Our Favorite computer tips: Horizon, Microsoft Word, Windows, Website Tricks, Typing Foreign characters, etc.

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Horizon Tips

Keyboard Shortcuts

•  On the Search screen (F2 button), you can quickly jump to the Barcode Search by hitting Page Down key twice
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 Searching Hints

•  Remember to use Series Search not Subject Search to get lists of Spoken Word Compact Discs and cassettes

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Microsoft Word Tips

Hate that Reading Layout Display that Microsoft Word insists on when you open a word document that was attached to an email? Think it just looks weird?

Here's how to turn it off on any computer. Start with the Microsoft Word program open.

Now the regular Print Layout Display will be used when you open a Word document from an email.

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More Microsoft Word Tips

Drawing

Do you find it difficult to use the new "Create your drawing here" box which pops up when you are trying to draw a shape? It isn't too user-friendly. Here's how you can turn it off.

Start with the Microsoft Word program open.

You will now be able to create your shape without any extra boxes. You can see the final product as you draw it.

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Windows Tips

Keyboard Shortcuts

• Alt + Tab to jump from one window to another
• Want to include multiple files from a list as attachments?  Hold down the CTRL key while selecting your files with the mouse.

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Website Tricks

Tiny Url

Did you ever have to try to read a very long web address to someone over the phone? or help someone try to write it down correctly with all the slashes, dots and other symbols exactly right?

Go to tinyurl.com, paste in the that very long address in the box, click the Make Tiny Url button and it will be converted to a very short web address that will work perfectly!

 Here's two examples: 

http://www.state.nj.us/nj/govinfo/county/localities.html   is converted to this:  http://tinyurl.com/2jbwe3 

and

http://docs.newsbank.com/openurl?ctx_ver=z39.88-2004&rft_id=info:sid/iw.newsbank.com:NewsBank:ASBB&rft_val_format=info:ofi/fmt:kev:mtx:ctx&rft_dat=10F8355B0657EAA8&svc_dat=InfoWeb:aggregated5&req_dat=252E7DF5DDF148D0BDD8E3D904190481

is converted to http://tinyurl.com/23z3v6

tip by: bjc 3/28/08

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 Foreign Language Special Characters and Punctuation

If you have trouble remembering the ALT+ commands for the spanish: ¿ or ñ or ¡ or anything in common languages you can copy and paste from the homepage of the website: www.freetranslation.com

tip by atp 4/29/08

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ZAMZAR!

Zamzar (www.zamzar.com) is a free site for converting files from one type to another. Basically, you upload the file to zamzar, tell it what file type you'd like to convert it to, and they will email you a link to download the new file. This is FANTASTIC for converting files to .pdf (usually you have to pay for this type of conversion), or converting Microsoft Works or Word Perfect files to Word documents, or if you can't get a patron's .docx file to open, you can convert it to .doc. It also does lots of music and video conversions, but I haven't played around as much with that. Try it - we're all addicted to it here in Lakewood Reference! :)

tip by: et 05/13/08

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AMAZING INTERNET TIPS!

Text Size:  Hold down the Ctrl key and roll the mouse wheel toward you.  This will make the text of certain websites larger.  If you were to hold down the Ctrl key and roll the mouse wheel away from you, that would make the text smaller.

History:  When using Internet Explorer, press the F4 key.  The URL window will expand, showing recently visited websites.

Maximizing Windows:  When using Internet Explorer, press the F11 key.  Most of the toolbars will disappear, and the window you are viewing will fill almost the entire screen.

courtesy of:  Steve 5/22/08