Access Information Using Keyboard

DESKTOP ICONS

Windows uses icons to graphically represent items, such as programs and folders. This
is part of Windows GUI, or graphical user interface. Icons appear everywhere throughout
Windows and are just pictures that depict the type of items they represent. The Windows
desktop contains a range of desktop icons. Many of these icons are known as shortcuts or
links to frequently use programs, folders, and files. You can save quite a bit of time and
reduce the number of mouse clicks in a day by creating desktop shortcuts for frequently used
programs. Shortcuts to programs, files and folders can be added easily to the desktop, as well
as arranged, moved, and removed. You should also clean up your desktop from time to time
when it becomes too cluttered.
The Windows desktop contains a range of icons, some of which appear when you
install Windows 7, and some that appear when you install new programs. Icons with an
arrow are known as shortcuts or links to programs, files or folders. You can DoubleClick on a
desktop icon to launch that program, folder or file. Below are some common desktop icons.
Programs

The icons to the left represent shortcuts to various programs. You can tell it’s a
shortcut as it contains an arrow. So, if you were to delete the shortcut, you wouldn’t be
deleting the actual program, only the desktop link to it. Double-clicking on the relevant icon
will launch that program. For example, if you double-click on the icons to the left you will
launch: 1. Google Chrome (internet browser) 2. PowerPoint 2016(presentation software) 3.
Publisher 2016 (publishing software) 4. Word 2016 (word processing software)

Files
Icons that show a page represent a file. When you double-click on the icon,
the file will open in the program that it was created in. The picture to the left shows that the
file was created in Notepad. However, as no arrow appears, it is not a shortcut, but indicates
that this file was actually saved to the desktop. Therefore, if this desktop icon is deleted, so is
the actual file.

Folders and drives

Icons that show a folder represent a folder or shortcut to a folder. When you double-
click on a folder icon, the Windows Explorer window will open and you will see the contents
of that folder. Similarly, icons that show a hard disk will display the contents of that drive in
Windows Explorer when you double-click on it.

Recycle Bin
The desktop icon for the Recycle Bin is shown as a waste paper basket with
the recycle symbol on it. Double-clicking on this icon will open the Recycle Bin
window, allowing you to permanently delete or restore files as necessary.
ARRANGING AND RESIZING DESKTOP ICONS
When a new icon appears on the desktop, it usually sits along the left side of the
screen. However, just as you can arrange items on your desk to suit your preferences, you
can also arrange icons on the desktop to sit wherever you’d like. As well as arranging icons,
you can also resize them, that is, make the icons larger or smaller.
CREATING A DESKTOP SHORTCUT

Desktop icons are designed to enable quick access to frequently-used programs, files,
folders and so on. Many of these icons will be shortcuts, which are used to launch a program
(or whatever) from another location. You can create desktop shortcuts for pretty much
anything on your computer: programs, files, folders, windows and the like.
CLEANING THE DESKTOP

As you work with your computer over time, you’ll find that more and more icons make
their way onto your desktop. This might be through saving files to the desktop, or shortcuts
being added when new programs are installed. From time to time, however, you’ll need to
clean your desktop so that you can easily find what you need and keep the desktop free from
clutter.

WHAT IS KEYBOARDING?
 The ability to enter text by using the correct fingers without looking at the keys
(aka-touch typing).
 Having adequate keyboarding skills will enable you to use the computer more
effectively and be more productive.
 We will continue to practice and develop your skills; as well as, improve your
speed and accuracy.

THE KEYBOARD LAYOUT

 The central portion that consists of the alphanumeric keys  A smaller section
to the right contains the numeric keypad
 A small set of function and directional keys between the letters and the
numeric keypad
 A row of function keys across the top used for computer commands

THE KEYBOARD ARRANGEMENT

The most common arrangement of keyboards is the QWERTY keyboard.

TECHNIQUE
  Maintain good posture
 Keep your body centered with the G/H keys
 Keep your wrists low but not touching the keyboard or table
 Use correct fingering based on the home row keys keeping fingers curved
and upright
 Key at a steady pace
 Keep your copy at your side
 Keep your eyes on your copy
 Stay on task and have a positive attitude toward improving your
technique

COMPUTER KEYBOARD SHORTCUT KEYS

Shortcut keys help provide an easier and quicker method of navigating and executing
commands in the computer software. Shortcut keys are commonly accessed by using the Alt
key (on IBM compatible computers), Command key (on Apple computers), Ctrl key, or Shift
key in conjunction with another key. The de facto standard for listing a shortcut is listing the
modifier key, a plus symbol, and another key. In other words, "Ctrl+S" is telling you to press
and hold the Ctrl key, and then press the S key too.

You can also find the shortcut keys in popular programs by

looking for underlined letters in their menus. For example, the file
menu image has an underline on the "F" in File, which means you
can press the Alt key and "F" key to access the file menu.

Some programs require the user to press and hold Alt to see the underlined
characters. In the image above, you can see that some of the common features, such as Open
(Ctrl+O) and Save (Ctrl+S), have shortcut keys assigned to them. As you begin to memorize
shortcut keys, you'll notice that many applications share them.
BASIC PC SHORTCUT KEYS
Below is a list of some of the most commonly used basic shortcut keys that work with
IBM compatible computers and software. It is highly recommended that all users keep a
reference to these shortcut keys or try to memorize them. Doing so will dramatically increase
your productivity.
Besides the special character shortcuts listed here, some are also located on the
number keys (below the F1 - F12 keys). You can enter these special characters by pressing
the Shift key and the number key that has the special character listed on it.
Ctrl+V Paste

Shift+Ins Paste
Ctrl+Y Redo last action.

Ctrl+Z Undo last action.

Ctrl+K Insert hyperlink for selected text.

Ctrl+P Print the current page or document.

Home Goes to beginning of current line.

Ctrl+Home Goes to beginning of document.

End Goes to end of current line.

Ctrl+End Goes to end of document.

Shift+Home Highlights from current position to beginning of line.

Shift+End Highlights from current position to end of line.

Ctrl+Left arrow Moves one word to the left at a time.

Ctrl+Right arrow Moves one word to the right at a time.

Ctrl+Esc Open the Start menu.

Ctrl+Shift+Esc Open Windows Task Manager.

Alt+F4 Close the currently active program.

Alt+Enter Open the properties for the selected item (file, folder,
shortcut, etc.).