Tips & Tricks   return home                        directory 
 

To find your original file when looking at the "alias", select the alias and click command-R . . . like magic, your original will appear!

To get the latest and greatest, download or purchase the CD version of OS 9.0.4, BUT be sure to do a clean install if your system has been updated a number of times since 7.6.1 . . . this will improve its stability and ensure that no "bugs" have been carried over.

To reduce the number of System crashes, when you have a bus error or other unusual lockup, go to the Preferences folder in the System folder and remove the Mac OS, System, and Finder preference files, then restart your Mac for a fresh new start.

To dramatically improve your Mac performance, do a "clean install" of Mac OS 8.5 (or see 8.6 above), then use Conflict Catcher 8 clean install assistant to automatically move the old system files you still need to the new system folder . . . its a "must have" combination.

To reset your Parameter Random Access Memory (PRAM), hold down the Option and Command keys and the "P" and "R" keys immediately after starting the computer and wait for it to "bong" three times before letting up . . . this is a last resort if things get strange, and it may be necessary to reselect printers, background patterns, Appletalk and a few other items.

To immediately see the results of your layout design in ClarisWorks, instead of switching between Layout and Browse to design, then view, the results of your creativity, just use New View from the View menu to establish a second window which can be set to Browse, while the first is set to Layout . . . you can then see the design and results side-by-side.

To enter URLs in your browser faster, type only what appears after "http://www." and before ".com", and the browser will do the rest for you after hitting "Return."

To capture an image on your screen, hold down the command and shift keys while striking the "3" key (takes picture of whole screen) or use a program like "SnapJot" to record a portion of screen.

To find a file name quickly on a cluttered screen, just strike the keyboard character for the first letter of the filename, then Tab through other matches (type first 3 characters for better match).

To get quick access to your favorite files, make an alias of any program or document, and place it in the Apple Menu Items folder in your System Folder; thereafter you can select any of these aliases in the "apple menu" in the upper-left corner (add a space in front of a filename, and it will pop to the top of the list).

To toggle "Show Invisibles" in ClarisWorks, hold down the Command key and press the semi-colon key to this feature on or turn it off . . . it sure beats going into Preferences.

To find a file with certain "contents", open the Find File application (cmd-F), hold down the Option key, click and hold the fartherest left menu in the box listing all searchable criteria (four items below the line), select "contents", then enter the words or phrases you are looking for. Its slow, but it beats opening all of the files or guessing.

To make ADB connections in a pinch, use an S-video cable from any electronics store (or if you need an S-video cable in a hurry, grab the connecting cable for your keyboard).

To use a makeshift SCSI device driver, make sure the external hard disk or removeable device is attached and running, then open the PC Exchange control panel, click on Options (this will scan the attached devices and alert you that the necessary driver will load the next time you restart), then restart and everything should work properly.

To protect your valuable information, make frequent backups using a backup schedule (such as weekly), a backup plan (only backup the files you've created since your programs are already on the installation disks), a backup device (lots of floppies, or a removeable extras drive like Zip, or SyQuest or tape, magneto-optical), and a commitment (promise to do, then DO IT).

To improve performance, at least once per month rebuild your Mac's desktop by holding down the command & option keys during restart.

To increase speed, turn off AppleTalk (if not connected to a network), turn off Menu Blinking (in General Controls control panel), set Key Repeat Rate to Fast and Delay to Short (in Keyboard control panel), turn on Modern Memory Manager, reduce Color Depth in Monitors control panels, set tracking to Fast in Mouse control panels, and turn off Calculate Folder Sizes in Views control panel.

(more to come)