A Tip A Day ~ {ERG}

[LoneRanger]

27 December 2007:



Rename Several Files at Once

If you want to give new names to a group of files that share a common theme — such as a collection of digital photos taken during a vacation — you can save yourself time and finger cramps by renaming them all at once (known as a “batch rename”). Follow these steps:



Note

A batch rename can be done in only one folder at a time. Also, be careful not to accidentally rename any critical system files. Doing so could cause Windows to malfunction.

1. Select the files you want to rename using one of the following methods:

• Simultaneously press the Ctrl key and the A key to select all of the files in a folder.

• Click the first item in a list, and then hold down the Shift key and click the last item in the list. This causes the first and last items and any between them to be highlighted.

• Hold down the Ctrl key on your keyboard while clicking each individual item you want to select.

2. Right-click the file you want to go first in the newly renamed series.

3. Select Rename.

4. Type a name for the first file in the series, and then press the Enter key.

5. All of your selected files are given this new name, followed by a number that distinguishes them from one another. For example, if you renamed the first file LoneRanger, then the rest of the files would be named LoneRanger 1, LoneRanger 2, LoneRanger 3, and so on.

6. If you are unhappy with the new names, you can restore the original ones by simultaneously pressing the Ctrl and Z keys on your keyboard. Each time you use this keyboard shortcut, only one file reverts to its original name. That means you must use this shortcut numerous times to restore all of the names.

[LoneRanger]

28 December 2007:



Automatically Insert the Date and Time into a Text File

If you use the Windows Notepad on a regular basis to keep a personal journal or to jot down spur-of-the-moment thoughts, you can create a special text file that automatically inserts the current time and date whenever it is opened.

Here’s how:
1. Click the Start button in the lower-left corner of Windows.

2. Click All Programs.

3. Select Accessories.

4. Click Notepad.

5. After Notepad opens, type .LOG (be sure to use all capital letters and include the period before them).

6. Click the File drop-down menu located in the upper-left corner of Notepad.

7. Select Save.

8. A window opens. In the File Name box, type a name that will help you identify the file (such as My Journal or Notes).

9. Select a location to save the file by clicking the Save In drop-down menu located at the top of this window.

10. Click the Save button located in the lower-right corner.

11. You are returned to the main Notepad screen. To exit, click the X button in the upper-right corner.

Each time you open this special text file, the day and time will be automatically inserted.

[LoneRanger]

29 December 2007:



Edit the Send To Menu

Windows XP has a time-saving technique that enables you to right-click a file, select Send To, and click the name of a program, which causes that file to open inside of your chosen program. By default, Windows XP only has a few programs listed in the Send To menu, but you can easily add more and customize this menu to your liking. Follow these steps:

1. Locate a folder or program you frequently use, and then create a desktop shortcut to it.

2. Right-click the shortcut you just created, and then select Cut.

3. Double-click the My Computer icon on your desktop.

4. A window opens. Double-click the icon for your C: drive (unless you installed Windows in a different location, in which case you would double-click that drive letter).

5. Double-click the Documents and Settings folder.

6. Double-click the folder containing the name of your Windows account. For example, if your account is named Bob, then double click the Bob folder.

7. Inside your Windows account folder, click the Tools drop-down menu.

8. Select Folder Options.

9. A window opens. Click the View tab.

10. Under the Advanced Settings heading, scroll down and click the Show Hidden Files and Folders button.

11. Click the Apply button.

12. Click the OK button؈

13. Back inside your Windows account folder, several hidden folders appear. Double-click the SendTo folder.

14. Inside the SendTo folder, right-click in the empty space and select Paste.Your new desktop shortcut appears.

15. If necessary, repeat this process to paste more shortcuts in the SendTo folder.

16. Click the Tools drop-down menu.

17. Select Folder Options.

18. A window opens. Click the View tab.

19. Under the Advanced Settings heading, scroll down and click the Do Not Show Hidden Files and Folders button.

20. Click the Apply button.

21. Click the OK button.

22. Exit the SendTo folder by clicking the X button in the upper-right corner.

23. From now on, whenever you right-click a file or folder and select Send To, you will have the option to send a copy of it to one of the locations you added.

[LoneRanger]

30 December 2007:



Create Audio and Visual Warnings for Caps Lock, Num Lock, and Scroll Lock

If you are like many computer users who never learned how to type properly, you probably spend more time looking at your keyboard than looking at the computer screen. This could be problematic, especially if you accidentally press the Caps Lock key and type several sentences in all capital letters before you notice your mistake. To prevent this, you can tweak Windows to notify you whenever you press the Caps Lock, Numbers Lock, or Scroll Lock keys. Here’s how:

1. Click the Start button in the lower-left corner of Windows.

2. Click the Control Panel.

3. Click Accessibility Options.

4. A window opens. Click the Keyboard tab.

5. Under the ToggleKeys heading, put a checkmark in the Use ToggleKeys box.

6. Click the Sound tab.

7. Under the SoundSentry heading, put a checkmark in the Use SoundSentry box.

8. Use the Choose the Visual Warning drop-down menu to select your preferred method of visual warning: Flash the active caption bar, Flash the active window, or Flash the desktop.

9. Click the Apply button.

10. Click the OK button.

[LoneRanger]

31 December 2007:



Create a Screensaver Shortcut

Another time-saving technique is to create a desktop shortcut to your favorite screensaver. That way, if you need to step away from your computer, you can use the shortcut to launch the screensaver immediately.

Follow these steps:

1. Click the Start button in the lower-left corner of Windows.

2. Select Search.

3. The Windows Search Companion opens. If the Search Companion is in standard mode, click the words in the left window pane that say All files and folders. If your Search Companion is in advanced mode, proceed to the next step.

4. In the All or Part of the File Name box, type *.scr

5. In the Look In drop-down menu, select Local Hard Drives.

6. Click the Search button.

The Search Companion looks for screensavers in all of the folders on your computer. Depending on the speed of your computer, this process could take a few minutes. When the search is complete, a vertical list of your screensavers appears.

7. Decide which screensaver will receive a shortcut. If you are unsure, view a sample of each one by right-clicking it and selecting Test (but hold your mouse still, because any movement will prevent the screensaver from playing).

8. Once you have selected a screensaver, right-click it and select Create Shortcut.

9. A message will alert you that “Windows Cannot Create a Shortcut Here. Do You Want the Shortcut to Be Placed on the Desktop Instead?” Click the Yes button.

10. Close the Search Companion by clicking the X button in the upperright corner.

11. Go to your desktop and find the screensaver shortcut. From now on, you can quickly launch the screensaver by double-clicking its shortcut.

12. If you want to use your keyboard to start the screensaver, right-click the new shortcut and select Properties.

13. A window opens. In the center of it is a box labeled Shortcut Key, next to which is the word None. Click this word, then type a letter (it can be any letter you choose). The word None disappears, and in its place appears Ctrl + Alt + your letter (see Figure 8-7). In this example, the letter S was used, so the shortcut Ctrl + Alt + S appears.

14. Click the Apply button.

15. Click the OK button.

16. From now on, you can activate the screensaver from your keyboard by simultaneously pressing the Ctrl, Alt, and your letter keys.

[LoneRanger]

01 January 2008:

HAPPY NEW YEAR TO ALL

02 January 2008:



Use Keyboard Shortcuts

One of the best time-saving features of Windows is also one of the least known: keyboard shortcuts.

By pressing a few buttons on your keyboard, you can accomplish the same tasks that normally would take much longer with a mouse.

The following tables list the Windows and Internet Explorer keyboard shortcuts.

Windows Shortcuts

Keyboard Combination Result
Alt + E Opens the Edit menu
Alt + Enter Opens the Properties window
Alt + F Opens the File menu
Alt + F4 Closes the current program
Alt + Print Screen Takes a screen shot of the current window or program
Alt + Tab Switches between the programs currently in use
Ctrl + A Selects all text
Ctrl + C Copies the selected object
Ctrl + End Jumps to the end of the current document
Ctrl + Esc Opens the Start menu
Ctrl + F4 Closes the current program
Ctrl + Home Jumps to the beginning of the current document
Ctrl + Insert Copies the selected object
Ctrl + left arrow Moves to the left one word
Ctrl + right arrow Moves to the right one word
Ctrl + V Pastes the selected object
Ctrl + X Cuts the selected object
Ctrl + the “+” key Perfectly resizes the width of Explorer columns
End Jumps to the end of the current line
F1 Opens the Help menu
F2 Renames the selected icon
F3 Launches the Search Companion in a folder or on the desktop
F4 Accesses the Address Bar in a folder or window
F5 Refreshes the contents of a folder or window
Home Jumps to the beginning of the current line
Shift + Delete Permanently deletes files (bypasses the Recycle Bin)
Shift + End Highlights text from the current position to the end of the line
Shift + F10 Substitutes for a right-click
Shift + Home Highlights text from the current position to the
beginning of the line
Shift + Insert Pastes the selected object
Shift while inserting Prevents the CD player from playing an audio CD



Shortcuts for Keyboards with a “Windows” Key (Resembling a Flag)

Keyboard Combination Result
Windows Key + E Opens Windows Explorer
Windows Key + F Launches the Windows Search Companion
Windows Key + F1 Opens the Help and Support Center
Windows Key + L Locks down Windows
Windows Key + M Minimizes all windows and shows the desktop
Windows Key + M + Shift Undoes the minimize
Windows Key + Opens the System Properties window Pause/Break key
Windows Key + R Opens the Run window
Windows Key + U Launches the Utility Manager



Internet Explorer Shortcuts

Keyboard Combination Result
Alt + left arrow Returns to the previous Web page
Alt + right arrow Moves forward one Web page
Ctrl + N Opens a new browser window
Ctrl + P Prints the current Web page
Ctrl + Enter Fills in a Web address.
Esc Halts the current Web page from loading
F5 Refreshes the current Web page
F11 Displays a Web page in full-screen mode.To exit this mode, press F11 again.
Spacebar Moves down one Web page at a time
Spacebar + Shift Moves up one Web page at a time

[LoneRanger]

03 January 2008:



Use WordPad

Windows XP has a word-processing program known as WordPad that allows you to create basic text documents. Although WordPad does not have the professional features found in a top-of-the-line word-processing program (like Microsoft Word), it does have significant advantages over its bare-bones brother, Notepad.

For that reason, many people prefer WordPad for creating memos, jotting down quick notes, or making simple to-do lists. Here is where you can find it:

1. Click the Start button in the lower-left corner of Windows.

2. Click All Programs.

3. Select Accessories.

4. Click WordPad.

5. A quick and convenient way to access WordPad is to create a desktop
shortcut to it.
a. Right-click the WordPad icon.
b. Select Send To.
c. Select Desktop (create shortcut).

Upgrade WordPad

If you want a word-processing program that is more advanced than WordPad but doesn’t have the price tag of Microsoft Word, consider downloading a WordPad-replacement program. Here are two popular choices (both of which are free):
• Jarte (http://jarte.com)
• MetaPad (http://welcome.to/metapad)

[LoneRanger]

04 January 2008:



Update Your Video Card Drivers

If your computer is a few years old and you notice that it seems to 'hiccup” now and again while watching DVD movies, playing video games, or doing other graphics-intensive activities, then you might benefit from upgrading the drivers for your video card.

Drivers are a set of instructions that tell your computer how it should interact with a piece of hardware like a video card. Manufacturers often release new versions of their drivers on a regular basis, so the chances are good that you will be able to download new ones.

Here’s how:

1. First, you need to determine the age and version of your current video-card drivers. Click the Start button in the lower-left corner of Windows.

2. Click the Control Panel. (If you don’t see this option, your Start menu is in classic mode. In that case, click Settings, and then select the Control Panel.)

3. If the Control Panel is in category view, click the Performance and Maintenance category, and then click the System icon. If the Control Panel is in classic view, simply double-click the System icon.

4. A window opens. Click the Hardware tab.

5. Click the Device Manager button.

6. Another window opens. Double-click Display Adapters.

7. The name of your video card is displayed. Double-click it.

8. A new window opens. Click the Driver tab.

9. At the top of this window is the name of your video card. Below it are listed three important categories: Driver Provider, Driver Date, and Driver Version. Grab a pen and paper and write down all of this information.

10. Exit this window by clicking the Cancel button.

11. You are returned to the previous window. Exit it by clicking the X button in the upper-right corner.

12. Connect to the Internet.

13. Use your Web browser to visit an Internet search engine like Yahoo!, MSN, or Google. Do a search on the name of your video card’s manufacturer. After finding a link to the manufacturer’s website, click it.

14. At the site, look for a link with one of the following names: Drivers, Software, Downloads, Support, or Customer Service.

15. Once you have found the link, you are taken to a section of the website that allows you to search for graphics or video-card drivers.

Search only for those designed for Windows XP. To find the appropriate drivers for your specific video card, refer to the information you jotted down, particularly the name of your card and the driver version.

Be careful not to accidentally download drivers that have an older, lower version number, because this could cause your video card to have worse problems.

16. After you locate the most recent drivers for your video card, download their installation program to your computer. If you followed the “Easily Locate Your Downloads” 5-minute fix in Chapter 3 and created a separate Downloads folder on your computer, then save the installation program there.

17. Disconnect from the Internet, and then locate the installation program and double-click it. The installation of your new drivers begins. Follow the on-screen instructions.

18. When the installation is complete, you are asked to restart your computer.

[LoneRanger]

05 January 2008:



Get the Best Picture

If your computer is fairly new, or if you recently installed a new video card, then your system is probably capable of viewing images at the highest quality settings.

To do so, follow these steps:

1. Right-click the My Computer icon on your desktop.

2. Select Properties.

3. A window opens. Click the Advanced tab.

4. Under the Performance heading, click the Settings button.

5. Another window opens. Under the Visual Effects tab, click the Adjust for Best Appearance button.

6. Click the Apply button.

7. Click the OK button.

8. Return to your desktop and right-click its empty space.

9. Select Properties.

10.A window opens. Click the Settings tab.

11.Under the Color Quality heading, it should say Highest (32 Bit). If it has a lower number, click the drop-down menu and select Highest (32 Bit).

12.Click the Advanced button located near the lower-right corner of this window.

13.A new window opens. Click the Monitor tab.

14.Under the Monitor Settings heading, click the Screen Refresh Rate drop-down menu. If your monitor permits, select a high refresh like 72 Hertz, 75 Hertz, or more.

15.Click the Apply button.

16.Click the OK button.

17.If your eyes are bothered by the highest refresh rate, try the next highest one. Test each rate until you find one that feels comfortable and reduces eyestrain.

[LoneRanger]

06 January 2007:



Install PowerToys

Give Windows XP extra oomph by installing special add-ins known as PowerToys. Developed by Microsoft, these programs are designed to enhance the existing features of Windows or add new ones. Each PowerToy is available free of charge on Microsoft’s website:

http://microsoft.com/windowsxp/d...powertoys.mspx

Note
Microsoft does not offer technical support for the PowerToys, so if you run into problems when using one of them, either call a certified computer professional or uninstall that particular PowerToy. Also, Microsoft warns that if you previously installed any PowerToys prior to April 23, 2002, you must uninstall the old PowerToys before installing the new versions.

The PowerToys programs include the following:
• Tweak UI: The gem of the PowerToys collection is this extraordinary program that provides advanced options for changing or tweaking settings in Windows and Internet Explorer. It also enables you to customize features that were previously inaccessible.

• RAW Image Thumbnailer and Viewer: By installing this PowerToy, you can view uncompressed photos in the RAW format taken directly from a digital camera.

• HTML Slide Show Wizard: With this PowerToy, you can view your digital photos in a special Internet-friendly slide show.

• CD Slide Show Generator: If you have digital photos stored on a CD-ROM, you can view them as a slide show thanks to this PowerToy.

• Power Calculator: This powerful digital calculator offers numerous features not found in the standard Windows calculator, such as graphs and conversions.

• Image Resizer: Thanks to this PowerToy, you can change the size of
a picture by right-clicking it with your mouse.

• Virtual Desktop Manager: Instead of using only one Windows desktop, this PowerToy enables you to have up to four “virtual” desktops open at one time, each of which can have its own customized appearance, folders, and programs.

• Taskbar Magnifier: This handy PowerToy enables you to magnify areas of your screen.

• Webcam Timershot: If your computer has an Internet camera, you can use it to take pictures at scheduled times (such as every few minutes or every few hours).

• ClearType Tuner: If you use a laptop computer, or if you have an LCD monitor for your desktop computer, you may benefit from a special font known as ClearType that was designed to make words easier to read on those kinds of screens.

Note
ClearType should not be used on computers with traditional monitors, because it could make words appear blurry.