Windows Tips for WordPerfect Users #3

by Kendall Callas

Improve the FileOpen Screen

A couple of Windows default settings can be improved to make the WordPerfect FileOpen screen more useful. By default, Windows (Win 95 and later) does not show filename extensions (Smith.LTR or Letter.WPD) when you view a list of files, presumably to eliminate confusing details. Also, in the title bar at the top of the FileOpen screen, only the name of the current directory is shown, not the whole path nor the drive letter.

By optimizing the settings for Windows, these changes will improve any screen listing files in the programs that run under Windows, including WordPerfect (version 7 and later) — such as Save As, Save File, Play Macro, Record Macro, Edit Macro — as well as Windows Explorer, Microsoft Word, WordPad, and all Windows programs.

Show Filename Extensions

Until you tweak your Windows installation, WordPerfect for Windows (version 7 and later) does not display the entire filename. For example, the files SMITH.FAX, JONES.LTR, FORD.MMO, and ROGERS.P&A will be listed as just SMITH, JONES, FORD, and ROGERS. This can cause confusion, since sometimes you'll see files that appear to have the same name, yet may have different (invisible) extensions.

Set Windows to show filename extensions this way:

1. Right click on the Start button (at the left edge of the Taskbar) — if that doesn't pop up a menu beginning with “Open” and “Explore”, left click the Start button, then right click it again.

2. Left click to select Explore from the menu.

3. Once Windows Explorer loads,
• In Windows 95, select View from the menu, then Options (at bottom).
• In Windows 2000, select Tools from the menu, then Folder Options (at bottom), and click the View tab.

4. At the View screen, click to deselect "Hide MS-DOS file extensions...". (In Windows 2000, it's “Hide file extensions for known file types.”)

5. Click OK and you're done.

Show the Full Path

Often, when viewing the FileOpen screen or the Edit Macro screen (Tools, Macro, Edit), it's bothersome to see only the name of the current directory in the title bar at top. Sometimes I want to know what drive I'm on, or the whole series of directory names in the path.

Set Windows to show the full path in the title bar by following steps 1 through 3 above, then:

4. At the View screen, click to select "Display the full MS-DOS path in the title bar".

5. Click OK and voila!

Now you'll see “X:\Clients\Smith\Discovery” instead of just “Discovery” at the top of your file lists.

I recommend that you set Windows to show these extra bits of information (hey, it's free!) which will improve file listings in all your Windows programs.

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