'Work Offline' doesn,t discontect-why?

[Jump Complete]

Why is it that when I click on the 'Work Offline' thingy in the file menu that the computer is still online? I've spoken to other people who have said 'It doesn't do anything, to disconnect you have to fully disconnect.' Well what is the point of it then? It is obviously much better to just temporarily disconnect but be able to instantly get back on, or doesn't it work like that?
Perhaps I should explain that this has never come up before because I have only just got a home computer and previously I have used puplic liberery or office computers...
P.S. Please excuse the bad typing/spelling. I'm feeling lousy today but can't sleep because I have most of the afternoon...

[Naples Air Center, Inc.]

Jump Complete,

Here is the complete procedure from Microsoft on how to work offline with WinXP.

Preparing to work offline
Before you can work with files and programs offline, you need to set up your computer for using offline files. Working offline means working with shared network files, folders, and programs when you are not connected to the network. You can also work offline with Web pages from your company's Web site or the Internet. To prepare to work offline, use the following procedures. The procedures are the same for portable and stand-alone computers.

Set up your computer to use offline files

Your computer is set up to use offline files by default, but you need to select the synchronization option to determine which version of the network files you have.


To set up your computer to use offline files

1. Open My Computer

2. On the Tools menu, click Folder Options.

3. On the Offline Files tab, make sure that the Enable Offline Files check box is selected.

4. Select Synchronize all offline files before logging off to get a full synchronization Leave it unselected for a quick synchronization.

Note

. To open My Computer, click Start, and then click My Computer.
. A full synchronization ensures that you have the most current version of every shared network file that you work with offline. A quick synchronization ensures that you have complete versions of your offline files, although they may not be the most current versions. You might select a quick synchronization if you are the only person working on a file or if you do not need the most current version of a file.
. If you want to control which offline files are synchronized, when they are synchronized, and whether Windows prompts you before synchronizing your files, you can use Synchronization Manager. For more information, click Related Topics.
. After you set up your computer to use offline files, you need to make shared network files available to you offline. For more information, click Related Topics.

Make a file or folder available to you offline

The first time you make a network file or folder available to you offline, the Offline Files Wizard will guide you through the process. When the Synchronizing dialog box disappears, the item is available offline.


To make a file or folder available to you offline

1. Open My Computer

2. Double-click a network drive to view its contents.

3. Click the shared network file or folder that you want to make available offline.

4. On the File menu, click Make Available Offline.

Important

Make Available Offline will appear on the File menu only if you set up your computer to use offline files. For more information, click Related Topics.

Note

. To open My Computer, click Start, and then click My Computer.
. If My Computer does not contain links to any network drives, you need to assign a drive letter to a shared network resource. For more information, click Related Topics.
. To view a list of all of the shared network files that are available offline, on the Tools menu, click Folder Options. On the Offline Files tab, click View Files.
. If all of the files in a shared folder are made available offline, any files placed in that folder will automatically be made available offline the next time you synchronize your computer with the network. The network administrator determines which files are available offline.
. You can make a shortcut to a file available offline. However, if you make a shortcut to a folder available offline, the contents of the folder will not be available offline.
. To make a network file or folder unavailable offline, right-click the item, and click Make Available Offline again to clear the check mark.

Make Web pages available offline

Using Microsoft Internet Explorer, you can make Web pages or entire Web sites, including links, available for offline viewing. A wizard prompts you to specify how much content to make available offline. You can also set up a schedule to synchronize content automatically.

Because you use Internet Explorer to make Web pages available offline, the offline files settings you select using My Computer, in the Folder Options dialog box, do not apply to the Web pages you make available offline. Instead, use the options that are available for offline Web pages in Internet Explorer.

To make Web pages available offline

1. Open Internet Explorer

2. Access the Web page you want to make available offline.

3. On the Favorites menu, click Add to Favorites.

4. Select the Make available offline check box.

5. To schedule updates for the Web page and how much content to download, click Customize.

6. Follow the instructions on your screen.

Note

. To open Windows Explorer, click Start, point to All Programs, point to Accessories, and then click Windows Explorer.
. For more information about using Web pages offline, see Internet Explorer Help

Make offline files unavailable

You can make shared programs and files from specific network computers unavailable to you offline. This is useful if you want to continue working offline by default, but you do not want to work offline on any files from a specific computer on the network.

To make offline files unavailable

1. Open My Computer

2. On the Tools menu, click Folder Options.

3. On the Offline Files tab, click Advanced.

4. Click Add.

5. Type the name of a network computer, or click Browse to find the computer that contains the files you do not want to be available when you are disconnected from the network.

6. Under When a network connection is lost, click Never allow my computer to go offline.

Note

. To open My Computer, click Start, and then click My Computer.
. This process makes files from individual computers unavailable to you when you are disconnected from the network.
. You can also set your computer's default response for offline files from all network computers when you disconnect from the network. On the Offline Files tab, click Advanced. Under When a network connection is lost, do one of the following:

. To be notified when the network connection is lost and continue working with the files you made available offline, click Notify me and begin working offline.

. To make all offline files unavailable to you if you lose your network connection, click Never allow my computer to go offline.

Take Care,

Capt. Richard J. Gentil, Pres.
Naples Air Center, Inc.
Custom Computers of Naples, Inc.

[Jump Complete]

Thank you for that info, Captain. I will have a go at setting that up (may be tomorrow when I will hopefully be feeling sharper!)
I did find it a little hard to believe that it (the work offline tab) is completely useless, or it wouldn't be there. Then again....
Thanks again.
J.C.

[Naples Air Center, Inc.]

Jump Complete,

Let me know how it works out.

Richard