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MODULE 2

Using a Computer and Managing Files

Comprehensive Study Guides

covering
ICDL Syllabus, version 4

ã 2004 The European Computer Driving Licence Foundation Ltd

ã 2004 The Computer Society of Zimbabwe & World Links Zimbabwe

 • Using a Computer & Managing Files – Module 2 •

TABLE OF CONTENTS

RECAP BEFORE WE START ............................................................. 3

What is a Computer?................................................................ 3
Hardware and Software ............................................................ 3
What are the Advantages of using Windows 98/2000 and XP ... 13
How to Use a Mouse?............................................................. 13

GETTING STARTED ....................................................................... 17

Start the Computer ................................................................. 17
How to Start a Program? ........................................................ 17
Shut Down the Computer Properly .......................................... 18
Re-Start the Computer............................................................ 19
View the Computer’s Basic System Information ....................... 20
View the Computer’s Desktop Configuration ............................ 21
Install, Uninstall a Software Application ................................... 30
Copying Screen Contents into a Document ............................. 33
Format a Floppy Disk............................................................. 33
Using the Help Functions ........................................................ 34

DESKTOP ENVIRONMENT ............................................................ 36

Work with Icons & Windows.................................................... 38
The Different Parts of a Window .............................................. 42

ORGANISING FILES ...................................................................... 50

What are Files and Folders? .................................................... 50
Using Windows Explorer ......................................................... 57
The Windows Explorer Screen ................................................. 58
Basic Directory and Folder Structure on a Computer ............... 63
Changing File Status .............................................................. 67
Sorting Files ........................................................................... 68

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How to Rename Files and Folders ........................................... 69

How to Select Files ................................................................. 70
How to Copy Files, and to Make Backup Copies of Files .......... 71
How to Move Files and Folders ............................................... 74
How to Delete Files or Folders ................................................ 76
Searching .............................................................................. 78
Compressing Files ................................................................. 81

VIRUSES ........................................................................................ 84
What is a virus?...................................................................... 84

SIMPLE EDITING ........................................................................... 88

Launch an Editing Program .................................................... 88
Create and Save a Text File ..................................................... 88
Close the Editing Program ...................................................... 90

PRINT MANAGEMENT ................................................................... 91

Print from an Installed Printer ................................................. 91
Change the Default Printer ...................................................... 92
Installing a New Printer........................................................... 93
View Print Job Progress .......................................................... 97

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RECAP BEFORE WE START

What is a Computer?
A computer is an electronic device capable of accepting data, processing
data, giving data out and/or storing it for later use.
There are four basic concepts in this definition, that is acceptance of data,
processing, giving out of information and storage. Hence four interacting
functions of a computer system should be explained and these are: input,
processing, output and storage respectively.

INPUT
The entering of data into the computer for processing. The user enters
data into the computer using the input devices, for example, the keyboard
or a mouse. Each type of input device is designed for entry of specific data.

PROCESSING
This is the changing of raw data into useful and understandable information.
The main component for this task is the CPU (Central Processing Unit).

O UTPUT
The display of processed data, which in fact is information. The parts of
the computer system responsible for this output function are the Visual
Display Unit (VDU) and the Printer.

S TORAGE
The keeping of information for later use on devices such as hard drives,
floppy disks, zip disks and CD ROMs.

Hardware and Software

For a computer to be functional it requires two basic components, Hardware
and Software. Hardware without software is useless and software without
hardware is also useless.

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WHAT IS HARDWARE?
These are the physical or tangible parts of a computer system for example,
keyboard, mouse, system unit, screen, printer and the speakers.

WHAT IS SOFTWARE?
These are the programs that are used to give instructions to the computer
and the information that is obtained from the computer. Examples of
software are Windows 98, 2000 and XP, Microsoft Word, Microsoft Excel,
Lotus WordPro, Lotus 1-2-3, MS-DOS and WordPerfect.
The power of the computer as a versatile and flexible tool comes from the
fact that it can run many different types of application software, and that
the application software can be purchased and loaded at any stage.

HARDWARE DEVICES
For a computer to perform its four interacting functions, it requires different
parts, also called devices, which work together towards these functions.

INPUT DEVICES
The most common input devices are the keyboard and the mouse.

KEYBOARD
This is a human touch input device, which means it needs the human
hand to press the keys when entering data. It mostly captures text
data. There are four general areas of the keyboard. There are the
Function Keys, which are labelled from F1 to F12, the typewriter area
in the QWERTY format, the numeric keypad located on the far right
side of the keyboard and the cursor motion and control keys. To use the
Keyboard just press and release the keys.

THE MOUSE
This is a powerful device in today’s graphical user interface type of programs.
This tool translates the movement of the hand to the movement of an
arrow on the screen. The arrow moves when you move the mouse and is
referred to as the mouse pointer. The most common mouse has a ball
underneath which moves when the mouse is moved, and this causes the

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two shafts to rotate. When the mouse pointer is over an icon the mouse
buttons can be clicked, double-clicked or dragged to initiate an action. You
will understand these terms later in the next sections of this study guide.
Please note that there are some mice without balls.

S CANNER
This is used to capture graphical or image data. There are two types of
scanners, the hand-held and the table scanner or flatbed scanner.
When you want to put a picture into the computer you then need a scanner
to capture it. You could draw the picture or copy it from a camera. The
hand scanner is operated manually and the table scanner is like a
photocopier.

M ICROPHONE
This is used to convert voice or sound input into digital format, for transfer
over computer networks, or for use with voice recognition software.

CENTRAL PROCESSING DEVICE

The CPU or Central Processing Unit is the main component of the computer.
All other parts are connected to this component, also known as the System
Unit. It handles instructions from the computer program and processes
the data.

OUTPUT DEVICES
The most common output devices are the printer and the visual display
unit. All the processed data is passed on to these devices when required by
the user.

M ONITOR
This is sometimes called the screen or VDU and is the main way of
getting processed data out of the computer. Monitors come in
different shapes and sizes. The most common size is the 14-inch
monitor and the size of the monitor is measured diagonally.
Although they come in different capabilities in terms of colour output
their function is still to display information to the user.

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Exercise: Switch the monitor off and on

1. Press the monitor power button to switch it off the same
way you turn off your television at home.
The light should be off and if the screen is now blank, you
have turned it off.
2. Press the Screen power button again as in step 1
You should see the same information that was on the screen
when you switched off the monitor.

There are control buttons on the monitor that are used to adjust the size,
brightness and position of the display area. There is also the power button
to turn the monitor on and off. There is usually a light next to the power
button to indicate the status of the monitor to see whether it is on or off.
Note that switching the monitor off will not affect your information.

Whenever you shut down your computer remember also to

ensure the monitor is switched off. The CPU can run continuously
for days because it has an internal fan but the monitor needs to
be switched off. The monitor does not have an internal fan and
can become hot after some time.

PRINTERS
Printers produce hard copies, i.e., printed or permanent material. It is
called Hard copy because it is tangible and cannot be easily changed.
There are two categories of printers; impact and non-impact printers.
The Dot matrix printer is an example of an impact printer because it
uses tiny dots to produce letters and graphics. These printers are
sometimes noisy and slow. Some examples of Dot matrix printers are
Epson LX300, Epson LX780, and Citizen Prodot 24.
Ink Jet printers are an example of a non-impact printer since they use
nozzles to spray tiny ink particles onto the paper, to form characters. They
lie between the dot matrix and laser printers in terms of speed and quality.
Some examples are Canon BJC620, HP610C, HP690C, HP590C, Epson
Stylus Colour 300, and HP 859Cix.

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Laser Jet printers use the principle of a photocopier. They use a laser beam
to “fix” toner onto a page to form characters. They are faster and more
expensive than other printers, but produce high quality text and graphics.
They are also non-impact printers. Some examples are, HP LaserJet 1100,
HP LaserJet 2100, HP LaserJet 4L, HP LaserJet 5L, Epson EPL 5700.
Do the following activity after learning about the mouse and list down the
printers that are installed on your computer.

Exercise: List the printers that are installed on your

computer
1. Click on the Start button
2. Point to Settings
3. Click on Printers
4. The printers window will appear with icons of installed
printers
5. List the printers that are installed on your computer

STORAGE DEVICES
These store information for later use. These devices include hard disks,
floppy disks and magnetic tapes.
The hard disk is found inside the system unit. It is usually referred to as the
C: drive and is where the operating system and other programs are
installed.

FLOPPY DISKS (OR DISKETTES)

The floppy disk is usually used to transfer information from one computer
to another. This is the main advantage of floppy disks, but be careful
because, as they move from one computer to another, they may carry
with them some deadly programs known as viruses that attack other
programs. There are two types of floppy disk, the 3.5-inch and the 5.25-
inch floppy disks. New computers are now manufactured with only the
3.5-inch floppy disk drive, because the 3.5-inch floppy disk is more robust
than the 5.25-inch floppy. The 3.5-inch is used with drive A whilst the
5.25-inch is used with drive B. (A drive is a device used to insert the disk.)

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Floppy disks are made of a very thin flexible circular plate (of a material
similar to camera film or X-ray plates) covered in a magnetic coating.
The disk is enclosed in a stiff cover to prevent damage to the magnetic
coating.

Avoid touching the opening where you can see the floppy
disk magnetic coating. Fingerprints may cause damage to the
floppy disk

TWO TYPES OF FLOPPY DISK

FLOPPY DISK WRITE PROTECTION

It is necessary to be able to prevent important floppy disks from being
over-written. For example, the floppy disks containing drivers and programs
should never be over-written.
The 5.25-inch floppy disk has a notch in the outer cover, which if closed,
will prevent the disk from being over-written. Hence, sticking a write-protect
label over this notch will not allow files to be written to the floppy disk. The
3.5-inch floppy disk has a plastic write-protect slider, which if open, will
prevent the disk from being over-written.

DIFFERENT TYPES OF SOFTWARE

There are two types of software namely System software and Application
software. For a computer to be functional it must have System software.

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S YSTEM SOFTWARE
The basic component of System software is an Operating System. An
Operating System is a program that runs first when you switch on your
computer and continues to run quietly in the background. All other
programs run under the control of the Operating system. The Operating
System has been referred to as a Traffic Cop or Central Nervous System
because of its functions.
The process of loading the Operating System is known as Booting, which
happens when a computer is switched on. As electric power is detected the
computer runs a boot program which fetches the Operating System from
the hard disk and leaves it running in the computer memory to control all
other programs. The user does not participate during this process if the
Operating System has been properly installed.

EXAMPLES OF OPERATING SYSTEMS

MS-DOS Windows NT Workstation
Windows XP Windows NT Server
Windows 98 Windows 2000
Macintosh UNIX

FUNCTIONS OF AN OPERATING SYSTEM (OS)

! Provides the interface between the user and the computer (this then
means that the user should understand how the Operating System
(OS) works before using any other programs).
! Manages the flow of information in the computer.
! Directs information to the appropriate destinations. For example if
you send anything for printing it is the duty of the OS to direct that
information to the right device.
! Keeps a record of all saved files, names, sizes, location, date and
time of creation.
This is why it is necessary to understand the OS when we deal with
managing files.

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! It establishes the relationship between hardware and software.

! It controls the running of application programs. Those who have used
Windows 98, 2000 and XP will have encountered statements like “This
program has performed an illegal operation and will terminate”. This
is an example of one function of an OS.

APPLICATION SOFTWARE
These are programs that are designed to solve specific problems and hence
a wide range of these programs has been created to address the wide
range of identified problems. These programs are user oriented whilst
systems software is computer oriented.

C OMMERCIAL SOFTWARE
There are many different commercial application software products such
as:
! financial accounting packages and payrolls, used in general business
! point-of-sale, stock control, purchasing and sales analysis, used in
retailing
! materials requirements planning and process control, used in
manufacturing
! passenger reservations used by airlines and transport companies

SCIENTIFIC SOFTWARE
Research scientists use specialised statistical analysis software packages
to control the collection and analysis of research data.

BESPOKE SOFTWARE
Very specialised software, developed to solve a specific problem, and usually
used only by a single organisation is known as “bespoke” software. An
example is the software used by NSSA to control rocket launching.

WORD PROCESSING SOFTWARE

Programs designed to improve the presentation of written work, using the
concept of a typewriter. This type of software is used to produce written

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material such as letters, memos, reports, projects and books, and some
of these programs have the ability to do desktop publishing work. Examples
of these programs are Microsoft Word, Lotus WordPro, AmiPro, Display
Write, WordPad and WordPerfect.

D ESKTOP PUBLISHING SOFTWARE

Software designed for the origination of material prior to printing. It allows
for easy manipulation of text and graphics, including alteration of the
orientation of text. This type of software is used in the production of books,
magazines, letterheads, business cards, posters, calendars, envelopes and
greeting cards. Some examples are Print Artist, Microsoft Publisher, Instant
Art, Announcement 4.0, Ventura Publisher, Page Maker, and Frame Maker.

D ATABASE MANAGEMENT
Programs used to store, sort, search and retrieve information. A telephone
book is an example of a database, because a database is, in simple terms,
a collection of information. Some other examples of databases are customer
information and student information. A database is made up of records
and fields, where records are in rows and fields in columns. A record may
contain more than one field. Examples of Database Management programs
are Microsoft Access, FoxPro, Foxbase, Dbase and Paradox.

S PREADSHEET P ROGRAMS
Also known as financial analysis programs, spreadsheets were designed
initially to solve money calculations, but have been extended to include
most mathematical and statistical functions.
These programs can be used to calculate sales, cash flow, expenses and
profits, and budgets. Calculations are done at high speeds. They are used
to calculate sums, averages, and other mathematical functions.
Spreadsheets are made up of worksheets that contain cells that are
arranged in row and columns. Where a row and column meet is called a
cell. Each cell is given a reference starting with the alphabetical column
address and then the numerical row address, For example cell A1 is the
cell at the point where column A meets with row 1. Examples of Spreadsheet
programs are Microsoft Excel, Lotus 1-2-3, Quattro Pro and SuperCal.

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GRAPHICS SOFTWARE
Graphics software is used for adding interest and clarity to reports and
presentations. It can also be used to produce new art. With this type of
software you can paint, produce three-dimensional images and add
animation. Some popular graphics programs are Adobe PhotoShop, Ms-
Paint, Microsoft PowerPoint, Harvard Graphics, TrueSpace, 3D Studio, and
Corel Draw.

WHAT IS WINDOWS 98, 2000 AND XP?

Windows 98, 2000 and XP are all Operating Systems. When you switch
on your computer, depending on which system has been loaded onto your
machine, the program is loaded. All these operating systems are Graphical
User Interface programs, which means you control it by pointing on graphic
symbols rather than by typing commands. The graphic symbols are small
pictures or, technically, icons representing files, folders, programs or
commands.
These operating systems are user-friendly programs in that by simply
pointing on a tool, a text explanation called a Tool tip is displayed to identify
the function of the tool. They all allow the use of shortcuts for time saving
in loading programs, but remember that for every shortcut created 1Kb of
the disk space is going to be used.
These operating systems also have other advantages over MS-DOS and
other previous versions of operating systems. For example true multi-
tasking, whereby different programs can be run at the same time, but the
full effect can only be achieved if you are using 32-bit programs. Another
advantage is that the user does not have to memorise commands e.g.
COPY A:\FILE NAME C:\*.*.
Another example is that of Plug and Play technology, where the hardware
is detected and configured by 98, 2000 and XP without the user installing
the drivers for the hardware in question.
Working with these systems is easy and fast because of the concept of
point and click. The main input device in these systems, is the mouse;
when a program opens, a window of that program is displayed so that
more than one window may be open but only one program is active (this is
referred to as multitasking).

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What are the Advantages of using Windows 98/2000

and XP
Graphical User interface (discussed later) helps in the user-friendly
environment.
Multi – tasking – You can have several programs open at the same time
and you can work on them simultaneously.
Export and Import options – you can transfer data from one program to
another and therefore share information with other programs.
Uniformity – The basic principles of one program are the same as the next
one so you are able to learn about other applications before actually using
them.
Consistency – The program set-up for these programs is the same and
therefore it is easier to manipulate a program e.g. the menu options are
exactly the same in any application.

GRAPHICAL USER INTERFACE

This is the use of the picture-like structures known as icons. This interface
makes extensive use of the mouse. With this interface the user presses the
mouse buttons to select, move or activate required menu options. Another
name for GUI is WIMP (Windows, Icons, Menus and Pointers). With this
type of interface the user does not face the problem of typing commands
but instead has the freedom of pointing and clicking. This is an advantage
in that it is easy and faster and there are no spelling errors when identifying
a program. More than one program can run at the same time because of
multi-tasking. The pull down menu provides an easy way of entering
commands. Although there is maximum use of the mouse, the keyboard
or a combination of the two can also be used to enter data.

How to Use a Mouse?

Windows 98, 2000 and XP use a Graphical User Interface (GUI) with the
concept of “point and click” with the mouse instead of typing in commands.
The mouse is used when the user wants to select, open a program or
move the window or icon and this is done by clicking, double clicking or
dragging.

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When using the mouse the index finger should rest on the left button and
the middle finger on the right button, without pressing, and the thumb
should hold the left side of the mouse with the other two fingers holding the
right side.

Exercise: Experiment with the Mouse

1. Hold the mouse in the way described in the above section
2. Move the mouse so that the pointer goes to each corner of
the screen
Something is moving. It is known as the mouse pointer.

The mouse generally has two buttons.

FUNCTIONS OF THE LEFT MOUSE BUTTON

The left mouse button is used for Selecting, Clicking, Double clicking and
Dragging. But what do we mean by all this?
Term Meaning
Click To press and release the left mouse button once.
Double-click To press and release the left mouse button twice in rapid
succession.
Drag To retain pressure on the Left mouse button whilst
moving the mouse.
Select To highlight by Pointing and Clicking on an object. Note
that a selected object will have a different colour from
the remaining objects.
Drag and Drop To copy an object.

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FUNCTIONS OF THE RIGHT MOUSE B UTTON

The function of the right button is simple but it is the most time saving
feature of the mouse. It is used to pop up a shortcut menu of the
selected item. When you are required to use the right button it will be
specified, for example Click the right button or simply Right click. Most
shortcut menus have Properties as the last option or menu item. The
diagram shows an example of a shortcut menu.

M OUSE POINTERS
Icon Function Description
Normal Select The normal pointer for selecting items.

Help Select Click on the ? Button, move the pointer to

the area for which you require information
and click again.

Working in Some activity is going on in the

Background background, but you can often move to
another area and do something else.

Busy The Computer is busy. Windows 98,

2000 or XP or an application program
is doing something and cannot
be disturbed.

Text Select The I-Beam that is seen in word

applications like processors and used to
select text. It can also show you an area
where you can click to get a blinking
cursor so that you can type in text.
Precision Select Cross hairs for very careful selection.
Handwriting Appears when you are using a
writing-input device.
Unavailable Sorry, you can’t drag a file to this location
either because the area is unacceptable or
the application won’t accept drag and
drop.

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Resizing Cursors that appear when you are moving a

window border or when you are changing
the size of a window, taskbar or graphic.

Move Select Move from the system Menu or a

right-click Menu and you will get this cursor,
allowing you to move the window or graphic
using the arrow keys.

Alternate Select Used in the FreeCell Card game. Probably

other uses to come.

Please note that throughout this module, reference will be made to

the left button of the mouse unless otherwise stated.

Exercise: Use of the mouse

1. Move the mouse to the Start button
2. What does it say? “Click here to begin”
3. Click on the My Computer icon on the desktop
The My computer icon description changes colour. This
means you have selected it.
4. Click on the Recycle bin icon
5. Place your mouse pointer over the taskbar and drag and
drop it on to the right of the screen.

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GETTING STARTED
Start the Computer
This manual, although explaining some XP features shall be based
on Windows 98. You will find that working with Windows 98, 2000
or XP is not very difficult as only the graphics look different, most of
the information can be found in the same place. For the duration of
this module, reference shall be made to Windows 98.
The System Unit (CPU), the monitor and the printer have power buttons,
usually on the front part of the device. These power buttons also have
green light indicators next to them that indicate whether the device is on or
off. When you press and release the power button the indicator will light up
showing that power is being supplied to the device. Some power buttons
are labelled 0 and 1, i.e. 0 is off and 1 is on.
Once your machine is switched on, it will automatically start to load
Windows 98, and after loading the first Windows screen appears. This first
screen is known as the Desktop.

Exercise: Switch on the computer

1. Identify the System Unit Power Button. Press and release it
2. Identify the Screen Power Button. Press and release it
3. Wait until the Desktop appears
The desktop is the first screen that appears when the
computer has finished booting up.
4. Write down the Programs and Features that you have
observed.

You will learn more about the Desktop later in this module.

How to Start a Program?

There are several different ways of starting a program. In this section you
will learn to open a program using the start button and the start menu.

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To start a program:
1. Click on the Start button
2. Point to Programs
3. Click on the desired program name. If the program is not there point
to the program folder containing the program and click on it
The program will open and you can see its button on the taskbar
and also its window will be displayed on the desktop.
Now you are going to start a word processor program that comes in the
Windows 98, Accessories list. This is the WordPad program that you can
use to type your first letter.

Exercise: Open the WordPad program using the

Start button
1. Click on the Start button
2. Point to Programs and then to Accessories
3. Click on WordPad
4. The WordPad program window appears
5. Type in your name using the keyboard
6. Click on File, then on Exit to close the program

Shut Down the Computer Properly

With previous version of Windows you could simply press the power button
to switch off the computer. With Windows 98, a command must be given
to shut down the computer, so that all files are closed before power is
switched off. This is done by selecting the Shut Down option on the start
menu, which will tell you when to switch off. This protects the files and the
hard disk from damage which might occur if the computer is switched off
whilst files are open.

The shut down option also allows you to:

! Restart the computer

! Restart the computer in MS-DOS mode

! Log on as a different user where you will be required to enter

the username and password

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Exercise: Turn off the Computer using Windows 98

1. Close all open documents and programs
2. Click on the Start button
3. Click on Shut Down
The shut down dialog box appears.
4. Read and make sure the selected option is “Shut down the
computer”
5. Click on the Yes button
6. Wait for a message which reads “It is now safe to turn off
your computer”
7. Press the Screen Power button, which switches off the screen
8. Press the CPU (System unit) Power button which switches
off the computer

Exercise: Turn off the Computer using Windows XP

1. Close all open documents and programs
2. Click on the Start button
3. Click on Turn off Computer
4. Turn off

Re-Start the Computer

You may need to restart your computer when it does not respond, or when
it just hangs up. There are several ways of doing this:
1. You can restart the computer using a keyboard by pressing three keys
together as follows: Ctrl+Alt+Delete, OR
2. You can also use the Restart button on your system unit, OR
3. You can follow the same steps as in shutting down the computer, but
instead of clicking the SHUTDOWN option on the dialogue box, click
on the RESTART option

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Exercise: Restart the Computer

1. Click on the Start button
2. Click on Shut Down
The shut down dialog box appears.
3. Click on Restart the computer
4. Click on the Yes button
The computer will restart and the desktop will appear again.

View the Computer’s Basic System Information

Different computers come equipped with different processor chips and
varying numbers and sizes of memory chips. Details of these components
are known as System Information.
It is sometimes necessary to find out the basic system information of your
computer. This includes:
! the operating system and to whom it is registered
! the type of the processor which determines the speed and efficiency
of your computer
! the amount of RAM (Random Access Memory), a temporary and
volatile memory which is only functional when the computer is on.
The System Properties screen looks like the example in this diagram.

HOW DO I VIEW THE SYSTEM INFORMATION?

The System Information is held in the Control Panel.
This can be accessed either by using the My Computer
icon on the desktop or by using the Start button, Settings
and selecting Control Panel.

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Exercise: View System Information and write down

what you see
Method 1 using the My Computer icon
1. Right click on the My Computer icon on the desktop
A Shortcut menu appears
2. Click on Properties
The System Properties dialog box appears.

Method 2 using the Start button/Settings/Control Panel/

System
1. Click on the Start button
2. Point to Settings
3. Click on Control Panel
4. Double-click on the System icon
The System Properties dialog box appears.

Method 3 using the Start button/Programs/Accessories

option
1. Click on the start button
2. Click on Programs
3. Click on Accessories
4. Click on Systems tools
5. Click on systems information
The systems properties dialog box or the sytems information
window appears and displays the information required.

View the Computer’s Desktop Configuration

The “Desktop” is the control screen that appears when the computer has
finished booting. The different features on this screen are explained later,
under the section “Desktop Environment”.
The general look of the desktop can be altered to suit individual users, in
terms of:
! The background pattern or wallpaper
! The position of the taskbar
! The arrangement of the icons

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The desktop configuration information is held in the Control Panel, which

can be accessed either via the Start button and clicking on Settings, or via
the My Computer icon, and clicking on the Control panel icon.
This section explains how the desktop configuration can be viewed, and
how it can easily be changed. Settings that can be viewed and changed
through the Control Panel are:
! Date & Time
! Regional Settings (including date format, that is American/English)
! Display (including screen savers)
! Fonts
! Keyboard
! Modems
! Mouse
! Sounds
! System
Since the desktop is the area where all the activities take place, many settings
can be changed to improve the look of the desktop. You can change the
date and time and, if your computer has a sound card, you can set the
volume from the desktop. Display options can be set i.e. changing the
background options and screen saver settings.

THE CONTROL PANEL

The control panel is used to modify or view current settings and therefore
can be used to customise the desktop environment. Remember that the
icons in the control panel will depend on the windows version being used.
This should not confuse you however, as the icons will always have a tag
or description for each icon.

• N.B. XP has two views, the classic view and the Category
view. Classic view shows windows displayed as in previous
forms of windows. It is up to you to use the classic or category
views. Change views between thumbnails, tiles, icons, list
and details in the classic view.

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DATE AND TIME SETTINGS

Most PC’s have a special chip on the Motherboard, called a CIMOS chip
that holds basic information even after power has been switched off. This
chip usually draws power from a tiny battery similar to a watch battery
The CIMOS chip holds details of the initial settings including the date and
time. It is important that these are correct because every file created has a
date and time stamp, and if date settings are lost there may be confusion
as to the latest version of a file. There may be occasions when the CIMOS
battery requires replacement, and the date and time settings need to be
corrected.

HOW DO I CORRECT THE DATE ON MY COMPUTER ?

Exercise: Correct the date settings

1. Double click on the Clock on the Taskbar
2. Click on the Month box
A list of months are displayed.
3. Click on February
You have now changed the month.
4. The following step will let you change the year. Observe to
the right of the month combo box there is a year spin box
with 2 arrows, Increasing and decreasing arrows. Keep on
clicking the Up arrow to increase to 2005
5. There is a calendar below to change the day. Click on 21
6. Click on the Apply button
So far you have changed the date to 21 February 2005.
Just to make sure, point on the clock on the taskbar. Are
you seeing the same date?
7. Reset the date correctly

HOW DO I CORRECT THE TIME ON MY COMPUTER?

As you can see there is an analogue clock and a digital one. When you are
changing time you change it on the digital clock and whatever changes
you make will also be made on the analogue clock.

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Exercise: Change the time setting in the computer

1. Double click on the Clock on the Taskbar
2. Point to the Hours section until the pointer changes to the
I-beam or text beam (I) then click
When you see the blinking cursor, move the mouse pointer.
3. Delete the numbers in the Hours section and type in 4
4. Press and release the tab key once to get to the Minutes
section. Type in 00 (minutes)
5. Press and release the tab key once to reach the Seconds
section and type in 00 (seconds)
6. Press and release the tab key and press either of the arrow
keys to change to PM if you are viewing AM
7. Click on the Apply button and observe the clock on the
Taskbar
You have just changed the time to 4.00 PM.
8. Click on the OK button to close the dialog box.
9. Your task is now to put in the correct time

HOW DO I INCREASE OR DECREASE THE VOLUME?

Whilst on the desktop you can adjust the volume by clicking on the volume
icon on the taskbar.

This tool tip appears when you

point on the volume icon on the
toolbar.

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This dialog box (shown on right) appears when you

double click on the volume icon on the taskbar. You can
then set the volume level of different devices by dragging
the volume slider.

Exercise: Adjust the Volume

1. Click on the Volume control on the taskbar
2. Drag the slider down
The volume is now lower.

WORKING WITH THE DISPLAY PROPERTIES

There are three ways of opening the Display Properties dialog box:
! Via Settings, Control Panel
! Via My Computer, Control Panel, and
! Using the Desktop Shortcut pop-up menu

U SING THE SETTINGS OPTION /CONTROL PANEL

1. Click on the Start button
2. Point to Settings
3. Click on Control Panel
4. Double click on the Display icon
The Display properties window appears.

USING THE SHORTCUT MENU OF THE DESKTOP

1. Right click on any blank space on the Desktop
2. Click on Properties
Display properties window appears.
The Display properties dialog box has four Tabs. These are the Background,
Screen Saver, Appearance and Settings tabs. The selected Tab in use looks
as if it is raised higher than the rest of the tabs. To select the tab click on the
tab you want.

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THE BACKGROUND TAB

The background tab has two main options, Pattern and Wallpaper. You
can choose either the Pattern or the Wallpaper as the background.

To use the Pattern, the selection on Wallpaper should be the

first option (none). To use the Wallpaper, the selection is the
desired Wallpaper.

Wallpapers are usually Bitmap Images with the following extensions:

.BMP
.DIB
You can insert any picture as the Wallpaper. You need first to scan in a
photograph and save it as a Bitmap Image file

Exercise : Change the Desktop Background

Option 1 Put a Pattern in the background
1. Open the Display Properties dialog box
2. Select the Background tab by clicking on it
3. On Pattern, scroll down and then click on Quilt
4. Go to Wallpaper section, scroll up and click on (none)
5. Click on Apply and then OK
You now have the pattern Quilt as the background.

Option 2 Put Wallpaper in the background

1. Open the Display Properties dialog box.
2. Go to the Wallpaper section
3. Scroll up and down to find Setup
4. Click on Setup
5. Click on Apply and then on OK
You have put in Wallpaper called ‘Setup’. It is blue and if
you look closely what do you see? You should see a design
showing the keyboard, the mouse, the CD-ROM and some
computer cables.

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If you choose Tile some wallpapers cover the whole Desktop,

but by choosing Centre the wallpaper is centred and surrounded
by the selected pattern.

SCREEN S AVER
Computer screens can be marked or scarred if the display is left unchanged
for an extended period. This is because the electron gun in the cathode ray
tube can burn that display into the coating on the screen.
Screen savers are programs that come into effect after a specified period
of time, and regularly change the screen display to prevent screen burn,
whilst keeping the original program or programs running in the background.

TO CHANGE SCREEN S AVER SETTINGS

1. Open the Display Properties dialog box
2. Click on the Screen Saver tab
3. Click in the Screen Saver combo box or list box
4. Click on the desired Screen Saver
5. Set the screen saver Time Interval for 2 minutes initially (you can
change it later)
6. Click on Preview to see how that screen saver will look on the screen

Exercise: Select the Flying Windows Screen Saver

1. Click in the Screen Saver list box
2. Click on Flying Windows
3. Click Preview being careful not to shake the mouse
You are now viewing the Windows Logos flying.

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Exercise: Put a Message in the Screen Saver

1. Click in the Screen Saver combo box
2. Select either Marquee, Scrolling Marquee or 3D Text
3. Click on the Settings button next to the combo box
4. Marquee Setup window appears
5. Click inside the text box (next to “Text”)
The blinking Cursor appears. This shows that you can now
start typing the message in, but first delete everything in
this box.
6. Type in your message and click OK
7. Click Preview and don’t shake the mouse
Your message will display.

KEYBOARD LANGUAGE
Keyboard language is the language used when entering text.

Automatically switch keyboard languages

When you are using different languages in Microsoft Word, the application
can automatically find the language in which the insertion point is placed
and switch to the correct keyboard language. You must note however that
the different languages are enabled through the Microsoft Office Language
Settings tool. The keyboard languages must be installed. Spelling and
grammar files may also need to be installed.
To set the language
1. Click on tools
2. Click on options
3. Click on the edit tab
4. Select the Auto-keyboard switching checkbox
The languages that can automatically be detected by Microsoft Word are:
Arabic; Chinese (Simplified); Chinese (Traditional); Danish; Dutch; English;
Finnish; French; German; Greek; Hebrew; Italian; Japanese; Korean;
Norwegian; Polish; Portuguese; Russian; Spanish; Swedish; Thai.
If you use a certain language regularly, you may want to change to a
different keyboard.

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HOW DO I CHANGE THE FORMAT OF THE F ONT?

What is meant by “Font”? A font relates to the way that letters appear. By
changing fonts you can adjust:
! Font type - The way your letters appear
! Font style - Bold, Italics, Regular and Bold Italics
! Font colour - Red, Blue, Purple etc.
! Font size - Each font type has its own minimum and maximum sizes.

Exercise: Change Display Font

1. Within the Display Properties dialog box.
2. Click on the Settings button
3. Click on the Format Text button
4. Now choose the font type, the size, the colour and the style
5. Click OK
6. Click on the Preview button and don’t shake the mouse

THE APPEARANCE TAB

This is what you want to see e.g. changing the Colour Scheme. You can
also change the size of the icons, the size of the Menu Bar and other aspects
of the appearance.

CHANGE THE COLOUR SCHEME

1. Click in the Scheme combo box
2. Click on Windows Standard
Did you see any change of colours in the preview area?
3. Click on Apply and on OK
The Windows standard colour scheme is usually the default scheme after
the installation of Windows. It is a combination of grey and blue.

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CHANGE THE SIZE OF DISPLAY ICONS

1. Click on the Item combo box
2. Scroll up and down and click on Icon
3. Click in the Size combo box and type in size 50.
4. Click on Apply and then on OK

Install, Uninstall a Software Application

Before we delve into the installation of an application, it is important to
understand that software must be bought form a reputable dealer and that
piracy of software is illegal. It is attracting huge fines which are easily avoidable
by going the honest route. A software application will usually be licenced for
the particular computer it is installed on. Sometimes huge companies can
get a blanket licence for a number of computers which is still legal.
To install a software application is very easy. As soon as you insert your
CD, you are usually taken straight to the installation window and you follow
instructions according to the steps we shall describe below. If however the
window does not pop up, you may follow the steps below. We shall install
the Norton Antivirus software application as a demonstration.

1. Click the Windows Start button, point to Settings, and

then click Control Panel.
1. Double-click the Add/Remove Programs icon.
2. Display the Install/Uninstall tab, and then click On the
tab Install.
3. A dialog box will pop up asking you whether you are
installing the program from the Floppy Disk or the CD-
Rom. Click Next.
4. A dialog box entitled ‘run installation programme’ will
automatically come up with a command line or path for
the installation programme. In this case, we are getting
it from the CD therefore the command line is correct in
saying D:/setup.exe. If it were a floppy disk you would
have had to replace the D with an A. If this is not the
location of your installation disk, click on Browse to find
it. As you click on different folders, Windows will be typing
in the correct path for the software to be installed.

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5. Click on Finish.
6. The windows installer will come up
preparing to install for a few seconds.
You should now see a dialog box
welcoming you to Norton Antivirus 2003.
Click Next.
7. Please note that you must agree with the
licence agreement we talked about
earlier in order for you to proceed. Read
the terms carefully and if you do not
agree, you are entitled to a refund if you
return the software to your retailer within
a specified period.
8. The next box will ask for a destination folder. Check the path of the
program to see if that is where you want your software application to
be installed. Remember that this location must be easy to find and
not involve too many sub-folders. Most programs are housed in
C:\Program Files. We will place Norton’s Antivirus in C:\Program files.
If you would like to put it elsewhere, click on Browse.
9. Click Next. Windows setup is now ready to install the application. Click
Next.
10. After installation, windows will update the system and you will need to
wait for a few minutes while all this is happening.
11. The Read Me Information comes up next and you need to read it
carefully before proceeding.
12. After following all the steps, you will finally get a congratulatory message
to say ‘Norton Antivirus 2003 has been successfully installed.’ Click
the finish button to exit the installation.
13. You will need to restart the computer for the changes to take effect.
After restarting, the information wizard comes up, click Next.
14. You now need to register your package and send an email or fax
details to the manufacturers for authenticity. Follow the steps for
registration.
15. With some packages like Norton’s Antivirus, there is a subscription
service, which when expired, can be purchased for a renewal period
like a year. Keep particular note of the expiration date so that you may
always have updated information and therefore protect your computer
against viruses. Click Next.

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16. You may now choose which tasks to install from the post-install tasks.
Follow the instructions until you finish.

17. With Norton’s Antivirus you will have to constantly run live-updates so
that you may have the latest protection against viruses. If you are on
Internet, you may download the definitions or if you are not on the
internet you can install from the disks.

18. The above basically describes how to install

a program although there are variations to
all installations. The installation wizard
actually gives it instructions as you go from
one step to the next.

U NISTALLING A P ROGRAM
1. Click on Start
2. Click on Settings
3. Click on the Control Panel
4. Click on Add/Remove
5. Click on the Install/Uninstall tab
6. Click on the desired program to be removed from the list of programs
in the dialog box
7. Click on the bottom tab that says Add/Remove
8. Click on the tab that says remove in the next window
9. Click on Uninstall
10. Once all the files are removed, click on Finish
11. The program is now removed; you need to restart the computer for
the changes to take effect
12. After restarting your computer, the program should now be removed

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Copying Screen Contents into a Document

There may be times when you need to include screenshots of what is
displayed on your computer's screen into your document. These
screenshots have been used in the production of these modules.
Just follow these steps:
1. Ensure that you have the appropriate page open that you want to
take a screen shot of.
2. Press the Print Screen key on your keyboard
3. Open the application you want to paste the screen shot in
4. Click on the paste button. Resize as you may require
Should you wish to just take a screen shot of a dialog box, in Step 2, click
on Alt+Print Screen (Press the Alt key and the Print Screen key
simultaneously). Continue as in the other steps.

Format a Floppy Disk

Formatting a disk is initialising a disk so that the computer can use it.
Floppy disks are bought preformatted.
You can format an old disk using either Quick format or a Full format. A
quick format will erase files only, whilst the full format will erase all files,
including hidden virus files, and will also check for media errors. The full
format will try and write to all sectors of the diskette, and then read from
these sectors. Any sectors that cannot be read are marked in the file
allocation table of the diskette as bad sectors, and will not be used when
data is written to the diskette
WARNING: Users should not try to format the hard disk as this will
delete software and make the computer inoperable.
When formatting you can enter a label, i.e. a unique name that you can
give to a disk for identification. To format a diskette you use the My
Computer program.

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Exercise: Format a floppy disk

1. Insert a floppy disk in drive A
2. Double click on the My Computer icon
The My Computer window appears.
3. Click on 3½ Floppy A: to select it
The floppy disc icon is highlighted.
4. Click on File on the file menu and then click on Format
The format dialog box appears.
5. Click on Full, then on Start
The process starts and when finished the results window is
displayed.
6. Click on Close to go out of the Format program
7. Click on Close again to return to the My computer window

Using the Help Functions

By using the help option on the start menu you can access the online help
facility from which you can find help for most of the tasks in Windows 98.
The help dialog box has three tabs: Contents, Index, and Find. (Do you
remember how to select tabs?)

HOW D O I OPEN THE H ELP DIALOG BOX?

1. Click on the Start button
2. Click on Help
The Windows help dialog box appears.

CONTENTS TAB
This is how to find help as if you were reading a book. In this section there
are book-like icons, which can be opened by double clicking or by selecting
and then clicking on the Display button.
Let us now find help on how to run a program. Remember run, open, start,
load, and execute can be used inter-changeably. For this follow these steps.

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WORKED EXAMPLE F IND HELP ON STARTING A PROGRAM

1. Open the Help dialog box
2. Click on the Contents tab if it is not in use
already
3. Double click on How to….
4. Double click on Run Programs
5. Click on Starting a program
6. Click on the Display button
This help window appears. To go back to
the help contents just click on Help Topics.

THE INDEX TAB

This is used when you want to search for a specific problem. This is done
by typing the first few letters of the word you are looking for, selecting the
phrase or word you want and then
clicking on the Display button.
1. Click on the Index tab
2. Type in Shut
3. Double Click on Shut down
command
4. Click on Shutting down your
computer
5. Click on Display
A screen message explaining how
to shut down the computer will
appear.
6. To go back to the list of topics, click
on Help topics

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DESKTOP ENVIRONMENT

WORKING WITH THE D ESKTOP

The desktop is one of the features that have made life easier in Windows
98. The desktop is the first screen that appears when you switch on your
computer after booting. This is analogous to a physical office desk because
it is where all the activities take place. The user works on the Desktop.
When the user opens a program the window of the program appears on
the desktop. The diagram below shows the Desktop and its features.

GENERAL FEATURES THAT ARE FOUND ON THE DESKTOP

Some general features found on the Desktop of most computers are

explained below.

MY COMPUTER
Double clicking this icon will open the My Computer program
and the physical features connected to your computer are
displayed so you can browse through to see the contents
of your Computer. You can also open and create folders,
open documents, run programs and install programs.

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Displayed when you open the My Computer program are:

! the disk drives e.g., 3.5-inch floppy A, Hard Drive C, and Compact
Disk Drive D
! the Printers Folder
! the Control Panel Folder, and
! the Dial-up Network.

Exercise: Open the My Computer program

1. Double Click on the My Computer icon on the Desktop
Are you seeing the features described above? List the ones
found on your computer.

INTERNET EXPLORER
Opening this Shortcut will open the Internet Explorer Program
World Wide Web Browser that you will use to access websites
once you are connected to the Internet.

INBOX: MICROSOFT EXCHANGE

This will start Microsoft Exchange which opens your inbox to
see if you have any electronic mail.

RECYCLE BIN
This feature makes the deleting and un-deleting of files easier
since files deleted from the Hard Disk are kept in the Recycle
Bin temporarily until it is emptied. Remember that only files
Deleted from the Hard Disk are kept in this Bin, those from
Floppy Diskettes are lost once deleted. Once you empty the Recycle Bin
the files will be completely lost.

START BUTTON
Clicking on this Button will pop up the Start Menu from which
you can select and run almost every program, by pointing
and clicking.

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THE TASKBAR
This stretches from the start button to the
clock block. Its main function is to display
the button for every running program, thus allowing task switching. Usually
horizontal at the base of the screen, but can also be at the top of screen or
vertically along the side of screen according to user preference.

Work with Icons & Windows

I CONS
An icon is a symbol that corresponds with either a specific program/task
or a specific file/folder. Icons improve the user-friendliness of the computer.
Instead of the user having to remember words or numbers (as is required
with menu selections) or complex commands and syntax (as is required
with command line interfaces), the user now can associate a picture with
each computer application.
Working with icons involves using the mouse to point at the required icon
and click. A single click will Select the program or file and a double click
will Launch (i.e. start the running of) the program.

RECOGNISING COMMON DESKTOP ICONS

! Applications - To launch an application that may be on the desktop,
double-click on it. On the diagram, Nero -V6 is an example of an
application
! Recycle Bin (wastebasket) - Drag files to the recycle bin
(wastebasket) from the Desktop (or from Windows Explore). To view
the contents of the Recycle Bin on it.
! Printer (HP Laserjet 1000 on the diagram) - Drag a file to the
printer and it will be printed (as long as the printer is connected to the
computer). Double-click on the printer to view its current status.
! Folder (/Directory) - Double-click a folder to open the folder, which
allows you to view the files stored in the folder. In the diagram, World
Links is an example of a folder
! File - When you double-click on a file (refurb donation letter on the
diagram), it is launched together with the software application that is
used to view and manipulate it.

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W INDOWS
Why Windows 98 is called Windows is because all programs run in separate
window-like structures. Every Program has a window and when you run a
program the window of that program is displayed.
Windows 98 is an operating system in which several tasks or programs
may be open at the same time. The user can toggle between the tasks to
work on, the task in the active window, and to copy and move data between
the tasks.
Each task has a separate window, and these can be re-sized so that all
open program windows are displayed.
However, it is generally easier to work with a full screen rather than a tiny
window, so the ideal arrangement is that the active task has a full screen
(that is the Window size has been maximised), and all other tasks have
their window sizes minimized. Later in this section, you will learn how to
move between the different windows.

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S HORTCUTS
Shortcuts are link files that store the information relating to a
file, that is, its directory path and filename. This means that
you can readily access the files or programs you use most
from the desktop, the Start menu or even the taskbar instead
of having to go via the menus before accessing the file or
program.
A shortcut is easily recognisable by the arrow that appears on the bottom-
left corner of the icon. (Refer to the shortcut for solitaire shown to the right).

Exercise: To create a shortcut of a program on the

desktop
1. Make sure that you
know the location of the
program OR if you do
not know use the find
facility of Windows (refer
to the section on
Windows help). Right-
click the mouse on any
section of the desktop.
If the desktop is not
visible, reduce or
minimize the size/s of
the open window/s.
2. Select New from the
pop-up menu that
appears
3. Click on Shortcut
4. Click the Browse
command button from
the Create Shortcut
dialog box that appears
5. Make sure that C: drive
is selected from the Look in: drop-down list
6. Double-click on Windows

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7. Use the horizontal scroll bar to locate the icon for the
Solitaire game called Sol ( ) and click on it.
8. Click the Open command button
9. The Create Shortcut dialog box now contains
the full path for solitaire. Steps 5 to 7 are taken to locate
the file from its location.
Click the Next> command button.
10. Type in a name for the shortcut in the textbox In our
example, we have typed the name Solitaire
11. Click the Finish command button.
12. You should then find an icon for the Solitaire
shortcut on the desktop.

Another way to create shortcuts is to make use of the My Computer icon

on the desktop to locate the file or program you want and then simply drag
the icon for your selected option to any section of the desktop using the
right mouse button. You can even apply this method to a folder you want
to be available on the desktop.
Shortcuts can also be created onto any section of the Start menu. The
examples below will illustrate this.

Exercise: To create a shortcut of a file on the desktop

1. Double-click on the My Computer icon ( ) on the

desktop
2. Select the drive containing the file, program or folder you
want a shortcut for on the desktop
3. Open the relevant folders until you get to the file, program
or folder you want
4. Right-drag (drag using the right mouse button) the file onto
the desktop. Select the Create Shortcut(s) Here option.

5. An icon for your shortcut is created on the desktop

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This same method can be used to drag shortcuts onto the desktop. The
issue is that if you drag the file onto the desktop, you are actually moving
it there. Use the right-drag method and select the Create Shortcut(s)
here option.

The Different Parts of a Window

There are some general features found on every window and these are:
! Caption or Title bar
! Program control menu
! Three main buttons; the Minimising, Maximising and the Close Button
! Menu bar
! Tool bar
! Scroll bars (vertical and horizontal)
! Working/display area
! Status bar
Microsoft Windows 98 programs and application programs designed to
run under Windows 98 all have the same “look and feel” in terms of these
general features. This is so that once a user has understood the use of
these features in Windows 98; the same features in Microsoft Word or
Microsoft Excel are also understood.

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COMMON FEATURES OF WINDOWS

The graphic representation of the general features found on every window
is shown in the following diagram.

THE PROGRAM CONTROL MENU

The icon of the program found on the caption bar
next to the name of the program provides six
options that control the program and these are:
! Restore (used to restore the maximised window)
! Move (used to re-position the window in the desired area)
! Size (for resizing the window to the desired size)
! Minimise (to be explained later)
! Maximise (to be explained later)
! Close (to be explained later)

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THE TITLE BAR

This is where the name of the program is displayed and also the minimise,
maximise and close buttons are found on this bar on the far right corner.

MINIMISING BUTTON
Clicking on this button will let the window disappear from the desktop
and the button of the program will be displayed on the Taskbar.
If you look closely there is an animation of the window from the desktop
area to the taskbar. This does not mean that the program is closed it is still
available in the background. When you want to use it just Click on its button
on the taskbar.

MAXIMISING OR RESTORE BUTTON

Clicking on this button will maximise the window, to cover the whole
desktop area and you will not be able to see the background. The
smaller window can be restored to allow you to see some other
part of the desktop background. The button changes to a square
when the window is maximised and to two merging squares when
it is restored.

CLOSE BUTTON
Clicking on this button will close the program completely and you
will have to re-open the program if you need to run it again. If you
have not yet saved the information you will be prompted to save
the file that you have been working on.

MENU BAR

This is found just below the title bar and displays different menus which,
when clicked on, display a drop-down menu that contains different menu
items. Clicking on icons on the toolbar can also perform some functions
of the menu items. This is usually a faster method than using the menu
bar.

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TOOL BAR

Contains icons or tools, which are a graphical representation of commands.

Pointing on a tool or icon will display a tool tip, which shows the function of
that specific tool as shown for the Cut button.

SCROLL BAR

There are two types of scroll bars the Vertical and the Horizontal. Note that
these appear only when necessary i.e. when the working area cannot
display all the contents and there is a need to scroll up and down, or left
and right to display the information.

STATUS BAR

As the name states it shows the status of the current activities taking place
in the window. From this we can easily tell without counting that the window
contains 11 objects. If this status bar relates to a Word Processor program
it would probably reflect page, section, line and column information.

D IALOG BOXES
Most of the important features have been covered but there are a lot of
dialog boxes in Windows programs and an understanding of the features
found in these dialog boxes is necessary.

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On most dialog boxes we have the following items:

! Caption bar with
the help and
close buttons
! Tabs and panels
! Radio buttons
! Check boxes
! Combo or list
boxes
! Command
buttons
! Spin Boxes

TABS AND PANELS

Some dialog boxes contain tabs and each tab has
an associated panel. For example the Taskbar
Properties dialog box has two tabs the Taskbar
Options and the Start Menu Programs. Each has
its own panel with different contents.
How do you select the desired tab? Click on the Tab that you want to
select.

How do you know that you are using the correct tab? It is easy to see
which tab is in use because it appears raised above the rest of the tabs. In
the above diagram the Taskbar Options tab is the one in use and its panel
will be displayed.

RADIO OR OPTION B UTTONS

Whenever you see these options it means that only one option can
be selected at a time and the selected option has a black dot in the
circle. How then do you select?
To make a selection click in the circle or on the name of the option
just next to the option button.

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CHECK B OX
When required to select from options using check boxes, you can
select or deselect all of them because this is not an either-or type
of option as with the radio buttons. How do you select? As with
the radio buttons just click in the check box next to the desired option or
click on the desired option.
How then do you know that it is selected? A check mark or tick ("
") in the
check box shows that the option is selected

COMBO OR LIST BOX

This type of display shows that there are a list of options from which one
can be selected by clicking on that option, after scrolling through by clicking
the down arrow found on the right hand side of the box.
How then do you use the combo box: Let us have a look at the screen
saver combo box:

Note that the option

highlighted in blue
will be selected after
you have clicked on
it.

C OMMAND BUTTONS
There are many command buttons used by these dialog boxes, here we
will only talk about some, which are commonly used. These are the OK,
Apply, Cancel and the Help button on the caption bar.

The OK button is used to confirm an action or acceptance

of changes. Other dialog boxes have Accept instead of
OK. Once you click on this button you will be accepting
any changes made and the Dialog box will close.

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There are times when you may open a wrong dialog box.
Click on this button to close without making any changes.
Clicking on the Cancel button will close the dialog box
and will not action any changes you may have made.

This is used when you have many changes to make on

the same dialog box but at the same time you want to
view the effect before making more changes. Clicking on
this button will action the change but will not close the dialog box. It is
therefore used to accept changes like the OK button whilst keeping the
dialog box open.

THE WHAT’S THIS BUTTON

There is also another feature in Windows 98 that works in exactly the same
way as the Help button but confuses some people whenever they see this
tool. It is known as the What’s This Button . It is mainly found in dialog
boxes as a question mark on the title bar.
Clicking on this button will give help on the current selected item. When
you see this button you can click on it to obtain help information on any
item/statement in the dialog box.

Exercise: Use the What’s This Button

1. Right click on any blank space on the taskbar
A shortcut menu appears.
2. Click on Properties
The Taskbar Properties dialog box appears.
3. Right click on Auto hide
A What’s this button appears.
4. Click on the What’s this button
A message starting with “Reduces the taskbar to a thin
line....” appears.

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HOW TO RE-SIZE A DESKTOP W INDOW

The minimise and maximise buttons are the easiest and most convenient
way of re-sizing any window. If the user wants several windows to be visible
at the same time, then this is achieved by pressing the Restore Window
button.
This places each open window in a cascading arrangement, which allows
the user to select by clicking on the title bar of the desired window. The
active window title bar is displayed as a different colour to other passive
windows.
Once all windows are cascaded, the size of each can be individually adjusted
by moving the mouse pointer slowly over the window edge until it becomes
a double-headed sizing pointer, and then holding down the CTRL button
while dragging the window frame to the desired size.

THE DIFFERENT P ARTS OF AN APPLICATION WINDOW

Windows based applications programs are all designed to have a similar
“look and feel” so wherever possible will use a similar layout and icons to
the operating system. There will always be a title bar and sizing buttons.
Depending on the application, there may also be a program control menu
bar, various tool bars and scroll bars.

HOW TO MOVE BETWEEN OPEN WINDOWS

Pressing the Alt and Tab keys together will toggle the user between the
open windows. Alternatively, clicking on the application tab on the task bar
will activate that application.

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 • Using a Computer & Managing Files – Module 2 •

ORGANISING FILES
This is the most crucial part in using the computer; it is therefore necessary
that every computer user understands the concept of File Management.
The major questions are: What is a folder? What is a file? What programs
do I use to manage files? How are files managed? This section of the
study guide will try to answer all these questions.

What are Files and Folders?

FOLDER
A folder is a way of organising files. Folders can contain sub-folders and
these sub-folders can again contain sub-folders. There is no limit as to
how many sub-folders can be contained in a sub-folder. Saving files in
logical folders provides a method of organising files to ensure easy access
by the user.

DIRECTORIES
Folders can also be called directories, so the terminology "Directory
Structure" refers to how the folders are arranged.
Each folder is given a name and an icon. The folder icon is a general icon,
with the following depicting the different types of folders:

For a shared folder

For an open folder

For a not shared (single user) folder

FOLDER NAMES
The user chooses folder names as appropriate. Windows 98 has a folder
"My Documents" intended to contain files created by users. This might not
always be suitable.

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If a computer is used by a number of people, separate folders will be

preferable, and these might be called "John Smith Documents", "Jane
Doe Documents" and so on.
Often, it will be easier to find files if they are organised in different folders
according to subject. For example, folders entitled "Tenders", "Complaints",
"Customers" and "Payroll" might be useful to separate files by subject.

PATH
There is also what is known as a path when one is dealing with files. The
path will show the position of the file or folder in a tree or in the structure of
folders. The path indicates first the drive followed by a colon, then the
folders and sub-folders separated by the backslash character, and lastly
the file name. For example a path has the following structure:
C:\Windows\system\bwcc.dll. This means that the file bwcc.dll is in the
system folder, which is a subfolder of the Windows folder in Drive C, which
is the root. With MS-DOS you needed to remember this syntax but with
Windows Explorer you can get to the file by clicking.

WHAT IS A FILE ?
A file is a collection of characters or bytes or information treated as a
single unit. A file has a name and an extension. There is a difference between
file names in MS-DOS and Windows 98. In MS-DOS the file name was
restricted to 8 characters only but with Windows 98 the name of a file can
be up to 255 characters long including spaces. This means that a whole
phrase can be used as the name of a file. All files must have 3 characters
for their extension, be it in MS-DOS or in Windows versions. Every file has
a name and an extension and between the name and the extension there is
a period or dot, i.e. <filename>.<Extension>. For example sales.xls
means sales is the name of the file and xls is the extension given by the
application program MS-Excel.
In general it is the user who decides on the name to be given to a file and it
is the program that gives the extension to that file. It is also necessary to
point out that there are different types of files, and that it is the extension
that determines the type of file.

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WHAT IS A FILENAME EXTENSION?

Software applications usually come with file extensions which are unique to
that particular program. Extensions or formats are 3-letter words which come
after the filename. For example, a word document is easily recognisable if it
has the filename Clara.doc. This also means that this file will open in the
particular program which the extension belongs to. In later versions of windows,
extensions have been allowed to exceed 3 letters e.g. .HTML files.

TYPES OF FILES
The following file types exist:
! Application or program files
! Driver files
! System Files
! Document or text files
! Audio files
! Video or animation files
! Graphic or image files
! Compressed files
! Temporary files

Application Files
These are also known as program files because they are executable files
and they are the ones used to run a program. Without these files a program
will not run. Program files have the following extensions:
.EXE
.COM
.BAT
.DLL (this is an Application extension)
Do not delete files with these extensions or other application type files.

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Driver Files
Every peripheral should have a driver file to enable it to communicate with
the CPU. Whenever you connect a new device to your computer you should
ensure that the driver files are available. For a printer to communicate with
the CPU there must be driver files for that model of printer. Most driver files
have the following extensions:.DRV, .VXD and .386
Do not delete files with these extensions.

System Files
These control the running of the system. Do not delete them or move them
from their system folder. They have the following extensions:
.SYS (for System)
.INI (initialisation)
.DAT (for Registry data)
.PWL (for Password files)
These files are also necessary when updating your computer's operating
system so it is advisable to backup these files before you run setup.

Document Files
These are output by Word Processing programs, each program having its
own extension, for example:
.DOC (from Word Pad and Microsoft Word. The Microsoft Word icon
is shown here: )
.WPD (from Word Perfect)
.WPR (from Lotus WordPro)
.WRI (from Write)
.TXT (for text files, with the most common icon for it being: )
.RTF (for Rich Text Format, Also supported by Word Pad)
.PDF (for Acrobat reader files)
If you open this type of file, you should be able to read it because it contains
written material.

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Spreadsheet Files
These are output by spreadsheet programs with each spreadsheet program
having its own extension for recognising files that can be opened by the
program. Examples of extensions for spreadsheet programs are given
below:
.WK1 ; .WK3 ; .WK4 ; .WT4 ; .123 (for Lotus 1-2-3)
.XLS ; XLB ; XLT (for Microsoft Excel with its common icon being: )

Database Files
These are output by database programs with each database program
having its own extension for recognising files that can be opened by the
program. Examples of extensions used by Microsoft Access include .MDA;
.MDB; .MDW; .MDN; .MAF; .MAM.

Presentation Files
These are output by presentation programs which are software designed
to add interest and clarity to reports and presentations. Examples of
extensions for presentation programs are given below:
.CDR (for Corel Draw)
.PUB (for Microsoft Publisher)
.PRZ ; .SYM ; .DGM ; .PAL ; . (for Lotus Freelance Presentation)
.PPT ; .PPS ; POT (for Microsoft PowerPoint with the common icon
being: )
.PM6 (for Aldus PageMaker)

Audio Files
Each type of sound program may assign its own extension but there are
some that are common and these sound files have the following extensions:
.WAV (The common icon for a wave file: )
.MID
.MP3
If you double click a file with this extension, it will open the sound program
and you will be able to hear the sound. Try it if your computer has a sound
card and speakers.

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Video or Animation Files

Here also we have a number of programs that can assign different
extensions. The common video extensions are:
.AVI
.MOV
.MPG
.FLI
.GIF (although this is an image extension it can also support motion).
Double clicking on files with these extensions will display motion or
animation.

Image or Graphic Files

It is not possible to list all possible extensions, because of the large number
of graphic programs that exist. Here are some common image file
extensions:
.BMP for Bitmap Image ( ) which is usually the extension for the
backgrounds on the Desktop
.DIB Device Independent Bitmap also used as Wallpaper
.JPG Good extension which does not require too much disk space
because of high compression
.TIF; .GIF; .PCX; .PSD; .PCD; .PIC and .TGA
Files with these extensions contain some form of art or picture. Opening
these files will display some form of graphics.

Compressed files
There are software programs that are available that can be used to reduce
(compress) file sizes. This may be necessary where one wants the file to
be smaller for e-mail transmission or for transfer to another media, etc. A
common compression software program is PKunzip or Winzip (A common
icon use by Winzip is this one : to reflect the zipped folder containing
the file). Compressed files are normally associated with the .zip extension.

Temporary files
These are special files that are created by the system and have the extension
.tmp. They are commonly associated with this icon :

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FILE SIZES
Please note that every file has a size given in bytes. Information is stored in
the form of bytes and a byte represents a character.
A byte is formed of bits and a bit is the smallest unit of data storage,
represented by an on/off, 0/1, presence/absence of magnetisation.
There are 8 bits in each byte. The units used for measuring data/file/disk
sizes are:
1 byte = 8 bits
1 Kilobyte (Kb) = one thousand bytes (precisely 1 024 bytes)
1 Megabyte (MB) = one million bytes (precisely 1 048 576 bytes)
1 Gigabyte (GB). = one billion bytes

WHAT PROGRAMS DO I USE FOR MANAGING F ILES?

If you have used the previous versions of Windows you will realise that in
the older versions there is a File Manager. Windows Explorer in Windows
98 has replaced this, and in addition in Windows the My Computer function
can be used for file management.
The following is a brief overview of each of these programs

Windows Explorer
The screen is divided into two panes namely, the All Folders pane and the
Contents pane. The All Folders pane will display all the drives and the
folders and the Contents pane will display the files in the current folder. You
will understand this better when you use it.

My Computer
This has only one window and, once opened, will display all the physical
features connected to your computer. These are all the drives i.e. Drive A,
Drive B, Drive C, Drive D, the Control Panel and the Printers Folder. The
only problem with the My Computer program is that if not set to work with
multiple windows, it will open a window for every open folder, hence the
desktop becomes cluttered with windows. Windows Explorer gives a better
and clearer view.
Network Neighborhood
Usually used to browse the network but it works in more or less the same
way as the My Computer program in terms of the single display. Double
clicking this program on the Desktop will open a window that displays all
the computers on the network.

Using Windows Explorer

The most powerful tool for organising files in Windows 98 is Windows
Explorer. Before starting the next section, here are instructions on how to
use Windows Explorer.

HOW DO I OPEN THE WINDOWS EXPLORER PROGRAM ?

There are several ways of opening Windows Explorer. This section will deal
with the most common and easy ways of opening this program.

USING THE START BUTTON

1. Click on the Start button
2. Point to Programs
3. Click on Windows Explorer
The Windows Explorer window
appears.

RIGHT CLICKING ON THE START BUTTON

1. Right click on the Start button
A short cut menu appears.
2. Click on Explore
The Windows Explorer
window appears.
 • Using a Computer & Managing Files – Module 2 •

OPENING BY RIGHT C LICKING ON MY COMPUTER

1. Right Click on the My
Computer Icon on the
Desktop
A shortcut menu appears
with Open as the first
option and Properties as
the last.
2. Click on Explore
The Windows Explorer
window appears.

RIGHT CLICKING ON THE NETWORK NEIGHBORHOOD

1. Right Click on the Network
Neighbourhood on the
Desktop
A shortcut menu appears with
Open as the first option and
Properties as the last.
2. Click on Explore
The Windows Explorer window
appears.
You could also right click on the My Briefcase icon and then on Explore to
open the Windows Explorer Program.

The Windows Explorer Screen

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Some methods of opening the Windows Explorer have been described.

The Windows Explorer window has all the general features or parts found
on other windows, but there is also something particular about it. This is
the division of the working area into two panes, i.e. the All Folders pane
and the Contents pane. These panes are divided by the split bar, which can
be moved from left to right and vice-versa. The All Folders pane shows the
hierarchy of devices and folders in your computer from the first level which
is the Desktop, followed by My Computer, the drives and then the folders.
The Contents pane shows the contents of the current selected folder. When
the folder is opened the icon changes to the icon for an open folder.
In this section reference will be made to the new features particular to the
Windows Explorer window. In the previous diagram, you see the contents
of the open folder Instant Artist, i.e. the files contained in this folder. On the
status bar the number of files, the amount of disk space used by these files
and finally the amount of free space in the disk are displayed. Changing
the details view mode or display style changes the amount of information
given for each file. Folders can be expanded or collapsed. The following is
a description of the state of folders.

FOLDER ICONS
This shows that the folder contains sub-folders, is collapsed and
can be expanded.

This feature shows that the folder contains sub-folders, is expanded

such that you are viewing the sub-folders and can be collapsed.

This is an example of an expanded folder and here Spear

is a sub-folder of the Games folder.

HOW TO EXPAND AND COLLAPSE FOLDERS?

Click inside the box with a plus or minus sign next
to the folder icon. To collapse the games folder
click in the minus box as shown on the diagram
on the right.

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HOW TO OPEN A FOLDER WHILST ON THE ALL FOLDERS PANE

Now that you have learnt about expanding and collapsing folders, how do
you open a folder to see its contents? To open a folder click on its icon if you
are in the All Folders pane but double click on it if you in the Contents pane.

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Here are the steps to follow when changing the view mode. You can only
use one view mode at a time. The view mode with a dot next to it is the one
in use and the icon on the toolbar will be depressed. You can either use the
menu bar or the toolbar.

USING THE MENU BAR TO CHANGE THE VIEW MODES

1. Click on View on the menu bar
The view menu appears as shown in the
diagram.
2. Click on the desired View mode
The view mode changes and you can
observe the change in the Contents pane.

The following diagram shows how files will be displayed in Details view
mode.

FUNCTIONS OF THE TOOLS ON THE TOOLBAR

Remember if you point on a tool a Tool Tip appears that displays the name
and describes the function of the tool. The functions of the tools found on
the toolbar of the Windows Explorer are the same as those found on the
My Computer display.

One Level Up Tool

Clicking on this tool will move you one folder level up until you get
to the first level of your computer, which is the Desktop. When you
get to the Desktop level the tool is inactivated or "greyed out"
showing that you have reached the highest level.

Map Network Drive

Click on this tool to assign a drive letter to a shared network resource.

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Disconnect Network Drive

Clicking on this tool will disconnect the mapped drive.

Cut
Clicking on this tool will move a selected item onto the clipboard.
The Item can later be pasted elsewhere using the Paste tool.

Copy
If you click on this tool the selected item will be sent to the clipboard
but the original item will remain where it was. The clipboard item
can be pasted elsewhere.

The Undo Tool

Another powerful tool used to reverse the last action. Clicking on
this will return to the previous action performed. Some programs
like Ms-Word will undo more than 10 actions and the Paint program
up to 3 actions.

The Delete Tool

This tool when clicked on will send the selected file or Folder to the
Recycle bin if you are deleting from drive C:. Before doing this, the
computer will display a message requesting confirmation of the
deletion, to avoid deletion in error. Avoid indiscriminate use of this
tool.

The Properties Tool

Every object, item file or folder in Windows 98 has properties. Properties
in Windows Explorer can be viewed by clicking this tool, the effect of
which is the same as right clicking on a file or folder (where a shortcut
menu appears) and then clicking on Properties (which then opens
the Properties dialog box of the selected file or folder).

The Large Icon Tool

Clicking on this tool will change the way in which files and folders
are displayed in the Contents pane. As the name states they will be
displayed in the form of Large Icons.

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Small Icons Tool

This tool works opposite to the one above.

List Tool
Clicking on this tool will let Windows Explorer display a list of files
and folders showing the icon and the name only. This tool can easily
be confused with the Small Icons tool.

The Details Tool

Displays a list of files and folders showing name, size, type and
date/time modified. This tool is different from the rest of the view
mode tools in that it is depressed when selected.

Basic Directory and Folder Structure on a Computer

On a stand-alone computer, the top of the directory structure is "My
Computer".
This is divided into areas according to the storage devices available, which
might be:
A: for the 3.5-inch floppy disk drive
B: for the 5.25-inch floppy drive (very unusual, only on very old computers)
C: for the Hard Disk drive
D: for the CD-ROM drive
The Hard Disk is the major storage device and will be divided into separate
areas for:
! The Operating System software
! Application Programs
! User files
User files should NOT be saved in the directories containing software.
This is because those files would be lost if the software had to be re-loaded
for any reason, and more importantly, to reduce accidental tampering with
program files.

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HOW TO CREATE A FOLDER

To get started with real file management, we need to be able to create,
move, copy, rename and delete folders. We have already discussed the
folders, i.e. the icons, their structure. Now it is time to create folders.
There are two methods available to create a folder and you can choose
whichever is suitable for you.

CREATING A FOLDER USING THE MENU BAR

1. Select the drive or the folder in which you want to create the new
folder
2. Click on File on the menu bar
File menu appears.
3. Point to New
Submenu appears with folder as
the first option.
4. Click on Folder
The New Folder Icon appears
with a blinking cursor which
shows that you can type in the
name of the folder.
5. Type in the name of the Folder and press Enter
The Folder will be created.

CREATING A FOLDER USING THE SHORTCUT MENU

1. Select the drive or the folder in which you want to create
the new folder
2. Make sure that the Contents pane displays the folder
that you have selected
3. Right click on any blank space in the Contents pane
The shortcut menu appears.
4. Point on New
The sub menu appears.
5. Click on Folder
The New Folder Icon appears with a blinking cursor
which shows that you can type in the name of the folder.
6. Type in the Name of the Folder and press Enter
The Folder will be created.

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S UB-FOLDERS
You can also create subfolders by following the same steps.
Lets imagine that you have been asked to keep the
information about every form or grade at your school and
the Headmaster has asked you to hold this information in
the computer. At this hypothetical school you have Form
one up to form Four and each form has 3 classes i.e. A to
C. Create a folder structure for easy access of the
information starting with the name of the School as the
parent folder in C: as the root. Your tree in Windows Explorer
should look like the one shown in this diagram.
The diagram shows that the Mambo High folder is open
and in this we have 4 subfolders namely Form 1, Form 2,
Form 3 and Form 4. Form 1 and 2 have sub-folders class 1A to 1C and 2A
to 2C respectively. The structure can be represented graphically as follows:

Exercise: Create a folder in Drive C with the name My

Exercises and inside this folder Create a subfolder
called My Letters
1. Open the Windows Explorer program
2. Click on Drive C:
3. Click on File, then point to New
4. Click on Folder
5. Type in My Exercises and press Enter
6. Click on My Exercises and then repeat step 3 and 4
7. Type in My Letters and press Enter
You have now created your own folder which you will use
in the next sections.

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HOW TO VIEW FOLDER ATTRIBUTES

Folder Attributes are viewed by:
! Right clicking on the Start button
! Selecting Explore
! Finding the required folder
! Selecting that folder with a single click
! Right clicking the mouse
! Clicking on Properties

HOW TO RECOGNISE TYPES OF FILES

Within Windows Explorer, and the My Computer programs, different types
of files are shown with different icons, depending on the application used
to create the file. Document files created with Microsoft Word have a dark
blue "W" icon. Spreadsheet files created with Microsoft Excel have an icon
with a "X" symbol. Zipped files are depicted with an icon showing a folder
held squashed in a vice. The user will soon learn to recognise the different
types of files by the icons.
To determine the type of file:
! Right click on the Start button
! Select Explore
! Find the required folder
! Select that folder with a single click
! Right click the mouse
! Click on Properties, the "File Type" is described near the top of the
screen

HOW TO VIEW FILE ATTRIBUTES

File Attributes are viewed by selecting the file, right clicking the mouse and
then clicking on Properties, in exactly the same way that folder attributes
are viewed.

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Changing File Status

Anyone with access to the files on a computer can open the file and change
its contents, hence the term read-write file. If you want to protect your files
against this, you need to change their status to read-only (or locked). When
this has been done, someone can still view the file, but they will not be able
to change the contents.
This is accomplished as follows:
1. Open Windows Explorer (right-click on the
Start Button or on My Computer icon on the
desktop, or select Windows Explorer from the
Programs menu).
2. Locate the folder containing the file whose
status you want to change
3. Right-click the file and choose Properties from
the submenu.
4. In the Properties dialog box, click the Read-
Only option found near the bottom of the
screen in the Attributes area
5. Click on OK .

To make a file read-write after it has been changed to read-only, repeat

steps 1 to 3, and in step 4, uncheck the Read-Only option.

Please note that when you open the file, the title bar will display
When you try to save the file, it will present you with the Save As dialog box
so that you can save your changes with another name. Should you try to
save the file with the same name you will receive an error message :

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Sorting Files
This helps to make it easier to find files.
This is easily achieved in Windows Explorer.
1. Open the relevant folder
2. Click on the View menu
3. Select Arrange Icons by
You are then presented with
a number of sorting options
explained below. Note that
when you select the option it
may the first time sort the
contents in ascending
alphabetical order. If you
select the same option again,
it will sort the contents in
descending alphabetical
order. Try it!

Option Effect
Name Arranges the folder contents in alphabetical order with files
categorized on their own and then folders on their own.
Size Arranges the files in order of file size.
Type Arranges the files in grouped order according to file types,
that is files of a particular type such as Word documents
are grouped together alphabetically.
Date Arranges icons in the order that the folder contents were
last modified.
AutoArrange Arrange the icons in columns along the left side of your
screen.

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How to Rename Files and Folders

You are advised not to rename files of folders for the sake of renaming.
Rename only the files or folders which you created. Please bear in mind
that changing someone else's file or folder name will make it very difficult
for that person to locate his or her files.

TO RENAME A FILE OR FOLDER USING THE SHORTCUT MENU

1. Select the file or folder to be renamed
2. Right click on the selected file
3. Click on Rename
4. Type in the new name and press Enter or click anywhere in the working
area

TO RENAME A FILE OR FOLDER USING FILE MENU ON THE

MENU BAR
1. Select the file or folder to be renamed
2. Click on file on the menu bar
3. Click on Rename
4. Type in the new name and press Enter or click anywhere in the working
area

TO RENAME A FILE OR FOLDER U SING THE F2 KEY

1. Select the file or folder to be renamed
2. Press the F2 key (Remember this is one of the keys found on the top
row of the keyboard)
3. Type in the new name and press Enter

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Exercise: Rename the folder My Letters as My Exams

1. Open the Windows Explorer program
2. Click on the My Exercises folder to open it
3. In the Contents pane, click on the My Letters folder to
select it.
4. Press the F2 key
5. Type in My Exams and Press Enter
You have now changed the name My Letters to My Exams,
remember you will use this folder in subsequent exercises.

How to Select Files

Before moving, copying, deleting or renaming files, they need to be selected.
Selecting is the first step when you are deleting, copying, moving or
renaming. There are times when you want to copy or delete multiple files
or folders in one operation. To do this, it is necessary to select multiple
files. These multiple files may be close together, called adjacent files or
folders, or they can be separated, called non adjacent files or folders

SELECTING ADJACENT FILES OR FOLDERS

1. Click on the first file or folder to be
selected
The file becomes shaded with a
different colour.
2. Hold down or keep on pressing the
shift key and click on the last file or
folder to be selected
All selected files become shaded with
a different colour.

SELECTING NON-ADJACENT F ILES OR F OLDERS

1. Click on the first file or folder to be selected
The file becomes shaded with a different colour.
2. Hold down (keep on pressing) the Control key Ctrl whilst you click on
the desired files or folders to be selected in turn
All selected files become shaded with a different colour.

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SELECTING ALL FILES OR FOLDERS

1. Click on Edit on the menu bar
The edit menu appears.
2. Click on Select All
All files or folders will be selected.

How to Copy Files, and to Make Backup Copies of

Files
Within the Windows context COPY means replicate. Hence making a copy
of a file will leave the original file unchanged, in its original location. You
can make copies of a file with the same file name in different folders. If you
want to copy a file in its original folder, then the new file will need to have a
different name.
A backup copy is a means of securing a file against accidental loss or
corruption. It is often useful to make a backup copy of a complex file before
modifying it, so that the original is available in case of problems during the
modification process. Highly sensitive, mission-critical, files should have
back-up copies made on a different device. This is to prevent complete
loss of those files in the event of problems with the computer's hard drive.
There are several methods used to
copy files or folders. We will discuss
them all and you can choose the
one you prefer. Depending on the
speed of your computer and the
amount of files being copied an
animated message box like the one
shown here appears showing the
copying process.

The following are the methods you can use to copy files:
! Using the drag mode
! Using the copy and paste commands from the edit menu on the menu
bar
! Using the toolbar
! Using the shortcut menu
! Using the send to command from the shortcut menu

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COPYING FILES OR F OLDERS USING THE DRAG MODE

1. Select the files or folders to be copied
2. Drag any of the selected items
3. Hold down the Control Key (Ctrl) and release the mouse button when
the destination is selected or highlighted.

COPYING FILES OR FOLDERS USING THE COPY AND PASTE

FROM THE EDIT MENU ON THE MENU BAR

1. Select the files or folders to be copied

The files are highlighted.
2. Click on Edit on the menu bar
The Edit menu is displayed.
3. Click on Copy
4. Select the desired destination.
The destination folder or drive is highlighted in a different colour.
5. Click on Edit again and then on Paste
The selected files and folders will be copied.

USING THE TOOLBAR

This method is similar to the previous method described, only is it is faster.
1. Select the files or folders to be copied
The files are highlighted.
2. Click on the Copy icon on the toolbar
3. Select the desired destination
The destination folder or drive is highlighted in a different colour.
4. Click on the Paste icon on the toolbar
The selected files and folders will be copied.

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USING THE SHORTCUT MENU

1. Select the files or folders to be copied
2. Right click on any of the selected files
The shortcut menu appears.
3. Click on Copy
4. Right click on the desired destination folder
The shortcut menu appears.
5. Click on Paste
The selected files and folders will be copied.

USING THE SEND COMMAND FROM THE SHORTCUT MENU

1. Select the files or folders to be copied
2. Right click on any of the selected files
The shortcut menu appears.
3. Point to Send to
A submenu appears with 3.5" Floppy A:
as seen on the diagram.
4. Click on the desired destination
On the diagram the selected drive is A:
The selected files and folders will be
copied to Drive A:.

Exercise: Copy the My Exams folder to My Exercises

using Copy and Paste
1. Open the My Documents folder
2. Locate the My Exams folder
3. Right click on the My Exams Folder
4. Click on Copy
5. Locate the My Exercises folder and Right click on it
Click on Paste Now you have a duplicate of the My Exams
Folder in My Documents and in the original My Exercises.

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How to Move Files and Folders

Moving is simply re-locating the file or folder to another folder on the same
drive. You cannot use the simple drag mode to move files or folders from
one folder to another of a different drive. When you move make sure that
you are moving the right file or folder, as an incorrect move may affect the
running of your programs. Never move the Windows folder or any of its
contents.
As with most Windows functions, there are several ways to move files and
folders, as listed below:
! Using the drag and drop mode
! Using the cut and paste commands from the edit menu on the menu
bar
! Using the toolbar
! Using the shortcut menu
! Using the send to command of the shortcut menu

USING THE DRAG AND D ROP MODE

1. Select the files or folders to be moved
2. Drag to the desired destination
3. When the destination is highlighted Drop by releasing the mouse
button
The file or folder is moved and will no longer appear in the previous
location.
On the diagram the folder
being moved is samples
and it is being moved to the
folder cartoon.

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ICONS WHICH INDICATE WHAT IS HAPPENING TO A FILE OR

F OLDER
This shows that the file is being moved

This shows that the file is being copied

There is also another structure, which can be called the No Go Area.

This indicates that you cannot drop this file or folder in this
location and you need to change the destination.

MOVING FILES OR FOLDERS USING CUT AND PASTE

When you copy you retain the original and carry the copy, but when you
cut you are moving the item to a clipboard for pasting, and it is no longer
available in the original location. You can use either the menu bar or the
toolbar to cut and paste.

USING THE SHORTCUT MENU

1. Select the file or
folder to be moved
2. Right click on the
selected file
3. Click on Cut
4. Right click on the
destination
5. Click on Paste
The files or folders will be moved and an animated message box
will appear showing the move is in progress.
You can also use the Edit menu on the menu bar or the cut and paste
tools, icons on the toolbar, for cutting and pasting.

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Exercise: Move the My Correspondence folderFrom

My Exercises to My Documents
1. Open the My Exercises folder
2. Create a new folder called My Correspondence
3. In the Contents pane right click on My Correspondence
4. Then click on Cut
5. Locate the My Documents folder and right click on it
6. Click on Paste
The folder has been moved and if you check in the My
Exercises folder there is no folder called My Correspondence.

How to Delete Files or Folders

Remember that there are some files and folders that should never be deleted.
Accidental deletion of operating system files or program files may
temporarily destroy the computer's functionality. If you have forgotten please
refer back to the section on Files. Files are usually deleted when they are
not wanted or when the user wants to create space. Once files are deleted
from the hard disk they are stored temporarily in the Recycle bin until the
bin is emptied. When the Recycle bin is emptied the files can never be
restored; i.e. they are completely lost. When in the Recycle bin they still
occupy the same amount of disk space. So when you delete to create
space quickly empty the Recycle bin. When you delete from a floppy disk
the files are not moved to the bin but are immediately lost.

DELETING A FILE OR FOLDER USING THE DELETE KEY ON THE

KEYBOARD
1. Select the file or folder to
be deleted
2. Press the Delete key
A message box appears,
asking you to confirm
deletion.
3. Click on the Yes button if you want to delete and No to cancel without
deleting

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When files are being deleted or

moved to the recycle bin the
animated message box
appears showing that deleting
is in progress.
Now you are going to delete
the My Exercises folder. Notice
when you delete a folder you also delete its contents.

Exercise: Delete the My Exercises folder

1. Click on the My Exercises folder to select it
2. Press the Delete Key
3. Click on the Yes button when the message appears
The folder is moved to the recycle bin pending final deletion.
To check for deleted material in the Recycle bin.
4. Minimise the Windows Explorer program by clicking on the
minimising button
5. Locate the Recycle bin and double click on it to open.
6. Scroll up and down to locate the My Exercises folder

RESTORING FILES FROM THE RECYCLE BIN

Restoring files is the same as undeleting them. Restoring the file will move
the file from the Recycle Bin back to its original location without losing the
path.
However, please note that once the Recycle Bin has been emptied, the files
that were contained in it cannot be restored.

Exercise: Restore the My Exercises folder from the

Recycle Bin
1. Click on the My Exercises folder to select it
2. Click on File
3. Click on Restore
The My Exercises folder is put back in its original location.

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Searching
As you add more and more files, it becomes harder to locate the file you
may need to use. Fortunately, Windows comes with a Search facility to
assist you to locate files on your computer (and even on computers
connected on your network).

ACCESSING THE SEARCH OPTIONS

From the Start button, click on Find. A number of search options are
presented as
shown in the
diagram

(a) Searching for a file by name

You may at times remember the name of the file or part of the file name.
Make sure that the Name and Location tab is seleectred as in the diagram
1. In this case you
type this in the text
box Named name:
(Area A on the
diagram)
2. A further criteria to
use is to select the
location the file is in
from the Look in:
drop-down list
3. If you do not
remember, just
select My Computer
or the default local
hard drives (C;D:)
4. Click on the Find Now button. Files that meet your criteria are
displayed.
5. Click on the required file to open it.

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(b) Searching by content

There may be times you have forgotten the name of the file but still know
some of the contents the file had.
1. In this case type in the text you remember for the file in the text box
Containing text:
2. Click on the Find Now button. Files that meet your criteria are
displayed.
3. Click on the required file to open it.

(c) Searching by date modified/date created

Windows does not have a direct way for you to search for files by date
created. You just have to click on the Date tab.

You then click on the appropriate option as shown on the diagram, such
as:
1. During previous days. All you will need is to input the no. of days you
want to base your search on
2. During the previous months
In the example on the diagram, we were searching for files modified between
5 October 2004 and 11 November 2004. These dates include the date the
file we are looking for was created.
From the results page, right-click on the header row titled Date Modified.
The files are now in order and you just then look for the date you are
looking for and then the relevant file.

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(d) Searching for files by size

1. Make sure that Advanced tab is selected

2. Select the appropriate size option from the options.

3. Click on the Find Now button. Files that meet your criteria are
displayed.
4. Click on the required file to open it.

(e) Searching for files using wildcards

These are used to narrow the results of a search.
A wildcard is a symbol that represents one or more characters. Windows
makes use of two wildcard characters:
The asterisk (*) matches one or more characters,
The question mark (?) matches any one character in the given position.
For example, when searching by filename or by content:

*.doc Will search for all files with the extension doc

World* Will search for all files which start with the characters world,
and have 0 or other characters after this

Wor?d Will search for all files which start with the characters wor
and have any character and then end with d. Examples could
be world, wored, etc.

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Viewing Recently Used Files

Sometimes the easiest way to find a file is to view a list of the most recently
used files. This way you do not have to use the search skills described
above.
To find a file this way:
1. Click on the Start menu
2. Select Documents
3. From the list of files, click a file to open it.
Only with Windows 2000 or higher, if the Start menu doesn’t list your
recently used documents, right-click on the Start menu and choose
Properties from the menu. Ensure that the Start Menu tab is active and
click on the Customize button. Click on the Advanced tab and check the
List my most recently opened documents option. Click on OK twice.

Compressing Files

WHAT IS FILE COMPRESSION?

We have seen from the search option that there can be many files stored
on the computer. Depending on how much space you have on your
computer, you may find that you do not have as much memory as you
would like. It may also happen that you may want to save a file on a
storage device and there isn’t enough space on the storage device. To make
the file fit on the storage device, you need to shrink it to a certain size that
will fit the storage device and still keep the same information. This reduction
is known as file compression. Programs such as Winzip, Pkzip or ARJ are
usually used to compress files. For example, a file named DOC.ZIP could
contain 25 word files stored at a reduced file size.

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! If you share compressed folders with users on other computer

systems, you may want to limit the compressed folder name to eight
characters with a .zip file extension. Please note that you cannot use a
zipped file in the zip format. To read it , you have to put it back in its
original form. Converting the compressed file to its original form is
known a extracting the zipped file.

EXTRACTING FILES
1. On the desktop, double-click My Computer, and then locate the
compressed folder. e.g. WinZip

2. Click on extract
3. You can either type in the path where you want the file to go to or click
on the folders on the right hand-side
4. Click on extract again
5. The file is extracted to its new location.
6. The compressed version still remains in the compressed folder. You
must note that a password has to be provided if the file is encrypted.
To delete the compressed version, right-click it, and then click Delete.
7. When you extract an encrypted file, encryption is turned off for the file.
However, the original file remains encrypted in the compressed folder.

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VIRUSES

What is a virus?
! If you think of your own body as a computer, and the various diseases
that can affect it as viruses, you will understand more clearly how
viruses work and what they are. A flu virus in your body can render
you useless for a few days whereas a stronger virus may actually kill
you. This is exactly how computer viruses work. A virus is therefore a
“A piece of software that can replicate itself from one computer to
another without the user being aware of it. Some viruses are relatively
harmless, but others can damage or destroy data. Professionals who
have an in-depth knowledge of programming normally create these
viruses.
The virus can quickly spread into memory as the computer boots from an
infected disk. From memory the virus then infects executable files or disk
boot sectors, email and even the Internet. The virus normally lies dormant
until some event occurs to trigger it e.g. sending mail. Once this happens,
it is now free to replicate itself and do the intended damage.
Another definition of a virus is “a piece of code, which may be malicious,
which attaches itself to another programme or to the boot sector of a disc.
A virus must be executed before it can cause any problems.” The main
point about a virus is self-replication not the damage it may or may not
do. See also “Trojan horses, and logic bombs” below.
Below are some statements which will help you to easily recognise what
viruses are:
! The major function of a virus is to make sure that it reproduces itself
just as a flu virus would carry itself to other people. It is important to
understand that a lot of people are not aware that they are forwarding
viruses as they are in-built into a program.

TYPES OF V IRUSES
There are so many viruses that it is almost impossible to know them all.
This is because new viruses are always being created as soon as an antidote
is found for the last one. Below are some types of viruses that are common.
Viruses are graded into classes of what they infect and how they try to
evade being detected.

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Boot viruses: infect the boot sectors of floppy disks, or the boot sector or
master boot record (partition sector) of a hard disk.
Program viruses: Infect executable files such as .COM, .EXE, and .DLL
files. These are programs capable of running on their own and once affected
can disable the program or cause it to malfunction.
Macro viruses: Infect document files such as Microsoft Word .DOC files
by changing the way macros behave.
Other types of destructive code include worms, Trojan horses, and logic
bombs. These types of destructive code are different than viruses because
they don’t replicate.

D ISINFECTING FILES

When a computer is contaminated with a virus, it is said to be infected.

The disinfecting process should restore the non-infected state of the file
completely. This means that the virus must be removed from the file and
the original length of the file must be restored exactly, as well as its time
and date of last modification, all fields in the header, etc. Sometimes it is
necessary to be sure that the file is placed on the same clusters of the disk
that it occupied prior to infection. If this is not done, then a program which
uses some kind of self-checking or copy protection may stop functioning
properly, if at all.
As of now, none of the currently available disinfecting programs do all this.
For instance, because of the bugs that exist in many viruses, some of the
information of the original file is destroyed and cannot be recovered. Other
times, it is even impossible to detect that this information has been destroyed
and to warn the user. Furthermore, some viruses corrupt information very
slightly and in a random way , so that it is not even possible to tell which
files have been corrupted.
Therefore, it is usually better to replace the infected objects with clean
backups, provided that you have backups and are certain that your backups
are uninfected. You should try to disinfect files only if they contain some
valuable data that cannot be restored from backups or compiled from
their original source.

PROTECTION AGAINST VIRUSES

As in real life, the best way to cure a problem is to avoid it. To protect the
computer against viruses, one can use anti-virus packages which are easily

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available from reputable distributors. Most anti-virus packages, for example

Norton’s or Macfee will quickly detect the virus and remove it so that it does
not spread to other files and cause damage. It is imperative that the package
purchased is constantly updated with definitions or updates of recent
antidotes so that the latest viruses can be detected and removed. Installing
a package and not updating it is a licence to more infection, it is the same
as not installing the package. A modem or Internet connection is required
for the updating of virus definitions.

How does the anti-virus package protect my computer form

viruses?
Anti-virus packages use a number of ways to protect computers. Some of
the ways are described below:
Signature based scanning: Some packages use signature or pattern-
based scanning to detect viruses. Scanning or searching for a virus
signature will result in the package notifying you of a file or files being
infected. You can then decide whether to remove the virus, quarantine it or
leave it alone.
Realtime Protection: Realtime or online protection checks for virus
patterns when files are opened or modified.

Scheduling scans
We have already discovered how important it is to protect the computer
against viruses. Sometimes we can get so busy that we forget to scan or
check for viruses or we are away. Scheduling scans to occur at a set time
of day, week or month helps in maintaining the computer. For example, we
could schedule a scan every Monday morning while the morning meeting
is on or at lunchtime when we are on lunch.

Creating multiple scheduled scans

Please note that when creating scheduled scans, you can scan for example
drive, c: and a:. If for example you schedule, three separate scans, it may
result in you not being able to utilise your computer effectively and one of
the scans may fail to perform as required.
Anti-virus packages prevent viral infections on a computer by scanning the
computer’s boot sector, memory, and files for viruses.

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Scanning all files

The safest method to search or scan for viruses is to scan all the files. This
will make sure that every file on your computer is searched for viruses that
may not otherwise have been detected. This type of scan is more time-
consuming but yields better results. If this type of scan is not suitable for
you, you may want to set up scheduled scans.

Viruses and email

The Internet and email, while very useful may sometimes result in viruses
being transferred to computers. Mail must always be from people that you
know and trust and you must avoid opening mail from strangers. Also
make sure that your anti-virus package is kept up to date.

Hoaxes
Perhaps it is worth mentioning that hoaxes are equally as dangerous as
viruses. These are messages sent out by people who are professionals
with the intention of doing harm to the computer. When friends receive
them, they believe the hoaxes to be real. Most hoaxes tell you about a virus
on your computer and detail an explanation of how to remove that virus.
By following these steps, one is usually prone to destroying their computer
as they end up deleting a system file or files resulting in the system
malfunctioning. Beware of these hoaxes and always make sure that your
definitions are up to date to avoid real viruses.

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SIMPLE EDITING
Almost all operating systems have a text editor utility program. Windows
98 has two, Notepad and WordPad, both found in the Accessories folder.
The text-editing file that you will use is the WordPad program.

Launch an Editing Program

1. Click on the Start button
2. Point to Programs
3. Point to Accessories
4. Click on WordPad
5. Type in the Message shown below. In the next step you will save it in
the My Exercises Folder which you created previously.

Exercise: Type this passage

I am a World Links Zimbabwe Student preparing for the ICDL
test.
I am learning how to save a document in a specified folder.
This document I am creating will be saved in the My Exercises
folder, which I created when I was dealing with the creation of
folders.
My name is……………

Create and Save a Text File

Before saving a file the following aspects must be considered:
! Is the file to replace a previously already saved file or is it a new file?
! Where should the file be saved (i.e. in which folder or sub-folder)?
! What is the best name for the file? The name of a file should be short
and simple, and should be related to the information contained in the
document. This is recommended for subsequent easy retrieval of the
document.

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TO SAVE A NEW FILE

1. Click on File on the menu bar
2. Click on Save
3. Select the drive or folder where you want to save the file
4. Click on the file name list box and type in the name of the file
5. Click on the Save button

TO SAVE AN EXISTING F ILE

6. Click on File on the menu bar
7. Click on Save
8. Since you already have already saved the file with a name in a specific
area, the file is saved without prompting you for anything else
OR
9. Click on the Save button and the file is automatically saved.

TO SAVE YOUR TEXT FILE FOLLOW THESE STEPS

Exercise: Save the Text which you have typed into a

Specified Folder
1. Click on File then on Save
2. Click on the Save in the list box and click on drive C:
3. Look for the My Exercises folder and double click on it
4. Click in the File name list box and type in My first document
5. Click on the Save button

You should experiment with this editor by retrieving the file, changing the
contents slightly and then saving again.

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HOW D O I SAVE THIS FILE ONTO A FLOPPY DISK?

Exercise: Save the File onto a Floppy Disk

1. Insert a diskette in Drive A: and ensure that the write-protect
gap is closed
2. Click on File then on Save
3. Click on the Save in list box and click on 3½ Floppy A:
4. Click in the File name list box and type in My first document
5. Click on the Save button

Close the Editing Program

Click on the Close button on the Title bar.

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PRINT MANAGEMENT
Whenever you change printers you need to “install” the new printer before
you use it. The process of installing the printer involves physical connection,
and then loading the system software (printer driver) required to control
that specific model of printer. Windows 98 comes with software for most
known makes of printer, and usually every new printer will have an installation
kit with its specific drivers on diskette or CD-ROM. When installed the printer
details will be shown in the Printers folder found in the Control Panel and in
the Settings found in the Start Menu.

Print from an Installed Printer

HOW DO YOU PRINT A DOCUMENT?

The are various ways of printing a document depending on the current
status of the document, that is whether it is open or not.

PRINTING AN OPEN DOCUMENT

1. Click on File
2. Click on Print
3. Check if the connected printer is the one appearing in the printer name
combo box of the printer dialog box
4. Click on the OK button to confirm printing
A print icon appears on the task bar in the notification area
Another way of printing an open document is to click on the Print Icon on
the standard toolbar. But take care because this way of printing will print
using the default settings. It will print using the printer set as the default
one, provided it is the one connected to the computer. Otherwise a print
error message will be generated.

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Exercise: Print an open document

1. Open the WordPad Program
2. Click on File then on Open
3. Click on the Look in list box and click on drive C:
4. Look for the My Exercises folder and double click on it
5. Click on My first document, and click on the Open button
You have so far opened the document you saved earlier on.
6. Click on File, then Print, then OK
After a few seconds you will see your letter printing.

PRINTING AN UNOPENED D OCUMENT

1. Locate the printer by opening the Printers folder first.
2. Locate the file you want to print from My Computer or Windows Explorer
3. Drag the document from My Computer or Windows Explorer to your
printer in the Printers folder
While a document is printing, a printer icon appears next to the clock on the
taskbar. When this icon disappears, your document has finished printing.
For easy access to your printer, you can create a shortcut on the desktop.

PRINTING A DOCUMENT USING THE DRAG AND D ROP MODE

You can also print a document straight from My Computer or Windows
Explorer. After locating the file you can then drag that file to the icon of the
connected printer and the print job starts.

Change the Default Printer

HOW TO CHANGE THE DEFAULT PRINTER FROM AN INSTALLED

PRINTER L IST?
Whenever you print, make sure that the printer is connected. You can install
more than one printer driver but only one is set as the default printer. The
connected printer has to be set as the default printer. If, in error, the default
printer is a different printer to the one that is connected, any work sent for
printing will be garbled, and the paper output will show meaningless symbols.

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Exercise: Change the default printer from an installed

Printer list
1. Click on the Start button
2. Point to Settings
3. Click on Printers
4. Right click on the printer you want to set as the default.
5. Click on Set As Default
6. Click on the Close button, to close the Printers folder
Another way of doing this is that, after step number 4 where
you select the desired printer, click on file and then on the
Set As Default option.

Installing a New Printer

Before your software applications can send data to a printer, the system
must recognize the printer. In the process of installing a printer, you will be
copying print drivers to your computer so that it can communicate with the
new printer.
Most new printers support Plug and Play, while many older printers do not.
The steps involved in installing a printer that is attached to your computer
differ depending on whether it supports Plug and Play. It is also important
to note that only Windows Second Edition and higher versions can
automatically detect and install Plug and Play devices without requiring
installation CDs.
If your printer supports infrared technology, it supports Plug and Play.
Consult the owner's manual or packaging of your printer. Most printer
manufacturers advertise the fact that their printer supports Plug and Play.
Check the connector on the end of the printer cable that you plug into your
computer. If the connector that attaches the printer cable to the computer
is a USB connector, then the printer supports Plug and Play. Two types of
USB connectors are shown below:

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If the connector that attaches the printer cable to the computer is a parallel
connector (shown below), it may support Plug and Play. To check on this,
connect the printer to the computer and turn it on. If it recognises the
printer, then it supports Plug and Play.

Installing a printer that supports Plug and Play

1. Connect the printer to the computer using the appropriate port.
2. Windows detects your Plug and Play printer and, in many cases,
installs it without requiring you to make any selections. The printer is
ready to print.
3. If the Found New Hardware Wizard appears, select the Install the
software automatically (Recommended) check box, click Next, and
then follow the instructions to install it.

Installing a non-Plug and Play printer

These are those printer with serial connectors and a few of those with
parallel connectors. A serial connector is shown below

1. Connect the printer cable to the computer on the appropriate port.

2. Plug the power cord of the printer into a wall outlet and turn the printer
on.

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3. Click the Start button, then

click on Settings. Select
Printers You are then
presented with the Printers
window as shown on the
right
4. Double-click on Add printer
to open the Add Printer
Wizard, and then click the
Next button.

5. Click Local printer (you select

Network printer if you installing on a
machine that will be used as a network
printer)

6. Windows comes pre-installed with a

number of printer drivers. Just scroll
down to select the printer's name under
Manufacturers and then scroll down to
under the Printers section to select the
model of the printer that you have. You
will then be prompted for the port the
computer is connected to. Where you
have the printer's installation disks, you
can click on the Have Disk… button
7. Most computers use a parallel port
(LPT1) to send information to a printer
that's directly attached to the computer. So in the Use the following
port list, click LPT1: (Recommended Printer Port), and then click
Next. Some plotters, however, may connect to the computer through
one of the serial (COM) ports. If that's the case for you, click one of
the serial (COM) ports.

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8. The most likely step is that you are asked a name for the printer or for
you to accept the default printer name (In the screenshot the name of
the printer is HP Laserjet 1000)
9. You are given an opportunity to print a test page. You should print the
test page.
Shown below are the diagrams for steps 7-9

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View Print Job Progress

VIEW A PRINT JOB PROGRESS VIA DESKTOP PRINT MANAGER?

When printing is in progress, a printer icon is normally displayed on the
notification area on the taskbar. Double clicking on this icon will display the
Print Manager from which you can see the name of the document being
printed, the owner, document status, progress and the time printing started.
This will also allow control of printing via the Pause Printing, Purge Printing
and Cancel Printing commands.
When you double click on the icon the following window appears.

A queue of documents waiting to be printed will be listed in the working

area of this window under the bar named Document Name.

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