Running Windows Without a Mouse

Many people do not know that it is possible to dramatically enhance the use of Windows by using the keyboard as an adjunct to or even instead of the mouse for system control. Many keyboard shortcuts and other key commands are available that can greatly increase the speed and efficiency with which you operate Windows, especially if you are an accomplished touch typist. Because I use my PC mainly for writing, I find that taking my hand off the keyboard to use a mouse noticeably slows me down (which is one reason I use laptop systems or desktop keyboards with a more efficient TrackPoint pointing device). By augmenting Windows operations with the keyboard, you can control Windows more efficiently and accurately than with a mouse alone.

In some cases, it is not only desirable but may be necessary to use the keyboard instead of a mouse, such as when your mouse is not functioning properly or is missing altogether. Because technicians often find themselves operating or testing equipment that is not fully functional, it is even more important for them to know how to operate Windows with the keyboard.

Table 13.2 lists some general keyboard-only commands for Windows 9x/Me/NT/2000/XP.

Table 13.2. General Key Commands in Windows

Key or Key Combination	Resulting Action
F1	Starts Windows Help.
F10	Activates menu bar options.
Shift+F10	Opens a context menu (shortcut menu) for the selected item.
Ctrl+Esc	Opens the Start menu. Use the arrow keys to select an item.
Ctrl+Esc, Esc	Selects the Start button. Press Tab to select the taskbar or press Shift+F10 for a context menu.
Alt+Tab	Switches to another running application. Hold down the Alt key and then press the Tab key to view the task-switching window.
Shift	Bypasses the AutoPlay feature when you press down and hold the Shift key while you insert a CD-ROM.
Alt+spacebar	Displays the main window's System menu. From the System menu, you can restore, move, resize, minimize, maximize, or close the window.
Alt+- (Alt+hyphen)	Displays the Multiple Document Interface (MDI) child window's System menu. From the MDI child window's System menu, you can restore, move, resize, minimize, maximize, or close the child window.
Ctrl+Tab	Switches to the next child window of a MDI application.
Alt+<underlined letter in menu>	Opens the corresponding menu.
Alt+F4	Closes the current window.
Ctrl+F4	Closes the current MDI window.
Alt+F6	Switches between multiple windows in the same program. For example, when Notepad's Find dialog box is displayed, Alt+F6 switches between the Find dialog box and the main Notepad window.

Table 13.3 lists the Windows dialog box keyboard commands.

Table 13.3. Dialog Box Key Commands in Windows

Key or Key Combination	Resulting Action
Tab	Moves to the next control in the dialog box.
Shift+Tab	Moves to the previous control in the dialog box.
Spacebar	If the current control is a button, this keyboard combination clicks the button. If the current control is a check box, this keyboard combination toggles the check box. If the current control is an option button, this keyboard combination selects the option button.
Enter	Equivalent to clicking the selected button (the button with the outline).
Esc	Equivalent to clicking the Cancel button.
Alt+<underlined letter in dialog box item>	Moves to the corresponding item.
Ctrl+Tab/Ctrl+Shift+Tab	Moves through the property tabs.

Table 13.4 lists keyboard combinations for Windows Explorer tree controls.

Table 13.4. Windows Explorer Keyboard Commands

Key	Resulting Action
Numeric Keypad *	Expands everything under the current selection
Numeric Keypad +	Expands the current selection
Numeric Keypad -	Collapses the current selection
Right arrow	Expands the current selection if it is not expanded (otherwise goes to the first child)
Left arrow	Collapses the current selection if it is expanded (otherwise goes to the parent)

Table 13.5 lists general Windows folder/shortcut controls.

Table 13.5. Shortcut Keys for Working with Windows Folders

Key or Key Combination	Resulting Action
F4	Selects the Go To a Different Folder box and moves down the entries in the box (if the toolbar is active in Windows Explorer).
F5	Refreshes the current window.
F6	Moves among panes in Windows Explorer.
Ctrl+G	Opens the Go To Folder tool (in Windows 95 Windows Explorer only).
Ctrl+Z	Undoes the last command.
Ctrl+A	Selects all the items in the current window.
Backspace	Switches to the parent folder.
Shift+click	Selects the close button. (For folders, this action closes the current folder plus all parent folders.)

Table 13.6 lists general folder and Windows Explorer shortcuts for a selected object.

Table 13.6. Keyboard Shortcuts for Selected Objects in a Windows Folder

Key or Key Combination	Resulting Action
F2	Renames the object.
F3	Finds all files.
Ctrl+X	Cuts.
Ctrl+C	Copies.
Ctrl+V	Pastes.
Shift+Del	Deletes the selection immediately, without moving the item to the Recycle Bin.
Alt+Enter	Opens the property sheet for the selected object.
To copy a file	Press down and hold the Ctrl key while you drag the file to another folder.
To create a shortcut	Press down and hold Ctrl+Shift while you drag the file to the desktop or a folder.