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The Windows Context Menu: Properties
In this article we will continue our exploration of the many facets of the right-click that we began in part I and part II. Here we will look at the bounty of information and actions in the properties sheet. Right-clicking almost any object will bring up a context menu with an entry “Properties” at the bottom. Not only files and folders but also many special objects such as the Desktop itself, the Internet Explorer desktop icon, My Computer, Network Neighborhood, and the Taskbar have context menus with a Properties entry. Clicking (right or left) on that entry will produce a window or box containing details about the object and also sometimes certain possible actions for the object. The exact nature of the contents of the property sheet varies with the object. For example, the first figure below shows the sheet for a text file and the next shows the sheet for a Word document.
 
 

Both properties sheets contain vital statistics like attributes, size, and date modified. The Word sheet also has extra tabs whose function is specific to Word and is beyond our scope here. Other varieties of files can also have tabs specific to their types. An important type is DLL files and an example of its property sheet is shown in the next figure. As anyone who has struggled with the problems caused by the many different versions of the same DLL file will know, the version number can be critical information. The problem of DLL versions constitutes a topic in itself so here we will limit ourselves to pointing out the tab “Version”.

Objects other than files also have properties sheets. For example, the properties sheet for the Taskbar is shown in the figure below. In addition to settings for the Taskbar, customizing of the Start Menu can be done here by clicking the “Advanced” tab. Interestingly, I find that many people are unaware that the Start Menu is very easy to edit and that the Programs menu is only shortcuts and not actual program files. The contents of the Start Menu are actually determined by shortcuts contained in the folder \Windows\Start Menu\ which in turn contains a subfolder "Programs". The items in the Programs folder can be customized directly in Windows Explorer or by way of the Taskbar properties sheet. If desired, additional subfolders can be created by the computer user and program shortcuts can be grouped in categories according to an individual user’s preferences.

 

Right-clicking on an empty spot on the Desktop will bring up a context menu whose Properties Sheet is the same window that is obtained by opening “Display” in Control Panel. In fact, the properties sheet for several standard desktop objects corresponds to an applet from Control Panel (but not for those objects that are shortcuts, as is discussed below.) The sheet for the Internet Explorer desktop object is the same as Control Panel|Internet Options, for Network Neighborhood the same as Control Panel|Network, and for My Computer the same as Control Panel|System. (Windows XP has different Control Panel settings.)

Shortcuts have their own type of properties sheet as shown in the next figure. The “Target” line allows you to see the actual file being referenced and the “Find Target” button lets you go to that file if you wish. The “Change Icon” button can be used to pick a different icon for the shortcut if you prefer.