Announcements

Late :-(

Sorry this is late. We got a new list server and just couldn't get things put together fast enough yesterday. So, I figure better a day late than never, right?

Thanks-

Thanks again to everyone who is writing in with their tip suggestions.

I'm finding that Excel is triggering a lot of ideas. Excel is just one of those programs where there's never an end to the combinations of things that can be done. In any given subject it's almost impossible to report every combination in one tip.

All I can say for my Excel enthusiasts is to stay tuned, more Excel stuff is on the way.

-April

National Geographic is BACK - with a BONUS!

We ran the Complete National Geographic a few months ago and the response was tremendous. We ran out quickly and there were lots of people who missed out.

Well, we have it again! THis is a 31 CD set that features every National Geographic magazine from the original in 1888 through 1998.

I have to admit, I wasn't sure about this title at first. However, after I installed it I had a terrific time going through all the old articles, pictures, and ads. Each issue is presented exactly as it was when it was originally published - every page, every picture.

I spent over an hour just browsing through dozens of old issues. I especially like to look at old advertisements, you know, checking out what the "cutting edge" stuff was way back when.

Here's some more info on the program:

- 180,000 Spectacular photographs and illustrations.
- Search engine helps you locate the issue / content you're looking for.
- Over 9,300 articles!
- Print any page with the click of a mouse
- Access to online resources
- And more!

The price on this is only $64.97 with FREE US SHIPPING. The retail on this is $149.95, so it's a heck of a deal. Order now and we'll toss in a FREE disposable camera!

Here's the info and order link:

http://www.worldstart.com/store/national-MST.htm

Finally, there is a very limited quantity of these available, so head to the site ASAP if you want yours!

Don't miss out!

MS Office 101

Have you ever been looking at your MS Word document in the Print Preview window and realized you need to change margins? (Especially when you're trying to get everything squeezed into a certain number of pages. Like organizing my closets - maximum amount of stuff in the smallest amount of space.) What do you do then?

Some of you probably close the Print Preview window and then change margins through the File menu, page setup option. Some of you may realize that you can access page setup through the File menu in the Print Preview window. But there's an even faster way!

The quickest way is to adjust them right on the Print Preview window, no menus or other windows needed.

To begin, while in the Print Preview window, you need to display the ruler using the ruler button. (Or you could use View menu, ruler.)

Once the rulers are displayed you should notice that they look just like the rulers you can display in the document-editing screen.

Before you begin you need to know that the margins are noted on the ruler with the dark gray area and the white area represents actual space for the document contents.

To adjust the margins using the rulers you should move the mouse pointer over the ruler at the place where the white and dark gray areas meet. You should see a double-sided arrow indicating that you can click, hold and drag the location of where these two meet.

By dragging in the required direction you can adjust the margins. Top/bottom margins are adjusted on the left side ruler and left/right margins are adjusted on the top ruler.

One of the advantages I see to adjusting with this method is you can see the effects on the document immediately without all of the annoying opening and closing of menus and extra windows. (If only we could get rid of the other annoying things in life so quickly. :-)

Special Note: You can also use the rulers in the document-editing screen to adjust margins using the same technique. (What a deal - 2 for 1 today!)

Office Tip of the Day

WRAPPING TEXT AROUND AN OBJECT

Have you ever noticed that when you insert an object, such as clip art, into a document that the text moves to above and below the object? Have you ever wondered how some people manage to embed the object in the text? It certainly looks great when pictures, tables or graphs are integrated in a document, doesn't it?

Well, here's how, and unlike most things in life, this is easy!

First, the object should be inserted into your document in the usual way.

Once the object (picture, chart, etc…) is in the document you can resize it using the white boxes on the edges. Just click on a box and drag in the desired direction(s) that the box allows.

To embed the object in the text right click while the pointer is over the object. A small menu should pop up on the screen.

The last choice on the list should be Format (picture, WordArt, or whatever it is you've inserted in the document). Click on the Format choice.

Another window should open to allow you to set the objects properties. You need to look for the Wrapping tab.

On the Wrapping tab you are allowed to set how the text will flow around your object.

The top row gives the choices for the style of the wrapped text. Each choice comes with a picture to help you to understand how the text will behave.

Keep in mind that many clipart pictures will not be square shaped so the tight and through choices will not leave clean-cut edges of text around the picture. The text will wrap in close, conforming to the shape of the picture.

Also, the None choice will actually allow your text to be underneath or on top of your object, depending upon the way you set the layers. Be careful with that one, you could accidentally block some of the text.

Trying the different options is the only way to decide what you like the best.

Where the text will Wrap To is the second line of choices. You can force text to always go to the right-hand side, the left-hand side or on both sides of the object. You can also choose largest side, which will only allow text to be on one side or the other, letting the program determine text placement.

The bottom section of the Wrapping tab will let you set the distance from the object to the text. (Now if we just had one of these boxes to set the distance mosquitoes will have to stay away - life would be really great this summer!)

Smaller numbers bring text closer to the object and larger numbers have it start farther away from the object.

Once all of these options are set, simply click on OK and you will be returned to your document with the text immediately wrapped around the object as you chose.

Try moving the object through the text to determine the best placement. When you click, drag and drop the text will automatically adjust around the object according to the choices you've just made.

Congratulations! Now you can wrap with the best of 'em.