I’ve learned a little more about the DirectCD program that came with our computer. Last week I told you that this program helps you format your rewriteable CD so that you can then use Windows Explorer to copy and delete files from it (provided that it is placed in your rewriteable CD drive). This program ALSO allows you to use a CD writeable in the same way. The only thing is, when you delete a file in Windows Explorer that is on a writeable CD, the reference to the file will be deleted ---- but the file itself is still there (you can really understand this if you watch the free space and the used space on the drive).

If you use DirectCD to write to a writeable CD, then you can no longer use Easy CD Creator to add files to that CD.

We found another incompatibility – Adobe PhotoDeluxe 2.0. This program is shipped with the Canon 320 scanner, but you can not load the ScanGear driver (the one for Windows 98) – you must load the ScanCraft (the one for Windows 95) – no matter which version of Windows you are running. Loading the ScanGear driver for Windows 98 will still work with the scanner and other programs using the TWAIN interface --- but NOT with PhotoDeluxe 2.0. PhotoDeluxe 3.0 will work with no problems.

Jane’s USNF ’97 (U.S. Navy Fighters) program will not work with Windows 98. You must download a patch file from the Electronic Arts (www.ea.com) website to correct the problem.

Yahoo Pager has added Voice Chat capabilities. We received an email from a member of the Let’s Talk Computer group stating that the voice portion works very well. We downloaded it and gave it a try. The audio is great – the install and setup was easy. It has a button that you push (with your mouse) when you talk. The button is grayed out when the other person is talking. Very minor time delay of the audio – and no chopping in and out of the audio was heard. If you wish to give it a try, download the latest Yahoo Pager at this web address.

http://pager.yahoo.com/pager

Margin Defaults

Under FILE – PAGE SETUP then the MARGINS tab. Here you can set the top, bottom, left and right margins to what you would like each new document to start with. After you have entered the margins you would like, then click on the DEFAULT button. If you make changes to the margins and then click on the OK button, the changes will apply to the document that you are now working with. Also notice that you can have these changes apply to the whole document or from your cursor to the end of your document.

Another way to set your margins, is to just drag the margin settings at the top of your document to set them. Notice that when you place your cursor where the dark gray turns to light gray it will turn into a black double headed arrow – then you can hold your left mouse button down and drag it to where you want it.

A spreadsheet has the ability to perform many mathematical functions – if you understand a few basic rules.

If you type

5+6

in one of the cells – what you will see in that cell is 5+6. The program assumes that what you typed is text unless you let the program know that what you wanted to do was to perform a mathematical calculation. You let the program know that it is a mathematical function by starting with a plus sign (+) or a minus sign (-) or an equal sign (=).

So if you type

+5+6 or =5+6

in the cell – what you will see is 11

Now what if we wanted to add the contents of two of our cells.

Let’s type the number 5 in cell A1 and the number 6 in cell A2. Now place your cursor in cell B4. We can add the contents of cell A1 and A2 by type =A1+A2 then hit enter on the keyboard or move your mouse cursor to another cell. We can also perform this operation by typing an equal sign (=) in the cell and then taking our mouse and clicking in cell A1 – then type a plus sign (+) – then click in the cell A2 – then press <Enter>.

You can change the number in cell A1 and watch the contents of cell B4 change.

This is just a basic introduction of what you can do. Try this with your basic mathematical symbols – plus (+) – minus (-) – multiplication (*) – division (/).

You have a choice of having your cursor moving to another cell after you hit the enter key or have it remain in the cell where you are working. The choice is yours.

To make this setting, from the top menu, choose TOOLS – then OPTIONS. Click on the EDIT tab. If you do not want the cursor to move, then remove the checkmark from Move Selection after Enter. If you wish to have the cursor move to another cell after you press Enter, then place a checkmark here and then you may set your preference for which direction to move your cursor (UP – DOWN – LEFT – RIGHT).

It is a good idea to always backup your data. Some programs help us do this by reminding us when we leave the program. FAMILY ORIGINS always reminds me to Backup my data as I exit the program. But if I backed up the information yesterday and I only made two minor additions to my records today, what will I be backing up. Will I be duplicating everything that I backed up yesterday plus the minor changes from today – or will I only be backing up the minor changes that I made today.

WHEN YOU BACKUP YOUR INFORMATION FROM A PROGRAM THAT HAS A BACKUP ROUTINE ---- YOU ARE ALWAYS BACKING UP EVERYTHING (ALL OF THE DATA THAT YOU CAN VIEW IN YOUR PROGRAM). So do I need to keep yesterdays backup --- what about the backup I made last month – or the backup from last year????? What you have on today’s backup will include ALL of the information that was on last months backup and last years backup. It is recommended that you rotate your backups – keep maybe five backup copies and then start to reuse the backup disks. Why do we even keep more than one if all of the data is being duplicated? The reason to keep more than one backup file is to ensure that you always have one copy that is not corrupted.

Family Origins is available from Parsons Technology

http://www.parsonstech.com