Posted by tribeofa | Posted in Windows 7 | Posted on 29-12-2011
Now that I know to use the Windows key to lock my screen, I thought I should poke around and see what else it can do. The answer turns out to be “lots!”
Win – all by itself – brings up the “Start” menu.
My favorite: Win + P pops up a Projection window that makes it at least a little clearer what you’re choosing…you know the drill…hmmm, is it fn +F7 to see it on both computer and screen, or is it just F7 or is it fn +F8…I can never remember. This at least provides a little visual guidance, and “Win +P” is a little more in keeping with Mac philosophy of making something memorable about the letter choice. I can – probably – remember that “project” starts with “P.” I hope. Here’s how it looks:
Win + Home minimizes all the non-active applications, giving me the illusion of an organized workspace.
Win+Shift+Left Arrow and Win+Shift+Right Arrow moves windows from one monitor to another. I’m a dual monitor junkie – I’d have 3 or 4 if I could – so this one gets a workout.
Win + F opens Windows search (“Find”)
And of course we remember that Win+D displays the Desktop
Those are the ones that interest me. Some that may interest you:
Win + R is Run dialog box (I swear I don’t even know what this means)
Win + M is Minimize all
SHIFT + Win+M will undo minimize all
Win + TAB: Cycle through taskbar buttons
Win+F1 takes you to Help. They jumped the tracks here. Why not ” Win + H”?
Win + E takes you to that useless spot with the confusing name: Windows Explorer
CTRL + Win + TAB: Moves focus from Start, to the Quick Launch toolbar, to the system tray (at this point, I’m not even listening anymore)
Win + Break: System Properties dialog box
If you really want to get serious, Wikipedia has an exhaustive list here.
I don’t have time to save that much time.
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Posted by tribeofa | Posted in Software, Windows 7 | Posted on 20-06-2011
You used to right click an application in the tray and cascade all the open windows in an application. Very useful if you’re like me and end up with 20 or so messages open and want to move through them quickly. Along came Windows 7 and …whaaaattt??? No cascade??? Seriously???
What you’ve been seeing are these cute little thumbnails you can click on:
Hovering over the Outlook icon brings up a thumbnail view of every open window
Those are great fun until you have to start panning across the screen to about the 5th window. 30 open messages=zero fun.
Enter Shift + Ctrl + Right Click. Shift + Ctrl + Right Click on the program icon (in this case, Outlook) and you’ll see a window with the old options:
You can still cascade, stack, show windows side by side, minimize, restore or close all windows
Say yea.
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Posted by tribeofa | Posted in Software | Posted on 17-06-2011
I’m discovering some of the basic functions in Windows 7 that I had thought we had lost forever. I’m constantly failing to lock my computer now. Years and years of Ctrl+Alt+K the Ctrl+K suddenly results in…nothing at all. If you hit your old combo and skip off, you’re liable to return to a nastygram from IS or a mass of responses to “your” money giveaway or your declaration of your love for Hello Kitty. I thought you had to remember to click the “Lock This Computer” command, but no…it’s one stop shopping now: Windows key +L does it in one stroke!
Use the Windows key +L to lock your computer
And the desktop! Where the heck did the desktop shortcut go?? For months now, I’ve been minimizing every window (and sometimes it’s 40 of them) to see the desktop. Well, reading the directions sometimes helps. It’s here, one click on that little blue rectangle at the end of your tray:
Blue Rectangle is the Desktop Shortcut Key
UPDATE: Per helpful comment from Charles (below): you can also reveal the desktop by using the Windows key +D. Thanks, Charles!
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