Access, Access!
Whenever you open a program, Windows places its icon on the Taskbar. In Windows Vista access to programs was further improved by allowing the user to add a program icon to the Start menu. Windows 7 has taken this a little further by allowing you to pin program icons to the Taskbar.
Even better, in Windows 7, there is an added bonus, a new feature called a Jump List. This allows you to open current files and documents. The items displayed in the Windows 7 Jump List are actually shortcuts.
The Taskbar and Jump Lists
All program icons on the Taskbar contain Jump Lists. To access a Jump List, right click on any Taskbar program icon and its Jump List appears.
The type of information contained within a Jump List will vary according to the type. In the screen picture below you will see three different programs. The Jump List for each one is slightly different from the others.
What is a Jump list?
A Jump List provides the user with immediate access to recently used files:
Each item listed in Recent is an actual shortcut to that file or document.
So to quickly retrieve a file or document, click on it and the program opens the file. You are off and running!
In the lower section, these are commands, clicking the top item; in this case “Windows Live Mail” would open the program. The last item allows you to remove (unpin) the program from the Taskbar.
What does a Windows 7 Jump list contain?
A Taskbar Jump List is composed of three sections. From the top – Pinned, Recent files and Commands.
Pinned is a useful option as it allows you to pin an important file or files to the Jump List. They stay there as a permanent access point or shortcut to the file. This is handy if you need a file always available.
Where are Jump Lists located?
Jump Lists occur in two places – on the Taskbar and on the Start menu. In the illustration below, you will see Microsoft Word’s Jump Lists in the two locations.
While both Jump Lists contain the same Recent items and any Pinned items, the Taskbar Jump List also has Commands.
Managing Jump Lists
As with all versions of Windows when you open an application, its icon appears on the Taskbar. In Windows 7, you can personally pin program icons to the Taskbar. Both open applications and pinned programs all have Jump lists.
Each Jump List has several menu commands allowing you to:
- Activate the program
- Unpin this program from the taskbar
- Close the window
Start Menu Jump Lists
Back in the Start Menu, only those applications or features that have a small black arrow button contain Jump Lists. Selecting one displays its Jump list.
To access a Start Menu Jump List, click on the black arrow button. This opens the Jump List.
