Windows 98 Tips #39



*1. PASSWORD-PROTECT YOUR SCREEN SAVER         
     
Don't want nosy neighbors meddling in your business when you step away 
from your computer? A screen saver will stop the passers-by (unless 
they can get close enough to bump your mouse), but a 
password-protected screen saver is even better. 

Right-click the desktop and select Properties to open the Display 
Properties dialog box. Click the Screen Saver tab, select Password 
Protected, then click the Change button and enter a password twice. 
Click OK and you'll see a dialog box telling you the password has been 
changed. Click OK two more times. 

The next time your screen saver kicks in and anyone (including you) 
tries to get past it, it'll be a no go without the password. So make 
sure you don't forget your password!


*2. SWITCH MOUSE TO LEFT HAND         
     
Hey, lefties, want the primary mouse click to be your pointer finger? 
All you have to do is switch the buttons. Open the Control Panel, 
double-click Mouse, and in the resulting dialog box, select the 
appropriate setting (depending on your mouse). For example, you may 
see a Left-handed option. Or, if you have an IntelliPoint mouse, click 
the Basics tab, then select Right or Upper. 

Click OK, then try it out. Click the desktop using your middle 
finger--of your left hand, of course--and there's the context menu.


*3. INCREASE SCROLLBAR SIZE         
     
Do you find the scrollbars in your applications and dialog boxes too 
small to grab onto? Windows 98 lets you make them as big (or as small) 
as you want. 

Right-click the desktop, select Properties, and click the Appearance 
tab. Under Item, select Scrollbar, adjust the Size using the up arrow, 
and watch your change in the preview. When you like what you see, 
click OK to keep the change.


*4. What You Don't Know. . .

If you're using the Task Scheduler to automate disk maintenance
and other tasks, here's how to make sure you know if one of
your scheduled tasks didn't happen. Open the Task Scheduler
by double-clicking on the system tray icon and select "Notify
me of missed tasks" from the Advanced menu.


*5. UNDO LAST ACTION         
     
Did you just move, copy, rename, or delete something you shouldn't 
have? Not a problem. Windows allows you to undo your most recent 
action. Right-click the desktop or window (wherever you made the 
mistake) and select the Undo command. Alternatively, press Ctrl-Z, or, 
from inside a window, select Edit, Undo.


*6. CHANGE SIZE OF EXPLORER PANES         
     
Did you just expand four levels of a folder inside an Explorer window 
and now you can't see them all? The left pane of that Explorer window 
(the one that says All Folders) isn't as narrow as it seems. It can be 
any size you want. Just hold the cursor over the dividing line between 
the two panes, and when the cursor changes to a double-pointed arrow, 
click and drag to the right. To change the size back, just drag the 
line to the left.


*7. EDIT BACKGROUND PATTERNS         
     
Want to make your own background pattern for your desktop? Click the 
desktop with the right mouse button, choose Properties, and take a 
look at the Patterns list on the Background tab. Pick one that looks 
like it might be fun to change, such as Scottie, and click the Edit 
Pattern button. Two things first, though: Make sure (None) is selected 
for Wallpaper, and if your desktop has a black background, you'll need 
to switch it to another color by clicking the Display Properties' 
Appearance tab and changing it in the Color dropdown menu. 

The pattern is nothing more than a grid of black or colored boxes. 
Click a box, and it toggles between black and your desktop's 
background color. The nice thing is that you get to see your changes 
right in the Sample box as you work. When you're done, give the 
pattern a new name (unless you want to overwrite the old one), click 
Add, then click Done. 

Is your favorite dog a Doberman instead of a Scottie? Make the tail 
and legs longer, and you've got a whole new look!


*8. NOTEPAD LOG FILES         
     
Notepad is a small, can't-even-really-call-it-a-word-processor program 
that comes with Windows 98. It isn't fancy, but it does have one 
unique feature: log files. 

Type 

.LOG 

at the top of a Notepad file, and it becomes a log file, just like a 
journal. From then on, every time you make an entry in the file, 
Notepad adds a time and date stamp. You'll see the stamp the next time 
you open the file.


*9. REARRANGE PAINT TOOLS AND COLORS         
     
Not happy with the placement of Paint's tools and colors? Then move 
them. You can turn them into floating palettes, for placement anywhere 
on screen, or stick them to the edge of the Paint window. 

Open Paint by selecting Start, Programs, Accessories, Paint. Click a 
blank area around the edge of the tools or colors, and a black box 
will appear to let you know they're selected. Now just drag the 
palette where you want it, along its existing edge or anywhere on 
screen. 

Don't like floating palettes? Just like the Taskbar, they'll snap into 
place at the edge of the Paint window. Tools stick to the side edges; 
colors stick to the top or bottom.


*10. Check Your Registry

Win98 comes with a handy way to check your Registry for
errors. Launch the Microsoft System Information (MSI)
utility from Start/Accessories/System Tools/System Information,
then select the Registry Checker from the Tools menu.
