Windows 98 Tips #11



*1. THEY ALL FALL DOWN        
    
In our last tip, we showed you how to fully expand a folder's contents from
 a two-paned Explorer window: Press the asterisk key (*) on your numeric
 keypad. Want to collapse it again? If you simply press the minus sign (-)
 at the top of the expanded branch, the folders inside will appear to
 collapse; but the next time you expand that folder, its contents appear
 fully expanded (typically, clicking the plus sign expands only the branch
 one level). So what's the trick? After clicking the minus sign (-) at the
 top of the branch, press F5 to refresh.


*2. IF YOU WANT TO SEND A LETTER, RUN        
    
Reader D. Crow offers this tip: 

Many people know that you can select Start, Run, type an URL, and click OK
 to jump directly to a Web site. You can also use the Run command to start
 a new Outlook Express e-mail message by prefacing it with 'mailto:'. For
 example, to start an e-mail going to the TipWorld editors, just type 

mailto:editors@tipworld.com 

Click OK, and up pops an Outlook Express New Message window with the To
 field filled in for you. 

Thanks for the tip D.!


*3. WINDOWS 98 DOESN'T DO LISTINGS        
    
We can't tell you how many requests we receive asking for a way to print a
 directory listing (a printout of all, or some portion of, the files and
 folders on your system). Actually, there are a few different options, none
 of which are as straightforward as the old Windows 3.x File Manager
 commands. You can use a shareware program, a batch file, or a DOS command.
 In this series of tips, we'll show you all three options, and you can
 decide which one works best for you. 

Have an Internet connection and don't mind shelling out a few dollars? By
 far the easiest route to printing a directory listing is to use a
 shareware program. Try one called Directory Printer ($15), available for
 download from 

http://www.pcworld.com/r/tw/1%2C2061%2Ctw-0422w98%2C00.html 

After downloading Dirprn22.zip, open this file using an unzipping utility,
 then run Setup.exe to install the program. Open the program, and under
 Directories, navigate your way to the folder you want to print. Select
 Include Directories if you want to include all the subfolders (and their
 files) within the selected folder. Choosing List Directories Only will
 print only the names and sizes of all directories in the selected folder
 (and the total number of files in each). Select any other options,
 then click Print.


*4. I COMMAND THEE TO PRINT A DIRECTORY--PART 1 OF 3        
    
In our last tip, we discussed a way to print directory listings on your
 Windows 98 system. A shareware utility called Directory Printer ($15) is
 available for download from 

http://www.pcworld.com/r/tw/1%2C2061%2Ctw-0423%2C00.html 

Another method is to use DOS commands to transform the listing you want to
 print into a text file. You can then print that file from your application
 of choice. 

Let's assume you want to print a directory listing for drive C. First,
 create a text file--for example, C:\My Documents\DirListing.txt--from this
 listing. Select Start, Programs, MS-DOS Prompt, and type the following
 command line: 

dir C:\ /S > C:\DirListing.txt 

(Note: The /S switch searches all folders and sub-folders.) Close the
 MS-DOS Prompt window and open the .txt file you just created in your word
 processor. (Don't use Notepad--it can't handle large files.) From there,
 just print the file as you would any other document. The nice part is you
 have access to all of that program's commands, such as page breaks. 

(Tip: To print a listing of only one folder, as opposed to an entire drive,
 type its path after the C:\ in the above command line.) 

Don't feel like dealing with a .txt file middleman? In our next tip, we'll
 show you how to send a directory listing right to the printer....


*5. I COMMAND THEE TO PRINT A DIRECTORY--PART 2 OF 3        
    
In our last tip, we showed you how to print a directory listing by creating
 a *.txt file that you can open and print from any word processor: Assuming
 you want to print a listing of drive C by creating the text file
 C:\My Documents\DirListing.txt, open an MS-DOS Prompt window and use the
 following command line: 

dir C:\ /S > C:\DirListing.txt 

Would you prefer to send that information directly to the printer (for
 example, if you don't need to manipulate the information using your word
 processor's commands)? Exit to a DOS prompt, type 

dir C:\ /S > prn 

and press Enter. 

(Tip: To print a listing of only one folder, as opposed to an entire drive,
 type its path after the C:\ in the above command line.) 

In our next tip, we'll discuss some handy switches for these
 DOS commands....


*6. I COMMAND THEE TO PRINT A DIRECTORY--PART 3 OF 3         
     
In a previous tip, we showed you how to turn a directory listing into a
 *.txt file (that you can manipulate and print from your word processor:
 Assuming you want to print a listing of drive C by creating the text file
 C:\My Documents\DirListing.txt, open an MS-DOS Prompt window, type 

dir C:\ /S > C:\DirListing.txt 

and press Enter. Then, in our last tip, we showed you how to send a
 directory listing directly to your printer: Follow the steps above, but
 use the following command line. 

dir C:\ /S > prn 

(Tip: To print a listing of only one folder, as opposed to an entire drive,
 type its path after the C:\ in the above command line.) 

Now let's look at a couple of switches to help you customize your listing.
 (By the way, the /S switch in the above commands instructs DOS to search
 all folders and sub-folders.) 

Want to print a listing of all the directories and subdirectories on the
 specified drive, without including all the files inside them? Use the /AD
 switch as follows: 

 dir C:\ /AD/S > prn 

To print a detailed listing (for example, including long filenames) of all
 the files in a specified folder, without including that folder's
 sub-directories, use the /V switch as follows: 

dir C:\{path to directory} /V > prn 

(Tip: To add sub-directories and their files to this detailed listing, add
 the /S switch as follows: 

dir C:\ {path to directory} /V/S > prn 

And of course, if you want to send the information to a *.txt file instead
 of directly to the printer, just substitute the 'prn' in any of the above
 commands with the path and name of a TXT file, like so: 

C:\DirListing.txt


*7. ONCE A FAVORITE, ALWAYS A FAVORITE         
     
A number of readers have asked how to copy their Favorites to a second PC.
 Actually, it's more straightforward than you might think. Just use a
 floppy disk to copy the files from one Favorites folder to the other. 

Open an Explorer window and display the contents of the first system's
 Windows\Favorites folder. Hold down Ctrl as you click on each favorite you
 want to copy to the second system; then, with a blank, formatted disk in
 your floppy drive, right-click the selection and select Send To,
 3 1/2 Floppy (A). 

Now just pop the disk in the second computer and copy its files to that
 system's Windows\Favorites folder. Open an Explorer window and display the
 contents of the disk. Open a second Explorer window and open the
 Windows\Favorites folder. Select all of the items in the floppy drive
 window, right-click and drag the selection into the Favorites window, let
 go, and select Copy Here. Instant Favorites folder!


*8. HAVE FAVORITES, WILL TRAVEL--PART 1 OF 2         
     
In our last tip, we showed you how to copy your Favorites folder from one
 system to another. Just use a floppy disk to copy the files from the
 Windows\Favorites folder on the first system to the Windows\Favorites
 folder on the second. Reader J. McDonough takes this idea one step further
 with this question: "How can I synchronize my Internet Favorites folders
 on two PC's?" 

This is a perfect use for the Windows 98 Briefcase. Transport the contents
 of your Favorites folder between the two systems using a Briefcase (on a
 floppy disk), then use Briefcase's Update feature to keep the contents of
 both Favorites folders identical and up to date.

First, some preparation. You'll need to decide which Favorites folder
 you'll use as a model. (We'll call this the first system.) In addition,
 you'll want to empty the Favorites folder of the second system. (Use a
 floppy disk to copy any favorites you want to keep to the first system,
 then delete everything inside the second system's Favorites folder.)
 Finally, organize all of the Favorites on the first system into folders.
 (Briefcase works better when you deal with folders.) In other words, don't
 leave any favorites in the main Favorites folder. 

Now you're ready. Right-click the desktop of the first system and select
 New, Briefcase. (If you don't see Briefcase in the menu, you'll need to
 install this component: Open the Control Panel, select Add/Remove
 Programs, click the Windows Setup tab, double-click Accessories, select
 Briefcase, click OK twice, and insert your installation disk when asked.)
 Name the Briefcase something appropriate, like Favorites. 

Copy all of the folders inside the Windows\Favorites folder to the
 Briefcase, just as you would to any other folder, then move the Briefcase
 to a blank, formatted floppy disk (right-click the Briefcase and select
 Send To, 3 1/2 Floppy). Pop the disk in the floppy drive of the second
 system and display its contents in an Explorer window. Copy all of the
 folders inside to that system's Windows\Favorites folder. 

In our next tip, we'll show you how to use the Update command to keep the
 contents of both Favorites folders current....


*9. HAVE FAVORITES, WILL TRAVEL--PART 2 OF 2         
     
In our last tip, we pointed out that the Windows 98 Briefcase is the
 perfect tool for synchronizing your Favorites folders on two systems. In
 case you missed this tip, create a new Briefcase, copy the contents of the
 first system's Windows\Favorites folder to this Briefcase, then move the
 Briefcase to a floppy disk. Pop the disk in the floppy drive of the second
 system and copy all of its files to that system's Windows\Favorites
 folder. (Note: The assumptions are that the Favorites folder on the first
 system is the one you want to use as a model and that all of the favorites
 are organized into folders. In addition, the Favorites folder on the
 second system should be empty. If it isn't, use a floppy disk to copy its
 contents to the first system, then delete everything inside.) 

You now have three 'sync' copies of the same folders--one copy on each of
 the two systems and one in the Briefcase (on the floppy disk). Watch how
 easy it is to keep all three copies up-to-date and identical. 

Any time you add items to, or delete them from, one of your Favorites
 folders, pop the floppy disk that contains the Briefcase in that system's
 floppy drive. Display the floppy's contents in an Explorer window, then
 right-click the Briefcase and choose Update All. You'll see all the
 updates that are about to occur in the Update dialog box. (To change an
 operation, right-click it and select a new operation, such as Skip.) Click
 Update, and the files in the Briefcase now match those on that system. 

Now to update the OTHER system. Insert the floppy disk in the second
 system's floppy drive and follow the steps above (right-click the
 Briefcase icon, select Update All, and so on). All three copies of your
 Favorites folders are now identical.


*10. Play Favorites with Programs

Do you have a few programs that you use far more than any others? If so,
 you can make those programs more quickly accessible. The improved Disk
 Defragmenter in Windows 98 can gather the program files you use most often
 and move them to the faster parts of your hard disk. To run Disk
 Defragmenter, click Start and select Programs/Accessories/System Tools and
 then select Disk Defragmenter. Click on the Settings button and make sure
 that the option labeled "Rearrange program files so my programs start
 faster" is selected. Click OK twice to begin defragmentation.
