Windows 98 Tips #19



*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.)
