Microsoft Internet Explorer 4.0 Tips #13



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*1. DESIGNING WEB PAGE BACKGROUNDS         
 
Reader June S. has a FrontPage Express question: 

"I recently began using FrontPage Express to design Web pages.
 I'm very new at this and wonder if there is a way in FrontPage
 Express to apply a background that will stay put while the text
 and pictures scroll?"   

Yes, June--you can make a stationary background
 with FrontPage Express.  

The way to do it may not be immediately apparent, though--you
 need to make the background image a watermark. To do this,
 choose Format, Background. When the Page Properties dialog box
 opens, select the Background Image check box, then select the
 Watermark check box. Next click Browse. This opens the Select
 Background Image dialog box. Then select the From File radio
 button and click Browse. Locate the file you want to use and
 double-click it. Back in Page Properties, click OK to close the
 dialog box and apply your selections.


*2. EASY ACCESS         
 
Read Li T. sent in this Microsoft Internet Explorer 4
 browser question: 

"I once read somewhere that you can access anything on your hard
 drive without ever leaving Microsoft Internet Explorer 4.
 Could you explain how one might do this?" 

No problem. All you have to do is enter your folder name in the
 Microsoft Internet Explorer 4 Address Bar. Let's say you want
 to access a folder named Data on drive C:. Just type 
 
c:\data 
 
in the Address Bar and press Enter. To get back to your Internet
 site, click the Microsoft Internet Explorer 4 back arrow
 (or press Backspace).


*3. HARD COPIES PLEASE         
 
Reader Karen P. has an Outlook Express question. 

"I recently sent a group of messages and now would like to have
 hard copy versions of the mail. Is there an easy way to print
 Outlook Express mail messages you have already sent?"  

You sure can, as long as those sent messages still reside in the
 Outlook Express Sent Items folder. Just run Outlook Express and
 go to the Sent Items folder. Double-click the message you want
 to print to open it, then press Ctrl-P. 

To make sure you've placed your sent messages in the Sent Items
 for later use, choose Tools, Options. When the Options dialog
 box opens, click the Send tab. Next select the check box
 labeled "Save copy of sent messages in the Sent Items folder"
 and click OK to record your selection and close the dialog box. 

Hard copies await you, Karen.


*4. WHAT A DRAG         
 
Subscriber Louis A. submitted this tip: 

"I don't think I've ever seen a tip that mentioned the fact that
 you can attach a file to an Outlook Express mail message by
 simply dragging and dropping the file on the message.
 I thought you might like to report this." 

Thanks, Louis. There are at least two ways to attach a file to
 an Outlook Express mail message--choose Insert, File Attachment,
 or drag and drop the file on the message as suggested above.


*5. INTERNET STROKES         
 
Reader Kara T. sent in this Internet question: 

"Is it possible to assign keystrokes to a URL? I frequently use a
 particular Web page and would like to get to it quickly by
 pressing a few keys." 

You sure can. Let's say you frequently visit the PC World site.
 You could assign the keys Ctrl-Alt-P to go immediately to 

http://www.pcworld.com  

Here's how. Click Start, Favorites, PC World (or whatever your
 entry is named). Next right-click the PC World entry and choose
 Properties. When the Properties dialog box opens, click the
 Internet Shortcut tab. Then click in the Shortcut Key entry box
 and type P (in either caps or lowercase). This assigns
 Ctrl-Alt-P to the PC World Web site. 

-From this point on, you can simply press Ctrl-Alt-P to go to
 the PC World page.


*6. WHERE'S THE DATA?         
 
Subscriber Francine D. asks this Microsoft Internet
 Explorer 4 question: 

"Recently, I filled out a form on the Web. I had to leave the
 form for a while to check on something, and when I came back,
 the form was empty. What happened to all the info I had
 already entered? Is this a bug in IE 4?" 

Unfortunately, Microsoft Internet Explorer 4 keeps the data only
 if the page is cached to disk and the data hasn't changed.
 Fortunately, this is not a bug--it's the default operation of
 Microsoft Internet Explorer.


*7. INEXPENSIVE PRESENTATION SOFTWARE         
 
Here's a question from reader Tom S.: 

"My company recently asked me to do a presentation. The problem
 is that I can't buy one of the expensive presentation programs.
 I was wondering if you might know of a shareware program I can
 use. I have looked around on the Web and haven't had much luck." 

Not a problem. You should take a look at PowerShow Pro,which
 creates multimedia slide shows that can handle a variety of
 image files. You can also use WAV and MIDI files and choose
 from over 50 transition effects. You'll find the program at 

http://www.pcworld.com/r/tw/1%2C2061%2Ctw-ie40629%2C00.html  

Registration is $32. 

Note: This program requires the Visual Basic runtime module,
 Vbrun300.dll. If you don't have it, go to  

http://www.pcworld.com/r/tw/1%2C2061%2Ctw-ie40629b%2C00.html 

to download it. This file goes into your \Windows\System folder. 

Good luck on that presentation, Tom.


*8. FOLDERS MY WAY         
 
Reader Jack H. sent in a Favorites question. 

"I sometimes like to add new folders to my Favorites folder to
 help keep things organized. The problem is that the new folder
 always seems to appear at the bottom of the menu, no matter what
 I name it. Is there a way to get new folders placed at the
 top of the menu?" 

Organized folders (in any order) await you, Jack.  As we've
 mentioned in past tips, you can place folders and URLs wherever
 you want in the Microsoft Internet Explorer 4 Favorites menu.
 Try this: Choose Favorites and, when the menu opens, grab that
 new folder with the mouse and drag it to the top of the menu.
 When you release the mouse button, the folder will stay put in
 its new location.


*9. CUSTOMIZE THE FOLDERS         
 
Here is a question from reader Joan B.: 

"I just recently downloaded Microsoft Internet Explorer. I
 understand that you can put personal pictures into the desktop
 folders when using Internet Explorer 4. Would you explain how
 to do this? I assume you have to use the same picture in all
 folders. Is this the case?" 

In the wonderful world of Internet Explorer 4, you can insert
 personal pictures into your desktop folders. You need not worry
 about having to use the same picture either; you can use a
 different picture in each folder. 

To add a picture to a folder, let's assume that you already have
 a BMP file in mind and know where it is on your hard disk.
 Open the folder you want to add the picture to and choose View,
 Customize This Folder. When the Customize This Folder wizard
 opens, select the Choose A Background Picture radio button
 and click Next.  

Now, click Browse and, when the Open dialog box appears, locate
 and double-click the picture file you want to use. (At this
 point, you will also want to close the dialog box.) Note: The
 default is BMP. If your picture is a GIF or JPG file, simply
 click the arrow at the right side of the Files Of Type list
 box and select the appropriate file type. 

After you make your selection, click Next, Finish. Your picture
 should now appear in the folder background. If it doesn't
 appear, press F5 to refresh the folder. 

Good luck with those pictures, Joan!


*10. GETTING A GOOD WEB PAGE PRINTOUT         
 
Here is a question from reader Elliot M.: 

"I sometimes need to print Web pages on a laser printer. Most of
 the time, this is no problem. But some Web pages use a dark
 background with light text. Such a page rarely looks good in
 print. Is there any way to reverse the printing of a page with
 light text, so the text appears in black and the
 background in white?" 

It sounds like your Microsoft Internet Explorer 4 is set to print
 the background. Try this: Run Internet Explorer 4 and choose
 View, Internet Options. When the Internet Options dialog box
 opens, click the Advanced tab. Now, scroll down through the list
 to Printing. Deselect the Print Background Colors And Images
 check box and then click OK to close the dialog box and
 save your selection. 

Good luck, Elliot!
