Computer Info – November 3, 1999

This Week’s Program --- MS-Works

        Connie Dawley will be demonstrating Works. When we talk about Microsoft Word, many people will ask if Works will do the same thing. Connie will try to show you many of the features of Works.
MS-Works
        MS-Works contains a Word Processor, Spreadsheet, Database and Communications programs – all in one package.
        When you start the program, you can open any previously worked on document by clicking "EXISTING DOCUMENTS". The most recently used documents will be listed. Other options are OPEN A DOCUMENT NOT LISTED HERE – or – HELP ME FIND A DOCUMENT (this works the same as the FIND feature on the START menu).
        You can also choose to start by using a TEMPLATE (something to follow that was already started for you by Works). There are many choices and they are fun to browse through. A good place to start if you are setting up a document or spreadsheet. Some of the choices are to create a Calendar, metric system and other measurement equivalents, Certificate of Achievement, etc.. They also have USER DEFINED TEMPLATES at the end of the list.
Have a List of E-mail Recipients – But Want to Send
Your Message to Most of Them, but not all of them.
        Ever want to send a message to everyone on a list except one or two people? No problem. Address your message using the distribution list address. Then save the message by pressing CTRL –S (which is the shortcut keys to sending it to the Draft folder). Close the composition window. Open your Drafts folder and double click on the message. This will open it up to be edited. Instead of seeing the distribution list name, such as Clients, you’ll see all the members in the list. Simply select and delete the addresses you don’t want to include.
Installing New Fonts
        Here’s an interesting item. To install new fonts, you go to MY COMPUTER – CONTROL PANEL – FONTS. This will open your fonts folder. Under the FILE menu, you should see a choice of INSTALL NEW FONT. If you do not see this choice listed, then the attributes of the Fonts folder has been changed – prohibiting your ability to add new fonts. To correct this, go to the DOS Prompt (which can be found by clicking the START button – then PROGRAMS – then DOS PROMPT). Type the following ATTRIB +R +S FONTS and then press the ENTER key. Then type EXIT and press the ENTER key. What these steps do are (1) turn the attributes on that allow you to install new fonts and (2) return you to the Windows system.
Web Addresses
Find Law ----
                 http://www.findlaw.com/
Lives, the Biography Resource (a good index to web pages created about famous people).
                 http://members.home.net/klanxner/lives/
MyLifePath --- Health and Wellness
                 http://www.mylifepath.com/topic/home/
U.S. Department of Immigration and Naturalization -- forms, laws, fees ,etc.
                 http://www.ins.usdoj.gov/graphics/index.htm
National Visa Office Online – apply for your green card
                 http://www.nationalvisaoffice.org/
Immigration and Nationality Law
                 http://www.visalaw.com/
The Virtual Veitnam Veteran’s Memorial Wall (search, display, upload picture, remembrances, etc)
                 http://www.thevirtualwall.org/
AutoSave in MS-Word
        You turn AutoSave off and on in Word by clicking on the TOOLS menu – and then choose OPTIONS. A box appears with one tab marked SAVE and another marked FILE LOCATION. Use the SAVE box to turn on Auto Recover and set how often the program will automatically save whatever is written.
        Then click on FILE LOCATION and activate the Auto Recover setting and tell the software where to save it.
Converting Pictures Between Two Formats
        If you wish to convert your picture from a BMP to a JPG and you can not find a program that will read a BMP and then save it as a JPG ---- then you can try this method ---- try the Windows clipboard.
        The idea is to copy the picture into the computer's memory (also called the clipboard) from the program where it is a .BMP and then paste it into the program that accepts files in the .JPG format.
        So call up your photo as a .BMP in the Paint program included in Windows under the Accessories menu. Once it is displayed in Paint, click on the EDIT command at the top of the screen and then chose SELECT ALL and then COPY.
        Now open your program that works in the .JPG format and then select the option NEW under the FILE command at the top of the screen. Next click on the EDIT command in that program and choose PASTE. The picture you copied from Paint as a .BMP will appear. Now save it as a .JPG and you'll be in business in either format.
Right Mouse Button
        No matter where you right-click, a menu pops up with options specific to what you are working on. Don’t be afraid to use it, since it doesn’t make anything happen – it just offers you a menu of choices where you then have to use the left mouse button to activate.
        One of the choices on a menu from the right mouse button, may be SEND TO. With this choice highlighted, a submenu of places to send an item will appear. The choices might be your floppy drive (A:) – your zip drive, or you can customize your SEND TO folder to include your most frequently used folders and applications.
        Another choice from the menu (after a right mouse click) might be PROPERTIES. This command will bring up the dialog box for the selected area. For example, right-click My Computer, then choose Properties to see the System Properties dialog box. If you right-click a blank area of the Desktop and select Properties, the Desktop Properties dialog box will appear. From the Desktop Properties, you can change your screen colors, wallpaper and design.
        Another choice from the menu of the right mouse button might be CREATING SHORTCUTS. You can choose NEW from the menu and then choose SHORTCUT. This will open a wizard that walks you through creating a shortcut.
        Another choice might be FILE ASSOCIATIONS. THE OPEN WITH command can let you open a file in an unassociated program. For example, you could open a Microsoft Excel file in Microsoft Word. To open a file in a different program, press SHIFT and then right-click the file you want to open. Select Open With from the pop-up menu. This File Association process does not work within Windows Explorer or with files on the Desktop, so find a file through My Computer to try it.
        If you have never used the right button, you will never know what you are missing. Use it! Don’t be afraid of ruining something; a right-click by itself won’t harm anything. You have to choose one of the options before any action takes place.
    (1) – Right click the selected text in an open document to cut, paste, use formatting tools, etc.
    (2) – Right click the time in the Taskbar and select the Adjust Date/Time command to change the system’s date and time.
    (3) – Right click an item in your Windows 98 Start Menu and choose Delete to send it to the Recycle Bin and get it off the Start Menu.
    (4) – Right click the Recycle Bin and select Empty Recycle Bin to dump the "trash"
    (5) – Right click the Start Button, then choose Explore to open Windows Explorer.