More Tips on Starting Programs


In addition to these common methods for customizing programs, you have some other options for installing, running, and switching among programs. These options are the focus of this section.

caution

If you don't start Windows each timesay you leave it runningyou may wonder why the program didn't start when you sat down to work. Well, the program only starts automatically when you start Windows (that is, when you turn off and then turn on the PC). Don't fret. You can still start the program. You can do so with any of the other methods: the shortcut icon, the Start menu command, or the keyboard shortcut.


Starting Programs When You Start Windows

If you shut down and restart each time you use the computer, you can have Windows start a program each time Windows starts by adding the program to your Startup Folder. Any program placed in this folder will be started each time you start Windows.

Follow these steps to start a program with Windows:

1.

Right-click the Start button.

2.

Select the Open command. You'll see the Start Menu folder.

3.

Double-click the Programs folder. You'll see the Programs folder, which includes a folder called Startup (see Figure 14.12).

Figure 14.12. Put programs you want to start when you start Windows in the Startup folder.


4.

Drag the program icon you want to start with Windows to the Startup folder. You may have to open another program window to display this program icon. Use the links under Other Places to find and display the program icon.

5.

Click the Close button to close the Programs window.

The next time you start Windows, the program(s) you added to the Startup folder will be started also.

If you change your mind and want to remove a program from the Startup folder (thereby preventing it from starting all the time), you need to delete it from the Startup folder. To do so, open the Startup folder. You should then see icons for any programs you have added. Figure 14.13, for instance, shows Outlook Express added to the Startup folder. Select the icon, press the Delete key, and click Yes to confirm the deletion.

Figure 14.13. You can remove any programs you have added to the Startup folder.


Tips for Switching Among Programs

After you have programs running, you can switch among them. Why switch programs? Well, you are talented and capable of multitasking, and so is Windows. Windows can run a word processor and a spreadsheet at the same time, for instance. As you've seen so far, you can use the mouse or the keyboard for most tasks. The same is true for switching programs.

To use the mouse method, click the taskbar button for the program you want. Remember that Windows displays a taskbar button for each program or window that is open on your system.

If you have multiple documents open in the same program and there's not enough room on the taskbar, Windows stacks the documents together into one button. You can tell if this has occurred by looking at the button. It should have a little arrow, plus the number of documents open in that program. You can click the button to display the various document windows and then click the window you want (see Figure 14.14).

Figure 14.14. If the taskbar gets too crowded, Windows XP stacks similar windows together.


To use the keyboard method to switch programs, press Alt+Tab to cycle through the programs running on your computer. When the one you want is selected, stop pressing Alt+Tab.

Using the Run Command

Another way to start a program is by using the Run command. You may have to do this to install older programs (DOS programs or programs without automated installations, for instance). How do you know when this is your only alternative? When you've tried the others or when the program's installation instructions specifically tell you to use this method.

In this case, follow these steps to use the Run command:

1.

Click the Start button.

2.

Click the Run command.

3.

Type the name of the program you want to start (see Figure 14.15). To run the installation or setup program, type its name. If you don't know the program name, click the Browse button and browse through the drives and folders until you find the right file.

Figure 14.15. Use the Run command as a last resort to get finicky programs to start.


4.

Click OK. The program then starts.

The Absolute Minimum

This chapter covers some of the ways you can customize the Start menu as well as how to install new programs and get rid of programs you no longer need. Here are the key points to remember from this chapter:

  • For fast access to commonly used programs, files, or folders, add a shortcut icon to the desktop. When you double-click a program shortcut icon, you start the program. When you double-click a file shortcut icon, you open the associated program and that document. Double-clicking a folder shortcut icon displays its contents.

  • You can change how the Start menu appears. You can pin commonly used programs to the top left pane. You can select whether the Internet and E-mail commands are listed, as well as which program is used for these commands.

  • If you have upgraded to Windows XP and prefer the Classic Windows style, you can change the desktop to this style. Just right-click the taskbar, select Properties, and then click the Start Menu tab to view your customization options.

  • When you purchase a new program, you can run the installation program to install the program onto your system. Most programs provide a step-by-step guide for installing the program, and this installation program copies the files to your computer, as well as adds the program to the Start menu.

  • You can start the installation program manually by using the Add or Remove Programs Control Panel icon. You can use this same icon to delete or uninstall programs you no longer use.




    Absolute Beginner's Guide to Microsoft Windows XP
    Absolute Beginners Guide to Windows XP (2nd Edition)
    ISBN: 078973432X
    EAN: 2147483647
    Year: 2005
    Pages: 176
    Authors: Shelley OHara

    flylib.com © 2008-2017.
    If you may any questions please contact us: flylib@qtcs.net