Hints and Tips

Keyboard Shortcuts in Microsoft Word

2008-07-13T10:17:00.000-07:00

Sometimes when you are typing, the most frustration thing is having to pick up the mouse, which can slow you down.
Using the keyboard shortcuts are not going to save you lots of time but it may help you keep your train of thoughts going.

Most of the shortcuts rely on the Control key which is situated in the bottom left hand corner of the keyboard. It is abbreviated to CTRL. Hold down the CTRL key and then press the other key once.

The most useful keyboard shortcuts I use on a daily basis are:
CTRL and Z - to undo
CTRL and Y - to redo
CTRL and A - to select all of the text in the document.
CTRL and C - to copy
CTRL and X - to cut or move
CTRL and V - to paste

There are many others - type keyboard shortcuts in to the help box in Microsoft Word to see a complete list.

Picasa, Googles free picture manager

2008-07-03T13:40:00.000-07:00

This is the best free picture manager and editor you can get. It is a free download from Google that helps you locate and organise all the photos on your computer. It catalogs them wherever they are and displays them by folders or by date.

Also it lets you edit and add effects to your photos with a few simple clicks. You can achieve some really great fixes such as increasing the warmth of a photo or adding soft focus.

Share your photos with others through email, prints and on the web: it’s fast, easy and free

Don't bother buying Elements this is the one for most people with a digital camera.

Add Program to the Start Menu

2008-07-03T13:28:00.000-07:00

If you have a program that you want on the Start menu, simply left-click and hold the program’s icon and drag it to the Start button.

Don’t let the button go.

Within seconds, the Start Menu will open, and you can drag the program or file.

Release the Mouse button.

Now click to different menus and sub menus until you find the right spot and drag your program to its new home.

Once done, click the Start button to save your changes.

To remove the program or folder, simply right-click it and select Delete.

Batch renaming of digital photos

2008-07-03T11:03:00.000-07:00

If you have a whole lot of digital photos that need to renamed, try this little tip:

Highlight all the photos you want to rename - if you hold the control key down while you click, you can select more than one at a time!
Right click on the selection
Choose Rename form the shortcut menu
Type in the name you want to give all the files
Press enter on the keyboard
The files will be renamed with a sequential number after each one.

This works in Windows XP or Windows Vista and can be used for any type of files