April/May NewsLetter - Change Your Email Address?

Tips & Tricks

Print Screen
See that 'Print Screen'(PrtSc) key in the upper right area of your keyboard? Under the old MS Dos operating system, that used to send a copy of your screen's contents to the printer.

In Windows 95 and up, it sends a picture of what's on your computer's screen to the Windows clipboard. It can then be pasted into 'Paint', or any other image manipulation application you may choose to use.

I'm sure I've mentioned this little Tip before, but there's more! If you just wish to capture the currently active window, hold down the ALT key as you press 'Print Screen'.

This truly comes in handy if you teach any kind of computer class, or make webpages, or need to show a window or message for some kind of presentation.

Undo It On The Desktop
Have you ever clicked on a file or folder, dragging it to another folder or location, only to find you lifted your finger along the way and the file or folder has already been deposited somewhere in computerville?

If you happen to be in Windows Explorer, you can simply click on the Edit menu and choose 'Undo'.

If you are making the move on the Desktop, you can do the same thing. Right click any empty area of the Desktop and choose 'Undo Move' from the pop up menu.

Try it out right now! Or better yet, the universal shortcut key combo for 'Undo' seems to be CTRL+Z. This key combination seems to work in many different applications.

Go to your desktop, drag one of your shortcuts into a folder and let it go. Now press CTRL+Z. You'll see the shortcut come back!

Pick A Letter
When working on someone else's computer, I often find that clicking on Start, then Programs, results in three new sub-menus being displayed. This can make it very difficult to find a single application or folder. Usually, I'm looking for Windows Explorer, and it just doesn't seem to be there!

When you click on the Start Menu, and then highlight 'Programs', simply pressing a letter key will take you to the first folder or program beginning with that letter. Press the letter key again, and it will take you to the next folder starting with that letter.

So in the previous example, I would click on Start, highlight 'Programs', then press 'W'. If it didn't take me directly to Windows Explorer, I would press 'W' again, until I find the program I'm looking for.

Play around with it. See what happens when you highlight 'Accessories' and then press 'W', or 'N', or 'P'. I've tried this in Windows98 and ME, but to be honest, I've never tried it in Win95 that I can think of. Check it out for yourself!

Confirm It Yourself
When you delete a file, its sent to the Recycle Bin so that you can restore it to its original place if you find out later that you shouldn't of deleted it. If you're sure of what you are doing and don't want it to go to the Recycle Bin, you can hold down the SHIFT key as you delete it.

Also, remember that when you delete a file from an external drive, like a floppy, or a zip drive, it is just deleted. It doesn't go to the Recycle Bin.

I'm always trying out new files, new ways to store things in folders, converting different formats (.mp3, .wav, .jpg, .bmp, .gif, etc..). I find myself doing a lot of deleting of files. Sometimes, I can get quite annoyed with the question, "Are you sure you want to send this file to the Recycle Bin?".

If you want to get rid of this confirmation, even if only on a temporary basis, its easy to do. Simply right-click on the Recycle Bin icon and choose 'Properties'. From here you can uncheck the box that says "Display Delete Confirmation Dialog Box", click Apply, and you won't be asked again.

If you have more than one drive, then click the radio button that reads "Use One Setting For All Drives", or you'll have to configure Recycle Bin settings for each drive separately.

If you're really sure of yourself, you can check the box that reads "Do Not Move files To The Recycle Bin". Just remember, that when you delete a file, its gone. There's no restoring it from the Recycle Bin.

Browse In A New Process
Do you use Internet Explorer in Windows 98? Do you find that sometimes it freezes or crashes and takes down any other application you may have running, maybe even Windows itself.

Its a fact of life that Browsers are going to crash. The Web is truly an amazing media, and technology has come a long way, but any chain is only as strong as its weakest link. And, between the Internet and your Browser, there are a lot of links.

The problem with Internet Explorer is that its now so tightly meshed with the operating system, that it can tend to take down other apps with it when it crashes. Unfortunately, you will see the odd crash or freeze up, but there are a couple of things you can do to reduce the number of times that it takes down your whole system with it.

With Internet Explorer running, click 'View/Internet Options', then choose the 'Advanced' tab. In the submenu labeled Browsing, check the box that says "Browse In A New Process".

This is supposed to force Internet Explorer to use its own portion of RAM, which may prevent the Browser from causing other applications to crash. Because of the added memory requirements, you should have at least 32Mb of RAM installed.

Oh yeah..., the other thing you can try? Download and install NetScape Navigator, then use Add/Remove Programs in Control Panel to remove Internet Explorer.

This tip was sent in by Tammy.... This was apparently a real memo sent at a computer company to its employees. The author of the memo was quite serious. The engineers rolled on the floor.

Replacement of Mouse Balls
If a mouse fails to operate or should it perform erratically, it may need a ball replacement. Mouse balls are now available as FRUs(Field Replacement Units).

Because of the delicate nature of this procedure, replacement of mouse balls should only be attempted by properly trained personnel.

Before proceeding, determine the type of mouse balls by examining the underside of the mouse. Domestic balls will be larger and harder than foreign balls.

Ball removal procedures differ depending upon the manufacturer of the mouse. Foreign balls can be replaced using the pop-off method. Domestic balls are replaced by using the twist-off method.

Mouse balls are not usually static-sensitive. However, excessive handling can always result in sudden discharge.

Upon completion of ball replacement, the mouse may be used immediately. It is recommended that each person have a pair of spare balls for maintaining optimum customer satisfaction.

Anybody missing their balls should contact the local personnel in charge of removing and replacing these necessary items.

Until next month...

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