IT Tips

[hamster]

Over the years we all encounter problems with computers, and probably don't realise what a wealth of knowledge we have built up.

 

My 'area' is basic entry level, ie 'Silver Surfers'. That is why I hate it when something new like Vista comes along, as I haved to familiarise myself before I can show anyone else how to use it. I don't understand jargon and technically I am thick as pig poo.

 

What are your "Top Tips"? In simple terms please.

 

Here's 2/3 of mine for web browsers:

 

'CTRL' (and) '+' (plus) - to zoom in

'CTRL' (and) '-' (minus) - to zoom out

 

F11 - to hide the taskbar, toolbars and borders (deffo one of my faves)

 

Please note that some of my clients have visual impairments so the ones I have listed really are useful for them to learn.

[skintsaint]

ALT n TAB ...is my favorite esp as I have multiple windows open across two screens.

[hamster]

ALT n TAB ...is my favorite esp as I have multiple windows open across two screens.

 

 

What does it do ss?

 

I ask as a couple of years ago, some idiot posted a shortcut that instantly turned the computer off, I nearly shat myself.

[saint_stevo]

Alt and F4

 

Ctrl alt and down key

[skintsaint]

What does it do ss?

 

I ask as a couple of years ago, some idiot posted a shortcut that instantly turned the computer off, I nearly shat myself.

 

if you have for example two programs open, you can hit alt tab and just flick between them. Handy.

[hamster]

Alt and F4

 

Ctrl alt and down key

 

First one really made me laugh, but thanks I will definitley use that one again. I just realised I can't call you a budgie now, as I am forever in your debt. ********

 

CTRL + ALT + down ? does nothing for me????

[saint_stevo]

First one really made me laugh, but thanks I will definitley use that one again. I just realised I can't call you a budgie now, as I am forever in your debt. ********

 

CTRL + ALT + down ? does nothing for me????

 

Oh, if you have an NVidia graphics card it turns the screen upside down!

 

Budgie? peh

[hamster]

Anyone know how to minimise/maximise a window using keyboard shortcuts?

[saint_stevo]

Windows key and M minimises all windows

[hamster]

Budgie? peh

 

peh?

[saint_stevo]

General keyboard shortcuts

CTRL+C (Copy)

CTRL+X (Cut)

CTRL+V (Paste)

CTRL+Z (Undo)

DELETE (Delete)

SHIFT+DELETE (Delete the selected item permanently without placing the item in the Recycle Bin)

CTRL while dragging an item (Copy the selected item)

CTRL+SHIFT while dragging an item (Create a shortcut to the selected item)

F2 key (Rename the selected item)

CTRL+RIGHT ARROW (Move the insertion point to the beginning of the next word)

CTRL+LEFT ARROW (Move the insertion point to the beginning of the previous word)

CTRL+DOWN ARROW (Move the insertion point to the beginning of the next paragraph)

CTRL+UP ARROW (Move the insertion point to the beginning of the previous paragraph)

CTRL+SHIFT with any of the arrow keys (Highlight a block of text)

SHIFT with any of the arrow keys (Select more than one item in a window or on the desktop, or select text in a document)

CTRL+A (Select all)

F3 key (Search for a file or a folder)

ALT+ENTER (View the properties for the selected item)

ALT+F4 (Close the active item, or quit the active program)

ALT+ENTER (Display the properties of the selected object)

ALT+SPACEBAR (Open the shortcut menu for the active window)

CTRL+F4 (Close the active document in programs that enable you to have multiple documents open simultaneously)

ALT+TAB (Switch between the open items)

ALT+ESC (Cycle through items in the order that they had been opened)

F6 key (Cycle through the screen elements in a window or on the desktop)

F4 key (Display the Address bar list in My Computer or Windows Explorer)

SHIFT+F10 (Display the shortcut menu for the selected item)

ALT+SPACEBAR (Display the System menu for the active window)

CTRL+ESC (Display the Start menu)

ALT+Underlined letter in a menu name (Display the corresponding menu)

Underlined letter in a command name on an open menu (Perform the corresponding command)

F10 key (Activate the menu bar in the active program)

RIGHT ARROW (Open the next menu to the right, or open a submenu)

LEFT ARROW (Open the next menu to the left, or close a submenu)

F5 key (Update the active window)

BACKSPACE (View the folder one level up in My Computer or Windows Explorer)

ESC (Cancel the current task)

SHIFT when you insert a CD-ROM into the CD-ROM drive (Prevent the CD-ROM from automatically playing)

CTRL+SHIFT+ESC (Open Task Manager)

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Dialog box keyboard shortcuts

If you press SHIFT+F8 in extended selection list boxes, you enable extended selection mode. In this mode, you can use an arrow key to move a cursor without changing the selection. You can press CTRL+SPACEBAR or SHIFT+SPACEBAR to adjust the selection. To cancel extended selection mode, press SHIFT+F8 again. Extended selection mode cancels itself when you move the focus to another control.

CTRL+TAB (Move forward through the tabs)

CTRL+SHIFT+TAB (Move backward through the tabs)

TAB (Move forward through the options)

SHIFT+TAB (Move backward through the options)

ALT+Underlined letter (Perform the corresponding command or select the corresponding option)

ENTER (Perform the command for the active option or button)

SPACEBAR (Select or clear the check box if the active option is a check box)

Arrow keys (Select a button if the active option is a group of option buttons)

F1 key (Display Help)

F4 key (Display the items in the active list)

BACKSPACE (Open a folder one level up if a folder is selected in the Save As or Open dialog box)

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Microsoft natural keyboard shortcuts

Windows Logo (Display or hide the Start menu)

Windows Logo+BREAK (Display the System Properties dialog box)

Windows Logo+D (Display the desktop)

Windows Logo+M (Minimize all of the windows)

Windows Logo+SHIFT+M (Restore the minimized windows)

Windows Logo+E (Open My Computer)

Windows Logo+F (Search for a file or a folder)

CTRL+Windows Logo+F (Search for computers)

Windows Logo+F1 (Display Windows Help)

Windows Logo+ L (Lock the keyboard)

Windows Logo+R (Open the Run dialog box)

Windows Logo+U (Open Utility Manager)

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Accessibility keyboard shortcuts

Right SHIFT for eight seconds (Switch FilterKeys either on or off)

Left ALT+left SHIFT+PRINT SCREEN (Switch High Contrast either on or off)

Left ALT+left SHIFT+NUM LOCK (Switch the MouseKeys either on or off)

SHIFT five times (Switch the StickyKeys either on or off)

NUM LOCK for five seconds (Switch the ToggleKeys either on or off)

Windows Logo +U (Open Utility Manager)

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Windows Explorer keyboard shortcuts

END (Display the bottom of the active window)

HOME (Display the top of the active window)

NUM LOCK+Asterisk sign (*) (Display all of the subfolders that are under the selected folder)

NUM LOCK+Plus sign (+) (Display the contents of the selected folder)

NUM LOCK+Minus sign (-) (Collapse the selected folder)

LEFT ARROW (Collapse the current selection if it is expanded, or select the parent folder)

RIGHT ARROW (Display the current selection if it is collapsed, or select the first subfolder)

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Shortcut keys for Character Map

After you double-click a character on the grid of characters, you can move through the grid by using the keyboard shortcuts:

RIGHT ARROW (Move to the right or to the beginning of the next line)

LEFT ARROW (Move to the left or to the end of the previous line)

UP ARROW (Move up one row)

DOWN ARROW (Move down one row)

PAGE UP (Move up one screen at a time)

PAGE DOWN (Move down one screen at a time)

HOME (Move to the beginning of the line)

END (Move to the end of the line)

CTRL+HOME (Move to the first character)

CTRL+END (Move to the last character)

SPACEBAR (Switch between Enlarged and Normal mode when a character is selected)

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Microsoft Management Console (MMC) main window keyboard shortcuts

CTRL+O (Open a saved console)

CTRL+N (Open a new console)

CTRL+S (Save the open console)

CTRL+M (Add or remove a console item)

CTRL+W (Open a new window)

F5 key (Update the content of all console windows)

ALT+SPACEBAR (Display the MMC window menu)

ALT+F4 (Close the console)

ALT+A (Display the Action menu)

ALT+V (Display the View menu)

ALT+F (Display the File menu)

ALT+O (Display the Favorites menu)

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MMC console window keyboard shortcuts

CTRL+P (Print the current page or active pane)

ALT+Minus sign (-) (Display the window menu for the active console window)

SHIFT+F10 (Display the Action shortcut menu for the selected item)

F1 key (Open the Help topic, if any, for the selected item)

F5 key (Update the content of all console windows)

CTRL+F10 (Maximize the active console window)

CTRL+F5 (Restore the active console window)

ALT+ENTER (Display the Properties dialog box, if any, for the selected item)

F2 key (Rename the selected item)

CTRL+F4 (Close the active console window. When a console has only one console window, this shortcut closes the console)

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Remote desktop connection navigation

CTRL+ALT+END (Open the Microsoft Windows NT Security dialog box)

ALT+PAGE UP (Switch between programs from left to right)

ALT+PAGE DOWN (Switch between programs from right to left)

ALT+INSERT (Cycle through the programs in most recently used order)

ALT+HOME (Display the Start menu)

CTRL+ALT+BREAK (Switch the client computer between a window and a full screen)

ALT+DELETE (Display the Windows menu)

CTRL+ALT+Minus sign (-) (Place a snapshot of the entire client window area on the Terminal server clipboard and provide the same functionality as pressing ALT+PRINT SCREEN on a local computer.)

CTRL+ALT+Plus sign (+) (Place a snapshot of the active window in the client on the Terminal server clipboard and provide the same functionality as pressing PRINT SCREEN on a local computer.)

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Microsoft Internet Explorer navigation

CTRL+B (Open the Organize Favorites dialog box)

CTRL+E (Open the Search bar)

CTRL+F (Start the Find utility)

CTRL+H (Open the History bar)

CTRL+I (Open the Favorites bar)

CTRL+L (Open the Open dialog box)

CTRL+N (Start another instance of the browser with the same Web address)

CTRL+O (Open the Open dialog box, the same as CTRL+L)

CTRL+P (Open the Print dialog box)

CTRL+R (Update the current Web page)

CTRL+W (Close the current window)

[hamster]

Windows key and M minimises all windows

 

Woah, I like that one.

 

I'm gonna put a folder together, I really am. These are going to be brilliant for some of my clients who struggle to use a mouse.

[hamster]

One or two at a time will do, budgie.

 

Really stevo, I may go through that list one day, but for now JUST YOUR FAVOURITES the ones that people find most useful.

Edited 1 August, 2009 by hamster

[saint_stevo]

Windows key and U may be a good one if your people are visually impared etc

 

Windows Key+Shift+M maximises to minimised window btw

[hamster]

Windows key and U may be a good one if your people are visually impared etc

 

Windows Key+Shift+M maximises to minimised window btw

 

stevo, I have used a couple of those in the past, but never realised it was so easy to start them. Brilliant, really brilliant mate.

 

I try to teach people how to do things for themselves to make there's and my life a lot easier. Sort of defeats the object to teach someone soemthing that requires me to be sat with them if it can be avoided. I think social work students call it 'promoting independence', I call it 'common sense'.

 

If people don't mind I may well bump this thread every now and then for more specific help and advice.

 

ta very much

 

btw

I am familiar with quite a few of thise already listed, I wouldn't want anyone thinking that I am totally useless at my job.