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An icon is a small picture that represents an
item you can manipulate. Windows uses icons
on the desktop and in folders to represent
folders, files, disks, documents, programs,
the Recycle Bin, and hardware devices
(Figure 1.26).
You select (highlight) an icon or group of
icons to perform an action. Left-click to
select; right-click to open the shortcut menu.
What happens when you open an icon
depends on the icon's type. A folder, drive,
removable-storage or portable-device icon
opens in a Windows Explorer window. A
document, picture, video, or music icon opens
in its associated program, launching that
program if it's not already open. A program
icon launches the program. A saved search
icon, new in Vista, searches your computer
and lists all files that match what you're
looking for. The Recycle Bin icon displays the
items to be deleted when you empty the bin.
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To select an icon:
- Click it (Figure 1.27).
or
Press the arrow keys until the icon is
selected.
or
Press the first letter of the icon's name.
If two or more icons have the same initial
letter, press the letter repeatedly until
you select the right icon.
Tips
- Selecting an icon deselects any other
selected icons.
- You can configure Windows to select an
icon just by pointing at it. See "Using
Alternative Mouse Behavior" in Chapter 4.
To select multiple icons:
- Ctrl+click each icon that you want to
select (Figure 1.28).
or
Drag a selection rectangle around the
icons (Figure 1.29). The area always is
a rectangle; you can't surround an oddshaped
area.
or
Click the first icon that you want to
select; then Shift+click the last icon.
All icons in between are selected automatically-
at least by Windows' definition
of "in between."
Tip
- In Windows Explorer it's easiest to work
with multiple icons in details or list view,
in which all icons appear in columns:
Choose Views > Details or Views > List
(on the toolbar). See "Using Windows
Explorer" in Chapter 5.
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Figure 1.26 An icon's image depends on what
it represents. System objects such as
Computer, Control Panel, and the Recycle Bin
have default images. All documents of the
same type-text (.txt) files, for example-
have the same icon. Programs (.exe) files such
as Internet Explorer have icons that the
software publisher built into the program.
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To select all icons in a window:
- Choose Organize > Select All (on the
toolbar) or Edit > Select All (on the menu
bar), or press Ctrl+A.
To deselect an icon:
- If the icon is the only one selected, click
anywhere in the window or desktop
other than the selected icon.
or
If the icon is part of a multiple selection,
Ctrl+click it to remove it from the selection.
Tips
- To select almost all the icons in a window,
press Ctrl+A; then Ctrl+click the
icons you don't want.
- Choose Edit > Invert Selection (or press
Alt, E, I) to reverse which icons are
selected and which are not.
To move an icon:
- Drag it to a new position (Figure 1.30
and Figure 1.31).
Tips
- Click the column headings (Name, Date
Modified, Type, Size, and so on) to sort
the icons within a window.
- You can't drag icons to new positions
within a window set to list view.
- You can move multiple icons at the same
time by dragging any icon in a multiple
selection.
To open an icon:
- Double-click it.
or
Select it; then press Enter.
Tips
- To open multiple icons at the same time,
select the icons; then press Enter.
- To open a document or picture with
something besides its associated
(default) program, right-click its icon and
choose Open With.
- You can configure Windows to open
an icon with a single click. See "Using
Alternative Mouse Behavior" in Chapter 4.
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Figure 1.27 Click an icon to select it.
Figure 1.28 Ctrl+click to select multiple
(nonconsecutive) icons. This window shows icons in
details view.
Figure 1.29 You can drag across icons in any direction
to create a selection. Icons within the rectangle
darken to confirm that they're selected.
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