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Shortcuts for Mac keyboard can make your work go faster



Author: Virgil Rochowansky
Date: June 1989
Keywords: hints tips
Text: (Adapted from the Novice Corner of "Resources," the newsletter published by the San Diego Macintosh User Group. The author is Virgil Rochowansky.) This is a compilation of general Macintosh keyboard shortcuts, although some applications have special functions of their own.: Shift Key -- While clicking on files on the Mac desktop it allows you to select more than one file at once. For example, if you want to trash more than one file at a time. Command Key -- It allows you to move an inactive window without making it active. While dragging an icon, it automatically aligns it with the invisible "clean-up" grid (The same grid used when choosing "Clean Up" from the "Special" menu. Option Key -- While dragging something into the trash, it prevents While double-clicking Font/DA Mover, it automatically opens the DAs in your System file instead of fonts. While clocking the "Open" button in Font/DA Mover, it allows you to open applications and install fonts and DAs directly into them. That way, those fonts or DAs will be available when you use that program. A good example of when to use this feature would be with the "Guidance" DA that comes with PageMaker. It's only used for PageMaker on-line help. While clicking the "Close" button in Font/DA Mover, it automatically ejects the disk (floppies only, of course). Command and Option keys (hold both down) -- While inserting a disk or starting from a hard disk, this allows you to rebuild the invisible desktop file. Why do this? If a disk is acting funny, or if all of a sudden double-clicking a document doesn't start its associated program, you may need to rebuild your desktop file. Command and Shift keys -- Hit "1" and it ejects the disk from your internal drive. Hit "2" and the disk in the external drive is ejected. Hit "3" and it takes a snapshot of your screen and saves it as a MacPaint file. Hit "4" and it prints out the contents of the active window (but not with a LaserWriter). If you want to print the contents of the entire screen (menus and all), you also need to have the Caps Lock key depressed. Command, Option and Shift keys -- While choosing the "Control Panel" desk accessory, this allows you to "zap the parameter RAM" (huh?). Why should you want to do this? Well, if all of a sudden your Mac doesn't recognize your hard disk (especially on a Mac II) give this a try. It often cures the problem. Command, Shift and Tab keys -- While inserting a disk this automatically erases the disk for you. Not to worry, however, the Mac will ask you if you're sure you want to do this. Option, Shift and Caps Lock keys -- When the Imagewriter II print dialogue box is displayed, have these keys down, click on "Faster" and then click on the "OK" button. Your Imagewriter II prints in both directions instead of just left to right, greatly speeding up printing in "Faster" mode ("Best" already prints in both directions. To return to one-direction printing, do the same thing, except also hold down the Command key. Other shortcuts -- Whenever you see a button on the screen with a thick dark line around it, hitting Return or Enter has the same as clicking on the button. When you see either a "Save" or "Open" dialogue box when using most programs, hitting the Tab key is the same as clicking on the "Drive" button. In the same dialogue box, the up and down arrow keys let you scroll through your files. In the same dialogue box, hitting the Return key when the name of a folder is highlighted opens the folder. Also in the same box, holding down the Command key while hitting the up arrow key moves you up one level in the HFS hierarchy. To eject a disk and close all of its windows, drag the disk icon into the trash (and no, it won't erase the disk). Virgil Rochowansky, San Diego

Copyright © June 1989 by Virgil Rochowansky


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