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May 15, 2001 Keyboard Navigation in Windows saves time because you don't have to take your hand off the keyboard, grab the mouse, move to a menu, click, then return to the keyboard. In this discussion, I'll explain how keyboard shortcuts work and give you a list of some shortcuts and also discuss the right mouse button. That's right, for those of you who don't use it and always wondered why the mouse has a button on the right side, we're going to discuss it's use. When you move the mouse over an icon on the desktop, almost everyone knows you can double-click the left mouse button and the program will start. Before I go any further, remember on the desktop you double-click to start a program. On the task bar (the area where the Start button is) and on menu items listed on the Start button, only single-click these items. Sometimes if you double-click icons on the task bar, the program will start up twice. Now, move the cursor over an icon on the desktop and click the right mouse button once. A menu appears with only items Windows assumes you will want to do in relation to where the cursor is on the screen and what is selected. The same is true in programs, it tries to keep the number of choices small and in relation to cursor location. This saves going to the menu at the top of the screen then clicking down to the item you want. Many times the item you want will not be on the menu but most times it will. When you have a program open, you'll notice that there is an underscore beneath one letter on each menu. The same is true when you drop the menu down. Start up your word processing program, type some text, then highlight the text. Now, tap the Alt key then tap a letter key corresponding to one of the menus. For example, tap the Alt key, you'll notice the first menu item, which is probably File, will be embossed, now if you press the right arrow key or the Tab key it will move to the next menu item, anyway, press Esc a couple of times and let's try this again. Tap the Alt key then tap the E key. Now the Edit menu will drop down. Now, look at the menu and observe the Copy item. Notice the underscore is under the letter C so if you tap the C key the highlighted text will copy to the clipboard. Notice the menu also that next to copy it shows the shortcut key combination at Ctrl-C. This means if you hold down the Ctrl button and while holding it down you tap the C key, it will copy the highlighted text to the clipboard. All menus show the shortcut key combinations available and all are unique to all Windows programs. If I get any more wordy you'll get lost so try it a few times and you'll get the hang of it. If this really seems difficult, maybe we could schedule some time to sit down and make it a lot easier. The shortcuts you'll use a lot are: Hold down the Alt key and tap the Tab key to switch between running
programs.
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