Open Office Writer Keyboard Shortcuts
Recently I was surfing the web and found a website that I found very interesting. I like using the keyboard shortcuts to do a lot of things. After I become familiar with using them I feel like I am a better writer. The following was written by a person who is a lot better than I am using shortcuts so I thought it was worthwhile to share. I will admit that I am unable to figure out why it is ten shortcuts. When I do the counting I find there are nineteen shortcuts in five groups, however I will accept his count. Check the blog of July 2009 for additional keyboard shortcuts that I like.
Ten Fantastic Keyboard Shortcuts In OpenOffice.Org
Ryan Cartwright
A lot of software users I meet seem to feel they are not using their software as efficiently as they could. If that includes you, then listen up. Here is my list of the ten, lesser-known,Open Office. Org Writer keyboard shortcuts that will help you improve your productivity.
When I say “lesser known” I should really say poorly documented or not documented at all. That said, when I’ve taught on keyboard shortcuts in the past these are the ones that fewer users seem to know of. Something else to note is that although these are all for Writer, you may find some of them in other word processors as well.
Why I use keyboard shortcuts
I’m a keyboard type of person. When I first learned to use computers there was no mouse. For my first real application work the mouse was used solely to position coordinates: commands were entered with the keyboard. What can I say, I like using the keyboard. So when I come across an application for the first time I seek out the keyboard shortcuts. Not for me the constant moving of hand from keyboard to mouse.
Even if you are a dedicated mouse user, learning a few keyboard shortcuts can drastically improve the way you work. When you are in the middle of a long edit, hitting CTRL+S is a lot quicker than clicking the save button. Personally I’m not satisfied with just using CTRL+S, CTRL+P and ALT+Menu-Option, I demand more from my keyboard shortcuts! These shortcuts are in no particular order and I use some of them more often than others; however, all of them save me a lot of time.
If you do a lot of typing (as opposed to pseudo desktop publishing) in Writer, it’s definitely worth remembering some of these. They are also very useful if you find yourself writing documents longer than the average letter—for example I often prepare my column pieces in Writer. These also reflect those which end-users find more useful when I teach them.
Moving paragraphs
Ever wanted to move a entire paragraph up or down in your document? Cut and paste may work but it takes time. A more elegant solution is to just move the paragraph itself.
Place your cursor in a paragraph.
Now use CTRL+ALT+ up or down cursor arrows to move the whole paragraph up and down in the document one paragraph at a time
CTRL+up/down works on some set-ups as well.
Change paragraph alignment
This is one of the better known ones but I still find a lot of people are unaware of how much time it can save you.
CTRL+L will change the current paragraph to be aligned left
CTRL+R to be right aligned
CTRL+E to centre it
CTRL+J to justify it
Inserting a page break
Again one that some people know but not that many end-users. In fact I have found a lot of people don’t even know what a page break is and they will just press RETURN several times to move some text onto the next page. Which of course means they come unstuck when the text above is reduced somehow. A page break guarantees the text following it goes on a new page.
Use CTRL+ENTER to this is a new paragraph start a fresh page
Moving around the document
As you use these keyboard shortcuts more you may begin to almost resent having to use the mouse. Particularly to go to defined places like the beginning or end of a line or the document. Most users know about using the cursor keys to move around but there are some ways to jump rather than move.
HOME takes you to the start of the current line (not the current paragraph)
END will go to the end of the line
CTRL+HOME takes you to the start of the document
CTRL+END takes you to the end of the document
CTRL+ LEFT/RIGHT cursor keys moves you in that direction by one word
Selecting without the mouse
Once you get used to moving around using the keyboard you’ll find it useful to select text using it as well. Again some of this is quite well known.
Hold down SHIFT as you move the cursor to select the text you are moving over.
SHIFT+HOME selects from the current character to the start of the line
SHIFT+END selects from the current character to the end of line
Once a line is selected, SHIFT + UP or DOWN cursor keys respectively will add lines above or below to the selection
CTRL+SHIFT+HOME selects from the current position to the start of the document
CTRL+SHIFT+END does the opposite.
Saturday, March 17, 2012
Wednesday, February 15, 2012
Putting A Picture Icon In Gmail
THE INSERT IMAGE ICON IN THE GMAIL TOOLBAR
In a computer session I showed how to “Insert images” in a Google e-mail (g-mail). I showed an icon that looked like a couple of mountains (a common icon on cameras to indicate a setting for scenes) which says “Insert Image” when the cursor hovers on it. Some computers did not have this icon as a selection choice. This will show you how to add the icon to the toolbar in gmail. Look for the red arrow in the images that look like this;
Some Instructions or information may be here also. Click on each picture to get a larger view.
Step 1. Open gmail. It will look similar to this. Then left click the COMPOSE box or icon.
Step 2. When you are in the compose mode and do not have the “Insert Image” your gmail will look like this with no icon in the area between “Insert Emoticon and “Link” indicated by the arrow. If the icon that looks like a mountain is there you can stop now. Left click the gear at the other arrow. Also ignore the boxes that are indicated as Boomerang. That is a special app I have put on my gmail.
Step 3. The gear icon gives you access to the gmail settings. There are several options. Left click the “Settings” toward the bottom.
Step 4. Left click on “Labs”. When the labs screen appears, scroll down (using the slide bar on the right side) till you see “Inserting Images”. Left click on the radio button that says enable. This will switch from disable to enable.
Step 5. Using the slide bar along the right hand side, go the either the top or the bottom of the page and left click “Save Changes”. Left click on the “Compose” and return to the compose screen and the “Insert Image” should appear in the gmail toolbar.
This is a very handy tool. Enjoy using it.
Douglas M. Peace
BGR Computer Club
In a computer session I showed how to “Insert images” in a Google e-mail (g-mail). I showed an icon that looked like a couple of mountains (a common icon on cameras to indicate a setting for scenes) which says “Insert Image” when the cursor hovers on it. Some computers did not have this icon as a selection choice. This will show you how to add the icon to the toolbar in gmail. Look for the red arrow in the images that look like this;
Some Instructions or information may be here also. Click on each picture to get a larger view.
Step 1. Open gmail. It will look similar to this. Then left click the COMPOSE box or icon.
Step 2. When you are in the compose mode and do not have the “Insert Image” your gmail will look like this with no icon in the area between “Insert Emoticon and “Link” indicated by the arrow. If the icon that looks like a mountain is there you can stop now. Left click the gear at the other arrow. Also ignore the boxes that are indicated as Boomerang. That is a special app I have put on my gmail.
Step 3. The gear icon gives you access to the gmail settings. There are several options. Left click the “Settings” toward the bottom.
Step 4. Left click on “Labs”. When the labs screen appears, scroll down (using the slide bar on the right side) till you see “Inserting Images”. Left click on the radio button that says enable. This will switch from disable to enable.
Step 5. Using the slide bar along the right hand side, go the either the top or the bottom of the page and left click “Save Changes”. Left click on the “Compose” and return to the compose screen and the “Insert Image” should appear in the gmail toolbar.
This is a very handy tool. Enjoy using it.
Douglas M. Peace
BGR Computer Club
Sunday, February 5, 2012
Windows vs Ford
It was recently that I showed this e-mail to the computer club and it was such a hit that I was asked to send it out to all members. I thought that if it was so popular it should be added to the blog.
WINDOWS vs FORD
For all of us who feel only the deepest love and affection for the way computers have enhanced our lives, read on.
At a recent computer expo (COMDEX), Bill Gates reportedly compared the computer industry with the auto industry and stated,
"If Ford had kept up with technology like the computer industry has, we would all be driving $25 cars that got 1,000 miles to the gallon."
In response to Bill's comments, Ford issued a press release stating:
If Ford had developed technology like Microsoft, we would all be driving cars with the following characteristics (and I just love this part):
1. For no reason whatsoever, your car would crash.........twice a day.
2.. Every time they repainted the lines in the road, you would have to buy a new car.
3... Occasionally your car would die on the freeway for no reason. You would have to pull to the side of the road, close all of the windows, shut off the car, restart it, and reopen the windows before you could continue. For some reason you would simply accept this.
4.... Occasionally, executing a maneuver such as a left turn would cause your car to shut down and refuse to restart, in which case you would have to reinstall the engine.
5..... Macintosh would make a car that was powered by the sun, was reliable, five times as fast and twice as easy to drive - but would run on only five percent of the roads.
6...... The oil, water temperature, and alternator warning lights would all be replaced by a single "This Car Has Performed An Illegal Operation" warning light.
I love the next one!!!
7....... The airbag system would ask, "Are you sure?" before deploying.
8........ Occasionally, for no reason whatsoever, your car would lock you out and refuse to let you in until you simultaneously lifted the door handle, turned the key and grabbed hold of the radio antenna.
9......... Every time a new car was introduced car buyers would have to learn how to drive all over again because none of the controls would operate in the same manner as the old car.
10.......... You'd have to press the "Start" button to turn the engine off.
PS - I'd like to add that when all else fails, you could call "customer service" in some foreign country and be instructed in some foreign language how to fix your car yourself!!!!
Please share this with your friends who love - but sometimes hate - their computer!
WINDOWS vs FORD
For all of us who feel only the deepest love and affection for the way computers have enhanced our lives, read on.
At a recent computer expo (COMDEX), Bill Gates reportedly compared the computer industry with the auto industry and stated,
"If Ford had kept up with technology like the computer industry has, we would all be driving $25 cars that got 1,000 miles to the gallon."
In response to Bill's comments, Ford issued a press release stating:
If Ford had developed technology like Microsoft, we would all be driving cars with the following characteristics (and I just love this part):
1. For no reason whatsoever, your car would crash.........twice a day.
2.. Every time they repainted the lines in the road, you would have to buy a new car.
3... Occasionally your car would die on the freeway for no reason. You would have to pull to the side of the road, close all of the windows, shut off the car, restart it, and reopen the windows before you could continue. For some reason you would simply accept this.
4.... Occasionally, executing a maneuver such as a left turn would cause your car to shut down and refuse to restart, in which case you would have to reinstall the engine.
5..... Macintosh would make a car that was powered by the sun, was reliable, five times as fast and twice as easy to drive - but would run on only five percent of the roads.
6...... The oil, water temperature, and alternator warning lights would all be replaced by a single "This Car Has Performed An Illegal Operation" warning light.
I love the next one!!!
7....... The airbag system would ask, "Are you sure?" before deploying.
8........ Occasionally, for no reason whatsoever, your car would lock you out and refuse to let you in until you simultaneously lifted the door handle, turned the key and grabbed hold of the radio antenna.
9......... Every time a new car was introduced car buyers would have to learn how to drive all over again because none of the controls would operate in the same manner as the old car.
10.......... You'd have to press the "Start" button to turn the engine off.
PS - I'd like to add that when all else fails, you could call "customer service" in some foreign country and be instructed in some foreign language how to fix your car yourself!!!!
Please share this with your friends who love - but sometimes hate - their computer!
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