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Windows tips: That toolbar at the top of your browser isn't just for looks. You can do all kinds of things with the toolbar buttons. You can even customize some of them. Here's how.
  technofile
Al Fasoldt's reviews and commentaries, continuously available online since 1983

Personal toolbar tricks for Netscape and Internet Explorer


June 20, 1999
 
By Al Fasoldt
Copyright © 1999, The Syracuse Newspapers

   
    Internet Explorer and Netscape Navigator and its newer cousin, Communicator, all share a wonderful feature. They both have a personal toolbar for quick access to Web sites and local items.
    The personal toolbar is located in the same place on each browser, near the top of the window. It normally runs across the full width of the browser window.
    This toolbar differs from the others because it can be changed on the fly. You just click a small icon to the left of a Web-page address (an "e" in Internet Explorer and a green stick in Netscape) and hold the mouse button down while you drag the icon to the personal toolbar. Let it go and it will create a button for that site.
    Great idea, isnít it?
    But thereís more. Iíve found a much better way to use the personal toolbar in both browsers. I put folders there.
    I use each browserís built-in editing menu for its Web shortcuts. Internet Explorerís menu is called "Favorites," and the option you need to choose is called "Organize Favorites." Netscapeís menu pops up when you click the "Bookmarks" button in the main window. You then choose "Edit Bookmarks."
    Both editing windows will show you the personal toolbar as a folder itself. Internet Explorer calls it "Links" and Netscape calls it "Personal Toolbar." You probably already have other folders displayed in the editorís window. If so, just drag one into the personal toolbar folder. Thatís all you do. Youíll see the folder on the toolbar immediately.
    Netscape lets you change the order of bookmarks, including a folder on the personal toolbar, by dragging it in the editor window. Internet Explorer lets you change the order by dragging the icon on the actual toolbar itself. Your new folder probably will be off the right edge of the window, so youíll have to use the arrow pointer to scroll to it. Then click it and drag it to the left.
    To add a Web page to a folder on your toolbar, use the Favorites button or the Bookmarks button and add the page to the specific folder. You can also use the Favorites or Bookmarks menu item.
    Ready for one more trick? You can make a bookmark or Favorite to any file on your computer. The easy way is to use Windows Explorer to drop a file onto the browser window. Then make a bookmark or Favorite of the current page. To get that file on the browser screen again, just use the shortcut. This works best with text files and images. Try it!