
Windows 3.1 Tips #9



*1. PUT AN END TO RUN-ON DOCUMENTS--PART 1 OF 2          
          
June 15th, 1999          
          
When you print a whole slew of documents, do you find trying to figure out
 where one ends and the next begins tedious (ten paper cuts later)? Take
 the guesswork out of document division by placing a separator page
 between print jobs: 

1. Open Print Manager. (It's inside Program Manager's Main group.) 
2. Choose Options + Separator Pages. 
3. Select Standard Separator Page (or select Simple Separator Page for
 a graphics-free page). 
4. Click OK. 

Now instead of reading each page for content, all you have to do is look
 for the separators.


*2. PUT AN END TO RUN-ON DOCUMENTS--PART 2 OF 2          
          
June 16th, 1999          
          
In our last tip, we showed you how to take the guesswork out of separating
 one printed document from the next. Just insert separator pages between
 print jobs: Open Print Manager, choose Options + Separator Pages, select
 the Simple or Standard Separator Page option, and click OK. 

Getting really into this separator thing? Then take it one step further.
 Ask Windows to print your favorite *.WMF (Windows metafile) or *.CLP
 (Clipboard) file on each separator page: 

1. Open Print Manager (it's inside Program Manager's Main group) and
 choose Options + Separator Pages. 
2. Select Custom Separator File and click Browse. 
3. Under Files of Type, select Metafiles or Clipboard Files, depending on
 the file you want to use. 
4. Navigate your way to select the file you want to use on each
 separator page. 
5. Click OK twice. 

Hey, you have to look at these things. They might as well be interesting!


*3. NOT-SO-STUPID KEYBOARD TRICKS          
          
June 17th, 1999          
          
Do you prefer to keep your hands on the keyboard rather than reach all
 the way over for that pesky mouse at every turn? Back by popular demand,
 here's a list of some of the handier keyboard shortcuts for easy reference: 

Alt + F4---------------------------------Close active window 
Alt + spacebar, N----------------------Minimize active window 
Alt + spacebar, X----------------------Maximize active window 
Alt + spacebar, R----------------------Restore active window 
Alt + spacebar, C----------------------Close active window 
Alt + underlined letter----------------Select menu command 
Alt + Enter------------------------------Open Properties of selected
	 Program Manager icon 
Shift + F4-------------------------------Tile open Program Manager windows 
Shift + F5-------------------------------Cascade open Program Manager
	 windows 
Alt + Esc--------------------------------Switch to next open window 
Alt + Tab--------------------------------Switch among open windows (hold
	 Alt and continue to press Tab) 
Ctrl + Esc--------------------------------Display Task List dialog box 
Ctrl + F10--------------------------------Switch focus from a window's
	 contents to its menu commands


*4. WHAT ARE YOUR EXACT COORDINATES?          
          
June 18th, 1999          
          
The next time you're working on a Paintbrush picture and need to place an
 object just so--for example, smack in the middle of the drawing--don't
 waste your energy trying to eyeball it. Ask Paintbrush to display your
 cursor's exact coordinates; then let the numbers be your guide:
 Choose View + Cursor position. 

You see a box of two numbers on the right side of Paintbrush's title bar.
 The first is the cursor's distance from the left edge of the drawing
 (in pixels); the second is its distance from the top. So, for example,
 to place a dot in the exact center of an 800 x 600 canvas, move the cursor
 until these numbers read 400, 300; then make your dot.


*5. PAINTERS, CHOOSE YOUR CANVAS--PART 1 OF 2          
          
June 21st, 1999          
          
About to start a new Paintbrush masterpiece? If you know the finished size
 (for example, 5" x 3") change the size of your canvas to match. Then you
 won't have to fiddle with cropping or resizing--both of which can ruin a
 drawing--when you're finished.

1. Open Paintbrush, if it isn't already. (It's in Program Manager's
 Accessories group.) 
2. Choose Options + Image Attributes. 
3. Under Units, select the type of unit you're using. In our example,
 we'd select the Inches radio button (in). 
4. Next to Width, enter the value you want. In our example, we'd enter 5. 
5. Next to Height, enter the value you want. In our example, we'd enter 3. 
6. Click OK. 

Your new canvas size will be outlined in the Paintbrush window. Don't
 worry about coloring outside the lines: You can't!


*6. PAINTERS, CHOOSE YOUR CANVAS--PART 2 OF 2          
          
June 22nd, 1999          
          
In our last tip, we showed you how to change the size of your Paintbrush
 canvas so that you don't have to deal with cropping or resizing when
 you're finished: Choose Options + Image Attributes, select the type of
 units, type the desired dimensions next to Width and Height, and click OK. 

Ready to start a new drawing? You would think that selecting File + New
 would cause the canvas to jump back to its default size (equal to your
 current desktop resolution), but it doesn't. To change the canvas size,
 follow the steps above to set a new, custom canvas size. Or you can
 switch back to the default, as follows: 

1. Choose Options + Image Attributes. 
2. Click the Default button. (The units switch to pels, and your current
 screen resolution appears next to Width and Height.) 
3. Click OK to accept the new size. 

Now grab your brush and go to it!


*7. MAKE BLACK AND WHITE A THING OF THE PAST          
          
June 23rd, 1999          
          
Black text in your word processing documents, black text in your dialog
 boxes, black text, black text, black text. Can't Windows use some other
 color? Why yes, as a matter of fact, it can. Pick any color you want: 

1. Open the Control Panel. (It's in Program Manager's Main group.) 
2. Double-click Color. 
3. Click the Color Palette button. 
4. Under Screen Element, select Window Text. 
5. In the color palette, select a new text color. (Tip-in-a-tip: Assuming
 your window backgrounds are white, you probably want to choose
 something fairly dark.) 
6. Click OK. 

Ahh . . . color!


*8. YOU CAN GO HOME AGAIN            
  
In an instant, you can travel to the very end of a Web page with Ctrl-End.
 Once you're at the end of the page, press Ctrl-Home to beam yourself
 back up to the top. This works from anywhere in the page.


*9. HOW VERY INTERNATIONAL OF YOU--PART 1 OF 2          
          
June 24th, 1999          
          
Are you working on a document that deals with foreign dates, times,
 currencies, or numbers? Keep in mind that the formatting of these items
 varies significantly from one country to the next. If you want to be sure
 to write things correctly, better check out Windows'
 International settings: 

1. Open the Control Panel. (It's in Program Manager's Main group.) 
2. Double-click International. 
3. Next to Country, click the down arrow and select the country you're
 creating the document for. 
4. Review the formats at the bottom of the dialog box. 
5. When you're finished, select your home country and then click OK.
 (Otherwise, you change Windows' defaults.) 

Good thing you checked, eh?


*10. HOW VERY INTERNATIONAL OF YOU--PART 2 OF 2          
          
June 25th, 1999          
          
In our last tip, we showed you how to look up the correct formats for
 foreign dates, times, currencies, and numbers: Open the Control Panel,
 double-click International, and select a country. We also mentioned that
 before clicking OK to close this dialog box, you should select your
 own country so that you don't change Windows' defaults. 

Which brings us to our next tip. If you do, in fact, want to change
 Windows' defaults, follow these steps: 

1. Open the International dialog box (open the Control Panel and
 double-click International). 
2. Select a country, such as France, from the Country list. 
3. Click OK. 

Windows now "thinks French" inside Windows-based applications. For example,
 if you open Notepad and press F5 to insert a time and date stamp,
 the date appears before the month.

- 30MB disk space to run Setup
