Darla from Boston, Massachusetts asks:
I have a couple of programs that I use a lot. I also like using keyboard shortcuts. Is there any way that I can make my own shortcuts for the ones I use the most?
Hi, Darla.
Yes, there most certainly is a way to make keyboard shortcuts for any application that you would like to… Continue reading
Claire from Ottawa, Canada writes:
I am almost ashamed to admit it, but I don’t know how to cut and paste or even what it means. I do know how to copy and paste, though, if that helps.
A long time ago, I got to talking to a representative from my local phone company about computers and copy and paste came up. I had… Continue reading
There are a couple easy ways to insert a hyperlink in an OpenOffice document. For both, start by highlighting the word or image to which you’d like to attach the hyperlink. Next, click on the Insert menu, and select Hyperlink.
The hyperlink dialog box opens and offers several choices; Internet, Mail &News, Document, and New Document. For this demonstration, we’ll link a word… Continue reading
I like to have complete control over how my Start menu looks, but in the past the process for removing stuff was always a bit too involved for my liking.
That is, until Windows 7’s handy “Remove from this list” feature came along.
All you need to do is click your Start button, then right-click the Start menu program you don’t want displayed anymore… Continue reading
Keyboard shortcuts can be an almost indispensable tool, if they’re simple, and if the process they bypass is done often enough to justify remembering them. Also, to be worthwhile, they must be quick and effective. But some of them combine such a tangled combination of keystrokes, and are so awkward, that I sometimes feel like I’m playing a keyboard version of Twister.
Windows 7 comes with a very cool search indexing feature. If you type any text inside the start menu search box, it gives you results instantly. This is because the files you’re searching have already been indexed by Windows, so it only takes seconds to find and show the results.
The Windows search feature includes all the common files on your computer, such… Continue reading
When you’re going into the program options for the newest MS Office programs you might feel a bit overwhelmed.
There’s lots and lots going on in those dialog boxes… categories such as proofing, advanced, save, etc… and then within each of those there are sections of options such as editing, display, print… and if that were not enough there are options in there program specific.… Continue reading
Are you tired of trying to read that fine print on your computer screen? I know I am. At least I used to be.
In the past, if you wanted to adjust the view (zoom in or out) in a document or a web browser, you would have to navigate through several menus and submenus. Today, Microsoft and OpenOffice have simplified this
Ever try to edit a really long document and find yourself scrolling back and forth through all those pages?
Annoying isn’t it?
I mean sometimes you just need to know what’s on page 8 while you’re trying to edit page 25. Scroll to page 8 then to page 25 then back again…
You get the idea.
Well, for… Continue reading
Did you know that there’s a key you can press that will auto complete a path or file name in the Windows 7 Command Prompt? Yeah, me either – that is, until I was messing around the other day and stumbled across an article on Microsoft’s site detailing how to do it.
Here’s how!
Open a Command Prompt by clicking Start, then typing cmd
One of the things I love the most about Windows 7 is the ability to just type in a program’s name in the search box rather than click through all that other stuff to launch it. So, if I want to launch Firefox, I just type “firefox” in the search box and click the icon that appears in the list above.
Well, did you know that in… Continue reading
Josephine from California asks:
Where is the “insert key” on my keyboard?
Thanks for the question, Josephine. The Insert key more often than not is located in the right half of the keyboard and is usually next to the Delete key. The Insert key is labeled “Ins”. The exact position of the Insert various from one keyboard model to another. In this tip, we’ll take… Continue reading
It’s a fact that sometimes a program in Windows needs “Administrator Rights” to open up. Thankfully Windows 7 and Vista added a feature that when you right-click on certain programs, you’ll automatically have the option to “Run as Administrator”.
Well, did you know that you can also just hold Ctrl+Shift while left clicking on a program to achieve the same effect?… Continue reading
Often in Excel we’re looking to create headers and footers with data information in them. Things like page numbers, file names, dates, times, etc…
Anyway, while we’re creating our headers and footers there’s always some place where we can choose to insert this stuff, but wouldn’t it be faster if we just knew a couple of characters to do the same job?
Yeah -… Continue reading
Windows 7 has quite a few neat tricks up its sleeve! Today’s tip is not only useful, but fun to mess around with, too!
So, open up a program (just about any one will do), and hold your Windows key ( the Windows key is the one located between your Ctrl and Alt keys on your keyboard and has the Windows logo emblazoned on it).… Continue reading
Here is a short tutorial on how you can eject or close your CD ROM using desktop shortcuts. Opening or closing the CD tray using these shortcuts can help you out if you have a faulty eject button on your CD ROM drive. You will never need to open windows explorer and right-click the CD ROM drive and then press eject. These two shortcuts will make your tasks
Mark H. asks:
I have Windows Media Player 11. There used to be a place at the top where I could click Play. I can’t find it anywhere. Where is it?
A. Hi, Mark! You would think it would be right there all the time, wouldn’t you? After all, everybody has to use it.
It’s all about options. If you play a lot of music on your player, you might… Continue reading
Have you ever needed a special character? No, I’m not talking about phoning up Charlie Brown and asking him to referee your kid’s soccer game -I’m talking about a special text character! Sure, there’s a bunch of Alt codes you can use to get results, but if you’re like me, you need a more visual approach.
So, in Windows 7 or Vista hit Start and… Continue reading
OpenOffice: It’s All About The Keys
Many people much prefer using key combinations over the mouse when completing their work.
Some just find that it takes way too much time to keep removing their hand from the keyboard to accomplish something with the mouse. Mostly I agree, it seems that 9 times out of 10
Here’s a fun trick That will allow you to use your keyboard to control your mouse pointer; it’s called Mouse Keys.
Simply press Left Shift +Alt+Num Lock (The Num Lock Key is located in the top row of your number pad.)When you press this key combination, you should see this window pop up.
Now simply press Yes and… Continue reading
Bryan L. Asks:
I see keyboard and shortcut keys for Windows all of the time, but I don’t see any for Internet Explorer. Do any Internet Explorer shortcut keys exist?
A:
Yes, Bryan, they certainly do. Here you go:
F1 – Help.
F3 – Toggle on/off search panel.
F4 – Pull down address bar.
F5 – Refresh… Continue reading
Solitaire is the type of game where you can get stuck really fast. Next time you’re up against a wall of cards try this:
Press Alt+Shift+2
Voila! You win!!
At least it’s a lot more satisfying that starting a new game!
Note: This trick only works in the Windows XP version of solitaire.… Continue reading
We’re all familiar with the “Send to” option when we right-click a file. It allows us to specify a location for the file in question quickly and easily, but why are there so few options?
Look at this:
Windows 7 users have some expanded options, however. Try holding Shift when you right-click a file and see what you… Continue reading
Here’s a super-quick quicktip for everyone out there using Windows XP through Windows 7. If you want to lock your computer the super-duper quick way just press your Windows Key + L.
Voila! Your computer is locked!
Quick and easy!
~Andrew… Continue reading
Hey all you Windows Media Player users out there – looking for some keyboard shortcuts? Well, load up WMP 11, open a video and follow along, because here’s a bevvy of them to try out!
Switch to full mode – CTRL+1
Switch to skin mode – CTRL+2
Switch to the first view in a media category – CTRL+7
Switch to the second… Continue reading
We all know that accessing the Windows Help viewer is as easy as clicking on a blank area of the desktop and hitting F1, right? Well, if you didn’t, then now you do! Here are some helpful keyboard shortcuts to make you help experience a lot smoother! Give ‘em a try!
F10 – Shows the Options menu
F3
Skip the navigating and just type in what you’re looking for! Windows Vista and 7 users can do this already, but if you’re still using Windows XP, these commands might come in handy!
Just click Start>Run, type one of these commands in the box and hit OK.
Calc – Calculator
Charmap – Character Map (for special characters)… Continue reading
