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Mike Labbe

Mike Labbe

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A thread to exchange tips and tricks for Microsoft Windows and Apple Mac folks.
 
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Changing text size in Internet Explorer

If you have a mouse with a wheel between the buttons, try this:

-Hold down CONTROL on the keyboard while you spin the button.
-The text size will change.

Mike
 
Keep Your Favorite Programs Near the Top of the Start Menu

Do you have a favorite application that you frequently use? If so, you can elevate its priority on the Start menu by putting it at the top of the list. This ensures that the program will remain on the Start menu and cannot be bumped by other programs, even if you use the others more frequently.

Right-click the link to your favorite program on the Start menu and select Pin to Start Menu.
Your program will be moved permanently to the top part of the list, just below your browser and e-mail programs.
 
Ease of bcking up data files

Place all of your data files under a single folder (with sub folders if you want for each type)...... Accounting, word processing, spreadsheets, graphics, POS, photos, etc

to back up your data all you have to do is drag a single folder to your backup destination.
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Sometimes I feel like I'm driving a Rolls Royce to the bus stop with what this pc will do compared to what I do with it!
 
With Maxthon, you can specify up to three variations (shift, ctrl and shift+ctrl) and have them add whatever pre- and -suffixes you want.
 
Open Windows Explorer Easily

Pressing the "Windows" key and "E" will open Windows Explorer. I use it a lot because I do a lot of file management. I also have my Microsoft wireless keyboard programmed to open right to frequently accessed directories with some of the shortcut keys (I re-programmed the ones like My Docs, My Pics, My Music, etc).
 
window-R for "Run" command.

window-F for "Find"

Right click on the "toolbar" and you can add a folder as a new toolbar. I put links to the web-radio stations I listen to.
 
Windows XP - Run accessories/system tools/files and transfer wizard periodically. I know you back your data files and you have your original program disks, but you will be amazed how the file you create will allow you to recover all of those "other" things that you rely on - Passwords, desktop, favorites, configurations, cookies, etc. that you will want to recover if you have a major disk failure.

Pat :D
 
Does anyone know of a quick way to access the Windows XP - Run accessories/system tools/files and transfer wizard from a shortcut or better yet calling it in a batch file?
 
Originally posted by Paul N:
Right click on it and select Send to then Desktop. Now you have shortcut for it.
Click to expand...
Or you can drag the file and hold down the ALT key and it will force a shortcut.
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Also, if you want to access 2 or more websites and keep them on your desktop simultaneously, hold the SHIFT key while clicking on each URL or link and each one will open in a separate window. I use this when I want to transfer files from one place to another using drag 'n drop.

Framerguy
 
Haven't seen this one yet and it is pretty basic but I am frequently surprised by people who don't know this:

Hold down the "Alt" key and press the "Tab" key to move through the applications you have open. Highlight the application you want to switch to and let go of the "Alt" key to go there.
 
If you want to delete something without it going to the trashcan; Right click on the object, hold down the shift key and scroll down to 'delete' left click and it's gone.

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Now, how do I get this machine to shut down when I command it to shut down? I want to shut it down and walk away, not "it's okey dokie to turn it off now" after I push "Shut Down". Is that a Win 98 thing only or is it a Bios setting?
 
Windows

  • Create application shortcuts. To create a keyboard shortcut to any application, right-click on the application's shortcut icon (such as those on your desktop), and enter a keyboard combination, such as Ctrl-Alt-W for Word.
  • Toggle between apps. Alt-Tab until you land on the app you want, then let both keys up. Or hold down the Windows key and press Tab to cycle through taskbar buttons to get to your app, then press Enter. Adding the Shift key to either method cycles in reverse.
  • Go to the desktop. Windows key-D.
  • Context menu. Instead of right-clicking to get a context menu, press Shift-F10. Then scroll up or down the menu with the arrow keys.
  • Shut down. To quickly shut down your computer, press Windows key and then U. Once there you can also type S for Standby mode, U to shut down, or R to restart.
  • Most common. You know these, but for true noobs, some common application shortcuts: Ctrl-O for open, Ctrl-S for Save, Ctrl-N for New, Ctrl-W to close a window, Ctrl-C to copy, Ctrl-V to paste, Ctrl-X to cut. Ctrl-Z to undo, Ctrl-Y to redo. To see the clipboard's contents in MS Office, press Ctrl-C twice. Ctrl-Home to move to the top of a document, Ctrl-End to move to the bottom.
  • Menu bar. Pressing Alt gets you to the menu bar, and you can scroll around using the arrow keys. Alt plus the underlined letter of each menu option takes you to that option. Or just memorize the keyboard shortcut for that option for even faster keyboarding.
  • Windows Explorer. Windows-E goes to My Computer. Then use the following.
  • Display subfolders. NUM LOCK + Asterick Sign(*).
  • Display contents. NUM LOCK + PLUS Sign(+).
  • Collapse selection. NUM LOCK + Minus Sign(-).
  • Highlight text. In a document, use Ctrl-Shift plus arrow keys to highlight blocks of text quickly. Ctrl-A to highlight everything at once.
  • Permanent delete. Shift-Delete will delete an item permanently without sending to the Recycle bin.
Mac OS

  • Toggle Dock. Option-Cmd-D to show and hide the Dock.
  • Hide others. Cmd-Option-H hides every other app besides the one you're in. Simplifies your screen.
  • Close Finder windows. Cmd-W to close the current window. Option-Cmd-W to close all the windows in an application.
  • Expand folders. Option-Cmd-Right Arrow to expand a folder and nested sub folders in List View in the Finder.
  • Forward and back. Cmd-[ and Cmd-] works in the Finder, Safari and Firefox.
  • Screen capture. Cmd-Shift-3 for the entire screen. Cmd-Shift-4 to give you cross hairs to create a selection on the screen.
  • Log out. Shift-Cmd-Q gives you 2 minutes to change your mind before logging out. Shift-Option-Cmd-Q doesn't give you that time.
  • Empty Trash. Shift-Cmd-Delete.
  • New tab in Safari. Cmd-T.
  • Help. Cmd-shift-?.
  • Boot from CD. Press C during startup (right after the chime) to boot from a CD.
  • Change startup volume. Option-Cmd-Shift-Delete during startup bypasses the primary startup volume and seeks another startup volume such as a CD or disk.
  • Super Get Info. Cmd-Option-I brings up a live Get Info window, enabling you to view and alter many file and folder stats with a single window.
  • Sleep, restart and shutdown. Cmd-option-eject, Cmd-ctrl-eject, and Cmd-Option-ctrl-eject.
  • Force Quit. Cmd-opt-Esc is a basic but very useful one.
  • Quick FTP. For quick and dirty FTP, Cmd-K will open the Connect to Server command.
Firefox
  • Page down and up. Spacebar for page down, Shift-Spacebar for page up.
  • Find. Ctrl+F, or Alt-N for find next.
  • Bookmark page. Ctrl+D.
  • Quick find. /.
  • New tab. Ctrl+T.
  • Go to search box. Ctrl+K.
  • Go to address bar. Ctrl+L.
  • Text size. Ctrl+= to increase text size and Ctrl+- to decrease text size.
  • Close tab. Ctrl-W.
  • Reload. F5.
  • Go to home page. Alt-Home.
  • Re-open closed tab. Ctrl+Shift+T.
  • Keyword bookmarks. This is the most productive tip of all. If you go to a site a lot, bookmark it (of course), and then go to that bookmark's properties (right-click on it). Give it a short keyword in the keyword field, save, and from then on, you can just go to the address bar (Ctrl-L) and type that keyword to go to your site.
Gmail

  • Compose. C.
  • Reply. R.
  • Reply all. A.
  • Forward. F.
  • Archive, and next. Y+O archives the current message and opens the next.
  • Delete, and next. #+O (i.e. Shift-3 + O) to delete and then open the next message.
  • Send. Tab-Enter to send a message after composing it.
  • Search. /.
  • Navigate. J and K to move up and down your list of messages.
  • Conversation view. N and P to move to the next or previous messages in Conversation view.
  • Mute. M will archive a conversation and make all future messages in that conversation skip your inbox.
  • Select conversation. X will select and check a conversation so you can tag, archive or apply an action.
  • Save draft. Control-S.
  • Go to inbox. G+I.
  • Go to Starred. G+S.
  • Go to Contacts. G+C.
Google Reader

  • Item up/down. J and K.
  • Page up/down. Space or Shift-Space.
  • Toggle star. S.
  • Toggle share. Shift-S.
  • Mark as read/unread. M.
  • Open. V opens the current post in a new tab.
  • Keyboard shortcuts. ? will bring up a help screen.
Excel

  • Edit cell. F2, probably the best shortcut to know.
  • Select current column. Ctrl-Space.
  • Select current row. Shift-Space.
  • Format as currency. Ctrl+Shift+4 (i.e. Ctrl+$).
  • Format as percentage. Ctrl+Shift+5 (i.e. Ctrl+%).
  • Home. Ctrl-Home selects A1 on the current worksheet.
  • Insert date. Ctrl-Semicolon.
  • Insert time. Ctrl-Colon.
  • Copy above cell. Ctrl-Double Quote enters a copy of the cell above (without formatting).
  • Format Cells. Ctrl-1 opens Format Cells dialog box.
  • Navigate worksheets. Ctrl-Page Up and Ctrl-Page Down.
  • Multiple enter. Ctrl-Enter instead of just Enter after entering data into one of several preselected cells will put the data in all those cells.
Word

  • Default formatting. Ctrl-Space turns on normal style for the current selection or subsequent typing.
  • Paragraph spacing. Ctrl-0 (zero above the letter keys) adds or removes a line of spacing above the current paragraph. Ctrl-1 (above the letter keys) changes paragraph to single-line spaces. Ctrl-2 (above the letter keys) double-spaces the paragraph. Ctrl-5 (above the letter keys) makes the paragraph to 1.5-line spacing.
  • Updating date/time. Alt-Shift-D inserts an updating date. Alt-Shift-T inserts an updating time.
Internet Explorer

  • Navigate. Alt-Left Arrow and Alt-Right Arrow to go back or forward, and Ctrl-N to start a new window.
  • Favorites. Ctrl-D to put the current page in your favorite list. Ctrl-B to open the Organize Favorites dialog box.
  • Quick address. To quickly to to an URL, type Ctrl-L and enter the address.
  • Home. Alt-Home to go to your home page.
  • Refresh. Ctrl-F5.
  • Find. Ctrl-F.
Outlook

  • Send/receive. To send or receive mail on default accounts, press F5.
  • Go to inbox. Ctrl+Shift+I.
  • Go to the Outbox. Ctrl+Shift+O.
  • Reply. Ctrl+R.
  • Mark as read. Ctrl+Q
  • New message. Ctrl+Shift+M.
  • New contact. Ctrl+Shift+C.
  • New appointment. Ctrl+Shift+A.
Source: Leo Babauta
http://www.dumblittleman.com/2007/05/productivity-ninja-101-ways-to-rock.html
 
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