Some big changes are coming for Windows Explorer in Windows 7

As you may remember, when Microsoft redesigned the user interface in Windows Vista, there were many changes made to Windows Explorer. While most of these change were for the better, there was room for improvement, and the Windows 7 team has spent a great deal of time and effort on honing the user interface in Windows Explorer.

In this issue of the Microsoft Windows Vista and Windows 7 Report, I’ll take a look at some of the many changes you’ll find in Windows 7’s Windows Explorer.

Return Windows Search results within a date range with advanced feature

Have you ever needed to search for a particular file or a set of files that you know you created between a certain set of dates? If you are running Microsoft Windows XP, performing such a search from the Search Companion was as easy as expanding the When Was It Modified? Section, selecting the Specify Dates option button, and either typing the dates in the From and To boxes or selecting the dates from the drop-down calendars.

However, in Vista, the Search Folder’s Date searching options do not allow you to choose beginning and ending dates.

In this issue of the Microsoft Windows Vista and Windows 7 Report, I’ll introduce you to Vista’s Advanced Query Syntax and show you how to use it in conjunction with Windows Search. As I do, I’ll show you how to search for a particular file or a set of files that you know were created between a certain set of dates.

Microsoft cries uncle when it comes to bundled Windows 7 features

In my recent TechRepublic Microsoft Windows blog, “Be Ready for New and Improved Applets in Windows 7,” I told you that three of the four standard Windows applets have been endowed with some new features and updated user-interface components. In the ensuing discussion, many of you grumbled about having to put up with Windows default applets.

Well, for those of you who grumbled and for those of you who over the years have opted not to use, but still had to contend with, the Windows operating system’s default applets and features, have I got news for you! With the recent Release Candidate for Windows 7, Microsoft has finally given us more control over what Windows features we can turn off. They have also completely removed some features from the operating system.

As such, I think it is safe to say that Microsoft has finally given in to the demands of those Windows users who really want to be able to choose which features they want to use. (Antitrust lawsuits may have been a factor too.)

In this issue of the Microsoft Windows Vista and Windows 7 Report, I’ll tell you what features are gone and show you what features you can now turn off.

Automate Vista's Clip command line utility

As you may know, Microsoft Windows Vista includes a nifty little command line utility called Clip.exe that that is designed to redirect or pipe the output generated by a command line utility to the Windows clipboard. This can come in handy in a lot of different situations as it allows you to quickly get information from the command line into a Windows application. Using the Clip command is as easy as adding the pipe or the redirection symbol along with the clip command on the command line.

In this edition of the Microsoft Windows Vista and Windows 7 Report, I’ll show you how to use the Creative Element Power Tools to add the Clip utility to the context menu in Vista.