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Navigating Windows

Most people navigate Windows with a mouse, pointing and clicking all over the place. This is fine, but for those who have problems with hand-to-eye coordination, or want to Fly around the Windows environment, there are other options.

Personally, I prefer to use the keyboard to move around. Ask yourself this question: Is it better to use 4 fingers or 1?

Well, I can tell you, without question, that using the keyboard is going to save you time and impress you colleages.

There is a list of shortcut keystrokes in the Help Section of Windows; (people don't even read 1 page instruction booklets, let alone Windows Help Section). But if you take the time, you will benefit by learning just a few of these time savers.

Here are the ones I use the most often:

| Window Operations |
Close / Max / Min / Move / Size
Alt-F4 - Used to close the active window. You will be prompted to save if any changes have been made to it. (This is a real time saver!)

Alt-Space - Opens the current window's option menu. Use the shortcut keys to [R]estore, [M]ove, [S]ize, Mi[n]imize, Ma[x]imize, or [C]lose the current window.

 

| Program & File Manager |
Save Settings / Move / Open / Close
Alt-Shift-F4 - Used to save the current view options in Program Manager and File Manager applications. The next time you start the screen will be arrange just the same as now. (Check to make sure the 'Save settings on exit' is NOT checked, it is in the [Options] menu.)

Ctrl-F4 - This will close the active folder in Program manager.

Ctrl-Tab - In Program manager, this will switch to the next folder, press [Enter] to open it.

F7 - This will move the selected icon from the current group to another group in Program Manager.

F8 - This will copy the selected icon from the current group to another group in Program Manager.

Tab - In File manager, moves to the next pane (drives/folders/files).

Ctrl-Drive Letter - In File manager, opens the drive information in the current window.

 

| Task Management |
Switch To / Arrange Icons & Views / End Tasks
Alt-Esc - Switch to another program, or just see what is currently running. This will bring up the task manager window. Here you can switch to any other running program, end programs, tile or cascade program window views, or arrange the desktop icons.

Alt-Tab - Hold the Alt key and tap the Tab to step to each program currently open. When you see the one you want, release the Alt key. To switch back and forth to the last program you were in and the current one, press the Alt-Tab keys once.

 

| Information Management |
Copy / Cut / Paste
Ctrl-C - Copy the selected information.

Ctrl-X - Cut the selected information.

Ctrl-V - Paste the copied/cut information to the current cursor position.

 

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