1. Creating a folder with 'con' as folder name is not possible in Windows. This is because 'con' is a reserved word since the DOS OS was created. The word 'con' stands for console. But there is a way to create a folder named 'con' at any location. Thats true! Run the following command in command prompt :
Example - Code:
md.C:con
This will create a folder with 'con' as its name. But before creating the folder please make a note, nor use it to save any data, Its just a useless folder...
2. I tried experimenting with that command, and found out its actual syntax which you can use to create the con folder at any location on the windows based computer. The syntax is :
Example - Code:
md.path-to-create-con-folder
Example - Code:
md.C:SpearMan
3. How to delete a folder named "con"
I found a way to delete the con folder. Use the same command to delete, just replace 'md' command with 'rmdir'
Example - Code:
rmdir.C:con
Wednesday 28 July 2010
How to create a folder named "con"
How To Lock a Folder Without Using any Software Modified one
How To Lock a Folder Without Using any Software And changing attributes!
I had modified the script by making some changes Check it out
Simple Copy-Paste-Rename-Store-and LOCK. can work anywhere on any computer.
NO Software Required. Simple Lock your Folder, with these Few Steps. Ive tried it, and works great. it works on Windows Xp, SP2 and vista
IM not sure, if it works on other OS as well. but its harmless, so try it out.
Steps:
1- make a new folder ( name it as you like )
2- inside this folder make a ( TXT ) file & copy inside it this (the entire thing)
Quote:
@ECHO OFF
cls
color 0b
title Folder Private
if EXIST "Control Panel.{21EC2020-3AEA-1069-A2DD-08002B30309D}" goto UNLOCK
if NOT EXIST Private goto MDLOCKER
:CONFIRM
echo Are you sure you want to lock the folder(Y/N)
set/p "cho=>"
if %cho%==Y goto LOCK
if %cho%==y goto LOCK
if %cho%==n goto END
if %cho%==N goto END
echo Invalid choice.
goto CONFIRM
:LOCK
ren Private "Control Panel.{21EC2020-3AEA-1069-A2DD-08002B30309D}"
attrib +h +s "Control Panel.{21EC2020-3AEA-1069-A2DD-08002B30309D}"
echo Folder locked
pause
goto End
:UNLOCK
echo Enter password to unlock folder
set/p "pass=>"
if NOT %pass%== passwordhere goto FAIL
attrib -h -s "Control Panel.{21EC2020-3AEA-1069-A2DD-08002B30309D}"
ren "Control Panel.{21EC2020-3AEA-1069-A2DD-08002B30309D}" Private
echo Folder Unlocked successfully
pause
goto End
:FAIL
echo Invalid password
pause
goto end
:MDLOCKER
md Private
echo Private created successfully
goto End
:End
3- After u copy the Commanding go to line 23 (or try using shortcut- CTRL+F and type password to locate the line) u will find this word : password here (Change it with any password u like.) is :
eg: if NOT %pass%== narnia1234 goto FAIL
//so ur password here becomes narnia1234 .//
4- After that go to ‘save as’ & name this file as "locker.bat "
5- Now back to the folder & u will find a ( LOCKER ) commanding.
(locker.exe)
6- Double Click on it & u will find a new folder (Private )
7- Ok ,, now copy what u want in this "private Folder" & after that come out of the folder, and Double click on locker again. It will open and ask if you want to lock your folder? Y/N ?
8- Type Y. your private folder will dissapear.
9- If you want to UNLOCK your folder, go to (locker) & type your pass and you will see your private folder.
I had modified the script by making some changes Check it out
Simple Copy-Paste-Rename-Store-and LOCK. can work anywhere on any computer.
NO Software Required. Simple Lock your Folder, with these Few Steps. Ive tried it, and works great. it works on Windows Xp, SP2 and vista
IM not sure, if it works on other OS as well. but its harmless, so try it out.
Steps:
1- make a new folder ( name it as you like )
2- inside this folder make a ( TXT ) file & copy inside it this (the entire thing)
Quote:
@ECHO OFF
cls
color 0b
title Folder Private
if EXIST "Control Panel.{21EC2020-3AEA-1069-A2DD-08002B30309D}" goto UNLOCK
if NOT EXIST Private goto MDLOCKER
:CONFIRM
echo Are you sure you want to lock the folder(Y/N)
set/p "cho=>"
if %cho%==Y goto LOCK
if %cho%==y goto LOCK
if %cho%==n goto END
if %cho%==N goto END
echo Invalid choice.
goto CONFIRM
:LOCK
ren Private "Control Panel.{21EC2020-3AEA-1069-A2DD-08002B30309D}"
attrib +h +s "Control Panel.{21EC2020-3AEA-1069-A2DD-08002B30309D}"
echo Folder locked
pause
goto End
:UNLOCK
echo Enter password to unlock folder
set/p "pass=>"
if NOT %pass%== passwordhere goto FAIL
attrib -h -s "Control Panel.{21EC2020-3AEA-1069-A2DD-08002B30309D}"
ren "Control Panel.{21EC2020-3AEA-1069-A2DD-08002B30309D}" Private
echo Folder Unlocked successfully
pause
goto End
:FAIL
echo Invalid password
pause
goto end
:MDLOCKER
md Private
echo Private created successfully
goto End
:End
3- After u copy the Commanding go to line 23 (or try using shortcut- CTRL+F and type password to locate the line) u will find this word : password here (Change it with any password u like.) is :
eg: if NOT %pass%== narnia1234 goto FAIL
//so ur password here becomes narnia1234 .//
4- After that go to ‘save as’ & name this file as "locker.bat "
5- Now back to the folder & u will find a ( LOCKER ) commanding.
(locker.exe)
6- Double Click on it & u will find a new folder (Private )
7- Ok ,, now copy what u want in this "private Folder" & after that come out of the folder, and Double click on locker again. It will open and ask if you want to lock your folder? Y/N ?
8- Type Y. your private folder will dissapear.
9- If you want to UNLOCK your folder, go to (locker) & type your pass and you will see your private folder.
Add color to your folders
In google search with the phrase "iColorFolder", download .exe from the very first link and install it on ur system.
now right click on ur folder which u want to see in color, there is one option called color from this u will see the desired color.
now right click on ur folder which u want to see in color, there is one option called color from this u will see the desired color.
Turn Your Computer Off In Less Than 3 Seconds
Turn Your Computer Off In Less Than 3 Seconds
1. First open up task manager by pressing "Ctrl + ALt + Delete"
2. Go to "Shutdown"
3. Click on "Turn Off" while holding "Ctrl"
once you get a hang of it, it will only take few seconds to turn your computer off without harming it.
Monday 26 July 2010
Photoshop shortcut keys
Photoshop Useful Shortcut Key Chart for Windows -
One of Photoshop's key features is that almost everything in it can be controlled using keyboard shortcuts. This allows the user to stay in a creative thought pattern and quickly change tools in monotonous work that requires it.
F1 - Toggles Adobe Online Help
F5 - Toggles Brush style palette
F6 - Toggles Colour, Swatches, Styles palette
F7 - Toggles Layers, Channels, Paths palette
F8 - Toggles Navigator, Info palette
F9 - Toggles Actions, History, Presets palette
Tab (Key) - Toggles all the palettes on screen
Shift + Tab (Key) - Toggles palettes on screen, excluding the Toolbar.
Ctrl+N: New Document
Ctrl+O: Open Document
Shift+Ctrl+O: Browse
Alt+Ctrl+O:Open As
Ctrl+W: Close
Ctrl+Shift+W: Close All
Ctrl+S: Save
Ctrl+Shift+S: Save As
Ctrl+Alt+S: Save a Copy
Ctrl+Alt+Shift+ S: Save for Web
Ctrl+Shift+P: Page Setup
Ctrl+Shift+M: Jump to Image Ready
Ctrl+Q: ExitViewing Shortcuts:
Ctrl+Y: Proof Colors
Ctrl++: Zoom In
Ctrl+-: Zoom Out
Ctrl+Alt++: Zoom In & Resize Window
Ctrl+Alt+-: Zoom Out & Resize Window
Ctrl+Alt+0: Actual Pixels
Ctrl+Shift+H: Show/Hide Target Path
Ctrl+R: Show/Hide Rulers
Ctrl+Shift+; : On/Off Snap
Ctrl+H: Show/Hide Extras
Ctrl+Alt+;: Lock Guides
Ctrl+;: Show Guides
Ctrl+': Show GridTools Shortcuts:
A: Path Component Selection Tool
B: Paintbrush Tool
C: Crop Tool
D: Changes Default Colour Palettes To Black Foreground, White Background
E: Eraser Tool
F: Cycle Screen Modes
G: Gradient Tool
H: Hand Tool
I: Eyedropper Tool
J: Airbrush Tool
K: Slice Tool
L: Lasso Tool
M: Marquee Tool
N: Notes
O: Dodge/Burn/Sponge Tool
P: Pen Tool
Q: Quick Mask
R: Blur/Sharpen/ Smudge Tool
S: Clone Stamp
T: Type Tool
U: Shape Tool
V: Move Tool
W: Magic Wand
X: Swap Colours On Colour Pallete
Y: History Brush
Z: Zoom ToolLayer Shortcuts:
Ctrl+Shift+N: New Layer
Ctrl+J: Layer via Copy
Ctrl+Shift+J: Layer via Cut
Ctrl+G: Group with Previous
Ctrl+Shift+] : Bring to Front
Ctrl+]: Bring Forward
Ctrl+[: Send Backward
Ctrl+Shift+[ : Send Back
Ctrl+E: Merge Layers
Ctrl+Shift+E: Merge VisibleImage Manipulation Shortcuts:
Ctrl+L: Adjust Levels
Ctrl+Shift+L: Adjust Auto Levels
Ctrl+Alt+Shift+ L: Adjust Auto Contrast
Ctrl+M: Adjust Curves
Ctrl+B: Adjust Color Balance
Ctrl+U: Adjust Hue/Saturation
Ctrl+Shift+U: Desaturate
Ctrl+I: Invert
Ctrl+Alt+X: ExtractFilters Shortcuts:
Ctrl+F: Last Filter
Ctrl+Shift+F: Fade
Ctrl+Alt+X: Extract
Ctrl+Shift+X: Liquify
Ctrl+Shift+Alt+ X: Pattern MakeSelection Shortcuts:
Ctrl+A: Select All
Ctrl+D: Deselect
Ctrl+Shift+D: Reselect
Ctrl+Shift+I: Inverse
Ctrl+Alt+D: FeatherRandom Shortcuts:
Alt+Backspace: Fill with Forground Color
Shift+Backspace: Fill with Background Color
Alt+]: Ascend through Layers
Alt+[: Descend through Layers
Shift+Alt+]: Select Top Layer
Shift+Alt+[: Select Bottom Layer
Tab: Show/Hide All Palettes
One of Photoshop's key features is that almost everything in it can be controlled using keyboard shortcuts. This allows the user to stay in a creative thought pattern and quickly change tools in monotonous work that requires it.
F1 - Toggles Adobe Online Help
F5 - Toggles Brush style palette
F6 - Toggles Colour, Swatches, Styles palette
F7 - Toggles Layers, Channels, Paths palette
F8 - Toggles Navigator, Info palette
F9 - Toggles Actions, History, Presets palette
Tab (Key) - Toggles all the palettes on screen
Shift + Tab (Key) - Toggles palettes on screen, excluding the Toolbar.
| Main Toolbar | |||
| Key | Action | Action | Key |
Marquee Tool  |  Move Tool | ||
Lasso Tool  |  Magic Wand Tool | ||
Airbrush Tool  |  Paintbrush Tool | ||
Rubber Stamp Tool  |  History Brush Tool | ||
Eraser Tool  |  Pencil Tool | ||
Blur Tool  |  Dodge Tool | ||
Pen Tool  |  Type Tool | ||
Measure Tool  |  Linear Gradient Tool | ||
Paint Bucket Tool  |  Eyedropper Tool | ||
Hand Tool  |  Zoom Tool | ||
| Default foreground and background colors. | |||
| Switches between foreground and background colors. | |||
| Switches between standard mode or quick mask mode. | |||
| Switches between screen modes. | |||
| TAB | Hides/Unhides open tools. | ||
| ile Menu | |||
| Key | Action | ||
| CTRL + N | ew | ||
| CTRL + O | pen | ||
| CTRL + ALT + O | Opn As | ||
| CTRL + W | lose | ||
| CTRL + S | ave | ||
| CTRL + SHIFT + S | Save | ||
| CTRL + ALT + S | Save a Cop | ||
| CTRL + SHIFT + P | Pae Setup | ||
| CTRL + P | rint | ||
| CTRL + K | Preerences > eneral | ||
| dit Menu | |||
| Key | Action | ||
| CTRL + Z | Undo | ||
| CTRL + X | Cu | ||
| CTRL + C | opy | ||
| CTRL + SHIFT + C | Copy erged | ||
| CTRL + V | aste | ||
| CTRL + SHIFT + V | Paste nto | ||
| CTRL + T | ree Transform | ||
| CTRL + SHIFT + T | Trnsform > gain | ||
| mage Menu | |||
| Key | Action | ||
| CTRL + L | djust > evels | ||
| CTRL + SHIFT + L | djust > uto Levels | ||
| CTRL + ALT + SHIFT + L | djust > Ato Contrast | ||
| CTRL + M | djust > Cures | ||
| CTRL + B | djust > Color alance | ||
| CTRL + U | djust > ue/Saturation | ||
| CTRL + SHIFT + U | djust > esaturate | ||
| CTRL + I | djust > nvert | ||
| CTRL + ALT + X | Extract | ||
| ayer Menu | |||
| Key | Action | ||
| CTRL + SHIFT + N | ew > ayer | ||
| CTRL + J | ew > Layer Via opy | ||
| CTRL + SHIFT + J | ew > Layer Via Cu | ||
| CTRL + G | roup with Previous | ||
| CTRL + SHIFT + G | ngroup | ||
| CTRL + SHIFT + ] | rrange > Bring to ront | ||
| CTRL + ] | rrange > Bring Forard | ||
| CTRL + [ | rrange > Send Bacward | ||
| CTRL + SHIFT + [ | rrange > Send to ack | ||
| CTRL + E | rge Down | ||
| CTRL + SHIFT + E | Merge isible | ||
| elect Menu | |||
| Key | Action | ||
| CTRL + A | ll | ||
| CTRL + D | eselect | ||
| CTRL + SHIFT + D | select | ||
| CTRL + SHIFT + I | nverse | ||
| CTRL + ALT + D | eather | ||
| Filer Menu | |||
| Key | Action | ||
| CTRL + F | Last ilter | ||
| CTRL + SHIFT + F | Fa | ||
| iew Menu | |||
| Key | Action | ||
| CTRL + Y | Prview > MYK | ||
| CTRL + SHIFT + Y | Gamut arning | ||
| CTRL + + | Zoom | ||
| CTRL + - | Zoom ut | ||
| CTRL + 0 | it on Screen | ||
| CTRL + SHIFT + 0 | ctual Pixels | ||
| CTRL + H | Hide Eges | ||
| CTRL + SHIFT + H | Hide Pat | ||
| CTRL + R | Show ulers | ||
| CTRL + ; | Hide Gides | ||
| CTRL + SHIFT + ; | Snap o Guides | ||
| CTRL + ALT + ; | Loc Guides | ||
| CTRL + " | Show rid | ||
| CTRL + SHIFT + " | ap To Grid | ||
| elp Menu | |||
| Key | Action | ||
| F1 | ontents | ||
| Other Shortcuts | |||
| Key | Action | ||
| Page Up/Down | Move view up/down 1 screen. | ||
| SHIFT + Page Up/Down | Nudge view up/down. | ||
| CTRL + Page Up/Down | Move view left/right 1 screen. | ||
| CTRL + SHIFT + Page Up/Down | Nudge screen left/right. | ||
| CTRL + SHIFT + Z | Previous History entry. | ||
| CTRL + ALT + Z | Next History entry. | ||
| SHIFT + - | Previous blending mode. | ||
| SHIFT + + | Next blending mode. | ||
Ctrl Short Cuts -
Ctrl + N - New Document Dialogue Box
Ctrl + M - Curves Dialogue Box
Ctrl + A - Selects all in the currently foreground document or currently selected layer
Ctrl + D - Deselects all in the currently foreground document or currently selected layer
Ctrl + J - Automatically creates a duplicate of the currently selected layer
Ctrl + K - Preferences Dialogue Box
Ctrl + L - Levels Dialogue Box
Ctrl + F4 - Closes current document
Ctrl + ' (Single Quote Key) - Toggles Grid Lines
Ctrl + Q - Quits Photoshop altogether
Ctrl + R - Toggles Rulers
Ctrl + U - Hue/Saturation Dialogue Box
Ctrl + O - Opens New File
Ctrl + P - Print Dialogue Box
Ctrl + Z - Undo last Action
Ctrl + Tab - Toggle between open documents
Ctrl + Shift + C - Copy Merged
Ctrl + C - Copy
Ctrl + H - Toggle Extras
Ctrl + ; - Toggle Guides
Ctrl + Shift + ; - Toggle Snap
Ctrl + X - Cut
Ctrl + Alt + Shift + X - Pattern Maker
Ctrl + V - Paste
Ctrl + Shift + V - Paste into selection
Ctrl + Alt + Shift + V - Paste Outside
Ctrl + T - Transform Tool
Ctrl + Shift + T - Repeats the last performed Transform
Shift + F5 / Shift + Backspace (Key) - Fill Layer Dialogue BoxCombination Number 9 Shortcuts - Ctrl + Shift / Alt -
Ctrl + M - Curves Dialogue Box
Ctrl + A - Selects all in the currently foreground document or currently selected layer
Ctrl + D - Deselects all in the currently foreground document or currently selected layer
Ctrl + J - Automatically creates a duplicate of the currently selected layer
Ctrl + K - Preferences Dialogue Box
Ctrl + L - Levels Dialogue Box
Ctrl + F4 - Closes current document
Ctrl + ' (Single Quote Key) - Toggles Grid Lines
Ctrl + Q - Quits Photoshop altogether
Ctrl + R - Toggles Rulers
Ctrl + U - Hue/Saturation Dialogue Box
Ctrl + O - Opens New File
Ctrl + P - Print Dialogue Box
Ctrl + Z - Undo last Action
Ctrl + Tab - Toggle between open documents
Ctrl + Shift + C - Copy Merged
Ctrl + C - Copy
Ctrl + H - Toggle Extras
Ctrl + ; - Toggle Guides
Ctrl + Shift + ; - Toggle Snap
Ctrl + X - Cut
Ctrl + Alt + Shift + X - Pattern Maker
Ctrl + V - Paste
Ctrl + Shift + V - Paste into selection
Ctrl + Alt + Shift + V - Paste Outside
Ctrl + T - Transform Tool
Ctrl + Shift + T - Repeats the last performed Transform
Shift + F5 / Shift + Backspace (Key) - Fill Layer Dialogue BoxCombination Number 9 Shortcuts - Ctrl + Shift / Alt -
Ctrl + Shift + O - Photoshop's File Browser
Ctrl + Shift + P - Page Setup Dialogue Box
Ctrl + Shift + S - Save As Dialogue Box
Ctrl + Shift + K - Color Setting Preferences Box
Ctrl + Shift + F - Fade Dialogue Box
Ctrl + Shift + X - Liquify Filter Tool
Ctrl + Shift + N - Create New Layer Preferences Box
Ctrl + Shift + M - Launches ImageReady
Ctrl + Shift + E - Merges all layers into a single layer
Ctrl + Alt + Z - Step Backward
Ctrl + Shift + - (Minus Sign Key) - Zoom Out
Ctrl + Shift + + (Plus Sign Key) - Zoom In
Ctrl + Shift + Alt + N - Creates a new empty layer
Ctrl + Shift + Alt + S - Save For The Web Dialogue
Ctrl + Alt (in most Dialogue Boxes) - Changes the 'Cancel' command to 'Reset'
Ctrl + Alt (in the 'Save For Web Dialogue') - Changes the 'Cancel' command to 'Reset' & the 'Done' command to 'Remember'
Ctrl + Alt + ~(Tild Symbol) - Selects the brightest area of the currently selected layer
Ctrl + Shift + I - Inverts a selection
Ctrl + Alt + X - Extract
Shift + -/+ signs(on a layer) - Toggles the different layer modes
Shift + Ctrl + Z - Step Forward
Ctrl + Shift + P - Page Setup Dialogue Box
Ctrl + Shift + S - Save As Dialogue Box
Ctrl + Shift + K - Color Setting Preferences Box
Ctrl + Shift + F - Fade Dialogue Box
Ctrl + Shift + X - Liquify Filter Tool
Ctrl + Shift + N - Create New Layer Preferences Box
Ctrl + Shift + M - Launches ImageReady
Ctrl + Shift + E - Merges all layers into a single layer
Ctrl + Alt + Z - Step Backward
Ctrl + Shift + - (Minus Sign Key) - Zoom Out
Ctrl + Shift + + (Plus Sign Key) - Zoom In
Ctrl + Shift + Alt + N - Creates a new empty layer
Ctrl + Shift + Alt + S - Save For The Web Dialogue
Ctrl + Alt (in most Dialogue Boxes) - Changes the 'Cancel' command to 'Reset'
Ctrl + Alt (in the 'Save For Web Dialogue') - Changes the 'Cancel' command to 'Reset' & the 'Done' command to 'Remember'
Ctrl + Alt + ~(Tild Symbol) - Selects the brightest area of the currently selected layer
Ctrl + Shift + I - Inverts a selection
Ctrl + Alt + X - Extract
Shift + -/+ signs(on a layer) - Toggles the different layer modes
Shift + Ctrl + Z - Step Forward
File Menu Shortcuts:
Ctrl+N: New Document
Ctrl+O: Open Document
Shift+Ctrl+O: Browse
Alt+Ctrl+O:Open As
Ctrl+W: Close
Ctrl+Shift+W: Close All
Ctrl+S: Save
Ctrl+Shift+S: Save As
Ctrl+Alt+S: Save a Copy
Ctrl+Alt+Shift+ S: Save for Web
Ctrl+Shift+P: Page Setup
Ctrl+Shift+M: Jump to Image Ready
Ctrl+Q: ExitViewing Shortcuts:
Ctrl+Y: Proof Colors
Ctrl++: Zoom In
Ctrl+-: Zoom Out
Ctrl+Alt++: Zoom In & Resize Window
Ctrl+Alt+-: Zoom Out & Resize Window
Ctrl+Alt+0: Actual Pixels
Ctrl+Shift+H: Show/Hide Target Path
Ctrl+R: Show/Hide Rulers
Ctrl+Shift+; : On/Off Snap
Ctrl+H: Show/Hide Extras
Ctrl+Alt+;: Lock Guides
Ctrl+;: Show Guides
Ctrl+': Show GridTools Shortcuts:
A: Path Component Selection Tool
B: Paintbrush Tool
C: Crop Tool
D: Changes Default Colour Palettes To Black Foreground, White Background
E: Eraser Tool
F: Cycle Screen Modes
G: Gradient Tool
H: Hand Tool
I: Eyedropper Tool
J: Airbrush Tool
K: Slice Tool
L: Lasso Tool
M: Marquee Tool
N: Notes
O: Dodge/Burn/Sponge Tool
P: Pen Tool
Q: Quick Mask
R: Blur/Sharpen/ Smudge Tool
S: Clone Stamp
T: Type Tool
U: Shape Tool
V: Move Tool
W: Magic Wand
X: Swap Colours On Colour Pallete
Y: History Brush
Z: Zoom ToolLayer Shortcuts:
Ctrl+Shift+N: New Layer
Ctrl+J: Layer via Copy
Ctrl+Shift+J: Layer via Cut
Ctrl+G: Group with Previous
Ctrl+Shift+] : Bring to Front
Ctrl+]: Bring Forward
Ctrl+[: Send Backward
Ctrl+Shift+[ : Send Back
Ctrl+E: Merge Layers
Ctrl+Shift+E: Merge VisibleImage Manipulation Shortcuts:
Ctrl+L: Adjust Levels
Ctrl+Shift+L: Adjust Auto Levels
Ctrl+Alt+Shift+ L: Adjust Auto Contrast
Ctrl+M: Adjust Curves
Ctrl+B: Adjust Color Balance
Ctrl+U: Adjust Hue/Saturation
Ctrl+Shift+U: Desaturate
Ctrl+I: Invert
Ctrl+Alt+X: ExtractFilters Shortcuts:
Ctrl+F: Last Filter
Ctrl+Shift+F: Fade
Ctrl+Alt+X: Extract
Ctrl+Shift+X: Liquify
Ctrl+Shift+Alt+ X: Pattern MakeSelection Shortcuts:
Ctrl+A: Select All
Ctrl+D: Deselect
Ctrl+Shift+D: Reselect
Ctrl+Shift+I: Inverse
Ctrl+Alt+D: FeatherRandom Shortcuts:
Alt+Backspace: Fill with Forground Color
Shift+Backspace: Fill with Background Color
Alt+]: Ascend through Layers
Alt+[: Descend through Layers
Shift+Alt+]: Select Top Layer
Shift+Alt+[: Select Bottom Layer
Tab: Show/Hide All Palettes
A Beginners Guide to Photoshop
A Beginners Guide to Photoshop
This is a pretty awesome tutorial on everything you need to know about Photoshop. From the basics to the explination of almost everything in Photoshop.
The Workspace
Tools Palette:
Self explanatory - the palette that contains the tools that can be used to directly edit the image.
Tool Options:
A selection of options that relate to the currently selected tool and alter its effects.
Drop down menus:
Standard drop down menus as seen in most Windows and Macintosh applications. Offers access to most of Photoshop's features. Commands for the drop down menus in these tutorials are written in bold.
Info Palette:
Shows information about the current image, or shows a thumbnail via which you can navigate the image. Information provided includes crop/selection area, file size, image dimensions, etc.
Colours/Styles Palette:
Allows you to select a colour via RGB sliders or preset web-safe colours ('Swatches'). Also lets you apply layer styles - preset combinations of layer styles (effects) that can achieve effective results if you're in a hurry. Use the expansion arrow (just undereath the close button) to load more styles that are included with Photoshop.
History Palette:
Gives a list of actions that can be undone - lists around one hundred. You can save snapshots to return to at key points in your image creation, or return to the saved file/a recent step. Also contains actions and tool presets for the currently selected tool.
Layers Palette:
The layers palette has many features, too many to list here. They are described later in the tutorial.
Layers
Palette Objects
Layer Opacity:
The opacity of the current layer, 0-100%.
Blending Mode:
The manner in which this layer interacts with layers below it. See below.
Active/Linked Layers:
A small paint brush icon appears in this space to indicate the active layer, and chain icons signify other layers that are linked with the active layer.
Layer visibility:
An eye in this area signifies that the layer is visible, and an empty box means it is hidden from view and exempt from formatting.
Layers:
Two example layers showing an example background layer and new (transparent) layer (Layer 1).
New Fill/Adjustment Layer:
Creates a layer that can add a gradient to or adjust the hue, etc. of the layer below.
New Layer:
Creates a new layer [ctrl/cmd + shift + N].
Delete Layer:
Deletes the currently selected layer.
New Layer Set:
Creates a folder for layers to be put into for easy organisation of layers.
New Layer Mask:
Creates a sub-layer with which you can use all normal tools. Adding black to a layer mask, for example, means that that part of the layer is invisible.
Layer Effects (Styles):
Applies various effects to the current layer - can also be reached via Layer || Layer Style.
Blending Modes
Normal/Dissolve:
All layers appear as normal - dissolve doesn't blend the colours that are layered, but instead applies the colour to pixels at random in accordance.
Darken > Linear Burn:
Subtly different methods of darkening the layers beneath the selected layer.
Lighten > Linear Dodge:
Subtly different methods of lightening the layers beneath the selected layer.
Overlay:
Crudely put, reduces the opacity of the layer.
Soft Light > Pin Light:
Methods of lightening layers below the current one at varying strengths.
Difference/Exclusion:
Quite complicated - this is as it appears in the PS help files: "Looks at the color information in each channel and subtracts either the blend color from the base color or the base color from the blend color, depending on which has the greater brightness value. Blending with white inverts the base color values; blending with black produces no change." Exclusion is pretty much the same but at lower contrast.
Hue > Luminosity:
Effects the respective value of the layer below.
Tools
Marquee Tool
The marquee tool selects areas within a layer. It is capable of selecting an elliptical, square, single column, and single rows.
Move Tool
The move tool can move around all objects within a layer. To move entire image, Flatten the layers by selecting Layer > Flatten Image.
Lasso Tool
The lasso tool can select areas within in a layer that can’t be reached with the marquee tool.
Magic Wand
The magic wand is an automatic selection tool. It selects everything in the layer.
Cropping tool
This tool changes the size of the image. To use, Select the area you want to crop and then press enter.
Slice Tool
Makes Guidelines.
Heal Brush Tool and Patch Tool
The patch tool is another form of the heal brush. It is in the options for the heal brush. The Heal Brush deletes the high contrast of a picture and is used when retouching a photo. To use, hold down alt while clicking on the source (an area that looks like what you want the damaged part to look like) and drag the mouse around the damaged picture to repair it.
The patch tool fixes damaged parts of a picture by blending the damaged part with a better one. Just use the patch tool to select part of the image, then drag the selection to another part of the image. This will combine the selections.
Pencil tool and brush tool
Draws or paints a line. Same as the pencil or brush tool in paint. Change the color of the paint brush by clicking on the color picker .
Clone Stamp Tool and Pattern Stamp tool
The clone stamp tool duplicates part of the image. Hold down alt while clicking to choose the part of the image which you want to duplicate. Drag the mouse over the damaged area.
The pattern stamp tool can create and save a pattern you want to use over and over again. To make a pattern, use the marquee tool or the lasso tool to select part of the image. Go to Filter > Pattern Maker and click generate. Click on the floppy disk underneath the Tile History called Save Preset Pattern. This will save the pattern. Do not push OK unless you want to fill the entire image with that pattern. Press cancel and select your pattern from Pattern on the top center of Photoshop. Drag the mouse over the area with the pattern stamp tool to edit the picture.
History Brush Tool and Art History Brush
The history Brush tool can go back and undo certain changes in a picture. To delete everything you did since the opening of the picture simply drag the history brush over the area to be repaired. The history brush works best when transforming snap shots. Using the snap shot will only change certain parts of the picture and can go back in editing to change major errors. To make a Snap Shot, save the picture then click on the small camera on the bottom of the history window. The snap shot will be saved once it is named. If you click on a previous snap shot, you can edit a previous version of your picture. Click on the last snap shot then use the history brush tool to undo the editing to make the unedited section look like the previous snap shot.
The Art history Brush tool can artistically undo an image and warp the original picture. Click on the top snap shot and chose what kind of brush to use on the top of the window under Style. Click on the area you want to edit with the art history brush.
Eraser tool
This can erase part of the photo in a certain layer. To erase everything in a certain area to make it white, flatten the image or go through every layer to delete that part.
Paint Bucket
Makes an area one color. To edit all layers at one time, click on All layers at the top of the window.
The Blur tool, Sharpen Tool, and Smudge Tool
To use, drag over part of photo you want to edit. The hardest part of this tool is selecting the right strength, brush size and mode. This tool is capable of blurring part of the image, undoing the blur with the sharpen tool, and slightly liquefying with the smudge tool.
The Dodge tool, Burn tool, and Sponge tool
To use any of these tools, just drag it over the image. The dodge tool can lighten an image, the burn tool darkens it, and the sponge tool soaks color out of the image.
Text tool
Puts text in a picture. Click on the picture with the type tool and select a box the size of the area you want to add text. Type in the box then adjust the size of the text box.
Pen Tool
The pen tool can make lines and be used with shape tools to create different shapes. To create lines, use the pen tool to create anchors (the little boxes on a line) and change the shape of the line by moving around the anchors.
Custom Shape Tools
Creates shapes in the image. The custom shapes tools can create all shapes in the shape section located at the top center of the Photoshop window.
Annotation tool
This can create notes and sound effects in an image. The only difference between the note tool and the text tool is that the note comes up in a little white box and when the note is too long for the given space, there will be a scroll bar. This is usually used in PDF formats and Acrobat Documents.
The audio Annotation tool can add audio notation to the picture. To use, click on the audio notation tool and press start. Record your voice with the microphone then press stop. You can import the audio by File > Import > Annotations. Make sure the file you import is a PDF file or a FDF file.
Eyedropper tool
Samples a color from the picture, color swatches, or the color picker. To use, click on the color on the image you want to take and right click.
Hand Tool
Moves around image within an object. Is used with the zoom tool when you want to adjust the section of picture you want to look at.
Zoom tool
Zooms in on part of the picture for closer editing.
50 seriously useful Windows 7 tips, tricks and secrets
1. Problem Steps Recorder
As the local PC guru you're probably very used to friends and family asking for help with their computer problems, yet having no idea how to clearly describe what's going on. It's frustrating, but Microsoft feels your pain, and Windows 7 will include an excellent new solution in the Problem Steps Recorder.
When any app starts misbehaving under Windows 7 then all your friends need do is click Start, type PSR and press [Enter], then click Start Record. If they then work through whatever they're doing then the Problem Steps Recorder will record every click and keypress, take screen grabs, and package everything up into a single zipped MHTML file when they're finished, ready for emailing to you. It's quick, easy and effective, and will save you hours of troubleshooting time.
2. Burn images
Windows 7 finally introduces a feature that other operating systems have had for years - the ability to burn ISO images to CDs or DVDs. And it couldn't be much easier to use. Just double-click the ISO image, choose the drive with the blank disc, click Burn and watch as your disc is created.
3. Create and mount VHD files
Microsoft's Virtual PC creates its virtual machine hard drives in VHD files, and Windows 7 can now mount these directly so you can access them in the host system. Click Start, type diskmgmt.msc and press [Enter], then click Action > Attach VHD and choose the file you'd like to mount. It will then appear as a virtual drive in Explorer and can be accessed, copied or written just like any other drive.
Click Action > Create VHD and you can now create a new virtual drive of your own (right-click it, select Initialise Disk, and after it's set up right-click the unallocated space and select New Simple Volume to set this up). Again, you'll be left with a virtual drive that behaves just like any other, where you can drag and drop files, install programs, test partitioning software or do whatever you like. But it's actually just this VHD file on your real hard drive which you can easily back up or share with others. Right-click the disk (that's the left-hand label that says "Disk 2" or whatever) and select Detach VHD to remove it.
The command line DISKPART utility has also been upgraded with tools to detach a VHD file, and an EXPAND command to increase a virtual disk's maximum size. Don't play around with this unless you know what you're doing, though - it's all too easy to trash your system.
4. Troubleshoot problems
If some part of Windows 7 is behaving strangely, and you don't know why, then click Control Panel > Find and fix problems (or 'Troubleshooting') to access the new troubleshooting packs. These are simple wizards that will resolve common problems, check your settings, clean up your system and more.
5. Startup repair
Windows 7 is more reliable than we'd expect from a beta, but you still might run into problems, and the worst might stop it from booting. Even into Safe Mode. And that's very bad news if you downloaded Windows 7, as you've no CD or DVD to use for re-installation. Which is why you need to click Start > Maintenance > Create a System Repair Disc, right now, and let Windows 7 build a bootable emergency disc. If the worst does happen then it could be the only way to get your PC running again.
6. Take control
Tired of the kids installing dubious software or running applications you'd rather they left alone? AppLocker is a new Windows 7 feature that ensures users can only run the programs you specify. Don't worry, that's easier to set up than it sounds: you can create a rule to allow everything signed by a particular publisher, so choose Microsoft, say, and that one rule will let you run all signed Microsoft applications. Launch GPEDIT.MSC and go to Computer Configuration > Windows Settings > Security Settings > Application Control Policies > AppLocker to get a feel for how this works.
7. Calculate more
At first glance the Windows 7 calculator looks just like Vista's version, but explore the Mode menu and you'll see powerful new Statistics and Programmer views. And if you're clueless about bitwise manipulation, then try the Options menu instead. This offers many different unit conversions (length, weight, volume and more), date calculations (how many days between two dates?), and spreadsheet-type templates to help you calculate vehicle mileage, mortgage rates and more.
Don't take any Windows 7 applet at face value, then - there are some very powerful new features hidden in the background. Be sure to explore every option in all Windows applets to ensure you don't miss anything important.
8. Switch to a projector
Windows 7 now provides a standard way to switch your display from one monitor to another, or a projector - just press Win+P or run DisplaySwitch.exe and choose your preferred display. (This will have no effect if you've only one display connected.)
9. Automatic PC clean up
If inexperienced PC users sometimes access your system then you'll know that, well, this can cause problems. Leave them alone for too long and they'll mess up your settings, install dubious programs, delete important files and cause all kinds of havoc. But Microsoft feels your pain, and Windows 7 will include a possible solution: PC Safeguard. This lets your less technical users log on, play games, use the browser or chat on an instant messenger, say, just as normal. But when they log off, any settings they've changed are undone, and any files they've saved are deleted. Which means it's much more difficult to mess up your PC.
This isn't a new technology. Microsoft have made their Shared Computer Toolkit (aka Windows SteadyState) freely available for years, and this does exactly the same thing (it's more configurable, too). This is the first time it's been fully integrated with Windows, though, which makes it much easier to use.
To give PC Safeguard a try, go to Control Panel > User Accounts and Family Safety > User Accounts > Manage another account > Create a new account. Enter an account name, click Create, then click the account, select Set Up PC Safeguard > Turn on PC Safeguard > Apply. Log on as that user, try downloading and installing a program, then restart and log on again to confirm that the software has gone.
10. Understanding System Restore
Using System Restore in previous versions of Windows has been something of a gamble. There's no way of telling which applications or drivers it might affect - you just have to try it and see.
Windows 7 is different. Right-click Computer, select Properties > System Protection > System Restore > Next, and choose the restore point you'd like to use. Click the new button to 'Scan for affected programs' and Windows will tell you which (if any) programs and drivers will be deleted or recovered by selecting this restore point.
11. Set the time zone
System administrators will appreciate the new command line tzutil.exe utility, which lets you set a PC's time zone from scripts. If you wanted to set a PC to Greenwich Mean Time, for instance, you'd use the command
tzutil /s "gmt standard time"
The command "tzutil /g" displays the current time zone, "tzutil /l" lists all possible time zones, and "tzutil /?" displays details on how the command works.
12. Calibrate your screen
The colours you see on your screen will vary depending on your monitor, graphics cards settings, lighting and more, yet most people use the same default Windows colour profile. And that means a digital photo you think looks perfect might appear very poor to everybody else. Fortunately Windows 7 now provides a Display Colour Calibration Wizard that helps you properly set up your brightness, contrast and colour settings, and a ClearType tuner to ensure text is crisp and sharp. Click Start, type DCCW and press [Enter] to give it a try.
13. Right-click everything
At first glance Windows 7 bears a striking resemblance to Vista, but there's an easy way to begin spotting the differences - just right-click things.
Right-click an empty part of the desktop, for instance, and you'll find a menu entry to set your screen resolution. No need to go browsing through the display settings any more.
Right-click the Explorer icon on the taskbar for speedy access to common system folders: Documents, Pictures, the Windows folder, and more.
And if you don't plan on using Internet Explorer then you probably won't want its icon permanently displayed on the taskbar. Right-click the icon, select 'Unpin this program from the taskbar', then go install Firefox, instead.
14. Desktop slideshow
Windows 7 comes with some very attractive new wallpapers, and it's not always easy to decide which one you like the best. So why not let choose a few, and let Windows display them all in a desktop slideshow? Right-click an empty part of the desktop, select Personalise > Desktop Background, then hold down Ctrl as you click on the images you like. Choose how often you'd like the images to be changed (anything from daily to once every 10 seconds), select Shuffle if you'd like the backgrounds to appear in a random order, then click Save Changes and enjoy the show.
15. RSS-powered wallpaper
And if a slideshow based on your standard wallpaper isn't enough, then you can always create a theme that extracts images from an RSS feed. This isn't fully implemented in the beta yet, but Long Zheng has created a few sample themes to illustrate how it works. And Jamie Thompson takes this even further, with a theme that always displays the latest BBC news and weather on your desktop.
16. Recover screen space
The new Windows 7 taskbar acts as one big quick launch toolbar that can hold whatever program shortcuts you like (just right-click one and select Pin To Taskbar). And that's fine, except it does consume a little more screen real estate than we'd like. Shrink it to a more manageable size by right-clicking the Start orb, then Properties > Taskbar > Use small icons > OK.
17. Restore the Quick Launch Toolbar
If you're unhappy with the new taskbar, even after shrinking it, then it only takes a moment to restore the old Quick Launch Toolbar.
Right-click the taskbar, choose Toolbars > New Toolbar, type "%UserProfile%AppDataRoamingMicrosoftInter net ExplorerQuick Launch" (less the quotes) into the Folder box and click Select Folder.
Now right-click the taskbar, clear 'Lock the taskbar', and you should see the Quick Launch toolbar, probably to the right. Right-click its divider, clear Show Text and Show Title to minimise the space it takes up. Complete the job by right-clicking the bar and selecting View > Small Icons for the true retro look.
18. Custom power switch
By default, Windows 7 displays a plain text 'Shut down' button on the Start menu, but it only takes a moment to change this action to something else. If you reboot your PC a few times every day then that might make more sense as a default action: right-click the Start orb, select Properties and set the 'Power boot action' to 'Restart' to make it happen.
19. Auto arrange your desktop
If your Windows 7 desktop has icons scattered everywhere then you could right-click it and select View > Auto arrange, just as in Vista. But a simpler solution is just to press and hold down [F5], and Windows will automatically arrange its icons for you.
20. Disable smart window arrangement
Windows 7 features interesting new ways to intelligently arrange your windows, so that (for example) if you drag a window to the top of the screen then it will maximise. We like the new system, but if you find it distracting then it's easily disabled. Run REGEDIT, go to HKEY_CURRENT_USERControl PanelDesktop, set WindowArrangementActive to 0, reboot, and your windows will behave just as they always did.
21. Remove 'Send Feedback'
Microsoft has released Windows 7 to get feedback from the public, so it's important to take advantage of that. If you don't like something, or have a good idea, then click Send Feedback and tell them what's on your mind. You really could make a difference. But once you've done all that then you might want to get rid of the Send Feedback links on your windows, and this is very easy to do. Just launch REGEDIT, go to HKEY_CURRENT_USERControl PanelDesktop, set the FeedbackToolEnabled value to zero and restart your PC. (Set it to 3 if you'd like the Send Feedback links back again.)
22. Display your drives
Click Computer in Windows 7 and you might see a strange lack of drives, but don't panic, it's just Microsoft trying to be helpful: drives like memory card readers are no longer displayed if they're empty. We think it's an improvement, but if you disagree then it's easy to get your empty drives back. Launch Explorer, click Tools > Folder Options > View and clear 'Hide empty drives in the computer folder'.
23. See more detail
The new and improved Windows 7 magnifier offers a much easier way to zoom in on any area of the screen. Launch it and you can now define a scale factor and docking position, and once activated it can track your keyboard focus around the screen. Press [Tab] as you move around a dialog box, say, and it'll automatically zoom in on the currently active control.
24. Protect your MP3 files
Along with many good new features, the Windows 7 beta also includes a nasty bug. Its version of Windows Media Player 12 will automatically add missing metadata, including album art, and this can overwrite the first few seconds of the file. Oops. Installing an update may fix this (see http://support.microsoft.com/kb/961367) but it would probably be a very good idea to back up your MP3 files, too.
25. Customise UAC
Windows Vista's User Account Control was a good idea in practice, but poor implementation put many people off - it raised far too many alerts. Fortunately Windows 7 displays less warnings by default, and lets you further fine-tune UAC to suit your preferred balance between security and a pop-up free life (Start > Control Panel > Change User Account Control Settings).
26. Use Sticky Notes
The Sticky Notes app is both simpler and more useful in Windows 7. Launch StikyNot.exe and you can type notes at the keyboard; right-click a note to change its colour; click the + sign on the note title bar to add another note; and click a note and press [Alt]+[4] to close the note windows (your notes will automatically be saved).
27. Open folder in new process
By default Windows 7 opens folders in the same process. This saves system resources, but means one folder crash can bring down the entire shell. If your system seems unstable, or you're doing something in Explorer that regularly seems to causes crashes, then open Computer, hold down shift, right-click on your drive and select Open in New Process. The folder will now be launched in a separate process, and so a crash is less likely to affect anything else.
28. Watch more videos
Windows Media Player 12 is a powerful program, but it still won't play all the audio and video files you'll find online. Fortunately the first freeware Windows 7 codecs package [shark007.net/win7codecs.html] has just been released, and installing it could get your troublesome multimedia files playing again.
29. Preview fonts
Open the Fonts window in Windows XP and Vista and you'll see the font names, probably with icons to tell you whether they're TrueType or OpenType, but that's about it. Feeble, really, but Windows 7 sees some useful font-related improvement.
Open the new fonts window and you'll find a little preview for every font, giving you a quick idea of how they're going to look.
The tedium of scrolling through multiple entries for each family, like Times New Roman, Times New Roman Bold, Times New Roman Bold Italic and so on, has finally ended. There's now just a single entry for each font (though you can still see all other members of the family).
And there's a new OpenType font, Gabriola, added to the mix. It's an attractive script font, well worth a try the next time you need a stylish document that stands out from the crowd.
30. Restore your gadgets
Windows 7 has tightened up its security by refusing to run gadgets if UAC has been turned off, so limiting the damage malicious unsigned gadgets can do to your system. If you've disabled UAC, miss your gadgets and are happy to accept the security risk, though, there's an easy Registry way to get everything back to normal. Run REGEDIT, go to HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINESOFTWAREMicrosoftWindowsCurr entVersionSidebarSettings, create a new DWORD value called AllowElevatedProcess and set it to 1. Your gadgets should start working again right away.
31. New WordPad formats
By default WordPad will save documents in Rich Text Format, just as before. But browse the Save As Format list and you'll see you can also save (or open, actually) files in the Office 2007 .docx or OpenDocument .odt formats.
32. Protect your data
USB flash drives are convenient, portable, and very easy to lose. Which is a problem, especially if they're carrying sensitive data. Fortunately Windows 7 has the solution: encrypt your documents with an extension of Microsoft's BitLocker technology, and only someone with the password will be able to access it. Right-click your USB flash drive, select Turn on BitLocker and follow the instructions to protect your private files.
33. Search everything
Windows 7 can now try to search the contents of just about any file type, useful if it's not currently finding the data you need. The problem? Searches can be much, much slower. If you'd like to try it anyway, then launch Explorer, click Tools > Folder Options > View and check "Try to search the content of unknown file types".
34. Configure your favourite music
The Windows 7 Media Centre now comes with an option to play your "favourite music", which by default creates a changing list of songs based on your ratings, how often you play them, and when they were added (it's assumed you'll prefer songs you've added in the last 30 days). If this doesn't work then you can tweak how Media Centre decides what a "favourite" tune is- click Tasks > Settings > Music > Favourite Music and configure the program to suit your needs.
35. Customise System Restore
There was very little you could do to configure System Restore in Vista, but Windows 7 improves the situation with a couple of useful setup options.
Click the Start orb, right-click Computer and select Properties > System Protection > Configure, and set the Max Usage value to a size that suits your needs (larger to hold more restore points, smaller to save disk space).
And if you don't need System Restore to save Windows settings then choose the "Only restore previous versions of files" option. Windows 7 won't back up your Registry, which means you'll squeeze more restore points and file backups into the available disk space. System Restore is much less likely to get an unbootable PC working again, though, so use this trick at your own risk.
36. Run As
Hold down shift, right-click any program shortcut, and you'll see an option to run the program as a different user, handy if you're logged in to the kids' limited account and need to run something with higher privileges. This isn't really a new feature - Windows XP had a Run As option that did the same thing - but Microsoft stripped it out of Vista, so it's good to see they've had a change of heart.
37. Search privacy
By default Windows 7 will remember your PC search queries, and display the most recent examples when searching in Windows Explorer. If you're sharing a PC and don't want everyone to see your searches, then launch GPEDIT.MSC, go to User Configuration > Administrative Templates > Windows Components > Windows Explorer, double-click "Turn off display of recent search entries..." and click Enabled > OK.
38. Tweak PC volume
By default Windows 7 will now automatically reduce the volume of your PC's sounds whenever it detects you're making or receiving PC-based phone calls. If this proves annoying (or maybe you'd like it to turn off other sounds altogether) then you can easily change the settings accordingly. Just right-click the speaker icon in your taskbar, select Sounds > Communications, and tell Windows what you'd like it to do.
39. Find bottlenecks
From what we've seen so far Windows 7 is already performing better than Vista, but if your PC seems sluggish then it's now much easier to uncover the bottleneck. Click Start, type RESMON and press [Enter] to launch the Resource Monitor, then click the CPU, Memory, Disk or Network tabs. Windows 7 will immediately show which processes are hogging the most system resources.
The CPU view is particularly useful, and provides something like a more powerful version of Task Manager. If a program has locked up, for example, then right-click its name in the list and select Analyze Process. Windows will then try to tell you why it's hanging - the program might be waiting for another process, perhaps - which could give you the information you need to fix the problem.
40. Keyboard shortcuts
Windows 7 supports several useful new keyboard shortcuts.
Alt+P
Display/ hide the Explorer preview pane
Windows Logo+G
Display gadgets in front of other windows
Windows Logo++ (plus key)
Zoom in, where appropriate
Windows Logo+- (minus key)
Zoom out, where appropriate
Windows Logo+Up
Maximise the current window
Windows Logo+Down
Minimise the current window
Windows Logo+Left
Snap to the left hand side of the screen
Windows Logo+Right
Snap to the right hand side of the screen
Windows Logo+Home
Minimise/ restore everything except the current window
41. Faster program launches
If you've launched one instance of a program but want to start another, then don't work your way back through the Start menu. It's much quicker to just hold down Shift and click on the program's icon (or middle-click it), and Windows 7 will start a new instance for you.
42. Speedy video access
Want faster access to your Videos folder? Windows 7 now lets you add it to the Start menu. Just right-click the Start orb, click Properties > Start Menu > Customize, and set the Videos option to "Display as a link". If you've a TV tuner that works with Windows 7 then you'll appreciate the new option to display the Recorded TV folder on the Start menu, too.
43. Run web searches
The Windows 7 search tool can now be easily extended to search online resources, just as long as someone creates an appropriate search connector. To add Flickr support, say, visit I Started Something, click Download the Connector, choose the Open option and watch as it's downloaded (the file is tiny, it'll only take a moment). A "Flickr Search" option will be added to your Searches folder, and you'll be able to search images from your desktop.
44. Schedule Media Centre downloads
You can now tell Windows Media Centre to download data at a specific time, perhaps overnight, a useful way to prevent it sapping your bandwidth for the rest of the day. Launch Media Centre, go to Tasks > Settings > General > Automatic Download Options, and set the download start and stop times that you'd like it to use.
45. Multi-threaded Robocopies
Anyone who's ever used the excellent command-line robocopy tool will appreciate the new switches introduced with Windows 7. Our favourite, /MT, can improve speed by carrying out multi-threaded copies with the number of threads you specify (you can have up to 128, though that might be going a little too far). Enter robocopy /? at a command line for the full details.
46. Really remove the sidebar
At first glance you might think Windows 7 has got rid of the sidebar, but don't be fooled. Gadgets are still hosted by the Sidebar.exe process, it's just that this is now launched automatically when Windows boots. If you don't plan on ever using gadgets then you could delete the Sidebar Registry entry at HKEY_CURRENT_USERSoftwareMicrosoftWindowsCurre ntVersionRun, and recover a small amount of RAM. That might be a little risky, though, as we're not quite sure what else the sidebar process does in Windows 7. The safest approach is to disable it temporarily by launching MSCONFIG.EXE, clicking the Startup tab and clearing the box next to the Startup entry. Now reboot and test Windows 7 for a day or two to confirm everything is still working, before finally deleting the sidebar Registry entry.
47. Load IE faster
Some Internet Explorer add-ons can take a while to start, dragging down the browser's performance, but at least IE8 can now point a finger at the worst resource hogs. Click Tools > Manage Add-ons, check the Load Time in the right-hand column, and you'll immediately see which browser extensions are slowing you down.
48. An Alt+Tab alternative
You want to access one of the five Explorer windows you have open, but there are so many other programs running that Alt+Tab makes it hard to pick out what you need. The solution? Hold down the Ctrl key while you click on the Explorer icon. Windows 7 will then cycle through the Explorer windows only, a much quicker way to locate the right one. (And of course this works with any application that has multiple windows open.)
49. Block annoying alerts
Just like Vista, Windows 7 will display a suitably stern warning if it thinks your antivirus, firewall or other security settings are incorrect.
But unlike Vista, if you disagree then you can now turn off alerts on individual topics. If you no longer want to see warnings just because you've dared to turn off the Windows firewall, say, then click Control Panel > System and Security > Action Centre > Change Action Centre settings, clear the Network Firewall box and click OK.
50. Parallel defrags
The standard Windows 7 defragger offers a little more control than we saw in Vista, and the command line version also has some interesting new features. The /r switch will defrag multiple drives in parallel, for instance (they'll obviously need to be physically separate drives for this to be useful). The /h switch runs the defrag at a higher than normal priority, and the /u switch provides regular progress reports so you can see exactly what's going on. Enter the command
defrag /c /h /u /r
in a command window to speedily defrag a system with multiple drives, or enter defrag /? to view the new options for yourself.
As the local PC guru you're probably very used to friends and family asking for help with their computer problems, yet having no idea how to clearly describe what's going on. It's frustrating, but Microsoft feels your pain, and Windows 7 will include an excellent new solution in the Problem Steps Recorder.
When any app starts misbehaving under Windows 7 then all your friends need do is click Start, type PSR and press [Enter], then click Start Record. If they then work through whatever they're doing then the Problem Steps Recorder will record every click and keypress, take screen grabs, and package everything up into a single zipped MHTML file when they're finished, ready for emailing to you. It's quick, easy and effective, and will save you hours of troubleshooting time.
2. Burn images
Windows 7 finally introduces a feature that other operating systems have had for years - the ability to burn ISO images to CDs or DVDs. And it couldn't be much easier to use. Just double-click the ISO image, choose the drive with the blank disc, click Burn and watch as your disc is created.
3. Create and mount VHD files
Microsoft's Virtual PC creates its virtual machine hard drives in VHD files, and Windows 7 can now mount these directly so you can access them in the host system. Click Start, type diskmgmt.msc and press [Enter], then click Action > Attach VHD and choose the file you'd like to mount. It will then appear as a virtual drive in Explorer and can be accessed, copied or written just like any other drive.
Click Action > Create VHD and you can now create a new virtual drive of your own (right-click it, select Initialise Disk, and after it's set up right-click the unallocated space and select New Simple Volume to set this up). Again, you'll be left with a virtual drive that behaves just like any other, where you can drag and drop files, install programs, test partitioning software or do whatever you like. But it's actually just this VHD file on your real hard drive which you can easily back up or share with others. Right-click the disk (that's the left-hand label that says "Disk 2" or whatever) and select Detach VHD to remove it.
The command line DISKPART utility has also been upgraded with tools to detach a VHD file, and an EXPAND command to increase a virtual disk's maximum size. Don't play around with this unless you know what you're doing, though - it's all too easy to trash your system.
4. Troubleshoot problems
If some part of Windows 7 is behaving strangely, and you don't know why, then click Control Panel > Find and fix problems (or 'Troubleshooting') to access the new troubleshooting packs. These are simple wizards that will resolve common problems, check your settings, clean up your system and more.
5. Startup repair
Windows 7 is more reliable than we'd expect from a beta, but you still might run into problems, and the worst might stop it from booting. Even into Safe Mode. And that's very bad news if you downloaded Windows 7, as you've no CD or DVD to use for re-installation. Which is why you need to click Start > Maintenance > Create a System Repair Disc, right now, and let Windows 7 build a bootable emergency disc. If the worst does happen then it could be the only way to get your PC running again.
6. Take control
Tired of the kids installing dubious software or running applications you'd rather they left alone? AppLocker is a new Windows 7 feature that ensures users can only run the programs you specify. Don't worry, that's easier to set up than it sounds: you can create a rule to allow everything signed by a particular publisher, so choose Microsoft, say, and that one rule will let you run all signed Microsoft applications. Launch GPEDIT.MSC and go to Computer Configuration > Windows Settings > Security Settings > Application Control Policies > AppLocker to get a feel for how this works.
7. Calculate more
At first glance the Windows 7 calculator looks just like Vista's version, but explore the Mode menu and you'll see powerful new Statistics and Programmer views. And if you're clueless about bitwise manipulation, then try the Options menu instead. This offers many different unit conversions (length, weight, volume and more), date calculations (how many days between two dates?), and spreadsheet-type templates to help you calculate vehicle mileage, mortgage rates and more.
Don't take any Windows 7 applet at face value, then - there are some very powerful new features hidden in the background. Be sure to explore every option in all Windows applets to ensure you don't miss anything important.
8. Switch to a projector
Windows 7 now provides a standard way to switch your display from one monitor to another, or a projector - just press Win+P or run DisplaySwitch.exe and choose your preferred display. (This will have no effect if you've only one display connected.)
9. Automatic PC clean up
If inexperienced PC users sometimes access your system then you'll know that, well, this can cause problems. Leave them alone for too long and they'll mess up your settings, install dubious programs, delete important files and cause all kinds of havoc. But Microsoft feels your pain, and Windows 7 will include a possible solution: PC Safeguard. This lets your less technical users log on, play games, use the browser or chat on an instant messenger, say, just as normal. But when they log off, any settings they've changed are undone, and any files they've saved are deleted. Which means it's much more difficult to mess up your PC.
This isn't a new technology. Microsoft have made their Shared Computer Toolkit (aka Windows SteadyState) freely available for years, and this does exactly the same thing (it's more configurable, too). This is the first time it's been fully integrated with Windows, though, which makes it much easier to use.
To give PC Safeguard a try, go to Control Panel > User Accounts and Family Safety > User Accounts > Manage another account > Create a new account. Enter an account name, click Create, then click the account, select Set Up PC Safeguard > Turn on PC Safeguard > Apply. Log on as that user, try downloading and installing a program, then restart and log on again to confirm that the software has gone.
10. Understanding System Restore
Using System Restore in previous versions of Windows has been something of a gamble. There's no way of telling which applications or drivers it might affect - you just have to try it and see.
Windows 7 is different. Right-click Computer, select Properties > System Protection > System Restore > Next, and choose the restore point you'd like to use. Click the new button to 'Scan for affected programs' and Windows will tell you which (if any) programs and drivers will be deleted or recovered by selecting this restore point.
11. Set the time zone
System administrators will appreciate the new command line tzutil.exe utility, which lets you set a PC's time zone from scripts. If you wanted to set a PC to Greenwich Mean Time, for instance, you'd use the command
tzutil /s "gmt standard time"
The command "tzutil /g" displays the current time zone, "tzutil /l" lists all possible time zones, and "tzutil /?" displays details on how the command works.
12. Calibrate your screen
The colours you see on your screen will vary depending on your monitor, graphics cards settings, lighting and more, yet most people use the same default Windows colour profile. And that means a digital photo you think looks perfect might appear very poor to everybody else. Fortunately Windows 7 now provides a Display Colour Calibration Wizard that helps you properly set up your brightness, contrast and colour settings, and a ClearType tuner to ensure text is crisp and sharp. Click Start, type DCCW and press [Enter] to give it a try.
13. Right-click everything
At first glance Windows 7 bears a striking resemblance to Vista, but there's an easy way to begin spotting the differences - just right-click things.
Right-click an empty part of the desktop, for instance, and you'll find a menu entry to set your screen resolution. No need to go browsing through the display settings any more.
Right-click the Explorer icon on the taskbar for speedy access to common system folders: Documents, Pictures, the Windows folder, and more.
And if you don't plan on using Internet Explorer then you probably won't want its icon permanently displayed on the taskbar. Right-click the icon, select 'Unpin this program from the taskbar', then go install Firefox, instead.
14. Desktop slideshow
Windows 7 comes with some very attractive new wallpapers, and it's not always easy to decide which one you like the best. So why not let choose a few, and let Windows display them all in a desktop slideshow? Right-click an empty part of the desktop, select Personalise > Desktop Background, then hold down Ctrl as you click on the images you like. Choose how often you'd like the images to be changed (anything from daily to once every 10 seconds), select Shuffle if you'd like the backgrounds to appear in a random order, then click Save Changes and enjoy the show.
15. RSS-powered wallpaper
And if a slideshow based on your standard wallpaper isn't enough, then you can always create a theme that extracts images from an RSS feed. This isn't fully implemented in the beta yet, but Long Zheng has created a few sample themes to illustrate how it works. And Jamie Thompson takes this even further, with a theme that always displays the latest BBC news and weather on your desktop.
16. Recover screen space
The new Windows 7 taskbar acts as one big quick launch toolbar that can hold whatever program shortcuts you like (just right-click one and select Pin To Taskbar). And that's fine, except it does consume a little more screen real estate than we'd like. Shrink it to a more manageable size by right-clicking the Start orb, then Properties > Taskbar > Use small icons > OK.
17. Restore the Quick Launch Toolbar
If you're unhappy with the new taskbar, even after shrinking it, then it only takes a moment to restore the old Quick Launch Toolbar.
Right-click the taskbar, choose Toolbars > New Toolbar, type "%UserProfile%AppDataRoamingMicrosoftInter net ExplorerQuick Launch" (less the quotes) into the Folder box and click Select Folder.
Now right-click the taskbar, clear 'Lock the taskbar', and you should see the Quick Launch toolbar, probably to the right. Right-click its divider, clear Show Text and Show Title to minimise the space it takes up. Complete the job by right-clicking the bar and selecting View > Small Icons for the true retro look.
18. Custom power switch
By default, Windows 7 displays a plain text 'Shut down' button on the Start menu, but it only takes a moment to change this action to something else. If you reboot your PC a few times every day then that might make more sense as a default action: right-click the Start orb, select Properties and set the 'Power boot action' to 'Restart' to make it happen.
19. Auto arrange your desktop
If your Windows 7 desktop has icons scattered everywhere then you could right-click it and select View > Auto arrange, just as in Vista. But a simpler solution is just to press and hold down [F5], and Windows will automatically arrange its icons for you.
20. Disable smart window arrangement
Windows 7 features interesting new ways to intelligently arrange your windows, so that (for example) if you drag a window to the top of the screen then it will maximise. We like the new system, but if you find it distracting then it's easily disabled. Run REGEDIT, go to HKEY_CURRENT_USERControl PanelDesktop, set WindowArrangementActive to 0, reboot, and your windows will behave just as they always did.
21. Remove 'Send Feedback'
Microsoft has released Windows 7 to get feedback from the public, so it's important to take advantage of that. If you don't like something, or have a good idea, then click Send Feedback and tell them what's on your mind. You really could make a difference. But once you've done all that then you might want to get rid of the Send Feedback links on your windows, and this is very easy to do. Just launch REGEDIT, go to HKEY_CURRENT_USERControl PanelDesktop, set the FeedbackToolEnabled value to zero and restart your PC. (Set it to 3 if you'd like the Send Feedback links back again.)
22. Display your drives
Click Computer in Windows 7 and you might see a strange lack of drives, but don't panic, it's just Microsoft trying to be helpful: drives like memory card readers are no longer displayed if they're empty. We think it's an improvement, but if you disagree then it's easy to get your empty drives back. Launch Explorer, click Tools > Folder Options > View and clear 'Hide empty drives in the computer folder'.
23. See more detail
The new and improved Windows 7 magnifier offers a much easier way to zoom in on any area of the screen. Launch it and you can now define a scale factor and docking position, and once activated it can track your keyboard focus around the screen. Press [Tab] as you move around a dialog box, say, and it'll automatically zoom in on the currently active control.
24. Protect your MP3 files
Along with many good new features, the Windows 7 beta also includes a nasty bug. Its version of Windows Media Player 12 will automatically add missing metadata, including album art, and this can overwrite the first few seconds of the file. Oops. Installing an update may fix this (see http://support.microsoft.com/kb/961367) but it would probably be a very good idea to back up your MP3 files, too.
25. Customise UAC
Windows Vista's User Account Control was a good idea in practice, but poor implementation put many people off - it raised far too many alerts. Fortunately Windows 7 displays less warnings by default, and lets you further fine-tune UAC to suit your preferred balance between security and a pop-up free life (Start > Control Panel > Change User Account Control Settings).
26. Use Sticky Notes
The Sticky Notes app is both simpler and more useful in Windows 7. Launch StikyNot.exe and you can type notes at the keyboard; right-click a note to change its colour; click the + sign on the note title bar to add another note; and click a note and press [Alt]+[4] to close the note windows (your notes will automatically be saved).
27. Open folder in new process
By default Windows 7 opens folders in the same process. This saves system resources, but means one folder crash can bring down the entire shell. If your system seems unstable, or you're doing something in Explorer that regularly seems to causes crashes, then open Computer, hold down shift, right-click on your drive and select Open in New Process. The folder will now be launched in a separate process, and so a crash is less likely to affect anything else.
28. Watch more videos
Windows Media Player 12 is a powerful program, but it still won't play all the audio and video files you'll find online. Fortunately the first freeware Windows 7 codecs package [shark007.net/win7codecs.html] has just been released, and installing it could get your troublesome multimedia files playing again.
29. Preview fonts
Open the Fonts window in Windows XP and Vista and you'll see the font names, probably with icons to tell you whether they're TrueType or OpenType, but that's about it. Feeble, really, but Windows 7 sees some useful font-related improvement.
Open the new fonts window and you'll find a little preview for every font, giving you a quick idea of how they're going to look.
The tedium of scrolling through multiple entries for each family, like Times New Roman, Times New Roman Bold, Times New Roman Bold Italic and so on, has finally ended. There's now just a single entry for each font (though you can still see all other members of the family).
And there's a new OpenType font, Gabriola, added to the mix. It's an attractive script font, well worth a try the next time you need a stylish document that stands out from the crowd.
30. Restore your gadgets
Windows 7 has tightened up its security by refusing to run gadgets if UAC has been turned off, so limiting the damage malicious unsigned gadgets can do to your system. If you've disabled UAC, miss your gadgets and are happy to accept the security risk, though, there's an easy Registry way to get everything back to normal. Run REGEDIT, go to HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINESOFTWAREMicrosoftWindowsCurr entVersionSidebarSettings, create a new DWORD value called AllowElevatedProcess and set it to 1. Your gadgets should start working again right away.
31. New WordPad formats
By default WordPad will save documents in Rich Text Format, just as before. But browse the Save As Format list and you'll see you can also save (or open, actually) files in the Office 2007 .docx or OpenDocument .odt formats.
32. Protect your data
USB flash drives are convenient, portable, and very easy to lose. Which is a problem, especially if they're carrying sensitive data. Fortunately Windows 7 has the solution: encrypt your documents with an extension of Microsoft's BitLocker technology, and only someone with the password will be able to access it. Right-click your USB flash drive, select Turn on BitLocker and follow the instructions to protect your private files.
33. Search everything
Windows 7 can now try to search the contents of just about any file type, useful if it's not currently finding the data you need. The problem? Searches can be much, much slower. If you'd like to try it anyway, then launch Explorer, click Tools > Folder Options > View and check "Try to search the content of unknown file types".
34. Configure your favourite music
The Windows 7 Media Centre now comes with an option to play your "favourite music", which by default creates a changing list of songs based on your ratings, how often you play them, and when they were added (it's assumed you'll prefer songs you've added in the last 30 days). If this doesn't work then you can tweak how Media Centre decides what a "favourite" tune is- click Tasks > Settings > Music > Favourite Music and configure the program to suit your needs.
35. Customise System Restore
There was very little you could do to configure System Restore in Vista, but Windows 7 improves the situation with a couple of useful setup options.
Click the Start orb, right-click Computer and select Properties > System Protection > Configure, and set the Max Usage value to a size that suits your needs (larger to hold more restore points, smaller to save disk space).
And if you don't need System Restore to save Windows settings then choose the "Only restore previous versions of files" option. Windows 7 won't back up your Registry, which means you'll squeeze more restore points and file backups into the available disk space. System Restore is much less likely to get an unbootable PC working again, though, so use this trick at your own risk.
36. Run As
Hold down shift, right-click any program shortcut, and you'll see an option to run the program as a different user, handy if you're logged in to the kids' limited account and need to run something with higher privileges. This isn't really a new feature - Windows XP had a Run As option that did the same thing - but Microsoft stripped it out of Vista, so it's good to see they've had a change of heart.
37. Search privacy
By default Windows 7 will remember your PC search queries, and display the most recent examples when searching in Windows Explorer. If you're sharing a PC and don't want everyone to see your searches, then launch GPEDIT.MSC, go to User Configuration > Administrative Templates > Windows Components > Windows Explorer, double-click "Turn off display of recent search entries..." and click Enabled > OK.
38. Tweak PC volume
By default Windows 7 will now automatically reduce the volume of your PC's sounds whenever it detects you're making or receiving PC-based phone calls. If this proves annoying (or maybe you'd like it to turn off other sounds altogether) then you can easily change the settings accordingly. Just right-click the speaker icon in your taskbar, select Sounds > Communications, and tell Windows what you'd like it to do.
39. Find bottlenecks
From what we've seen so far Windows 7 is already performing better than Vista, but if your PC seems sluggish then it's now much easier to uncover the bottleneck. Click Start, type RESMON and press [Enter] to launch the Resource Monitor, then click the CPU, Memory, Disk or Network tabs. Windows 7 will immediately show which processes are hogging the most system resources.
The CPU view is particularly useful, and provides something like a more powerful version of Task Manager. If a program has locked up, for example, then right-click its name in the list and select Analyze Process. Windows will then try to tell you why it's hanging - the program might be waiting for another process, perhaps - which could give you the information you need to fix the problem.
40. Keyboard shortcuts
Windows 7 supports several useful new keyboard shortcuts.
Alt+P
Display/ hide the Explorer preview pane
Windows Logo+G
Display gadgets in front of other windows
Windows Logo++ (plus key)
Zoom in, where appropriate
Windows Logo+- (minus key)
Zoom out, where appropriate
Windows Logo+Up
Maximise the current window
Windows Logo+Down
Minimise the current window
Windows Logo+Left
Snap to the left hand side of the screen
Windows Logo+Right
Snap to the right hand side of the screen
Windows Logo+Home
Minimise/ restore everything except the current window
41. Faster program launches
If you've launched one instance of a program but want to start another, then don't work your way back through the Start menu. It's much quicker to just hold down Shift and click on the program's icon (or middle-click it), and Windows 7 will start a new instance for you.
42. Speedy video access
Want faster access to your Videos folder? Windows 7 now lets you add it to the Start menu. Just right-click the Start orb, click Properties > Start Menu > Customize, and set the Videos option to "Display as a link". If you've a TV tuner that works with Windows 7 then you'll appreciate the new option to display the Recorded TV folder on the Start menu, too.
43. Run web searches
The Windows 7 search tool can now be easily extended to search online resources, just as long as someone creates an appropriate search connector. To add Flickr support, say, visit I Started Something, click Download the Connector, choose the Open option and watch as it's downloaded (the file is tiny, it'll only take a moment). A "Flickr Search" option will be added to your Searches folder, and you'll be able to search images from your desktop.
44. Schedule Media Centre downloads
You can now tell Windows Media Centre to download data at a specific time, perhaps overnight, a useful way to prevent it sapping your bandwidth for the rest of the day. Launch Media Centre, go to Tasks > Settings > General > Automatic Download Options, and set the download start and stop times that you'd like it to use.
45. Multi-threaded Robocopies
Anyone who's ever used the excellent command-line robocopy tool will appreciate the new switches introduced with Windows 7. Our favourite, /MT, can improve speed by carrying out multi-threaded copies with the number of threads you specify (you can have up to 128, though that might be going a little too far). Enter robocopy /? at a command line for the full details.
46. Really remove the sidebar
At first glance you might think Windows 7 has got rid of the sidebar, but don't be fooled. Gadgets are still hosted by the Sidebar.exe process, it's just that this is now launched automatically when Windows boots. If you don't plan on ever using gadgets then you could delete the Sidebar Registry entry at HKEY_CURRENT_USERSoftwareMicrosoftWindowsCurre ntVersionRun, and recover a small amount of RAM. That might be a little risky, though, as we're not quite sure what else the sidebar process does in Windows 7. The safest approach is to disable it temporarily by launching MSCONFIG.EXE, clicking the Startup tab and clearing the box next to the Startup entry. Now reboot and test Windows 7 for a day or two to confirm everything is still working, before finally deleting the sidebar Registry entry.
47. Load IE faster
Some Internet Explorer add-ons can take a while to start, dragging down the browser's performance, but at least IE8 can now point a finger at the worst resource hogs. Click Tools > Manage Add-ons, check the Load Time in the right-hand column, and you'll immediately see which browser extensions are slowing you down.
48. An Alt+Tab alternative
You want to access one of the five Explorer windows you have open, but there are so many other programs running that Alt+Tab makes it hard to pick out what you need. The solution? Hold down the Ctrl key while you click on the Explorer icon. Windows 7 will then cycle through the Explorer windows only, a much quicker way to locate the right one. (And of course this works with any application that has multiple windows open.)
49. Block annoying alerts
Just like Vista, Windows 7 will display a suitably stern warning if it thinks your antivirus, firewall or other security settings are incorrect.
But unlike Vista, if you disagree then you can now turn off alerts on individual topics. If you no longer want to see warnings just because you've dared to turn off the Windows firewall, say, then click Control Panel > System and Security > Action Centre > Change Action Centre settings, clear the Network Firewall box and click OK.
50. Parallel defrags
The standard Windows 7 defragger offers a little more control than we saw in Vista, and the command line version also has some interesting new features. The /r switch will defrag multiple drives in parallel, for instance (they'll obviously need to be physically separate drives for this to be useful). The /h switch runs the defrag at a higher than normal priority, and the /u switch provides regular progress reports so you can see exactly what's going on. Enter the command
defrag /c /h /u /r
in a command window to speedily defrag a system with multiple drives, or enter defrag /? to view the new options for yourself.
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