Windows 95 Tips

Press and hold down the ALT key as you continually tap the Tab key to rotate through all open windows.
A gray box appears with all the open application icons.
When the application that you want appears highlighted, release the ALT key.

A shortcut that you should know about it:

The last window you switched to using the ALT + Tab method is always the one that appears first in the gray box.
All you have to do is press ALT + Tab once to switch to the window.
Press ALT + Tab to switch back again, and so on.
You do not even need to look at the screen.

Cut & Paste to Move an Item

Did you know that you can move an item, such as a folder, file, shortcut, etc., from one location to another simply by using the cut and paste function.

Right click the item(s) to be moved for the shortcut menu to appear.
Select Cut.
For multiple items, hold down the CTRL key on your keyboard and then select each item(s).
Right click for the shortcut menu to appear and select Cut.
Navigate to the item's new destination, such as a folder, or
Right click in a blank area(such as the white area inside a window).
The shortcut menu appears.
Select Paste.

Switching Folder View from My Computer(One Window Pane) to Explorer (Two Window Panes)

Have you ever opened My Computer to find a file and wished you had opened Windows Explorer? You can make the switch from My Computer(one pane) to My Explorer(two panes) without closing My Computer.

While having any window in My Computer open.
Right click on the My Computer icon , located on the upper left corner of the open window.
The shortcut menu appears.
Select Explorer.

Changing My Computer (One Pane Window) to view as Explorer(Two Pane Windows)

Tired of opening one window after another in viewing or finding a file in the My Computer application? Did you know that you can change your default view in My Computer from a one pane window view to a two pane windows view similar to the Explorer's view.

Open My Computer on the desktop.
In any open folder window, on the View menu, select Folder Options.
Select the File Types tab.
Highlight Folder located under Registered File Types.
Choose the Edit button.
Highlight Explore in the box located under Actions.
The Edit File Type dialog box appears.
Choose the Set Default button.
Notice Explore appears in bold text to indicate its default setting.
Choose Close twice.

The next time you open My Computer, notice the title bar Exploring - My Computer, and watch as it opens in a two pane window view similar to Explorer.

Windows Keystroke Shortcuts

Many new keyboards have a key displaying the Windows Logo ,which is located between the CTRL and ALT keys on either side of the space bar. This key acts like the SHIFT key and can be used in combination with other keys for shortcut keystrokes commands.

Several keystroke shortcuts using the Windows Log key are:

+	D(Desktop)	Minimizes all currently opened application windows and goes to the Desktop.
+	E(Explorer)	Opens Microsoft Internet Explorer.
+	F(Find)	Opens Find Files.
+	M(Minimize)	Minimizes all currently opened application windows and goes to the Desktop.
+	R(Run)	Opens the Run Program dialog box.

Naming Files

In saving and naming a file the following list of characters should not be used in your Windows 95 filenames. All these characters have special purposes in Windows or MS-DOS.

* (asterisk)
| (pipe)
\ or / ( slashes)
< > or [ ] (brackets)
" (quotes)
+ (plus sign)
, (comma)
. (period)
: (colon)
; (semicolon)
= (equal sign)

Renaming Files

In renaming a file from either the My Computer or Windows Explorer icon, remember to include the original file extension.

It is possible to rename a file and overwrite the existing file extension.

If this occurs, a message will appear on your screen. "If you change a filename extension the file may become unusable. Are you sure you want to change it?"
Choose NO to keep the original file extension associated with your file.
If you choose YES, to the above question, you might encounter difficulties accessing the file.

If there's a problem accessing the file:

Re-open the file using either the My Computer or Windows Explorer application.
Rename the file and add the original 3 letter file extension associated to this file.

Printing from the Desktop

Need to print a file fast?

Open either the My Computer or Windows Explorer application.
Find the specific file.
Right-click on the file and the shortcut menu appears.
Select Print.
The application that is associated to this file will automatically open, queues the file to the printer, and closes.

If you need to print a file and do not have the specific application that the file was originally created in on your PC:

Open either the My Computer or Windows Explorer application.
Find the specific file.
Right-click on the file and the shortcut menu appears.
Select Quick Print.

The Quick View and Quick Print applications are available on all TRU desktops to access to files that were created in another application. With Quick View, you can view a file which application is not support by TRU desktop. Text can be copy and pasted into any TRU desktop application.

Recycle B

If you need to free up hard disk space, a good place to start is the Recycle Bin. Deleting items only moves them to the Recycle Bin. To remove deleted items from your system once and for all, empty the Recycle Bin.

To empty the Recycle Bin:

Right-click on the Recycle Bin icon located on the desktop.
The shortcut menu appears.
Select Empty Recycle Bin.
The following message will appear: Are you sure you want to delete?
Select Yes.

Accessing Website from Run Command

Need to get a website quickly?

Select Start, Run.
In the box next to Open, enter the URL you want to go to.
Click OK.
This brings up Microsoft Internet Explorer and takes you directly to that site.

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Cut & Paste to Move an Item

Did you know that you can move an item, such as a folder, file, shortcut, etc., from one location to another simply by using the cut and paste function.

Right click the item(s) to be moved for the shortcut menu to appear.
Select Cut.
For multiple items, hold down the CTRL key on your keyboard and then select each item(s).
Right click for the shortcut menu to appear and select Cut.
Navigate to the item's new destination, such as a folder, or
Right click in a blank area(such as the white area inside a window).
The shortcut menu appears.
Select Paste.

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File Management

File Manager

Do you miss your old friend File Manager(from the days of Windows 3.x)? Would you believe you can still run it from within Windows 95.

Select Start, Run.
Type Winfile and click OK.

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Managing Files from the Open Dialog Box

The next time you need to delete or rename a file, don't assume that you have to go to the My Computer or File Explorer application. Any Windows 95 application, such as Word or Excel, allows to perform simple file management tasks from the Open dialog box.

In any application, when opening a file.
Select Open from the File menu.
Find the file to be renamed or deleted.
Right-click on the file and select Rename or Delete.

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Naming Files

In saving and naming a file the following list of characters should not be used in your Windows 95 filenames. All these characters have special purposes in Windows or MS-DOS.

* (asterisk)
| (pipe)
\ or / ( slashes)
< > or [ ] (brackets)
" (quotes)
+ (plus sign)
, (comma)
. (period)
: (colon)
; (semicolon)
= (equal sign)

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Renaming Files

In renaming a file from either the My Computer or Windows Explorer icon, remember to include the original file extension.

It is possible to rename a file and overwrite the existing file extension.

If this occurs, a message will appear on your screen. "If you change a filename extension the file may become unusable. Are you sure you want to change it?"
Choose NO to keep the original file extension associated with your file.
If you choose YES, to the above question, you might encounter difficulties accessing the file.

If there's a problem accessing the file:

Re-open the file using either the My Computer or Windows Explorer application.
Rename the file and add the original 3 letter file extension associated to this file.

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Folders

Creating New Folder in any Microsoft Office Application

You can create a new folder inside the current folder for one of your Office 97 files without leaving the application. For example, if you decide to save a Word document, but would prefer to place it in a new folder:

Choose File, Save As.
The Save As dialog box appears.
Click the Create New Folder button.
Name the new folder and click OK.
Name the file and click Save to save it in the new folder.

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Creating a SubFolder

While in Explorer, in the left pane:

Select the folder in which you'd like to create a subfolder.
Right-click a blank area of the right pane.
Select New, Folder.
Type a name and press Enter.

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Naming Tricks

Windows 95 lists folders in alphabetical order. When naming a folder that you want to see at the top of list:

Enter a name that start with an A, or enter two As(double A), or
Enter a number before the name, or
Enter an underscore before the name such as : _My Folders

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Keyboard Shortcuts

Function	Keyboard Shortcut
ALT+TAB:	-Press and hold down the ALT key as you continually tap the TAB key to rotate through all open windows. -A gray box appears with all the open application icons. -When the application that you want appears highlighted, release the ALT key.
Closing One Window:	Simultaneously hold down the ALT+SPACEBAR+C keys.
Closing Multiple Windows:	-Hold down the SHIFT key as you click the X button of the last folder window you opened, or -Simultaneously press ALT +SHIFT+F4 keys.
Cruise Dialog Box Tabs without the Mouse:	-Press the CTRL+TAB keys. -Hold down the CTRL key and continuously press the TAB key until the tab you want is highlighted then let go.
Minimizing the Active Window:	-Simultaneously press the ALT+SPACEBAR+ N keys.
Right-click Keystroke	-With an item being highlighted(such as a text, file, folder, etc). -Hold down the SHIFT key and press the F10 key. -Use your keyboard's UP and DOWN keys to select the command you want and press the ENTER key.

Open either the My Computer or Windows Explorer application.
Find the specific file.
Right-click on the file and the shortcut menu appears.
Select Print.
The application that is associated to this file will automatically open, queues the file to the printer, and closes.

If you need to print a file and do not have the specific application that the file was originally created in on your PC:

Open either the My Computer or Windows Explorer application.
Find the specific file.
Right-click on the file and the shortcut menu appears.
Select Quick Print.

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Recycle Bin

To Empty the Recycle Bin:

Right-click on the Recycle Bin icon located on the desktop.
The shortcut menu appears.
Select Empty Recycle Bin.
The following message will appear: Are you sure you want to delete?
Select Yes.

Select any topic link, listed below, for a variety of Windows 95 Tips & Tricks:

Note: If the phrase "Tips & Tricks" is included in a topic link, there's numerous tips & tricks on that particular topic .

Function

Keyboard Shortcut