Figure 2-22: The Choose Details dialog box
2. Choose which information you want the Details view to display via the check boxes
provided, or by clicking an option and then clicking the Show or Hide button.
3. To set a default width for the currently selected column, enter a measurement in pixels in
the Width box. Alternatively, leave the setting at zero to allow Windows to size the
column automatically.
Tip A pixel is only one tiny, lighted dot on the screen, too small to even see with the naked
eye. Therefore, when setting a column width, use at least 20 pixels
4. You can reorder the options by using the Move Up and Move Down buttons to move the
current item.
5. To change the order of items in the Details view, click any item you want to move and
then use the Move Up and Move Down buttons to reposition the item.
6. Click the OK button when you finish.
Tip Because the Details view settings apply to the current folder only, you can choose
different details for different types of folders. For example, the details you select for
your My Pictures folder might differ from the details you select for your My Music
folder.
If you’re not already viewing icons in Details view, just choose Details from the View menu or Views
button. The display will now contain all the columns you specified in the Choose Details dialog box. If
necessary, you can scroll left and right using the horizontal scroll bar that appears beneath the list. To
change the width of a column, drag the bar that separates one column heading from the next left or
right. To rearrange columns, drag any column heading to the left or right.
You also can sort (that is, alphabetize) the list by the contents of any column. Just click the column
heading of the column you want to sort. To switch from ascending order to descending order, or viceversa,
click the column heading again.
Most of a file’s details are managed automatically by Windows. However, some details items are up to
you. To view, and optionally change, the details for a single file, right-click the file and choose
Properties. The Properties dialog box for that one file will open. The General tab will contain factual
information about the file, with only a few settings that you can actually change. To fill in personal details
about the file, click the Summary tab. Use the button near the bottom of the dialog box to choose
between a Simple or Advanced view of the information. Figure 2-23 shows both views.
Figure 2-23: The Summary tab of a file’s properties in Simple and Advanced views
You can fill in the blanks for any missing information you want. Then click OK after you have finished.
Note If Windows won’t let you change the file’s properties, clear the Read-only check
box on the General tab.