How does one select multiple noncontiguous items?

Question

In File Explorer windows, I have figured out how to select contiguous items with the onscreen keyboard by selecting the first item, holding Shift, and using the left/right arrow keys. Using my finger and lassoing works too.

How does one select multiple noncontiguous items? In other versions of Windows, this is accomplished with the Ctrl key, but I can't get anything like this to work on my surface. I've been trying to use View>Item Check Boxes but that does not seem to work either. What am I missing?

Answer 1

In File Explorer windows, I have figured out how to select contiguous items with the onscreen keyboard by selecting the first item, holding Shift, and using the left/right arrow keys. Using my finger and lassoing works too.

How does one select multiple noncontiguous items? In other versions of Windows, this is accomplished with the Ctrl key, but I can't get anything like this to work on my surface. I've been trying to use View>Item Check Boxes but that does not seem to work either. What am I missing?

Go into list view (bottom right) and then press in front of each item - a checkbox will select those items you choose.

Answer 2

Hi Alex,

In Modern-style file-selection screens (such as File Open in Code Writer), you can use the cursor keys to highlight each item in turn and then press Space to select it. Once you've selected all of the items you need, press Return to action (e.g. Open).

Hope this helps,

George.

Answer 3

Slightly on topic - I find it odd that, when selecting several .zip files, and choosing Extract All, only the first file is extracted.. Any one with an idea about this?

Answer 4

Thanks for the replies.

George, the tip regarding the Modern style items is good to know. It works in Email, in particular, which is very useful. Thanks.

DPil, the checkbox method in the desktop screens is what I was trying to get to work. I was having mixed results: occasionally I could get the selection to "stick" when I tried to check the box on another noncontiguous item, but more often than not, I would lose the selection of the previously selected item(s). Thanks for your reply, as it assured me that it was possible to work this way. I tried your method with a stylus and it worked every time, so I concluded that my fingers on the touch screen were not precise enough to tap exactly on the checkbox.

So, I increased the display size to 125% (Control Panel>Display>Change Display Settings>Make Text And Other Items Larger Or Smaller) and I am now able to precisely check/uncheck the boxes every time with my fingers.

Increasing the display size is something I should have done a long time ago since a lot of other finger gestures are also easier for me now!