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Computer Tutor Don Columns for 2003
Don Edrington's Columns for:
2004 &
2005 &
2006 &
2007 &
2008
Click on a date below & jump to that date's article. |
To FIND a Word or Phrase on this page, press Ctrl+F and type in the target phrase.
(Ctrl+F works on most other Web pages, as well.)
The "date" links work fine with Internet Explorer.
With other browsers you can use Ctrl+F
(such as Find Feb 13).
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Copying Files to a New Computer
+ XP Products Require Permission to Reinstall
+ What Exactly Does "ZIP" Mean?
+ File Compression, Do-It-Yourself Zipping & Unzipping
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Lotus/IBM Word Processor?
+ Microsoft Support for Win98 Coming to an End
+ Free Viewers for Microsoft Programs
+ Playing Continuous Music with the Windows Media Player
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Copying from a PDF File to Another Program + Copying from a PDF Graphic + Copying a Web Page to a Disk + Graphics with Strange Filename Extensions
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Adding a Personal Signature to a Letter
+ Folks Sending Me Lots of Email Addresses - Please Use BCCs (Blind Carbon Copies) to Keep This from Happening!
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Using Your Taskbar's "Quick Launch" Area
+ Deleting Startup Shortcuts in MSCONFIG + Using SCANDISK + PCs Run Faster When Defragmented Regularly
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Large & Small View of Desktop Icons & Text + Using the "Send To" Command + Using IMs (Instant Messages) + Using a USB "Thumb Drive"
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Having Web Pages Open in the Size You Want + Using a Page's Blue Title Bar Effectively + Odd Symbols in MSWord + Moving an ".EXE" File
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Plain Text vs Formatted Text + Emailing a Copy of Your Desktop 'Wallpaper' + Missing Graphics + Accessing DOS (MSDOS) in WinXP
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Windows XP Picture & Fax Viewer + Many of Us Have Multiple Image-Editors + Resize an Image with Your Word Processor + Cautionary Note About Resizing JPG Photos + Why Don't I See the Animated Clipart Moving? + Resizing an Animated GIF + Sending a Holiday Newsletter in a 'Window' Envelope
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Why Email Sometimes Arrives in Code + Using "View, Date Picture Taken" on Digital Photos
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Changing a Folder's Icon + Superimposing a Picture on a Folder Icon + Using the "Show Desktop" Icon
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More on Using Outlook Express "Message Rules" to Try to Help Control SPAM
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Using Outlook Express "Message Rules" to Try to Help Control SPAM
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Creating PowerPoint Presentations + Free PowerPoint Viewer
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Putting a Decorative Border Around Pictures with BorderArt + Borders & Shading (Line & Fill) +
FAT32 vs NTFS
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Word Processing Templates + Drawing with WordArt
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Copying an Image from a PDF Document + Drawing Tools in Your Word Processing Program + Problems in Creating a "Boot Disk" for Windows XP
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Keeping Email Addresses in a Word Processing File + Automatic Backup in Excel + Saving an Outlook Express Message As You Type + Online Data Backups + UPS Backup Battery
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Completely Erasing a Hard Drive + Extending the Playing Time of a WAV File + How to Make an Emergency "Startup Disk"
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Reader Recommends MSWord for Editing & Printing Pictures + Dragging & Dropping an Image into a Word Document or a Bitmap Editor + Creating a 'Scrap" with MSWord
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Requesting Receipts for Email Messages + Putting 'HyperLinks' in an MSWord Document + Inserting Page Numbering into a Document
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Using a Favorite Photo as a Desktop Background + Create Your Own "SlideShow ScreenSaver" + "MIDI" Music Files Not Playing on Regular CD Player + Make Your Own WAV Recordings
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PowerPoint Basics + RGB Monitor Colors vs CMYK Ink Colors
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Printing Mailing Labels & Envelopes with MSWord & Excel
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Putting Pictures in Special Folders + Different Ways to Create a New Folder + Free Downloadable Holiday Clipart + More Info on Setting Up a DataBase + Weeding Out Duplicate Entries in a DataBase
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Printing Mailing Labels & Envelopes with MSWorks
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How to Add Text to a Picture
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Multiple Photos Not Fitting on a Print-Out + Using Your Word Processing Program to Print Pictures +
Cropping Can Save Money + Using "File, Print Preview" to See How a Print-Out Will Look
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Information on Protecting a Computer from Viruses, Hackers, & Microsoft Windows Security Vulnerabilities |
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Mini-Tutorial for Beginning Spreadsheet Users (Part 1) + Using Excel's "Set Print Area" Command
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Using Columns in Your Word Processor + Word Processor "Table" vs a "Spreadsheet" + Finding the "End" of a Spreadsheet + Controlling a Spreadsheet's Print-Out
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Recovering Hard Disk Space by Uninstalling Unneeded Programs
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Turning Automatic Spell Checking Off & On + Creating a Shortcut Macro to Switch Spell-Check Modes +
Assigning a Function Key to a Macro + Automatic Grammar Checking + Temporary Internet Files Question
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Word Count + Ressurecting Text Files from Obsolete Word Processors + Using Multiple Anti-Virus Services +
Thumbnail Views of Pictures + Putting Images on Your Yellow Folders
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Creating Additional Storage Space on Your Hard Drive |
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Viruses Keep Coming + ScreenSaver Question + More About the PrtSc (PrintScreen) Key + Music Files |
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New Virus Danger - Infected Emails with NO ATTACHMENTS + CD-Burning Basics for Data Files + Email in a Foreign Language +
Creating a "Macro" in MSWord |
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W32.Sobig.F@mm Virus Info + Email Yourself an Important File + Using PrtSc (PrintScreen) to Keep
Items in View + Using Irfanview to Open Unusual Picture Types + Using Your
"Files of Type" Options + Compatibility Between Different Word Processors + AutoCorrections Not Necessarily Needed |
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Various "Save" Options in MSWord & Other Word Processors + Start New File by First Giving It a Name +
Saving Files to Other Media for Extra Insurance + Email Yourself an Important File + Sending a Font via Email
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Inserting Email Addresses with a Mouse-Click from an Address Book + Removing Forwarded Email Addresses & Headers +
Using "Blind Carbon Copies" + Leaving Mail on the Server with Outlook Express + Too Many Fonts?
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Alphabetizing (Sorting) Various Parts of Windows + Sort in Either Direction + Getting Familiar with MSWord Tables + Sorting in Other Word Processors + Sorting with Spreadsheets + Using Table Commands to Extract Plain Text
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Difficulty Finding the Program You Want Because There Are So Many? +
Cluttered Desktop
+ How to Create a Folder
+ "Plain Text" vs "HTML" + Put a Program Shortcut in the Start Menu +
"Quick Launch" Is Even Better + How to Download the "Yellow Sticky Notes" Program
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Accessibility Options for the Physically Challenged +
Larger Text & Ojects on the Screen
+ Some "Computers 101" Re: Browsers & Email
+ "Plain Text" vs "HTML"
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This Amazing Thing Called the Internet + Phone Call from a Stranger
+ Having Your Own Web Site Can Be Nothing But Fun +
Nice to Have Your Site Hosted by People You Know + PDF Questions
+ Copying Text from a PDF Document |
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Turning Off the Sound in a Web Page + Why Buy a Media Player Upgrade? + Bye Bye to Netscape?
+ Getting Disconnected after an Outlook Express Session + Uncertainaties of Using an Anti-Spam Program
+ Yellow Sticky Notes + Free 'Full-Time' Anti-Virus Program + Free 'StripMail' Program |
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Valuable Free Software + Creating Shortcuts & Icons + Remembering Korea
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Problems & Tricks with Sorting (Alphabetizing) a List +
Filename "Ghosts" +
Copy & Paste Mystery
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"Windows Explorer" vs "Internet Explorer" +
Disguising Your Documents +
Expanding the "Most Recently Used File" List in MSWord
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Toggling Between Your Desktop & Wherever Else You May Be +
Finding Things on Your PC +
Searching in a Particular Folder +
Finding Text on a Web Page +
Changing a File's Name
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Weeding Out Your System Tray + Email Doesn't Necessarily Need an Attachment to Give You a Virus + Getting to TrendMicro Free Virus Scan Without a Mouse + Cable & DSL Users Need a Firewall
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Creating a Checkmark (P) + Immediate Removal of Temporary Internet Files + Having a Folder Fill the Screen Each Time It's Opened + Which Files to Delete + Free OCR Program + Free Bitmap Format Conversion Program + Java Script Errors
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Deleting Temporary Internet Files & Cookies + Privacy Concerns + Disk Cleanup + Moving an Immovable Window + Not Happy with Receiving Photos via Email
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Some Thoughts on Preparing an Email Newsletter + Using OCR (Optical Character Recognition)
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Controlling the Display & Printing Properties of Digital Pictures + Effects of Airline X-Ray Scanners on Digital Equipment + Using a Favorite Photo as Background "Wallpaper"
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Email Printouts that are Too Small or Too Large + Adding a "Smiley" to Your Message + IncrediMail Is Really Quite Incredible + Finding Free Clipart + Editing Animated GIF Files
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"Bugbear" Virus Warning + Converting Large BMP Files to Compact JPG Files + Information About GIF Files
+ Shortcut for Attaching Multiple Pictures to an Email + Email File Size Limitations
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Using the ALT Key for Special Character Codes + Other Special Key Combinations
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Icons Mysteriously Vanished + Names Added to Your Address Book When Not Wanted +
Why I Keep My Email Address List in a "Word" File + What Are All Those Special Keys For? + Mystery Key + Worthless Key + Uses for the ALT Key
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Dial-Up Modem Problem + Possible Fix for Internal Hardware Problems + Windows 98 Feeling May Be Feeling Its Age + Dealing with a Dead Mouse + Being Careful with "System Restore" Discs + Blowing Out Dust, Lint & Pet Hairs with Can of Compressed Air |
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Advantages of Using Thumbnails + PAINT SHOP PRO - Full Featured, Moderately Priced Painting & Drawing Program + Free Slide Show Viewer + Using Different Image-Editing Programs |
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Using a Folder Other Than "My Documents" + Not All "Folders" Work the Same Way + More on "File Associations" + Making Your Photos Lighter or Darker |
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Have Your Icons Suddenly Changed? + Working with "File Associations" +
You Don't Remember Installing a New Image-Editor? |
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Where Do Spammers Find Our Names? + Other Cyber Hazards, Viruses, Hackers, Password Theft
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Fighting Spam + Receiving Email with Blank Box Containing a Red X
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Using Your Email Program to Save Web Page Material + Crash Insurance for Outlook Express Users + "Inserted Picture" vs "Attached Picture" + Word Processor Users Want to Start Typing "Near Upper Left Corner of Page"
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Reducing the File Size of a Picture + "Cropping" a Picture + Changing a Picture's "File Format"
+ Blank Box with a Red X in It
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Inexpensive Program Creates PDF Files + Cropping a Picture with "Irfanview"
+ Comparing File Sizes + Free PowerPoint Viewer from Microsoft
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Printing a "Selection" of a Document + Bringing a Printer to an Instant Stop +
Pruning Your Word Processor's Toolbar
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Problems with Enlarging Scanned Pictures + Differences Between JPG & GIF Image Formats +
Different "Quality to File Size" Options with JPG Images
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Opening & Reading "PDF" Files + Why Not Just Use HTML? +
Making Large Files Fit on a Small Disk + Using WinZip + "Plain Text" Files Are Always Smaller
+ Using Headers & Footers
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Changing Your PC's Display Settings + Printing Multiple Pictures on a Sheet of Paper +
Using Your Word Processor to Print Pictures + Easy Way to Resize a Picture + Making Text Stay Where You Want It
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Differences Between "Painting" and "Drawing" Programs
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Drawing Tools Available in MSWord & MSWorks + WordArt Creations Can Be Rotated to Any Angle + Stars, Triangles, Diamonds, Arrows, Hearts, etc.
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Different Ways to Convert a Font-Created Logo into a JPG File + Using WordArt + Using MSWord's Drawing Tools + "Screen" Resolution vs. "Print" Resolution
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Different Ways of Saving IMs (Instant Messages) & Email + Why Aren't the Flags Waving? + Online GIF-Editing Program
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Animated GIF File Editing Requires Special Software + Speedy Opening & Conversion of Graphic Files + Copying Documents Between Different Programs and Different Computer Platforms + More About Using the "Forward" & "Reply" Buttons + AOL & CompuServe "Carbon Copy" Peculiarities
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Tips on "Forwarding" from Readers + Keyboard Key Overlays for DVORAK and Foreign Languages + Creating Alphabetized (Sorted) Lists in Different Programs
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Problems with "Forwarding" Email - Using "Blind Carbon Copies"
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Accessing Old AOL Email After Canceling the Service + Keeping Outlook Express Email on Your ISP's Service + Switching to the "Dvorak" Keyboard
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More on Google Providing a Map to Your Home + Understanding Outlook Express .EML and .DBX Files
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Is Google Providing a Map to Your Home? + A 3rd Party "Character Map" with Extra Large, Legible Text + How to Find MIDI & WAVE Audio Files + Using the Taskbar Volume Control
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Merging 2 Graphics into One - Making Filename Extensions Visible
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Hyperlinks in MSWord & Various Email Programs + More about Foreign Web Site "ISO" Codes + How to View a Web Page's or Email's HTML "Source" Coding + Sending a Web Page via Email + Deleting Unwanted Email |
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Foreign Web Site "Codes" + Missing DLL Files + Left-Handed Mousing + Avoiding Mouse Pain + Keyboard Protection with a Custom "Skin"
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Various Ways of Doing Paragraph "Indents" + Using Your Word Processor's Ruler + More on Using "Wingdings"
IJ NOPQRSTVWXYZ124567890
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Making Text "Shrink to Fit" + How to Use "Paragraph Spacing"
+ Making Text "Fill Up More Space" + More Free Image-Editing Programs:
Digital Camera Enhancer +
JPEG Cleaner +
XnView (similar to Irfanview) See a description of these programs at the
end of the Mar. 9 column. |
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Selecting a Large Area of Text + Putting a Smiley Face in Email or in a Text Document
J
+ Netscape Mail Losing Out to Outlook Express & Hotmail + More Tips on Using Irfanview +
An Even More Powerful (Yet Totally Free) Photo-Editing Program: PIXIA + More Virus Tricks to Watch For |
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Using "IRFANVIEW" - a Free Bitmap-Editing Program
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Adjusting Margins & Editing Text in Emails Before Printing Them Out + Sending Sound Files via Email
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Customizing Your Email with "Hotbar" + Using a Picture for a Background in Juno +
Incredimail + "Panicware" Pop-Up Killer + Fixing a Sticky Keyboard + Hoaxes & Urban Legends
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Customizing Your Email "Background" in AOL, in CompuServe & in Outlook Express +
Having Your Special OE Background Come Up by Default +
Copying Graphics for Use in Email +
What is "NORMAL.DOT"?
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More on Anti-Spyware + Working with "ART" Files + ".CGM" & ".WMF" Files +
Inserting Pictures in Email & Word Processing Documents + Outlook Express Error Message +
MSWord Printer Options + Using "Print Preview"
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Selecting a Group with a "Marquee" + "Inverting" a Selection + "Drag & Drop" or "Send To" +
Recovering Deleted Files + Bypassing the Recycle Bin + Deleting Temporary Internet Files +
Using the Temp. Internet Files Folder to Capture Music Files
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Changing a Document's Text Size on Your Monitor + Free Anti-Spyware Program + More on Backing Up Favorites & Bookmarks + More on Backing Up AOL Items |
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Free Firewall Program + Free Anti-Spyware + More on Backing Up Bookmarks & Favorites |
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Using "Thumbnails" + Desktop as a Folder + Putting a Thumbnail on a Folder + Choosing a "Background" Picture + Thumbnails in Windows 98 + Using OLE (Object Linking & Embedding) |
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Changing a Document's Text Size on Your Monitor + Another Way to Save the Outlook Express Address Book + Inserting a Spreadsheet into a PowerPoint Presentation
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Backing Up Email Address Books in Outlook Express, Eudora, Juno, Netscape & AOL + Using CCs (Carbon Copies) & BCCs (Blind Carbon Copies)
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Backing up OE Emails & Handling DBX Files - Recovering Deleted Files - Changing MSWord Text from ALL CAPS to all lower case to Traditional sentence
structure. |
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Info from Readers on Scanner for Slides & Film Negatives + Displaying Photos Online + MSN & Outlook Express Deleting .EXE Attachments + More About MSCONFIG + Easy Way to Type in Web Site Addresses + Searching for Lost Files |
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Anti-Virus Protection + Using Windows' Built-In Maintenance Utilities (ScanDisk, CheckDisk, Defrag, Disk CleanUp) + Using MSCONFIG to Manage Startup Programs + Scanning Film Negatives & Slides
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Questions about Burning CDs
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Free Spell Checker - Alphabetizing (Sorting) a List - Translate a Webpage with Free Translator
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Outlook Express vs Attachments, Free Anti-Virus Services, Adjusting Your Mouse to Work Better, Free Translating Service, Inserting Special Symbols into Text ( ¢ © ² ® ¾ ¿ º ñ é ± £ ) |
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Copying Files to a New Computer
About this time every year I receive a lot of questions asking how to copy
data from an old computer to a new one. Well, if both computers are running
WinXP and are connected through a network, transferring personal files can
be done by going to Start>All Programs>Accessories>System Tools>File and
Settings Transfer Wizard, and following the instructions.
However, this does NOT transfer application programs - they need to be
reinstalled from the original CDs.
Regarding these programs, in theory, many require permission from the
software companies for additional installations. In fact, however, multiple
installations of programs has been going on since applications came into
being.
XP Products Require Permission to Reinstall
With XP products, however, Microsoft requires a Product ID Number that
changes with each installation, and which must be obtained via phone.
Nonetheless, I've heard that explaining that a program needs to be
reinstalled, because it crashed, is something that's rarely challenged.
Getting back to personal files, many can be transferred via 3.5-inch
floppies. OK, this worked well back when hard drives and file sizes were
relatively small. Nowadays many types of music, video and graphic files
won't fit on a floppy; but the advent of recordable CDs has made it possible
to copy much more data per disc. Eventually, we may all be using
huge-capacity DVDs.
In the meantime, Zip Drive users know their disks hold at least 77 times
more data than a floppy, and that external Zip Drives can be moved from one
computer to another. However, this method of file storage generally has
given way to recordable CDs, since Zip Disks cost lots more than CDs and
don't hold near as much data.
However, one handy "Zip Drive" feature is "AppMover," which can move some
applications from one computer to another.
In any case, no matter which type of disk you use, you can cram more files
onto it if you first "zip" them.
What Exactly Does "ZIP" Mean?
There are different meanings for the word "ZIP." We'll start with
Iomega, a company that manufactures the "Zip Disks" and "Zip Drives"
mentioned above. These hardware devices, however, have nothing to do with
the generic use of the word "zip," which, in PC lingo, has become a synonym
for "compress."
File Compression
To "compress" ("zip") a file is to temporarily reduce its size so that it
will take up less disk and bandwidth space. This also means a "zipped" file can
be uploaded and downloaded faster. However, a compressed file needs to be
"decompressed" ("unzipped") before it can be used again.
Nowadays, much file compression is done automatically, so we don't have to
think about it. For instance, when you attach files to an email they are
automatically zipped before being uploaded, and then unzipped on the
receiving end.
But files copied to a disk or disc will NOT be zipped unless you make it happen; and
the program used most often for doing this is called WinZip (available from
www.winzip.com).
Windows XP has a built-in zip/unzip utility, but many techs agree that
WinZip does a better job. Whichever you prefer, here's an overview of how zipping is done:
Do-It-Yourself Zip & Unzip
Right-click any file or folder and choose Send To>Compressed (Zipped)
Folder. The file (or any folder full of files) will be instantly compressed
into a special folder whose name will have .ZIP as an extension. A folder
named, say, MyStuff, would create MyStuff.zip and would take up perhaps half
as much disk space as the original folder.
When you later need a file from the zipped folder, open the folder with a
double-click. Finally, double-click the file, which will then be restored to
its original state.
It's also important to understand that a zipped file has been COPIED,
leaving the original file intact. This means that if "external storage to
free up hard drive space" is your main purpose in putting zipped files on a
CD, you can then delete the original. (However, it's prudent to make two
zipped backups before deleting the original).
Conversely, extracting restored files from a zipped folder leaves the folder
intact. Many downloaded programs, for instance, arrive as zipped folders
that will generate one or more files which comprise the actual application.
Back to migrating files from one PC to another, special software such as
Laplink (www.laplink.com)
can be purchased to help the process along.
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Whatever Happened to the Lotus/IBM Word Processor?
Jim Head wrote to say he belongs to a club which e-mails him a newsletter
created with MSWord. However, Jim says, he can't open it because his
computer came with Lotus WordPro.
Well, this is precisely why most newsletters are now prepared as either HTML
or PDF documents, since the former can be read with any browser and the
latter can be read with Adobe Acrobat Reader, both of which are free to all
PC users. Nonetheless, Jim should be able to open an MSWord file by choosing
"Word Document .DOC" in his "Files of Type" box after clicking File>Open.
However, I can't verify this because it's been so long since I've seen a
computer that uses Lotus WordPro.
Historically speaking, when Windows first cameout there were three main word
processors that ran on the then new Operating System: MSWord, WordPerfect,
and Lotus WordPro, as well as the word processor in MSWorks. Over time,
however, MSWord got the lion's share of the text editing business, with
MSWorks and WP running second and third.
As for Lotus, the company merged with IBM to offer a revised WordPro called
AmiPro, but the program just died on the vine. Therefore, if you inherit a
PC bearing Word/AmiPro, be advised that it is no longer supported by
IBM/Lotus.
Microsoft Support for Win98 Coming to an End
Speaking of non-support, Microsoft says it will phase out support for Win98
and Win2000 early next year, as it did for Win95 several years ago. This
doesn't mean you won't be able to find Win98 patches and viewers, etc.; it
just means there will be no more updates or new add-ons from Microsoft.
Free Viewers for Microsoft Programs
Getting back to Jim's question, if you don't have MSWord, you can get a free
Word Viewer from www.microsoft.com, where you can also download free viewers
and converters for other MS products.
Windows Media Player
One of my favorite free MS programs is the Windows Media Player, which I use
for playing "background music" while I work. If you have a collection of
music files you'd like to play sequentially, here's how to do it:
Drag the favorite MIDIs, WAVs and MP3s into a separate folder, which can be
created by right-clicking your Desktop and choosing New>Folder and giving it
a name. Next open the Windows Media Player. If you don't see an icon for
this program, go to Start>Programs>Windows Media Player, or right-click a
music file and use the "Open With" option.
With the viewer open, click on File > New Playlist. Under "Playlist Name"
type a title for the collection, or ignore this and the name of the folder
holding the music will be inserted.
Finally, drag the songs from their folder into the large open area of the
media player. Use Ctrl+A to Select All of them. You may have to move the
media player and/or the folder so they can both be seen for the dragging and
dropping (which actually creates "shortcuts" to the files, leaving the songs
in their folder).
If the music doesn't start automatically, click the Play button, whereupon
the first song in the Playlist will begin (unless another song is currently highlighted).
The songs will be listed
alphabetically, but any song can be moved to another location by clicking it
and then clicking the Up or Down Arrow at the top of the player. Clicking
the red X will display Delete options for a selected song or the whole
Playlist.
If you want the songs to play in random order, click the double-arrow
"Shuffle" button at the bottom of the player. Another click will return to
the Playlist order displayed on-screen, while double-clicking any song will
cause it to start playing immediately.
These are just a few of the things that can be done with the Windows Media
Player. Others include picking up Internet radio stations and displaying
online or DVD videos.
Yes, there are several other media players available, and I don't pretend to
understand the differences among them, other than the fact that certain ones
may be required to play certain things downloaded from the Web. If anyone
would like to explain why he or she prefers one of the other players, I will
be happy to put the reasons into this newsletter.
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Copying from a PDF File to Another Program
Dot Greene wrote to ask, "How can I copy a PDF report, which has columns,
and paste it into Word or Excel without losing the column formatting?"
OK - let's start with what "PDF" means. A "Portable Document File" is one
that can be opened and read with Adobe Acrobat Reader, a free program
available at www.download.com.
Because of compatibility issues among various
word processing and email programs around the world, the PDF format was
created so that it can be read by anyone, anywhere.
However, the steps for copying parts of a PDF document are different than
those used in most other programs. To begin with, the default cursor is a
little hand that cannot be used for selecting anything.
Nonetheless, the letter "T" appears twice on the PDF toolbar; and clicking
the left one will turn the little hand into a "Text Select Tool," while
clicking the right one will generate a "Column Select Tool." Using the
latter, a column of text can be easily selected, whereupon it can be copied
with Edit>Copy (or Ctrl+C).
If a PDF page has, say, three columns, they can be individually copied and
pasted into three Excel (or any other spreadsheet) columns. As for pasting
the columns into a Word page, a table with three columns should first be
created by going to Table>Insert Table. The copied PDF columns can then be
pasted in with no trouble.
Copying from a PDF Graphic
To the right of the two "T" buttons is a "Graphics Select Tool," which lets
one copy any image in a PDF document. The PDF toolbar has a number of other
unusual tools that can be experimented with, or learned about by clicking on
Help.
Adobe Acrobat is the original, and most often used, program for creating PDF
files. However, it costs about $500. I've been told that Zeon DocuCom, from
www.pdfwizard.com, does a good job and costs about $50.
Copying a Web Page to a Disk
Ramachandra Menon wrote to ask how to save a copy of a Web page on a
3.5" floppy disk. Well, there is no one-size-fits-all answer to this
question. Some Web pages can be copied by going to File>Save As, and giving
the file a name (which must end in .HTM or .HTML) as well as choosing a
location, such as one's A-Drive (floppy disk) or C-Drive (hard disk).
This will normally create a folder on the chosen disk, which will hold all
the graphics seen on the Web page, along with the HTML file. Double-clicking
the HTML file will open it, whereupon it will search the folder for the
graphics it needs.
However, some Web pages are rigged to prevent these steps from working. In
this case, a page's text and overall layout can be copied by going to
View>Source, and giving the resulting Notepad file a name which ends in
HTM/HTML, along with choosing "All Files" in the "Save As Type" field.
If the page's graphics are wanted, they would have to be individually copied
by right-clicking them, choosing "Save Picture As" and giving each a name.
Also, the graphics would have to be placed in the same folder that holds the
HTML file. Having done all this, however, the page may not look quite the
same as it did online because it may need "Style Sheet" information, which could
be in yet another online file.
Finally, it must be kept in mind that one of the main functions of most Web
pages is to provide "hyperlinks" to other online pages. These links, of
course, will not work when the HTML document is viewed offline.
Graphics with Strange Filename Extensions
I hear from lots of people who receive images with filename extensions which
are not recognized by their computers. The most recent was a picture whose
file extension is PCD. This is a Kodak format that works fine if you have
the Kodak program that created it. However, you won't find a "Save As to
Another Format" option for this extension in your built-in Windows Paint
program, as you will for more common ones, such as BMP, GIF and JPG.
This is why I continue to recommend Irfanview, a free download from
www.irfanview.com
for handling format conversions from one image type to another.
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Adding a Personal Signature to a Letter
Buck Jordan called to ask how to add his personal signature to the bottom of
a letter he is writing with his word processor. This can be done by writing
one's name on a piece of paper and creating a copy of the signature with a
scanner. The copy can be saved as a JPG or a GIF file. The graphic format
really doesn't matter unless it will also be used in an email or on a Web
page, where having the smallest possible file size is advantageous.
As for inserting the signature into a word processing document, going to
Insert>Picture>From File will place it at the current cursor position,
whereupon it will be moved forward by any text that precedes it. However, if
you first use Insert>Text Box, followed by creating a rectangle of the
approximate size and shape of the signature, you can then place the name
inside the box with Insert>Picture and move it around the page at will.
Using a Text Box, however, puts a black frame around the signature, which
can be made invisible by clicking on it and going to Format>Text
Box>Line>Color>No Line. By going to Format>Text Box>Layout, you can
fine-tune the positioning of a graphic (be it a signature or any kind of
picture) by anchoring it to the left, right or center of the page, and by
choosing whether text should go around the image, in front of it, or behind
it.
If you want to put your personal signature at the bottom of an email, this
may be a little trickier. It is easy for AOL and CompuServe users, who can
write an email in the usual way, press ENTER, and then right-click the page
to choose Insert>Picture. If the recipient of the email is another AOL or
CS member, there will be no problem seeing the signature at the bottom of
the letter.
Outlook Express users can click on Insert>Picture to put a signature/picture at the
bottom of an email, and it should be seen easily by other OE users - but
inserted graphics that go from one email client to another tend to have
varying results. Personally, I prefer to create a pseudo signature using one
of the many "script" fonts that are now available. However, the recipient's
computer needs to have the same font, or the signature will default to a
standard, such as Times New Roman.
Folks Sending Me Lots of Email Addresses
Speaking of email, I have been receiving lots of holiday greetings from
readers of this column. I appreciate the messages, of course, but am
saddened by how many of them display multiple email addresses in the CC
(carbon copy) box. Using CCs instead of BCCs (blind carbon copies) is an
invitation to have all those names and addresses put on a spam list.
No, of course, none of your friends who see all these names would be guilty
of this - but you can never be sure of who else might see one of those
letters. Please, do your friends a favor and always use BCCs.
OE users can display the BCC field by composing a new message and clicking
on View>All Headers. Once this is done, the BCC field will be visible on all
future outgoing mail.
AOL and CS users have no BCC field, but addresses placed in the Copy To box
will be sent as BCCs if they are enclosed in parentheses. Details on how to
do this can be found at
www.pcdon.com/page8.html. Most other email programs have
their BCC fields visible and easily found.
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Using Your Taskbar's "Quick Launch" Area
Chuck Miller wrote to say when he tries to drag a favorite Desktop Shortcut
Icon onto his Taskbar it won't stay there; it remains on the Desktop.
OK, let's start at the beginning—why put an icon on the Taskbar in the
first place? Well, if it's one you use often it can be accessed more quickly and
easily, as opposed to its being hidden somewhere behind a number of open files
on your Desktop.
However, a Desktop Shortcut can only be placed on a Taskbar's "Quick Launch"
area—other parts of the Taskbar will reject it. This area is normally to
the left of this marker: ». If you don't see this
symbol, right-click the Taskbar and choose Toolbars>Quick Launch, whereupon
this area will be created.
As you drag your favorite Shortcuts onto it you may find that only a few are
displayed, while the others seem to disappear—but they can be displayed
by clicking ». Furthermore, their order can be
rearranged by simply dragging and dropping them.
It's also helpful to know that when a Shortcut is dragged onto the Quick
Launch area it is COPIED, meaning the original is left intact on your
Desktop, from where it can be safely deleted. If you later decide you prefer
the icon back on the Desktop, it can always be dragged into place from the
Quick Launch toolbar.
How Can I Speed Up My Computer?
One of the questions I hear most often is, "My computer is very slow—how
can I speed it up?" Well, there are a number of things that can slow down a
PC, and the first I would look at is the number of programs that start when
you turn it on. The icons in your System Tray (the area to the left of your
Taskbar's digital clock) represent programs that are running in the
background.
To see other such programs, go to Start>Run, type MSCONFIG, and click OK.
Next click the Startup tab to see the list. Those whose boxes are checked
start running when your PC is turned on. Uncheck the ones you don't need
running and click OK.
Programs Not Deleted—Just Kept from Starting Until Needed
This only means you have told the programs not to run in the background—
they have NOT been deleted. AOL members, for instance, need only access
their program when they want to use it.
Items that should be running all the time are SysTray, as well as your
Anti-Virus and Firewall programs. But what about all the programs with
cryptic names you may see listed?
What I do is uncheck them and restart my computer on a one-by-one basis, to
see that everything continues running normally. If there are any doubts
about one, I simply recheck it. Beyond that, a number of these odd programs are
described on a site whose link can be found at
http://www.pcdon.com, where
information can also be found re: Win95 and Win2000, which do NOT have the
MSCONFIG utility.
PCs Run Faster When Defragmented Regularly
Another thing that can slow down a computer is "fragmentation" of its hard
disk. When files are created on, or added to, a hard drive they are placed
sequentially one after another. When they are deleted, however, they tend to
leave gaps that can make your hard drive look like so much Swiss cheese.
This means your hard drive should be defragmented periodically by using the
DEFRAG command. (I defrag mine at least once a week.)
However, on pre-WinXP computers DEFRAG may not work well
unless SCANDISK has been done first. This utility scans your hard disk and
fixes errors, including those which may interfere with running DEFRAG properly.
SCANDISK can be found by going to Programs>Accessories>System Tools, or you
can go to Start>Run, and type in SCANDISK, whereupon you can choose
"Standard" or "Thorough." Choose the latter, along with "Automatically Fix
Errors," to improve your chances of DEFRAG running to its completion.
WinXP users will not find SCANDISK, since it was included with the XP
version of DEFRAG. However, XP users can use CHKDSK to do an even more
thorough scan and repair of possible disk errors. Double-click My Computer,
right-click your C-Drive icon, and choose Properties. Next, click Tools>Error-Checking.
Finally, check off both repair options that are listed, and
follow the instructions about restarting your computer.
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Large & Small View of Desktop Icons & Text
Larry Ford called to say he changed his display resolution from 800x600 to
640x480 so text and icons would be larger and easier to read. (These
settings can be changed by right-clicking the Desktop and choosing
Properties>Settings>Screen Area/Resolution, and adjusting the horizontal slide-button.)
However, Larry also found that 640x480 made things so large that much of
what he wanted to see had been forced beyond the edges of the screen. He
went on to say that when he tried to go back to 800x600 the dialogue box was
so big that the "Apply" button was out of reach of his mouse.
I told Larry to just press ENTER. He did, and is now back to his previous
settings - and probably thinking of buying a larger monitor.
The principle here is that any "default" action button (usually one with a
darker outline) can be activated by pressing ENTER.
Using the "Send To" Command
Sometimes we get so used to doing something a certain way, we tend to
overlook other possibilities. For instance, I've been using "Attach" and
"Insert" to send pictures with e-mail for years; but have now found an
easier way. Simply right-click a picture and choose Send To>Mail Recipient.
This will open your e-mail program with a new blank message, and show that
the target picture has been attached. If you want to send multiple items,
simply hold down CTRL while you click them. Then right-click anywhere in the
selection and do as explained above.
Right-clicking a file and using Send To offers other interesting
possibilities, as well. For instance, you can send a picture to an IM
(Instant Messenger) correspondent. Your online buddy will get a message
saying you
want to send him or her a file - and he or she can then click "Accept." If the buddy
also clicks "Open file or folder after transfer" the picture (or other type of file)
will immediately be displayed for viewing.
Using IMs (Instant Messages)
In case you're not familiar with IMs, they let you communicate with someone
in real time by typing messages back and forth to each other. Your IM
correspondent can be thousands of miles away or just down the street. Either
way, it is entirely free.
IMing comes built-in with AOL and CompuServe; however, users of other
ISPs can sign up with an outside IM service. The most popular is AIM
(Americaonline Instant Messenger). However, you can opt to use MSN,
Netscape, Yahoo, ICQ or Trillian as your IM service.
For more details on how
to exchange attachments via IM, click Help on your Buddy List window.
More Uses for the "Send To" Command
Here's another way the "Send To" command can be handy: Use it to copy a file
(or files) to a floppy disk or a CD. Instead of having to display the target
storage device's icon by double-clicking My Computer (followed by dragging
and dropping the file) you can use Send To to save a few steps. (When sending to
the CD Drive, the inserted CD will need to have been formatted to accept dragged
and dropped files.)
But my favorite storage device has become the USB "Thumb Drive." This is a
"flash memory" device that can be purchased in 128, 256 or 512 megabyte
sizes. I recently bought a Memorex 256 MG unit because it was on sale at a
substantial discount - and I'm going back for more. These Thumb Drives are
amazing.
If you have WinXP, just plug the device into any USB port and it's ready to
use. For other Windows systems, a CD is included which will install the
software needed. As for copying files to the device, just drag and drop
them, or use the "Send To" command.
The "drive" is completely re-writable (as are your
hard disk and 3.5" floppies). But the file transfer speed is many times faster than sending
data to a CD. Furthermore, the Thumb
Drive can be easily removed from the USB port and used on another PC. Or you
can just store it as a file backup device. Thumb Drives are, by far, the easiest external storage
devices I've ever used, although they are considerably more costly than CDs.
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Having Web Pages Open in the Size You Want
Richard Hetherington wrote to say that when he opens a new Internet page it
is displayed as a very small window, and that he has to click its Maximize
button to get it large enough to work with. Richard went on to ask if there
is a way to make the Web page open full size automatically.
Well, any Web page can be resized by mouse-grabbing a corner or edge and
adjusting it accordingly. Once a window has been thus reshaped, it will
continue to be in that configuration on subsequent openings. Furthermore,
this rule applies to all folders and windows, whether found on the Web or on
one's own hard drive.
Additionally, any open window can be moved by grabbing the blue title bar
along its top edge. Beyond this, any partially hidden window can be brought
to the front by simply clicking it. However, if possible, it's best to click
the title bar when bringing a window to the front. Here's why:
Using a Page's Blue Title Bar Effectively
Let's say you're copying names from a spreadsheet into a word processing
document, and that the two files are overlapping on your screen. Clicking
anywhere on the spreadsheet will bring it to the front so you can select the
next name, while clicking anywhere on the text file will bring it to the
front so the name can be pasted in.
Well, if you click on the spreadsheet's title bar, the last name chosen will
still be selected, making it easy to see where you left off. If, however,
you click randomly on the spreadsheet you may select an out-of-sequence name
that makes it harder to get back to where you were. Clicking the title bar
keeps this from happening.
Odd Symbols in MSWord
George Mosko wrote to say that an assortment of odd characters suddenly
appeared in his MSWord documents, and asked how to get rid of them. These
are special formatting symbols, such as the "backwards P" paragraph mark,
and are used in certain editing situations. These symbols can be turned on
or off by going to Tools>Options>View>Formatting Marks.
Gretchen Johnson wrote to say her Folders list and Contacts list disappeared
from view in Outlook Express, and asked how to get them back. Well, OE gives
us lots of latitude in arranging our workspace by going to View>Layout, and
by clicking Custom Toolbar foradditional fine-tuning.
Gretchen also asked what it means when a message is "flagged." This is
another OE option that lets us make a message easier to find later within
a given folder. Just click the space under the Flag Heading and to the left
of the target message.
Speaking of Column Headers, it's helpful to know that clicking them in
certain cases can make something in the column easier to find. For instance,
open your My Documents folder with a double-click and then click on View>Details.
Depending on which Details you have chosen, you will see Column
Headers such as Name, Size, Type, and Date Modified.
By default, items in the folder are listed alphabetically under Name. Click
on Name and the items will be sorted in reverse order (Z-A).
Click Name again and the Names will be sorted A-Z. Click on Size
and the files will be listed from the smallest to the largest. Click Size
again and the list will be from largest to smallest. Switching between the
most recent and the oldest date occurs when Date Modified is clicked.
This rule applies to many computer column views. It pays to experiment.
Moving an ".EXE" File
Bill Swedell called to say an ".EXE" file he downloaded ended up on his
Desktop and that he would like to get it out of view. However, when Bill
tried to delete it he got a message saying a certain program won't work if
the file is removed.
Let's look at the possibilities here. Normally, a downloaded ".EXE" file is
used to install a program of some kind; and once it has been "executed"
(thus creating the new program) it is no longer needed. In Bill's case,
however, it appears that this .EXE file needs to be preserved.
I suggested that Bill drag the file from his Desktop to his C-Drive icon
(which can be displayed by double-clicking My Computer). Bill did this and
said that everything is now working just fine. (More on moving .EXE files next time.)
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Windows XP Picture & Fax Viewer
Plain Text vs Formatted Text
Mary Ann Jacobs wrote to ask how to prepare a "plain text" job résumé
email, since this is what many employers prefer; and she wants to use
MSWord to compose the résumé. Well, let's first consider what "plain text"
is.
By default nowadays, all word processors and most email programs would
have us compose a document in "rich text" or "HTML," which means all kinds
of fancy formatting can be used (such as the "bold" characters seen in this letter).
The only formatting actions allowed in
plain text (a.k.a. ASCII text) are paragraph breaks (pressing ENTER) and tab
stops (pressing TAB). Furthermore, the text will be in one size, black on
white.
The most obvious way to compose a plain text document is to use Notepad
(Start>Programs>Accessories>Notepad).
However, many of us prefer to use our
word processors because they include spell-checking, which Notepad does not.
Well, composing an unadorned document in MSWord (or any other word processor)
may look like "plain text,"
but it actually is not. However, if you go to File>Save As, and choose
"Text Only" in
the "Save As Type" box, the document will be converted to ASCII and the .DOC
extension will be changed to .TXT.
Alternatively, if the finished document is going to be copied and pasted
into a "plain text" email, then there is no particular reason to convert
the .DOC file into a .TXT file. After pasting the text into, say, an Outlook
Express email, simply choose Format>Plain Text.
Emailing a Copy of Your Desktop 'Wallpaper'
Frank George wrote to ask if the Stonehenge "wallpaper" (Desktop background)
that came with his computer can be emailed to someone. Yes, this is just
another picture (usually a JPG) and it can be attached to an outgoing
email. Since wallpaper backgrounds are often buried inside nested folders,
it is best to find it by going to Start>Search/Find>Files & Folders, and
typing in the name. When the target picture is found, right-click it and
choose COPY. Then right-click your Desktop or My Documents folder and choose
PASTE. This will make it easier to find when you are ready to ATTACH it to
your outgoing message.
But what if you don't know the name of your Desktop Wallpaper? Right-click
the Desktop and choose Properties>Desktop, where you will find a number of
images listed and where the current background graphic's name will be
highlighted.
Missing Graphics
Ann Marie Lorenzini wrote to ask why she occasionally receives email that
is supposed to contain a picture, but, instead, has a blank box with a red X
in the corner. This happens when the sender attempts to attach a picture
according to the rules of his or her particular email program, but may have left
out a step.
Ask the sender to try again, and to send him/herself a copy of the attachment to
make sure everything works. Some programs expect us to use the "Insert"
command, while others offer the word "Attach." Outlook Express uses both. If
you are trying to send a Web page you have copied and pasted into an email,
you may have to copy the images onto your hard-drive first (right-click and choose
Save Picture As...). It pays to experiment.
Accessing DOS (MSDOS) in WinXP
Larry Ford wrote to ask how to access DOS (Disk Operating System) while in
WinXP. Previous versions of Windows had a "Restart in MSDOS" option, but
WinXP does not. Well, Microsoft has decided that WinXP will take care of all
our computing needs, and that we really have no reason to be using DOS
anymore.
This is not necessarily true; and if you want to access DOS you can do it by
going to Run>Start and by typing in COMMAND.
When finished, type EXIT to return to Windows. (Caps or lower-case letters optional.)
The DOS prompt can also be found under Start>Programs>Accessories>
Command Prompt.
Pauline Bushey wrote to ask if it's possible to send any of the music on my
Web site along with an email. Yes, a music file can be attached to an
outgoing email, as can a picture or just about any other kind of file.
Beyond this, Outlook Express users can embed a sound file in an outgoing
email by going to Format>Background>Sound, and browsing to the target file.
However, the sound becomes an integral part of the email, and there is no
way for the recipient to copy the sound as a separate file.
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Plain Text vs Formatted Text
Mary Ann Jacobs wrote to ask how to prepare a "plain text" job résumé
email, since this is what many employers prefer; and she wants to use
MSWord to compose the résumé. Well, let's first consider what "plain text"
is.
By default nowadays, all word processors and most email programs would
have us compose a document in "rich text" or "HTML," which means all kinds
of fancy formatting can be used (such as the "bold" characters seen in this letter).
The only formatting actions allowed in
plain text (a.k.a. ASCII text) are paragraph breaks (pressing ENTER) and tab
stops (pressing TAB). Furthermore, the text will be in one size, black on
white.
The most obvious way to compose a plain text document is to use Notepad
(Start>Programs>Accessories>Notepad).
However, many of us prefer to use our
word processors because they include spell-checking, which Notepad does not.
Well, composing an unadorned document in MSWord (or any other word processor)
may look like "plain text,"
but it actually is not. However, if you go to File>Save As, and choose
"Text Only" in
the "Save As Type" box, the document will be converted to ASCII and the .DOC
extension will be changed to .TXT.
Alternatively, if the finished document is going to be copied and pasted
into a "plain text" email, then there is no particular reason to convert
the .DOC file into a .TXT file. After pasting the text into, say, an Outlook
Express email, simply choose Format>Plain Text.
Emailing a Copy of Your Desktop 'Wallpaper'
Frank George wrote to ask if the Stonehenge "wallpaper" (Desktop background)
that came with his computer can be emailed to someone. Yes, this is just
another picture (usually a JPG) and it can be attached to an outgoing
email. Since wallpaper backgrounds are often buried inside nested folders,
it is best to find it by going to Start>Search/Find>Files & Folders, and
typing in the name. When the target picture is found, right-click it and
choose COPY. Then right-click your Desktop or My Documents folder and choose
PASTE. This will make it easier to find when you are ready to ATTACH it to
your outgoing message.
But what if you don't know the name of your Desktop Wallpaper? Right-click
the Desktop and choose Properties>Desktop, where you will find a number of
images listed and where the current background graphic's name will be
highlighted.
Missing Graphics
Ann Marie Lorenzini wrote to ask why she occasionally receives email that
is supposed to contain a picture, but, instead, has a blank box with a red X
in the corner. This happens when the sender attempts to attach a picture
according to the rules of his or her particular email program, but may have left
out a step.
Ask the sender to try again, and to send him/herself a copy of the attachment to
make sure everything works. Some programs expect us to use the "Insert"
command, while others offer the word "Attach." Outlook Express uses both. If
you are trying to send a Web page you have copied and pasted into an email,
you may have to copy the images onto your hard-drive first (right-click and choose
Save Picture As...). It pays to experiment.
Accessing DOS (MSDOS) in WinXP
Larry Ford wrote to ask how to access DOS (Disk Operating System) while in
WinXP. Previous versions of Windows had a "Restart in MSDOS" option, but
WinXP does not. Well, Microsoft has decided that WinXP will take care of all
our computing needs, and that we really have no reason to be using DOS
anymore.
This is not necessarily true; and if you want to access DOS you can do it by
going to Run>Start and by typing in COMMAND.
When finished, type EXIT to return to Windows. (Caps or lower-case letters optional.)
The DOS prompt can also be found under Start>Programs>Accessories>
Command Prompt.
Pauline Bushey wrote to ask if it's possible to send any of the music on my
Web site along with an email. Yes, a music file can be attached to an
outgoing email, as can a picture or just about any other kind of file.
Beyond this, Outlook Express users can embed a sound file in an outgoing
email by going to Format>Background>Sound, and browsing to the target file.
However, the sound becomes an integral part of the email, and there is no
way for the recipient to copy the sound as a separate file.
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Windows XP Picture & Fax Viewer
Al Roller called to ask if there is a feature in Win98 similar to WinXP's
"Picture & Fax Viewer," that automatically reduces a large photo to a "best
fit" size that allows it to be seen in its entirety. No, this is only
available in WinXP. In other versions of Windows, an image-editor is needed
to change a picture's size.
Windows Paint lets you do this by opening the picture and going to
Image>Stretch & Skew. However, I prefer Irfanview (free
download from
http://www.irfanview.com), whose Image>Resize/Resample feature is much easier to use.
In any case, it's important to understand that the "best fit" size in
WinXP's viewer is a "temporary" view, and that changing the picture's actual
size will still need to be done with an image-editor.
Many of Us Have Multiple Image-Editors
Most computers nowadays have two or more image-editors on board simply
because various peripherals such as printers, scanners and digital cameras
come with their own editors, which often get installed along with the
peripherals' drivers. This multitude of image-editing programs can be
confusing, since their editing commands often vary greatly from one to
another.
Resize an Image with Your Word Processor
If you use an editor mainly for changing a photo's dimensions, you might
find it simpler to place the picture inside a word processing page (by using
Insert>Picture) where you can adjust its size by grabbing a corner "handle"
and moving it accordingly.
If you plan on printing the picture, it can be done with the word
processor's File>Print command. If, however, you want to save the picture in
its new size, you can right-click it and then click on "Copy." Next,
right-click a folder of your choice and click on "Paste."
Cautionary Note About Resizing JPG Photos
One caution, however: once a JPG photo's dimensions have been reduced, you
can not re-save it back to the original size without some loss of quality.
Therefore, it's prudent to first copy the picture into another folder and
rename it, by right-clicking it and choosing Rename. Alternatively, you can
use an image-editor, go to File>Save As, and save the copy with a different
name. This will preserve the "master" photo with its original size and
quality attributes.
Speaking of pictures, I've placed a good-sized collection of holiday clipart
on my website
(http://www.pcdon.com/page4000.html),
which can be downloaded for use on printed material, such as
Christmas newsletters, or added to email messages. Many of the images are
animated GIF files, which can liven up an email.
Why Don't I See the Animated Clipart Moving?
Speaking of animations, beginning users are often confused by the fact that
the images usually don't move when inserted into an outgoing email. No; but they
will be seen in motion by the recipient. If in doubt, simply send yourself a
copy of the animation-bearing letter.
Something that needs to be understood about animated GIFs, however, is that
they can NOT be resized like "still" pictures can. If you insert a large
animation file into a word processing page, you can resize it by grabbing a
corner handle (as explained above); but the copied image will no longer move. It
will have become a "stationary" image.
This is because animated GIFs are actually a series of "slides" that play in
sequence, much like the images on a strip of movie film. Trying to resize
the file without using special "animation" software will simply remove all
the individual "slides" but one, which will be a static image.
Resizing an Animated GIF
If you do want to change the size of an animated GIF, it can be done by
going to http://www.gifworks.com
and using their free online GIF editor. If you
find the program confusing, send me the file and I will resize it for you.
Sending a Holiday Newsletter in a 'Window' Envelope
If you plan on using holiday clipart in a printed "Christmas newsletter"
have you thought about sending the letter in a "window envelope" so that you
don't need to place addresses on regular envelopes? I've been doing this for
the past few years, and it really simplifies things.
I compose a Christmas newsletter in Word, and use Word's "mail merge" tools
to place the name and address of each recipient in the letter's upper left
area so that they will show through their envelope's window.
This precludes the need for having to hand-address the envelopes or for
running them through a printer (which can be problematical, at best).
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Receiving Email That Is in Some Kind of "Code"
Have you ever received an email that was full of some kind of coding that
made it difficult, if not impossible, to read? This usually means the
message was composed in HTML (HyperText Markup Language) but that the coding
had been somehow corrupted in the email's transmission.
Since HTML is used in the creation of Web pages and so much of the email we
receive, it's helpful to understand a little about its structure. Here's a
mini-tutorial:
HTML may seem complicated, but in its simplest form it is used to add
styling to plain text by inserting "tags" into a phrase. For instance, if
you wanted the words in the phrase "John loves Mary" to be in three separate
colors, the HTML coding could look something like this: <font
color="red">John <font color="black">loves <font color="blue">Mary.
Tags are always enclosed in "lesser than" and "greater than" pointy brackets.
If you wanted a phrase to be in bold type you would precede it with a <b>
tag and end it with </b>. If you wanted the phrase in Italics, you could
start with <i> and end with </i>. Many tags have a beginning form (such as
<big> for one font-size larger) and an closing form (such as </big> to end bigger formatting).
Why don't these "tags" show up in the finished HTML message or on a Web
page? This is because the document begins with <html> and ends with </html>
and is saved with an .HTM or .HTML extension to the file name.
By the way, HTML tags can be written in upper or lower case, as can the
filename and extension.
If you would like to examine the HTML coding on a Web page (such as any of my pages at
http:/www.pcdon.com) you can click on
View>Source and everything will appear as plain text in a Notepad document.
You can then save the file by going to File>Save As, and giving it a name.
At this point you can append .TXT to the name, which will preserve it as a plain
text Notepad file. However, if you use .HTM or .HTML as the extension,
everything will be seen as a Web page document, when viewed with Internet
Explorer (or any other browser).
The reason I suggest looking at my pages (especially the "story" pages) is that the coding tends to be
relatively simple and easy to understand. Commercial Web pages often have advanced and complex
coding that I don't use.
The Reason Some Email Arrives in "Code"
The reason some email arrives in an illegible format is often because the
.HTM/.HTML extension was left off, or because .TXT was used for the
extension (or, perhaps, no extension at all was used). This can be fixed by simply making the extension .HTM.
What about Outlook Express messages that have .EML for an extension?
Well, .EML files often have an .HTML file inside of them, which allows all
the text in the email to be seen in whatever special styling was chosen.
If, however, the HTML tags are showing in the message, you may have to copy and paste the text
into a Notepad file and do a little editing.
What sometimes confuses the issue is that many "plain text" messages are
sent nowadays with HTML coding. If you use Outlook Express, for instance,
and want to send a simple message in plain black and white, go to
Format>Plain Text.
If, however, you type a plain message under Format>Rich Text (HTML) your
message will still arrive unadorned - but will contain hidden tags that may
look something like:
<font face="times new roman" size="2" color="#000000">.
This could mean that all these unnecessary tags would be showing if the
email was somehow corrupted along the way.
Why am I telling you all this? Well, I regularly hear from people who have
received illegible emails, and who ask if they can forward them to me for
deciphering. I am glad to accommodate, but hope the above information will
make it easier for folks to fix these problems themselves.
Seeing the "Date Taken" on Your Digital Camera Photos
Digital camera users may not be aware that "Date Picture Taken" is a view
option inside WinXP folders. Click on View>Details to display the date,
along with other information about the pictures. (Of course, the date may not be correct
if you have not set it according to the camera's manual.)
If you don't see "Date Picture Taken" go to View>Choose Details and check
the appropriate box. If you find that some of the details are not displayed
in full, you can grab the upright "divider" lines at the top of the folder
and adjust them left or right as needed.
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Changing a Folder's Icon
Bill Swedell called to say all the folders on his Desktop look the same, and
asked if there is a way to replace their default "plain yellow" look with
something more distinctive.
Well, this is easy for WinXP users. Right-click a folder and go to
Properties>Customize>Change Icon. Choose one you like from a large selection
that will appear and click OK.
Win98 users don't have it quite so easy. However, they can move the folder
to someplace other than their Desktop, create a Shortcut to it, and then
change the Shortcut's icon. Here's how:
Let's start by creating a folder. Right-click your Desktop and choose
New>Folder. A folder will appear tentatively named "New Folder." Let's name
it, say, "Business Files" by typing over the "New Folder" label.
Now place the "Business Files" folder inside your "My Documents" folder by
simply dragging and dropping it. Next, double-click "My Documents" to
display its contents. When you see "Business Files" right-click it and
choose Create Shortcut.
A yellow folder icon will appear, which will be named "Business Files." Drag
this icon out onto your Desktop. Now you can right-click it and choose
Properties>Shortcut>Change Icon, at which point the above-mentioned list of
icons will be displayed. Make your choice and click OK.
If you would rather not have the "Business Files" folder inside "My
Documents" you can choose another location. Right-click your Start button
and choose Explore. This will open the Windows Explorer view of your
folders. Choose one (or choose your "C-Drive" icon) followed by dragging "My
Files" onto it and creating a shortcut as described above.
Superimposing a Picture on a Folder Icon
Windows XP users have an additional choice for changing the appearance of a
plain yellow folder; however it doesn't work if the folder is on the
Desktop. Let me explain.
If you have a folder inside another folder, such as, say, "Friends" inside
of "My Documents" - and if the folder contains one or more pictures, you can
right-click the folder and choose Properties>Customize>Choose Picture. All
its images will be displayed, inviting you to click one and then click OK.
The chosen picture will then be superimposed over its folder - but only as
long as the folder is displayed inside another folder and if "Thumbnails" has been
chosen as the "View" option. If you drag the folder back onto your Desktop,
it will be displayed in its original "plain yellow" look (unless you use
"Change Icon" described above).
But, technically speaking, isn't the "Desktop" actually a folder? Yes, it
is - and you can make it behave like other folders by displaying it via
"Windows Explorer." In Win98 "Desktop" is listed as a folder inside the
"Windows" folder, which is a subfolder of your "C-Drive" icon.
WinXP computers normally have at least two folders named "Desktop" and they
can be found by going to Start>Search>All Files & Folders and typing in
"Desktop." Click Search to see them all listed. Double-click each one to see
which matches the one you are currently using, whereupon any
"picture-marked" folder will be displayed showing the superimposed image.
If you plan on using this option frequently, right-click the target "Desktop"
folder and choose Create Shortcut. Answer YES when asked if you want the
Shortcut on your Desktop.
Using the "Show Desktop" Icon
Another popular icon is the one that says "Show Desktop." By default, it is
usually displayed on a new computer's Taskbar. This means that, no matter
how many things you have open on your screen, you can click the icon to
instantly restore your Desktop to its default view. (Some refer to this as the "Panic Button"
they click if they see the boss approaching
when they're doing something personal on the company computer.)
Anyway, several people have called to say this icon had vanished and asked how to get it
back. Well, it was found the way so many things are found on your PC - by
going to Start>Find/Search>Files & Folders and typing in the item's name.
The recovered icon can then be dragged onto your Desktop, and subsequently onto your
Taskbar.
In order to drag an icon onto your Taskbar, its "QuickLaunch" view needs to
be activated. If your Taskbar won't accept an icon, right-click it and
choose Toolbars>QuickLaunch. If you still have trouble, look for an upright
gray "divider" on your Taskbar, slide it toward the the center of the
Taskbar, whereupon the icon will be accepted on one side of the divider or
the other.
One advantage of having favorite icons on your Taskbar is that they can be activated with a single-click.
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More About Handling Spam with Outlook Express 'Message Rules'
Cal Townsend wrote and asked how to create a folder in Outlook Express, in
which he will temporarily store arriving spam. This can be done by
right-clicking any existing folder (including "Local Folders") and choosing
"New Folder."
Since writing recently about using OE's "Message Rules" in an attempt to
control spam, I've learned more on the subject. One rule lets you list key
words, which, if found in the body of an email, will cause the message to
be sent to a special folder and/or be handled in a variety of ways.
However, a lot of spam is now arriving with no text at all in the message,
other than a link to the spammer's Web site. This is done by sending the
"text" as a "picture."
I've also found that no matter how carefully I choose key words, complete
with their deliberate misspellings (such as "prescripti0n" spelled with a
zero) about 20% of my legitimate incoming email still ends up in my SPAM
folder.
There is no perfect system, perhaps, other than "white mail." This will work
for someone who wants to receive email only from certain people, and from
no other source. Simply tell your correspondents to put a "code" word, say,
XYZ, in the subject line of each letter they send you, and have OE's Message
Rules reject any email whose subject line does not contain the code.
This obviously wouldn't work for someone like myself who willingly receives
mail from many strangers every day.
One lady wrote to ask why I didn't recommend going to Message>Block Sender
when an unwanted email arrives, thus blocking future mail from that
address. Well, this may work to block mail from an ex-flame you no longer
want in your life; but most spammers use hundreds of return addresses, which
they rotate in such a way that we rarely see the same one twice.
CORRECTION: As for inserting words and phrases into OE's "target word" list,
I said a bunch could be inserted all at once if they were formatted in a
particular way with a word processor. Sorry, but this turned out to be
ineffective. OE considers such a pre-formatted list to be one single
"phrase," rather than an assortment of separate items. Words and phrases do need
to be typed or pasted in one by one.
Should the Politicians Handle This?
What about legislation? Shouldn't it be illegal to send spam? Well, one
man's spam may be another man's interesting ad. And let's not forget that
email is still free. My fear is that if legislators can find a way to
"outlaw" spam they may also see email (not to mention IMs) as a tempting
source of new revenue.
The bottom line, sadly, is that the only thing that will end spam is for
people to stop responding to the advertising. However, considering the cost
of name-brand medications, I suppose it's reasonable to assume that many
will continue responding to these "discount drug" ads that promise cheaper
prices and without a prescription. I won't even get into why porno ads
aren't likely to stop any time soon.
As for clicking an ad's "No More Mail" option, this just applies to that
particular letter's return address. Remember? Spammers use hundreds of them.
As for anti-spam filters, what we all want is a miracle-worker that will
examine each incoming message and know for sure that it is mail we want or
mail we don't want, and to handle it accordingly with 100% accuracy. Good luck.
Handy "Drag & Drop" Way of Downloading Pictures from the Web
Anyone using a computer for a while quickly learns that just about anything
can be dragged and dropped somewhere else. Here's another example.
If you find a picture on the Web you would like to download, you can
right-click it and choose "Save Picture As," whereupon "My Pictures" will
appear as the default storage folder. What if you would rather have the
picture in your "My Documents" folder? Simply drag it from the Web page into
this folder, and bypass several steps while along the way.
If, however, the desired image is a link to somewhere else (evidenced by
your arrow cursor becoming a pointing finger) you will still need to use the
right-click procedure.
Another trick is to drag and drop with your mouse's "right button," whereupon you can
choose "Move Here" or "Copy Here." This works in most places where "regular left button"
dragging and dropping work, but gives you the additional option of "copying" the item or of
physically "moving" it.
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Helping to Control Spam with Outlook Express 'Message Rules'
Users of Outlook Express have some very sophisticated anti-spam options, if
they are willing to take time to put them into effect. Here's what I did:
I had never taken advantage of these options until recently, since the
amount of spam I used to receive wasn't worth the trouble. However, a couple
of months ago I began getting bombarded with "medical" spam. So I went to
Tools>Message Rules>Mail Rules, and clicked the "New" button.
Under "1 - Select the conditions for your rule" I chose "Where the Subject
line contains specific words." Under "2 - Select the Actions for your rule"
I chose "Move to a specific folder."
When I clicked on "3 - Rule Description" an underlined blue link appeared,
reading: "Contains specific words." Clicking the link brings up a box into
which you are invited to type the specific words and/or phrases which will
cause an email to be sent to a special folder (or whatever was
chosen under "2 - Select the Actions...").
At this point you will type or paste the target words or phases in,
followed by clicking "Add" or by pressing ENTER after each entry. Your accumulated entries will
appear in another box below. Lastly, you will click "Apply Now" and "OK"
when your typing and/or pasting is finished.
After typing in half a dozen entries, however, I realized I could only
remember a small percentage of the words I wanted to target. So here's what I
did: I created a special OE folder and named it SPAM. Then, for the next two
weeks, I dragged each new spam arrival into this folder.
Now, with several dozen e-mails for reference, I selected well over 100 words, which I
entered into a word-processing document.
Why not copy and paste them directly into Outlook Express? Well, by having
them all in a word-processing file, I can make any needed editing changes
much more easily - and then copy and paste the items into the OE "Add"
box.
All of the above pertains to an incoming email's "Subject" line. To target
words in the main message, under "1 - Select the conditions..." choose
"Message Body" and follow the rest of the steps as described above.
Deliberately Misspelled Words
As you have undoubtedly noticed, certain key words in objectionable emails
are often misspelled in order to defeat your anti-spam efforts. "Viagra"
may appear as "V_iagra" or "v-i-a-g-r-a" or "Vigra (among several other misspellings)."
This is why my list was
so long. But editing it in a word-processing document makes the job easier.
Once you get a collection of words and phrases inserted in the OE Message Rules,
however, you can edit them at any time by clicking the "Modify" button, followed by clicking
the blue underlined list of entries.
The down-side to any such list, however, is having a word that might appear
in a legitimate e-mail you actually want to receive. "Sex" is often used by
spammers - but having it in your list could keep a message from a friend
saying "She has lot's of sex appeal" from getting through.
There Is No Perfect Defense Mechanism
In any case, don't expect miracles. There is simply no way you can out-guess all the words
a spammer is likely to use and be guaranteed that a legitimate email you want to receive from a friend may
not contain one or more of the targeted words. You will still have to check your "SPAM" folder to see if it contains
mail you want to see.
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Holiday Greetings with PowerPoint
Have you thought about creating a holiday greeting with PowerPoint?
PowerPoint comes pacakaged with all versions of Microsoft Office; but I've
found that the program often goes unused because folks don't understand how
it works or what can be done with with it.
Well, PowerPoint was designed to create "slide show" presentations, similar
to those shown by a salesman to a client using a projector and a roll-up
screen. Now, instead of carrying all that gear around, a colorful sales
proposal can be placed on a disk or e-mailed to a customer. These
presentations can be as simple as some plain photos or drawings, or they can
be jazzed up with lively animations and sound that can rival professional TV
commercials.
In its simplest form, a presentation is a series of stationary images and
text. But the beauty of the program is that all kinds of animation effects
can be added to each slide.
A line of text, for instance, can be made to appear on the screen one word
or one letter at a time. The words or letters can be made to slide in from
one edge of the screen, or the whole phrase can be made to appear in a
"venetian blind" effect. These are just a couple of the many ways in which
text and graphics can be made to appear on the screen.
There's not room here for a full tutorial, but here are some tips to get you
started. After launching the program you can click on "AutoContent Wizard"
and be led through a series of prompts that will have you up and running in
no time.
What I do, however, is go directly to "Blank Presentation" and build one
from scratch.
This will display a window which shows a collection of suggested layouts.
Dark bars represent "text boxes" where you'd type in messages. Cartoon faces
represent "picture boxes" where graphics can be inserted. Other boxes
represent various kinds of "bulleted lists" and "charts," where you would
substitute your own material for the "dummy" items.
However, I prefer the "totally blank" frame, because all the things you see
in the "suggested layouts" can be created manually as you want them. Here's
a brief example:
Starting with a Blank Slide
With a blank slide showing, click on Insert>Text Box. Draw a rectangle of
the approximate size needed for adding some text, and then type a message
into it, such as, "Happy Holidays from the (YourName) Family!" You will see
a familiar toolbar that lets you edit the text, re: font, style, size and
color.
Now let's have some fun with this. Mouse-select the message and click on
Slide Show>Custom Animation. Next click the down arrow under "Entry
Animation & Sound" and choose one of the special effects, such as
Checkerboard, Disolve, Spiral, or Swivel
Click OK and then click Slide Show>View Show. Your entire screen will go
blank and wait for a mouse click to start the show. After the animated text
does its thing, click two more times to return to the editing mode.
Now go to Insert>Picture>From File, and browse your way to a photo. Move the
inserted picture to wherever you want it and then return to Slide
Show>Custom Animation, where you can choose a special "entrance" effect for
the graphic.
Press F5 and watch your message and your picture magically materialize.
Finally, go to Format, and choose "Background" or "Apply Design Template" to
give your slide a colorful backdrop. When ready to build Slide 2, go to
Insert>New Slide.
This is just the tip of the PowerPoint iceberg. Animated cartoons can also
be used, as can background music and/or a vocal narration. The possibilities
are limited only by one's own imagination.
As for sending out your creative efforts, the recipient must also have
PowerPoint. However, a free PowerPoint "viewer" can be downloaded from
www.microsoft.com. Just type "powerpoint viewer"
into the Search box and click Go.
PowerPoint can also be purchased as a stand-alone application, and it even
works well as a simple "Desktop Publishing" program. Just leave out the
animation effects, and use the drawing and lettering tools as you would in
any other DTP program.
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Putting a Decorative Border Around Pictures
Glo Gates wrote to ask if there is a way of putting a decorative border
around a picture inserted into a word processing page in MSWorks. Well,
Microsoft provides a feature called "Border Art" that makes this very easy
to do.
After creating a frame (by going to Insert>Text Box) you can click on it and
then go to Format>Borders & Shading. Choose Apply To>Text Box and then click
the down-arrow above "Border Art." The drop-down menu will display a variety
of colorful edges, including stars, flowers, hearts, and confetti effects.
These miniature samples are somewhat condensed and each one may need to be
displayed full size in order to choose a favorite.
A Size box indicates each decorative border's width, since they are not
uniform. However, you can change each one's "point" size to suit yourself.
By selecting Apply To>Page, a chosen border will go all the way around the
sheet, leaving enough space to accommodate your printer's margin
limitations. Other choices under Border Art are plain lines, which come in a
variety of widths and colors.
In MSWord, the colorful flowers and other rococo effects are only available
for Page Borders. Text Boxes are limited to straight lines, which are
available in different colors and in a few simple patterns.
In both Word and Works, these decorative Text Boxes can always be resized to
accommodate the pictures they will frame. Place an image in a Text Box by
clicking inside it and going to Insert>Picture. Bear in mind that any
picture can also be risized by by grabbing a corner "handle" and moving it
as needed.
Adding Color to Rows & Columns in Tables & Spreadsheets
Formatting Borders and Shading can also be used in other helpful ways. If
you have created a table and want to, say, make one of its rows a different
color, mouse-select it and go to Format>Borders & Shading. Click the Shading
tab to change a row's color, and click the Border tab to choose a color (or
colors) for its border.
Since each cell in a table has four edges, you can use Format>Border to make
all four the same color or you can choose multiple colors.
The same is true in a spreadsheet; however, the command structure varies
somewhat. In Excel, go to Format>Cells> and then click the "Border" tab or
the "Patterns" tab. In a Works spreadsheet, go to Format>Border or
Format>Shading.
If you intend to get creative with border colors in a table, it will take
some practice. For instance, you can choose to have each of a cell's four
edges a particular color. However, you'll find that the bottom edge of a
given cell will be considered the top edge of the cell just below it.
Experimenting is the best way to learn to handle these issues.
We've been talking about "Borders" and "Shading." However, it's helpful to
know that in some applications these are sometimes referred to as "Line" and
"Fill." Furthermore, some programs (such as PowerPoint) go beyond plain
"fill" and offer options for "gradients," "patterns," and "textures." More
on this next time.
WordPerfect Users will find similar choices under Graphics>Border/Fill when they click on a Text Box or other frame.
NTFS vs FAT32
Something you need to know if you upgraded a Win98 or WinME computer
to WinXP is that you may not be getting the most efficient use of your hard
drive. Win98 and WinME used a disk formatting technology called FAT32,
which, in its day, was a big improvement over the FAT (File Allocation
Table) systems used in earlier versions of Windows.
But WinXP needs NTFS (New Technology File System).
If WinXP came with your new computer, NTFS was automatically built in. If
not, you can upgrade to NTFS by doing the following:
Go to Start>All Programs>Accessories>Command Prompt. Where you see the
flashing cursor at the bottom of the black window, type the following: convert C: /fs:ntfs
This conversion process also
applies to Windows 2000.
If your main hard drive is not "C" replace C in the above instruction with
the appropriate letter. During the conversion process, you will be asked for
a "volume name." Just press Enter.
This procedure can take a couple of hours or more, but its implementation
will give your PC a true Windows XP operating system.
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Helping to Ensure That a Picture Travels with your Email
As I've said before, I learn more about computers from readers of this
column than from almost any other source. Here's another example: Linda
Sides wrote to say that pictures she sends as Outlook Express attachments
sometimes don't arrive, and the intended recipient just sees a box
containing a red X. She went on to say this can happen whether she uses
Insert>Picture or if she clicks the "Attach" button.
However, Linda added, the problem was solved when she discovered she can
click on Format>Send Pictures With Message. Thanks for the tip, Linda!
Using Word Processing Templates
Don Davidson wrote regarding a recent column which explained how to create a
page in MSWorks where text could be superimposed over a picture. Don pointed
out that saving the file as a "template" would make the page more readily
available each time Works is launched.
Templates are a feature of all word processing programs, and can range from
pages that contain some simple pre-composed text to more complex ones that
can guide us through creating a wedding invitation or filling out a job
résumé. If you have a document that will be used over and over with variable
text to be added each time, you can save it as a template.
In MSWorks, go to File>Save As and choose "Works Template.WPT" in the "Save
As Type:" box. If you name the file, say, "MyProfile," it will be saved as
"MyProfile.wpt" in the C:\Program Files\Microsoft Works\Templates folder.
When Works is subsequently launched, "MyProfile" will always be listed under
"Programs" and ready to use.
If you then add something to the document and then go to File>Save As,
you'll be prompted to type a new name that will have the default .WPS (Works
Word Processor) extension, and which will leave your template unchanged.
Using the "NORMAL" Template
Going to File>Save As in MSWorks will also display a "Template" button.
Be careful - clicking it will bring up NORMAL.WPT, a pre-installed template that
determines all the word processor settings, such as its default font style.
Do NOT change this template unless you want all future documents to reflect
your new "style" settings.
Similar options are available in MSWord, which adds the extension ".DOT" to
a template. Also, Word has a "default-settings" template named NORMAL.DOT,
which can be used to customize those defaults. If you just want to change
the default font, however, it's easier to go to Format>Font, choose your
preferences and then click on the "Default" button.
One final word about MSWord's NORMAL.DOT file; you may want to delete it at
some point. Word is a super-sophisticated program that can do amazing
things; but this super-sophistication also makes it prone to getting out of
kilter.
If you ever get an error message that refers to NORMAL.DOT, it's best to
just delete the file. Go to Start>Find/Search>NORMAL.DOT. When the file
appears, click on it and hit your Delete key. The next time Word is
launched, the file will automatically be recreated with its original default
settings, and the error message will be gone.
Dress Up Your Word Processing with WordArt
A handy tool that is available in both MSWord and MSWorks, as well as in
other MS programs, is WordArt. As its name suggests, you can do artistic
things with a word or a phrase. Go to Insert>Picture>WordArt. For Works
users, a box will appear reading YOUR TEXT HERE. The regular word processing
toolbar will be replaced with a new one that lets you edit the WordArt
"drawing."
Click on "Plain Text" and a drop-down window will show a variety of shapes,
such as a waving banner, an arch, and a stop sign. Click on a design and
your phrase will conform to its shape, whereupon you can edit the drawing by
giving it, say, a shadow or a 3D look.
Word users will be presented with a "WordArt Gallery" from which a number of
colorful pre-designed drawings can be chosen. Click OK and a floating
WordArt toolbar will give you the options mentioned above, along with many
others. WordPerfect users have similar options with TextArt.
WordArt makes a nice addition to the word processing drawing tools described
in a recent column. Together they are great for designing colorful Holiday
Greetings cards or letters.
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Keeping Email Addresses in a Word Processing File
Max Luikart sent me a drawing of a church sign, which appears on the church's weekly bulletin, and which has a blank area for adding copy. He asked if it is possible to have the "sign" appear on a page created in MSWorks, whereby he could type a different message into it each week.
I told Max he could do this by using two "text boxes" - one for the drawing and one for the text to be superimposed over it. On a word processing page this is done by going to Insert>Text Box, followed by clicking inside the box and going to Insert>Picture>From File, browsing to the target image, and double-clicking it.
With the framed picture positioned where needed, going to Insert>Text Box again will allow a blank box to be created on top of the "sign" drawing, into which a message can be typed. I typed a sample message in 15-point Arial.
You say you don't see "15" in your drop-down Font Size list? Just mouse-select whatever size is showing, and type in whatever size you want, including half-point sizes such as, say, 14.5.
Max's project did have one other issue - the drawing he sent was in a PDF file, meaning one cannot right-click the image and choose "SAVE AS" or "COPY," as you can with images found on Web pages and in many other types of documents. Nonetheless, images on a PDF page can be copied by using the "Graphics Select Tool" on the toolbar. Simply draw a rectangle around the target image and go to Edit>Copy.
I did this and used Edit>Paste to put the drawing into a bitmap-editor, from where I selected it and went to File>Save As, to give it a name and to save it as a JPG. The subsequent "text box options" I used are also available in MSWord and WordPerfect.
Using Your Word Processor's Drawing Tools
This might be a good time to remind you that your word processing program has drawing tools built right into it. To display these tools in MSWord, go to View>Toolbars>Drawing. In WordPerfect, go to Insert>Graphics>Draw Picture. In Works, go to Insert>Picture>New Drawing.
The way these tools are used varies greatly among the three word processors, and are best learned by experimenting and consulting each program's Help files.
Here's a brief sampling of what can be done in MSWord. Click on the rectangle or the oval to draw a corresponding shape in whatever size you want. Click on AutoShapes to find a large variety of geometric designs, including a heart, a crescent moon, a happy face, and all kinds of stars and arrows.
Click on the Pen tool to choose an outline color and on the Paint Bucket for a fill color. Click on the Lines icon to choose the thickness of a line or an outline, and on the Dash icon if you want the line broken.
Click on the Shadowed Box to add a shadow to a shape, or on the 3-D icon to add perspective to a rectangle. Click on the Rotate icon and then grab a corner "handle" of any shape to rotate it in any direction.
Grouping Objects in a Drawing
If you want two or more objects to move as one unit, click each of them while holding down Shift. Then go to Draw>Group. If you want to flip the combined objects, go to Draw>Rotate or Flip. If you want to align them on their centers or on a particular edge, go to Draw>Align or Distribute, the latter option being for putting equal spaces between the objects.
If you have overlapping objects and want to change the order they are in, click on an object and go to Draw>Order.
These tools are no substitute for a professional drawing program like Adobe Illustrator or Corel Draw, but they are easy to use and come in very handy for a quick and simple illustration.
Correction of a correction: I've been told by PC technician Carl Von Papp that the option for creating a "boot disk" given by Microsoft for WinXP creates a disk that probably won't work. However, you can download usable disks from www.bootdisk.com, and Carl's explanation can be seen on Page 100.
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Keeping Email Addresses in a Word Processing File
John Ladd called to inquire about my saying I keep my email addresses in an
MSWord file, and asked if keeping his in an MSWorks word processing file
would suffice. My answer was yes; but perhaps I should explain my philosophy
of keeping addresses in a word processing file rather than in an email
program's "Address Book."
If you put all your email addresses into, say, an AOL Address Book, and
later switch to Outlook Express, you may have difficulties moving your
addresses from one program to the other. Changing email programs is never
an issue for me, since my addresses (several thousand of them) are always in
the same place, from where I just copy and paste as needed.
Beyond that, adding new addresses, deleting defunct ones, editing changes,
and keeping them in alphabetical order is easy with a word processor.
Automatic Backup in Excel
Joe Phillips wrote to ask how he could keep from losing his recent work on
an Excel spreadsheet if he closes the file and unintentionally clicks NO
when asked if he wants to save the changes.
Well, the best protection we have for saving our work as we go, is to do a
periodic Ctrl+S (or to click the "disk" icon on our toolbar) no matter what
program we're using.
If you have not yet given the working file a name, your first Ctrl+S (or
disk click) will bring up a "File>Save As" dialogue box. In Excel this box
also gives us the opportunity to click on Tools>General Options>"Always
Create Backup."
Saving an Outlook Express Message As You Type
In Outlook Express Ctrl+S will not ask you to name the message you are
creating, but will save a copy of it in your DRAFTS folder, from whence it
can be revived in case of a computer crash.
It's worth noting, however, that periodically doing Ctrl+S has a built-in
hazard of its own. If you should, say, accidentally delete a page of a
manuscript, followed by pressing Ctrl+S, the deleted page will need to be
retyped. If, however, you periodically go to File>Save As and give your file
an incremental name change (such as Story-A, Story-B, Story-C, etc.) your
chances of accidentally zapping any of your work are diminished
considerably.
UPS Battery Backup
Speaking of protecting your work, one of my favorite things about using a
laptop is that a sudden loss of power will never shut down my job, since the
built-in battery is always there to keep things going. Desktop PC users can
get this kind of protection by using a UPS (uninterruptible power supply)
back-up battery between their computer and their AC outlet. A UPS will not
keep a computer powered for a long time, as is the case with a laptop, but
it will give you adequate time to save your work and do a proper shut-down.
Beyond these measures, important data needs to be saved on other media that
can be stored in another physical location. The tragic fires we've been
experiencing are a reminder that saving something on a backup disk may be of
little help if a computer and its backup disks all go up in flame. I keep
all my original program CDs in the trunk of my car, along with all my
personal backups.
Online Backups
Beyond this, I have a Web site with nearly 300 pages of data. Not everyone
has his own Web site, of course, but many "online data storage" services can
be found by looking for them on Google.
Another file protection device I use is to email certain documents to
myself. For instance, I send my email Address Book to myself at least twice
a week. Beyond that I use multiple free email services, such as Hotmail and
Juno, as extra storage locations.
CORRECTION: When I recently said WinXP users could make a Boot Disk by
inserting a floppy into their A-Drive and double-clicking My Computer,
followed by clicking File>Format, and choosing "Create an MSDOS Startup
Disk," I neglected to say your A-Drive icon needs to be double-clicked to
bring up the File>Format options.
Switching Page Numbering Styles in MSWord
Regarding a recent column where I said I wasn't sure how to change from
plain to Roman numeral page numbering in MSWord, a number of people offered
different solutions, which I've posted at www.pcdon.com.
PS: In case you are thinking of donating an old computer and eradicating all data on its hard drive before doing so, the following suggestion from Dave Tuson is worth considering:
In fairness to a donator of the computer you might want to make the donator aware that 'killing' all the files from the hard drive will also make the computer unusable unless the donor has the original installation and restore CD that is supplied when the computer is purchased. Most folk do not keep (or can find) these disks and since most of the 98/99 vintage computers are now past their support period (also windows 98 is no longer supported by Microsoft) this makes the computer, though given with good intention, useless to a recipient.
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Completely Erasing a Hard Drive
A number of people have written to say they would like to give away their
old computers, but want to be sure their hard drives are completely erased
before doing so. Simply "deleting" files does not not truly eradicate them,
and much of your personal data could be retrieved by someone with the proper
tools.
Well, a number of programs are sold for doing this, but a free one can be
downloaded from www.killdisk.com.
It is a small program that goes on a 3.5"
floppy disk, and which can be used to boot the target computer and
eliminate all its files.
Making an Emergency "Boot" Disk
Speaking or 3.5" floppies that will "boot" your computer, we should all have
an emergency "startup disk" that will get us up and running if our main hard
drive should ever fail. Normally, you will have been asked to create such a
disk if you installed or upgraded Windows on your computer. If your PC came
with Windows preinstalled, a startup disk should have been included with the
package.
Here's how to create such a disk, in case yours can't be found.
Insert a blank disk in you're A-Drive. For Win98, go to
Start>Settings>Control Panel, and double-click Add/Remove Programs. Click
the "Startup Disk" tab, and then click "Create Disk."
For WinXP, insert a blank floppy and double-click My Computer. Then click on
File>Format, and choose "Create an MSDOS Startup Disk."
Label your disk "Win98 Startup" or "WinXP Startup" and put it in a safe
place. WinME and Win2000 have similar options.
Startup Disk Can Boot Your PC - But Does Not "Fix" the Problem
If your PC ever fails to boot, insert the floppy, turn off your computer and
then turn it back on. The startup disk should get you up and running,
although it will not actually "fix" anything. However, it will normally make
it possible to reinstall your operating system from your Windows CD, by
typing D: (or whatever your CD-Drive designation is) at the command prompt.
This will access your CD, from whence you can normally type "startup" to
begin a reinstallation.
If your computer ever fails to boot, and you don't have a startup disk
available, you can usually borrow one from a friend with the same operating
system, or use his computer to make one.
Making WAV Files Longer than 60 Seconds
Ray Reiss wrote to ask how to extend the 60-second time limit for recording
a WAV file. If you are unfamiliar with WAV files, the various dings, beeps,
and brief musical chords heard on your PC are WAVs. Most of them can be
found by double-clicking My Comput | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
Vintage Pop,
Downloadable