Organize Your Files

Organizing your files can be a massive chore if it's not done on a continuous basis right from the start.

I've spent entire evenings consolidating the contents of my disks, salvaging a mound of blanks in the process. The money I've saved would feed a city block!

Microsoft Windows remembers what folder you accessed and will take you back to it. When you "Close" (not exit) a document in "Word" and you want to work on another file from the same folder, click on the yellow, opened folder in the upper left portion of the tool bar, just below "Edit." Windows will take you back to the same folder after your initial search. There's no need to exit "Word" and you can browse in the "Look in" drop-down to locate a new folder.

COPYING TO A FILE:
You might want to copy something to a file. In my case it would be saved as a Microsoft Word document. The procedure is as follows:

CLICK and hold the left mouse directly in front of what you wish to copy. Continue to hold while you

SCROLL the entire length of the article by pulling the mouse down the screen and towards the lower right corner. You might need to slide the mouse back and forth on the bottom toolbar for a continuous copy.

(To copy the entire screen, right click anywhere on the screen, choose "Select All," right click again, and choose "Copy." Or press the "Print Screen" key at the top right of your keyboard. These options take a lot of memory if there are several graphics such as what you'll find on an Internet web page.)

PRESS "Ctrl" and the letter "C" simultaneously. Go into your word-processor.

RIGHT CLICK inside the blank page and choose "Paste." Or you can rest your cursor at the beginning of the blank page and press "Ctrl" and the letter "V" simultaneously.

SAVE the document with the "Save As."

Remember to honor the copyright laws by not selling any work that you copy and it's a good idea to save the copyright information along with the article (if one has been provided). When I save something from the Internet, it's only for referencing, nothing more.

USING THE "START" BUTTON:
One thing that I just love to do is customize the "Start" menu with my own files & folders.

Right click the taskbar (any free space)

Click "Properties," and then the "Start Menu" tab.

(You will have to switch to the "Classic Start Menu" and then "Customize" in Windows XP. You can switch back when you are finished, if you so desire, and your changes will remain intact.)

Once you are in the Start Menu Programs (or Customize in XP):

Click the "Add" button

Click "browse,"

Use the "Look in" until you find the file you want

Highlight the file and continue through the process (about three more "next" clicks).

Click "Finish" and "OK" when you're done.

FILING