Icons are the symbols on the computer representing files, programs, shortcuts, printers, or any other item or area on the computer. They are visible on the desktop and inside Windows Explorer. If a picture is worth a thousand words, each icon picture should give you an idea of what will happen if you click it.

Dragging and dropping icons is a simple way of moving them from one location to another. It is also a quick way to open or print files.

When would I drag and drop icons?

Drag and drop icons to simplify work on your computer:

1.     Copy or move files

2.     Create shortcuts.

3.     Open documents with their associated programs.

4.     Print documents.

How do I drag and drop icons?

Dragging and dropping icons is as easy as waving your hand. Like waving your hand, how you do the deed determines your intentions. A wave of the hand can mean hello, goodbye, or "Come here!" The steps below describe different ways to "drag and drop," and what each method accomplishes.

Drag and drop an icon (LEFT mouse button):

1.     Place the cursor (mouse pointer) over the icon

2.     Press the LEFT mouse button, but do not release it.

3.     While holding the mouse button, move the mouse. The selected icon follows the         mouse motion.

4.     When the icon is positioned in the desired location – in another window or on         another icon –release the mouse button.

NOTE: Dragging and dropping a file or program icon from one folder to another transfers the file or program to the second folder. If the destination folder is on the same disk drive, the "C:" drive for example, the file is MOVED. This means that the file is removed from the original folder and added to the destination folder

If the destination folder is on a different drive, the file or program will be COPIED. This means that it remains in its original folder and a duplicate is placed in the destination directory. For example, drag an icon from a folder on your hard disk drive (C:) to the floppy disk drive (A:) copies the file.

If you wish to have more control of your computer life, try the following tricks.

COPY a file:

1.     While pressing the Ctrl key …

2.     …Drag and drop an icon.

MOVE a file:

1.     While pressing the Shift key …

2.     …Drag and drop an icon.

Create a SHORTCUT:

1.     While pressing the Ctrl and Shift keys together …

2.     …Drag and drop an icon.

Moving files around can be good for organization, but you can also use the drag and drop technique for more substantive operations.

OPEN a document:

1.     Drag and drop a file … (Example: A text file, such as Recipe.TXT)

2.     …Onto a program icon or shortcut to a program. (Example: Notepad.EXE)

Dragging the icon for the Recipe.txt file onto the Notepad.exe icon OPENS the text document using the Notepad program provided with Windows.

PRINT a document:

1.     Drag and drop a file … (Example: A text file, such as Recipe.TXT)

2.     …Onto a printer icon or shortcut to a printer. Dragging the icon for the Recipe.txt        file onto a printer icon PRINTS the text document.

So far, we have been using the left mouse button to drag and drop icons for a variety of endeavors. If you are the curious type, you might wonder what happens if you use the RIGHT mouse button to drag and drop icons.

Drag an icon using the RIGHT mouse button to access a shortcut menu providing several of the options described above.

Drag and drop an icon (RIGHT mouse button):

1.     Place the mouse pointer over the icon

2.     Press the RIGHT mouse button, but do not release it.

3.     While holding the mouse button, move the mouse. The selected icon follows the         mouse motion

4.     When the icon is positioned in the desired location – in another window or on         another icon –release the mouse button.

5.     Click on the menu the operation you would like to perform.

Drag and drop with the RIGHT mouse button displays a menu with the following choices

1.     Move Here: Removes the file from the original folder and place the file in the         destination folder.

2.     Copy Here: Places a duplicate of the file in the destination folder, leaving the         original file unchanged

3.     Create Shortcut(s) Here: Creates a shortcut icon in the destination location. The         shortcut acts as a link or remote control access to the original file. The original         file remains unchanged.

4.     Cancel: Voids the "drag and drop" operation. No changes are made, as if you         never clicked on the original file at all.