Repetition Made Easy

Repetition Made Easy

Do you ever find yourself looking to repeat the last string of typing you did in MS Word?

Perhaps you have a phrase that needs to be repeated throughout a document or maybe it’s a repetitious list. Whatever the case may be, I simply have to ask: what did you do?

Maybe you went the difficult route and retyped the text each time.

Maybe you highlighted the text and then copied/pasted it. That’s definitely a shorter way, but it’s still not the shortest.

How would you like an easy key combination that will put your last typed string of text anywhere you place the cursor in your document?

That sounds like a good idea to me and fortunately, I’ve got just the thing!

To repeat your last typed text, simply use Ctrl + Y.

Yep, it’s that easy! Just place the cursor at the next insertion point and press Ctrl + Y. You then have an instant insert of text without any extra fuss!

~ April

User Interface

We tend to use this term quite a bit in our tips, but do you really understand what all is behind it? First of all, you should know that every time you use a new software program or any new application on your computer, you are experiencing the user interface. Basically, the interface allows you, the user, to interact with any program, any device or any other tools you might use on your computer.

The interface includes everything you need to run a program. All of the little controls that come with the program (menus, links, buttons, files, sounds, etc.) are shown on the interface. The interface is mainly the first screen you see when you install a new program or connect a new piece of hardware. It’s your navigational beacon and it helps you surf through the rest of the program.

Most programs aim to provide a simple and easy to use interface. If it’s easy to follow, it’s going to be more effective for the user, which is always nice. There are different types of interfaces (graphical, Web based, command-line, tactile, etc.) and it just depends on the application you’re working with as to which one you will see from program to program. You should always take some time to familiarize yourself with the interface of a new program, just so you’re sure you’ll know your way around without any major complications. That’s it!

~ Erin

Control Panel Views-tips

Control Panel Views

Okay, so I know we’ve gone over this one before, but a lot of you have been asking about it recently and it seems like many of you are still having trouble with it, so I thought I’d go over it again today. What am I talking about? Well, you may or may not know that the Control Panel on your computer has two different views. That’s right, it has a Classic View and a Category View. They’re both very different and either one of them can be used for all sorts of things. It’s also very easy to switch back and forth between them. Read on!

Let’s start with the Classic View. If you choose this particular option, you will see a box that’s filled with different icons. They include everything from Accessibility Options to Date and Time to Printers and Faxes to User Accounts and so on. It contains quite a bit more than the Category View does, but it’s also an older version of the Control Panel. On the other hand, the Category View is a more condensed version, but it still has everything you could possibly need from the Control Panel.

Now, certain computer techniques require you to be in a particular view and if you’re not in the right one, you may run into some trouble. But, like I said earlier, it’s very easy to switch between them, so you’re never too far from where you need to be. To see how you can do that, go to Start, Control Panel and look in the top left hand corner. There you will see a link that either says “Switch to Category View” or “Switch to Classic View.” Once you click on that, you will be taken to the Control Panel you need and you can get your work done. It’s as easy as pie!

~ Erin

Troubleshoot CD Recording

Troubleshoot CD Recording

I’m in the mood to talk about CD burning today, so let’s get right to it! Once you’re sure you have a CD burner on your computer and you have it all set up, you should be good to go, right? Well, there’s one more thing that could go wrong and that’s exactly what we’re going to talk about today. Let’s get started!

The main question for this article is, “What if I can’t get my burner to do anything?” And by anything, I basically mean recording material from your burner to a CD or DVD. Yes, that definitely can be a problem, especially since you can’t really do anything if that capability isn’t working right. So, let’s troubleshoot this problem and see what we can come up with. Note: This tip is only for Windows XP users.

1.) First, you need to make sure you have the recording feature enabled. If you have Windows XP, you really don’t have to do much to get the burner to work, but without the recording feature, you can’t do a whole lot. To check this, double click on the My Computer icon on your desktop. Find whichever drive handles your CDs (generally drive D: or F:), right click on it and choose Properties. Next, click on the Recording tab and make sure the “Enable CD recording on this drive” option is checked.

Note: If you don’t have a Recording tab, that means XP is not recognizing your burner’s recording capabilities. If that’s the case, you may need to consult with your CD burner manual to find out how to configure everything correctly. Depending on your situation, you may even need to change some things in your Registry Editor. If you have serious problems with this, you may want to contact your computer/burner manufacturer for additional help.

On the other hand, if you do have the Recording tab, keep going with me! When you turn on the recording feature, it starts the built-in CD recording in Windows XP. Now, if you use a different burning utility (other than the one that came with XP), you can disable this and just use the other program like you normally do.

2.) Another thing you may want to do is lower your burning speed. You more than likely have the software set to the fastest possible speed, but you might want to try setting it back to something like 18X or maybe even 8X. If you do that, you may see better results from your drive.

3.) Check on your system and make sure you have at least Windows XP Service Pack 1. For everything to run smoothly during the burning process, that has to be in place.

4.) And last (and the most obvious) is to check and make sure you have a blank CD in your CD ROM drive. You have to have one in there for the burning to start. Otherwise, the files will have no place to go and you will end up with nothing.

Hopefully with these troubleshooting techniques, you’ll have a better burning experience from now on!

~ Erin

MS Office-Fraction Frenzy

Fraction Frenzy

Do you use a lot of fractions in MS Word?

Do you love how it turns 1/2 into ½?

Have you ever noticed that it only does that neat little trick with the most common fractions? I’m also sure some of you have found access to a few additional choices via the Insert menu, Symbols choice, but I’d bet you’re still frustrated that neither of those work for the other fractions that plague your day.

If that describes your current fractional state of mind, I have some information that just might help!

The first thing you should know is you can format any fraction to “look right” using subscript and superscript text formatting.

Also, with frequently used fractions, you can put Word’s AutoCorrect feature to good use by having it do the fraction “switch” automatically.

Here’s the scoop!

For the actual formatting, you’ll need to format the numbers as either superscript or subscript. If you’re thinking you don’t use fractions very often and will simply change them manually each time, I suggest you either add the buttons for this formatting to a toolbar using the Customize dialogue window (if you have MS Word 2007, the buttons are already on the Home Ribbon) or memorize these two key combinations:

Superscript formatting can be applied with Ctrl + Shift + = (also listed as Ctrl + +).

Subscript formatting can be applied with Ctrl + =.

Now that the formalities are out of the way, here’s the actual process to follow when formatting fractions in Word:

1.) Type your fraction using the forward slash between the numerator (top) and the denominator (bottom). For example, 12/15

2.) Highlight the numerator and apply superscript formatting.

3.) Highlight the denominator and apply subscript formatting.

Voila! The fraction is complete.

It goes from 12/15 to this:

And all with just a couple quick formatting changes!Now, if you have some fractions you constantly use, you certainly don’t want to keep formatting them over and over again.

That’s where the AutoCorrect feature comes in handy. It may take you a few minutes to get them entered into the system, but once they’re there, you’ll get automatic replacements and your time investment will pay off big time!

• Once you’ve formatted a fraction the way you want it, highlight the entire fraction.

• In Word 2007, go to the Office Button, Word Options button, Proofing Options section and click on the AutoCorrect Options button.

• Everyone else should go to the Tools menu, AutoCorrect choice.

• At the bottom of the AutoCorrect tab, you should see the Replace as you type list.

• Notice that on the right, in the “with” field, your formatted fraction is already entered. If it doesn’t seem to be formatted correctly, double check that the Formatted text option is selected.

• On the left, in the Replace field, enter the plain text for the fraction that should be replaced with your formatted text.

• Click the Add button.

• Click OK to close the window.

Now, I realize you’re going to have to repeat this process for each fraction you want added to the list, but I do have one small time saver to offer.

When you return to your document, don’t delete the fraction you just worked on. Instead, highlight the numerator and type in the next number. Repeat the process with the denominator. That will replace the numbers without removing the superscript and subscript formatting, which allows you to go right back to the AutoCorrect feature much faster.

There you have it. Beautiful fractions at your fingertips!

~ April

Websites aimed directly toward senior citizens

Q:
Are there any Web sites out there today that are aimed directly toward senior citizens? I sometimes get bored with some of the other sites I use and I would like to try something new.

A:
That’s a very interesting question and while it’s not something we’ve really touched on before, I think it’s worth going over. I know a lot of WorldStart’s readers spend a lot of time on their computers and it’s always good to have new and exciting Web sites to look at throughout the day. Whether it’s while you work or in your leisure time, there are several Web sites designed just for senior citizens.

Okay, before I list some sites for you, I want you to know that these are all good for networking with other seniors, making new friends, learning more about computers, obtaining information about retirement, etc. If that sounds interesting to you, come along with me as we visit some of them!

1.) Senior Citizens Resources – This Web site is run by FirstGov and it provides several tips for senior citizens. It gives information on consumer protection, places senior citizens can volunteer, seniors and adult education, advice on estate planning and federal and state agencies for seniors. This site also has links to the government sites that may be beneficial to senior citizens, such as the Administration on Aging, the Social Security Administration and the Veteran’s Health Administration. Check it all out here.

2.) SeniorNet – This Web site’s mission is to provide access to computer technology for older adults. As a result, senior citizens will be able to gain more knowledge and wisdom and eventually share it with others. This site is basically set up as a discussion board. Everyone is welcome to participate in the SeniorNet RoundTable discussion groups. You just have to sign up for the boards and then you will be able to learn and teach others about computers and using the Internet. If you feel like you could share your wisdom with others or if you want to learn more, this site is perfect for you! Check out SeniorNet right here.

3.) Web Pointers for Seniors – If you’re looking for even more sites to try out, this is the place you’ll want to go. It is managed by a retired couple from Oregon and they have set up a whole Web site full of links they feel would be of special interest to senior citizens. There are links to such topics as senior issues, grandkids, senior guides, caregiving, health, nutrition, legal issues, financial planning, travel and others. Do keep in mind that this site hasn’t been updated in awhile and some of the links no longer work, but it’s still worth taking a look at. There are still working links to a lot of helpful information that’s useful for seniors. Check it out here.

4.) SeniorLink - This site is mainly helpful for senior citizens in maintaining independence in their own homes. The developers of this site want seniors to be able to do this safely and with dignity. This site even offers some help for children who have aging parents. It gives advice on making the difficult choices that come with the elderly care of their parents. This site does have some parts that require a paid subscription, but you can access free information in the Caregiver FAQ and Top Elder Risks sections. Take a look at it here.

5.) Write a Senior Citizen – Here is one more site I thought some of you might be interested in. This is more on the fun side of things! This Web site was actually created by two teenagers who wanted to bring senior citizens together. You can use it to write other seniors by e-mail or even by snail mail as a pen pal. If you’re wanting to get connected with other seniors, this is the best place for it. Check it out here.

Now, I know this isn’t something we usually share at WorldStart, but I thought some of you might get a kick out of it. Start fresh with all of these new Web sites and bring new life to your Internet experience!

~ Erin

Gmail Signature Tips

Ever since I showed you how to create an e-mail signature for Outlook Express, you all have been e-mailing me about how you can do it in Gmail as well, so here you go! First, just to be clear, a signature is a little ending you can put in each e-mail you send out. It can be a personal signature with a quote or poem or it can be a business type signature that includes all of your contact information.

To create a signature in Gmail, click on the Settings link at the very top of the page. Scroll down until you see the Signature section. Click on the radio button beside the blank box and that will allow you to type in your message. So, go ahead and type in your signature with whatever you’d like it to say. When you’re done, scroll down to the bottom and click on Save Changes. Here’s a sample signature:

Keep in mind that your signature will appear at the bottom of every e-mail you send, so if you don’t want it on a certain e-mail, make sure you delete it before you send the e-mail. Gmail adds your signature to the bottom of your e-mails in a gray color and it is separated from your original text by two dashes. Cool, huh?!

~ Erin

MS Office-The Magic of F2 in Word

The Magic of F2 in Word

When you move text in MS Word, what do you do?

Do you highlight the text to be moved and then use your mouse to drag and drop it to a new location? Or, do you highlight the text and then use the cut/paste options?

Either way, it’s a lot of steps and for many people, it involves removing your hands from the keyboard to use the mouse.

Well, for those of you who are always looking for a way to go “mouseless,” here’s a trick for moving your text without ever leaving the keyboard.

• You still need to highlight the text to be moved. (If you’re looking to reduce mouse use, be sure to use the Shift key in combination with the arrow keys to complete your highlighting).

• Now, hit the F2 key.

• At this point, you’re ready to tell Word where to put your selection. Simply use the arrow keys or the Page Up/Page Down keys to move the cursor to the new location. (If you change your mind, hit the Esc key and the F2 effect will be removed).

• When you’ve found the correct spot, hit the Enter key.

Poof!

Your selection is moved, no mouse required!

~ April

Common used acronyms

ATA – Advanced Technology Attachment

ATM – Asynchronous Transfer Mode

BIOS – Basic Input/Output System

BMP – Bitmap

CD – Compact Disc

CGI – Common Gateway Interface

CPU – Central Processing Unit

DBMS – Database Management System

DLL – Dynamic Link Library

DNS – Domain Name System

DSL – Digital Subscriber Line

DVD – Digital Versatile Disc

FTP – File Transfer Protocol

JPEG – Joint Photographic Experts Group

LAN – Local Area Network

MPEG – Moving Picture Experts Group

P2P – Peer To Peer

POP3 – Post Office Protocol

RGB – Red Green Blue

TCP/IP – Transmission Control Protocol/Internet Protocol

USB – Universal Serial Bus

WiFi – Wireless Fidelity

WWW – World Wide Web

Did you learn something? I sure hope so!

Now, these are obviously just the acronyms and if you’re not sure of the operation of each term, you can always do a quick search on our Web site at http://www.worldstart.com/tips/index.php. We have done several articles on some of these terms in the past. Don’t you feel smarter already?!

~ Erin

Protect Your Keyboard

know it’s only Tuesday, but so far this week, I’ve gotten several calls and e-mails from all of you regarding the letters on your keyboards. Most of you are telling me that certain letters are starting to wear off and therefore, you’re having a hard time getting your typing done. The majority of you have told me that only a few of your letters are starting to disappear, but that still makes it difficult for you to get your work done, doesn’t it?

So, is there anything you can do? Well, I searched and searched for a quick fix for this, but short of you writing the letters back on yourself, there just doesn’t seem to be a remedy for this type of thing. The best thing I came up with is to get a protective covering for your keyboard. With that, your fingers won’t be rubbing on the letters so much and your keyboard will last a lot longer! Most keyboard covers are made out of plastic and they are designed to fit all the contours of your specific keyboard.

Now, while this is the perfect fix for any of you who have just gotten a new keyboard, it can work wonders for those of you who have an older keyboard as well. If you’re missing letters on your keyboard, you can write the letters on the actual cover. That way, you know where all the keys are and you’re protecting the others from rubbing off too. Keyboard covers are also perfect for keeping food and drink particles from gumming up your keys. These covers can be found at any regular computer store or you can buy them online. Just do a search for them with your favorite search engine. Once you get yours, you’ll never go back!

~ Erin