Via laterlife.com Jackie aims to particularly help those new to IT and the web to
build up knowledge and confidence, so no question is too basic. At the same time she will
cover Q&As for the more experienced user.
So if you
would like to ask a question of Jackie, why not email her jackie@laterlife.com
or if you
have discovered something which may be of interest to others in making the most of the
web, then she would love to hear about that too jackie@laterlife.com
Q: Can you help
me with word processing minutes of meetings? I
find the different numbering of items very difficult.
A: The easiest way to cope with numbered items that
have different levels of numbering is to set them first using the Outline Numbering option
on the Format - Bullets and Numbering menu.
You will see different arrangements
of number levels e.g. 1, a) and i., or 1, 1.1
and 1.1.1.
If you select the first option, 1
will appear at the start of the first line. When
you have typed the entry and press Enter, a 2 will appear automatically, just as with
normal numbering. However, if you now press
the Tab key (marked by 2 arrows, next to Q), you go down a level to the first a). Once again, pressing Enter after typing the entry
will introduce item b). To get down to i.,
repeat the use of the Tab key.
To go back up the levels, press Enter (which will introduce
ii.) and then hold down Shift as you press the Tab key.
You will return to the style of the next level up and it will be displayed in the
correct sequence.
Q:
Can you suggest quick ways to insert
number sequences into a spreadsheet? I use
Excel.
A: If you are increasing numbers in a normal
sequence, e.g. 1,2,3,4,5 etc. enter the first number, hold down a Ctrl key and click and
drag to copy the number down the column when the pointer positioned over the bottom,
right-hand corner of the cell shows a small black cross. You
will see a tiny + visible next to the pointer.
To increase by unusual steps, enter
the first two numbers into adjacent cells e.g.
A1 and A2, select both cells and copy down from the second i.e. A2. This will
maintain the sequence.
For dates, all you need do is enter
the first day or month and copy down as Excel automatically recognises a date sequence. If you want the same date repeated, enter two examples,
select both cells and copy down from the second.
Q: I am drowning
in e-mails. How can I stop unwanted messages
downloading onto my computer?
A: A useful facility on most e-mail systems including
the commonest, Outlook Express, is the message
blocker. Next time you receive mail from an
unsolicited and unwanted source, select it in your Inbox and then open the Tools menu and click Block Sender. You can choose to delete everything previously
sent by that person, and block future messages appearing. The
messages will be sent straight to your Deleted Items folder.
If you ever want to unblock a sender
in future, go to Tools - Message Rules - Blocked
Senders List and reinstate the relevant e-mail address.
Jackie Sherman`s new book:
 This work provides all
necessary computer skills an individual may need and presents them in a straightforward
and intelligent way. It demystifies computers and is ideal for those wishing to develop
their skills and confidence in the subject.
|
and under the books section select
Computers and Internet.
