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G. OPENING AND CYCLING BETWEEN PROGRAMS
You can switch between open programs or windows by clicking them
on your taskbar. If you RIGHT click the program name, you can decide
whether to open it minimized, maximized or restored - or to close it.
Windows provides several means for cycling between open programs
or windows:
a) ALT/TAB: Hold down the alt key and slowly press and hold the
tab
key several times. Let go of both when the name of the
program or
window you wish to return to appears. This very useful
keyboard
shortcut cycles between open minimized and nonminimized
windows.
b) CONTROL/ESC: Use control, escape to open the START menu
and access its commands or programs when your desktop
is not visible.
c) ALT/ESC: This keystroke cycles between two nonminimized open
programs or windows.
If programs that you wish to access are not open, you need to open them
before you can cycle to them. Previously, you learned to open programs
by double clicking their desktop icons. In lesson two, you will learn to
open
programs by double clicking their file names in My Computer or Explorer.
In lesson three, you will learn to create a shortcut keystrokes in
order to
quickly access frequently used programs and files.
PRACTICE EXERCISE
1. Choose Start, Programs and open Wordpad. Minimize
it.
2. Use alt, tab to cycle between all open programs and windows.
3. Open a window full screen, then use control, escape to access
your
START MENU. Open, and then minimize My Computer.
4. Close Control Panel and Solitaire.
H. Documents on Your Desktop
To create an immediately accessible document on your desktop, right
click on
your desktop, choose new, and then choose one of the programs that
appears
at the bottom of the dialog box. The icon that is created will give you
immediate
access to the program's document window.
To create a SCRAP (a brief note or reminder to "tack" onto your
desktop),
select the passage from a document you wish to place on your desktop and
then drag it to your desktop. Note however, that the program that created
the document must be ole-enabled; Wordpad is, but not Notepad.
TO CHANGE THE NAME OF AN ICON
a) Place your cursor inside the name until the I-beam that allows you to
type
text appears. Then select the existing name and
type over it OR
b) Right click the shortcut icon, and choose rename. Type the name you
wish
to use.
PRACTICE EXERCISE
1. Open Wordpad if it is not already opened, and restore
it to a window.
Type a message to yourself like "Call Susan at 3pm."
2. Select your message. Once it is highlighted, drag it to your desktop.
3. Rename it "TO DO!". (You don't need an extension on scraps.)
Then,
minimize Wordpad.
4. Right click on your desktop. Choose New Text Document.
5. Open the New Text Document and type "Windows Notes."
6. Choose file, save, to save it to your desktop, then close the
window.
7. Rename it WindowsNotes. Throughout the day, type your class notes
in this document.
NEXT: Using Windows Help
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