2 Insert the Student CD in the DVD/CD tray. If a dialog opens asking what action to take, click Cancel. You will be accessing the Student CD later in this lesson.

Customize the Start menu

Windows Vista allows you to customize the Start menu. You can add the programs or links you use most often to the Start menu so you do not have to search through the entire list of programs in the All Programs menu.

Add an item to the Start menu

The Start menu includes a program list of commonly used programs (Figure 4.1). Although this list is usually kept to a few entries, it gives you quick, one-click access to these programs from the Start menu. You will add a new entry to the program list. It could be a shortcut to a program or any file or folder on your desktop.

Figure 4.1 Start Menu and Program list

1 Click Start, click All Programs and click Accessories.

2 Find Paint in the list under Accessories and right-click the Paint entry.

A drop-down menu appears (see Figure 4.2).

Figure 4.2 Drop down menu after right click on Paint program entry

3 Click Pin to Start Menu and click in an area of blank space on the desktop to clear the menu.

The entry is added to the Start menu.

4 Click the Start button. The Start menu appears with the Paint icon entry added to the program list at the top of the left column.

A single-click of this entry will launch the Paint program (try it if you wish but then close the Paint program by clicking on the X in the title bar.)

More about the Start menu program list

The Start menu program list always appears in alphabetic order. If you hover the mouse pointer above an entry in the program list, a short description of the program appears.

Delete an item from the Start menu program list

You will now delete the Paint entry in the program list.

1 If the Start menu is not open, click the Start button.

2 Point to and right click the Paint entry in the program list.

A drop down-menu appears.

3 Click Unpin from Start Menu.

The entry no longer appears in the list.

Note: Removing a program or file from the Start menu does not delete the program or file from your computer. It simply deletes the shortcut (or link) to the program.

You will now learn how to modify the taskbar.

Move the Taskbar

By default, the taskbar is located at the bottom of the desktop along the bottom edge of your screen. If you would prefer to see the taskbar in a different location, Windows allows you to move it to a position along the left or right edge or across the top of your screen. You will practice moving the taskbar. However if the taskbar is locked, you cannot move it. The first thing to do is determined if it is locked.

1 Right-click on a blank area of the taskbar (any part that does not have buttons on it) to open a pop-up menu. If you see a checkmark next to Lock the Taskbar, click to remove it (see Figure 4.3).

Figure 4.3 Pop up menu on right click on Taskbar

2 Place the mouse pointer on a blank area of the taskbar.

3 Press and hold down the mouse button while you drag the taskbar to the center of the right edge of the screen and release the mouse button.

The taskbar is now at the right edge. You probably see only a small portion of the wording on the task buttons. You will learn how to resize the taskbar in a section below.

4 Similarly, click hold and drag the taskbar to the top edge of the screen.

The taskbar appears along the top edge.

5 Finally, click, hold and drag the taskbar back to the bottom of the screen.

Resize the Taskbar

As you open programs and documents (thus creating more buttons) the task buttons become smaller to enable them to fit on the taskbar. Soon it may be difficult to distinguish one button from another. To remedy this problem, Windows enables you to increase the size of the taskbar.

The Taskbar should still be unlocked from the previous exercise.

1 Place the mouse pointer anywhere on the top edge of the taskbar.

The pointer becomes a double-headed arrow.

2 Hold down the mouse button and drag the edge of the taskbar upward. Release the mouse button.

The taskbar has increased in height making room for more task buttons (two rows if necessary).

3 To return the taskbar to its normal size, drag its top edge toward the bottom of the screen.

Hide the Taskbar

Windows also enables you to hide the taskbar. This allows you to see a little more of the window as you work on documents.

1 Place the pointer in a blank area of the taskbar.

2 Right-click the mouse button.

A pop-up menu appears.

3 Click Properties.

The Taskbar Properties dialog box appears (see Figure 4.4).

Figure 4.4 Taskbar Properties dialog box

The first option, Lock the taskbar, specifies that no changes can be made to the taskbar without first unlocking it. You had previously unlocked it (if it was locked) to complete the exercises above.

4 Click to put a checkmark next to Lock the taskbar to prevent further accidental changes to the taskbar.

5 Click to put a checkmark next to Auto-hide the taskbar.

6 Leave the checkmark next to Keep the taskbar on top of other windows so that no other windows can cover the taskbar. It is best to leave this item checked so you can access the taskbar when you have other windows open. If you wanted to hide the taskbar even when you the desktop is displayed you would uncheck this option.

7 Click OK.

Unhide and hide the Taskbar

1 Place the mouse pointer in a blank area of the desktop away from the toolbar.

The taskbar disappears.

2 Move the mouse pointer to the bottom edge of the screen.

The taskbar re-appears.

3 Move your pointer away from the bottom and the taskbar disappears again.

If the taskbar is along the sides or top of the screen you must click somewhere in the document to make it disappear.

This behavior holds true if you have an open window. When the pointer is in the active area of the window, the taskbar is hidden, making more room available for the application window. To see and act on the taskbar, just bring the pointer down to the bottom of the screen.

Make the Taskbar permanently visible

1 When the taskbar is visible (see step 2 above), place the pointer in a blank area of the taskbar.

2 Right-click the mouse button.

A pop-up menu appears.

3 Click Properties.

The Taskbar Properties dialog box appears.

4 Click to remove the checkmark next to Auto Hide the Taskbar.

5 Click OK.

The taskbar is now fixed in place.

Open documents

Important: if you do not have Microsoft Office Word on your home computer, you will not be able to practice this exercise at home since WordPad does not have the ability to open multiple files simultaneously.

When you open a program or document a new task button is created on the taskbar with the title of the document on the button. You will now open some documents so you can see the effect of several buttons on the taskbar.

1 Click the Start button, move the pointer to All Programs, click Microsoft Office. A sub-menu opens listing the programs in Microsoft Office.

2 Click the Microsoft Office Word entry.

The Word program opens to a blank document and a Word task button appears on the taskbar.

3 If you have Word 2003: Click the New Blank Document icon at the top left of the toolbar (see Figure 4.5a for Word 2003)

Figure 4.5a New Document button in Word 2003

If you have Word 2007: click the Office icon in the top left corner and then click the New document icon (see Figure 4.5b).

Figure 4.5b New Document button in Word 2007

A new blank document opens and another task button is placed on the taskbar.

4 Repeat step 3 about ten times. Each time a new task button is added to the taskbar until the taskbar fills and then only one task button is shown, representing all the open Word documents.

See a document list on the Taskbar

If you have too many documents of one type open all of their buttons cannot be seen on the taskbar when it is set at the minimum height. The last open document button will display a little arrow on the right.

1 Click the arrow on a document button on the taskbar that displays the arrow.

A list of the open documents opens (see Figure 4.6).

Figure 4.6 Open documents list

Thumbnail View of document on the Taskbar

Place the mouse pointer on a task button and a thumbnail preview pops up showing a preview (albeit a very small preview!) of the document (see Figure 4.7)

Figure 4.7 Thumbnail preview on Taskbar

Close multiple instances of Word

1 Since you no longer need the Word documents open, click the Word task button on the taskbar to make the document visible.

2 Click the X at the very top right of the title bar to exit the copy of Word.

3 Repeat step 2 until all instances of Word are closed.

Quick Launch toolbar

You already have learned a few ways to launch programs. There is another way to access programs you frequently use. In Windows Vista, a portion of the taskbar can be used to hold icons for commonly used programs that can be launched with a single click. This area is called the Quick Launch toolbar (see Figure 4.8). You now will learn how to display and modify this toolbar.

Figure 4.8 Taskbar with Quick Launch toolbar to the right of Start Button

The Quick Launch toolbar may not currently be visible on your taskbar. This is a setting you will now check.

1 Place the mouse pointer on an empty area of the taskbar and right-click.

A pop-up menu appears (see the left side of Figure 4.9).

Figure 4.9 Taskbar pop-up menus

2 Point to Toolbars and a fly-out menu appears. Click Quick Launch on this menu (right side of Figure 4.9) to turn the Quick Launch feature on or off. A checkmark indicates that it is enabled.

Adding and deleting programs from the Quick Launch toolbar

The Quick Launch toolbar has two preset default icons:

Show Desktop

click this icon to show the desktop; all open applications are minimized to the taskbar.

Switch Between Windows

clicking this icon invokes the Flip 3D view (not available in Vista Home Basic) of all open applications. This will be covered shortly.

You will now add a program icon to the Quick Launch toolbar.

1 Click the Start Button, click All Programs, click Accessories.

The list of accessories opens.

2 Place the pointer on the Paint entry. Click, hold and drag the Paint entry down into the Quick Launch toolbar. Release the mouse button (see Figure 4.10).

The Quick Launch toolbar now holds the Paint program icon.

Figure 4.10

3 Single click the Paint program icon in the Quick Launch toolbar.

The Paint program launches. Close the program by clicking on the “X” in the title bar.

Remove a program from Quick Launch toolbar

You will now remove the Paint program from the Quick Launch toolbar.

1 Right-click the Paint program icon in the Quick Launch toolbar.

In the pop-up menu that results, click Delete.

2 A dialog opens asking confirmation. You are removing a shortcut or link to the program and not the actual program. Click Yes.

The Paint program icon is removed.

Enlarge or reduce the Quick Launch toolbar

You can make the Quick Launch toolbar (or the area reserved for task buttons) larger or smaller.

1 Place the pointer on a blank part of the Taskbar and right click.

A pop-up menu appears.

2 If the Lock the Taskbar entry has a check mark next to it (showing the Taskbar is locked), click this entry to unlock the Taskbar. This will allow you to make changes.

3 Place the pointer on the toolbar sizing handle between the Quick Launch area and the rest of the Taskbar (Figure 4.11).

A double-headed arrow appears.

Figure 4.11 Double Headed arrow pointer on toolbar sizing handle

4 Press and hold down the mouse button and drag the sizing handle to the left or right to make the Quick Launch toolbar larger or smaller. For this exercise, place the sizing handle in approximately the same position you found it.

5 Place the pointer on a blank part of the Taskbar and right click.

In the pop up menu, click the Lock the Taskbar entry.

The Taskbar is now locked from further changes.

Notification Area

The notification area on the right of the taskbar contains icons for programs that run in the background when your computer is on (See Figure 4.12). In previous versions of Windows, this area was known as the system tray.

Figure 4.12 Example of Notification area

Note: the icons in the Notification area vary between computers depending on their configuration and programs launched on startup.

Most programs in the notification area are automatically launched at startup. Examples of icons in this area are: clock, audio volume, network status, power status (if a laptop computer), Windows sidebar and anti-virus software status. Many other programs can be represented here if they are part of the start-up sequence. You can add or eliminate these programs but will not do so in this lesson.

1 Place the mouse pointer over one of the icons in the system tray for a few seconds (do not click the mouse button).

A label (tooltip) with the name of the program appears.

2 Right-click an icon.

A pop-up menu appears. Each icon will produce a different menu. Most will have an option to change properties of the program. Some will have the ability to exit or close the program. In this case, the program will stop during the current computing session but the program will start up again the next time you start your computer.

Do not click any of the options on the pop-up menu.

3 If there are many icons in the Notification area, a left pointing arrow (<) appears indicating hidden icons. If the arrow is present, click it to temporarily expand the notification area and see the additional icons.

4 Repeat steps 1 and 2 for some of the other icons to become more familiar with the programs on your system.

The properties of the Notification area can be modified as follows:

5 Right click the Start button and click Properties.

The Taskbar and Start Menu Properties dialog opens.

6 Click the Notification Area tab.

The dialog appears as shown in Figure 4.13

Figure 4.13 Changing properties of Notification Area

As shown, you can select which default system icons are shown (such as clock, volume and network status) and the properties of inactive (seldom accessed) icons. Do not make any changes and click Cancel.

Set default icons on your desktop

There are a number of default icons which can appear on your desktop. You will now see how to manage this setting.

1 Click the Start button.

The Start menu opens.

2 In the column on the right side, click Control Panel.

The Control Panel opens.

3 Click the Appearance and Personalization heading, a new dialog opens. Click the Personalization heading.

4 In the list of tasks that appears of the left side of this window, click Change Desktop Icons (see Figure 4.14).

Figure 4.14 Change Desktop icons

The Desktop Icon Settings dialog opens (see Figure 4.15).

Figure 4.15 Desktop Icon Settings dialog

By checking or unchecking the appropriate boxes, you can add or remove the desktop icons listed and even change the icon that represents the function (though this option is not recommended). Do not make any changes on the Learning Center computer. You may consider adding or removing these basic desktop icons on your own machine at home.

Tip: it is recommended you have or keep the Recycle Bin, Computer and Personal folder icons on your desktop for easy access. The others are up to you.

5 Click Cancel to close this dialog.

6 Click the X in the title of the Personalization window to close it.

Program shortcuts

You can always launch a program from the All Programs menu or get to a file or folder through Windows Explorer. However, you may find it convenient to place what is known as a shortcut on the desktop for commonly accessed programs or files. The shortcut allows you to launch the program, or access that file or folder directly from the desktop. Shortcuts are simply icons that link to a program, file, folder or resource. Shortcuts have a small arrow on the bottom left edge of the icon signifying it is a shortcut (i.e. link) and not an actual program or file (see Figure 4.16). You can place shortcuts anywhere on the desktop that is convenient for you so that you don’t have to click through multiple folders to find a file.

Figure 4.16 Shortcut for Internet Explorer

Shortcuts contain information about the “path” to the original file, the hierarchy of folders that lead to the actual file, so that double-clicking a shortcut has the same result as double-clicking the original file. You can make a shortcut to anything: a program, a disk drive, a file or folder.

When a new program is installed on your computer, the program is listed in the all programs list and most often a shortcut is placed on the desktop by default, giving quick access to the program.

Create a shortcut to Paint

In the following steps you will create on the desktop a shortcut to the Paint program.

1 Click the Start button.

The Start menu opens.

2 Click All Programs to open up the program list.

3 Click the Accessories folder in the program list.

4 Bring the pointer to the Paint entry and right-click.

A pop-up menu appears (see Figure 4.17).

Figure 4.17 Menus after right click on Paint entry

5 Point to Send to.

A second menu opens.

6 Click Desktop (create Shortcut).

A shortcut icon is created and placed on the desktop.

7 Click anywhere in a free area of the desktop to get rid of the menu. Find the Shortcut to the Paint program now on the desktop (Figure 4.18).

Figure 4.18 Paint Shortcut

Note the arrow in the bottom left corner signifying this icon represents a shortcut. The shortcut can be renamed or deleted without affecting the Paint program since it is just a link to the program and not the actual program file.

Rename the shortcut

You can either retain the name, or change it to something else. For this exercise you will change it to “My Paint Program.”

1 Locate the shortcut you just created for the Paint program on the desktop.

2 Right-click the Paint shortcut.

A pop-up menu appears.

3 Click Rename.

The filename for the shortcut is selected (i.e. it is highlighted in blue).

4 Type My Paint Program to replace what is in the name field, then press the Enter key to indicate you have finished typing the name.

Use a shortcut to open Paint

1 Double-click the icon for the My Paint Program shortcut to open it.

The Paint program opens with a blank workspace. A task button for the untitled Paint document appears on the taskbar.

2 On the menu bar, click File and click Open.

The Open dialog appears (Figure 4.19).

Figure 4.19 Open dialog

3 In the Favorite Links section of the Navigation pane, click Computer.

The drives and removable storage devices appear in the files list.

4 In the files list, double click the DVD/CD entry.

The contents of the Student CD appears – the Class Files folder.

5 Double-click the Class Files folder to open it.

Only those files that can be opened by the Paint program appear – specifically two files named VacationPic. One is bit mapped and the other is a JPEG.

6 Click either file to select it and click the Open button at the bottom of the dialog.

The image appears in the Paint program workspace (Figure 4.20).

Figure 4.20 Paint Program open with Vacationpic graphic

Open another program – WordPad

You will now open another program and see how to task switch between two or more open programs. Keep the Paint program open.

1 Click Start, click All Programs, click Accessories and click WordPad.

A WordPad window opens in front of the Paint window. Note there are now two buttons on the Taskbar: one for WordPad and one for Paint.

2 In WordPad, click in the blank workspace to set the insertion point and type “This is just for practice”

3 Click the Paint task button on the taskbar.

The Paint window opens in front of the WordPad window and becomes the “active” window.

4 Click the WordPad button on the taskbar.

The WordPad window opens in front of the Paint window and becomes the active window.

Switch between open programs using the keyboard

You can use another method to switch between programs.

1 Press and hold down the Alt key while you press the Tab key.

A window opens showing thumbnails of the two open programs, plus the desktop (Figure 4.21)

Figure 4.21 Tasks displayed with ALT-TAB keypress

2 While continuing to hold the Alt key down, press and release the Tab key repeatedly and note the highlighted thumbnail cycles between the WordPad, Paint and desktop icons. Release the Alt key when the WordPad thumbnail is highlighted.

WordPad opens full screen.

Windows Flip 3D (not available in Vista Home Basic)

Vista includes a flip 3D view of all open programs that allows you to quickly “scroll” between open windows and select the one you want to view full screen.

1 With the Paint and WordPad programs still open, press and hold the Windows key (usually between the CTRL key and the ALT key on the left side of the keyboard) while you press and release the Tab key. Continue to hold down the Windows key.

The open programs, including the desktop appear in a flip 3D view as shown in Figure 4.22.

Figure 4.22 WordPad and Paint and the Desktop in Flip 3D View

2 Press (and release) the Tab key to cycle the flip 3D view programs. When the program you want is in the foreground (say the Paint Window), release the Windows key and the desired window fills the screen.

Switch between Windows in Quick Launch

1 Click the Switch between windows icon found in the Quick Launch toolbar.

The flip 3D view is shown. But this time you do not have to hold down a key to maintain the flip 3D view.

2 Press the Tab key to cycle though the programs.

(Tip: Hold the Shift key down while you press Tab and the previews flip in the reverse direction).

3 Click any of the Windows in the Flip 3D to bring it to full screen or press Enter to select the Window previewed in the foreground.

Close the windows

1 Click the X on the title bars of the WordPad and the Paint windows to close them.

2 When you are given a choice to save changes or not, click No or Don’t Save.

Delete a shortcut

1 Right-click the My Paint Program shortcut icon on the desktop.

A pop-up menu appears.

2 Click Delete.

A Confirm File Delete message appears (see Figure 4.23)

Figure 4.23 Confirm File Delete message

3 Click Yes.

The shortcut is sent to the recycle bin. You are not deleting the program but only a link to it.

The recent programs list

In this lesson, you have launched the Paint and WordPad programs. They will now appear on the recent programs list in the Start menu.

1 Click the Start button.

The Start menu opens (Figure 4.24).

Figure 4.24 Start Menu – Recent Programs list

2 Note that Paint and WordPad are listed in the recent programs list. Click either (or both) to launch either or both programs.

3 Click the X on the title bar or the Paint or WordPad program(s) to close them

Arrange icons

Windows provides several ways to arrange icons either on the desktop or within a folder. You can arrange the desktop on your own computer the way that you want to work. You can arrange the icons:

· in any pattern you want

· alphabetically by name, by type or by size of file

· according the date the icon was created

Auto arrange icons

The Auto Arrange feature is either on or off. When it is on, the icons are always lined up in neat rows and columns. If you drag an icon away from the others and into a blank area of the desktop, the remaining icons will “close ranks” and the moved icon will be placed at the end. When Auto Arrange is off, you can place the icons wherever you wish on the desktop and they will stay there. You can change the status of Auto Arrange.

1 Place the mouse pointer in a blank area of the desktop (not on an icon) and right-click the mouse button to make a pop-up menu appear.

2 Point to View. In the menu that appears to the side, click Auto Arrange if there is not already a checkmark there.

The icons on the desktop are moved into a close arrangement (if not already so).

Note: A checkmark before the words Auto Arrange indicates it is already on and the icons have been arranged automatically.

Rearrange icons

1 Right-click to open the menu again, point to View and click Auto Arrange to remove the checkmark to turn off Auto Arrange (see Figure 4.25).

Figure 4.25 Icon view options

Note: If you arrange icons within a folder on the desktop, the Auto Arrange feature is available only when one of the icon views (not the list or details view) is selected in the View menu.

2 Repeat step 1 and remove the checkmark next to Align to Grid if it is checked.

3 Point to, click and drag one of the icons on the desktop away from its position.

The icon will stay where you drag it.

4 Place your mouse pointer on a blank area of the desktop (not on an icon), and right-click so that the pop-up menu appears. Click View and then click to put a checkmark next to Align to Grid.

5 Point to and drag an icon where you want to place it.

It can be moved in increments that follow an invisible grid to line icons up in straight rows and columns.

6 Right-click again and set the menu to the Auto Arrange and Align to Grid settings that were in place when you started.

The icon(s) rearrange themselves in a compact form on a grid.

Close all windows

1 Click the X on the title bar of any open windows to close them.

2 Press the button on the DVD/CD tray to eject the Student CD.

Turn off the computer

1 Click the Start button and bring the pointer to the power option button .