GChat tips

A word in GChat can be emphasized in many ways, most common being Bold, Italics & Underline.
Knew that adding * on either side of the word (eg. *word* = word) would make it bold, but learnt from the 10tip of Gmail NInja tips page that we can even italicize by adding _ on either side of the word (eg. _word_ = word) and with - on either side, it strikes the word (eg. -word- = word).[SOURCE]

Disable Recent Documents in Windows

 Through Registry tweaking:
(Take a backup of your registry since incorrectly editing it, might damage windows)

• Click Start > Run > and type “regedit” 
• Find and go to HEKY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Policies\Explorer
• In right panel create a new Binary Value and name it “NoRecentDocsHistory”
• Give it value of 00 00 00 01
• Close registry editor and restart your computer

Through UI:

• Click on Start 
• Right click on the picture or your name.
• Click Customize.
• Select the Advanced Tab
• UnTick at bottom: List my most recently opened documents

Remove arrow from shortcut icons

There are some softwares to do this, but manual tweak to Registry is enough to do it. Since following steps involve Registry Tweak, it is suggested that you backup your registry before doing these to undo any changes that you don’t like



Steps:

•    Type regedit in the Run box to open registry editor.
•    Navigate to the following keys
HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\lnkfile
HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\piffile
HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\InternetShortcut
•    Delete the IsShortcut key (if you are facing problems in finding that entry then you can also search them) from each of them.

Reboot to see the deleted arrows from the shortcuts

Ctrl & Shift

Many times, we see that the files get duplicated on selecting them, with Ctrl key pressed. Below shortcut explains it, two little known shortcuts that can be useful

Select the file. Then, drag it with

• Ctrl key pressed, it creates a copy
• Ctrl + Shift pressed, it creates a shortcut to that file

Secondly, there is one more very less known shortcut: Shift+ Restart. This will just restart Windows and not the whole computer, holding down the Shift key when clicking the OK button on the shutdown screen. This will save a lot of time.

Less-known excel shortcuts

A short list of less know Excel shortcuts

1. Apply the outline border to the selected cells. [ Ctrl-Shift-& ]
2. Apply the Date format with the day, month, and year.[ Ctrl-Shift-# ]
3. Apply the Time format with the hour and minute, and AM or PM. [ Ctrl-Shift-@ ]
4. Enter the current time. [ Ctrl-Shift-: ]
5. Enter the current date. [ Ctrl-; ]
6. Hide the selected rows. [ Ctrl-9 ]
7. Hide the selected columns. [ Ctrl-0 ]
8. Alternate between displaying cell values and displaying formulas in the worksheet. [ Ctrl-` ]
9. Display the Find and Replace dialog box, with the Replace tab selected. [ Ctrl-H ]
10. Display the Insert Hyperlink dialog box for new hyperlink. [ Ctrl-K ]
11. Display the Print Preview window. [ Ctrl-F2 ]
12. Switch to the next workbook window. [ Ctrl-F6 ]
13. Display the Macro dialog box to create, run, edit, or delete a macro. [ Alt-F8 ]
    

Invisible character

Do you have something that requires a name but you don't want anything in it? You could just throw nonsense in there, but a blank space would be best. Well, guess what? There is an invisible character! This special character is the equivalent of a space:

Hold down Alt then type 0160 (Alt+0160) on the number keypad at the right side of your keyboard.

Application onto desktop shortcuts:

Type in our invisible character code (Alt+0160). There you go—an icon with no label.



Keep in mind that if you want to do this to other shortcuts you can't have the same name, so just type the code more than once. That means that for the first shortcut you type Alt+0160 release the Alt key then type Alt+0160 again. For the third icon do it three times, etc.

Lock Computer Shortcut

Create Shortcut with following value

rundll32 user32.dll,LockWorkStation for Windows OS.


Clicking on it would lock the computer straight

Name tagging in Picasa - exists, does not exist

 Whenever one goes from Gmail to Picasa web using the photos link present at the top of Gmail, it takes us to the following link:

http://picasaweb.google.co.in/home?tab=mq.

This link would not show option for Tagging faces. The correct link is:

http://picasaweb.google.com/home

This is the new correct link for picasaweb after addition of Name Tags, which is not updated in Gmail. Someone from Gmail listening?

Self Screen Saver

Want to get a Screen Saver at your command and not automatically after a particular interval? Then create a Shortcut Key to your favourite Screen Saver on your desktop and click on it whenever you wish to run that screen saver!

If there is a default screen saver set for your system, then both might run. Hence, disable the default one (set it to 'None'). 'Password-Protect' will still be active.

Steps:


A screen will pop up asking you for a command line. Click the Browse button.
A box will pop up that allows you to hunt for the file you need the shortcut for. By default, it filters results only for program file extensions (.exe). Your screen savers end with the extension .scr , so you'll need to select All Files from the File of type drop down box. Win 2000 users will have a slightly different screen, but it works in a similar way (no drop box - "all files" are automatically selected).








:)

My Shortcuts on Desktop Toolbar

Desktop Toolbars 

Have you ever had several windows open and needed to get to a shortcut on the desktop? I know I have. You have to minimize all three windows just to start the other program. But there is an easy way to fix this problem. Create a toolbar with your shortcuts in it!

Here's how. First, right click on the windows toolbar on the bottom of your screen. You will get a little menu. Go up to the toolbars option. Another menu will slide out. Left click on “ New Toolbar ”. This gives you a window where we can create your toolbar.

Next, left click once on the word “ desktop ”, so it is highlighted. Then click the button “ New Folder ”. Give the new folder the name you want for your toolbar. Let's say… My Shortcuts . Click OK .

The window will close and you will notice a new folder has been placed on the desktop with whatever name you gave it. Left click-and-drag this folder to the edge of your screen. When you release the mouse button, the folder will magically become a toolbar. Amazing!


You say “So what? All I have is an empty toolbar.” Well, now that we have created the toolbar, all we need to do is to put some shortcuts in it.
To do this, just drag the icons you want from your desktop into the toolbar. If you want some for the start menu, just find them in there and drag them over too.

All right, now you have full toolbar, but it won't go away. Here's what you do. Right click the name on the top of the toolbar. A menu will be displayed. To make the toolbar disappear when your mouse is not over it click on “ Auto-Hide ”, if it is not already checked. Open this menu again and click on “ Always on Top ”, again only if it is not already checked. This will allow the toolbar to be displayed over the windows you are using. With this menu you can also change the view, whether the title is displayed, and if you want text with the icons.


To enhance the use of this tip you may want to create more toolbars (one for each side of your monitor.) This is great for organization. At one time, some had toolbars for documents, games, and Microsoft Office. The only problem is that with multiple toolbars containing lots of icons the start-up time is slightly longer (on a slow computer anyway). In my opinion the wait is worth the ease it provides later.

Web Page Shortcut keys

Web Page Shortcut Keys
Wouldn't it be cool to have hot-keys for your favorite web pages on your desktop? For instance, if you type Ctrl+Shift+G it would bring up Google while Ctrl+Shift+S would bring up SSSIHMS. Well, by combining a few simple techniques in Windows XP you can.
First, go to the web page that you want a shortcut for and put it on your desktop by right-clicking a blank area of the page and selecting "Create Shortcut".

Now that you have the shortcut for the web page on your desktop, right-click the link and select "Properties" (or Alt+double click).
Under the "Web Document" tab look for "Shortcut key". Put your cursor in the box then type a letter. It will automatically add "Ctrl+Alt+" in front of it. You can also create any combination using Ctrl, Alt, Shift plus a keyboard character by typing them at the same time.

After you're done you can bring up the page with your new key combination any time you need to. Use it for search engines or even your online email. Keep in mind that it will open up in your default web browser.

Shortcut to Google Search box in Firefox

We all have seen Google Search Engine sitting inside Firefox Browser. Earlier, if I had to search something, I used to create a New Tab (Ctrl+T). Cursor would automatically be blinking in the address bar. Then Tab, so that the cursor moves to the Google Search Engine query box where we can give in the key words to search.

Today, accidentally found out that there is a way to directly go to Google Search Engine query box with Ctrl+E. Ofcourse, opening New Tab remains same. But incase anytime we want to go to that box within same Window or Tab, instead of using mouse, this shortcut would be handy.

F4 & F5 keys in Windows

F4: Alt+F4 - Closes active window and application
      Ctrl+F4 - Closes active sheet or document within the application (closes one window instead of the whole program)

F5: Refresh button
      Shift+F5 - Cursor jumps back to the location where it was last in Winword

Example: 
Picture this: you’re working on a big document and you’re making some adjustments just on page 17, but you forgot something you needed on page one. So, what do you do? You end up scrolling all the way back up to the first page. Once you find what you needed, you have to go all the way back down to page 17. Aye, make it stop!
Here’s a quick way to solve that conundrum. Simply hold down the Shift key and press F5. The cursor will automatically jump to the exact place where the cursor was before you moved it.
Now, even better. You’re still on page 17 and you save and close the document. When you re-open it, the cursor will be at the very top of the first page. Press Shift+F5 again and you’ll immediately jump right back to where you were on page 17.

Toggle Keys

I had heard this terminology for quite some time. But never bothered or cared to know what it meant. But today learnt that toggle key is any key that has more than one functionality (some say, having even one functionality on the keyboard puts up that key as a toggle key). Egs being Caps Lock, Num Lock, Scroll Lock for they are binary in nature - On or Off

Mouse-Shortcuts

StrokeIt 

We all have heard a lot about keyboard shortcuts, but have you ever thought about mouse shortcuts? They really can be very useful! You don't even have to look down at your mouse. You just draw whatever you need to with your mouse. It's so cool! Not only does this make you look very professional, but it can save you loads of time too. Now, you might be thinking, "Where can I get a program that lets me do all of that?" Well, don't stop now. Keep reading to find out!

StrokeIt allows you to program different mouse gestures so that you can perform common functions, right within all of your favorite programs!
To get started:
1.) Click here to download StrokeIt.
2.) After you install the program, you will be prompted to restart your computer, so go ahead and do so.
3.) When your computer restarts, open StrokeIt and the program will look like this:'



4.) As you can see in the left pane, there is a list of several programs you have on your computer. Internet Explorer should be listed there as well. Click the listing for that and two sub-entries will appear. They should say Back and Forward.



5.) Click on the Back link and in the right pane, you will see this:


The programmed gesture for Back is drawing a line to the left. If you click the Forward link, you will see that the gesture for going Forward is drawing a line to the right. Let's test those shortcuts out, shall we?!
6.) Minimize StrokeIt and it will appear in your taskbar like this:
7.) Open Internet Explorer and visit two or three Web site. Then hold down the right mouse button and draw a fairly straight line to the left and release the button. A blue line should appear. When you let go, the page should go back to the previous site you were on.


8.) Try the same thing with a line to the right. The browser should go forward. See how easy mouse gestures can be?! You're starting to get the hang of mouse shortcuts now, aren't you? That's great! By the way, all you Firefox fans, these same shortcuts work with Firefox as well.
Now, there are a lot of gestures programmed into StrokeIt, but it's a good idea to familiarize yourself with them right from the start.
1.) To do so, open StrokeIt and go to Edit and then click Learn Gestures.
Try drawing a line to the left and StrokeIt will recognize it as Left.

2.) Next, draw an A and, if you do it neatly, StrokeIt will recognize it.


3.) Now, close that out and then look over the list of programmed gestures. You'll probably see some of your most used programs, like WinZip and Windows Media Player. You can click on them to see the actions and the mouse gestures. How cool is that?!


Next, go up to the very top and click on Global Actions. A large list will then come down, like this:


These are going to be your favorite gestures, because they work in all programs! For example, up is copy and down is paste. Or, a down slash (/) for minimize and so on. There are so many more too. You just have to check them all out!

Shorter Shortcuts in Windows

Is there any way I can make my shortcuts even faster?

As a matter of fact, there sure is! To begin though, why would you want to? Well, if you usually work with your programs maximized (for example, you can't see your desktop), it's easier to press a shortcut key combination than to minimize the current application and then click a shortcut on the desktop.
For example, I have shortcuts on my desktop to several of my most frequently visited Web sites and I've assigned them each a shortcut key.
Now, if I'm working in MS Word and need to hop over to one of those sites, I simply press its shortcut key. A browser window will open and voila, I'm on the site! It's much easier than minimizing Word, opening up Internet Explorer, hunting through my favorites, clicking on the link and having the page load. But with shortcut keys, I'm only a keystroke (or two) away!
Okay, here's how to set up shortcut keys for yourself:
1.) Right click on the shortcut you wish to have a shortcut key for and then select Properties.

Note: This seems to work best when the icon in question lives on your desktop. I've tried it time after time for icons in the Quick Launch toolbar (next to the Start button) and it just doesn't seem to work there.
2.) You'll see a box for the shortcut key. Click it.
3.) You won't be able to delete the "None" label that's currently sitting there, so don't even try (I mean, I guess you could try if you really feel the need to, but it won't get you very far!) Instead, just press the key you would like to use for your shortcut. You can use either letters, numbers or (my favorite) function keys. Finally, click OK when you're done.

Now, if you decide to use letters or numbers, you'll have to use Ctrl + Alt + yourkey to activate the shortcut. Function keys are a single keystroke affair (just be sure to pick ones you don't use in your favorite programs or you may be launching applications when you're really trying to do a function). Other than that, this little trick can save you a lot of time! 

Source: http://www.worldstart.com/