Typing on Your Screen in Windows Vista

The On-Screen Keyboard mode of the Tablet PC Input Panel lets us enter text directly onto our screen instead of using a physical keyboard. The content we enter appears in the document of our currently running program.

Type Your Content

1. Make sure that the program into which you want to insert your text is running. Then click the Start button, type inp in the Search box of the Start menu, and click Input Panel to start the program. If the Input Panel is already running but minimized, click or tap the Input Panel tab.
   
   
2. Click the On-Screen Keyboard button.
   
   
3. Tap or click each character to enter it.
   
   
4. To modify the keyboard, tap or click a modifier keyfor example, the Shift, Caps, or Func key. Tap or click the key a second time to turn off the change.
   
   
5. To enter keyboard shortcuts, tap or click the Alt and/or Ctrl key and then the assigned key. The Alt and/or Ctrl keys will be turned off automatically when the keyboard shortcut is completed.
   
   
6. Tap or click the navigation and editing keys to use them just as you would on a standard keyboard.

__________________
Prasanna Vignesh
MCPD | Web Developer

Writing Quick Notes in Windows Vista

Just like those little sticky notes that clutter up our desk or parade around the edges of our computer screen, the Tablet PC Sticky Notes tool is a great way to jot down a reminder, an idea, an address, or a phone numberand, because these particular Sticky Notes stack up in one container, bye-bye clutter! But there's another big differencenot only can we write a note, we can record up to a 30-seconds-long sound note, too.

Write and Read Your Notes

1. If Sticky Notes isn't already running, click the Start button, type stic in the Search box of the Start menu, and click Sticky Notes to start the program.
   
   
2. Use your writing input device or hold down the left mouse button, and write or draw your note. The note is saved automatically.
   
   
3. If you want to create another note, tap or click New Note, and write your content.
   
   
4. Tap or click the Record button to use a microphone to record a note. Click Stop when you've finished recording.
   
   
5. Tap or click the Next Note or Previous Note arrow to review your existing notes.
   
   
6. If you want to insert your current note as a picture into a document, click the Copy button, and then paste the picture into the document. However, note that not all types of documents accept pictures.

__________________
Prasanna Vignesh
MCPD | Web Developer

Writing and Drawing Notes in Windows Vista

The Windows Journal is an extremely versatile tool that provides an ideal palette on which we can assemble diverse types of information. Although it's primarily for writing notes and making quick sketches with a stylus, we can modify the content, move it around, and even convert our handwriting to text.

Write and Draw

1. If the Journal isn't already running, click the Start button, type jou in the Search box of the Start menu, and click Windows Journal to start the program.
   
   
2. Write a title for the note using your stylus or mouse.
   
   
3. If you want to use a different pen color or shape, click and choose your options from the Pen drop-down menu. To make additional changes, choose Pen Settings, and make your selections in the Pen And Highlighter Settings dialog box.
   
   
4. Write the content of your notes and draw the pictures using your stylus or mouse.
   
   
5. To highlight any material, click the Highlighter button, and drag the highlight over the desired items. To use a different highlight color or width, click the down arrow next to the Highlighter button. To return to writing or drawing, click the Pen button again.
   
   
6. To delete content, click the Eraser button, and drag the Eraser over the content you want to remove.
   
   
7. Click Save to save the note. Click Save periodically to save your most recent edits.

Modify and Use our Content

1. Click the Selection Tool, and drag the selection around the material you want to change.
   
   
   • To modify the content, do any of the following:
     
     
   • Drag it to a new location.
     
   • Drag a sizing box to increase or decrease the size of the content.
     
   • Click the Cut or Copy button to move or copy the content to the Windows Clipboard.
     
   • Choose Format Ink from the Edit menu to change the color and thickness of the ink or to apply bold or italic formatting to the selection.
     
   • Choose Convert Selection To E-Mail from the Actions menu to convert writing to text and then send the text in an e-mail message.
     
   • Choose Convert Selection To Text from the Actions menu to convert the writing to text and then either copy the text to the Windows Clipboard or replace the selected writing with text.
     
   • Point to Change Shape To on the Actions menu, and choose the shape you want the selected content to be converted to.
2. Click the Pen button, and add more writing or drawings.
   
   
3. Click any of the editing buttons to modify your document.
   
   
4. Click Save.
   
   
5. Click New Note to create a new note, or click the Close button to end your work in the Journal.

__________________
Prasanna Vignesh
MCPD | Web Developer

Annotating a Document in Windows Vista

One of the most useful features of the Windows Journal is the ability it gives us to import a document from another program and then annotate the document with written notes, pictures, and highlights. This feature makes the Journal one of our favorite tools, whether or not we use a stylus for input. There are two ways to import a document: Either the Journal automatically opens the document in its default program and then uses a special printer driver, or we open the document in its program and then use the printer driver to send the content of the document to the Journal.

Make Your Comments

1. If the Journal isn't already running, click the Start button, type jou in the Search box of the Start menu, and click Windows Journal to start the program.
   
   
2. Click the Import button, select the file to be used, and click or tap the Import button in the Import dialog box. If you haven't already installed the Journal printer driver, do so when requested. If the Journal can't open the program for the type of file you want, open the file in its correct program, choose to print it with the Journal Note Printer, and save the print file as a note.
   
   
3. Use the Journal tools to annotate the document. You can't, however, modify the actual content of the document.
   
   
4. Save the annotated note.

__________________
Prasanna Vignesh
MCPD | Web Developer

Sharing Your Journal Notes in Windows Vista

Why keep all the creative information we've recorded in the Windows Journal to ourself? We have a variety of choices as to the way we share that content, and we can share it even if the person we're sharing it with doesn't have the Windows Journal installed on his or her computer.

E-Mail Our Note

1. With the Journal open and your note complete, choose Send To Mail Recipient from the File menu to display the Send To Mail Recipient dialog box.
   
   • Select the format you want to use to send the note:
     
     
   • Journal Note to send the note as an attachment that can be opened only in Windows Journal. The recipient can then edit the received note.
     
     
   • Web Page to send the note as a single-file Web page that can be opened in Internet Explorer or other Web browsers. The content, however, can't be edited.
   
   
2. Black And White Image to send the note as a picture in the .tif format. The content can't be edited except as a graphic, and any color properties will be lost.
   
   
3. Click OK.
   
   
4. Add any content to your e-mail message, and then send it.

__________________
Prasanna Vignesh
MCPD | Web Developer

Controlling Your Gadgets in Windows Vista

Gadgets are nice little programs that sit quietly on our Desktop doing their own specific thing, usually without our having to do much to make them work.

Control the Gadget

1. Point to the gadget you want to control.
   
   
2. Click the Options button.
   
   
3. Make whatever settings you want.
   
   
4. Click OK.
   
   
5. Point to the gadget again, and control it using any controls that appear.
   
   
6. To move the gadget up or down the Sidebar, or to move it off the Sidebar, point to the gadget's handle, and drag the gadget into the position you want.
   
   
7. If you've added more gadgets than will fit in a single column, click the left or right arrow to see your additional gadgets.

Add or Delete Gadgets

1. Click the Gadgets button to display the Gadgets window.
   
   
2. Double-click a gadget to add it to the Sidebar.
   
   
3. Click Get More Gadgets Online to see and download other gadgets from the Web.
   
   
4. Double-click any other gadgets you want to add, including any that you downloaded.
   
   
5. Close the Gadgets window when you've finished.
   
   
6. To remove a gadget, point to it and click the Delete button. The gadget is deleted from the Sidebar, but the file remains stored on your computer in case you want to restore it.

__________________
Prasanna Vignesh
MCPD | Web Developer

Controlling the Sidebar in Windows Vista

The Windows Sidebar is a nifty section of our Desktop. We can store all sorts of gadgets on the Sidebar and can organize our gadgets so that they don't take up a lot of space on your Desktop. We can switch between showing and hiding the Sidebar and all its gadgets, move it to the other side of the Desktop, or display it on a different monitor if We're using dual monitors. If we don't want to use the Sidebar at all, we can simply turn it off instead of hiding it.

Display, Hide, or Exit the Sidebar

1. If you want to use the Sidebar but you don't see either the Sidebar or the Sidebar icon in the notification area of the taskbar, click the Start button, type sideb in the Search box of the Start menu, and click Windows Sidebar to start the feature.
   
   
2. If you want to hide the Sidebar and all its gadgets, right-click a blank area of the Sidebar, and choose Close Sidebar from the shortcut menu.
   
   
3. If the Sidebar isn't displayed but the Sidebar icon appears in the notification area of the taskbar, click the Sidebar icon if you want to display the Sidebar.
   
   
4. If you don't want to use the Sidebar at all, right-click the Sidebar icon, and choose Exit from the shortcut menu. If you want to use the Sidebar again, you'll need to start again it from the Start menu.

Move the Sidebar

1. Right-click the Sidebar icon on the taskbar, and choose Properties from the shortcut menu to display the Windows Sidebar Properties dialog box.
   
   
2. Select this check box if you want the Sidebar to be on top of any open windows rather than having windows on top of the Sidebar.
   
   
3. Clear this check box if you don't want the Sidebar to start every time you start Windows.
   
   
4. Specify on which side of your Desktop you want the Sidebar to be displayed.
   
   
5. If you have more than one monitor connected to your computer, click this button, and specify on which monitor you want the Sidebar to appear.
   
   
6. Click OK.

__________________
Prasanna Vignesh
MCPD | Web Developer

Running Commands in Windows Vista

In Windows Vista, the command prompt is the place where we can execute command-line instructions. Most of the commands are the old standard MS-DOS commands, some are enhancements of the MS-DOS commands, and others are commands unique to Windows Vista. When we want or need to work from the command prompt, we can open a command-prompt window and execute all our tasks there, including using the basic commands, starting a program, and even starting a program in a new window. Note that the command prompt is a powerful weapon that can disrupt our system, delete files, and create general havoc. Don't execute commands unless we know what they're designed for.

Run a Command

1. Click the Start button, type prompt in the Search box of the Start menu, and click Command Prompt to open the Command Prompt window.
   
   
2. At the prompt, type a command, including any switches and extra parameters, and press Enter.
   
   
3. Enter any additional commands you want to run.

The Top 10 Command Prompt Commands



Command
Function

cd
Switches to the specified folder (or directory).

cls
Clears the screen.

copy
Copies the specified files or folders.

dir
Shows the contents of the current directory.

exit
Ends the session.

ipconfig
Displays network connection information.

ping
Tests network connection using IP address.

path
Displays or sets the path the command searches.

prompt
Changes the information displayed at the prompt.

rename
Renames the specified file or files if the wildcard characters ? or * are used.


Find a Command

1. At the command prompt, type help and press Enter.
   
   
2. Review the list of commands.
   
   
3. If the information scrolls off the screen, use the scroll bar or the scroll arrows so that you can see the entire list.

Get Information About a Command

1. Type a command followed by a space and /? and then press Enter to get information about the command.
   
   
2. Read the information.
   
   
3. If the information scrolls off the screen, use the scroll bar or the scroll arrows so that you can see the entire text.

__________________
Prasanna Vignesh
MCPD | Web Developer

Running Older Programs in Windows Vista

Most programs work well with Windows Vista. Some older ones, however, are designed exclusively for earlier versions of Windows and won't work properly in Windows Vista. In most cases, Windows will try to run a program that doesn't work, using settings that should allow the program to run while at the same time protecting your system. However, in a few cases, you might need to change settings to get the program to work correctly.

Set the Compatibility

1. Locate the program you want to run, either on the Start menu or in a folder window.
   
   
2. Right-click the program, and choose Properties from the shortcut menu to display the program's Properties dialog box.
   
   
3. On the Compatibility tab, select this check box to run the program in Compatibility mode.
   
   
4. Specify the version of Windows for which the program was designed.
   
   
5. Select the check boxes for applying the appropriate restrictions to the display based on the program's documentation and updated notes from the manufacturer.
   
   
6. Select this check box if the program needs to access restricted content and you're sure the program will do no harm to your computer.
   
   
7. Click OK, and try running the program. If it still doesn't run, open the Properties dialog box again and change the settings. Continue experimenting until you get the program to work or until you're convinced the program can't run on your computer. (If changing the Compatibility mode or the display settings doesn't fix the problem, check with the manufacturer for updated drivers or other fixes.)

__________________
Prasanna Vignesh
MCPD | Web Developer

Sending E-Mail in Windows Vista

Most of us can't imagine life without e-mail! We don't have to address an envelope or trek to the mailbox on a cold, rainy day. All we do is type a name, create a message, and click a Send button. Windows Mail and our mail server do the rest. What could be quicker or more convenient?

Create a Message

1. Click the Start button, and choose Windows Mail from the menu. Click Create Mail. If you want to send a formatted message with a background and coordinated fonts and bullets, click the down arrow next to the button, and click the stationery you want to use.
   
   
2. Type the recipient's name or enough of it to make it uniquely identifiable in your list of contacts. To add more names, type a semicolon (, and then type all or part of another recipient's name. The names and addresses will be completed when you move to another part of the message.
   
   
3. Press the Tab key to move to the CC field, and type the names of the people who are to receive a copy of the message.
   
   
4. Press Tab to move to the Subject line, type a subject, and press Tab again to move into the message area.
   
   
5. Type your message. Use any of the formatting tools to format your message.
   
   
6. Do either of the following:
   
   
   • Click Send to send the message.
     
     
   • Choose Send Later from the File menu to leave the message in the Outbox until you're ready to send it.
7. When you've composed all the messages you want to send, click Send/Receive to send the messages in the Outbox to your mail server.

__________________
Prasanna Vignesh
MCPD | Web Developer

Saving and Sending a Draft Message in Windows Vista

we can't always complete an e-mail message without being interrupted by someone or something. Or perhaps we want to mull over what we've said for a while and make a few changes to the wording before we send the message. Fortunately, we can save our message in its incomplete form and then return to it when we're ready, finish it, and send it on its way.

Create a Draft

1. In Windows Mail, create a new message, address it, add a subject, and write your content.
   
   
2. Choose Save from the File menu.
   
   
3. If a message box appears, click OK.
   
   
4. Continue working on the message, choosing Save from the File menu occasionally. When you need to stop, click the Close button.

Send the Draft

1. Open the Drafts folder. If the Folder list isn't displayed, click the Folder List button to display the list.
   
   
2. Double-click the draft message to open it.
   
   
3. Complete the message, and click Send to send it. Note that it's automatically deleted from the Drafts folder.

__________________
Prasanna Vignesh
MCPD | Web Developer

Receiving and Reading E-Mail in Windows Vista

Windows Mail lets us specify how frequently we want it to check for incoming e-mail, and it notifies us when we receive new mail. We can check our Inbox and see at a glance which messages have and haven't been read, or We can set the view to list unread messages only.

Read Your Messages

1. Click the Inbox if it isn't the currently active folder.
   
   
2. On the View menu, specify how you want to view your messages:
   
   
   
   • Point to Current View, and choose the type of messages you want displayed.
     
     
   • Point to Sort By, and choose the way you want the messages to be ordered.
     
     
   • Choose Layout, specify whether and where you want the preview pane displayed, and click OK.
   
   
3. Click a message header, and read the message in the preview pane.
   
   
4. Double-click a message header to read the message in a separate window.

__________________
Prasanna Vignesh
MCPD | Web Developer

Replying to or Forwarding a Message in Windows Vista

When We receive an e-mail message that needs a reply or that we want to forward to someone else, all it takes is a click of a button to create a new message. But be careful when we use the Reply All buttonyour message could be received by a lot of people for whom it wasn't intended!

Select the message header.

1. Click the appropriate button:
   
   
   • Reply to send your reply to the writer of the message only
     
     
   • Reply All to send your reply to the writer of the message and to everyone listed in the original message's To and CC lines
     
     
   • Forward to send a copy of the message to another recipient
2. Add names to or delete names from the To and CC lines.
   
   
3. Type your reply message or any note associated with the forwarded message.
   
   
4. Click Send.
   
   

__________________
Prasanna Vignesh
MCPD | Web Developer

Designing Your Default Message in Windows Vista

Why not let our computer do some of our work for us? When we design a default mail message, every new message that we start will look exactly the way we want, with all the elements in place a specific background picture, our signature automatically inserted at the end of the message, a font that makes the message a little more "We," and so on.

Add a Signature

1. In Windows Mail, choose Options from the Tools menu, and click the Signatures tab of the Options dialog box.
   
   
2. Click New.
   
   
3. Type the signature you want to use as your default signature, or specify the text or HTML document that contains the signature.
   
   
4. Specify whether you want the signature added automatically to all outgoing messages and whether or not you want it included in replies and forwarded messages.
   
   
5. If you have more than one mail or news account, click Advanced.
   
   
6. Select the check boxes for the accounts that will use this signature, and then click OK.

Specify Your Stationery

1. On the Compose tab of the Options dialog box, select this check box to use stationery.
   
   
2. Click Select.
   
   
3. In the list, click the stationery you want to use.
   
   
4. If you like what you see in the Preview pane, click OK.
   
   
5. Click Apply.
   
   
6. Click the Send tab, and click the HTML option for your mail format if it isn't already selected.
   
   
7. Click OK to close the Options dialog box.

__________________
Prasanna Vignesh
MCPD | Web Developer

Adding Your Contacts


Your Contacts folder contains information about the people you communicate with. You use your Contacts list to quickly enter an e-mail address, look up a business or home address, jump to a Web site, place a phone call, and so on. You can even add an identifying picture to personalize the contact information. Each contact is contained in its own file, so you can access the contact information in multiple programs or directly from the Contacts folder.

Create a New Contact

1. In Windows Mail, click the Contacts button to display the Contacts folder.
   
   
2. Click New Contact to display the Properties dialog box.
   
   
3. On the various tabs of the Properties dialog box, enter the information you want to record. You can include as much or little as you want, but you'll need a unique name and an e-mail address if you intend to send e-mail to that contact.
   
   
4. To include an identifying picture, click here, choose Change Picture from the menu that appears, and use the Open dialog box to locate and select the picture you want. Click Open.
   
   
5. Click OK.
   
   
6. Close the Contacts folder when you've finished.

Add an Address from a Message

1. In the Windows Mail Inbox, right-click the message.
   
   
2. Choose Add Sender To Contacts from the shortcut menu. If the command is grayed (unavailable), connect to the Internet or to your mail server, click the message to download it, and then right-click it and choose the command again.
   
   
3. If you want to add the contact information for someone listed in the CC line of the message, double-click the message to open it in a separate window, and then right-click the name you want to add.

__________________
Prasanna Vignesh
MCPD | Web Developer

Creating a Contacts Group

If you frequently send one message to the same group of people, you can gather all their addresses into a group, and then all you need to do is enter the group name to send the message to all the individuals. It's a real time-saver.

Create a Group

1. In Windows Mail, click the Contacts button to display the Contacts folder.
   
   
2. In the Contacts folder, click New Contact Group to display the Properties dialog box.
   
   
3. On the Contact Group tab, type a descriptive name, or alias, for the group.
   
   
4. Click Add To Contact Group.
   
   
5. Click to select the name of someone you want to include in the group. Hold down the Ctrl key and continue clicking names until the contact group list is complete.
   
   
6. Click Add.
   
   
7. Type a name and an e-mail address for someone you want to add to the list but don't want to save as a contact, and then click Create For Group only.
   
   
8. Add any further information to the Contact Group Details tab.
   
   
9. Click OK.

__________________
Prasanna Vignesh
MCPD | Web Developer

Transferring Files

In most cases, transferring files is a simple task; if you want to transfer a few small files, you can easily send them by e-mail. You can copy larger or more numerous files to a removable disc or a removable USB (Universal Serial Bus) memory device. On a network, you can simply designate the files as shared files and either move them to a Public or shared folder or post them to a SharePoint site. However, if you need to transfer a number of large files electronically but you don't have access to a network, there are several possible solutions. Listed below are additional methods for directly transferring files; you should find at least one among them that's appropriate for your situation.

VPN: A Virtual Private Network connection creates a secure connection over the Internet between your computer and another network or computer.

Windows Live Messenger: You can send a file to or receive a file from any online contact. The recipient must agree to receive the file before you can send it. Although it isn't a part of Windows Vista, Windows Live Messenger is available for download.

FTP Transfer: You can use FTP (File Transfer Protocol) to transfer files to an FTP server over the Internet. In most cases, you'll be able to use Internet Explorer to connect and manage the files.

Ad Hoc Wireless Connection: You can create a temporary ad hoc connection between two or more computers in the same vicinity by using each computer's wireless network adapter. You can transfer files from Public and shared folders.

Windows Meeting Space: Creates a secure connection between computers so that files can be posted as handouts and can be automatically delivered to meeting participants.

Remote Assistance: When two computers are connected in a session, you can transfer files between the two computers over the secure connection.

Compressed (Zipped) Folders: Windows Vista provides the Compressed Folders feature, which reduces the size of the files it contains and keeps all the compressed files in one location. When you transfer a compressed folder, the receiving computer sees either a compressed folder (if the Compressed Folders feature is installed) or a ZIP-type file that can be opened using one of several third-party programs.

Windows Briefcase: The Windows Briefcase is a file-management tool that you can use for transferring files with computers that aren't running Windows Vista. The Briefcase helps you keep track of different versions of a file when the file has been edited on different computers. You copy files from your computer to the Briefcase and then transfer the entire Briefcase to another computer, where the files can be edited and saved back into the Briefcase. When you return the Briefcase to your computer, the original files on your computer can be updated automatically.

__________________
Prasanna Vignesh
MCPD | Web Developer