The magazine of the Melbourne PC User Group Entry Level Questions Answered Lowell Shatraw |
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Q: What Is the Taskbar and the Toolbar? A: The Task Bar is the area at the bottom of your Windows screen that shows the applications that are currently running. The active application will show differently, while the others will show the names of the applications. Clicking a non-active application will cause the application to be displayed on the screen; on top of whatever else you may have displayed. The Task Bar on all Windows systems can be relocated to the side or to the top of your screen if desired. To move it, just click and drag on a blank area on the Task Bar and let go when your mouse is located within about one inch from either side or at least halfway up the screen from the bottom. |
This article was written about three years ago, well before the advent of Windows XP but I’m running it anyway because it’s still very suitable for new “Computer Users”. While it was written for versions up to and including Windows 2000, many of the hints, tips, ideas and general knowledge will have carried through to Windows XP. If you’re a new user with Windows XP on your system, you may need to experiment a little. If you run an earlier version of Windows, enjoy this experience—GT. |
The Tool Bar is a row or column of icons that appear, typically, at the top of
an application screen. The functions will vary according to the application
being used. For example, the tool bar for my Internet Explorer shows the Back
and Forward icons, as well as the Stop, Refresh, Home and others. Netscape
Composer shows the New, Open, Save, Publish, Preview, and others. Q: Should I turn off my computer at night?
Reprinted from the February 2004 issue of PC Update, the magazine of Melbourne PC User Group, Australia
Generally, the Tool Bar is displayed below the Menu Bar which is located in the
topmost area, under the title and which contains names like File, Edit, Insert
and others.
Q: What are the shortcuts to Windows Explorer and to Find?
(Also, what wildcards will work with the Find command?)
A: Here are some of the methods by which you can access Windows Explorer
Note: Don't confuse Windows Explorer with Internet Explorer.
Here are some of the methods by which you can access Find:
For example, let's search for the filename Explorer. First type in the "name"
window the characters Explorer. Now type in the window "LOOK IN:" this drive
letter and path name C:\. Be sure the Include
Subfolders option is checked and now click the Find Now button to start the
search. As you will see when you try this, many possible results will be
displayed. But, we're looking for the Windows Explorer filename icon and it must
be an icon, not a (yellow) folder. It's located in the C:\WINDOWS directory
(folder) and is named EXPLORER.EXE.
If you had typed in EXPL* and
searched, less results would appear and the name EXPLORER.EXE would still
appear. This is because the asterisk * replaces ALL characters from the position
it is located to the 8th character of the standard DOS 8.3 format filename
notation. But, if you use long file names, as allowed in Windows, anything that
starts with whatever you type in, up to the * will be found. And that can be
many names. For example, if I had typed LOW*, then any filename or folder with
LOW, in either uppercase or lowercase would be found. On my system, on just my
C: drive, 1986 names were found. That's nineteen hundred and eighty six file
names and folder names. Try this one. Type ME* and see what results you get.
Q: What are the functions of the Windows key?
A: The Windows key is an additional key found on certain keyboards and it
enables the user to select functions without having to type multiple, keystrokes
to accomplish a task. The functionality of the keyboard's Windows key is
implemented when the OS recognizes the special keyboard and installs drivers, or
by manually installing the special drivers that came with the system.
The table below shows a list of the shortcuts assigned to the Windows key.
Press the
WINDOWS KEY and the START menu will be displayed
WINDOWS KEY + PAUSE opens the SYSTEM PROPERTIES dialog
(Key may be Pause/Break)
WINDOWS KEY + TAB toggles the selection of the applications on the
Taskbar with each press of the TAB key.
WINDOWS KEY + E opens Windows Explorer
WINDOWS KEY + F1 displays the HELP screen
WINDOWS KEY + F displays the FIND ALL screen
WINDOWS KEY + CTRL + F opens the FIND COMPUTER dialog box
WINDOWS KEY + M causes all applications to MINIMIZE
WINDOWS KEY + M + SHIFT causes all MINIMIZED applications to
be restored to being open on desktop (opposite of m
above)
WINDOWS KEY + R opens the RUN window
A: Only if you are not working on it! Seriously though, if you have the PC
connected to the power through a UPS you can safely leave it on all the time,
but be sure to turn the power off to the monitor.
WHY you ask? Well, each time you power ON the computer, which consists of
electronic circuits, the surge of the electricity through the circuits in the
system and the drives has the potential to cause something to burn out. I use
the following analogy to help understand this when I present to my hardware
troubleshooting class. When do you usually see a light bulb burn out? When you
turn the switch ON of course. The electrical surge causes a temperature change
as well as the filament being subjected to the electrical flow and this has the
potential to burn out the filament in the bulb. (Of course that doesn't apply to
fluorescent lamps.)
So, if you have a UPS (Uninterruptible Power Supply), and not just a SURGE
Protector, you can safely leave the power ON. If the power happens to fluctuate
during the night, or even go off for a short period of time, the UPS continues
to power the PC. It has a battery that constantly converts the DC power to the
AC power used by the PC. This battery allows the PC keep running for a time.
I ran a BBS (Bulletin Board System) for 10 years and of course the PC had to be
left ON all the time so that callers could connect to it. Hmmmm, did my mention
of BBS happen to DATE me? These were the method of communicating with other PC
users through one central PC, much like the Internet, but on a smaller scale.
Anyway, I left the PC ON all the time, except for periodic shutdowns for
upgrades and maintenance.
To sum it all up, leave the PC on but turn the monitor off.
Q: What is Wallpaper? How can I change it? Can I use a picture from the Internet
or a picture that I have scanned?
A: The background of your desktop is called Wallpaper. The picture, or graphics
displayed are found in the system or can be added from other sources. Mine is a
space shot showing the space shuttle and arm of an astronaut looking down on the
Great Lakes. To change the wallpaper, Right Click the desktop, select Properties
and select the Wallpaper Tab (or Background Tab as some systems name it). In the
displayed window you will see a list of installed wallpaper scenes to select
from. Scroll through the list, and if you have a favourite, select it. You also
can have it centered in the desktop window, or tiled - that is, multiple images
of the picture or graphic used to fill the screen. I prefer centered. These
images can be bitmaps .BMP or JPG files; pictures of the kids, or your favourite
ski trail. Whatever you desire can be used.
If you find a picture on the Internet and would like to use it as a wallpaper
background, here's how to install it. Right click the image and the selections
Set As Wallpaper, or Save Picture As will become available. I prefer to save the
picture and then access the desktop properties as explained above to later try
it. Save the picture in the C:\WINDOWS folder and you are all ready to change it
when you want a different wallpaper setting.
Scanned pictures can be used in the same way that Internet images are stored and
used.
Q: What are Screen Savers? Why do we need them? Can I download screen savers
from the Internet and run them on my PC? How?
A: The image on a monitor has the potential to burn itself into the inside
surface if kept there for a long period of time.
(With newer monitors this is much less likely than with the monitors of 5-10
years ago.) Electrons exciting the phosphor on the inside of the display glass
create the monitor image. The persistence of the phosphor (the ability to 'light
it up', and keep it light so it can be seen), is much less with today's monitors
than with those of yesteryear. With this persistence being lower, the chance of
the phosphor actually being burned is much less also.
Screen savers today are more of a personal choice of what you want to see when
you are not using the PC, but still want to keep the monitor turned on. They are
used more for cosmetic, than for protection against burning the screen. Swimming
fish, the Frank & Louie Budweiser scene and others are solely for your
enjoyment.
There are many Freeware and
Shareware screen savers available nowadays. With an Internet connection, users
can quickly download a new ones, with seemingly unlimited choices. To see which
ones you currently have, use the Find command to search the C:\WINDOWS folder
for *.SCR files. SCR is a screen saver type file. When downloading new ones,
place them directly in the Windows folder so your Display Properties can see
them when you want to change the one you have running. If they are not in their
SCR format, you may want to download them to a different location, extract them
from whatever format they were stored in - ZIP or EXE - and then place them in
the
C:\WINDOWS folder. Some others yet will require 'installing' them if they are of
the type that include special features - like the Frank & Louie
Budweiser frog one.
Q: Can I change the words (name) under my Desktop Icons? How about the color
behind the words? Also, can I make the words bigger so I can read them?
A: Yes you can change the wording. One way is to Right Click the icon and select
Rename. Another is to Left Click the name twice, in slow succession-at least two
seconds between each click - or you'll launch the program associated with the
icon. The name will change to an edit box showing the entire name and will be
highlighted in blue. Use the arrow keys to position the cursor where you want to
insert new text and start typing. While the text is blue, pressing the backspace
key will remove all the current text. Then just type new text, keeping in mind
there is a limited amount of character space available. When your finish press
the enter key.
To make the color behind the words different, follow this. In the Control Panel
access the Display and Double Click it. Select Appearance. Look in the lower
half of the open Display Properties window for the item: and the word Desktop
should be there.
If not, select it. Then off to the right is the color selection. The current
color shown is what you see as the color behind the desktop words. Change the
color to suit.
To make the desktop icons text bigger, while still in the Display
Properties window, select icon in the item window. Notice just below is the font
setting window? Select a larger font than the default Size 8, click apply and
adjust the size until it's what you want.
Q: What is a Folder? Can I create new folders with my own titles? How do I move
files in and out of folders? Can I get rid of folders I don't need?
A: A folder is much like the manilla folder you may use for storing your monthly
receipts and bills. Each folder contains different information in your filing
cabinet. Each folder in your computer also has different information that has
been placed there. Note: A computer folder may contain the same information that
exists in other folders - if the information has been copied there. Each system
has some folders that are named the same - like Windows, Program Files, etc.
just as some homes have the same folders found in everyone's filing cabinet -ie.
Gas, Electricity, Telephone. Folders contain program files, data files and files
used to support a program - like Microsoft Word is a program file that has DLL
and COM files to support Word when it is executed.
Folders can be created with whatever title the user wants. For example, to
create a folder named Test on the C: drive, several methods can be utilized to
accomplish this. Right click My Computer and select Explore when the drop-down
menu appears. Now click once on the C: drive icon. Now, go up to the menu bar
and select File | New | Folder. A new folder icon is created and now you can
just type the name you want. When the name of the folder is blue and
highlighted, just typing some text causes the name to change to the newly typed
text.
To remove a folder, click it once to highlight it, then press the DEL key on the
keyboard. You have just deleted the folder and all its contents. So, be sure you
know exactly what's in the folder. Never delete files or folders that you didn't
create because all computers have critical files and that are needed to make it
function correctly.
About the Author
Lowell Shatraw has worked in computer support call centres supporting Macintosh
and PC environments; has developed and taught computer troubleshooting and
repair; and at the time of writing was a UNIX system Administrator who also
worked with Windows 9x, NT and Windows 2000.
This article is brought to you by the Editorial Committee of the Association of
Personal Computer User Groups (APCUG), an International organization to which
Melb PC belongs.
