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Drew's Quick SendTo/Open With Tutorial
 OK, this is a really great
way to open files on your desktop or elsewhere when they are normally opened by
a default program that isn't the one you want to use right now.
Of course, you can open the
program you want to use and then go searching for the file name, but that's not
always easy to do. And with files you want to zip or images you want to open with
several programs this will really make your life easy. It works for Windows 95,
98, and ME.
With Windows XP, they added
an open with choice that eliminates the need for this shortcut. And that's good.
Of course, unfortunately, this doesn't work on MACs, sorry. Oh, and while you're
at your computer, try right clicking everything you do.
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You'll
be amazed at how many aids you'll find to help you work. From spell check to sending
a file to your floppy drive, the right click is a great aid in virtually every
program. Before we start, look at the first picture.
This is what you
get if you right click a file. In this case I've right clicked a Text file and
I want to open it with Word. Do you see how easy this is to do? Now you'll open
any file you want with any program you want. It's really easy.
And if you want a quick tutorial
on how to change your folder options so that the default program you open that
type of file with is changed to what you want from the way your computer came
or is now set up, that's easy too and I'll create that tutorial if you email me
at the bottom of this page.
You know, when you load a
new program it often tries to become your default program for opening the type
of files that it addresses. This isn't bad, but be careful, or you won't be in
control. Onward.
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OK, so just right click
any file and you'll see the Send To option. In this case I'm going to show you
how to make that an "open with" command just like I use.
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Let's start the easy setup.
All we have to do is navigate
to the 'Send To'
folder, add a shortcut and we're done. I'll show you how. It's easy. There's nothing
to it.
Just Click on your 'My Desktop' Icon.
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That was easy. Now click on
your C: Drive to open it. This is of course the My Computer Screen.
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Now we're looking at the
files on your C: Drive. I've just shown you a few of mine, but what's important
is that you find the Windows folder and click on it. In a minute we're going to
go to the Program folder, but we'll come back to that.
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OK, so now you'll see either
the screen to the left warning you about doing anything in the Windows folder
or you'll actually be in the Windows folder. Either way, we aren't going to mess
with anything critical so don't worry. All you're going to do is click on and
open the SendTo folder. Wasn't that easy? Onward.
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Here we are in the SendTo
folder. You can see in my folder that I've added Zip, Fireworks Word and Photoshop
(being added right now).
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All we're going to do is drag
a shortcut or copy a shortcut into this folder, close it up and start using the
right click on our mouse from now on. That's it. We're done. Enjoy.
But what if you don't know
how to find your shortcuts to copy or drag here? No problem. Read on and I'll
show you. If you already know how, you can do it now.
Oh yes, you'd be amazed how
many people never right click anything. Try it often. There's almost always some
context sensitive help and shortcuts for you to use. In Word, you'll get spelling
and much more. Do check it out. . . .Drew
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OK, so here we are back
at our C: Drive. Remember a minute ago we came here to get to the windows folder.
Well, now we're going to click on the Program Files folder. It's where almost
all of your program files are stored. Imagine that.
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So now were in the program
files folder and we're checking out what's here. Every manufacturer creates their
own folder and sometimes even a folder for each program. Anyway today we're going
to put Adobe Photoshop 7 in our SendTo folder, so let's click the Adobe folder.
Wasn't that simple?
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OK, here we are in the
Adobe folder. You might have opened a folder and found another folder with the
specific programs for that manufacturer. If so, just click that folder too. I
had a number of Adobe programs, so I did click the one called Photoshop 7 and
that's what you see now.
What you're looking for is
the .EXE file because that's what actually launches the program. It's almost always
(today) the pretty little colored ICON just as you see here. The other ICON you
see in this folder is ImageReady and it's another program that I could put in
the SendTo as well, but let's take things easy.
So all you do is either drag
this icon to your SendTo folder, or more likely, copy it and then paste it into
your folder. I say more likely because most people can't see both folders at the
same time.
I can because I have two monitors
on all my computers, but the easiest way to copy it is to
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highlight it and then hit Control + C. Remember that tutorial? Then when you open
your SendTo folder, just hit Control + V to paste it and you're done.
I hope you've enjoyed this
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A few last things that I want to mention.
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This is just one
more really easy thing you can do once and benefit from now on. I use this to
open pages all the time and it really does save me time and I hope it will save
you time too.
This should get you started
saving time, decreasing your frustration and getting the most out of your computer.
Oh
yes, there's more you can do too. Want to send a file that's on your
desktop or in any folder to a floppy disc drive or other portable storage device?
No problem. Just right click it and look at the menu you'll see. Just click the
'SendTo' Floppy or other and a copy will be sent there. Easy.
What about a program you
use all the time? Every time you have to go fight through your start menu?
What a pain. Well, just go to your start menu, right click the icon of the program
you want and then choose send a 'ShortCut' to your desktop. From now on it's there
for you with just a single click
Oh,
and here's one thing about the 'ShortCut.' What if you only want it
on your desktop for a day, a week or a month while you work on a project. No problem.
You can delete it any time without any effect on the program itself. Shortcuts
are just handy ways to get to a program fast and easily. You might even want to
use one for Free Cell, Solitaire or Hears.
Please take a minute and drop
me an email by clicking the link below to tell me what you thought about this
tutorial and what you'd like me to cover next.
Enjoy. . . Drew
Tutorial
Review Please.
So,
What do you think? Good? Bad? Was this tutorial Helpful? Too detailed? Not Detailed
enough? What would you do differently?
What do you want to know? What
subject would you like me to write a tutorial about?
Please
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to tell Drew (me) PERSONALLY.
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