Windows 98 Tips #18



*1. IN SEARCH OF A HELP TOPIC         
     
Can't seem to find the Windows Help topic you need in the Index? Maybe you
 and Microsoft just aren't on the same wavelength in terms of how the topic
 should be listed. Try searching by keyword instead. 

Inside Windows Help (select Start, Help), click the Search tab and type a
 keyword, such as 'modem'. Click List Topics, and Windows will display all
 topics that include that word (not just in their index listings, but in
 the topics themselves). 

Still can't find the answer you're looking for? Chances are it isn't in
 Windows Help.


*2. WINDOWS 98 "REMEMBERS" FILE SELECTION         
     
If you're in the middle of selecting a number of files (for example,
 holding down Ctrl as you click each file) and someone interrupts you,
 don't fret that you'll have to start the file selection process over
 again. As long as you don't click inside that window (the one where you
 were making the selection), Windows 98 will remember the
 selection for you. 

Just do what you have to do, and when you're ready to get back to work,
 restore or switch back to the "selection" window. Hold your mouse pointer
 over any of the previously selected items, and the entire selection
 reappears like magic. 

(Note: This tip works only if you have your desktop set to act like the
 Web--in other words, you can select a file by holding your mouse pointer
 over it.)


*3. SHOWING HIDDEN FILES         
     
When you view a folder's contents in an Explorer window, do you want to be
 sure that you're seeing EVERYTHING inside? Open any Explorer window,
 select View, Folder Options and click the View tab. Under Advanced
 Settings, select Show All Files (under Hidden Files), if it isn't already
 selected, then click OK. The next time you open any folder window,
 Windows will reveal all. 

(Note: Typically, "hidden" files are so important that the developers
 opted to keep them out of reach. In other words, don't mess with a
 hidden file unless you really know what you're doing.)


*4. ALT-TAB TRICK         
     
In a previous tip, we mentioned that you can press Alt-Tab to switch
 among open applications. Here's a quick review: Press and hold down the
 Alt key as you continually press Tab (or Shift-Tab, to move in reverse)
 to rotate through all open windows (represented by icons in a gray box).
 When the window you want appears highlighted, release the Alt key. 

If you find yourself frequently switching back and forth between two
 windows in any given work session, there's a shortcut you should know
 about: The last window you switched to using the Alt-Tab method is
 always the one that appears first in that gray box. Point being? All you
 have to do is press Alt-Tab once to switch to the other window. Press
 Alt-Tab to switch back again, and so on. You don't even need to look at
 the screen!


*5. BRIEFCASE HELPS WITH DATA FILE BACKUPS         
     
Reader J. Emler writes: 

"I don't think Windows Briefcase gets the attention it deserves, so I
 would like to share my use for it. I have a CD rewriter that I use to
 back up data files. I use Briefcase to make sure the files are kept
 up to date. 

"Every directory that I want to back up to CD has a duplicate copy in a
 briefcase on a rewritable CD (that I leave in the drive). I have
 shortcuts to each briefcase in a desktop folder. At the end of the day,
 I open the folder and double-click each shortcut. The corresponding
 briefcase opens up and tells me if it needs updating. Very handy! I
 never have to worry about whether or not I remembered to back up
 a data file." 

Good idea! Thanks for sharing, J!


*6. THIRD-PARTY MACRO UTILITIES         
     
Reader C. Elledge writes: 

"I have been dragging a copy of the old Windows 3.1 Recorder program with
 me through all of the updates to Microsoft Windows. I currently use
 Windows 98. I use this program a lot to record keyboard macros for
 repetitious tasks, but I would like to have something a little more
 powerful. Is there a similar program in Windows 98? I sure haven't been
 able to find it!" 

True, Windows 98 doesn't offer its own macro-recording utility. However,
 as with other Windows shortcomings, there are plenty of third-party
 utilities to fill in this gap. A couple of macro shareware programs you
 may want to try are 

Macro Magic 
http://www.pcworld.com/fileworld/file_description/0,1458,5192,00.html 

MacroMania 
http://www.pcworld.com/fileworld/file_description/0,1458,2273,00.html 

Good luck!


*7. PLAYING SOUND WHEN CAPS LOCK/NUM LOCK KEYS ARE PRESSED         
     
Do you want your Caps Lock and Num Lock keys to play a sound when you
 press them, so you don't suddenly find yourself typING IN ALL CAPS or
 typing numbers instead of paging up and down? Then call upon ToggleKeys. 

Open the Control Panel and double-click Accessibility Options. On the
 Keyboard tab, select Use ToggleKeys, then click OK. From now on,
 pressing Caps Lock or Num Lock (or Scroll Lock) plays one of two sounds
 (depending on whether you're turning the button on or off). 

(Note: If you don't see Accessibility Options in your Control Panel, you
 need to install it using your Windows 98 installation disk. Inside the
 Control Panel, double-click Add/Remove Programs. Click the Windows
 Setup tab and, under Components, select Accessibility. Click the
 Details button, select Accessibility Tools, click OK twice, and so on.) 

In our next tip, we'll tell you about a keyboard shortcut for turning
 ToggleKeys on and off.


*8. KEYBOARD SHORTCUT FOR TOGGLEKEYS         
     
In our last tip, we showed you how to turn on ToggleKeys, so that you'll
 hear a tone whenever you press the Caps Lock or Num Lock key: Open the
 Control Panel, double-click Accessibility Options and, on the Keyboard
 tab, select Use ToggleKeys. 

Want to be able to turn ToggleKeys on and off from your keyboard? After
 following the steps above, click the Settings button next to the Use
 ToggleKeys setting. Select Use Shortcut and click OK twice. The next
 time you want to silence ToggleKeys--for example, if the person working
 next to you needs a little peace and quiet--hold down the Num Lock key
 for five seconds. You'll hear a tone to indicate ToggleKeys has been
 turned off. To turn this feature back on, hold down Num Lock for five
 seconds, then click OK to close the ToggleKeys dialog box.


*9. MAKING A WINDOWS 98 STARTUP DISK         
     
When you installed Windows 98, you were given the option to create a
 Startup Disk. In haste (or if you didn't happen to have a blank floppy
 handy), you may have opted not to create this disk, with the assumption
 that you would do so later. Well, later is here. If you don't have a
 Startup Disk, make one now. This disk is a big help if you ever have
 trouble starting Windows 98. It boots your system and also provides

 some utilities that you can use to diagnose the problem. 

With a blank, formatted disk in hand, open the Control Panel and
 double-click Add/Remove Programs. Select the Startup Disk tab, click the
 Create Disk button, and follow along as Windows 98 walks you through the
 disk creation process. When it finishes, label the disk and store it in
 a safe place. You never know when you may need it.


*10. REMOVING ICONS FROM YOUR DESKTOP         
     
Want to remove all icons from your desktop in order to display that
 photo you just scanned and turned into desktop wallpaper? Assuming
 you're viewing the desktop as a Web page--by right-clicking the
 desktop, selecting Active Desktop, then choosing View As Web Page--you
 can wipe the desktop clean with one quick setting change. 

Right-click the desktop and select Properties to open the Display
 Properties dialog box. Click the Effects tab, select Hide Icons When
 Desktop Is Viewed As A Web Page, then click OK. Back on your desktop,
 there's not an icon in sight. 

(Note: Before selecting this option, you'll probably want to place
 shortcuts to the desktop items you use in a convenient location, such
 as the Quick Launch toolbar or the Start menu. Also, to get your icons
 back, simply deselect the Hide Icons... option.)
