Using File Explorer

The File Explorer is a tool for browsing files on your local computer system and on VOSpace and performing a number of activities on these files. VOSpace is the virtual observatory workspace and it can be used to save your work in progress and transfer files between VO applications; it additionally allows long running VO processes to run whilst the user is offline. Any type of file that can be transferred over the internet can be stored in a user VOSpace, although an AstroGrid account is required to access it and one should exercise normal prudence in backing up data.

The File Explorer window is split into three panes; the Useful Locations pane in the top left, the Actions and About pane in the bottom right and the File List pane on the right, taking up most of the window. Just above these three panes is a tool-bar providing quick access to a number of useful file browsing functions. At the very top of the window is the menu-bar.

Each of the file explorer panes are explained in more detail in the following sections.

File List Pane

The File List pane is the main component of the File Explorer window and it displays the files in the current location; the current location can be found in the title bar of the File Explorer window and in the location text box on the File Explorer tool-bar. By default the File Explorer displays files using the Icon View meaning that each file or folder is represented by a single icon (often of an appropriate design) and the name of the file is displayed underneath the icon. When the mouse pointer is moved over a particular icon/file, a small window appears which displays additional information about the file such as when it was last modified, its size and the file's mime type.

Changing the File List View

The File List pane can be changed to a List View rather than an Icon View by either selecting View->as List from the menu-bar or using the keyboard shortcut Command-2 (Mac OS X) or Ctrl-2 (Windows and Linux). When in List View the files are displayed as rows in a table with columns for the icon, the name of the file, the date modified, the size of the file and the file type (such as folder). To revert back to the Icon View either select View->as Icons or use the keyboard shortcut Command-1 (Mac OS X) or Ctrl-1 (Windows and Linux).

Selecting Files

A single file may be selected by clicking on it once with the left button; the file will be highlighted. To select one or more consecutive files, click on the first file with the left mouse button and then click on the last file, again with the left mouse button, while holding down the shift key; the beginning and end files along with all the files in between will appear highlighted to indicate that they have been selected. To highlight one or more files which are not in order, select the first file by left clicking it and then, while holding down the Command key (Mac OS X) or the Ctrl key (Windows and Linux) click once on each file to select.

Useful Locations Pane

This pane provides an easy way of accessing useful file locations, be they on the computer or within the VOSpace; each location is represented by an icon and appropriate name. Click a locations name or icon once to view the files in that location, the files and folders/directories will be displayed in the file list panel.

Viewing Files in Your VOSpace

By default the Useful Locations pane will list the current users Home folder, VO Workspace and any local disks such as the root folder / (for Mac OSX and Linux) and the 'C:' drive (Windows). If a VOSpace has not been logged into, then clicking the VO Workspace button will display the Virtual Observatory Login dialog. Select the appropriate community from the drop down community list (e.g. uk.ac.le.star), enter the username and password and click OK to login (for more information on logging into an AstroGrid community, please read the AstroGrid Login Help Page. After logging in the online VOSpace will be displayed in the file list panel.

Creating Locations/Bookmarks

New locations (or bookmarks) may be added to this list by doing one of the following:

• Right-click within the useful locations panel and select Add Bookmark from the drop down list. In the dialog that appears, enter a name for the bookmark and a location to point to and click the OK button.

• Browsing to a folder/directory using the file list panel and then clicking the "Bookmark the current location" button on the tool-bar button on the tool-bar.

• Using the New Bookmark keyboard shortcut which is Ctrl-Shift-N (Windows or Linux) or Shift-Command-N (Mac OS X).

To delete any of the locations/bookmarks on the list (including the default ones) either Right-Click on the location and select Delete Bookmark from the drop-down list or Left-Click on the location and use the keyboard shortcut Ctrl-Shift-Backspace (Windows and Linux) or Shift-Command-Backspace (Mac OS X).

To edit any of the locations/bookmarks on the list (including the default ones) either Right-Click on the location and select Edit Bookmark or Left-Click on the location and use the keyboard shortcut Ctrl-E (Windows and Linux) or Command-E (Mac OS X).

Actions and About Pane

When one or more files are selected in the File List pane, information about those files and actions that can be performed on the files will appear in this pane. Both the Actions and About sections may be minimised or maximised by clicking once on the relevant header.

In the example to the right, a Virtual Observatory Table (or VOTable) file has been selected. The About section is showing the MIME type (see the Glossary of Terms for more information) of the file and, the Actions pane is showing the actions that can be performed on the file (clicking the View button will display the file in your internet browser). If you have started a Helper Application which has an action associated with the currently selected file then that action will appear on the Actions section. In the example shown, Topcat has been started and a VOTable file has been selected in the File List pane so the Actions section has the action to Send tables to Topcat. Note that selecting a table provides the option to run a positional Multi Query for that table where relevant against any suitable VO catalogue resource.

The Tool-Bar

The following is a summary of the buttons on the File Explorer tool-bar.

- Back: see folders you have previously viewed.

- Forward: see child folders you have previously viewed.

- Up: navigate to the parent of the current folder.

- Displays the current location. New locations can be entered and then the button is pressed to go to the specified location.

- Refreshes the list of files or folders in the current view.

- Bookmarks the current location.

- Create a new folder in the current location.

- Filter the list of files. For example, if "vot" is entered in the text box then only file names containing "vot" are shown. To show all files again, delete all of the text in this text box.