Features of This Book

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Each chapter begins with a "Before You Begin" section, which prepares you for completing the chapter. Whenever possible, lessons contain procedures that give you an opportunity to use the skills being presented. The "Review" section at the end of each chapter allows you to test what you have learned in the lesson. The Appendix, "Questions and Answers," contains all of the book's review questions and the corresponding answers.

Notational Conventions

• Characters or commands that you type appear in bold type.
• Italic in syntax statements indicates placeholders for variable information. Italic is also used for book titles.
• Names of files and folders appear in Title Caps, except when you are to type them directly. You can use all lowercase letters when you type a filename in a dialog box or at a command prompt.
• Acronyms appear in all uppercase.
• Monospace type represents code samples, examples of screen text, or entries that you might type at a command prompt or in initialization files.
• Square brackets [ ] are used in syntax statements to enclose optional items. For example, [filename] in command syntax indicates that you can choose to type a filename with the command. Type the information within the brackets, not the brackets themselves.
• Braces { } are used in syntax statements to enclose required items. Type only the information within the braces, not the braces themselves.

Keyboard Conventions

• A plus sign (+) between two key names means that you must press those keys at the same time. For example, "Press Alt+Tab" means that you hold down the Alt key while you press the Tab key.
• You can choose menu commands with the keyboard. Press the Alt key to activate the menu bar, and then sequentially press the keys that correspond to the highlighted or underlined letter of the menu command name. For some commands, you can also press a key combination listed in the menu.
• You can select or clear check boxes or option buttons in dialog boxes with the keyboard. Press the Alt key, and then press the key that corresponds to the underlined letter of the option name. Or you can press the Tab key until the option is highlighted, and then press the Spacebar to select or clear the check box or option button.
• You can cancel the display of a dialog box by pressing the Esc key.