These functions can be used in almost any program. Remember that Right Mouse is Your Friend. If you learn these simple commands, they will assist you in a variety of ways. You can drag and drop a variety of things like pictures, sayings, files, etc. to new locations such as from one program to another, from one file to another, from one drive to another, etc. You can do the same thing with copy and paste.
Practice using these functions on unimportant items until you understand how easy it is to do them. By the way, there are always a variety of ways to do almost every command and this is only one way. If you have learned another way and if it easier for you, then continue using that method. Only change if it will make it easier for you.
NOTE: A caution, if you are moving files or important documents, you may want to do Copy/Paste instead of Drag and Drop. You can always go back and delete the original file after you make sure the file is safe in its new location.
Highlight – To highlight an item (word, saying, file, picture, etc.) put the cursor at the beginning of the item and with your finger depressed on the left side of the mouse, move the cursor over the desired item until there is a colored film over the entire item – this is highlighting. From here you will do something else with the item such as copy/paste, delete, drag/drop, etc. You can remove your finger from the mouse and the item will remain highlighted.
Copy/Paste - Highlight an item – using your mouse, depress the right side to display a variety of functions. Select the Copy function. Your computer will now copy the highlighted item into it's memory. Now go to a new location and with the left side of your mouse, depress the mouse to put the cursor into the new location. Depress the right side of the mouse to show the functions, select Paste. This will put your item into the new location. (Note: The item will still remain in the original place as you only copied the item but it will now also be in the new location.) Another command for Copy is using Control C and another command for Paste is using Control V. Some items may not copy and paste in any other way so try this method for those difficult items.
Cut/Paste – Do the same as with Copy and Paste only select Cut as the first function. Note: When you cut an item, it will delete the item from the original location. Do this only if you know you no longer wish for it to be in the new location. If you do not immediately move it to a new location, it may delete forever. If you Paste it to a new location, you will now have it only in that new location.
Drag and Drop – Highlight an item. Depress the left side of the mouse to Grab the highlighted item. Now Drag it over to a new location and let go of the left side of the mouse or Drop it into this new location.
Delete – To easily delete an item, first highlight the item then depress the right side of the mouse to reveal the functions. Select Delete or Cut if delete is not available. This will remove the item. You can also highlight the item then select the delete button on your key board. This will accomplish the same thing.
Rename – This is mostly used for renaming documents, pictures, folders, etc. Highlight the item (the original name). Depress the right side of the mouse to reveal functions. Select Rename. The item will then show with the cursor in the original name box and most often the original name will be highlighted. Type in the new name. You will note that the original name that was highlighted will disappear. If you have clicked into the box and caused the highlighting to disappear, you can use your delete or backspace buttons to erase the original name or you can highlight and delete the original name. Bottom line, you need to remove the original name and add the new name.
You can modify the original name by clicking into the original name, put the cursor where you want to modify and begin to type. For instance, you may want to change the original name of a picture to explain more of the picture. If the original name was "Mary", you may want to add what she was doing so you can modify the title of the picture by clicking into the name (follow directions for renaming) then put the cursor where you want to change - in this case it would go behind Mary. Type in the correction, "Mary at the beach 2010". This will now be the new name.
With these simple tools, you will be able to save lots of time. If you are making a flier and need multiple copies of the same thing (on one page), just use the copy/paste to fill up your page. If you want to move files from your hard drive to a flash drive, you can use copy/paste or drag and drop and move entire files in one shot. You can move pictures around in a presentation with the drag and drop. You can delete all of those unnecessary files with the delete function. You can organize all of your files with renaming and a combination of all of these commands. Once you learn these simple commands, you will not even realize how often you use them...it will become second nature.
One comment from me...I teach a lot of people that are afraid of the computer. I do understand their fear but it is like anything else. You just need to take a few minutes to learn the basics. Do not try to understand the entire computer - I don't understand the entire computer. Just take your time and learn one thing at a time and use it! Eventually you will master that one thing and then you can move on.
Please let me know if there is something that you do not understand and would like to know more about. If you have these questions, then others do also. Let's help each other by letting me (and others) help you. There is no question too insignificant. We all have to start somewhere. Some of us know more about some things than others. I am always going to my son-in-law or daughter-in-law to ask for help. I am here to help YOU so please ask. You can comment to this posting or send me an email. Don't just sit there wondering how to do something...ASK! Please Ask. That's why I set up this blog - to help YOU!
You can modify the original name by clicking into the original name, put the cursor where you want to modify and begin to type. For instance, you may want to change the original name of a picture to explain more of the picture. If the original name was "Mary", you may want to add what she was doing so you can modify the title of the picture by clicking into the name (follow directions for renaming) then put the cursor where you want to change - in this case it would go behind Mary. Type in the correction, "Mary at the beach 2010". This will now be the new name.
With these simple tools, you will be able to save lots of time. If you are making a flier and need multiple copies of the same thing (on one page), just use the copy/paste to fill up your page. If you want to move files from your hard drive to a flash drive, you can use copy/paste or drag and drop and move entire files in one shot. You can move pictures around in a presentation with the drag and drop. You can delete all of those unnecessary files with the delete function. You can organize all of your files with renaming and a combination of all of these commands. Once you learn these simple commands, you will not even realize how often you use them...it will become second nature.
One comment from me...I teach a lot of people that are afraid of the computer. I do understand their fear but it is like anything else. You just need to take a few minutes to learn the basics. Do not try to understand the entire computer - I don't understand the entire computer. Just take your time and learn one thing at a time and use it! Eventually you will master that one thing and then you can move on.
Please let me know if there is something that you do not understand and would like to know more about. If you have these questions, then others do also. Let's help each other by letting me (and others) help you. There is no question too insignificant. We all have to start somewhere. Some of us know more about some things than others. I am always going to my son-in-law or daughter-in-law to ask for help. I am here to help YOU so please ask. You can comment to this posting or send me an email. Don't just sit there wondering how to do something...ASK! Please Ask. That's why I set up this blog - to help YOU!
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