| CIS 146 | Microcomputer Applications |
Notice that when a Window is maximized, you only have two options (other than the close button) in the top right corner of the Window; Minimize and Restore. Likewise, when a Window is in Restore position, the only two options are to Maximize or Minimize it.
To close a Window, click the close button (the X in the top right corner). Power users know the keyboard shortcut ALT+F4 to quickly close a Window.
A menu is a list of words at the top of the screen. We can click these words to open menus. Most Windows applications have similar menu names. This concept means that as you learn one Windows application, you automatically know a good bit about all other Windows applications since menus are quite similar. All the various commands in an application are placed on the menu category that most accurately represents the command type. For example, if you want to OPEN a file or SAVE a file or PRINT a file, you will find these commands on the FILE MENU because these commands have to do with files. Likewise, if you want to COPY, CUT or PASTE or FIND something, you'll find these commands on the EDIT menu.
If a command has a keyboard shortcut, you'll usually find the shortcut on the right of the command on the menu. For example, to copy something to the clipboard, a power user will know to hold down the CTRL key and tap the letter C - CTRL+C. Click on the EDIT menu above and take a look at the keyboard shortcuts by each command. What is the keyboard shortcut for FIND? Yes, it is CTRL+F. What is the keyboard shortcut for PRINT? Yes, it is CTRL+P and this is found on the File menu. What is the shortcut for PASTE? It is not CTRL+P since that key combination is used for printing. Yes, it is CTRL+V.
Don't try to memorize all the keyboard shortcuts. Just remember the ones for the commands you use frequently! Since most Windows applications use the same keyboard shortcuts, once you learn a keyboard shortcut, it will make you more efficient in all the applications you use! For example, I frequently use the CTRL+S to save my work and it works in almost all the Windows applications I use. I also know the copy, cut and paste keyboard shortcuts CTRL+C, CTRL+X, and CTRL+V.
Notice that each menu item has an underlined letter. On the main menus, you can tap the ALT key, then tap the underlined letter on the menu you want to open with the keyboard. Once a menu pulls down, each command has an underlined letter which you can use to access the command. On pulled down menus, you only tap the letter. Tapping ALT again will deselect the pulled down menu.
Menus common to most programs are; File, Edit, Format, Window and Help. Notice that the format menu does not use the F to activate the command. This is because the F is already used by the File menu.
When information will not fit on one screen, you often see scroll bars on the right side of the screen. These scroll bars allow you to move through the information quickly. You can slowly move up or down by tapping the up or down arrows on the scroll bar. To move faster, click the scroll bar - the space between the scroll box and the up or down arrow. Alternatively, you can drag the scroll box up or down to move very quickly through large amounts of information on a page. As you drag the scroll box up or down, it appears proportionately along the scroll bar to represent your relative position in the Window. For example, if you see the scroll box about two thirds of the way down the scroll bar, you are viewing the information at approximately two thirds of the way down the Window.
Dialog boxes often have the windows elements listed below which you can use to get the computer to do something useful. Some dialog boxes only have a message and the command button OK. Some dialog boxes, like the SAVE AS dialog box, has lots of Windows elements that allow you to tell the software how you want to save the file; the file name, the file type, the file location, and much more.
The control menu is the icon in the top left corner of any Window. When clicked, it allows you to control the Window. Although most of these controls are easier to do with the mouse, if you ever find yourself on a computer that does not have a working mouse, you can access the control menu by tapping the ALT key and the space bar - ALT + space. This will allow you to Maximize, Minimize or Restore a Window. You can even resize a window with the keyboard using this menu. You can also move a restored Window using only the keyboard from this menu.
To select text, drag the mouse pointer (in the shape of an I-Beam) across the text. To select a graphic image, just click it. You will know it is selected when you see the 8 sizing handles. Sizing handles are tiny square boxes that appear in all the four corners of the graphic and the four midpoints between corners.
You can use the icons in Control Panel to change the appearance and functionality of Windows. These icons represent options for configuring your computer.
Power users often access the START menu by holding down the CTRL key and taping the ESC key. Since the Run command has the underlined R, power users then tap the R key. This is a technique to quickly access the START, RUN command - CTRL+ESC, R. Power users often know the exact name of the drive or program they want to run, so they will then type it and press the ENTER key.
For example, to open the A: drive quickly, without using a mouse, hold down CTRL + ESC, then type R, then type A:, then press the ENTER key. To quickly load the calculator, hold down CTRL + EXC, then type R, then type CALC and press the ENTER key. Solitaire users might type SOL.
Windows accessories are built in programs that come free with Windows. To access these applications click START, ALL PROGRAMS, ACCESSORIES. Stop now and load each of these accessories. Spend some time to become familiar with them so you can enjoy these programs and the features they provide.
System Restore allows you to restore your system to a previously saved point. This is a FANTASTIC tool to fix common problems encountered on Windows based computers. Let's say your computer slows way down after installing a new program. This program may be spyware. Uninstalling it may prove to be impossible. However, you can use System Restore to restore your computer to the way it was before you installed the software. Sometimes Windows components get corrupted and malfunction. When this happens, you can do a system restore to fix the problem.
Take a look at the new improvements in Windows Explorer in Windows 8 at THIS LINK.