Shortcuts for the Desktop (WinXP)

Topic

New Reply

I have uncluttered my desktop by putting related (in my mind) shortcuts into their own folders and having only the folder icons on the desktop.
What I would love is if I could right-click one of the folder icons and have a shortcut menu appear with only the underlying program shortcuts appearing, for me to select.
I hate having to double-click the folder icon, wait for it to open and them double-click the program I want to launch…
Just selecting it from a right-click menu would be cool.
Is possible?

Thanks,

Reply | Quote

Replies

I don’t know if the right click bit is possible but I have stopped using double clicks years ago.
Go to Control Panel>Folder Options> General and check “single click box”

Reply | Quote

I don’t think so, but you could do the following:
– Create subfolders in your Quick Launch folder (C:Documents and SettingsApplication DataMicrosoftInternet ExplorerQuick Launch).
– Populate them with shortcuts.
– The subfolders will appear in your Quick Launch toolbar.
– Move them to the right hand side of the Quick Launch toolbar.
– Make the Quick Launch toolbar so narrow that the subfolder aren’t visible directly any more. (You may have to unlock the task bar temporarily).
– If you click the continuation icon >>, the subfolders will be displayed as submenus.

Reply | Quote

Try turning on the Desktop Toolbar on the Taskbar. Right click the Taskbar, select Toolbars and click Desktop. I then push mine all the way to the right, so that NONE of the items shows on the taskbar. But, when I click on the double-arrow (>>) thingie, I get something like this screenshot (cropped for size).

Reply | Quote

Sorry for taking so much time to get back to you-all. I lost connectivity for most of yesterday!

I will check out all of these.

Thanks for your help!

Dan

Reply | Quote

I should add that what Bob said about the single-click is a good one to do regardless of whether you go with the Quick Launch or Desktop Toolbar. I have been a single-click’er ever since whatever version of Windows it was introduced in. I first become a fan of the feature when I was “teaching” senior citizens to use a computer in our local Senior Net chapter. For a lot of elders, double clicking was a difficult chore and it turns out I like it a lot.

BTW, either Hans’ idea or mine will work, for I have my Control Panel on my QuickLaunch bar and it’s the same thing as a folder. In addition to the method Hans described, you can right-drag a desktop folder to the QuickLaunch bar and select to make a shortcut out of it. The reason I like the Desktop Toolbar is that it’s “easier” to do. Just create a folder on the Desktop, put in it whatever you want and it automatically shows up as in my screenshot example.

The difference between the two is that on the QL bar, the folder will open a window and on the Desktop bar, you get the “flyout” menu. Let us know how you make out.

Reply | Quote

1) Interesting. I was a “single-clicker” for some 10 years, and I have recently gone back to “double-clicking”. One of the things that irritated me was the Save As dialog: in single-click mode, simply moving the mouse over an existing file replaces the name in the File name box. Aaargh! Very inconvenient when you’re downloading a file.

2) Subfolders of the Quick Launch folder will become fly-out menus if the folder is not displayed directly on the QL toolbar, but hidden behind the >> continuation button.

Reply | Quote

The things we get so used to. You’re right about the mouse-over on a file name. I’ve gotten so used to keeping my mouse pointer “out of the way” when I’m downloading that I had forgotten about that!

I didn’t realize that the QL worked that same way, Hans. So OK, our “Cell Mate” has a choice to make. (Sorry, I couldn’t resist that one!)

PS When I was at IBM we used to call ’em “Cube Mates” because of the vast arrays of cubicles at work. That’s why I always loved that old video of the guy in his cube beating the out of his computer. (Then I joined the management ranks and the “fun” stopped.)

Reply | Quote

FWIW I was a single-clicker for a while, but what with that and other tweaks I had made I was becoming less and less able to relate to my coworkers, such that when they ask me for help I’d be lost trying to work on their default MS out-of-the-box pcs!

Anyway, I’ve set up both Hans’ and BigAl’s methods and I’ll try each and see which works best for me.

Thanks, guys!
ps- the ‘cellmate’ moniker is just a ref to our being connected in the cells of Excel (although, the ‘cubicle hell’ bit fits as well!

Reply | Quote

OK. A poll to see how many single or double clickers there are in the Lounge.

WHO AREl
Single Clickers
Double Clickers
I don’t use a mouse

Reply | Quote

I’m one of the double-click votes, but I would note that in Control Panel –> Mouse –> Buttons, I have the double-click speed set to the slowest possible. I always found fast double-clicking to be a pain, even in my youth, but slow double-clicking works for me.

Reply | Quote

Just wanted to let you know that I voted! I am a double clicker simply because that is the way I learned in the first place. When I did try single clicking I found I had problems when I wanted to left click and drag something. Invariably it would open up for me instead! AAARRRRGGGGHHH so I went back to double clicking and have been content with it ever since.

Reply | Quote

I agree with you Skitter, I tried the single click thing and almost wipe my drive clean.

DaveA I am so far behind, I think I am First
Genealogy....confusing the dead and annoying the living

Reply | Quote

You should have a poll item for both single and double clicks

I voted single but use both. I store well used app icons in the Quick Launch area and leave everything else to double click to prevent accidental openings caused my roving hand.

Cheers, Bob

Reply | Quote

Point of order! Mr. Archell’s vote should be moved from the single column to the double column, making the current tally 19-8, not 18-9.

Not that it’s a competition or anything.

Reply | Quote

I agree with Skitterbug. Easy for me because I have a 4-button mouse, with the thumb-button configured to execute a double-click.

Reply | Quote

Well, it looks like the responses have died down, so the results show a little over 2 to 1 in favor of double clicking!

I would have thought it would have been the other way around but there it is?

( seems everyone uses a mouse according to the survey )

Reply | Quote