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The
monthly e-zine from Net Technical Solutions |
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3 tips to make your keyboard
king |
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The humble mouse was
undoubtedly one of the
greatest computing
innovations of its day,
enabling fast and intuitive
'point and click'
functionality - not to
mention 'drag and drop'. But
for many users, the keyboard
will always be king.
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For many super-users, the keyboard will
always reign supreme over the mouse. For those who can type quickly,
taking one’s hands away from the keyboard to
use a mouse is a time-wasting distraction. Then
there are the purists, who simply prefer
their traditional ways to those pesky
rodents.
So this month, we are reminding you of three
ways in which you can use your keyboard to
navigate around Windows and access your
applications. Why not get back to basics
with these keyboard usage tips and see
whether it saves you any time?
3 tips to save time with your keyboard
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Starting a program with a keyboard shortcut
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Choosing menus using the ALT key
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Minimizing, maximizing, and closing windows
Starting a program with a keyboard shortcut
If there are programs that you start
frequently, you may find it quicker to set
up keyboard shortcuts to open your
applications rather than browsing through
the Start menu.
To set a keyboard shortcut to start a
program:
1.
Click the
Start
button, and then click
All Programs.
Right-click the program that you want to
start with a keyboard shortcut, and then
click
Properties.
2.
Click in the
Shortcut
key box. Now press the letter on your
keyboard that you want to use to start the
program. Make it easy to remember - for
example W for Microsoft Word or E for
Microsoft Excel. In the Shortcut key box,
Windows automatically adds Ctrl + Alt +
before the key you pressed. When you want to
start the program, hold down both the CTRL
and ALT keys simultaneously, while also
pressing the letter you chose.
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3.
Click
OK
4.
Test your shortcut. Hold down the
CTRL
and
ALT
keys, and then press the letter you chose. Your program should
start.
Choosing menus using the ALT key
You can
select menus using the
ALT
key on your keyboard in almost any program. This is a feature that
can save a lot of time - especially on repetitive tasks.
1.
With your program open, press the ALT key. Notice that one letter on
each menu name is now underlined. To open the menu, press the
underlined key. For example, in Internet Explorer, the View menu
name shows the V underlined after you press the ALT key. To open the
View menu, press the ALT key, and then press V.
2.
Now, each menu item will show one letter underlined. To access or
activate the menu item you want, simply press the underlined key.
For example, in Internet Explorer, after you open the View menu, the
Privacy Report menu item shows the V underlined. Instead of clicking
Privacy Report with your mouse, you can just press the V key.
3.
You can also choose menu commands by pressing key sequences quickly,
without waiting for the menus to open. For example, to quickly view
a Web page's privacy report in Internet Explorer, press ALT, V, V.
Similarly, to save a Web page in Internet Explorer, you would
normally click the File menu, and then click Save As. To choose the
same commands using your keyboard, press ALT, F, A.
Minimizing, maximizing, and closing windows
If you
like to keep four or five windows open while you work, you'll
appreciate knowing these keyboard shortcuts. You can quickly switch
between your Web browser, e-mail, instant message windows, and other
programs without taking your hands off the keyboard.
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Action |
Shortcut |
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Minimize a window to your taskbar |
ALT, SPACEBAR, N |
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Maximize a window so it takes up your whole desktop |
ALT, SPACEBAR, X |
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Restore a window so it's visible but doesn't take up
your whole desktop |
ALT, SPACEBAR, R |
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Close a window |
ALT+F4 |
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Switch to the last window you had open |
ALT+TAB |
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Switch to any window |
Hold down the ALT key, and press TAB until the window
you want is active |
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Visit
our website |
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Net Technical Solutions Ltd.
Wesley Chambers,
Queens Road,
Aldershot,
Hants, GU11 3JD |
Tel: 0845 0034567
Fax: 0845 0034543
E-mail:
sales@ntsols.com
Website:
www.ntsols.com |
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