Making your new printer the default printer

If you've just bought a new printer and want it to be your "default printer", so it is always used unless you specify otherwise when giving the print command (versus the printer you might be replacing) - it is easy:

·       Go to your Start Menu (easy access is tap the Windows Flag Key)

·       Devices & printers (on most current start menus)

·       When you open your printers, you will see your new printer listed along with your previous printer (s) - The one that is the current default will have a green or black check mark on it

·       Right click on the printer you want as your DEFAULT and when the action menu appears, choose Set as Default Printer

Close the Dialog Box and this new setting will be saved

Note-if you do not see the "Devices & Printers" listed on your Start menu, you are using an older operating system, but that's not a problem, simply open Control Panel, then Printers-which used to be listed in the Hardware & Sound Group on older operating systems)

Remember if you want to choose a different printer than the default at anytime, when you choosing option for your print job, simply change the printer - all printers will be listed in the first option line of the Printer Dialog box, with a drop down access arrow-when you left click on that arrow-you will see the various printers for your computer-just choose the one you want to use.

When you want to delete a printer that you may no longer have or use

·       Go to your Start Menu (easy access is tap the Windows Flag Key)

·       Devices & printers (on most current start menus)

·       When you open your printers, you will see your new printer listed along with your previous printer (s) - The one that is the current default will have a green or black check mark on it

·       Right click on the printer you want to remove and choose DELETE printer - and the driver software and icon for this printer will be deleted

Close the Dialog Box and this new setting will be saved

Have you used your "Windows" Magnifier?

MAGNIFYING GLASS - Did you know that the Windows Operating System includes a built-in magnifying glass?  Microsoft Windows has included a magnifying glass with every version of its operating system since Windows 98 and it is called Magnifier.  Each new version of windows has improved the ease of using the magnifier – so check it out… 

FOR WINDOWS XP USERS

To turn on Magnifier using your mouse Click the Start button

·         Click on All Programs, then click on Accessories, and then click Accessibility.

·         Click Magnifier to open the Magnifier Settings dialog box.

·         Adjust the level of magnification by typing a number from 1 to 9, or by selecting the arrow button to open the list of options from the drop-down menu

You can change “Magnifier size & position” by doing either of the following:

·         To change the size, make sure Magnifier is turned on. Move your mouse pointer over an edge of the Magnifier window. When the pointer becomes a two–headed arrow, hold down the mouse button and drag the Magnifier window to resize it.

·         To change the position, make sure Magnifier is turned on. Move the mouse pointer over the Magnifier window. Hold down the mouse button and drag the Magnifier window to reposition it. 

FOR WINDOWS VISTA USERS

To make items on the screen appear bigger (Magnifier)

The intention of Magnifier is to enlarge parts of the screen, which is really helpful when you are looking at objects that are difficult to see and can be helpful to anyone with vision challenges.

·         Open Magnifier by clicking the Start button ,

·         Now click All Programs, click Accessories, click Ease of Access, and click Magnifier.

·         Move the pointer to the part of the screen that you want to magnify. 

FOR WINDOWS 7 USERS

You can open it quickly by clicking Start, and then type Magnifier.

You can also change the screen resolution, which adjusts the clarity, size, and amount of things that fit on your computer monitor which is found in the Display section of your control panel.

Notes

To exit Magnifier, press the Windows Flag/Logo Key + Esc key.

In Windows 7, there are three Magnifier modes:

·         Full-screen mode. In full-screen mode, your entire screen is magnified. Depending on the size of your screen and the zoom level you choose, you might not be able to see all of the screen at the same time.

·         Lens mode. In lens mode, the area around the mouse pointer is magnified. When you move the mouse pointer, the area of the screen that's magnified moves along with it.

·         Docked mode. In docked mode, only a portion of the screen is magnified, leaving the rest of your desktop unchanged. You can then control which area of the screen is magnified. 

WHEN YOU ARE ON THE INTERNET - Another quick way to enlarge the text and what you are viewing on your monitor is to use the CTRL and + key to enlarge and CTRL key and – to reduce what is on the monitor…   This doesn’t work however when you are in various application programs such as word, excel, power point etc - then you will have to simply ZOOM the page.

COPY FILES FROM COMPUTER TO YOUR FLASH DRIVE

With so many of our students preparing to return to "cooler climates" making sure you copy your folders of documents, music, photos, etc onto a portable drive or flash drive is always a good idea (great way to back-up just in case)... so here's a reminder on how to do that quickly and easily... Safe Travels....

• Open Windows Explorer/My Computer to see which drives are shown – easiest way to do this is hold down the Windows Flag Key + E .

• Insert flash drive in the USB port, it will appear as “removable drive” or indicate the company name (Removable Disk (G)

• In Windows XP - Open MY DOCUMENTS & Select the files or folders you want to copy to flash drive by left-clicking on them. To copy multiple, hold the CTRL key while you click & select all the files to save.

• In Windows Vista & Windows 7 - Open LIBRARIES; then Open Each of the Cabinets you want to copy –My Pictures, My Music, My Movies, My Pictures; Select the files or folders you want to copy to your flash drive by left-clicking on them. To copy multiple, hold the CTRL key while you click folders or files at random; Or hold the SHIFT key to copy GROUPS of folders OR hold the CTRL + A to copy all folders in the parent folder…

• Once highlighted…. RIGHT-CLICK on the folders you want to copy (or go to Menu Bar & Edit) and choose COPY.

• Go to “My Computer”; choose the correct Drive you want to copy your work/files/folders to; highlight that drive (i.e. "Removable Disk (G:),

• RIGHT-CLICK on the Drive (or go to Menu Bar & Edit); choose PASTE

• When the copying is finished, DO NOT IMMEDIATELY REMOVE THE FLASH DRIVE OR PORTABLE HARD DRIVE FROM THE USB PORT :
Always left-click on the REMOVE HARDWARE icon located in the System Tray to be sure it says: SAFELY REMOVE STORAGE DEVICE. 

How to find a lost file on your Computer?

If you are using Windows XP – this is a quick way to find lost files on your computer.

Open the “Start Menu" (either left click on the Start Button left side of the Task Bar OR tap the Windows Flag Key on your keyboard)

When the Start Menu appears, choose “Search” and the Search Dialog Box Opens, with 3 search options:

1. All or part of a file name
2. A word or phrase in the file
3. Look In

Use Option 1 when you know all or part of the document-file name, but you can also add the file extensions (for example for word file, type *.doc, Excel *.xls, Acrobat *.pdf, *.ppt and *.exe for executable files.

Use Option 2 when you don't know the name of file but know that it contains a string of text, by typing the text you want to find from any file or folder. This is time taking process but creates very precise result.

Use Option 3, Look In, to Look in Specific Drives, Folders or Networks that you want to Search for what you put in Option 1 or Option 2 In Look in, click the drive, folder, or network you want to search.

To save time, always select the specified drive or location instead of whole computer
Click Start Button, point to Search, and then click For File or Folders, a Search Results dialog box will appear.

In Search for files or folders named, type the file name or folder name you want to find in containing text.

To specify additional search criteria, click Search Options, and then click one or more of the following options to narrow your search:

• Select Date to look for files that were created or modified on or between specific dates
• Select Type to look for files of a specific type, such as a text or WordPad document
• Select Size to look for files of a specific size
• Select Advanced Options to specify additional search criteria
• Click Search now.

What are keyboard keys called & what do they do

These are the different types of keys on our Keyboard and what they do..

• Alphanumeric Keys: sets of letters and numbers
• Arrow/Navigation Keys: move the cursor
• Function Keys: F1-F12, etc – functions vary on programs
• Numeric Keys: separate keypad to enter numbers
• Text Editing Keys: used in word & document processing
• Window Keys: activate the start menu & other shortcuts

The keyboard enables you to communicate with the computer by typing information and instructions into the computer (the type of keyboard we use are used for computers and cell phones as “QWERTY STYLE").

A numeric keypad is located at the right of the keyboard. It is used like a 10-key calculator.

The top row of keys are function keys. They perform specific tasks in software applications. We don’t need to be concerned with them.

Esc. or “escape” on the top left of your keyboard allows you to stop a task at anytime.

The Ctrl or “control” keys are on the bottom left and right corners of your keyboard. They are used with other keys to complete commands.

The Enter key is on the center row, right side of your keyboard. Use enter to move your cursor down a line.

The Backspace key is on the right end of the row of number keys on your keyboard. Pressing the backspace key moves your cursor one space to the left, and eliminates any typing as it moves.

The arrow up, down, left and right keys on the keyboard allow you to move around your document without destroying your work.
Up = one line; Down = one line; Left = one character or letter; Right = one character or letter
The Delete key will eliminate any typing to the right of the blinking cursor.

The page up, page down keys allow you to move up and down on a page of your document quickly.

The Home key takes you to the beginning of your current line of type.

The End key takes you to the end of your current line of type.

The Home key, used with the control key, takes you to the very beginning of your document.

The End key, used with the control key, takes you to the end of your document quickly.

The Windows Flag Key, used with other keys, will give your various results - such as the Windows Flag Key alone brings up your start menu; the Windows Flag Key with the letter will Minimize all open windows; the Windows Flag Key and the letter E opens Windows Explorer

Quickly Minimize & Restore Open Windows/Applications

Keyboard Shortcuts allow us to implement commands quickly and easily – 2 favorites that we use are:

• When you want to “minimize” all open windows/applications so that you can return quickly and easily to the desktop – simply hold the Windows Flag Key and tap the letter “M”..
• Then to return/restore your windows/applications to their original state, simply hold the Windows Flag Key, the Shift Key and the letter “M”..

Using Windows Explorer

Windows Explorer is the computers “filing cabinet” allowing you to quickly & easily move and or copy item (s) from one folder and or drive to another..

QUICK & EASY WAY TO OPEN "WINDOWS EXPLORER" use keyboard shortcut: hold down the windows flag key and tap the letter E... This will always open the Windows Explorer no matter where you are on your computer (minimizing anything else you had open)

• The Windows Explorer Screen is divided into two sections/panes: Left & right and divided with separator bar.
• In Windows Explorer - whatever is highlighted on the left column, is what you are looking at on the right side of the screen
• Windows Explorer Left Pane uses plus (+) and minus (-) signs to display or close what is in a folder in older operating systems (XP & older) and in the newer vists or 7, it uses > arrows

TO CREATE A FOLDER (OR SUB FOLDERS) IN WINDOWS EXPLORER:

• Open Windows Explorer – Expand whatever drive or folder you want to put your new folder in
• Be sure on the left that you have highlighted the folder you want your new folder to be in
• In older operating systems (XP or older) you can either right click on the folder/drive you are on or go to the menu bar, File, New, then choose folder - a folder will appear and you now type in the new name for this folder
• In newer operating systems (Vista or 7) you will see on the action bar at the top of your screen - New Folder or Create new folder - again when you choose this, a folder will appear and you now type in the new name for this folder