Appendix B. Windows 2000 Pro, Menu by Menu

Every window in Windows, and every window in software written to run in Windows, has a menu bar. Menu bars usually have a menu named File at the left end, and Help at the far right. What comes between depends on the type of software and its functions.

This appendix covers the commands in the Windows 2000 Professional desktop windows.

Tip

Frequently, you'll find that some menu commands are grayed out, meaning that they're not available for use. You can usually figure out why. For example, the Copy command is grayed out unless you've highlighted something to copy. Other reasons for inaccessible commands can be a little more difficult to parse; this appendix also addresses what to do to make grayed out commands available.

File Menu

Along with the Help menu, the File menu is the most universal one in Windows and Windows applications. Its commands may vary depending on whether or not you've highlighted an icon in the window.

Open

Opens the selected icon:

  • If the icon is a drive or a folder, this command opens a window that displays the drive/folder's contents.

  • If the icon is a program file, the program opens.

  • If the icon is a data file, it opens in the program that created it.

If grayed out: Select an icon.

New

Opens a submenu of choices for new icons you can create in the window (see Figure B-1).

The submenu for the New command includes basic Windows elements (folder, shortcut, and so on), plus any that your programs have added. For instance, installing Microsoft Office adds Microsoft Word Document and Microsoft Excel Worksheet commands to the submenu.

Figure B-1. The submenu for the New command includes basic ...

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