Microsoft Internet Explorer Tips #4



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*1.   FRONTPAGE NEWS        
  
Subscriber Tomas C. sent this Microsoft Internet Explorer 3
 editor question: 

"I use a dual-boot system running Windows 95 and Windows NT 4.0.
 I have FrontPage Express installed for use in Windows 95. I'd
 like to use it in Windows NT 4.0 as well. The default editor in
 Microsoft Internet Explorer 3 in NT 4.0 is Notepad. Is there a
 way to tell Microsoft Internet Explorer 3 that I want to use
 FrontPage Express?" 

As long as you can access your FrontPage Express file from NT
 4.0, you can change the file association for your HTML editor.
 If you installed FrontPage Express using the default settings,
 you should have no problems.  

To change the HTML file association, run Windows NT Explorer and
 choose View, Options. When the Options dialog box opens, click
 the File Types tab. Now scroll down the list of file types
 until you see Internet Document (HTML). Click this file type to
 select it, then click Edit. In the Edit File Type dialog box,
 click the New button. In the New Action dialog box, type in edit
 as the action. Click Browse and go to C:\Program Files\FrontPage
 Express\BIN (this is the default location for the FrontPage
 Express EXE file). Double-click fpxpress.exe to select it as
 your new editor. After you select fpxpres, click OK. Back in
 Edit File Type, click Close to dismiss the dialog box. In
 Options, click Close again to close the dialog box.  

Restart the computer. The next time you run Microsoft Internet
 Explorer 3, you can click Edit to open the current Web page in
 FrontPage Express. To change the file association in Windows 95,
 click View, Options, then the Programs tab. Click the File Types
 button, then scroll down to Internet Document (HTML). From
 there, follow the same directions as above.  
  

*2.   SAVE IT FIRST         
  
Windows NT Workstation 4.0  
Reader John L. (along with several others) asked about taking
 precautions prior to running a REG file. The best way to handle
 this is to export the affected key for later recovery. For
 example, in the last tip we showed you a REG file designed to
 remove the Shortcut To prefix from shortcut names. To do this,
 we modified the Registry key

HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Explorer

To save this key prior to running the REG file, click Start,
 Run. Type   

regedit  

and press Enter. Now, navigate to

HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Explorer

and select the key. Choose Registry, Export Registry File. When
 the Export Registry File dialog box opens, make sure the
 Selected Branch radio button is deselected. Type a name for the
 file and click Save. Now close RegEdit by choosing
 Registry, Exit.  

If you have a problem with the changes the new REG file made, you
 can always run the exported file to put the Registry key back to
 its default settings.  
       

*3.   DOWNLOADED DEFAULT        
  
Every month, we get questions on how to change the default
 Microsoft Internet Explorer 3 download folder. Let's say you
 want to download all your files to a folder named Download. To
 do this, first click a file to download. When the Save As dialog
 box opens, select your Download folder and click Save. From this
 point on, all your downloads go to this Download folder
 by default. 

Here's the catch. If you decided to deselect the check box that
 says "Always ask before opening this type of file," you no
 longer have a choice of download folders. If this is your
 situation, you can set the download folder using RegEdit. As
 usual, we must advise caution when doing anything to modify
 the Registry. 

Click Start, Run, then type in 

regedit 

and press Enter. When RegEdit opens, navigate to

HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Internet Explorer.

In the right pane, you'll see Download Directory. Double-click
 its icon to open the Edit String dialog box. Enter  

c:\Download  

(or whatever name you choose as a download folder) and click OK.
 Now close RegEdit (choose Registry, Exit) and restart
 the computer.  
        

*4.   SAVING THE NEWS        
  
Reader Will F. suggests that we discuss how to save news messages
 using Microsoft Mail and News.  

There are two ways to save news messages: You can either choose
 File, Save Message to save the message in News format using the
 current title, or you can choose File, Save As. When the Save
 Message As dialog box opens, click the arrow at the right of the
 Save As Type list box. From the list, you can select News
 (*.nws) to save the message in message format (you'd use this to
 save it using a name of your choice), or you can select Mail
 (*.ewl) to save the file in Microsoft Mail format.  

You cannot save the file in TXT format. However, you can select
 the text, then paste it into a Notepad document.  
        

*5.   When registering your site with a search engine be sure to
 register the page address the viewer actually sees, as many
 search engines have difficulties following re-direction.
 Re-direction is when a person inputs a URL into the location bar
 of their browser and ends up at a different page to view. For
 example, when you in put http://www.espn.com the visitor goes
 automatically to http://espn.sportszone.com. In this example we
 recommend registering http://espn.sportzone.com


*6.   This tip works best if you have a large monitor or use
 high-resolution settings. By combining two toolbars on one line,
 you can increase your viewing area even more. First, go back to
 the Advanced tab under View/Internet Options and deselect the
 Show Font Button item. Next, grab the Address toolbar and drag
 it up to the same level as the Button toolbar. Position it next
 to the Print button (or Edit button if installed). You can carve
 out even more room by dragging the Links toolbar to the same
 level as the other toolbars.


*7.   MAKING HISTORY        
  
Subscriber Steve C. asks if there's a way to keep more files in
 the History folder. 

Yes. The default for your History folder is 20 days. Some people
 make heavy use of the History folder, and need to save the files
 for a longer period of time. You can save History files for up
 to 999 days (as long as your disk space holds out). To change
 the number of days your History files are saved, choose View,
 Options and click the Navigation tab. Double-click the spin box
 labeled "Number of days to keep pages in History," then type in
 the new number. 

Click Apply, then click OK to close the dialog box and save your
 new setting.


*8.   HOW PRIVATE IS E-MAIL?        
  
Reader Betty D. would like to know just how private e-mail
 really is. 

The answer is, unfortunately, not as private as you might think.
 There are currently no laws to prevent any company from reading
 the messages that appear on its computers. Most of these
 companies don't make a practice of reading your e-mail,
 but they could.  

And just because you delete a message from your computer, don't
 convince yourself that the message is gone forever--it's
 probably still on the server.  

This hasn't been a problem because most ISPs don't check their
 customers' e-mail. But the potential is there, and you should
 know about it.


*9.   SHAKE YOUR E THING        
  
Subscriber Flo T. asks if there's a way to add a URL of your
 choice to the Internet Explorer logo (often called the E-Thing).  

If you'd like to assign a new URL to the logo, run Microsoft
 Internet Explorer 3 and choose View, Options. When the Options
 dialog box opens, click the Navigation tab. Next click the arrow
 at the right side of the Page list box to expand the list.
 Select Quick Link #5 from the list. Now click in the Address
 entry box and type the new address. Be sure to type the entire
 address--for example,  

http://www.myurl.com 

Click OK to close the dialog box and save your new selection.


*10.   DETAILED HISTORY         
  
Reader Anne W. sent in this tip: 

"If you'd like to know more about some of the files in your
 History folder, you can choose Go, Open History Folder. When the
 History folder opens, choose View, Details to see all the
 pertinent stats on your History files." 

Thanks for the tip, Anne.  
        