Why doesn't Explorer navigation pane arrow keystroke show contents?

  • Thread starter Thread starter John Doe
  • Start date Start date
J

John Doe

Is there some reason that Explorer navigation pane arrow keystrokes
no longer cause the folder contents to show in the main window?

Does it bother everybody except Microsoft management?
 
John Doe said:
Is there some reason that Explorer navigation pane arrow
keystrokes no longer cause the folder contents to show in
the main window?

Does it bother everybody except Microsoft management?
Click to expand...

Not me because it works just like it always has.

--

dadiOH
____________________________

Winters getting colder? Tired of the rat race?
Taxes out of hand? Maybe just ready for a change?
Check it out... http://www.floridaloghouse.net
 
dadiOH said:
"John Doe" <jdoe usenetlove.invalid> wrote

Not me because it works just like it always has.
Click to expand...

Some people might not be old enough to have used Windows XP...

I believe it's been since after Windows XP, since Windows Vista.
In the Explorer navigation pane, using the keyboard arrow keys to
navigate from one folder to another no longer works. You must
click on the folder name in order to show the contents of that
folder in the right-hand pane.
 
John Doe said:
Some people might not be old enough to have used Windows
XP...

I believe it's been since after Windows XP, since Windows
Vista. In the Explorer navigation pane, using the
keyboard arrow keys to navigate from one folder to
another no longer works. You must click on the folder
name in order to show the contents of that folder in the
right-hand pane.
Click to expand...

It functions as you describe in Windows 8, no idea about Win 7 or Vista but
I'm guessing it does in them as well.

--

dadiOH
____________________________

Winters getting colder? Tired of the rat race?
Taxes out of hand? Maybe just ready for a change?
Check it out... http://www.floridaloghouse.net
 
It functions as you describe in Windows 8, no idea about Win 7 or Vista but
I'm guessing it does in them as well.
Click to expand...

Just tried it in my W7. It works as John Doe describes.

John. I have to say I never noticed the behavior. There are other things
about the current Explorer that annoy me; maybe my awareness of this
problem got lost in the shuffle.
 
I've always used it, at least until "upgrading" to Windows 8 from XP.
For quickly viewing the contents of adjacent folders. Pressing an
arrow key is easier than pointing and clicking, especially for many
adjacent folders. I knew it was coming. I just don't understand the
reason Microsoft stopped including it, and it's annoying. What's the
point in just highlighting a folder name using an arrow key? What's
the point of leaving it out after windows XP? Looks like some
management decision by somebody who doesn't use a personal computer.
 
I've always used it, at least until "upgrading" to Windows 8 from XP.
For quickly viewing the contents of adjacent folders. Pressing an
arrow key is easier than pointing and clicking, especially for many
adjacent folders. I knew it was coming. I just don't understand the
reason Microsoft stopped including it, and it's annoying. What's the
point in just highlighting a folder name using an arrow key? What's
the point of leaving it out after windows XP? Looks like some
management decision by somebody who doesn't use a personal computer.
Click to expand...

Or even an accidental change. That happens...

But when you say "management decision by somebody who doesn't use a
personal computer", it reminds me of my idea for an appropriate
punishment for certain interface designers: sentence them to many years
of using the interface they have designed.

Not just software interfaces, either :-)
 
I've always used it, at least until "upgrading" to Windows 8 from XP.
Click to expand...


Upgrading from Windows 8 from XP is not possible. Perhaps since you
have "upgrading" in quotation marks you realize that, but just in case
you don't...

Having said that, I should mention that I "sort of" did such an
upgrade. On my Netbook, I did it in two steps--XP to Vista, then Vista
to 7. I did that with the full realization that doing such a thing
doubles the risk, and so I was prepared to start over with a clean
installation if necessary. But fortunately it worked for me.
 
John Doe said:
I've always used it, at least until "upgrading" to
Windows 8 from XP. For quickly viewing the contents of
adjacent folders. Pressing an arrow key is easier than
pointing and clicking, especially for many adjacent
folders. I knew it was coming. I just don't understand
the reason Microsoft stopped including it, and it's
annoying. What's the point in just highlighting a folder
name using an arrow key? What's the point of leaving it
out after windows XP? Looks like some management decision
by somebody who doesn't use a personal computer.
Click to expand...

I've told you twice before, I'll try one more time. Listen carefully....

THE ARROW KEYS STILL WORK IN WIN 8 EXPLORER.


--

dadiOH
____________________________

Winters getting colder? Tired of the rat race?
Taxes out of hand? Maybe just ready for a change?
Check it out... http://www.floridaloghouse.net
 
Ken Blake said:
Upgrading...
Click to expand...

The word "upgrading" isn't restricted to your concept of a
Microsoft upgrade.

From Windows 3.1, I have never done anything but a clean install. So
we could argue that part of the semantics, too.
 
dadiOH said:
"John Doe" <jdoe usenetlove.invalid> wrote

I've told you twice before, I'll try one more time. Listen
carefully....

THE ARROW KEYS STILL WORK IN WIN 8 EXPLORER.
Click to expand...

OF COURSE THE ARROW KEYS WORK, BUT YOUR BRAIN DOESN'T WORK.
 
The word "upgrading" isn't restricted to your concept of a
Microsoft upgrade.
Click to expand...


Then we disagree. When it comes to software, to me an upgrade is the
opposite of a clean installation.
 
Upgrading means moving from a lower version to a higher version.
It does have a sub-meaning about whether you do a clean install,
but that does not negate the primary meaning. It's fairly simple
English, at least for most of us.

--
 
Even Microsoft doesn't limit its use of "upgrade" to "not a clean install".

windows.microsoft.com/en-US/windows/buy?ocid=EVE_SEM_GGL_BRAND_OS_BUY&semid=1&WT.Search=1

"To install the Windows 8 or Windows 8 Pro upgrade, your PC must
be running Windows XP SP3..."

The installation of the Windows 8 upgrade includes a clean
install.

It doesn't mention "upgrade" or "clean install" when it says "If
your PC is running Windows XP or Windows Vista, you'll need to
reinstall your apps". In either case, you are still using the
Windows 8 upgrade.

And then there's the fact that Microsoft isn't the only authority
on software upgrade terminology.
 
John Doe said:
Is there some reason that Explorer navigation pane arrow keystrokes
no longer cause the folder contents to show in the main window?

Does it bother everybody except Microsoft management?
Click to expand...

I was curious about this since I rarely use the keyboard for Explorer
navigation, and on my Win7 and Win8 machines, it works as you describe- you
have to either click on or press Enter to display the contents of the
highlighted folder.
But, Classic Shell offers the option to "Auto-navigate to the selected
folder" which makes Explorer behave like it did in WinXP- as you arrow up or
down in the left pane, the contents change in the right pane to to show that
folder's contents. Just a suggestion :-)
 
This thing should have figured out what I'm talking about, before
getting its panties in a bind...

--
 
This thing should have figured out what I'm talking
about, before getting its panties in a bind...
Click to expand...

Well, let's see....

You asked "Is there some reason that Explorer navigation pane arrow
keystrokes
no longer cause the folder contents to show in the main window?"

And I keep telling you that arrow keystrokes in the Explorer navigation pane
DO cause the folder contents to show in the main window. Yes, with Win 8.

Now, if that doesn't address your original post, then you need to learn to
explain yourself more adequately.




--

dadiOH
____________________________

Winters getting colder? Tired of the rat race?
Taxes out of hand? Maybe just ready for a change?
Check it out... http://www.floridaloghouse.net
 
John Doe said:
If you're stuck on Windows 3.1, you should call Explorer
"File Manager".

Here's a thread on the subject...

http://social.technet.microsoft.com...-not-show-the-contents-of-the-selected-folder

I agree with the last comment...

"It is so incredibly pathetic that you need to install a
third-party tool to restore a needed and totally useful
functionality..."
Click to expand...

OK, apologies. I do use Classic Shell, been using it so long I had
forgotten that one can modify Explorer's actions too. Without it, it as you
say...arrow keys select folders but contents don't show until one presses
<ENTER>. Not hard to do but still a ridiculous implementation by MS.
Especially considering the fact that Win8 is about 16X the size of WinXP.

--

dadiOH
____________________________

Winters getting colder? Tired of the rat race?
Taxes out of hand? Maybe just ready for a change?
Check it out... http://www.floridaloghouse.net
 
Back
Top