Other Tips

Adobe PDF Document Tips

Extract Text From Adobe PDF Documents
There is a quick way to extract the text from a PDF file. Open the document in Adobe Reader. Go to Edit, choose Copy to Clipboard. Then open Word and go to Edit, Paste. You may have to do some reformatting, but in most cases, you will see the text and be able to edit. This may not work with some documents, especially those that were scanned into Adobe. Those will appear as graphics rather than text.
 

Publisher Tips

Working With Publisher
If the text you are working on in Microsoft Publisher is too small to see, press the F9 key to zoom in. Press F9 again to zoom back out.

The Nudge Option
For a high degree of control over the positioning of objects on the page in Publisher, use the nudge option. Just select the object you need to move and use Alt+Arrow Key (up, down, right, left) and your object will move one pixel for each keystroke. Choose Arrange on the Menu Bar and then Nudge to change the increment of movement. You can also nudge objects in Word and PowerPoint. Use Ctrl+Arrow Key in those programs.

Grouping Elements in Publisher
After you have a section of your layout positioned very precisely it might be a good idea to select all the items (hold down the shift key and click on each one) and then group them together using Arrange, Group Objects or (Ctrl+Shift+G) or click the puzzle piece at the bottom of your selection. This will lock them together in their relative positions. This is especially useful if you will need to duplicate this configuration somewhere else in your layout; copy and paste the group to another page and you will have perfect consistency throughout your layout.

Keyboard Shortcuts For Publisher
These keyboard shortcuts also work in most Office programs:
Ctrl+B for bold text
Ctrl+U for underline
Ctrl+I for italic
Ctrl+= for subscript
Ctrl+Shift+= for superscript
Ctrl+Shift+K for small caps
Ctrl+Spacebar removes all style formats from the selected text
Ctrl+Shift+F accesses the font menu, arrow keys select, and enter changes the selected text to that font
Ctrl+Shift+P accesses the font size menu, arrow keys select size, and enter enables the change
Ctrl+Shift+> increases the font size by a half point
Ctrl+Shift+< decreases the font size by a half point

Putting Things in the Background in Publisher
Publisher uses foreground and background layers. Your work will go on the foreground by default unless you set it to be in the background. Choose View, Go To Background or press Ctrl + M. This will take you to the background layer of the publication. Anything you put on the background will appear on all pages of your project.

Deleting Text Frames in Publisher
When selecting a text or table frame and pressing the Delete key, only the character just before the insertion point marker is deleted. But pressing Ctrl + Shift + X will delete the whole frame.

Drawing Shapes in Publisher
Drawing multiple shapes normally requires selecting the tool each time. However, there's a way to keep the tool selection active. Hold down the Control key while you select the tool. When finished with the tool, click the Selection or another tool of your choice.

Inserting a New Page in Publisher
To insert a new page after the currently displayed page, press Ctrl + Shift + N.

Page Sizes in Publisher
You can start a new document or change a current document to any page size you like. Go to File, Page Setup and under the option Choose a Publication Layout select Special Size. Under the option Choose a Publication Size select Custom. You may then enter in the physical dimensions of your printed piece making sure the orientation is correct. Once complete, click OK and begin your design.

Adjusting the Office XP Task Pane
To adjust the width of the docked task pane in any Office application, move the pointer over the left edge until the pointer changes to a double-sided arrow. Then click the edge, and drag to the desired width. To make the task pane float, double-click its title bar. You can then move it to any position on the page. To return the task pane to its docked position, double-click the title bar again. To adjust the size of a floating task pane, move the pointer over any edge until the pointer changes to a double-sided arrow. Then click the edge, and drag to the desired size.

FrontPage Tips

Reducing Image File Sizes on Your Web Page
The size of your image files can significantly increase page download times. One way to reduce download times is to reduce the size of your images. But that means more than just resizing the image in FrontPage Editor. When you drag an image's size handles to make it smaller, you're not actually decreasing the file size. Instead, you're simply reducing the "window" through which the file is viewed. (That's why the estimated download time indicator at the bottom of the FrontPage window doesn't change.)

Once you've resized the image, you need to click the Resample button on the Image toolbar. Doing so will reduce the actual file size to match the image's new proportions. In most cases, it will also significantly improve the image's appearance.

Differentiating Between Cell Padding and Cell Spacing in FrontPage
When you create a table in FrontPage and access the Table Properties dialog box, you find two settings that seem very similar: cell padding and cell spacing. What's the difference? Cell padding controls the amount of space between a cell's edge and its content--think of it as the cell's margins. Cell spacing, on the other hand, controls the amount of space between cells. If you increase cell spacing, the table's background color (or image) will show between the cells.

Washing Out a Background Image in FrontPage
When you insert a background image in FrontPage, it's important that it is light enough not to distract from the text on the page. A great way to get just the right effect is to washout the image using FrontPage's Washout tool. Once you've inserted the normally-colored background image, click on your page so that no foreground images are selected. Then, click the Washout button towards the center of the Image toolbar.

General Tips

Cleaning Your Computer
Be nice to your computer by giving it a good cleaning every once in a while.
1. A dust free area is of utmost importance.
2. Start with the monitor, which is a virtual magnet for lint and dust particles. Use a screen cleaner (or ordinary household rubbing alcohol) available at your local computer store. These are designed to remove dust, lint, oily fingerprints, and other gunk without scratching or streaking the polarized surface.
3. Give your keyboard a regular dusting by turning it upside down and blasting between and under keys with a can of compressed air. Wipe off the keys with a slightly damp cloth or cotton swabs. Never spray any liquid cleaner directly on the keyboard.
4. The moving ball under the mouse needs to be cleaned often. One way to prevent dust and particle buildup on the mouse ball is to use a mouse pad and keep the pad clean.
5. Turn the mouse upside down. Twist or slide off the retainer; remove the ball and clean it with an electrical cleaner or a moist cloth. Make sure that any cleaner you use does not have any lubricant in it.

Digital Camera Tips

Digital Camera Technical Terms
http://www.shermanisd.net/announcements/DigitalCameraTerms.pdf
If you’ve recently bought a new digital camera or if you're planning on buying one in the near future, these technical terms will help you to understand the basic settings on your camera. Click on the link to read the definitions.