Windows explorer - Status bar...

[ozgeek]

Geez, some people have reading difficulties. I read his first post and instantly know what he is talking about.

I had the same reaction when Vista was in beta.

Say you want to copy a folder to a memory stick. Is there a 1TB memory stick around? So you want to know how big a folder is before copying it to the stick without having to right-click Properties. In XP, the size of the open folder is right there in the status bar without clicking anything. So that's one or two clicks more in 7 to find out how big a folder is. (like I said in my thread that Windows is getting more tiresome and harder to use in terms of usability).

Have a look at the status bar in those two shots:

(image found via google) This tells the user how much hard disk space this folder is taking up.

Now look in Win7

46 Items of what? Not enough information. What kind of folder is this? how much is this folder taking up of my hard drive? To find these out, I have to right-click on EACH of those folders I want to know the size of and click on Properties.

Yeah the Recycle Bin in XP and 9x tells you how much space the rubbish is taking up of your HD. In 7 I don't know but I WANT to know!

[Kyang]

Just an observation, the things you're saying Windows 7 doesn't tell you, XP doesn't tell you either, aside from the aforementioned size of the folder.

About your point though, I agree. It would be nice if the details pane was more... Detailed...

[Examinus]

wat?

pretty useful in my opinion

What's on your secret drive?

[Brandon Live Veteran]

Now look in Win7

<picture>

46 Items of what? Not enough information. What kind of folder is this? how much is this folder taking up of my hard drive? To find these out, I have to right-click on EACH of those folders I want to know the size of and click on Properties.

Yeah the Recycle Bin in XP and 9x tells you how much space the rubbish is taking up of your HD. In 7 I don't know but I WANT to know!

Just right-click on any of the white space in the view and click Properties. That will show you the amount of space used by the folder you're looking at and all of its children.

[noroom]

Just right-click on any of the white space in the view and click Properties. That will show you the amount of space used by the folder you're looking at and all of its children.

Yes, but ozgeek is still right, the user has to do more. The details pane is mostly empty, it would've been nice to have that. :(

In XP, the size of the open folder is right there in the status bar without clicking anything. So that's one or two clicks more in 7 to find out how big a folder is. (like I said in my thread that Windows is getting more tiresome and harder to use in terms of usability).

[cswimbound]

Yes, but ozgeek is still right, the user has to do more. The details pane is mostly empty, it would've been nice to have that. :(

I'd also have to agree with you on that one. Things can be a bit more simplified and descriptive. ;)

[Rickkins]

Just right-click on any of the white space in the view and click Properties. That will show you the amount of space used by the folder you're looking at and all of its children.

I don't wanna have to do this, plus this, to still give my less info than I had. This is a no-brainer.(one would think...)

But there's more. This software you hope to sell, does not come cheap. It takes a lot of nerve to take away basic functionality such as this, but still have the gall to ask folks to shell out the big bucks to switch to your new product. Have you guys really learned so little from your vista fiasco...??

I find that un-freakin' believable.

I don't mean to be harsh, it's been a long day...

I realize that you don't have personal responsibility for every little bit of code in this thing, and I thank you for taking the time to look.

But this little thing just drives me nuts (ya ya, short trip, I know). There's gotta be a way to fix such a simple thing.

Edited March 24, 2009 by Rickkins

[Lord Ba'al]

Yeah the Recycle Bin in XP and 9x tells you how much space the rubbish is taking up of your HD. In 7 I don't know but I WANT to know!

That's right, you can't see how much space the rubbish is currently taking up.

If you rightclick-Properties, it only shows you the configuration dialog, no mention of the space used.

What's on your secret drive?

I bet it's pr0n :hump:

Just right-click on any of the white space in the view and click Properties. That will show you the amount of space used by the folder you're looking at and all of its children.

Not true for the Recycle Bin. If you select in in Explorer and rightclick Properties on an empty white space, it only gives you the Recycle Bin configuration dialog. No mention of the space used up!

I don't wanna have to do this, plus this, to still give my less info than I had. This is a no-brainer.(one would think...)

But there's more. This software you hope to sell, does not come cheap. It takes a lot of nerve to take away basic functionality such as this, but still have the gall to ask folks to shell out the big bucks to switch to your new product. Have you guys really learned so little from your vista fiasco...??

I find that un-freakin' believable.

Sad but true :(

What's even worse than this is that they took away your ability to customise the Explorer toolbar and replaced it with the (mostly) useless toolbar that is now in its place :pinch:

This super-duper "intelligent" (ahem) toolbar has such ultra-important shortcuts like "Email" and "Burn", because people use them countless times every day, and got rid of "Cut", "Copy", "Paste" and "Copy to"/"Move to" :argh:

I really don't know which crack-addicted monkey came up with the idea for that toolbar :x

[libertas83]

I don't wanna have to do this, plus this, to still give my less info than I had. This is a no-brainer.(one would think...)

I agree with you, we expect more out of the details pane. It replaced the status bar and does less. It wastes space and does not aid power users.

Really, it should do everything the original status bar did plus allow customizing on what content to show. It should show how much disk space is used in a folder and more. Without the basics, its worthless.

[Calum Veteran]

This super-duper "intelligent" (ahem) toolbar has such ultra-important shortcuts like "Email" and "Burn", because people use them countless times every day, and got rid of "Cut", "Copy", "Paste" and "Copy to"/"Move to" :argh:

I really don't know which crack-addicted monkey came up with the idea for that toolbar :x

There are really popular keyboard shortcuts for 'Cut', 'Copy' and 'Paste'. 'Ctrl-X', 'Ctrl-C' and 'Ctrl-V'. In fact, I think just about every person I know uses those, even people who aren't very good with computers; I know my Mum uses them and I never even told her about them.

Because so many people already use these shortcuts, it makes sense to use that toolbar for other things which people may find somewhat useful.

Are you telling me you don't use the keyboard shortcuts for 'Cut', 'Copy' and 'Paste'?

Edited March 25, 2009 by Calum

[Lord Ba'al]

There are really popular keyboard shortcuts for 'Cut', 'Copy' and 'Paste'. 'Ctrl-X', 'Ctrl-C' and 'Ctrl-X'. In fact, I think just about every person I know uses those, even people who aren't very good with computers; I know my Mum uses them and I never even told her about them.

Because so many people already use these shortcuts, it makes sense to use that toolbar for other things which people may find somewhat useful.

Are you telling me you don't use the keyboard shortcuts for 'Cut', 'Copy' and 'Paste'?

That would be "Ctrl-V" for Paste :p

Yes, I *do* know them, but I don't like using keyboard shortcuts *at all* :pinch:

I greatly prefer using the mouse over finger acrobatics on the keyboard.

I also don't like other people forcing me to do things the way they think I should be doing them.

Besides that, do you have anything to back up your claim that many people use those shortcuts?

[-KJ]

I also like using the context menu unless I'm using a program like Word or Photoshop where keyboard shortcuts become very handy. Otherwise my hand is on the mouse and off the keyboard.

[Rickkins]

There are really popular keyboard shortcuts for 'Cut', 'Copy' and 'Paste'. 'Ctrl-X', 'Ctrl-C' and 'Ctrl-V'. In fact, I think just about every person I know uses those, even people who aren't very good with computers; I know my Mum uses them and I never even told her about them.

Because so many people already use these shortcuts, it makes sense to use that toolbar for other things which people may find somewhat useful.

Are you telling me you don't use the keyboard shortcuts for 'Cut', 'Copy' and 'Paste'?

I have never once used a keyboard shortcut for 'Cut', 'Copy' and 'Paste', never seen anyone I know ever use keyboard shortcuts for 'Cut', 'Copy' and 'Paste', and cannot see why the average user would. And frankly, I don't care.

Not to mention the fact, that this has nothing to do with this thread, which is about functionality of the status bar in windows explorer having been stripped out in the new windows...

[Udedenkz]

I have never once used a keyboard shortcut for 'Cut', 'Copy' and 'Paste', never seen anyone I know ever use keyboard shortcuts for 'Cut', 'Copy' and 'Paste', and cannot see why the average user would. And frankly, I don't care.

Not to mention the fact, that this has nothing to do with this thread, which is about functionality of the status bar in windows explorer having been stripped out in the new windows...

I would love to see the level of customization available in XP in 7. Also, has anyone compared classic search (Windows 2000 one or XP Style - If Enabled) with the current search? One of those requires less clicking although look uglier also I do not get how to make it search Computer by default. Those are good features for power users.

[Kyang]

That would be "Ctrl-V" for Paste :p

Yes, I *do* know them, but I don't like using keyboard shortcuts *at all* :pinch:

I greatly prefer using the mouse over finger acrobatics on the keyboard.

I also don't like other people forcing me to do things the way they think I should be doing them.

Besides that, do you have anything to back up your claim that many people use those shortcuts?

You call those acrobatics? It's no different from capitalizing a letter by pressing shift+letter...

I suppose you'd prefer clicking an on-screen keyboard instead as well? :p .

[ozgeek]

Just right-click on any of the white space in the view and click Properties. That will show you the amount of space used by the folder you're looking at and all of its children.

See what I mean?! That's two click to get what I wanted in Win7. In XP that info is right there in the status bar and I don't need to do the above.

Regarding the keyboard shortcuts, who have their hands on their keyboard every second they're on the PC? I don't. I just it find it faster to use what is available to me right in my hand - the mouse. Yeah keyboard to type, but mouse to navigate.

[Guest neo7]

Since he posted this in windows 7's group, I'd assume he's not talking about XP anymore, but W7.. and in W7 the status bar is replaced by the details pane

Wrong. Detail pane and status bar are two different things. The latter is still available in W7 but is off by default. To turn it on, press Alt (to show menus), then View > and check 'Status bar'. Status bar is currently the only way in W7 to show the actual specific details of Undo operations (e.g. Undo Copy X to C:\Y)--other places would only show you 'Undo Copy' with no details.

[Shokus]

As much as I love Win 7, I would have to agree with the TS about the Detail pane not showing enough information, and even regressing in some functionality as compared to Windows XP's status bar. When entering any folder, the detail pane should show how many files and folders (or items) exist in this current folder (which is present now), and the total size of all the objects in this folder. The right side of the detail pane could have a section which shows the current free disk space in that particular disk partition.

Moreover, when selecting 16 files or more, one should not have to click on "Show more details" just to check the total size of all the files selected. It becomes an absolute irritant when trying to decide on the number of media files to select to burn into a disk - clicking a few extra files and overshooting the limit, whoops, unselect one and click "Show more details" again, whoops, still not enough, gotta unselect another and click again... aargh carpal tunnel syndrome. It would be so much better if I could just select the first file, press Shift and Down Arrow, and slowly watch as the total file size increase (>15 items).

I think the details pane should be used much much more. It's a pain (pun intended) when it just sit down there occupying so much space without giving more than one single bit of useful information ("x items"). And please, when selecting on a folder, give the size the folder currently occupies! Why oh why hasn't that been incorporated?

[Examinus]

I bet it's pr0n :hump:

That's a lot of porn. I hope he moisturises.

[Pikey]

That would be "Ctrl-V" for Paste :p

Yes, I *do* know them, but I don't like using keyboard shortcuts *at all* :pinch:

I greatly prefer using the mouse over finger acrobatics on the keyboard.

I also don't like other people forcing me to do things the way they think I should be doing them.

Besides that, do you have anything to back up your claim that many people use those shortcuts?

I agree with you you in some respects, but lets not forget that other people do things in different ways!

A friend of mine works in the print industry and uses keyboard shortcuts over mouse in Adobe on the office Macs all the time .. thats the way he's done it for years!

[noroom]

We're going off-topic here. We're talking about how the details pane could actually hold more details than the amount of files in a folder For example show the size of the files in the current folder, like it was in Windows XP.

[neufuse Veteran]

Wrong. Detail pane and status bar are two different things. The latter is still available in W7 but is off by default. To turn it on, press Alt (to show menus), then View > and check 'Status bar'. Status bar is currently the only way in W7 to show the actual specific details of Undo operations (e.g. Undo Copy X to C:\Y)--other places would only show you 'Undo Copy' with no details.

There is nothing "wrong" with what I said, MS is replacing the status bar with the details pane... yes they are two different physical things, but eventually in explorer the statusbar will be gone completely

[Rickkins]

We're going off-topic here. We're talking about how the details pane could actually hold more details than the amount of files in a folder For example show the size of the files in the current folder, like it was in Windows XP.

Actually, we were talking about the lack of information in win7's status bar compared to what was available in xp's...

I'm not even sure what "details pane" refers to...

[UncleSpellbinder]

It's obvious what Rikkins means!

I too would like to see more info here .. seems to be wasted space when you are 'drilling' down into sub-folders .. all you get is the folder icon and how many files ithere are.

I guess it depends on what you have open. My bottom space is always full of some various info:

[Rickkins]

I guess it depends on what you have open. My bottom space is always full of some various info:

Specifically, it is the lack of info when a folder is selected....

see this post for good example.

https://www.neowin.net/forum/index.php?show...amp;p=590752514