TOPIC 9:THE DESKTOP OF A COMPUTER




Work with Icons
Recognise Desktop icons such as those representing: files, directories/folders, applications, printers, recycle bin/wastebasket.

Desktop files
Sometimes you may see data files on your Desktop. When you double click on a Desktop data file, then application required to edit the data is automatically loaded first, and then the data file is loaded into the application.

A Microsoft Word file displayed on the Desktop.
A Microsoft Excel file displayed on the Desktop
Desktop applications 

• Sometimes icons to launch an application may be copied to the Desktop for you.
The Microsoft Excel Desktop icon.
The Microsoft Word, Desktop icon.

Desktop folders
• Desktop folders can be used so that not all the Desktop icons are displayed at once on a crowded Desktop. If you double click on a Desktop folder, then a dialog box will be displayed allowing you to see the item stored within the folder.
The Recycle Bin / Wastebasket
• The Recycle Bin is a Desktop icon which contains files which have recently been deleted. It is there for safety reasons. In early versions of Windows when you deleted a file, there was no easy way to get the file back if you subsequently changed your mind.

As files are moved to the Recycle Bin rather than physically deleted this allows you to change your mind and retrieve deleted files.
Beware: - Deleted files will not stay in the Recycle Bin forever! 

Select and move Desktop icons.
To select a Desktop icon
• To select a Desktop icon, single click on the required icon. Once selected the icon will be highlighted, as illustrated.
To move a Desktop icon
• Select the icon which you wish to move.
• Depress the left mouse button and whilst keeping it depressed, drag the icon to the new location on the Desktop, as required.
• Release the mouse button.
To copy a Desktop icon
• Select the icon which you wish to copy.
• Depress the Control key (and keep it depressed).
• Depress the left mouse button and whilst keeping it depressed, drag the icon to the new location on the Desktop, as required.
• Release the mouse button and release the Control key. 
Open a file, directory/folder, application from the Desktop.
To open a Desktop object
• To open a Desktop object, double click on it’s icon.
Create a Desktop shortcut icon or a Desktop menu alias.
To create a Desktop shortcut icon
• Minimise or close any programs which may be running.
• Click on the Start icon.
• Select All Programs.
• Select the program which you wish to use for creating a Desktop icon. In this example we will select the Calculator, contained within the Accessories group.
• Depress the Control+Shift keys, and whilst keeping these keys depressed, drag the icon to the Desktop.
• Release the Control+Shift keys. The shortcut icon will be created and displayed on the Desktop.



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