Selecting files for Import
When you select My computer in the Import From panel, the job of selecting the files to import belongs to the folder and media file browser in the central area of the display.
When importing from file-based media, the Importer provides a folder and file browser in the central area. This is flanked on the left by the Import From and Import To panels, and on the right by the Mode, Metadata, and Filename panels. The Start Import button at bottom sets things in motion after the desired media files have been selected.
A single import operation can take in multiple types of media files from multiple source folders. Each selected file will be copied to the correct folder for its media type (as specified in the Import To panel).
The folder and media file browser
The left hand column of the browser is a hierarchical view of all folders on all file-storage devices attached to your computer. These devices include hard drives, optical disc drives, memory cards and USB sticks.
Navigation in this “folder tree” is similar to that in Windows Explorer and other programs. Folders containing other folders are indicated by a plus sign to the left of the name when they are closed and by a minus sign when they are open. Click the sign to open out (“expand”) or close down (“collapse”) a folder’s list of subfolders.
Only one entry in the folder tree can be highlighted at a time. Any media files contained in that folder are immediately listed in the larger, right-hand division of the browser. You can preview files on the spot, and earmark those you intend to import by checking the box at the top right of corner of each file icon.
Here, the folder ‘PhotosWinter’ is open, revealing a set of image files. To select (or unselect) files for import, click the checkbox in the top right corner of one or more icons. In the illustration, four files have been selected.
Previewing audio and video: The media file browser includes built-in previewing for all supported media types. Click the play button in the center of video and audio file icons to preview the media they represent. For quick viewing, video files play back within the icon frame itself. Click anywhere on the icon to halt playback; otherwise the entire file is previewed.
Full-screen photo preview: To view a digital photo or other picture file at full-screen resolution, double-click its icon, or click the full-screen button in the toolbar beneath the browser, or press the F11 key.
Scrub preview: Audio and video clips both provide a scrubber control immediately below the file icon. Click and drag the scrubber knob to manually review any part of the file. The mouse pointer changes to a two-headed horizontal arrow when it is correctly positioned for scrubbing.
Marking media files for import
To mark media files one at a time for importing, click the check box at the top right corner of the file icon. This box is checked automatically when you browse to a new folder for all the files on display.
Click the check box to mark or unmark the file.
Marking multiple files: The browser also provides a method of checking or unchecking simultaneously a group of highlighted files. To highlight an individual file, simply click on its name or its icon; the highlighted state is indicated by an orange border. To highlight additional files, click icons in conjunction with either of the Shift and Ctrl keys, as follows:
· Click while pressing Ctrl to add or remove the highlighting from one file without affecting the others in the group.
· Click while pressing Shift highlights the clicked icon and all those between it and the previously clicked icon, inclusive. Highlighting is removed from any icons not within the range.
You can also highlight a range of icons directly with the mouse, by dragging out a rectangle that intersects the icons you want to include. Click the first icon and move to the last one before releasing the mouse button.
Having highlighted some icons you want to import, click the check box of any one of them to mark or unmark the entire group at once.
A group of four highlighted image file icons. Marking or unmarking any one will affect the whole group.
Check All and Uncheck All: Click these buttons along the bottom of the media file browser to mark for importing either all or none of the media files listed in the current folder. The buttons do not affect any files currently selected in other folders.
Use the Check All button to mark all the media files in the current folder.
Each time a file is added to or removed from the list of those to be imported, the media browser updates the count in the selection status indicator at the bottom right of the display.
Several controls allow you to configure the media file browser appropriately for your display hardware and requirements.
Close the folder tree: To maximize the space for viewing files, click the left-pointing double-arrow icon at the top of the folder tree scroll bar. This collapses the folder tree to a vertical bar down the left-hand side. At the top of the bar is the right-pointing double-arrow that will reopen the tree. The name of the current folder is also shown.
Filter the file list: Another way to optimize your use of the file area is to limit the files shown to insclude only one media type. This is the function of the media filter dropdown at the bottom left of the browser. By default, all supported media file types appear in the browser, but you can limit the view to picture files, audio files or video files by your selection here. To see exactly which file types are included in a selection, hover on the item for a second or two to pop up the list.
Hovering over the Audio files option brings up a list of file types from which audio import is supported.
Set preview size: A final tool for managing screen real estate is the preview size slider at the bottom right of the browser. Move the slider leftwards to reduce, or rightwards to increase, the size of the preview images in the file browser. There are three ways of moving this slider with the mouse:
· Click on the slider knob and drag to the left or right.
· Click beside the slider knob to nudge it in the appropriate direction.
· Click the minus/plus buttons at the ends of the slider scale to move the knob by a larger amount.
Full-screen photo: To preview a selected photo on the full monitor screen, click the rightmost button.
Set preview volume: To set the playback volume of audio and video clips for previewing, hover the mouse pointer in the area of the audio/mute button in the bottom bar of the media file browser. A volume slider will appear beside the button. Drag the knob up and down to control the volume. Click the audio/mute button itself to toggle audio muting.
Adjusting the import file date and time
The internal clocks of the recording devices are often set incorrectly, resulting in incorrectly timestamped media files. The Importer can correct this kind of problem by setting the date and time of the imported files according to your specifications.
To correct the file time or date:
Use the more button 
on the selection status indicator to open a window that offers two options for adjusting the timestamps:
· Correct time zone: This slider changes the file-system timestamp of any media files you import by up to 12 hours in either direction. You can use this adjustment to compensate for the time difference when you bring home video from your travels.
· Set date and time: These fields lets you enter an arbitrary date and time. The timestamp of any media files you import will be set to this.