Rename It
(Paul Watkins 03/30/09)
    This tip shows you how to easily rename a file or a shortcut in Windows. For demonstration purposes I'm going to rename my "phone list.doc" file, make a shortcut on my desktop to that same file, and then rename the shortcut so it's easier to read and takes up less space on the desktop.

    I start by opening Windows Explorer with the "Windows key" + "E" keyboard combo (I like that keyboard combo so much that I created one on my Linux computer to do the same thing.) I open the "My Documents" folder and click once (don't double-click)
on my "phone list.doc" file so it is high-lighted.


Once the file is high-lighted all I have to do is touch the "F2" function key once and the file name is ready to edit.


    I want to rename my file from "phone list.doc" to "my phone list.doc". So now that I have high-lighted the file name, pressed F2 and it's ready to edit, I use my left arrow key to move the cursor to the far left end, type "my" and a space, and hit Enter. Voila! I have successfully changed the file's name. Do this a couple of times and you'll never waste any more time using the mouse to open a menu and find the "rename" option. But there's more ...

    I'm going to create a shortcut to this file on my desktop because I use this file all the time. So I right-click and drag the file to my desktop and drop it there. This gives me a drop-down menu with an option to "Create Shortcuts Here".



I choose the option to make a shortcut, but the name of the shortcut is now "Shortcut to my phone list.doc". That's a nice long name. I want something very short, sweet, and to the point. I'm going to rename it just, plain "phones".
    I click once to high-light the shortcut, then press the F2 function key, and the shortcut name is ready to be edited. Now I type the word "phones" (without touching any other key first) and press Enter. That's it!
A New Name From God

Gnulife Technology - "new life for you and your computer"
(Computer training and repair)
(Windows and Linux expertise)
815-981-1182
pchelp@gnulife.com
www.gnulife.com