacy hardware.

• Double-click the Add Hardware icon in the Control Panel to access the Add Hardware Wizard dialog box.

– A wizard is an automated process that guides you through an operation.


FIGURE 3.12 ADD HARDWARE WIZARD DIALOG BOX

A wizard will guide you

through a series of options.


Using the Printers Folder

• Use the Printers and Faxes window to select and set up the device to which you want to send a document.

• The Printers and Faxes window contains a printer icon for each of the printer drivers installed on your system.

– A printer driver is a program that controls or regulates a specific printer.

• You can also use this window to add (install) a new printer.

• Your system may include shared printers, which can be accessed by any user on the network.

FIGURE 3.14 PRINTERS AND FAXES WINDOW

Network printer

Shared printer

Task to install a new printer

The Printers and Faxes window has

a printer icon for each printer driver.


Self Check

1. A file is a named and ordered collection of information.

2. A folder may contain files, but not other folders.

3. Shared devices are attached to your computer and are available to other users.

4. Virtual memory is hard drive space used as main memory.

5. A wizard is a program that completes dialog boxes automatically.

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1. Help button

3. Modem Properties dialog box

4. Control Panel window

5. expanded branch

6. collapsed branch

2. Device Manager button

7. hardware category

8. hardware device

9. Printers icon

10. System icon


Objectives

• Use the Windows Explorer to view and modify the structure of a disk.

• Modify the appearance of the Explorer window.

• Format a disk to prepare it to store information.

• Create folders and subfolders.

• Design folder structures that suit different needs.

• Rename, delete, copy, and move folders.

• Launch the Internet Explorer from the Windows Explorer.


Using Windows Explorer

• Choose Windows Explorer to open and display the Explorer window.

• You can use Explorer to search the storage system of your computer to examine its contents and organization.

• The Explorer window includes many familiar components.

– Title bar

– Menu bar

– Toolbars

• The status bar appears at the bottom of the window.

FIGURE 4.1 EXPLORER WINDOW

Contents paneFolders pane

Address bar

Title bar

Menu bar

Standard Buttons toolbar

Close button


Using Windows Explorer (cont.)

• The Explorer window is divided vertically into two panes.

• The left section of the Explorer window is the Folderspane.

• This pane shows a tree of folders that displays the hierarchical organization of available disks.

• Each drive icon is a main or top-level folder.

• Each main folder can hold files and subfolders.

• The main folder is also called the root directory.

FIGURE 4.2 EXPLORER WINDOW WITH MY COMPUTER EXPANDED

My Computer folder

is expanded.

FIGURE 4.3 EXPLORER WINDOW WITH (C:) BRANCH EXPANDED

C: folder is expanded.

A plus sign indicates

the folder contains

one or more folders.


Using Windows Explorer (cont.)

• The right section of the Explorer window is the Contents pane.

• This pane displays the contents of the folder selected in the Folders pane.

• The title bar indicates which folder is being displayed in the Contents pane.

FIGURE 4.4 EXPLORER WINDOW WITH (C:) SELECTED

Title bar and selected icon

match, indicating that the

Contents pane shows the

objects in the C: drive.

Contents pane for C:


Customizing the Explorer Window

• You can use the View menu to customize Explorer.

• The options on the View menu control the way the Explorer window looks and works.

• Some options vary the appearance of items in the Contents pane.

• Other options determine the order in which items appear in the Contents pane.

– Alphabetical

– Creation date

– Size

– Type (document, graphics image, program, and so on)

FIGURE 4.6 EXPLOER WINDOW’S VIEW MENU

FIGURE 4.8 ARRANGE ICONS MENU

Click Arrange Icons by on the

View menu or one of the column

buttons in the Contents pane to

reorder files and folders.


Using Window Panes

• You can customize the Explorer window by moving the separator line.

• The separator line is the thick, vertical line that divides the window panes.

• Drag the separator line left or right to make one pane wider and the other pane narrower.

• Sometimes, you may drag the separator line so far that long names or descriptions are cut off, or truncated.

• When Windows XP truncates text, an ellipsis (…) appears at the end of the line to indicate that the entire description is not displayed.

FIGURE 4.9 RESIZED EXPLORER PANES

Drag these separator lines to

change the width of the columns.

Drag this separator line to the

right or left to expand either pane.

FIGURE 4.10 TRUNCATED NAME AND TYPE DESCRIPTIONS

Truncated descriptions


Formatting Disks

• A disk must be formatted before it can hold files and folders.

• Several activities take place during the formatting process.

• Files already stored on the disk are erased.

• The surface of the disk is scanned for errors.

• The information that the operating system uses to read and write data to the disk is copied onto the disk.

– Disk size

– Number of characters each sector can hold

– Location of each file


Formatting Disks (cont.)

• The operating system uses a file system to control access to the disk.

• DOS and Windows 95 used the File Allocation System(FAT) file system to store, retrieve, and otherwise manage files on a disk.

• Newer versions of Windows recognize FAT and the more efficient FAT32.

• Windows 2000 can use FAT, FAT32, and its own file system, NT File System (NTFS).

• Windows XP can use FAT, FAT32, and NTFS.

FIGURE 4.11 HARD DRIVE PROPERTIES DIAOG BOXES

NTFS FAT32

These tabs contain

properties unique to

the NTFS file system.

Windows 95/98, DOS, and

diskettes use the File Allocation

Table (file system).


Formatting Disks (cont.)

• It’s easy to format a disk.

• Click the appropriate drive in the My Computer window.

• Click Format on the File menu.

• Specify the capacity of the disk.

• Specify the format options.

• Type a name for the disk.

• Click Start.

FIGURE 4.12 FORMAT DIALOG BOX

You must specify the

correct capacity for the

disk you are using.

Type the disk name in the

Volume label text box.

Make sure this box

is not checked


Creating Folders and Subfolders

• Folders allow you to group related files together.

• Use the File menu to create a top-level folder on a drive.

– Select the icon for the drive you want to use in the Explorer window.

– Point to New.

– Click Folder on the File menu.

– Type a name for the new folder.

• You can also use the shortcut menu to create a folder.

– Right-click the Contents pane.

– Point to New.

– Click Folder on the shortcut menu.

– Type a name for the new folder.


Creating Folders and Subfolders (cont.)

• You can create a folder within a folder.

• First, open the folder that will be the parent folder.

– A parent folder is any folder that contains one or more folders.

• When the parent folder is open, point to New and click Folder on the File menu.

• Type a name for the new folder.


Creating Folders and Subfolders (cont.)

• Creating a meaningful folder structure requires planning.

• The relationship of folders to subfolders is called the disk structure.

• An application-oriented structure is made up of folders that contain documents created by each application program.

• A project-oriented structure has separate folders for each of the tasks you do regardless of the programs you use to create those files.

• In a user-oriented structure, each user saves his or her work in a separate folder.

FIGURE 4.13 APPLICATION-ORIENTED SRUCTURE

Each program folder

has subfolders.

FIGURE 4.14 TYPES OF FOLDER STRUCTURES

Project-oriented structure User-oriented structure Combined user-application

and user-project structures

FIGURE 4.16 NEW FOLDER IN THE EXPLORER WINDOW

You can create subfolders in

folders. Toss is a subfolder

in the Documents folder.


Manipulating Folders

• You can move, copy, delete, or rename folders.

• Folder manipulation commands affect a folder and the subfolders and files contained in the folder.

• When you move a folder, Windows XP places the folder and its contents in the new location.

– The folder and any contents are deleted from the original location.

• When you copy a folder, Windows XP duplicates the folder and its contents in the new location.

– The original folder and contents remains in the original location.


Manipulating Folders (cont.)

• When you delete a folder from the (C:) drive, Windows XP removes the folder and the contents from the original location.

– The folder and its contents are placed in the Recycle Bin.

– You can remove the contents of the Recycle Bin permanently or restore them to their original locations.

• When you delete a folder from a floppy or Zip disk, it is gone permanently.

• When you rename a folder, you change its name.


Self Check

1. Newly formatted disks contain at least one folder and one subfolder.

2. The plus sign (+) beside an object in Windows Explorer indicates that there is at least one folder within the object.

3. The width of the panes in Windows Explorer is fixed.

4. On your hard drive, dragging a subfolder from one folder to another makes a copy of the subfolder.

5. Formatting a disk erases all of the files and folders on the disk.

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FIGURE 4.19 IDENTIFICATION1. Title bar 2. Menu bar

3. Views button

4. Standard Buttons toolbar

5. Address bar

6. Folders pane

7. Status bar

8. subfolder

9. selected folder

10. Contents pane


Objectives

• Understand why you must manage disk storage.

• Recognize the names and types of files contained within folders.

• Recognize file types and their icons in Windows Explorer.

• Copy one or more files into a different folder or drive.


Objectives (cont.)

• Move files from one folder to another.

• Delete files from a disk.

• Rename files.

• Search for files by name, date, and location.

• Use a search engine to find information on the Internet.


Managing Files

• You engage in file management when you organize and care for your disks and files.

• File management involves much more than creating or deleting files.

• You should back up or duplicate files onto floppy disks or other storage media.

• You can store the backup disks away from your computer in case something happens to the original files stored on the hard drive.

• You can also copy, move, rename, and delete files.


Creating Files

• To store information efficiently in the form of files, you tell the operating system specific details about each file.

– On which drive to store the file

– In which folder to put the file

– By what name to identify the file

– By what type to create the file

• File names consist of two primary parts.

• The file name is a descriptive name that a user assigns to a data file.

• An optional extension follows the file name and specifies the type of data stored in the file.


Creating Files (cont.)

• Files created within the MS-DOS operating system are named according to specific rules, or file-naming conventions.

• For example, the MS-DOS file-naming convention includes these rules.

– The file name must contain at least one character but no more than eight characters.

– A period or dot separates the file name and the extension.

– The optional extension may have from one to three characters.

– Some characters, such as the colon and the slash, are invalid.

– Some extensions are reserved for program files and files that contain instructions for operating system commands.



• File names in Windows XP can be much more descriptive.

• Windows XP file names can be up to 255 characters long.

• The list of invalid characters is much shorter than with MS-DOS.

• File extensions are still used, but they are not always displayed.

• The software that creates the file automatically assigns an extension.



• Most Windows applications make it easy for you to create and save a file.

• First, use the application to create your file.

• Choose Save As from the File menu.

• Use the Save As dialog box to specify the name, type, and storage location for the file.

• Click the Save button to save the file.

FIGURE 5.3 SAVE AS DIALOG BOX

Click drop-down arrow to set

drive location for the file.

Type file name

in this text box.

FIGURE 5.4 SAVE IN DROP-DOWN LIST

This list shows the path

to the Documents folder.

FIGURE 5.5 EXPLORER WINDOW

Your newly saved

file appears in the

Contents pane in the

Documents folder.


Working With File Types

• A file type is a functional category such as document file, bitmapped image, or system file.

• Each file on your system is of a specific file type.

• Windows XP recognizes dozens of file types when the operating system is first installed.

• As new applications are added, additional file types are created.


Copying Files

• You can copy files and folders by dragging them from one disk to another disk.

• You can also use Copy and Paste to copy folders and files.

• If you want two copies of the same file in the same folder, one of the files must have a different name.

– Otherwise, the file in the folder to which you are making the copy will be replaced with the file you are copying.

– Windows XP displays a Confirm File Replace dialog box in these situations.

– The dialog box gives you an opportunity to cancel the operation if you decide you don’t want to replace the existing file.

FIGURE 5.6 COPY ITEMS WINDOW

Click here when you have

selected the folder into which

you want to copy your file.

Click here to expand,

if necessary, and

select a folder.

FIGURE 5.7 CONFIRM FILE REPLACE DIALOG BOX

Click here to cancel

the copy operation.

Click here to replace the

file with the new copy.

Original file

in folder

File with the same

name you want to copy

to the same folder


Copying Files (cont.)

• You can select several files and manipulate them as a group.

• To select consecutive files, click the first file, hold down Shift, and then click the last file in the list.

• To select nonconsecutive files, click the first file, hold down Control, and then click each of the files you want.

FIGURE 5.8 CONSECUTIVELY SELECTED FILES

You can select

consecutive files.


Moving Files

• Windows XP provides several different ways to move a file from one folder to another.

• You can drag the file from one folder to another folder.

• You can use the Cut and Paste commands from the Edit menu to move the file.

• You can use the Move To Folder option on the Editmenu to move the file.


Deleting Files

• You should delete files that you no longer need.

– When you delete a file, you remove the data from the disk.

• To delete a file, select the file and press Delete.

– You’ll see a Confirm File Delete dialog box when you delete a file.

• In some cases, you can recover a file that you deleted by accident.

• Avoid deleting files that were placed on the hard drive during software installation.

– To remove these types of files, uninstall the software.

FIGURE 5.10 CONFIRM FILE DELETE DIALOG BOX

File name you are about

to delete appears in the

dialog box.


Restoring Deleted Files

• When you delete a file from a floppy disk, it is immediately removed from storage.

• When you delete a file from a hard disk, the file icon is placed in the Recycle Bin, but the file itself remains in storage.

• You can restore items that are in the Recycle Bin.

– Open the Recycle Bin.

– Click the item you wish to restore.

– Click Restore on the File menu.

• To permanently remove all items from the Recycle Bin, click the Empty Recycle Bin command on the Filemenu.

FIGURE 5.11 RECYCLE BIN WINDOW

You can restore a deleted

item or permanently delete it.


Renaming Files

• Windows XP makes it easy to change the name of a file.

– Open Windows Explorer.

– Select the file to be renamed.

– Click the file a second time or click Rename on the File menu.

– Edit the existing name or type a new name.

– Press Enter.

• You should only rename files that you created.

• If you rename a program file, the software may no longer run properly.

FIGURE 5.12 HIGHLIGHTED FILE NAME

When a box surrounds a file

name, you can rename the file.


Searching for Files

• Disk drives may contain thousands of files.

• Some computers have more than one disk drive, and each drive can be divided into one or more partitions.

– A partition is a portion of a disk drive that has its own drive letter.

• It can be difficult to find a specific file if you cannot remember the name or location of the file.

• You can use the Search Companion pane in Windows Explorer to search for files.

FIGURE 5.13 SEARCH COMPANION PANE WITH ALL FILES AND FOLDERS SELECTED

Search Companion pane

Click here to search for

objects on your computer.

FIGURE 5.14 ADVANCED SEARCH OPTIONS

Click here to

begin the search.

Clicking these arrows

opens and closes a set

of advanced options.

Select the drive(s) or

folder(s) to search.

Type all or part of the

file name, if you know it.

Deselecting this box limits

the search to one folder.

Click here to change

the search options.


Self Check

1. Double-clicking lets you rename a file.

2. File types are assigned to files depending on what folder they are stored in.

3. When you drag a file from one folder to another folder on the same disk, the file is moved.

4. You can use up to 255 characters to name a file using Windows XP naming standards.

5. The Shift key is used to select consecutive files in a file list.

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FIGURE 5.17 IDENTIFICATION1. Up button 2. Selected folder

3. Views button

4. Displays calendar

5. Look within a range of dates

6. Search Companion pane

7. Finds files in subfolders

8. Consecutive selected files

9. Nonconsecutive selected files

10. File type


Objectives

• Identify the Accessories categories included in Windows XP.

• Use the Calculator to perform simple calculations.

• Create, save, open, edit, and set options for both text documents and formatted documents with WordPad.

• Draw pictures using Paint.

• Recognize the Communications accessories used to send and receive data through a network, telephone, computer, or fax.

• Launch the Internet Explorer browser directly from your desktop to explore the World Wide Web.


Exploring Accessories

• The small applications within Windows XP are called accessories, or applets.

• Accessories are utility or productivity programs supplied with the Windows XP operating system.

• The general-purpose accessories include a small word processor, a painting program, and games.

• The communications accessories help you send and receive digital information from one computer to another.


Exploring Accessories (cont.)

• You can use the entertainment accessories to control multimedia hardware devices.

– Multimedia consists of sound, text, graphics, animation, and video combined into a single application package.

• The accessibility applets make using the computer easier for users with special needs.

• Use the system tools accessories to control, update, and maintain your computer system.


Using the Calculator

• The Windows XP Calculator puts a hand-held calculator right on your screen.

• The Calculator has two views: Standard and Scientific.

– Use the View menu on the Calculator window to choose the view you want to use.

• You can enter numbers with the keyboard or the mouse.

• Use the Clear button to set the Calculator back to zero to start a new calculation.

• The Clear Entry button clears the last entry.


Using the Calculator (cont.)

• The Backspace button deletes the last digit you typed.

• The Memory Clear button clears any number stored in the Calculator’s memory.

• Use the slash or diagonal (/) for division.

• Use the multiplication sign (x) for multiplication.

• Use the minus sign (-) for subtraction.

• Use the plus sign (+) for addition.

• Use the equal sign (=) to display the results.

FIGURE 6.1 STANDARD CALCULATOR VIEW

Backspace

Memory indicator box

Memory Clear

Memory Recall

Memory Store

Close button

Display

Clear

Clear Entry

Add to memory

FIGURE 6.2 SCIENTIFIC CALCULATOR VIEW

Backspace

Memory indicator box

Memory Clear

Memory Recall

Memory Store

Close button

Display

Clear

Clear Entry

Add to memory


Using Text Applets

• You can use either a text editor or a word processorto work with text.

• A text editor creates unformatted text files.

• Text files, or unformatted files, contain the characters you type and very little else.

• A word processor allows you to produce text and enhance the appearance or formatting of the document.

• You can use a word processor to create formatted files.


Using WordPad

• The WordPad applet is two programs in one: a text editor and a word processor.

• When you create a new WordPad document, you choose which type of file you want to create.

– Rich Text Document

– Text Document

– Unicode Text Document

• Your file type choice determines whether WordPad will be a text editor or a word processor.

FIGURE 6.3 NEW DIALOG BOX

Creates an unformatted

text document

Allows non-English language

characters in the text

Can be opened by other word

processing applications with

formatting intact

FIGURE 6.4 BLANK WORDPAD WINDOW

Insertion point

Document area

Ruler

Format bar

Toolbar

Menu bar

Status bar


Using WordPad (cont.)

• It’s easy to create and save a new WordPad document.

• Launch WordPad.

– Point to Programs on the Start menu.

– Point to Accessories.

– Click WordPad.

• Type your document.

• Click Save on the toolbar.

• Select the drive and/or folder in which to store your document.

• Enter a name and choose a file type for your document.

• Click Save.

FIGURE 6.6 SAVE AS DIALOG BOX

Drop-down arrow

for device options

Drop-down arrow

for file type options



• You can open an existing document and work with it in WordPad.

• Launch WordPad.

• Click the Open button.

• Select the drive and/or folder for the document you want to open.

• Double-click the file name.

• Click the Save button to resave an existing document with your changes.

FIGURE 6.7 OPEN DIALOG BOX

Choose a file option from

the file type options in

the drop-down list.



• You can easily edit a file in WordPad.

• Double-click a word to select it.

• Use the mouse to select more than one word at a time.

• Move the insertion point where you want to insert text.

• Use Delete to remove selected text or characters to the right of the insertion point.

• Use Backspace to remove selected text or characters to the left of the insertion point.

• Remember to save your changed document.



• When your document is complete, you can use WordPad to print it.

• Open your document.

• Make sure your printer is turned on, is ready to print, and has paper.

• Click the Print button.



• WordPad’s Word 6 Document format option provides a mini-version of a word processor.

• Use the format bar to select fonts and line appearance for your document.

• Use the ruler to set tabs and margins.

• A feature called word wrap controls where lines of text end.


Using Paint

• The Paint applet lets you create or edit a picture.

• The toolbox contains the tool buttons you use to create an image.

• If you point to a tool without clicking, a tool tip will appear, providing the tool’s name.

• When you choose certain Tool icons, other choices may appear below the toolbox.

• These choices allow you to pick the shape, size, and other characteristics of the selected tool.

• Some tools use a “hot” spot on the screen to indicate the active position for the tool.

FIGURE 6.10 WINDOWS XP PAINT WINDOW

Toolbox has the tools

used to create an image.

Paint document window

Color box or palette allows

you to choose colors.

Status bar Position indicator


Using Paint (cont.)

• The color box contains a series of color squares.

• These color choices are also called the palette.

• To select the color with which you want to draw or fill, click the color in the color box.

• To select a color from one already in the painting, click the Pick Color icon and click the desired color in the drawing.

• You can use as many or as few colors as you like when you use Paint to create images.

FIGURE 6.14 PETALS FILLED WITH COLORS

Fill With Color tool

Hot spot


Using Paint (cont.)

• You can move and copy parts of your drawing.

• Use the Select or Free-Form Select tool to select the object to move or copy.

• Choose the appropriate command from the Edit menu.

– Click Cut to move the image.

– Click Copy to duplicate the image.

• Click Paste on the Edit menu.

• Drag the object to the desired location.

• Click outside the object to deselect it.

FIGURE 6.15 MOVED AND COPIED FLOWERS


Using Paint (cont.)

• Make sure to save your image.

– Click Save As on the File menu.

– Select a location in which to save the image.

– Type a name for your image.

– Click Save.

• You can also print your image.

– Make sure the printer connected to your system is turned on and ready to print.

– Click Print on the File menu.


Understanding Communications Accessories

• The Communications accessories included in Windows XP let you send and receive e-mail.

• You can send information between your computer and another computer on the same network.

• You can also send information to another computer through a modem.

• The Communications accessories installed on your computer will vary depending on the type of system you are using.

– Network users may install only network-specific accessories.

– Users not on a network may install only fax- and modem-related accessories.


Self Check

1. WordPad can only create Word for Windows documents.

2. The Clear button clears the value stored in the Calculator’s memory.

3. Word wrap causes text to move to the next line when you type past the right margin.

4. When you save a document, its name appears on the title bar.

5. When you copy a selected object, the Paste command will duplicate the selected object in the Paint window.

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FIGURE 6.18 IDENTIFICATION1. New button

2. Open button

3. Save button

4. Print button

5. Bold button

6. Selected text

7. Bulleted list

8. Select tool

9. Selected graphic

10. Selected color


Objectives

• Control your print queue by deleting and pausing print jobs.

• View and select fonts to enhance your printed output.

• Choose different sizes of paper for your printed output.

• Switch between portrait and landscape orientations.

• Choose the best resolution for your printed output.

• Locate and fix printer errors.

• Send electronic mail over the Internet.


Managing Your Printer

• When an application (or applet) prints a document, a “soft” copy is temporarily stored on your hard disk.

• This process is known as print spooling.

• Print spooling allows you to work on another document while the computer prints the hard copy of your document onto paper.

• Without print spooling, you would have to wait until the printing process ends to perform other computer tasks.


Managing Your Printer (cont.)

• Print spooling allows you to control your printer even after you print your work.

• Each print request sent to the print spool is placed in a print queue – a list of jobs waiting to be sent to a particular printer.

• You can cancel or pause the jobs in the print queue.

• You can even purge the print queue, or clear the entire print queue in one step.


Managing Your Printer (cont.)

• You need to open the print queue for your printer before you can manage the print jobs in the queue.

– If necessary, log on to your system.

– Click Control Panel on the Start menu.

– Click Printers and Other Hardware, if in the Categories View.

– Click the Printers and Faxes icon. (Double-click if in the Classic View.)

– Double-click the device icon for the printer connected to your system.

• Now you can pause print jobs, or delete them from the queue completely.

FIGURE 7.2 PAUSED PRINT QUEUE WITH A PRINT JOB

The printer is paused.

The document to be printed

appears in the print queue.


Selecting and Using Fonts

• Any text that is printed on paper appears in a font.

• A font is a set of characters that appears with a specific typeface, one or more attributes, and a specific size.

• A typeface is a family for printed characters that is determined by particular design or style characteristics.

• A serif typeface – like Times New Roman – is adorned with little lines and curves on the tips of each character.

– The lines and curves are called serifs.

• A sans serif typeface – like Arial – does not have the lines and curves.

FIGURE 7.3 SERIF AND SANS SERIF TYPEFACES


Selecting and Using Fonts (cont.)

• Typeface attributes include characteristics such as bold, italic, or underlining.

• The weight of printed characters is also an attribute that affects the appearance of typefaces.

• The size of printed characters is another element that makes up a font.

• The most common unit of measurement for typefaces is the point.



• Printers produce two types of fonts: scalable and bit-mapped (nonscalable) fonts.

• You can print scalable fonts in a range of sizes.

• Windows XP provides several scalable TrueType fonts.

– These fonts appear with a TT icon next to their names.

• A more recent type of scalable fonts are OpenType fonts.

– These fonts appear with an O in their icon.

• Bit-mapped fonts (nonscalable fonts) are usually built into the printer.

– These fonts appear with an A icon next to their name.



• You can view the fonts available on your computer.

• You can also print a sample of a specific font.

• Click Start.

• Click Control Panel.

• Double-click the Fonts folder in the Classic View.

• Double-click the font icon.

• Click the Print button.

• Click OK in the Print dialog box to print a hard copy of the font.

FIGURE 7.4 FONTS WINDOW

A TrueType font

A bit-mapped font

An OpenType font

FIGURE 7.5 ARIAL FONT WINDOW


Selecting Paper and Page Characteristics

• Paper options control the size, source, and orientation of the paper.

• Some printers are tractor fed, while others use separate sheets of paper stored in trays or hoppers.

• Most printers can use several different paper sizes.

• The Device Settings or General tab in the printer’s Properties dialog box lists the available paper sizes for your printer.

FIGURE 7.6 SOME PAPER OPTIONS IN THE PROPERTIES DIALOG BOX

Device Settings tab

Paper sizes


Selecting Paper and Page Characteristics (cont.)

• Page orientation refers to the layout of the image you want to print in relation to the dimensions of the page.

• You can print using portrait or landscape orientation.

• In portrait orientation, text and graphics are printed across the shorter dimension and down the longer dimension of the page.

• In landscape orientation, text and graphics are printed across the longer dimension and down the shorter dimension of the page.

• Use the printer’s Properties dialog box to change the orientation.


Setting Printing Resolution

• Most printers produce text and images as a series of dots.

• The more dots the printer can print in a given area, the higher the resolution.

– Resolution is measured in dots per inch (dpi).

• High-resolution printing produces higher-quality output, but it also tends to be slower and use more ink.

• The lowest resolution is draft.

• The highest resolution is letter quality.

• Use the printer’s Properties dialog box to change the resolution.

FIGURE 7.8 GRAPHICS OPTIONS FOR A LASER PRINTER

Resolution options


Troubleshooting Printing Problems

• The Windows XP Printing Troubleshooter helps you diagnose and solve printing problems.

• Minimize all open windows when you run the troubleshooter.

– Right-click the taskbar.

– Click the Show the Desktop option.

• Resize the Help and Support Center window and move it to the right side of the desktop.

• Follow each step and read the suggestions and questions carefully.


Self Check

1. Scalable fonts can be displayed and printed in a range of sizes.

2. All computers running Windows XP have the same set of fonts.

3. In landscape orientation, you print across the longer dimension of the paper.

4. The print queue shows the print jobs waiting to be sent to a printer.

5. Purging cancels the printing of the current print job, while allowing other jobs to print.

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1. Printer Properties window

3. Change View button

4. Layout tab

5. Orientation options

6. Paper Size choice

7. Print Quality choice

8. default printer icon

9. Printers and Faxes window

10. Printer Queue window

2. Printing Troubleshooter window


Objectives

• Explain multitasking and how it facilitates data exchange.

• Describe the various ways that you can copy, move, and exchange data within and between files.

• Trace the development of data-sharing methods including importing and exporting, converting, linking, and object embedding.

• Drag and drop data from one document to another in WordPad.


Objectives (cont.)

• Place data into the Clipboard and view it.

• Use the Clipboard commands–Cut, Copy, and Paste–to move and copy data within and between files and to move and copy files within and between disks.

• Use OLE to copy objects from one application to another and edit the objects without exiting the client application.

• Use NetMeeting to share documents online.


Sharing Data

• Today’s computers can handle more than one task or program at a time.

• Working with more than one program or file at a time is called multitasking.

• A computer can work on one task in the backgroundwhile you work on another task.


Sharing Data (cont.)

• Working within different applications to create different types of data characterizes an application-centric approach to computing.

– With this approach, each application has its own interface.

– There is no guarantee of consistency among applications.

• In a document-centric approach to data sharing, the focus is on the final product rather than the programs that create each type of information in the document.

Using Application-Centric Sharing Methods

• Four types of application-centric file-sharing methods exist.

– You can import and export data from one application to another.

– You can convert data from one application for use in another application.

– You can link data between applications.

– You can use an integrated software package and share data among the applications in the package.


Using Document-Centric Methods

• Windows XP offers methods for document-centric data sharing.

• In the Drag and Drop method, you select text in one location and drag it to another.

– You can use this method to copy or move the data.

• You can use the Clipboard to select text in one location and then deposit the data into another area.

– The computer uses a special memory area to hold the data.

– You use the Copy, Cut, and Paste commands when you work with the Clipboard.

– Use the ClipBook Viewer to view the contents of the Clipboard.

FIGURE 8.1 TEXT COPIED FROM ONE DOCUMENT TO ANOTHER

Selected text in the

original document

Selected text is copied to

the new blank document.

FIGURE 8.2 CLIPBOOK VIEWER

FIGURE 8.3 THE CLIPBOOK VIEWER AND WORDPAD WINDOWS


Using Object Linking and Embedding

• The most flexible and document-centric method of sharing data involves embedding objects.

• The program responsible for creating or editing the object is called the server.

• The program that will contain the embedded object is called the client.

• The most common standard for embedding between client and server applications is Object Linking and Embedding (OLE).


Using Object Linking and Embedding (cont.)

• To use OLE, you need to create an object in the server application.

• Save the object or copy it to the Clipboard.

• Open the destination document in the client application.

• Embed the object in the destination document.

– Click Insert Object from the Insert menu to embed a saved object.

– Click Paste from the Edit menu to embed an object from the Clipboard.

• You can double-click the embedded object to edit it using the server application’s tools.

FIGURE 8.4 EMBEDDED OBJECT IN A WORDPAD DOCUMENT

Original Poem file

Image copied from the Star

file (an embedded object)

FIGURE 8.5 EMBEDDED OBJECT IN A WORDPAD DOCUMENT WITH PAINT TOOLS

Double-click an embedded

object, and its server’s

tools will appear.

Paint tools appear

within WordPad.


Collaborating on a Document Online

• The NetMeeting application in Windows XP lets you set up an online conference with two or more members.

• With NetMeeting, members can engage in an online chat session.

• All members of the conference can see and make changes to a shared document.

• NetMeeting provides a whiteboard that resembles the Paint window.

• Members can upload and download files through NetMeeting.

• NetMeeting allows members to send and receive audioand video data.

FIGURE 8.8 NETMEETING WINDOW

Click here to

place a call.

Click here to find

someone listed in the

directory server.

Click here to open

a Chat window.

Click here to share

an application.

FIGURE 8.9 DOCUMENT SHARING IN NETMEETING

NetMeeting

window

Shared document

under control of

your collaborator

Chat window


Self Check

1. An application-centric approach reflects the specific needs of the programs used in a project.

2. The Clipboard can contain data from two sources at the same time.

3. When embedded, the tools of the program that created the data can be used to edit the data.

4. Linked data changes when you change the data in the source file.

5. Importing is the process of saving data in a format that another program can use.

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8. taskbar buttons (open applications)


1. ClipBook Viewer

2. handle

3. client application (WordPad)

4. cut or copied object

5. server application (Paint)

6. Paint toolbox

7. Paint color palette

9. Paint tools within WordPad

10. embedded object

Sample Solution – Project 2

computer

Documents

computer system

right mouse button

space bar

left mouse button

windows xp accessorieslesson

notification area

windows xpdesktoplesson

additional buttons