Drag and Drop files
Today's tip covers one of those things
that people always say "Wow, I did not know you can do that!"
when they watch me work with Notes. Its drag and dropping file attachments
to and from Notes to the desktop (or any operating system folder).
Let's say I have the file "WorkplaceCollabServicesTour.exe" on my desktop, and I want to store this in a Document Library for the entire company to see. (notice I say Document Library, not email!) Instead of using the "File-Attach..." menu or the "Attach" toolbar icon
and
then navigating to a file in the "Create Attachment" dialog box,
it is much easier for me to just drag and drop the file right from my desktop
directly into the body of the document.
In the image below, I've adjusted the size of the Lotus Notes window so that I can see both my desktop and the Notes document. I simply click on the file, keep the mouse button pressed, drag over to the document, and release the mouse button. Tada.... the file is copied into Notes.
But that's only the start of this tip. Notice in the example above I had to adjust the size of the windows so I could easily see where I was drag and dropping. Well you don't have to do that. Try this... First start a new document in Lotus Notes. Next, select the file from your desktop, keep the mouse button pressed, and drag the file to the Window's taskbar button for Lotus Notes. Don't release the mouse button yet, pause over the taskbar button for a second, and Lotus Notes will pop up into the foreground.
Now (still holding down the mouse button) drag the selected file to the Notes document you want to drop it into, then release the mouse button. If the document you want is already showing on the screen you are all set. If not, you can even switch back and forth between Notes tabs while dragging.
Try this: With the mouse button still held down while dragging the file, pause over a Notes tabs and you will see that Notes makes that document active. For example, in the image below, I can drag a file from my desktop, then hover over either "New Memo" or "New Document" and Notes will make the associated document active.
Both the examples above covered just a single file, and they were both from the desktop to Notes. I want to point out that you can drag and drop multiple files at the same time in the exact same way, and you can do all of the above in the reverse direction, dragging from a Notes document to the desktop.
I hope this tip makes sense, it may sound complex (should I post a small video file?), but I promise it is simple to understand after you've done it once or twice yourself. I think you will find this to be a real time saver.
You can use this technique when working with Document Libraries, TeamRooms, mail, calendar, or anywhere else you want to attach files to a rich text field. Remember though, one of the key attributes of Lotus Notes is that you don't have to send around attachments via email. Instead store them in a central repository/library and then send users links to the document instead. More on that in an upcoming tip.
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Let's say I have the file "WorkplaceCollabServicesTour.exe" on my desktop, and I want to store this in a Document Library for the entire company to see. (notice I say Document Library, not email!) Instead of using the "File-Attach..." menu or the "Attach" toolbar icon
In the image below, I've adjusted the size of the Lotus Notes window so that I can see both my desktop and the Notes document. I simply click on the file, keep the mouse button pressed, drag over to the document, and release the mouse button. Tada.... the file is copied into Notes.
But that's only the start of this tip. Notice in the example above I had to adjust the size of the windows so I could easily see where I was drag and dropping. Well you don't have to do that. Try this... First start a new document in Lotus Notes. Next, select the file from your desktop, keep the mouse button pressed, and drag the file to the Window's taskbar button for Lotus Notes. Don't release the mouse button yet, pause over the taskbar button for a second, and Lotus Notes will pop up into the foreground.
Now (still holding down the mouse button) drag the selected file to the Notes document you want to drop it into, then release the mouse button. If the document you want is already showing on the screen you are all set. If not, you can even switch back and forth between Notes tabs while dragging.
Try this: With the mouse button still held down while dragging the file, pause over a Notes tabs and you will see that Notes makes that document active. For example, in the image below, I can drag a file from my desktop, then hover over either "New Memo" or "New Document" and Notes will make the associated document active.
Both the examples above covered just a single file, and they were both from the desktop to Notes. I want to point out that you can drag and drop multiple files at the same time in the exact same way, and you can do all of the above in the reverse direction, dragging from a Notes document to the desktop.
I hope this tip makes sense, it may sound complex (should I post a small video file?), but I promise it is simple to understand after you've done it once or twice yourself. I think you will find this to be a real time saver.
You can use this technique when working with Document Libraries, TeamRooms, mail, calendar, or anywhere else you want to attach files to a rich text field. Remember though, one of the key attributes of Lotus Notes is that you don't have to send around attachments via email. Instead store them in a central repository/library and then send users links to the document instead. More on that in an upcoming tip.
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