MS-Word --- Letter Wizard

Computer Info – October 24, 2001

This Week’s Meeting

        We will look at two label programs and transferring your data from one program to another. Label Publisher with Wizards         This program is by COSMI and can be found on their web site at http://www.cosmi.com
        This is a program that you would find at Office Depot (and probably Best Buy - Office Max and others) in the economy software section. It sells for $7.98.
FEATURES -- Many styles of labels are listed in this program.
                        It is very easy to add text and pictures; and you get a good display of the label you are creating.
                        Has an easy to create and use database for adding names and addresses to.
FLAWS -- The PRINT PREVIEW is not readable – only shows one page.
                        Cannot start at a specific label to begin printing.
                        Cannot sort the database or choose to print only chosen people from database. Personal Mailing List         This program is by RKS Software and can be found on their web site at http://www.rkssoftware.com/pmltrial.htm        This program can be downloaded from their web site and is a 30 day full working copy. After the 30 days, you will have to register the program for $19.95 – to receive your serial number in order to continue using the program.
FEATURES -- This program has many great features. The database is already set up for you and you just add your records to it. The database can be sorted by any of the fields and you can filter the database so that your labels or reports contain only the desired people from your database. This program will print out a report (filtered or unfiltered) for you to have a printed list of the individuals who are in your database.
FLAWS -- There doesn’t seem to be many flaws – maybe the ability to design or change a report would be nice to have. File Associations         File associations tell Windows which program should open a given file type when you double-click on it.
        Double-click on MY DOCUMENTS icon on your Desktop. click the VIEW menu, FOLDER OPTIONS, and the FILE TYPES tab in the FOLDER OPTIONS dialog box. Then click JPEG IMAGE in the REGISTERED FILE TYPES field. The File Type Details area shows which extensions and applications Windows associates with each file type. If you wish to change the program that is associated with a file, click EDIT, then double-click OPEN in the ACTIONS window. Click BROWSE and the LOOK IN dialog box to find the program you are looking for. Double-click the file, then click OK and close any remaining windows. Now when you double-click on a file with that extension, the new program will open it.

Do not rename a file to change the extension. A file named LIGHTS.JPG won’t open in Photoshop just because you change its name to LIGHTS.PSD. To change the name (or file type) – open a program that can read that type of file and then go to FILE – SAVE AS and then choose the correct extension under SAVE AS FILE TYPE field.

Windows XP Here is Microsoft’s webpage stating all of the features that Windows XP has.
                  http://www.microsoft.com/windowsxp/home/evaluation/features.asp#top
Here you can have a tour of Windows XP
                  http://www.microsoft.com/windowsxp/home/evaluation/tours/tour.asp Envelope Settings in Word         To print an envelope in Word, from the TOOLS menu, choose ENVELOPES AND LABELS. This will open up a window that allows you to type in an address and a return address. If you have changed the return address, when you print this envelope, you will be ask if you wish to save the return address as your default. To set the default fonts for the envelope, click on the OPTIONS button. This will open up a window entitled ENVELOPE OPTIONS. To set the font for the DELIVERY ADDRESS or the RETURN ADDRESS, click on the FONT button next to the correct one. From here you can set the font – by clicking on the DEFAULT button, you will be saving this style font for all future envelope printings. Safe Mode
(Info from Smart Computing – November, 2001)         Safe Mode runs your computer using only the most basic system files and drivers it needs to function. It doesn’t use the Registry settings, user settings, or startup routines like Autoexec.bat and Config.sys. Bypassing these normal startup procedures performs one crucial function: it simplifies things. If any hardware or software conflicts have made your PC uncontrollable, caused outright crashes, or made your computer stop responding completely, Safe Mode provides the opportunity to isolate and remove the problem.
        Programs that automatically launch at startup are notorious for causing system hiccups. Many of these programs insert their icons in the Windows’ System Tray (on the right end of your taskbar) and can become nuisances when they conflict with each other.
        Antivirus software is another common cause of startup problems. Such programs often run startup scans that may interfere with normal procedures. If you think this might be causing problems, review the program’s preferences and turn off any automatic scanning options.
        These specific problems are just examples where Safe Mode may be effective.
        How do you get into Safe Mode? From the START menu, click SHUT DOWN, then click RESTART and then OK. Once the computer begins rebooting, press F5 once every second. If this doesn’t launch Safe Mode, restart and try pressing F8 instead. This key displays the Windows Startup Menu, from which you may select the Safe Mode option. Some Windows versions after Windows 95 also load Safe Mode with the CTRL key. Immediately after you restart the computer, press and hold CTRL. This displays the Windows Startup Menu, too.
        When Safe Mode loads, you will know it. Upon entering Windows, a dialog box informs you that Safe Mode is active, and your screen displays the words "Safe Mode" in all four corners. In addition, your Desktop looks grainy and has larger-than-usual icons because it is using the low-resolution video driver.
        What do you do after you are in Safe Mode? It depends upon what sort of problems you are experiencing. Because newly loaded software or hardware causes most conflicts, simply uninstall the software or hardware and its associated drivers – then restart the computer to see if the problem is gone.
        If you think it is a hardware driver, from the START menu, choose SETTINGS – CONTROL PANEL – SYSTEM. Click on the DEVICE MANAGER tab. This is where Windows monitors all the hardware on your computer and what is and isn’t functioning properly. Windows places a yellow exclamation point or a red X on a device that isn’t working correctly. This indicates some sort of conflict If you are in a hurry to get your computer up and running again and don’t care if your new hardware works for now, here’s a way to resolve the problem. Select the device and click REMOVE. Click OK to confirm removal. When Windows prompts you to restart the computer, click NO. Instead, completely shutdown your computer and let it sit for about 15 seconds before turning it back on again. The computer should boot normally and start Windows. If you have resolved the problem, things will work more smoothly.
        Remember that if your computer runs well in Safe Mode, your problem almost certainly originates with a third-party program or driver that Safe Mode has disabled; hardware failures are less common and harder to troubleshoot.