ICDL Exam Cram 2

ICDL Mike Gunderloy Susan Sales Harkins ICDL Exam Cram Publisher Copyright © 2004 by Que Publishing Paul Boger Al...

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ICDL Mike Gunderloy Susan Sales Harkins

ICDL Exam Cram

Publisher

Copyright © 2004 by Que Publishing

Paul Boger

All rights reserved. No part of this book shall be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted by any means, electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording, or otherwise, without written permission from the publisher. No patent liability is assumed with respect to the use of the information contained herein. Although every precaution has been taken in the preparation of this book, the publisher and author assume no responsibility for errors or omissions. Nor is any liability assumed for damages resulting from the use of the information contained herein. International Standard Book Number: 0-7897-3092-8 Library of Congress Catalog Card Number: 2003113755 Printed in the United States of America

Executive Editor Jeff Riley

Acquisitions Editor Jeff Riley

Development Editor Steve Rowe

Managing Editor Charlotte Clapp

First Printing: March 2004 07 06 05 04

4

3

2

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Trademarks All terms mentioned in this book that are known to be trademarks or service marks have been appropriately capitalized. Que Publishing cannot attest to the accuracy of this information. Use of a term in this book should not be regarded as affecting the validity of any trademark or service mark.

Warning and Disclaimer Every effort has been made to make this book as complete and as accurate as possible, but no warranty or fitness is implied. The information provided is on an “as is” basis. The author(s) and the publisher shall have neither liability nor responsibility to any person or entity with respect to any loss or damages arising from the information contained in this book or from the use of the CD or programs accompanying it.

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Bulk Sales Que Publishing offers excellent discounts on this book when ordered in quantity for bulk purchases or special sales. For more information, please contact U.S. Corporate and Government Sales 1-800-382-3419 [email protected]

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Que Certification • 800 East 96th Street • Indianapolis, Indiana 46240

A Note from Series Editor Ed Tittel You know better than to trust your certification preparation to just anybody. That’s why you, and more than two million others, have purchased an Exam Cram book. As Series Editor for the new and improved Exam Cram 2 series, I have worked with the staff at Que Certification to ensure you won’t be disappointed. That’s why we’ve taken the world’s best-selling certification product—a finalist for “Best Study Guide” in a CertCities reader poll in 2002—and made it even better. As a “Favorite Study Guide Author” finalist in a 2002 poll of CertCities readers, I know the value of good books. You’ll be impressed with Que Certification’s stringent review process, which ensures the books are high-quality, relevant, and technically accurate. We’ve also added a MeasureUp, full-featured test engine, which is trusted by certification students throughout the world. As a 20-year-plus veteran of the computing industry and the original creator and editor of the Exam Cram series, I’ve brought my IT experience to bear on these books. During my tenure at Novell from 1989 to 1994, I worked with and around its excellent education and certification department. This experience helped push my writing and teaching activities heavily in the certification direction. Since then, I’ve worked on more than 70 certification-related books, and I write about certification topics for numerous Web sites and for Certification magazine. In 1996, while studying for various MCP exams, I became frustrated with the huge, unwieldy study guides that were the only preparation tools available. As an experienced IT professional and former instructor, I wanted “nothing but the facts” necessary to prepare for the exams. From this impetus, Exam Cram emerged in 1997. It quickly became the best-selling computer book series since “…For Dummies,” and the best-selling certification book series ever. By maintaining an intense focus on subject matter, tracking errata and updates quickly, and following the certification market closely, Exam Cram was able to establish the dominant position in cert prep books. You will not be disappointed in your decision to purchase this book. If you are, please contact me at [email protected]. All suggestions, ideas, input, or constructive criticism are welcome!

Get the Practice You Need!

ICDL Review Exercises Exam Cram 2 Mike Gunderloy and Susan Harkins ISBN 0-7897-3137-1 $19.99 US/$28.99 CAN/£14.50 Net UK

•

The perfect complement to all ICDL training materials

•

Over 500 practice questions available in the book and duplicated on the CD to allow the flexibility of repeat review in the manner you prefer

•

Review questions map directly to Syllabus 4.0 to test your knowledge on each of the seven ICDL modules

•

Questions include detailed answers and the Quick-Check Answer System™—which helps you find answers quickly and easily

www.examcram2.com

This one’s for the FlyBabies. —Mike Gunderloy To Mark Kimbell for being a great manager and trusted friend. I’ll miss him. —Susan Harkins

About the Authors

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Mike Gunderloy has been working with computers and software since he was in high school, which was a long time ago. He’s taught courses in subjects ranging from basic computing to advanced Microsoft Access, and he is the author of numerous computer books and articles. Mike lives on a farm in eastern Washington state, along with his wife and children and an ever-changing array of horses, sheep, llamas, geese, turkeys, chickens, ducks, peacocks, cats, dogs, and guinea fowl. When he’s not busy testing and writing about software, Mike can usually be found in his garden or greenhouse, trying to persuade recalcitrant vegetables to grow, or out on the land, trying to persuade noxious weeds to stop growing. You can reach Mike at [email protected] or http://www.larkware.com/. Susan Sales Harkins has been writing about Office applications since 1992. Before that, she taught general computing classes at a local business college. Her favorite application is Microsoft Access. Her favorite pursuit is a grandbaby. Susan lives in Kentucky, but unlike Mike, with only a few animals, including a few of the two-legged ones. You can reach Susan at [email protected].

Acknowledgments . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

As usual, thanks to the editorial team of Jeff Riley and Steve Rowe for getting this one off the ground. We’d also like to thank our technical editor, Dana Jones, as well as Tricia Liebig, Kris Simmons, Suzanne Thomas, and Chris Barrick for further editorial help. And thanks to the production staff as well: Michelle Mitchell, who worked hard behind the scenes to complete the process of turning our thoughts into a book. Special thanks to Pamalee Nelson for all her work in keeping things running on the paperwork side of the house. We’d also like to thank Doug Wilmsmeyer from ICDL US for answering our questions and providing access to further information about the ICDL. Susan would like to thank Mike for sharing the project and her family for being willing to be a tad poorer so she can be a tad happier. And Mike would like to thank his wonderful wife Dana and his two-goingon-three kids for allowing him to have the space and time to write books, while still providing enough smiles and good times to make the job worthwhile.

Contents at a Glance . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

Introduction Self-Assessment Chapter 1

Welcome to the ICDL!

1

Chapter 2

Concepts of Information Technology

Chapter 3

Using the Computer and Managing Files

Chapter 4

Word Processing

Chapter 5

Spreadsheets

Chapter 6

Database

Chapter 7

Presentation

Chapter 8

Information and Communication

Chapter 9

Review Session 1

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127

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245 305 357

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Chapter 10

Answer Key for Review Session 1

Chapter 11

Review Session 2

Chapter 12

Answer Key for Review Session 2

Appendix A

CD Contents and Installation Instructions Glossary Index

65

487

497

431

445 465 481

Table of Contents

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Introduction .....................................................................xix Self-Assessment ..............................................................xxvi Chapter 1 Welcome to the ICDL! ..........................................................1 About the ICDL 2 What Is the ICDL? 2 Benefits of the ICDL 3 ICDL and ECDL 3 Obtaining the ICDL 3 Studying for the ICDL 4 The ICDL Modules 5 Concepts of Information Technology 5 Using the Computer and Managing Files 5 Word Processing 6 Spreadsheets 6 Database 6 Presentation 6 Information and Communication 6 Common Operating Systems 7 Microsoft Windows XP 7 Microsoft Windows 2000 Professional 7 Older Versions of Windows 9 Linux 9 Mac OS X 9 Common Office Suites 10 Microsoft Office 2000 11 Microsoft Office XP 11 Microsoft Office 2003 12 Older Versions of Microsoft Office 12 Microsoft Works 12 WordPerfect 12 Open Office 13 IBM Lotus SmartSuite 13 Need to Know More? 14

Chapter 2 Concepts of Information Technology .......................................15 General Concepts 16 Hardware, Software, Information Technology Types of Computers 17 Main Parts of a Personal Computer 18 Computer Performance 20 Hardware 21 Central Processing Unit 21 Memory 22 Input Devices 23 Output Devices 25 Input/Output Devices 26 Storage Devices 26 Software 28 Types of Software 29 Operating System Software 29 Application Software 31 Graphical User Interface 32 Systems Development 33 Information Networks 34 LAN, WAN 35 Intranets and Extranets 36 The Internet 37 The Telephone Network in Computing 38 The Use of IT in Everyday Life 40 Computers at Work 40 Electronic World 44 Health, Safety, and Environment 45 Ergonomics 46 Health Issues 47 Precautions 47 The Environment 48 Security 49 Information Security 49 Computer Viruses 52 Copyright and the Law 54 Copyright 54 Data Protection Legislation 57 Review Questions 59 Need to Know More? 64

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Table . . . .of. Contents . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

Chapter 3 Using the Computer and Managing Files ..................................65 Computer Environment 66 First Steps with the Computer 67 Basic Information and Operations 71 Text Editing 84 Desktop 87 Working with Icons 87 Work with Windows 91 Managing Files 94 Concepts 95 Folders and Directories 96 Working with Files 98 Duplicate and Move 103 Delete and Restore 107 Searching 108 Compressing Files 111 Viruses 113 Concepts 113 Handling Viruses 115 Print Management 116 Setup 116 Print Outputs 118 Review Questions 120 Need to Know More? 125

Chapter 4 Word Processing .............................................................127 Using the Application 129 First Steps with Word Processing 130 Adjust Settings 139 Main Operations 143 Insert Data 144 Select Data 145 Edit Data 146 Duplicate, Move, and Delete 148 Search and Replace 150 Formatting 151 Text Formatting 151 Paragraph Formatting 156 Document Formatting 163 Objects 168 Tables 168 Pictures, Images, Charts 172

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .Table . . .of. Contents . . . . .

Mail Merge 175 Concept and Practice 175 Prepare Outputs 180 Preparation 180 Printing 183 Review Questions 185 Need to Know More? 189

Chapter 5 Spreadsheets .................................................................191 Using the Application 193 First Steps with Spreadsheets 193 Adjusting Settings 198 Cells 202 Insert Data 202 Select Cells 203 Rows and Columns 205 Edit Data 207 Duplication, Move, Delete 208 Search and Replace 211 Sort Data 212 Worksheets 213 Handling Worksheets 214 Formulas and Functions 216 Arithmetic Formulas 216 Cell Referencing 218 Working with Functions 220 Formatting 222 Numbers/Dates 222 Contents 224 Alignment, Effects 227 Charts/Graphs 229 Using Charts/Graphs 229 Prepare Outputs 233 Worksheet Setup 233 Preparation 235 Printing 237 Review Questions 239 Need to Know More? 244

Chapter 6 Database ......................................................................245 Using the Application 249 Database Concepts 249 First Steps with Databases Adjust Settings 256

253

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Table . . . .of. Contents . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

Tables 258 Main Operations 258 Define Keys 264 Table Design/Layout 266 Table Relationships 271 Forms 274 Working with Forms 274 Retrieving Information 278 Main Operations 279 Queries 282 Sort Records 288 Reports 289 Working with Reports 289 Prepare Outputs 295 Prepare to Print 295 Print Options 296 Review Questions 299 Need to Know More? 303

Chapter 7 Presentation ..................................................................305 Using the Application 307 First Steps with Presentations 307 Adjust Settings 312 Developing a Presentation 314 Presentation Views 314 Slides 318 Using Design Templates 320 Master Slide 321 Text and Images 324 Text Input, Formatting 324 Pictures, Images 328 Duplicate, Move, Delete 329 Charts/Graphs, Drawn Objects 330 Using Charts/Graphs 331 Organization Charts 333 Drawn Objects 334 Duplicate, Move, Delete 339 Slide Show Effects 340 Preset Animation 340 Transitions 341 Prepare Outputs 342 Preparation 343 Printing 346 Deliver a Presentation 347

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Review Questions 350 Need to Know More? 355

Chapter 8 Information and Communication ..........................................357 The Internet 358 Concepts/Terms 358 Security Considerations 361 First Steps with the Web Browser Adjust Settings 366 Web Navigation 368 Accessing Web Pages 369 Using Bookmarks 370 Organizing Bookmarks 372 Web Searching 374 Using a Search Engine 374 Preparation 378 Printing 380 Communication 381 Electronic Mail 381 First Steps with Email 385 Adjust Settings 388 Messaging 389 Replying to a Message 391 Sending a Message 392 Duplicate, Move, Delete 395 Mail Management 396 Review Questions 405 Need to Know More? 410

364

Chapter 9 Review Session 1 ............................................................411 How to Use the Review Questions Practice Tips 412 Review Questions 414

412

Chapter 10 Answer Key for Review Session 1 .........................................431 Answer Key 432 Detailed Answers 433

Chapter 11 Review Session 2 ............................................................445 How to Review This Material Practice Tips 446 Self Test 447

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Chapter 12 Answer Key for Review Session 2 .........................................465 Detailed Answers

467

Appendix A CD Contents and Installation Instructions ................................481 Multiple Test Modes 481 Study Mode 481 Certification Mode 481 Custom Mode 482 Adaptive Mode 482 Missed Question Mode 482 Non-Duplicate Mode 482 Question Types 482 Random Questions and Order of Answers 482 Detailed Explanations of Correct and Incorrect Answers 483 Attention to Exam Objectives 483 Installing the CD 483 Creating a Shortcut to the MeasureUp Practice Tests 485 Installing the CD-ROM for MeasureUp Microsoft Office Specialist (MOS) Test Engines 485 Technical Support 486

Glossary .......................................................................487 Index ............................................................................497

Introduction . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

Welcome to ICDL Exam Cram 2! Whether this is your first or your fifteenth Exam Cram 2 series book, you’ll find information here that will help ensure your success as you pursue knowledge, experience, and certification. This introduction explains the ICDL certification program in general and talks about how the Exam Cram 2 series can help you prepare for the International Computer Driving License exams. You’ll learn more about the ICDL and the exams in Chapter 1. Chapters 2 through 8 are designed to remind you of everything you need to know to take—and pass—the ICDL exams. The two sets of review questions at the end of the book should give you a reasonably accurate assessment of your knowledge—and, yes, we’ve provided the answers and their explanations. Read the book and understand the material, and you stand a very good chance of passing the test. Exam Cram 2 books help you understand and appreciate the subjects and materials you need to pass certification exams. Exam Cram 2 books are aimed strictly at test preparation and review. They do not teach you everything you need to know about a topic. Instead, we present and dissect the information that you’re likely to find on the exams. We’ve worked to bring together as much information as possible about the ICDL exams. Nevertheless, to completely prepare yourself for the ICDL exam, we recommend that you begin by taking the self-assessment that is included in this book, immediately following this introduction. The self-assessment tool will help you evaluate your knowledge base against the requirements for the ICDL under both ideal and real circumstances. Based on what you learn from the self-assessment, you might decide to begin your studies with some classroom training, some practice with computers, or some background reading. Or you might decide you can jump right into the Exam Cram 2 review material. We also strongly recommend that you play around with the software that you’ll be tested on because nothing beats hands-on experience and familiarity when it comes to understanding the questions you’re likely to encounter on a certification test. Book learning is essential, but without a doubt, handson experience is the best teacher of all! For even more help, the CD contains more review questions that will help test your readiness for the exam.

xviii Introduction . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

Taking the ICDL Exams After you’ve prepared for your exam, you need to register with a testing center. Each computer-based, proctored ICDL exam costs about $20, and if you don’t pass, you can retest for an additional $20 for each additional try. In the United States, tests are administered by ICDL US. To contact them, you can email [email protected], call 1-866-799-4235 (US only) or 1-203-319-9934 (Worldwide), or write to ICDL US Program, 354 Pequot Avenue, Southport, CT 06490. When you register for the tests, you’ll also be given information on when and where to take the exam. Exams are given at ICDL Authorized Test Centers. Your employer or school may also sign up to give the exams themselves. All ICDL exams are completely closed book. Just before taking the exam, you may want to review the information on the tear-out sheet inside the front cover of this book.

How to Prepare for an Exam Preparing for any ICDL exam requires that you obtain and study materials designed to provide comprehensive information about the material that will appear on the exam. For the ICDL, you can find this information on the current ICDL Syllabus, which is kept online at http://www.icdlus.com/ syllabus.html.

What This Book Will Not Do This book will not teach you everything you need to know about computers or even about a given topic. Nor is this book an introduction to computer technology. If you’re new to application software and looking for an initial preparation guide, check out http://www.quepublishing.com, where you will find computer training books suitable for all levels of knowledge. This book reviews what you need to know before you take the test, with the fundamental purpose dedicated to reviewing the information needed on the ICDL exam. This book uses a variety of teaching and memorization techniques to analyze the exam-related topics and to provide you with ways to input, index, and retrieve everything you need to know to pass the test. Once again, it is not an introduction to using computers.

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What This Book Is Designed to Do This book is designed to be read as a pointer to the areas of knowledge you will be tested on. In other words, you might want to read the book one time, just to get an insight into how comprehensive your knowledge of computers is. The book is also designed to be read shortly before you go for the actual test and to give you a distillation of the entire field of everyday computer use in as few pages as possible. We think you can use this book to get a sense of the underlying context of any topic in the chapters—or to skim-read for Exam Alerts, bulleted points, summaries, and topic headings. We’ve drawn on material from the ICDL’s own listing of knowledge requirements, as well as from our own experience with computers and software. Our aim is to walk you through the knowledge you need—looking over your shoulder, so to speak—and point out those things that are important for the exam (Exam Alerts, practice questions, and so on).

About This Book If you’re preparing for the ICDL exams for the first time, we’ve structured the topics in this book to build upon one another in the same order as the exams. Therefore, the topics covered in later chapters might refer to previous discussions in earlier chapters. We suggest you read this book from front to back. You won’t be wasting your time because nothing we’ve written is a guess about an unknown exam. Once you’ve read the book, you can brush up on a certain area by using the index or the table of contents to go straight to the topics and questions you want to re-examine. We’ve tried to use the headings and subheadings to provide outline information about each given topic. After you’ve been certified, we think you’ll find this book useful as a tightly focused reference as your computer knowledge continues to grow.

Chapter Formats Each Exam Cram 2 chapter follows a regular structure, along with graphical cues about especially important or useful material. The structure of a typical chapter is as follows: ➤ Opening Hotlists—Each chapter begins with lists of the terms you’ll need

to understand and the concepts you’ll need to master before you can be fully conversant with the chapter’s subject matter. We follow the hotlists

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Introduction . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

with a few introductory paragraphs, setting the stage for the rest of the chapter. ➤ Topical coverage—After the opening hotlists, each chapter covers the top-

ics related to the chapter’s subject. ➤ Alerts—Throughout the topical coverage section, we highlight material

most likely to appear on the exam by using a special Exam Alert layout that looks like this: This is what an Exam Alert looks like. An Exam Alert stresses concepts, terms, software, or activities that will most likely appear in one or more certification exam questions. For that reason, we think any information found offset in Exam Alert format is worthy of unusual attentiveness on your part.

Even if material isn’t flagged as an Exam Alert, all the content in this book is associated in some way with test-related material. What appears in the chapter content is critical knowledge. ➤ Notes—This book is an overall examination of computers. As such, we dip

into many aspects of computers and software. Where a body of knowledge is deeper than the scope of the book, we use notes to indicate areas of concern or specialty training. Cramming for an exam will get you through a test, but it won’t make you a computer expert. Although you can memorize just the facts you need to become certified, your daily work with computers will rapidly put you in water over your head if you don’t fully understand the underlying principles.

➤ Tips—We provide tips that will help you to build a better foundation of

knowledge or to focus your attention on an important concept that will reappear later in the book. Tips provide a helpful way to remind you of the context surrounding a particular area of a topic under discussion. The sample tests at the end of the book will help you judge your readiness to take the actual ICDL exams.

➤ Review questions—This section presents a short list of test questions relat-

ed to the specific chapter topic. Each question has a following explanation of both correct and incorrect answers. The review questions highlight the areas we found to be most important on the exam.

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Introduction . . . . . . . ➤ Need to Know More?—Every chapter ends with a section titled “Need to

Know More?” This section provides pointers to resources that we found to be helpful in offering further details on the chapter’s subject matter. If you find a resource you like in this collection, use it, but don’t feel compelled to use all these resources. We use this section to recommend resources that we have used on a regular basis, so none of the recommendations will be a waste of your time or money. These resources might go out of print or be taken down (in the case of Web sites), so we’ve tried to reference widely accepted resources. The bulk of the book follows this chapter structure, but there are a few other elements that we would like to point out: ➤ Review sessions—The review sessions, which appear in Chapters 9 and 11

(with answer keys in Chapters 10 and 12), cover the sort of information that you are likely to find on the ICDL exams. ➤ Answer keys—These provide the answers to the review questions, com-

plete with explanations of both the correct responses and the incorrect responses. ➤ Glossary—This is an extensive glossary of important terms used in this

book. ➤ The Cram Sheet—This appears as a tear-away sheet, inside the front cover

of this Exam Cram 2 book. It is a valuable tool that represents a collection of the most difficult-to-remember facts and numbers we think you should memorize before taking the test. These are usually facts that we’ve found require brute-force memorization. You might want to look at the Cram Sheet in your car or in the lobby of the testing center just before you walk into the testing center. The Cram Sheet is divided under headings, so you can review the appropriate parts just before each test. ➤ The CD-ROM—The CD includes even more review questions to help you

judge your readiness to take the exam.

Contacting the Authors We’ve tried to create a real-world tool that you can use to prepare for and pass the ICDL exams. We’re interested in any feedback you would care to share about the book, especially if you have ideas about how we can improve it for future test-takers. We’ll consider everything you say carefully and will

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xxii Introduction . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

respond to all reasonable suggestions and comments. You can reach us via email at [email protected] or [email protected]. Let us know whether you found this book to be helpful in your preparation efforts. We’d also like to know how you felt about your chances of passing the exam before you read the book and then after you read the book. Of course, we’d love to hear that you passed the exam—and even if you just want to share your triumph, we’d be happy to hear from you. Thanks for choosing us as your personal trainers, and enjoy the book. We would wish you luck on the exam, but we know that if you read through all the chapters and spend some time actually using the products, you won’t need luck: you’ll pass the test on the strength of real knowledge! ‘This ECDL Foundation approved courseware product incorporates learning reinforcement exercises. These exercises are included to assist the candidate in their training for the ICDL. The exercises included in this courseware product are not ICDL certification tests and should not be construed in any way as ICDL certification tests. For information about Authorized ICDL Test Centers in different National Territories please refer to the ECDL Foundation website at www.ecdl.com’ The European Computer Driving Licence Foundation Ltd.

xxiii . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Introduction . . . . . . .

We Want to Hear from You! As the reader of this book, you are our most important critic and commentator. We value your opinion and want to know what we’re doing right, what we could do better, what areas you’d like to see us publish in, and any other words of wisdom you’re willing to pass our way. As an executive editor for Que Publishing, I welcome your comments. You can email or write me directly to let me know what you did or didn’t like about this book—as well as what we can do to make our books better. Please note that I cannot help you with technical problems related to the topic of this book. We do have a User Services group, however, where I will forward specific technical questions related to the book. When you write, please be sure to include this book’s title and author as well as your name, email address, and phone number. I will carefully review your comments and share them with the author and editors who worked on the book. Email:

[email protected]

Mail:

Jeff Riley Executive Editor Que Publishing 800 East 96th Street Indianapolis, IN 46240 USA

For information about the Exam Cram 2 series, visit www.examcram2.com. Type the ISBN (excluding hyphens) or the title of a book in the Search field to find the page you’re looking for.

Self-Assessment

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The reason we include a self-assessment in this Exam Cram 2 book is to help you evaluate your readiness to tackle the ICDL certification. It should also help you understand what you need to know to master the material that we cover in this book.

Put Yourself to the Test The following series of questions and observations is designed to help you figure out how much work you must do to pursue the ICDL certification and what kinds of resources you should consult on your quest. Be absolutely honest in your answers; otherwise, you’ll end up wasting money on exams you’re not yet ready to take. There are no right or wrong answers, only steps along the path to certification. Only you can decide where you really belong in the broad spectrum of aspiring candidates. One thing should be clear from the outset, however: hands-on experience with computers and business software products is an essential ingredient to ICDL certification success. Don’t expect to pass the exam without ever turning on a computer.

Educational Background 1. Have you ever taken any computer-related classes? [Yes or No]

If Yes, proceed to Question 2; if No, proceed to Question 3. 2. Have you taken any classes on business applications, such as Microsoft

Word, Microsoft Excel, and Microsoft PowerPoint? [Yes or No] If Yes, you should review the list of modules in the ICDL to see which ones you are most familiar with. Because you can take the ICDL exams in any order, you might want to start with the exams that you’re sure you can pass.

Hands-On Experience 3. Have you worked with a modern personal computer system such as a

Macintosh or IBM PC compatible system? [Yes or No] If Yes, you should be familiar with the main topics covered in Module 2 of the ICDL, “Using the Computer and Managing Files.” If No, it’s critical that you get access to a computer to practice your skills before you take the ICDL. If you can’t afford to purchase a personal computer, investigate free alternatives such as your local library. 4. Have you worked with a recent version of Microsoft Office? [Yes or No]

If yes, you should be well prepared for the application modules in the ICDL. If No, you should obtain a copy of Office to install on your computer. There’s a low-cost Students and Teachers edition that you can buy if you’re taking classes anywhere. You should also consider buying a good all-in-one reference book to help you learn how the Office applications work. Classes at your local high school or community college are another good avenue to get this experience. 5. Have you worked through the review questions in this book? [Yes or No]

If Yes, and you scored 70% or better, you’re probably ready to tackle the real thing. If your score isn’t above that threshold, keep at it until you break that barrier. If No, review the material again, practice with the review questions on the CD, and then see whether you feel you know the material. Keep at it until you can break the passing threshold comfortably. If you feel you need more fundamental information on computer fundamentals, or you would like an extra book to supplement this ICDL Exam Cram 2, check out Que Publishing’s Absolute Beginner’s Guide to Computer Basics by Michael Miller (ISBN 0-7897-2896-6).

Testing Your Exam Readiness Whether you attend a formal class on a specific topic to get ready for an exam or use written materials to study on your own, some preparation for the ICDL exams is essential. At $20 a try, pass or fail, you want to do everything you can to pass on your first try. That’s where studying comes in.

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Self-Assessment . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

We have included two sets of review questions in this book (Chapters 9 and 11), so if you don’t score that well on the first, you can study more and then tackle the second. For any given subject, consider taking a class if you’ve tackled self-study materials, taken the test, and failed anyway. The opportunity to interact with an instructor and fellow students can make all the difference in the world, if you can afford that privilege. For information about authorized ICDL courseware and training, visit http://www.icdlus.com/courseware.html.

What’s Next? After you’ve assessed your readiness, undertaken the right background studies, obtained the hands-on experience that will help you understand the products and technologies at work, and reviewed the many sources of information to help you prepare for a test, you’ll be ready to take the exam. Good luck!

1 Welcome to the ICDL! . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

Terms you’ll need to understand: ✓ ECDL ✓ ICDL

Techniques you’ll need to master: ✓ Understanding the reasons for taking the ICDL exams

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Welcome to the International Computer Driving License Exam Cram 2! In this book, we review the essential skills that you need to pass the seven ICDL exam modules. The seven ICDL modules are ➤ Concepts of Information Technology ➤ Using the Computer and Managing Files ➤ Word Processing ➤ Spreadsheets ➤ Database ➤ Presentation ➤ Information and Communication

If you’re studying for a particular module, you might like to turn straight to the chapter devoted to that module’s skills. But be sure to come back and read this chapter later; this is where you get an overview of the entire program and its importance.

About the ICDL In subsequent chapters, you’ll learn many general details about your computer and using software. Right now, let’s learn just what the ICDL is and how you can benefit from taking the exam and gaining certification.

What Is the ICDL? ICDL stands for “International Computer Driving License.” It’s a certification of basic competency with computers. This certification is now available in more than 90 countries worldwide. More than two million people have taken one or more of the ICDL certification exams. Just as an automobile driving license certifies your ability to safely and competently operate an automobile, the ICDL certifies your ability to operate a computer. Increasingly, employers and academic institutions are looking to the ICDL as a way to determine whether potential employees and students can function well in the modern computer-oriented world.

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Welcome . . . . . to . . the . . ICDL! . . .

Benefits of the ICDL Why should you undertake the time and expense to learn the material in this book and acquire your ICDL? Here are some good reasons: ➤ You’ll have an internationally recognized way to tell employers that you

know enough about computers to be an asset in the modern workplace. ➤ You’ll likely increase your own knowledge and broaden your education

as you look into areas of computing that you were not previously familiar with. ➤ You’ll be prepared to go on to more advanced studies, concentrating on

the parts of computing that your job requires or that really interest you. ➤ You’ll increase your own confidence and competency with computers.

ICDL and ECDL The ICDL is the international version of the ECDL, the European Computer Driving License. The ECDL is administered by the ECDL Foundation Ltd., which launched the original ECDL program in Europe. The ECDL licenses administering bodies in each country where the exams are available; outside of Europe, the exam is known as the ICDL rather than the ECDL, but it’s the same exam and it covers the same material. There is one tiny part of the syllabus that varies from country to country: the coverage of information security and privacy laws in the Concepts of Information Technology module. Other than that, you need to be familiar with the exact same material to pass the exam in Perth, Paris, or Pittsburgh.

Obtaining the ICDL The process of obtaining the ICDL in the United States starts by contacting the ICDL U.S. Program. You can find information on contacting it by visiting http://www.icdlus.com/contact.html or sending email to [email protected]. The Program can help you find the most appropriate organization for taking your ICDL exams. After you register for the ICDL, you receive an ICDL Registration Card, which tracks your progress toward the ICDL. The ICDL consists of seven different exams, called modules. We’ll look briefly at the individual modules later in this chapter and then devote one chapter to the skills covered by each module. You can take the modules in

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any order you like. Once you begin, you have two years to complete all seven modules successfully to obtain your ICDL. The ICDL modules are performance-based, vendor-neutral, and platformindependent. This means that ➤ To pass a module, you actually need to carry out a number of computer

tasks that are applicable to that module. For example, in a spreadsheet module you might be asked to calculate the sum of a column of numbers and save your result. ➤ The skills tested by the ICDL apply equally well to software from any

computer vendor. This distinguishes the ICDL from vendor-sponsored certifications such as Microsoft Certified Professional (MCP) and Microsoft Office Specialist (MOS) certifications. ➤ The skills tested by the ICDL apply equally well to different versions of

software. You’re demonstrating general computer competency, not the exact steps required to carry out computer skills on a PC running Windows or a Macintosh computer. Although the certification is vendor-neutral and platform-independent, when you take an ICDL module you are tested on a particular combination of hardware and software. For this book, we’ve chosen to demonstrate the ICDL skills by using the applications from Microsoft Office 2000, running on Windows XP on PC-compatible hardware. The ICDL modules are proctored. That is, there will be a representative of the ICDL monitoring your work as you complete the tasks required by each module. Each module has a 45-minute time limit. You can take each module as many times as you need to pass; however, each time you take a module you must pay a testing fee.

Studying for the ICDL There are several ways to study for your ICDL. First and foremost, you should actually use a personal computer. “Book learning” can’t substitute for hands-on experience, although it can help guide you in the right direction. If you don’t have daily access to a personal computer to study, check your local library; it might well have public-access computers that will help you learn the basics. There are also a wide variety of training courses available for those learning the ICDL skills (or many other computer skills). And, of course, books such as this one give you a systematic review of the skills you need to know. The


ICDL maintains a list on its Web site of books and training courses that have met the high standards established by the ECDL Foundation. You should also look for the Foundation logo, which you’ll find on the cover of this book, as your guide to approved materials.

The ICDL Modules The complete and authoritative list of the skills covered by the ICDL and the modules into which they are grouped is the ICDL Syllabus. You can download a current copy of the Syllabus from the ECDL Web site by visiting http://www.ecdl.com/main/syllabus.php. For this book, we’ve relied on Version 4.0 of the Syllabus, which was released early in 2003. You’ll find every objective from the Syllabus listed in the applicable chapters. To read the Syllabus, you’ll need the free Adobe Acrobat Reader, which you can download from http://www.adobe.com/products/acrobat/readstep2.html.

The following sections give you a brief overview of the skills covered by each ICDL module.

Concepts of Information Technology Module 1, Concepts of Information Technology, covers general information technology (IT), hardware, and software concepts. You need to be familiar with the main types of personal computer hardware and software, basic networking concepts, and the uses of computers in everyday life to pass this module. Legal, environmental, security, and health issues are included in the Module 1 material. You’ll cover this module in Chapter 2.

Using the Computer and Managing Files Module 2, Using the Computer and Managing Files, tests your ability to perform common tasks that are necessary no matter which applications you’re using. It includes working with the desktop, icons, and windows; managing files; avoiding viruses; and sending things to your printer. Chapter 3 covers this material.

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Word Processing Module 3, Word Processing, tests basic word processing skills. You need to know how to create and save files, how to customize settings in your word processor, how to format text and documents, how to insert pictures and tables in a document, and how to print the results. Chapter 4 reviews these skills for you.

Spreadsheets Module 4, Spreadsheets, covers basic spreadsheet concepts and uses. You’ll be tested on creating and saving files, using formulas, formatting and copying data, working with charts and graphs, and checking and printing the final results. Chapter 5 covers this module.

Database Module 5, Databases, tests your ability to work with a desktop database application, such as Microsoft Access. The skills in this module include basic database concepts, working with tables and relationships, entering data through forms, retrieving data with queries and searches, and preparing reports on the contents of a database. This module is the subject of Chapter 6.

Presentation Module 6, Presentation, lets you demonstrate your competence at preparing presentations on your computer. You need to be able to create a presentation, add and format text and graphics, use various types of formatting, and insert organization charts and graphs. The module culminates with actually giving the presentation. Chapter 7 reviews the skills from the presentation module.

Information and Communication Module 7, Information and Communication, covers common parts of using the Internet and email. Topics include Web browsers; search engines; and sending, reading, and organizing your email. Chapter 8 covers these tasks and others from Module 7.


Common Operating Systems An operating system is the computer software that you see when you first turn the computer on. It provides the “look and feel” for all the applications that you run on the computer. You’ll learn more about operating systems in Chapter 2, “Concepts of Information Technology.”

Although we’ve chosen to use Microsoft Windows XP as the operating system for our examples, it’s not the only operating system in widespread use. In this section, we briefly introduce some of the other operating systems that you might encounter in the workplace. Remember, the ICDL can be administered on any operating system.

Microsoft Windows XP Microsoft Windows XP is the culmination of a long line of personal computer operating systems released by Microsoft. Figure 1.1 shows Windows XP in action. Windows XP has a rounded, colorful theme for user interface elements. You’ll see a lot more of Windows XP in this book because it’s the operating system we’ve chosen for our examples. It’s also one of the operating systems that you’re most likely to meet in a professional setting.

Microsoft Windows 2000 Professional Another operating system that you might use in a business setting is Microsoft Windows 2000 Professional, shown in Figure 1.2. As you can see, the user interface for Windows 2000 is less flashy than that for Windows XP. However, the basic functions are the same. A few things are located or labeled differently, but if you know Windows XP you won’t find it hard to learn Windows 2000 (or vice versa).

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Figure 1.1 The Windows XP operating system.

Figure 1.2 The Windows 2000 operating system.

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Welcome . . . . . to . . the . . ICDL! . . . There are other versions of Windows 2000, such as Windows 2000 Server and Windows 2000 Advanced Server. These versions, as well as the newer Windows Server 2003, are generally used on network servers—computers that store common files for hundreds or thousands of users. You’re unlikely to meet any of these operating systems on your desktop.

Older Versions of Windows Microsoft created many versions of Windows before Windows XP and Windows 2000. They include Windows 3.1, Windows 95, Windows 98, Windows Me, and Windows NT 4.0 Workstation. Because it costs money to upgrade, some businesses are still using these older versions. By and large, if you know one version of Windows well, you should find other versions easy to learn. Older versions of Windows lack some of the features you might be used to. For example, Windows 3.1 does not include the search technology that Windows XP uses to find files. In addition, earlier versions don’t look the same as recent versions.

Linux An operating system that’s been much in the news recently is Linux. Actually, Linux is an entire family of operating systems; there are numerous Linux “distributions” that vary slightly in look, contents, and support. But what they have in common is an open source software core. Open source software is usually free and supported by volunteers. Although Linux started out only being used by a few computer professionals, it’s made great strides toward user-friendliness in recent years. Thanks to the low cost, many large organizations are eyeing Linux as a desktop operating system, and you might end up using a Linux system. Figure 1.3 shows a typical Linux system in action.

Mac OS X In some industries, such as graphic design or music production, the Apple Macintosh computer has a substantial following. The current operating system for the Mac is Mac OS X 10.3. Mac operating systems are renowned for well-designed graphics and ease of use across many applications. Although OS X is very different from Windows, you’ll find that they share many of the same basic concepts such as windows and mouse use. Figure 1.4 is an example of what Mac OS X looks like with an application open.

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Figure 1.3 Red Hat Linux operating system.

Figure 1.4 Mac OS X operating system.

Common Office Suites Programs such as word processors, spreadsheets, and presentation software are commonly grouped into office suites. We’ve mainly used the programs from the Microsoft Office 2000 suite for examples in this book. But there are plenty of other office suites you might run into. In this section, we introduce you to some of the alternatives.


Microsoft Office 2000 Microsoft came up with the idea of an integrated suite of office applications, and Office 2000 is a mature example of the Microsoft Office suite. In a suite, all the applications share certain common elements: For example, the toolbar buttons to cut, copy, and paste data look the same in every Office application. Suites typically make it easy to share data between applications. For example, you can cut data from a Microsoft Excel spreadsheet and paste it into a Microsoft Word document. We’ve used Office 2000 for most of the examples in this book because of its wide distribution in business settings.

Microsoft Office XP Office XP is an updated version of Office 2000 that came out in late 2001. A few organizations migrated from Office 2000 to Office XP, but there’s very little difference between the two so many business opted not to upgrade. Office XP features a few user interface innovations such as the “task pane” that you can see at the right side of Microsoft Word in Figure 1.5. If you’re familiar with Office 2000, you won’t have any trouble using Office XP.

Figure 1.5 Microsoft Word 2002, a part of Microsoft Office XP.

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Microsoft Office 2003 In late 2003, Microsoft released Office 2003, another version of the popular Office suite. This version includes many new collaboration features to make it easier for groups to work together on shared documents and a major overhaul of the email program Microsoft Outlook. But apart from some polish to the user interface, with a rounder, softer look, it’s still basically the same set of applications as Office 2000. Your skills will move easily from one to the other.

Older Versions of Microsoft Office Like Windows, Office has been through several versions over the past decade, including Office 4.3, Office 95, and Office 97. The older versions are very similar to the current ones, although they are less complex and have fewer features. You might run into things that are difficult or impossible to do with an older version when compared to a current version of Office. If that’s the case, it’s worth seeing whether your employer is willing to upgrade to one of the more current versions.

Microsoft Works Microsoft Works is Microsoft’s lower-cost Office suite. The Works suite shares the Microsoft Word word processor with the full version of Office, but it has its own, less-capable spreadsheet and database applications. Works is primarily marketed to home computer users, rather than businesses, and comes preinstalled on some low-cost computers. You’re unlikely to see Works in a business setting.

WordPerfect In its heyday, WordPerfect captured a sizeable portion of the word processing market, before it was overtaken by Microsoft Word. Now WordPerfect survives as the word processor of choice in some industries, notably the legal profession. WordPerfect is now owned by Corel, who has put it together with the Quattro Pro spreadsheet (created by Borland) and some other applications to compete with Microsoft Office. WordPerfect Office is now preinstalled on some new business PCs.


Open Office Open Office (http://www.openoffice.org/) provides a free alternative Office suite that runs on the Linux operating system, as well as on Windows. Although it tends to lag a bit behind the major commercial office suites in features, Open Office is now a reasonably mature productivity suite that’s being successfully used in many businesses. If you’re using Linux as your operating system, this office suite is probably best for you. Sun Microsystems also distributes a version of Open Office under the name Star Office.

IBM Lotus SmartSuite SmartSuite was an attempt by Lotus Corporation to challenge Microsoft and WordPerfect in the office arena, before Lotus was acquired by IBM. Lotus includes the 1-2-3 spreadsheet, the Word Pro word processor, and a bunch of other applications. IBM continues to sell and improve SmartSuite, but it’s not a major force in the office suite market.

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Need to Know More? ECDL Foundation Web site, http://www.ecdl.com/main/index.php

ICDL-US Web site, http://www.icdlus.com/index.html

2 Concepts of Information Technology . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

Terms you’ll need to understand: ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓

Application software Binary system Bits per second (bps) Byte CD-ROM Central processing unit (CPU) Client/server Digital Diskette Electronic commerce (e-commerce) Electronic mail (email) Freeware Gigahertz (GHz) Graphical user interface (GUI) Hard disk Hardware Information technology (IT) Input device Internet

✓ ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓

Joystick Laptop computer Local area network (LAN) Megahertz (MHz) Modem, monitor, mouse Network computer Operating system software Output and Peripheral devices Personal computer and printer Personal digital assistant (PDA) Random access memory (RAM) Read-only memory (ROM) Software Storage device Touchscreen Trackball Virus Wide area network (WAN) World Wide Web (WWW)

Techniques you’ll need to master: ✓ Identifying common types of computer hardware ✓ Understanding the main types of software ✓ Distinguishing the major types of computer networks ✓ Listing some of the major ways in which computers are used in business, government, education, healthcare, and at home

✓ Understanding the health, safety, and environmental impacts of computers ✓ Listing some of the basic rules of information security ✓ Understanding the basic legal implications of computers

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Your journey to the ICDL starts with the first module, “Concepts of Information Technology.” Just as learning to drive an automobile starts with a basic understanding of what a car is, where you can drive it, and why you’d want to do so, learning to drive your computer requires you to understand some basic concepts. This module covers eight general areas: ➤ IT concepts ➤ Computer hardware ➤ Types of software ➤ The use of networks ➤ IT in everyday life ➤ Health, safety, and environmental issues ➤ Computer security ➤ Legal aspects of IT

You’ll learn about each of these areas in this chapter. By the end of the chapter, you’ll be ready to go out and take the test for the first module!

General Concepts We start with the broadest concepts and get increasingly specific as the chapter continues. Four general concepts set the stage for everything that follows: ➤ Basic definitions ➤ Different types of computers ➤ Parts of a personal computer ➤ Computer performance

Let’s get started on your journey toward finishing Module 1 of the ICDL!

Hardware, Software, Information Technology You’re expected to know the difference between hardware and software and to understand the broad term information technology (IT).

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .Concepts . . . . . of. Information . . . . . . . Technology . . . . . .

Understanding Basic Terms Understand the terms hardware, software, information technology (IT).

Before you can do anything with a computer, you need to understand three basic terms: hardware, software, and IT. ➤ Hardware—This term refers to all the physical parts of the computer:

the beige box and all its contents, the mouse, the keyboard, the monitor, the speakers, and all the cables, to name a few. You can think of hardware as the parts of the computer that are still there when the computer is switched off. You’ll learn more about different types of hardware later in this chapter. ➤ Software—This term refers to the intangible instructions that tell the

hardware what to do. When you switch on the computer and words and pictures appear on the screen, it’s the software that dictates what those words and pictures will be and where they will be located. Software is split up into individual programs (for example, a word processing program or an email program) with distinct functions. You’ll learn more about different types of software later in this chapter. ➤ Information Technology (IT)—This term is the general term for all the

hardware, software, and services associated with computer use. In addition to computers and the programs that they run, IT encompasses the networks that connect the computers and the people who make them work.

Types of Computers So far, we’ve been speaking of “computers” as if they were a single thing. But in fact, there are many types of computers. To gain your ICDL, you need to recognize the main types of computers that you might encounter.

Distinguishing Computer Types Understand and distinguish between mainframe computer, network computer, personal computer, laptop, personal digital assistant (PDA) in terms of capacity, speed, cost, and typical users.

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The exam might ask you about five different types of computers: ➤ Mainframe computers are large computers that are typically used to run

the operations of an entire department or company. ➤ Network computers are computers that fit on an individual desktop, but

they might not have much storage capacity. Instead, they rely on devices elsewhere on the network to store information for them. ➤ Personal computers are computers that fit on or under an individual desk-

top and that store their own information. This type is probably the type of computer that you’re most familiar with. ➤ Laptop computers are portable computers ranging in size from a briefcase

to a small notepad. They typically fold up to protect their screens when not in use. ➤ Personal Digital Assistants (PDAs) are very small computers that fit in a

shirt pocket. They have limited storage capacity and screen sizes. Table 2.1 will help you compare these different types of computers. Table 2.1 Comparing Computer Types Computer Type

Capacity

Speed

Typical Cost

Typical Users

Mainframe

Very large

Very fast

$1,000,000

IT departments at major corporations

Network computer

Small

Fast

$1,000

Business users

Personal computer

Large

Fast

$2,500

Home and business users

Laptop

Medium

Medium

$4,000

Business users who travel frequently

PDA

Small

Slow

$500

Professionals who need information “on the go”

Unless you’re specifically told otherwise, you can assume that questions on the ICDL exam are about using personal computers.

Main Parts of a Personal Computer When you sit down with your computer, you should know what you’re looking at. The exam will test your ability to recognize the different parts of a computer.


Knowing the Parts of Your Computer Know the main parts of a personal computer, such as: central processing unit (CPU), hard disk, common input and output devices, types of memory. Understand the term peripheral device.

Let’s take a little tour of the computer hardware that’s probably on (or under) your desk. Think of this as basic orientation, just like learning that your car has tires, a trunk, and an engine. The most obvious parts of the computer are usually the monitor, the mouse, and the keyboard. The monitor displays information to you and is an example of an output device. The keyboard and mouse let you send information to the computer and are examples of input devices. Together, input and output devices are examples of peripheral devices. A peripheral device is anything that you can unplug from the gray box. Other examples include printers, plotters, joysticks, and some modems. You’ll learn more about input devices and output devices later in this chapter.

Follow the cables back from the monitor, mouse, and keyboard: They all plug into the back of a single box that contains the bulk of the computer’s hardware. Sometimes this box is informally called the CPU, which stands for central processing unit. More formally, though, the CPU is one part that’s hidden inside the box. The CPU is the “brain” of the computer, where it carries out calculations. Figure 2.1 shows a typical modern CPU. CPUs are normally less than 2 inches square in size but are the most important and complex part of your computer.

Figure 2.1 A modern CPU, the brain of your computer.

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Of course, the CPU isn’t the only thing inside that big beige box! Other important components in the base unit of the computer include hard drives, memory, and option cards. Your computer probably has at least one hard drive and might have more. The hard drive is a magnetic device that can permanently store information. When you save a file, it ends up on the hard drive, which preserves its information even when the power to the computer is turned off. The hard drive isn’t the only place in your computer where information can be stored. Computers also have two kinds of memory: random access memory (RAM) and read-only memory (ROM). You’ll learn more about these types of memory later in the chapter. The base unit of the computer typically contains one or more option cards as well. If you look at the back of the computer, you’ll find a series of “slots.” Some of these might be empty, and some might have hardware in them. Typical option cards include video cards (which send information to your monitor), network cards, and modems (which communicate with other computers).

Computer Performance Sometimes you’ll hear people complaining that their computers are slow today—or, conversely, bragging that their new computers are fast. But what makes a computer fast or slow? You’ll need to understand basic performance factors to effectively use computers.

Performance Factors Know some of the factors that impact on a computer’s performance such as: CPU speed, RAM size, the number of applications running.

Here are some of the factors that can influence the performance of your computer: ➤ CPU speed—Not all CPUs are the same. The faster the CPU, the better

the performance. ➤ RAM size—To perform most efficiently, your computer must keep a lot

of information in memory at once. If the computer has a limited amount of RAM, not all this information will fit, and the computer will slow down.

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .Concepts . . . . . of. Information . . . . . . . Technology . . . . . . ➤ Number of applications running—Each application takes up some RAM

and some of the CPU’s attention. If you have many applications open at once, the speed of each one will slow down. ➤ The exact applications you have running—Large, complex applications will

often make the computer seem slower than small, simple ones.

Hardware Now that you have the broad overview, let’s focus a bit more on the computer’s hardware. In this section, you cover the basic hardware knowledge that you should bring to your job and to the exam.

Central Processing Unit The Central Processing Unit (CPU) is the brain of your computer. It performs several critical functions that you need to be familiar with.

Functions of the CPU Understand some of the functions of the CPU in terms of calculations, logic control, immediate access memory. Know that the speed of the CPU is measured in megahertz (MHz) or gigahertz (GHz).

Although we often speak of the CPU as a single thing, in reality it’s a very complex piece of electronics with many subcomponents. The CPU performs a number of different functions, including the following: ➤ Performing calculations—When there are numbers to add or other calcu-

lations to perform, it happens in the CPU. ➤ Controlling logic—Often your computer makes choices: which color to

display, what calculations to perform, and so on. The logic of these choices is embodied in the CPU. ➤ Immediate access memory—The CPU contains a small amount of fast

memory to store intermediate results that it will need immediately. ➤ Coordinating other functions—The CPU sends instructions to other com-

ponents, such as the video card and the hard drive, telling them what to do.

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The speed of the CPU is one of the most important factors in determining the overall performance of your computer. Speed is measured in megahertz (MHz); one MHz represents one million operations per second. A thousand MHz equals one gigahertz (GHz). In 2004, an older desktop computer that is still usable might have a CPU speed of about 500MHz. The newest and fastest CPUs have speeds of about 3GHz.

Memory After the CPU, the second most critical part of the computer is the memory. Not all computers contain the same size or type of memory, and you need to know the differences when evaluating a computer’s capabilities.

Types of Memory Understand different types of computer memory such as: RAM (random-access memory), ROM (read-only memory) and distinguish between them.

Computer memory comes in two types: RAM and ROM. RAM is the type of computer memory that people are usually talking about when referring to a computer’s memory. When you run an application, the computer code that makes up that application and the results of your work are temporarily stored in RAM. RAM is comparatively inexpensive and can be reused many times by your computer; each part of the memory can be written to or read from repeatedly. RAM is also volatile. That is, anything stored only in RAM is lost when you turn off the computer. ROM is a smaller area of memory that holds critical applications that run the computer itself. Information stored in ROM is there permanently, even when the computer is off. Most computers use ROM to hold the basic programs that make the computer and its display start up and become ready to hold other information.

Memory Size Know how computer memory is measured: bit, byte, KB, MB, GB, TB. Relate computer memory measurements to characters, files, and directories/folders.


The simplest unit of memory is the bit. A single bit is equal to either a numerical 1 or 0 at any given time. Each bit of memory is like a tiny switch that the computer can turn on or off: on equals 1 and off equals 0. This system is called the binary system of counting. Modern computers contain many bits of memory, referred to in increasingly large units: ➤ A byte is 8 bits. ➤ A kilobyte (KB) is 1,024 bytes. Computers use binary arithmetic, which

makes 1,024 a “round” number in computing terms. ➤ A megabyte (MB) is 1,024KB, or roughly 1 million bytes. ➤ A gigabyte (GB) is 1,024MB, or roughly 1 billion bytes. ➤ A terabyte (TB) is 1,024GB, or roughly 1 trillion bytes.

A modern personal computer will usually have between 128MB and 2GB of RAM. How much will this hold? Well, you can think of it in terms of the amount of text that you can store in each chunk of memory: ➤ A byte will hold a single character of the alphabet; each letter is repre-

sented by a particular code of 1s and 0s. (For example, the letter “A” is usually stored as 01000001 in “computer language.”) ➤ A page of text will take about 5KB to store. ➤ This entire book takes up about 5MB of RAM. ➤ A GB of text would come to about 2,000 books, a good-sized personal

library. ➤ The Library of Congress holds nearly 25 million books. That’s about

12.5TB of text. Of course, not all the information stored on your computer is in the form of text. Programs, graphics, sounds, movies, drawings, and other forms of information all take up RAM when they’re current in your computer. A typical application might occupy anywhere from 100KB to 100MB of RAM while it’s running.

Input Devices Input devices allow you to send information to your computer. You need to know the major classes of input devices to pass the exam.

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Identifying Input Devices Identify some of the main devices for inputting data into a computer such as: mouse, keyboard, trackball, scanner, touchpad, light pen, joystick, digital camera, microphone.

An input device is any piece of hardware that you can use to enter information (that is, send information to the computer). Here’s a list of some of the common input devices that you might encounter: ➤ A mouse is an input device designed to be grasped with one hand and

slid around on the desk. The computer translates this movement into the movement of the cursor (arrow) on your screen. A mouse also has one or more buttons that you can press to send instructions to the computer. ➤ A keyboard is an input device that includes the standard typewriter keys

and other keys such as function keys, arrow keys, and a numeric keypad. The keyboard is the device most often used to input text to a computer program. ➤ A trackball resembles an upside-down mouse. The trackball stays in one

spot on your desk, with a ball facing upwards. Moving the ball moves the cursor onscreen. Like a mouse, a trackball has one or more buttons that you can press. Figure 2.2 shows a mouse and a trackball.

Figure 2.2 A mouse and a trackball.

➤ A scanner is an input device that can convert a printed sheet of paper (or

other flat object) into a file that the computer can store. Some scanners are standalone devices, whereas others are built into printers or other multipurpose devices. ➤ A touchpad is a small rectangular area, usually built into a laptop com-

puter, where you can drag your finger to move the cursor onscreen.

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .Concepts . . . . . of. Information . . . . . . . Technology . . . . . . ➤ A light pen looks a bit like a penlight with a cord coming out of the end.

You can indicate a spot on your computer monitor by pointing at it with the light pen and clicking a button. ➤ A joystick is an input device somewhat similar to the control stick of an

airplane. Joysticks are most frequently used as input devices for computer games, but they do have some use in business settings as well. ➤ A digital camera allows you to take pictures without film by storing

them in memory inside the camera. Later, you can use a special cable or other adapter to load these pictures into your computer. ➤ A microphone lets you use speech as an input to the computer.

Depending on the software that you have installed, you can either store the speech to be played back later or use it to issue commands that the computer will understand.

Output Devices Output devices let your computer communicate information back to you. You should know about some of the major categories of output devices.

Identifying Output Devices Identify common output devices for displaying the results of processing carried out by a computer, such as: monitors, screens, printers, plotters, speakers. Know where these devices are used.

An output device is any piece of hardware that the computer can use to convey information back to you. Here are some common output devices that you might run across: ➤ A monitor is a video display device sometimes informally called the

computer’s screen. It is the main place where you will receive information from the computer. ➤ A printer is a device suited to produce printed output on paper. There

are a wide variety of printers; they differ in their speed, the size of the paper they can print on, and the process that they use for printing. Printers are useful when you need a temporary or permanent record of some information away from your computer.

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Chapter . . . . .2. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . ➤ A plotter is a device that moves one or more pens over a piece of paper

to create a drawing. Plotters are typically used for output such as architectural drawings and mechanical designs. ➤ Speakers allow your computer to communicate with you using sound.

The sound can be anything from a warning beep when something goes wrong to synthetic voices that can read the information displayed on the monitor.

Input/Output Devices Some peripheral devices do double duty as both input devices and output devices.

Two Devices in One Understand some devices are both input/output devices such as: touchscreens.

The most common example of an input/output device (that is, a peripheral that can act as both an input device and an output device) is a touchscreen. A touchscreen looks like a monitor. However, the surface of the touchscreen is sensitive to touch, either with a finger or with a specialized stylus. Thus, a touchscreen can act as both a monitor and a cursor-control device similar to a touchpad at the same time.

Storage Devices Input and output devices are concerned with moving information in and out of the computer. But where does the information go when it’s in the computer? The answer is that it ends up in a storage device.

Comparing Storage Devices Compare the main types of memory storage devices in terms of speed, cost and capacity such as: diskette, Zip disk, data cartridges, CD-ROM, internal, external hard disk.


Personal computers use a wide array of storage devices. Also, the types of storage devices are constantly changing. Here are some of the storage devices that you might encounter in the workplace: ➤ A diskette is a small removable storage device, sometimes called a “flop-

py disk.” ➤ A Zip disk is a proprietary device about the size of a diskette but with a

hard plastic shell and a much higher storage capacity. ➤ A data cartridge holds magnetic tape and is designed to use with a spe-

cial tape drive as a way to back up large amounts of data. ➤ A CD-ROM is a plastic disk, similar to a music CD. ➤ Internal and external hard drives are permanently sealed magnetic stor-

age devices that are capable of storing large amounts of data. Internal drives are inside the housing of the computer, but there are hard drives that can connect to the computer outside the computer housing. Table 2.2 will help you compare these storage devices. Table 2.2 Comparing Storage Devices Storage Device

Speed

Cost

Capacity

Diskette

Very slow

Low

1.44MB

Zip disk

Slow

Moderate

100MB–250MB

Data cartridge

Very slow

Low

100MB–100GB

CD-ROM

Moderate

Low

500MB–700MB

Internal hard disk

Fast

High

40MB–1TB

External hard disk

Fast

High

40MB–1TB

Most of these storage devices are read/write devices. That is, you can both read the information that’s written on them and write new information to them. The CD-ROM is an exception, being a read-only device. Information written to a CD-ROM cannot be deleted. Another type of CD, the CD-RW, allows you to both read and write information.

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Formatting Disks Understand the purpose of formatting a disk.

Most storage devices (including diskettes, Zip disks, and hard disks) must be formatted before they can be used. The formatting process checks the disk to make sure that it is in good condition and lays down guidelines that tell the disk drive where it can write information. These guidelines divide the disk into tracks and sectors, as shown in Figure 2.3. The operating system can put a fixed amount of data into each area of the disk that formatting creates.

Track

Sector

Figure 2.3 Formatting a disk (schematic diagram). You’ll learn how to format a disk using Windows XP in Chapter 3.

Software You need hardware to have a computer, but without software, the hardware is pretty useless. In fact, the rest of this book is largely about different types of software. We start in this module with a broad survey of types of software and key terms and then go into more detail as you tackle the following modules.


Types of Software The first way to think about software types is by their function: Is the software there to make the computer run or to do something useful for you?

Major Divisions of Software Distinguish between operating systems software and applications software. Understand the reasons for software versions.

Broadly speaking, software can be divided into operating system software and application software. Operating system software is the software that controls the basic operations of the computer, such as where data is stored and how it is displayed onscreen or communicated to other computers. Microsoft Windows is the most common operating system that you’ll find in a business setting. Application software is software that is used for a particular task, such as writing a letter, displaying a file, or composing music. Most software exists in multiple versions. For example, Microsoft has released eight different versions of its Access database software over the course of the last decade or so. This happens because software is constantly under development, rather than a static thing. Just as automobile manu facturers release new models of their cars, with some improvements, every year, software manufacturers release new and improved models of their software. But with software, these new releases are called “versions” instead of “models.”

Operating System Software Operating system software is the software that provides the basic functions of the computer. You need to know what an operating system does, and know the most common operating systems, to pass the exam.

Common Operating Systems Describe the main functions of an operating system and name some common operating systems.

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The operating system has two main functions. The first is to act as a sort of caretaker for the computer, making sure that all the information held by the computer ends up in the right place. This process includes loading other software programs into memory so that they can run, keeping the files on the computer’s hard drive up-to-date, and allocating resources to other applications. You need to know what an operating system does, and know the most common operating systems, to pass the exam.

But the operating system also acts as a sort of traffic cop, directing data between the various parts of the computer. For example, typing on the keyboard can cause a program to be loaded from the hard drive into memory and then display information on the screen. The operating system is the software that controls the flow of information between all these disparate components of your computer. There have been dozens or hundreds of operating systems created over the past few decades. But only a few of these operating systems are in common use in business settings. Common operating systems include the following: ➤ DOS, which most commonly refers to Microsoft’s MS-DOS, is a text-

only operating system. Several other manufacturers have released DOS versions as well. DOS is largely obsolete, but you’ll still find it on some older computers. ➤ Microsoft Windows is the most common graphical (that is, able to dis-

play pictures, text in multiple fonts, and other types of information) operating system. Microsoft has released a number of versions of Windows over the years. Windows versions commonly used in current business environments include Windows 98, Windows 2000, and Windows XP. ➤ Linux is a popular open-source operating system; that is, it is available

for free. Originally used mainly by computer hobbyists, recent versions of Linux are becoming more popular in the workplace. ➤ Solaris is a graphical operating system developed by Sun

Microcomputers for use on its own computers. You’ll find Solaris in some academic and business settings.

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .Concepts . . . . . of. Information . . . . . . . Technology . . . . . . ➤ BSD is another open-source operating system that is popular in some

circles. You probably won’t encounter BSD on your desktop, but it is widely used on servers and in networks. ➤ Mac OS X is the most recent operating system developed by Apple for

its Macintosh computers. If you’re using a Mac, you will be using some operating system direct from Apple. In this book, we’ll be using Microsoft Windows XP for all our examples. The skills you’ll learn will apply to all common operating systems, although the details will be different.

Application Software The second major class of software is application software. There is a wide variety of application software in the world, from Web browsers to football simulations. You should know about the major types of application software that are often used in business.

Common Applications Software List some common software applications such as: word processing, spreadsheet, database, Web browsing, desktop publishing, accounting, together with their uses.

It’s impossible to list all the different types of application software. But you should know about some of the major types of application software that are commonly used in business: ➤ Word processing software is used to write letters, reports, and other

documents. Microsoft Word and Corel Word Perfect are examples of word processing software. ➤ Spreadsheet software is used to carry out financial, engineering, and

other calculations. Microsoft Excel and Lotus 1-2-3 are examples of spreadsheet software. ➤ Database software is used to store information such as sales, customer

addresses, and inventory for future use. Microsoft Access and Borland dBASE are examples of data access software.

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Chapter . . . . .2. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . ➤ Presentation software is used to create slide shows and other speakers’

aids. Microsoft PowerPoint is an example of presentation software. ➤ Web browsing software is used to view the contents of Web sites.

Microsoft Internet Explorer and Mozilla Firebird are examples of Web browsing software. ➤ Desktop publishing software is used to create newsletters, magazines,

and other documents suitable for printing. Microsoft Publisher is an example of desktop publishing software. ➤ Email software is used to send, receive, and store electronic mail.

Microsoft Outlook and Outlook Express are examples of email software. ➤ Accounting software is used to track credits, debits, and other account-

ing data. Intuit Quicken and Microsoft Money are examples of accounting software.

Graphical User Interface Almost certainly, you’ll be working with a graphical user interface (GUI) on your computer. It is one of the key terms that you need to understand.

What’s a GUI? Understand the term graphical user interface (GUI).

A graphical user interface (GUI) allows you to interact very flexibly with your computer. A GUI is called “graphical” because it uses color, pictures, and text to convey information, unlike older operating systems that were limited to text only. Figure 2.4 shows a GUI—in this case, Windows XP. There are two open applications: Microsoft Word and Microsoft Excel. Each application has menus and toolbars to let you control it. GUIs also feature other graphical cues such as the Recycle Bin icon in the background. You’ll learn much more about manipulating the parts of a GUI starting in Chapter 3.


Figure 2.4 Windows XP is an example of a GUI.

GUIs are much more than just a decorative way to display information. GUIs offer several advantages to the computer user: ➤ You can work with more than one application at the same time. This

advantage is useful when you must share information between applications or perform multiple tasks as part of your job. ➤ Most operations can be accomplished with either the keyboard or the

mouse, leaving you to choose the way of interacting with the computer that works best for you. ➤ You can adjust colors and font sizes to get more information on the

screen at one time or to make it easier for visually impaired users to work with the computer. ➤ Graphics can convey information with a richness that purely textual

interfaces cannot match.

Systems Development Software doesn’t come into being by spontaneous generation. Instead, it must be developed for specific uses. You need to understand a little bit about the process of software development.

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The Process of System Development Understand how computer-based systems are developed. Know about the process of analysis, design, programming and testing often used in developing computer-based systems.

There are two major types of application software. The first is shrink-wrapped software: applications purchased from a company such as Microsoft, Borland, or IBM. General-purpose applications such as word processors and databases are usually shrink-wrapped software. But your business might demand its own peculiar software as well. For example, if you work at an animal shelter, you probably have special custom software to keep track of the animals in the shelter. Custom software is typically developed by IT workers on your company’s staff (you might know them as computer programmers) or by outside consultants hired for the purpose. There are many ways in which software is developed, but in general it’s a four-step process: 1. Analysis—In the analysis phase, the software developer discusses the

functions of the proposed software with those who need to use the software. This phase is concerned with determining the requirements for the new software application. 2. Design—In the design phase, the software developer creates a plan for

building the desired software. Design can include such activities as planning the steps that the application will take and drawing the interface that will appear on the screen. 3. Programming—In the programming phase, the software developer uses

a computer language to build the software according to the design. 4. Testing—In the testing phase, the software developer and the end users

verify that the software fulfills the requirements that were specified during the analysis phase.

Information Networks A single computer can be a useful tool, but the real power of computers becomes evident when they are connected to form a network. Computer networks enable such common functions as electronic mail (email) and browsing the World Wide Web. In this section, you’ll learn some basic facts about computer networking.


LAN, WAN Two major types of computer networks are the local area network (LAN) and wide area network (WAN). You will learn more about these types of networks in the coming sections. Pay particular attention to the differences as well as the similarities between a LAN and a WAN.

LANs, WANs, and Client/Server Understand the terms, local area network (LAN), wide area network (WAN). Understand the term client/server.

The distinction between a LAN and WAN is simple. When the computers at a single location are connected to form a network, that’s a LAN. When computers at many locations are connected, that’s a WAN. A WAN might link two LANs, or it might include thousands of computers at dozens of locations. When computers are organized into networks, they can take advantage of client/server computing, a scheme in which some resources are held centrally on a computer called a server and shared by many users (clients). For example, your company might use a client/server database to store customer information. In that case, you work with customer information on your own personal computer (the client), but all that information is actually stored on one central computer (the server). When you need information on a particular customer, your client asks the server for the required information. If you make changes, those changes are sent back to the server. This scheme makes it easy for everyone on a network to share the same customer information.

Benefits of Networks List some of the advantages associated with group working such as: sharing printers, applications, and files across a network.

Why should your company’s computers be connected into a network? Here are some of the benefits you can expect from a LAN:

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Chapter . . . . .2. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . ➤ Hardware sharing—A network lets you share expensive hardware such as

fast printers and plotters so that each user does not need his own printer or plotter. ➤ Better communications—A network enables group communication applica-

tions such as email and instant messaging (IM). ➤ Application sharing—A network lets users run applications from a central

server, instead of having to install them on each individual computer. ➤ Shared knowledge—A network lets you share important files and informa-

tion between users so that each user on the network has access to up-todate information.

Intranets and Extranets Another way to classify networks is by the number of companies that are connected together. This classification gives rise to the terms intranet, Internet, and extranet.

Internet and Intranets Understand what an intranet is and understand the distinction between the Internet and an intranet.

An intranet is a network that connects computers belonging to a single company. An intranet might be created as a LAN or a WAN, depending on how widespread the company’s computers are. But WANs can also connect computers belonging to more than one company. In fact, there is a single global WAN that connects millions of companies together. We refer to this WAN as the Internet. Typically, intranets are used for company-specific tasks such as checking inventory, sharing documents with co-workers, and sharing printers. The Internet is useful for sending email to customers, browsing Web sites, and performing other tasks outside your organization.


Extranets Understand what an extranet is and understand the distinction between an intranet and an extranet.

A third type of network is intermediate between an intranet and the Internet. An extranet is a network that connects a company with its business partners. Unlike an intranet, which contains computers from a single company, an extranet might span 10 or 100 companies all working together. But unlike the Internet, an extranet isn’t open to all comers. Companies closely control the business partners who have access to their extranet. For example, Wal-Mart Stores, Inc., has implemented a large and successful extranet for communicating with its suppliers. Information such as inventory levels and purchase orders can be shared by Wal-Mart with selected suppliers over the extranet, without fear that competitors can read this information.

The Internet It’s hard to get far these days without running across the Internet. Yet many people have only a vague idea of what the Internet is. You’ll need more than a vague idea to pass the exam.

Understanding the Internet Understand what the Internet is and know some of its main uses.

The Internet is a global network of computers connected into one giant WAN. There are many uses for the Internet. For example, the Internet enables all of the following to take place: ➤ Sharing information on Web sites ➤ Moving files between computers at different locations ➤ Sending email to recipients around the world

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Chapter . . . . .2. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . ➤ Holding private video and audio conferences ➤ Working collaboratively with people at other locations

Although it was nearly nonexistent as recently as a decade ago, the Internet has now become an essential tool for all types of business.

Understanding the WWW Understand what the World Wide Web (WWW) is and distinguish it from the Internet.

Computers communicate with one another over the Internet using a variety of different codes and languages known as protocols. For example, you can move files between computers using the File Transfer Protocol (FTP). One particularly important protocol is the Hypertext Transfer Protocol (HTTP). This protocol allows your computer to request a page of text and graphic information, called a Web page, from a distant server and to display the results of that request. Web pages can contain hyperlinks, words or images that you can click on to load other Web pages. The collection of all of the hyperlinked documents on the Internet is referred to as the World Wide Web (WWW). You’ll learn much more about the World Wide Web in Chapter 8, “Information and Communication.”

The Telephone Network in Computing The Internet is an abstract concept, but there’s a physical implementation beneath the concept. Computers are connected through a variety of communications circuits. You need to know about the use of the telephone network that is used to make some of these connections to the Internet as well as to other remote computers, such as remote computers used in an extranet or a corporate network.


Telephones and Computing Understand the use of the telephone network in computing. Understand the terms Public Switched Telephone Network (PSTN), Integrated Services Digital Network (ISDN), Asymmetric Digital Subscriber Line (ADSL).

Many computers are connected to the Internet through the same network that carries our telephone conversations. You’ll run across a variety of terms in conjunction with this network, including the following: ➤ Public Switched Telephone Network (PSTN)—This is simply a fancy term

for the familiar network that lets you pick up a telephone, dial a number, and get connected (“switched”) to another telephone. ➤ Integrated Services Digital Network (ISDN)—This is a special type of tele-

phone circuit that connects you to your Internet provider at a higher speed than the regular PSTN circuits can support. ➤ Asymmetric Digital Subscriber Line (ADSL)—ADSL lines are a second

special type of telephone circuit that are even faster than ISDN lines. They are asymmetric in that information flows faster to you than it does back to the network. Depending on where you live and how recently the local phone company’s equipment was upgraded, ISDN and ADSL circuits might or might not be available. ISDN circuits are normally more expensive than PSTN circuits, and ADSL circuits are more expensive still.

Understanding Modems Understand the terms analog, digital, modem, transfer rate (measured in bps—bits per second).

There’s a fundamental difference between computers and telephone lines: computers are digital, whereas telephone lines are analog. A digital device, such as a computer, represents information using a fixed number of values: computers use only the values 0 and 1. An analog device, on the other hand, uses a smoothly sliding scale of values. An old-fashioned mercury thermometer is a good example of an analog device; the mercury slides smoothly up and down the column to represent a near-infinite number of different temperatures.

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When you send computer information over normal telephone lines, something has to change the digital information into analog information. At the other end of the line, the analog information must be converted back to digital information. The device that performs these conversions is called a modem. A modem is essential to send digital information over an analog network such as the PSTN. Other telephone circuits, such as ISDN and ADSL, are inherently digital. When you send information over these circuits, there is no conversion between analog and digital involved. Each type of network connecton is associated with a specific transfer rate— that is, the speed with which information can flow across the network. Transfer rates are measured in bits per second, or bps. These days, an average modem works somewhere between 28,800bps and 57,600bps (often referred to as 28Kbps and 56Kbps). High-speed lines, such as ISDN and ADSL lines, can accommodate much faster modems.

The Use of IT in Everyday Life Computers are ubiquitous in society by now. To truly appreciate the importance of basic computer skills, you should know some of the major areas in which computers are used: ➤ Business ➤ Government ➤ Healthcare ➤ Education ➤ Home

These and other uses of computers are the topics of this section of the exam.

Computers at Work Of course, the workplace is one area in which you will find many computers. You should have some sense of what computers can (and can’t) be used for in the workplace.


What Are Computers Good For? Identify some situations where a computer might be more appropriate than a person for carrying out a task and where not.

Computers are great aids to productivity in many situations. Keeping track of thousands or millions of details, performing complex calculations, and working in a consistent fashion are all strengths of computers. Routine and tedious tasks that require tracking large amounts of information are ideal for computerization. Creating complex financial reports, keeping track of warehouses full of inventory, or calculating baseball statistics for thousands of games are all examples of tasks that fall into this category. On the other hand, computers can’t do everything. Tasks requiring judgment, such as allocating medical care or even driving, cannot yet be easily computerized. Computers are also limited to working with the information that you give them; if a computer is given wrong information, wrong answers will result. This limitation is sometimes called “garbage in, garbage out.” Finally, tasks that benefit from a human touch, from customer service to retail sales, are often best performed by a person rather than a computer.

Computers in Business Know some of the uses of large-scale computer applications in business such as: business administration systems, airline booking systems, insurance claims processing, online banking.

Many businesses depend on computers for their day-to-day operations. Some of the major areas where computers are used in business include the following: ➤ Business administrative systems include accounting systems that track

profit and loss, customer relations management (CRM) systems that keep track of customers and their needs, and enterprise resource planning (ERP) systems that help make manufacturing more efficient. ➤ Airline booking systems sell virtually all plane tickets on commercial air-

lines. ➤ Insurance companies use claims processing systems to track the myriad

details of their businesses.

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Chapter . . . . .2. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . ➤ Online banking is an increasingly popular alternative to traditional face-

to-face branch banking.

Computers in Government Know some of the uses of large-scale computer applications in government such as: public records systems (census, vehicle registration), revenue collection, electronic voting.

Government at all levels, from local to state and federal, would have difficulty operating without computers. Most public records, from census results to voter and vehicle registrations, are now stored on computers. Assessing and collecting taxes is also a heavily computerized activity. Votes are tabulated by computer, and some jurisdictions are even experimenting with electronic voting, in which paper ballots are dispensed with completely.

Computers in Healthcare Know some of the uses of large-scale computer applications in hospitals/healthcare such as: patient records systems, ambulance control systems, diagnostic tools and instruments, specialist surgical equipment.

Healthcare is increasingly dependent on computers. You’ll find computers used in hospitals and other healthcare settings in a variety of ways: ➤ Patient information is increasingly computerized. Healthcare activities

ranging from admitting, taking patient history, and providing treatments are computerized in many places. Also, with computerized medical information, patients and physicians have easy access to complete medical records. ➤ Efficiently dispatching ambulances and other emergency vehicles is easi-

er with computerized systems that track addresses and equipment availability. ➤ Modern diagnostic tools such as magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) and

computerized tomography (CT) scanners depend on computers to make their results understandable. ➤ Surgery is made easier by computerized systems that help surgeons visu-

alize the internal anatomy of a patient before they ever make an incision.


Computers in Education Know some of the uses of computer applications in education such as: student registration and timetabling systems, computer-based training (CBT), distance learning, homework using the Internet.

Computers are also important in education. Student information, from schedules to grades, is usually stored in a computer system. Computers are also often used to create class schedules, a process sometimes referred to as timetabling. In some fields, computer-based training (CBT), in which an interactive computer program helps the student learn, can replace or augment the traditional classroom experience. Computer networks have made possible the rise of distance learning, in which the teacher and the students can be located thousands of miles from one another. And of course the Internet has been a boon to students everywhere doing their homework; there’s no easier way to find out the capital of Bolivia or the number of species of bears in the world.

Teleworking Understand the term teleworking. List some of the advantages of teleworking such as: reduced or no commuting time, greater ability to focus on one task, flexible schedules, reduced company space requirements. List some disadvantages of teleworking such as: lack of human contact, less emphasis on teamwork.

Computers and computer networks have enabled a new form of work: teleworking. Teleworkers dial in to the office, connecting their computers to the company network rather than physically commuting to the office. This process saves the time and money that would be spent on commuting and frees the company from needing to provide office and parking space for the employee. Teleworkers often enjoy flexible schedules, and many prefer the home atmosphere to the office. Teleworkers are also able to concentrate on their jobs more effectively, in many cases, thanks to the lack of typical workplace interruptions. But teleworking doesn’t work out well for everyone. Some people find that they miss the human contact that comes from going into the office every day, and it can be difficult to manage a team when the workers are spread around the country. Also, teleworkers are subject to many temptations to postpone work in favor of personal tasks; it takes a certain amount of discipline to be a successful teleworker.

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Electronic World Computers have had impacts far outside the business world. Many people these days depend on electronic mail and electronic commerce in their dayto-day lives.

Email Understand the term electronic mail (email) and know its main uses.

In recent years, electronic mail (email) has gone from being a curiosity to being a mainstay of communications for computer owners. Email allows you to send messages and files from your computer to the computer of anyone else who has an email address. Email is used to send contracts to suppliers, news to relatives, and jokes to friends. Millions of email messages are transmitted every day around the world. Like some other facets of computing, email also has its dark side. Unsolicited commercial email (UCE, sometimes informally called “spam”) threatens to overwhelm many email users with an avalanche of undesired messages. And email has also become a medium for transmitting harmful computer code, otherwise known as viruses. You’ll learn much more about email in Chapter 8.

E-Commerce Understand the term e-commerce. Understand the concept of purchasing goods and services online, including giving personal details before a transaction can be carried out, payment methods, consumer’s basic right to return unsatisfactory goods.

Spurred by the success of high-profile companies, such as Amazon, electronic commerce (e-commerce) is becoming an increasingly successful part of the modern economy. In e-commerce, you purchase goods and services by


visiting the Web site of a vendor. There you can browse through a catalog and select the items that you want to purchase. When you’re ready to purchase, you need to supply your billing and shipping details so that the vendor will know where to send the goods and how to collect their payment. Most e-commerce vendors accept credit cards for payment; some also allow you to pay by check, wire transfer, or online payment services such as PayPal. Even if you’re purchasing online, you aren’t waiving your basic rights as a consumer. Any reputable e-commerce vendor will accept returns in case they ship you the wrong product or an unsatisfactory product. It’s up to you, however, to understand the vendor’s policies on returns before you place an order. Advantages and Disadvantages of E-Commerce List some of the advantages of purchasing goods and services online, such as: services available 24 hours a day, opportunity to view a wide range of products. List some of the disadvantages of purchasing goods and services online such as: choosing from a virtual store, no human contact, risk of insecure payment methods.

E-commerce can be a wonderful thing. You can purchase a last-minute birthday present at 3 a.m. with a blizzard outside your house and have it delivered the next day to a recipient across the country or around the world. Vendors can also maintain extensive catalogs of goods on the Web, enhancing your purchase choices. But you need to be a bit careful when engaging in e-commerce as well. You can’t “kick the tires” the way that you can when you’re inspecting physical goods in person, so you need to be sure that what you’re ordering is really what you want. There are no helpful salespeople to aid you in choosing between potential purchases. And if you’re not careful, you could end up sending your credit-card information in a form that could be stolen (although most online merchants now use secure order forms that remove this potential problem).

Health, Safety, and Environment Computers are complex machines with wide-ranging ramifications. Before using a computer, you need to understand some of the health, safety, and environmental impacts of the computer.

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Ergonomics Ergonomics is a relatively new branch of applied science that is concerned with designing workplaces that are both efficient and comfortable. An understanding of basic computer ergonomics issues will help ensure that your computing time is healthful.

Creating a Good Working Environment Understand what elements and practices can help create a good, working environment such as: appropriate positioning of monitors, keyboards and adjustable chairs, use of a mouse mat, use of a monitor filter, provision of adequate lighting and ventilation, frequent breaks away from the computer.

Ergonomics experts have developed a number of recommendations for a good working environment for those who use computers. Although there is some debate about which factors are the most important, general recommendations include the following: ➤ The monitor should be positioned directly in front of you at a comfort-

able height so that you do not have to twist your body or crane your neck to view information. ➤ The keyboard should be placed in a location where you can type with

your wrists flat and straight and your elbows at a 90-degree angle. ➤ Your chair should be adjustable for a comfortable height and provide

adequate lumbar support. ➤ If you use a mouse, a good quality mouse mat will help you position the

cursor onscreen accurately without excessive arm movements. ➤ Lighting should be adequate to view any documents you are working

with but must not reflect excessive glare from the monitor. If it is impossible to lower the lights to this level, you should install a glass monitor filter to cut down on the glare. ➤ Like any other workplace, the computer-oriented workplace should have

sufficient ventilation to provide fresh air at all times. ➤ You should take frequent breaks, stretching and moving away from the

computer at least once every 30–60 minutes.


Health Issues One good reason to follow ergonomic recommendations is to avoid some of the health problems that can be associated with computer use.

Health Problems of Computers List some common health problems which can be associated with using a computer such as: injuries to wrists caused by prolonged typing, eye strain caused by screen glare, back problems associated with poor seating or bad posture.

What could go wrong if you ignore ergonomic recommendations? Plenty, as it turns out: ➤ Improper keyboard positioning and failure to take adequate breaks can

cause a variety of problems, including bursitis, tendonitis, and (perhaps the most serious common disorder associated with computers) Carpal Tunnel Syndrome (CTS). ➤ Working without a glare shield or with a monitor that is not properly

aligned can lead to serious eyestrain. ➤ Poor posture or unadjustable seating can contribute to back strain.

To avoid these problems, you should make sure that your computer work area is set up in an ergonomically correct fashion. Also, you should not ignore symptoms. If you feel tingling or numbness in your arms, strain in your eyes, or lower back pain, you should seek help in locating and correcting the cause of the problem.

Precautions As industrial machinery goes, computers are actually very safe. But that doesn’t mean that you can ignore basic safety precautions that you should take with any electrical device.

Computer Safety List some safety precautions when using a computer such as: ensuring power cables are safely secured, power points are not overloaded.

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Remember, computers are electrical devices. A powerful computer can draw several hundred watts of power when it’s working hard. You should treat computer wiring with the respect due to any electrical wiring. Make sure that power cords and other cables are out of traffic areas and that they are anchored to prevent sudden disconnection or hazards to those passing by. You should also avoid overloading the electrical power supply by plugging too many devices into a single outlet.

The Environment Although it’s not as dramatic as the impact of other machinery, computers do have an impact on the environment. The exam might ask you how to minimize this impact.

Environmentally Friendly Computing Be aware that recycling printed outputs, recycling printer toner cartridges, using a monitor that consumes less power while the computer is inactive can help the environment.

Here are some things that you can do to ease the impact of your computing on the environment: ➤ Computers make it easy to print a lot of pages of output that you don’t

really need for the long term. You should recycle excess printouts. ➤ Rather than discard used printer toner cartridges, you can send them to

a service that will recycle and refill them. In addition to making less garbage, this approach will also save you money. ➤ Consider purchasing a monitor that consumes less power when you’re

not actively using the computer. In the United States, look for products that carry the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) Energy Star logo to guarantee energy efficiency.

Saving Paper Understand that using electronic documents can help reduce the need for printed materials.


Computers do have one major positive impact on the environment: businesses can use far less paper now than they did before computerization was common. By referring to information online, sending email instead of paper mail, and storing documents on your computer’s hard drive, you can help minimize the amount of paper that your organization consumes.

Security As recently as a few years ago, computer security was the concern of only the people in the corporate IT department. But with the increasing connection of computers into networks and the rise of computer criminals, security now must be everyone’s business. You must know the basics of information security to proceed in your career with computers.

Information Security Just as keeping physical assets safe is the job of the corporate security department, keeping computer assets safe is the job of information security.

What Is Information Security? Understand the term information security and the benefits to an organization of being proactive in dealing with security risks such as: adopting an information security policy with respect to handling sensitive data, having procedures for reporting security incidents, making staff members aware of their responsibilities with respect to information security.

The goal of information security is to protect the intangible information assets of your organization. Consider all the information that’s stored on computers in your organization: financial records and projections, plans for future product launches, customer lists, perhaps even confidential information such as medical or payroll records. These are all things that you need to protect. Any organization using computers should have a plan to deal with security risks. Here are some factors to consider: ➤ The plan should include a written information security policy so that all

employees understand the risks involved and the information that must be protected. ➤ Sensitive information should be limited to only those people and those

computers where it is necessary to do the job.

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Chapter . . . . .2. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . ➤ There should be a clear procedure for reporting security incidents, con-

firmed or suspected, to IT professionals who can carry out a proper investigation. ➤ Policy manuals and periodic training should be used to make sure that

all staff members understand the importance of information security.

Privacy Issues Know about privacy issues associated with computers, such as adopting good password policies. Understand what is meant by user ID and differentiate between user ID and password. Understand the term access rights and know why access rights are important.

Part of information security is ensuring that information is kept private from those who should not have access. One way that you do so is by requiring people to type passwords to use their computers. But passwords are worthless if they’re too easy to guess. Your company should have a password policy that specifies which passwords are acceptable. Some typical rules for a password are as follows: ➤ Passwords must be at least seven characters long. ➤ Words in the dictionary are not allowed as passwords. ➤ Passwords must contain characters from at least three of these four

classes: uppercase letters, lowercase letters, numerals, and symbols. ➤ Passwords must be changed at least once every 60 days. ➤ Passwords cannot be written down.

It’s important to understand the difference between a password and a user ID. A user ID is the name by which a computer user is known on the network. Your user ID is public knowledge; anyone who needs to send you email, for example, will need your user ID. In contrast, your password should be known only to yourself. Most operating systems support the concept of access rights. Access rights allow the computer operator to specify who can work with certain information. For example, users in the accounting department might have the right to add data to the general ledger, whereas other users might only have the right to view the information or might even be locked out entirely. Proper application of access rights gives your network administrator a valuable tool in preserving the security and privacy of information.


Backing Up Data Know about the purpose and value of backing up data, software to a removable storage device.

One of the threats to information is that computer hardware is imperfect. Hard drives, for example, can break, making it difficult or impossible to retrieve the information that they store. That can be an annoyance if the information is a program that you use frequently or a disaster if the information is a customer list or other critical business information. Such disasters are the reason that data should be backed up—that is, copied to another location, such as a Zip disk or a data cartridge, that can be removed from the computer. For good information security, you should back up critical information on a regular basis and store the backups in a different location from that of the original computers.

Implications of Computer Theft Be aware of possible implications of theft of a laptop computer, PDA, mobile phone such as: possible misuse of confidential files, loss of files, loss of important contact details if not available on a separate source, possible misuse of telephone numbers.

Finally, don’t overlook the importance of securing the physical computer hardware. This step is most important for laptop computers, which are designed to be easily portable. Consider the possible effects of having your laptop, PDA, or smart phone (programmable cellular phone) stolen: ➤ Information in confidential files might be read by an unknown number

of outsiders. ➤ You might lose files that you did not have stored on another device, such

as a desktop computer. ➤ You might lose important contact information such as phone numbers

that you never backed up to another location. ➤ If you have a file containing credit card or calling card numbers, some-

one could easily misuse those numbers.

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Computer Viruses One of the major threats to computers is the computer virus. It’s important to understand how to prevent viruses from infecting your computer.

What’s a Virus? Understand the term virus when used in computing and understand that there are different types of viruses. Be aware when and how viruses can enter a computer system.

A computer virus is a software program that can spread from computer to computer across a network without any human intervention. Viruses can also perform a variety of destructive activities on your computer, from deleting files to sending email in your name. Thousands of different computer viruses have been detected around the world. In most cases, no one knows who is responsible for writing these malicious programs, even though there are stern legal penalties for knowingly releasing a computer virus. There are several ways in which a virus can enter a computer system: ➤ The most common way for viruses to enter a computer is by the user of

the computer double-clicking on an attachment to an email message. ➤ Viruses can also be transmitted on diskettes, Zip disks, or other remov-

able media. ➤ Some viruses take advantage of errors in other software to spread them-

selves. For example, a malicious Web page might download a virus to your computer by exploiting an error in your Web browser.

Antivirus Measures Know about antivirus measures and what to do when a virus infects a computer. Be aware of the limitations of antivirus software. Understand what “disinfecting” files means.

If your computer begins acting strangely (shutting down, displaying odd messages, sending email without your intervention), it’s possible that it has been invaded by a computer virus. In that case, it’s time to deploy antivirus measures by running a virus scan. Specialized software known as antivirus software can check your computer’s memory and hard drive for signs of a virus.


This process is not completely foolproof because virus writers are constantly coming up with ways to hide viruses from scanning software. Of course, the scanning software vendors are constantly updating to defeat the viruses as well, so you should make sure your antivirus software is up-to-date before performing a virus scan. Often you can visit the Web site of the antivirus software maker to gather or download updates to your antivirus software.

If a virus is found on your computer, most antivirus software will offer to disinfect the file that contains the virus. Disinfection removes the virus and returns the file to its original working order. Unfortunately, some viruses damage the files that they infect. In these cases, you have no alternative but to delete the infected files. You’ll learn more about using antivirus software in Chapter 3.

Avoiding Viruses Understand good practice when downloading files, accessing file attachments, such as: use of virus scanning software, not opening unrecognised email messages, not opening attachments contained within unrecognized email messages.

The best way to deal with viruses is to not allow your computer to become infected in the first place. Here are some things you can do to protect yourself from computer viruses: ➤ Install antivirus software, and run virus scans on a regular basis. Some

antivirus software will automatically scan your computer when you turn it on. Some can also be configured to check all new files for viruses automatically. You should activate both of these features. ➤ Keep your antivirus software up-to-date. Most antivirus software allows

you to automatically download updates from the Internet at regular intervals.

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Chapter . . . . .2. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . ➤ If you are using an email application that recognizes richly formatted

email, turn off any preview function that automatically displays new messages. Instead, you should only open email that comes from people you recognize. (Of course, this step might not be practical if you are required to deal with email from potential new customers.) ➤ Email can contain attached files, which are documents or programs that

are delivered along with the email message. These attached files are one of the most common vectors of virus infection. You should never open an attached file unless you were specifically expecting to receive it. ➤ If you are running instant-messaging (IM) software, do not accept file

deliveries from users you do not recognize.

Copyright and the Law As new technologies appear, our legal system evolves to deal with them. To be a responsible computer user, you should understand the basics of copyright, licensing, and data protection as they apply to computers.

Copyright Copyright is a legal term that refers to the right of a creator of a work to enjoy the exclusive profits of that work for a period of time. Computers have made copyright law difficult to enforce. You should understand the basic concepts of copyright, as well as the issues involved with copyrighted material on computer networks.

Concepts of Copyrights Understand the concept of copyright when applied to software, and also to files such as: graphics, text, audio, video. Understand copyright issues involved in downloading information from the Internet.

Article I of the U.S. Constitution gives the Congress the power “To promote the Progress of Science and useful Arts, by securing for limited Times to Authors and Inventors the exclusive Right to their respective Writings and Discoveries.” This is the basis of copyright law in the United States, and it includes the justification for copyrights. The basic idea is that by securing an author’s right to profit from their work, we can encourage authors to create things.


Copyright applies not just to books, but also to all manner of creative works: drawings, pictures, photographs, audio recordings, video recordings, and even computer software. The original creator of these works has the right to dictate who can use them and under what terms. That is why, for example, it is not legal for you to simply make as many copies as you like of a computer program that you have purchased (unless the license for the program grants you that right). When you are downloading material from the Internet, you need to be aware of any copyright restrictions that might apply to the material. For example, there are many entire books available on the Internet. Some, such as those supplied by Project Gutenberg (http://promo.net/pg/) are explicitly free from copyright restrictions. But some people are not so law-abiding. It is possible to find current, copyrighted books available for download. If you download such a work, you are also violating the author’s copyright and breaking the law.

Copyright and Sharing Understand copyright issues associated with using and distributing materials stored on removable media such as CDs, Zip disks, diskettes.

Computers have made it phenomenally easy to make copies of things. Once a book or magazine article is scanned or typed into a computer, you can make hundreds of copies to CD-ROM, Zip disk, or diskette with little effort. The rise of peer-to-peer file-sharing services has even made this copying possible over the Internet. Thousands of copyrighted works are freely available for download via these services. However, just because it’s possible doesn’t mean that it’s legal. Sharing a copyrighted work with your friends on CD or via a file-sharing service is no more legal or ethical than making a photocopy and mailing it to them. It is possible that future copyright laws will change somehow to accommodate these problems, but for the moment, that’s the legal situation.

Software Licensing Know how to check the product ID number for a software product. Understand the terms shareware, freeware, end-user license agreement.

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Copyright applies to software as well as to books, movies, and music. The creator of a piece of software has the right to determine how (or whether) that software can be shared. The standard practice in the software industry is to license a piece of software to the user under specific circumstances. For example, the user might be permitted to install the software on two computers but no more. Many software programs assign a unique product ID or license number to legitimate users. Often you can retrieve this number by selecting About from the Help menu of the application. Figure 2.5 shows the license dialog box from a copy of Microsoft Word. Note that it also shows the copyright information for the application.

Figure 2.5 Checking the copyright and license information for a copy of Microsoft Word.

Not every application is subject to restrictive licensing agreements. Some software packages are released as shareware or freeware. A shareware application lets you legally use the software for a period of time, such as 30 days. After that time, you must either send the registration fee to the author or stop using the program. A freeware application is free to use for as long as you like. The use of most programs is governed by an end-user license agreement, or EULA. It is a legal contract that typically appears when you are installing the software. Normally you are required to click a button to indicate that you agree to the EULA.


Data Protection Legislation Some countries have explicit laws governing the proper use of computer data. Although the United States doesn’t currently have a data protection act, you should know about some of the major legislation in this area.

Data Protection in the United States Know about data protection legislation or conventions in your country. Understand the implications of data protection legislation for data subjects and data holders. Describe some of the uses of personal data.

Some countries have passed laws that specify how personal data can be used. In the United Kingdom, for example, the Data Protection Act of 1988 lays out a series of rules for personal data, including that such data must be accurate and must not be kept longer than necessary. The United States lacks a comprehensive data protection act, but it does have some laws that help protect personal information. These include the following: ➤ The Children’s Online Privacy Protection Act (COPPA) requires Web

sites aimed at children 12 and under to provide parents with notice of their information practices and to obtain parental consent before collecting personal information about children. Parents also have the right under this act to review and correct information about their children. ➤ The Financial Services Modernization Act of 1999 sets the conditions

under which financial institutions may share consumer data with one another. ➤ The Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA) led to

federal rules governing the privacy of medical data. These rules require access to patient records to be limited to those who need them and notifications to patients as to their privacy rights. You also have the right to review your own medical records. ➤ The Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act (FERPA) protects the

privacy of student records. Parents and students have the right to review and, if necessary, correct school records. Generally, consent must be obtained to share information from school records, except in certain limited situations (for example, if the student is transferring to another school).

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Chapter . . . . .2. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . ➤ The Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) allows anyone to request

records from the Federal government. However, numerous exceptions and exclusions in the law limit the information that may be released. In addition to these and other federal laws, state and local laws might provide additional protections or restrictions. If you’re responsible for storing personal information on computers, you should familiarize yourself with the applicable laws. Even though personal data is legally protected in many situations, sometimes it still makes sense to share your personal data. For example, when you’re ordering a product over the Internet, filling out medical forms, applying for college admission, or registering to vote, you are supplying personal information that will likely be stored in a computer. The goal of data protection laws is not to keep your personal information away from computers, but to make sure that it is only used in a responsible fashion.


Review Questions ‘This ECDL Foundation approved courseware product incorporates learning reinforcement exercises. These exercises are included to assist the candidate in their training for the ICDL. The exercises included in this courseware product are not ICDL certification tests and should not be construed in any way as ICDL certification tests. For information about Authorized ICDL Test Centers in different National Territories please refer to the ECDL Foundation website at www.ecdl.com’ The European Computer Driving Licence Foundation Ltd.

Question 1 Which of these types of computers would be a good choice for a salesperson who spends most of the day visiting customers? ❑ A. Mainframe computer ❑ B. Network computer ❑ C. Personal computer ❑ D. Laptop ❑ E. PDA

Answers D and E are correct. Mobile professionals typically need to carry their essential data with them to customer sites. Laptops and PDAs are inherently portable computers, suited for such visits. Answers A, B, and C are incorrect because those types of computer are not designed to be mobile.

Question 2 Which of the following are classed as input devices? ❑ A. Keyboard ❑ B. Plotter ❑ C. Trackball ❑ D. Touchscreen

Answers A, C, and D are correct. Keyboard and trackballs are designed to let you transmit information to the computer, making them input devices. Touchscreens are both input devices and output devices; they can both accept and display information. Answer B is incorrect because a plotter is used only to convey information from the computer to you, making it an output device.

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Question 3 You have a customer data file that is approximately 45MB in size. You need to have fast access to any part of this file and to edit information that it contains frequently. Which of these storage devices would be most appropriate for storing this file? ❍ A. Zip disk ❍ B. Data cartridge ❍ C. CD-ROM ❍ D. Hard drive

Answer D is correct. A hard drive can store large files, provide fast access to any part of the file, and allows you to edit the data that it contains. Answer A is incorrect because the file is too large to fit on a Zip disk. Answer B is incorrect because data cartridges are typically quite slow. Answer C is incorrect because the CD-ROM does not allow you to edit the data that it contains.

Question 4 Which of the following are benefits of connecting the computers at a company into a LAN? ❑ A. Saving files in a common format ❑ B. Sharing one plotter among every user in a group ❑ C. Enabling IM and email ❑ D. Loading applications more quickly

Answers B and C are correct. When computers are networked, expensive resources such as plotters and high-speed printers can be easily shared among many users. Users on a LAN can also use email, instant messaging (IM), and other collaborative technologies. Answers A and D incorrect because saving files and loading applications are functions of the individual computer rather than the network.


Question 5 You need to share a file with another employee of your company. You are located in the Cincinnati office, and your co-worker is in the Iowa City office. Which network would provide you with the most secure way to share the file? ❍ A. Intranet ❍ B. Internet ❍ C. Extranet ❍ D. World Wide Web

Answer A is correct. An intranet is a company’s internal network, to which outsiders have no access. Answer B is incorrect because the Internet is the global WAN that is shared by millions of users. Answer C is incorrect because an extranet is designed for sharing information with corporate partners. Answer D is incorrect because the World Wide Web is used for publishing and viewing Web pages.

Question 6 Which of these factors should you consider when designing an ergonomically correct computer workspace? ❑ A. The height of the monitor ❑ B. The location of the keyboard ❑ C. The color of the mouse pad ❑ D. The level of lighting

Answers A, B, and D are correct. The height of the monitor is important in minimizing neck strain. The location of the keyboard is important in minimizing wrist and arm injuries. The level of lighting is important in minimizing eyestrain. Answer C is incorrect because mouse pad colors have not been shown to have a health effect.

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Question 7 Which of these potential passwords complies with typical rules for good passwords? ❍ A. Dog ❍ B. 16TonsWUGet ❍ C. Alice ❍ D. 1774324

Answer B is correct. Answers A and C are incorrect because good passwords are at least seven characters long. Answer A is incorrect because dictionary words do not make good passwords. Answer D is incorrect because a good password should contain a mix of character types (uppercase letters, lowercase letters, numerals, and symbols).

Question 8 Which of the following security measures can help protect you from computer viruses? ❑ A. Select a strong password for your account. ❑ B. Back up your critical data once every 10 days. ❑ C. Only open email attachments that you were expecting to be sent. ❑ D.

Keep your antivirus software up-to-date.

Answers C and D are correct. Email attachments are a popular way for viruses to spread; by not opening unexpected attachments, you protect yourself from this risk. Antivirus software can block many viruses, but only if you keep it updated so that it will recognize new viruses. Answer A is incorrect because strong passwords keep other people from using your account but do not stop virus software from running when your machine is infected. Answer B is incorrect because a backup will make it possible to recover lost data but won’t stop a virus from deleting data in the first place.


Question 9 Which of the following activities is permissible under copyright law? ❍ A. Downloading a bootleg copy of a new rock CD from the Internet ❍ B. Making a backup of a software program as permitted by the EULA ❍ C. Typing an article from a current magazine and making CD-ROM copies for your friends ❍ D. Scanning photographs from a coffee-table book for use as computer wallpaper

Answer B is correct. The EULA is a legal agreement that permits specific actions. Answers A, C, and D are incorrect because they all make copies of works without the express permission of the work’s creator.

Question 10 Which of the following jobs is a good candidate for teleworking? ❍ A. Screening patients for admission to a hospital ❍ B. Managing a team of inventory takers for a supermarket chain ❍ C. Entering insurance claims information ❍ D. Caring for hydroponic cucumber plants in a greenhouse

Answer C is correct. Entering claims information is work that can be done anywhere that there is a computer. Answer A is incorrect because teleworkers don’t interact directly with clients. Answer B is incorrect because telework makes it difficult to organize and participate in a team. Answer D is incorrect because telework does not allow you to perform actual physical labor.

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Need to Know More? European Computer Driving License Syllabus Version 4.0, http://www.ecdl.com/main/download/ECDLV4SWG110159.pdf

The Free On-line Dictionary of Computing,

http://foldoc.doc.

ic.ac.uk/foldoc/contents.html

Ergonomic Guidelines for Arranging a Computer Workstation: 10 Steps for Users, http://ergo.human.cornell.edu/ergoguide.html Energy Star, http://www.energystar.gov/ Center for Democracy and Technology, privacy/medical/

http://www.cdt.org/

3 Using the Computer and Managing Files . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

Terms you’ll need to understand: ➤ ➤ ➤ ➤ ➤ ➤ ➤ ➤

Backup Boot: warm, cold, soft, and hard File compression Folder/directory Format Icon Input language Multitasking

➤ ➤ ➤ ➤ ➤ ➤ ➤ ➤

Peripheral Root directory Screen saver Shortcut icon Surge protector Text editor Wildcard character Window

Techniques you’ll need to master: ➤ Understanding the basic operations of

➤ ➤ ➤ ➤ ➤ ➤

your computer, such as how to turn it off and on and knowing what to do if an application stops responding Determining and changing the computer’s configuration Formatting a floppy or Zip disk Installing and uninstalling software applications Using and creating desktop icons Recognizing and manipulating common window elements Navigating your system’s folder and file structure; creating, duplicating, and moving a folder or file

➤ Recognizing a file’s type by referring to its extension

➤ Launching a text editor and creating and saving a text file

➤ Deleting a file and then restoring a previously deleted file

➤ Finding specific files and folders using the Search (Find) tool

➤ Understanding file compression: what it is, why you’d use it, and how to use it

➤ Understanding and avoiding computer viruses

➤ Installing a new printer and changing the default printer

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Chapter 2, “Concepts of Information Technology,” was a great introduction to computing in general, but now it’s time for some hands-on experience. In this chapter, you’ll learn your way around your system’s file structure. Specifically, this module covers the following five topics: ➤ Your computer environment ➤ The desktop ➤ How to manage files ➤ Viruses ➤ Print management

After learning about each of these topics, you’ll be ready to take the test for Module 2! Back

Up

Forward

Folders

Search

Views

Windows Explorer standard toolbar.

Computer Environment In Chapter 2, you learned a little about the magic that happens inside a computer. Specifically, you learned about its internal memory (random access memory [RAM]) and how that memory runs software and stores your work. Now you’re ready to actually turn on your computer and become familiar with the GUI (graphic user interface) that helps the internal system communicate with you and vice versa. A user interface consists of the graphical components you use to view and interact with your computer. For instance, a menu from which you execute items and a button that you click are both pieces of a user interface. (For more specific information on GUIs, read the section “GUI” in Chapter 2.) In this section, you’ll learn the following: ➤ How to turn on and turn off your computer ➤ How to learn more about your system and control those settings your-

self ➤ How to install and uninstall a software application ➤ How to get help when you need it

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .Using . . . the . . Computer . . . . . .and . . Managing . . . . . .Files . . ➤ How to print screen elements ➤ How to launch a text-editing application, create and save a file, and then

close the text editor

First Steps with the Computer Turning on and off a computer isn’t always as simple as flipping a switch, but most of the time it is. Sometimes you must turn it on using nothing more than the equipment itself for clues.

Starting the Computer Start the computer.

Most of the time, turning on your computer is a simple process, but every system is different, so it’s vital that you be familiar with your equipment. (See Chapter 2 for an explanation of the many types of computers and equipment you might encounter.) This section assumes you’re working with a personal computer. Now, prepare to start your computer: 1. Perhaps the most important step occurs before you turn on the system.

First, check all your cables to make sure they’re securely connected. Also check your electrical outlets to make sure that all the equipment is properly plugged in and that any complex outlet units or surge protectors are turned on. If your outlets are controlled by an exterior switch, make sure that switch is in the on position. 2. Using your system’s user documentation or user’s guide, locate the on

and off switch for each piece of your equipment: monitor, CPU, printer, and any other peripherals. A peripheral is any device you have connected to your system. Every system is different, but most new systems position the power button on the front of the CPU. (Learn about the CPU in Chapter 2.) 3. After locating the appropriate switches on all your equipment, turn on

the monitor. 4. Turn on the CPU.

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speakers, scanner, and so on. This last step will be unique to your system. Systems often turn on all peripherals automatically once the computer itself is turned on. Generally, you can tell by simply watching the on and off lights for each device. If you’re unfamiliar with the equipment, wait just a second or two before you start turning on the peripherals to see whether they power up automatically. High voltage can quickly fry your system and can enter your computer through power cords and even the modem (online) connection. Protect your system by using a surge protector that absorbs voltage surges so they don’t reach your computer. Some surge protectors come with a modem jack that also protects your online connection.

You might hear someone refer to the process of turning on your system as a boot or booting—as in “boot the system.” The preceding example might be further defined as a “cold boot” because the system was turned on after being turned completely off (cold).

Shutting Down the Computer Shut down the computer using an appropriate routine.

Most modern systems use the operating system to power down: 1. Save your work and close any open software applications. 2. Click the Start button on the Windows taskbar to display the list of

options shown in Figure 3.1. 3. Select Turn Off Computer. 4. Click Turn Off in the resulting dialog box shown in Figure 3.2 to shut

down the operating system and turn off the computer (and probably most of the peripherals, depending on how your system is configured). Table 3.1 defines the four options in detail. 5. If necessary, turn off the monitor, printer, and any other peripherals

that aren’t automatically shut down by the system.

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .Using . . . the . . Computer . . . . . .and . . Managing . . . . . .Files . .

Select Turn Off Computer Windows taskbar Click the Start button to display the Start menu Figure 3.1 Click the Start button.

Figure 3.2 Use the operating system to turn off your computer.

Table 3.1 Options for Powering Down Your Computer Option

Explanation

Standby

Switches the system to Standby mode, which reduces (or even turns off) the power to most of the devices, except memory. Anything in current memory isn’t automatically saved. If power is lost, the current memory is also lost. Be sure to save your work before switching to Standby mode.

Turn Off

Shuts down the operating system and turns off the CPU.

Restart

Shuts down the operating system and then restarts it automatically.

Cancel

Dismisses the current dialog box without taking any action.

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Restarting the Computer Restart the computer using an appropriate routine.

If necessary, you can reset your computer to its original settings and defaults by rebooting: 1. Save your work and close any open software applications. 2. Click the Start button on the taskbar. 3. Choose the Turn Off Computer item. 4. Click Restart from the resulting options (see Figure 3.2). Doing so

shuts down the operating system, turns off the computer, and then reboots your system automatically. Restarting your system is often referred to as a warm or soft boot.

When an Application Stops Responding Shut down a nonresponsive application.

Systems and software just keep getting better and better, but occasionally problems occur and your system freezes. When that happens, your computer might fail to respond to the normal clicks and selections. Unfortunately, the only way to restore order is to restart your system, but more than likely you’ll find that you can’t even access the Start menu (which we reviewed in the previous section). When this happens, you might have to force the issue by pressing and holding down all three of the following keys at the same time: Ctrl, Alt, and Del. (The Ctrl key might also be labeled Control, and the Del key might also be


labeled Delete.) Doing so displays the dialog box shown in Figure 3.3. Click the Shut Down menu to open its drop-down list and then choose Restart. Windows shuts down and your computer turns off and restarts automatically. This process clears the internal error that caused your system to freeze. Running applications

Shuts down the system

Figure 3.3 Unlock a frozen system. Any activity in memory (unsaved) is lost if you use the Ctrl+Alt+Del keystroke combination. We recommend frequent saves to reduce the amount of work you might lose in the event of such a problem. In addition, don’t try to resolve the problem by turning off the system either at the switch or the electrical source. Either could result in corrupted files and unrecoverable data.

Using Ctrl+Alt+Del to restore your system is sometimes referred to as a hard boot because you’re unable to save your work and shut down applications before shutting down the operating system. Sometimes you can shut down the application that’s locked up without shutting down the entire system. Check the task list for the status “not responding.” If you find one, select that item and click End Task.

Basic Information and Operations You’ll want to familiarize yourself with your system, just as you would your car or stereo. After all, would you jump into a new car and drive off without

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first finding the switch for the lights or the windshield wipers? Similarly, you need to know your computer equipment to know what software and peripherals it can support.

Learning About Your System View the computer’s basic system information: operating system, and version number, installed RAM (random access memory).

Perhaps the simplest method to learn a few quick details about the current system is to view the system’s properties in the Windows Help window: 1. Right-click the Start button and select Explorer on the taskbar to open

the Windows Explorer—the graphical interface Windows uses to display the system’s file structure. 2. In the resulting window, select About Windows from the Help menu

to display the window shown in Figure 3.4. The operating system is Microsoft Windows XP Professional

The current version is 5.1 (also known as 2002 or XP)

The system’s RAM is 259,888KB (or 256MB)

Figure 3.4 Review a few system properties.

3. After viewing the information, click OK to close the dialog box.


Modifying Your System Change the computer’s desktop configuration: the date and time, volume settings, and desktop display options (color settings, screen pixel resolution, and screen saver options).

Many of the system’s default settings, such as the date and time and display options, are used by other software applications. From time to time, you might need to review these settings or even change them. Most of these settings are accessible via the Control Panel, so we give the instructions for displaying the Control Panel window now. Click the Start button on the taskbar and choose Control Panel from the Start menu to display the Control Panel window shown in Figure 3.5. (This figure shows Windows XP default; your screen might look different.)

Figure 3.5 The Control Panel window provides access to a number of system settings and tools.

Changing the Date and Time To change a system’s date and time, double-click the Date, Time, Language, and Regional Options link (in the Control Panel window). Then, click the Change the Date and Time link to display the Date and Time Properties dialog box shown in Figure 3.6. Click the Date & Time tab if necessary. (You

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can also double-click the clock in the Notification area of the taskbar to open this dialog box.) You change a date component by selecting the appropriate value from that control. Change the month

Modify the year

Select a day Figure 3.6 Change a system’s date and time settings.

Changing the time is similar to changing the date. The time consists of three components: hour, minute, and second. Highlight the appropriate section and click the spin control’s up or down arrow, accordingly. You might find it easier and quicker to type in the new time by highlighting a component and then entering the new value via the keyboard. In the United States, the operating system might automatically adjust the system’s time twice a year when many areas switch to Daylight Savings Time and then again when those areas revert to their standard times. Click the Time Zone tab to check the current setting by clicking the Time Zone control’s drop-down arrow. Next, select the appropriate zone item from the control’s list. Be sure to uncheck the daylight savings option if you don’t want the system to automatically adjust your time when appropriate. Changing Audio Capabilities In addition, most of today’s systems are equipped with audio capabilities and speakers. You might need to modify the default volume settings. To do so, click the Sounds, Speech, and Audio Devices link in the Control Panel window. Then, click the Adjust the System Volume in the next window. Or you can double-click the volume control icon in the Notification area of the


taskbar. Both methods open the Sounds and Audio Devices Properties dialog box shown in Figure 3.7. Adjust the slider control accordingly and close the dialog box.

Adjust here to turn the volume up and down Click here to display the volume icon in the taskbar

Figure 3.7 Adjust sound properties. If there’s no volume control icon in the Notification area of the taskbar, you can display it. Open the Sounds and Audio Devices Properties dialog box, click the Volume tab, and then check the Place Volume Icon in the taskbar option.

Changing Display Options Display options determine the specific colors and the size of each element onscreen. You can adjust the settings, but you should know that most software applications inherit these options. That means any changes you make affect most everything you might see—even elements within a software application. There are three types of display options that you might want to adjust: ➤ Color—Determine the number of colors your monitor can display. ➤ Resolution—Determine the size of individual elements. ➤ Screen Saver—Display a graphic or animation when the computer is

inactive.

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In the Control Panel window, click the Appearance and Themes link and then click the Change the Screen Resolution link to open the Display Properties dialog box. Click the Settings tab (if necessary) to work with the color and resolution. You can use the Color Quality control to select the number of colors that will be displayed on your monitor. The second setting on this tab is the Screen Resolution setting. Simply adjust the slider to reduce or increase the number of pixels displayed. The more pixels you display, the more information you can display onscreen (and the smaller everything will appear). The last display setting we want to explore is the Screen Saver: that’s a file that displays moving elements when the computer is idle for a specific length of time. Newer monitors aren’t really at risk, but older monitors could be permanently scarred by screen elements if they remain set for too long. For this reason, some people employ screen savers, which temporarily change the display and keep elements moving around the screen to prevent damage. The operating system comes with a number of screen savers, but you’re free to purchase one or even download a free file from the Internet. (Not all files are free; read instructions carefully before downloading.) To specify a screen saver, click the Screen Saver tab and choose a file from the Screen Saver control’s drop-down shown in Figure 3.8. Click the Preview button to see what the file looks like in real time; you might decide that you don’t like the selected file and try another. Some screen savers have settings you can modify by clicking the Settings button and following the subsequent instructions. Use the Wait control to determine how long the computer can remain idle before the screen saver kicks in. The default is 10 minutes. You can also use the Power button to turn your monitor off entirely after a fixed time period rather than have it display a screen saver.

Determining the Language Set, change keyboard language.

Just because you and your system use English doesn’t mean that you won’t ever need to correspond with someone in another language. Fortunately, you can change the default language for your system or switch between a large number of input languages. To set the default language your computer uses, you must first install it:

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .Using . . . the . . Computer . . . . . .and . . Managing . . . . . .Files . . 1. In the Control Panel, click the Date, Time, Language, and Regional

Options link. 2. Click the Add Other Languages link. 3. On the Languages tab, click the Details button. The default input lan-

guage is probably English (United States)-US. 4. Click the Add button in the Installed Services section to display the

Add Input Language dialog box. 5. Open the Input Languages control’s drop-down list and choose the

language you want to install. Figure 3.9 shows Russian installed. Notice that the Keyboard Layout/IME control updates accordingly.

Figure 3.8 Choose a screen saver from the available files.

6. Click OK to return to the previous dialog box, which now displays two

available languages in the Services Installed list, as shown in Figure 3.10. 7. Open the Default Input Language control’s list (the combo box at the

top) and you’ll find that Russian is now listed as a possible default language. Go ahead and select Russian from the list. (You can quickly switch back to English later.) 8. Click OK twice. Nothing seems to change: everything is still in

English. Check the new Language bar in the taskbar. It should resemble the one shown in Figure 3.11.

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Figure 3.9 The operating system supports a number of languages.

Figure 3.10 Install a second language.

Figure 3.11 The operating system supports a number of languages.

The language bar then displays RU (for Russian) as the default language. If you expect the system to magically transpose your English words into Russian, you might be disappointed. All you’ve done is reset the keyboard; the feature doesn’t suddenly display everything in Russian. (If you actually reset your system, be sure to reset the default to English before you continue.) You might not want to change the default language but still need to correspond in languages other than the default. In this case, you can access any number of input languages as you need them. An input language is the language you use to enter text at any given time. What that means is you could


be typing in English (the default) and then switch to Russian, French, Spanish, or any number of supported languages to type in a single word, sentence, paragraph, or section. In fact, you could use an input language for an entire document if you liked—without changing the system’s default language. To access a default language, repeat Steps 1 through 6 from the previous exercise. The only difference is that you won’t change the Input Default Language selection in that control. Adding the input language displays the Language bar you saw earlier and you’re free to switch back and forth. However, the operating system won’t change the system’s default language. To use an input language, open a blank document using Notepad or WordPad and start entering text. Then, using the Language bar, choose Russian or another listed language. Any text you enter assumes the input language’s keyboard, not the English keyboard you’re actually using. By default, most input languages are installed automatically. However, to enter or display text in any of the East Asian languages or a right-to-left language, you must install the language manually from the system’s CD-ROM.

Preparing Disk Storage Medium Format removable disk media: diskette, Zip disk.

In Chapter 2, you learned a bit about removable storage devices. (See “Storage Devices” in that chapter.) Before you use a floppy or Zip disk, you must format it. In this context, format means to prepare the disk to store electronic data. You can purchase formatted diskettes, so you might never actually need to format a brand new disk. In fact, we recommend that you use factory-formatted diskettes. However, occasionally, you might want to format a used disk to erase old data. Formatting erases everything on a diskette, so use care when formatting your diskettes. In addition, never try to reformat your hard drive. Doing so deletes everything on your hard drive: all your data, all your software applications, and even your operating system. You won’t be able to access your computer at all.

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To format a floppy diskette, follow these steps: 1. Insert the floppy diskette into the appropriate drive. 2. Open My Computer and select (don’t double-click) drive A in the

Devices with Removable Storage section. (Access My Computer from the Desktop or the Start menu.) 3. Choose Format from the File menu. 4. Windows displays the dialog box shown in Figure 3.12. Most of the

time you can just click Start. Occasionally, you might want to check the Quick Format option to save a little time. This option erases files but doesn’t check for bad sectors. Use this option only if the disk has been previously formatted and you’re sure the diskette isn’t damaged. Otherwise, stick with the Capacity setting. Never format the hard drive

Select the floppy drive

You might have a Zip drive installed

Figure 3.12 Most of the time you’ll use the default format options.

Formatting a Zip disk is basically the same. Repeat Steps 1 through 3 in the previous exercise. This time, select the Zip drive in the My Computer window. When the operating system displays the dialog box shown in Figure 3.13, click Format. Use the Long Format option only when the Zip disk has developed errors. Remember, just like with a floppy disk, formatting a Zip disk completely erases its contents.


Figure 3.13 Use default formatting options unless you have good reason not to.

Working with Software Install, uninstall a software application.

More than likely, your system will arrive with a few software applications already installed. However, you’ll probably purchase more, and when you do, you’ll need to install your new software to use it. Fortunately, installing software has become simple and routine. To install a software application from a CD-ROM or a floppy drive, follow these steps: 1. Insert the CD-ROM or the floppy disk in the appropriate drive. If the

software automatically initiates the install process, simply follow the instructions. 2. If not, open the Control Panel by clicking Start and then choosing

Control Panel. 3. Click the Add or Remove Programs link. 4. Click the Add New Programs option in the Add or Remove Programs

window, and then click the CD or Floppy button in the next window. 5. At this point, the software installation process kicks in: follow the

instructions. We recommend that you accept the default (or typical) installation option unless you have specific reasons not to.

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Uninstalling a software application is also easy. Follow these steps: 1. Open the Control Panel by clicking Start and then choosing Control

Panel. 2. Click the Add or Remove Programs link. 3. Click on the application that you want to uninstall. 4. Click on the Change/Remove button and follow the instructions to

remove the application. Some software might ask you to reboot the system after you finish the installation or uninstallation. You might want to schedule software installation for a time when you’re not doing other important tasks.

Capturing Screen Data Use keyboard print screen facility and paste contents into a document.

You’ve probably heard the old saying about a picture being worth a thousand words. Sometimes you can better make your point with a picture than text. That’s when printing the screen might come in handy. For instance, you might want to share a specific error with a technician. To save a copy of the screen, press the Print Screen key to copy the entire screen, exactly as it appears. Next, open a program such as Microsoft Paint or Microsoft Word and choose Paste from the Edit menu. At this point, you can save or print the image.

When You Need Help Use available Help functions.

Few people master their computer without a little help now and again. The first place you’ll want to go when you have questions is the computer itself. Windows offers a number of ways to get the help you need.


The best place to start is with the Help and Support Center. Click the Start button and select Help and Support Center. Or open the Control Panel window and click the Help and Support link. The resulting page shown in Figure 3.14 has the look and feel of a Web page. From this page, you can quickly access a number of help features. Define computer terms Text search Browse Help topics

Choose from the most common Help topics

Learn from video tours Get online help

Learn more about your system

Troubleshoot hardware problems

More helpful links

Figure 3.14 Check the system’s Help and Support area.

To use the Index, click the Index button on the toolbar and enter a search string. As you enter characters, the window updates with the best match in the index items. For instance, enter the word “default” and then double-click the Setting Default Printer item to display information on that subject, as shown in Figure 3.15. You can skip the Index window and enter search text in the Search control. For instance, enter “default printer” into the Search control and press Enter or click the Search Now button (the arrow to the right of the control). Windows updates the Search Results list accordingly. In this case, clicking the Specify Your Default Printer link in the Suggested Results list displays

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the same information you saw in Figure 3.15. Click a topic or click one of the group buttons for more possible subjects: ➤ Suggested Topics—Attempts to select the most relevant topics to match

the search criteria. ➤ Full-text search matches—Displays help documents that contain the exact

text. ➤ Microsoft Knowledge Base—Displays links to appropriate online articles in

Microsoft’s Knowledge Base. Enter search text here

Double-click specific topic here

View help here

Figure 3.15 Display helpful information on specific subjects.

Text Editing Everyone uses text files. You might write letters or just keep a personal journal. Windows comes with two text editors—Notepad and WordPad. A text editor is a program that allows you to enter and manipulates text in a document and then save that document.

Preparing to Work with Text Launch a text-editing application. Open, create a file.


Both Notepad and WordPad are accessible through the Programs menu. We’ll be working with Notepad, but you can launch WordPad the same way. To launch Notepad, click the Start button on the taskbar and Select All Programs in the Start menu. (If Notepad appears on the Start menu, you can skip the All Programs steps that come next and just launch Notepad from the Start menu.) Then, select Accessories in the Programs menu to display another menu of actual applications. Select Notepad from that list, as shown in Figure 3.16. Notepad launches a blank document in a new window. At this point, you can start entering text, as shown in Figure 3.17.

Figure 3.16 Select Notepad, a text editor, from the list of Windows Accessories programs.

Saving a Text File Save the file to a location on a drive.

Enter the text, “This is my practice text file,” and then save the file on your hard drive. To do so, choose Save As from the File menu. In the resulting dialog box, choose a location for the file using the Save in control. Simply open that control’s drop-down list and select the appropriate folder. As you can see in Figure 3.18, you can select the hard drive, a floppy drive, the CD-ROM

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(if you have a CD writer), or even a Zip drive if you have one installed. In the File Name control, name the text file “PracticeTextFile.” When you’re ready, click Save.

Figure 3.17 Notepad opens a blank document when you launch it. Save to a disk

Save to your hard drive Save to a CD

Enter a filename

Figure 3.18 Choose a location and enter a name for the text file.

To open an existing file, choose Open from Notepad’s File menu, and select the right folder in the Look in control. Select the file from the list of files, and then click the Open button.


Closing a Text-Editing Application Close the text-editing application.

When you’re done working with the text file, close Notepad by clicking Exit from the File menu. Or click the Windows Close button (the X in the top right of the title bar). Most text editors work with just one file at a time, so closing the file is the same thing as closing the text editor. If you don’t want to close the editor, but you want to work on a new file, choose New or Open from the File menu. Doing so closes the active document before opening another.

Desktop In general terms, a desktop is the onscreen work area. The Windows desktop is much more: it’s not just the screen that greets you when you turn on your system. The desktop is a sort of collection point from where you can quickly launch your most often used applications and files.

Working with Icons The desktop presents time-saving options by way of icons—small images displayed onscreen that represent objects or files that you can manipulate or a set of commands that you can execute. To open the file or execute the commands, you simply click the icon. Think of icons as a shortcut to a file or a task. By storing the icon on the desktop, you can reduce your work by several keystrokes. For instance, if you work with the same set of files everyday, you can save time by clicking an icon on the desktop that opens each file instead of opening the software and maneuvering through the file hierarchy to open the exact file.

Recognizing Common Icons Recognize common desktop icons such as those representing files, directories/folders, applications, printers, recycle bin/ wastebasket.

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Your operating system comes with a few icons already on the desktop, and you can add your own. Figure 3.19 shows a few icons, some you probably recognize: ➤ My Computer—Right-click and choose Explore to quickly open the My

Computer window. ➤ Applications—Double-click to launch the applications you use most

often. ➤ Recycle Bin (wastebasket)—Drag files to the recycle bin (wastebasket) or

double-click to view the current contents of the recycle bin. ➤ Printer—Drag a file to the printer or view the printer’s current status. ➤ Folder—Double-click a folder to open the folder, which allows you to

view the files stored in the folder. ➤ File—Double-click a file to launch both it and the software application

you use to view and manipulate it.

Display file and folder hierarchy Delete a file Print a file

Quickly launch an application

Open a folder

Open a file

Figure 3.19 You’ll find many icons on the desktop.


Moving Icons Select and move desktop icons.

You’re not stuck with the way icons are arranged on the desktop; you can arrange them any way you like. Most likely you’ll want to arrange them in meaningful groups, such as work files and personal files or departmental files and so on. The arrangement will be personal and unique to your system. Use the drag and drop method to move an icon. By drag and drop, we mean the following: 1. Hover the mouse pointer over the icon you want to move. 2. Click and hold down the mouse button. 3. Continue to hold down the mouse button while you drag the icon to

the target position. 4. When the icon is where you want it, release the mouse button.

Manipulating Files from the Desktop Open a file, directory/folder, application from the desktop.

Opening a file, a folder, or an application from the desktop couldn’t be simpler. Locate the icon that represents the file, folder, or application and double-click it. That’s it!

Creating Icons Create a desktop shortcut icon, desktop menu alias.

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Before you can use an icon to open a file or application, you must have an icon that represents that file or application on your desktop. These icons are known as shortcut icons—icons that open a file, folder, or application. To create a shortcut for a file, folder, or application, follow these steps: 1. You must locate the appropriate file in the Windows Explorer. Let’s

create a shortcut icon that opens PracticeTextFile.txt. 2. Select the file and then choose Create Shortcut from the File menu. 3. Windows creates the shortcut file and displays it within the same fold-

er, as shown in Figure 3.20.

Figure 3.20 Choose Create Shortcut from the File menu to create a shortcut.

4. Right-click the shortcut file and choose Send to. 5. From the resulting submenu, choose Desktop (Create Shortcut). View

the Desktop to see the new shortcut shown in Figure 3.21. Perhaps the easiest way to create a shortcut icon is to create what some refer to as a desktop menu alias. To do so, simply drag and drop an item from the Start menu to the desktop, and you’ve got an instant shortcut icon that works the same as the Start menu item.


Figure 3.21 The operating system copies the shortcut file to the desktop.

Work with Windows The Windows operating system provides a convenient user interface that most Windows software programs emulate. The more you use Windows software, the more you see these familiar elements and become accustomed to working with them.

The Window Environment Identify the different parts of a window: title bar, menu bar, toolbar, status bar, scrollbar.

Almost every Windows-compliant application relies on the window to communicate information with the user. Through this window, the user views existing data and enters new data. Each window has a number of common elements, as shown in Figure 3.22: ➤ Title bar—The strip across the top of a window. Sometimes the title bar

contains a description or a name for the current object or application. Sometimes an application can have more than one window open, and each window has its own title bar.

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Chapter . . . . .3. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . ➤ Menu bar—The thin grey strip below the application’s title bar that lists

a number of options. Clicking one of these options displays a drop-down list of menu commands that are appropriate for the current environment and task at hand. A window has just one menu bar as a rule. Some windows don’t have any menu bar. ➤ Toolbar—The grey strip (usually) beneath the menu bar with a line of

icons. A window can host any number of toolbars, with tools that are usually grouped by function. ➤ Status bar—The bar at the bottom of the application window just above

the Windows taskbar. This bar displays status and statistical information about the current application or process. ➤ Scrollbar—Used to view information that extends offscreen to the right

or below the regular screen. Scrollbars automatically appear when needed and are usually visible or enabled only when needed. To move the contents of the window, grab the thumb and move it. The thumb is the grey rectangle that slides from one end to the other. Title bar

Menu bar

Status bar

Toolbars

Thumb

Figure 3.22 Most windows share a number of the same elements.

Thumb

Scrollbars


Maneuvering a Window Collapse, expand, resize, move, close a window.

The convenient thing about the window element is that you can open and close it almost any time you want. In addition, you can move them and resize them, as shown in Figure 3.23, to make them or other elements more accessible while you work. Minimize This window has been sized

Maximize Close

This window is minimized Figure 3.23 Make a window just the right size.

Most windows host a few common buttons at the right margin in the title bar: ➤ Minimize—Reduces or “collapses” the window to an icon on the

Windows taskbar.

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Chapter . . . . .3. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . ➤ Maximize (or Restore)—“Expands” the window to cover the available

screen. If the window already covers the screen, the same button restores it to its original size. ➤ Close—Removes a window from the current work session so that it is no

longer accessible. You can also resize a window to a unique size (as long as the window is not maximized): 1. Hover the mouse pointer over any corner or border of the window

until the double-arrow mouse pointer is visible. 2. Drag in or pull out the window’s border. 3. Repeat step 2 until the window is the size you want.

You can also move a resized window so you can reach elements behind the window. To move a window, click the title bar and hold down the mouse button. Drag the window to the new position and then release the mouse button.

Switching Windows Switch between open windows.

Your operating system is capable of multitasking. That means you can work in more than one window at a time. As a result, you might end up with several windows open at any given time. To quickly access a window, hold down the Alt key while pressing the Tab key. Doing so displays a small window that contains the name of the last window you occupied before moving to the current window. As you press the Tab key, the window cycles through all the open windows. At any time, you can release the keys to access the currently referenced window. Or simply click the appropriate window-representing icon on the taskbar (refer to Figure 3.23).

Managing Files For the most part, the majority of your interaction will be with files. You’ll create them, save them, move them, and delete them when you’re done with


them. In this next section, you’ll learn where the operating system stores your work. In this section, you’ll learn the following: ➤ About the system’s hierarchical file storage system ➤ How to navigate the storage system ➤ How to duplicate and move a file or folder ➤ How to delete and restore a file or folder ➤ How to find files and folders ➤ How to reduce the size of a file or folder

Concepts Regardless of whether you’re working with an external diskette, a CD-ROM, or the hard drive, the operating system stores files in a hierarchical structure. In other words, there’s usually a starting point, commonly called the root directory, that lists a number of folders (or directories). These folders can contain more folders, and each of those folders can contain even more folders. A folder within a folder is called a subfolder. Each folder is capable of storing multiple files, but that’s where it stops. You can’t store a file in a file. Only folders can contain more folders and files.

Your System’s Hierarchical File Structure Understand how an operating system shows drives, folders, files in a hierarchical structure.

Figure 3.24 shows just one system’s structure; you can access each drive and view the folders and files on each.

Storage Devices Know that the devices used by an operating system to store files and folders are the hard disk, diskette, CD-ROM, network drives.

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Chapter . . . . .3. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . The hard drive The floppy drive

Folders

Files

Figure 3.24 The operating system displays each drive and its folders and files in a hierarchical structure.

The operating system can handle multiple storage media, as you’ve already learned. You can create folders on a floppy or hard drive, and you can store files in any of those folders on any drive, including network drives that are made available to you. Other devices, such as CD-ROMs, may contain files without allowing you to save new files.

Folders and Directories Folders, also known as directories, and files make up the bulk of your system.

Navigating Files and Folders Navigate to a file, folder on a drive.

To access a folder and subsequently the files stored in that folder, open the Windows Explorer by right-clicking the Start button and choosing Explore. Begin with the first layer—the drive—and continue to browse through the structure until you find the file you need. For instance, when accessing a file stored on your hard drive, select the C:\ drive item. Doing so displays all the folders and files to the right, as shown in Figure 3.25.

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Collapse a folder Figure 3.25 Display all the folders and files on the C: drive.

Click the plus sign to display all the folders and files stored in that folder. At that point, the plus sign changes to a minus sign (-). Click the minus sign to collapse the folder.

Creating Directories and Folders Create a directory/folder and a further subdirectory/subfolder.

To add a subfolder, select the folder to which you want to add the folder. Then, select New from the Windows Explorer File menu. Next, choose Folder from the resulting submenu. Windows adds a new folder to the hierarchical structure, as shown in Figure 3.26. To add a subfolder to the folder, select the folder and repeat the above process. You can continue this process to nest additional subfolders, if you like.

Displaying Folder Properties Open a window to display directory/folder name, size, location on drive.

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The new folder is represented in both views Figure 3.26 Windows adds a new folder.

To learn about a folder, right-click the appropriate folder and choose Properties from the resulting submenu. Figure 3.27 shows the resulting Properties dialog box, which displays the folder’s name, size, and location within the drive’s file structure.

Learn the number of files and subfolders in a folder

Figure 3.27 Display a folder’s properties.

Working with Files Files are your bread and butter; in this next section, you’ll learn about files.


The Different File Types Recognize common file types: word processing files, spreadsheet files, database files, presentation files, image files, audio files, video files, compressed files, temporary files.

Where files are concerned, a file by another name isn’t just as sweet! Each software application uses a specific file type, which is usually indicated by the file’s extension—the three or four (sometimes more) characters at the end of a file’s name following the dot character (.). Review the file’s extension to learn the file’s type. Table 3.2 lists a variety of file types. Table 3.2 File Types Type

Application or Common Name

Extension

Word processing

Microsoft Word

.doc

Generic

.txt, .rtf

WordPerfect

.wpd

Spreadsheet

Database

Microsoft Excel

.xls

Microsoft Works

.wks

Lotus 1-2-3

.wk1, .wk2, .wk3

Microsoft Access

.mdb, .adp

dBase

.dbf

Presentation

Microsoft PowerPoint

.ppt

Image

Bitmap

.bmp

JPEG

.jpg

Audio

Wave

.wav

Video

Windows Media

.wma

MPEG

.mpg

Compressed

PKZip

.zip

Temporary

A special file created by the system

.tmp

Counting Files Count the number of files, files of a particular type, in a folder (including any files in subfolders).

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To learn how many files are in a folder, check the folder’s properties, as we did before. After locating the folder in the Windows Explorer, right-click it and select Properties from the resulting submenu. The folder’s Properties window displays the number of files in the folder and subfolders (refer to Figure 3.27). Learning the number of files by type is a bit more complicated because you need a command prompt: 1. Access a command prompt by clicking the Start button and choosing

All Programs from the Start menu. 2. Choose Accessories and then select Command Prompt from the result-

ing list. 3. In the Command Prompt window, enter the following command to

view a summary of the folder’s files, as shown in Figure 3.28 (the figure doesn’t show the entire summary). dir *.exe /s

Figure 3.28 Use a command prompt to count files by their type.

Changing File Status Change file status: read-only/locked, read-write.

By default, anybody can access a file and change it. That’s what’s known as a read-write file. Anybody with access to your system can open the file and change the contents. One way to protect a file is to change its status to

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read-only (or locked). Then, someone can still view the file, but she won’t be able to change its contents. To view or update a file’s status, follow these steps: 1. Locate the file in the Windows Explorer. 2. Right-click the file and choose Properties from the resulting submenu. 3. In the Properties dialog box, click the Read-Only option, as shown in

Figure 3.29. Click OK to dismiss the dialog box.

Check this option to render a file read-only

Figure 3.29 Change a file’s status to read-only to keep users from changing the file’s contents.

To make a file read-write after it has been changed to read-only, follow the same steps but uncheck the Read-Only option.

Sorting Files Sort files by name, size, type, date modified.

You might find it easier to find files when your files are sorted in a particular way. To sort files, choose Arrange Icons by from the View menu, as shown in Figure 3.30. Most of the sorting options are self-explanatory. You can sort by filename, size, type, or the date the file was last modified.

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Figure 3.30 You can sort files in a number of ways.

The Importance of Extensions Understand the importance of maintaining correct file extensions when renaming files.

Earlier we mentioned that a file’s extension is a quick and easy way to discern the file’s type. Not only does a file’s extension help you, but also it helps the software application used to create and manipulate that file. When you open an existing file by a software application, the software will check the file’s extension, and if it isn’t the right extension, it won’t (usually) open the file. Checking for the correct extension helps protect the integrity of both your software and your files. Opening a file in the wrong software has the potential to destroy the data or even permanently corrupt the file. Fortunately, Windows alerts you if you try to change the extension when you rename a file. If you get this alert, stop and make sure that you aren’t making a mistake.

Renaming Files, Directories, and Folders Rename files, directories/folders.


Naming files and folders is a large subject. You’ll want to give your folders and files meaningful names that indicate the folder or file’s purpose. On the other hand, some organizations have strict conventions for naming folders and files, and the actual names might have nothing to do with the contents. Regardless of how you go about choosing a name, chances are that you’ll end up changing a few of them along the way. Fortunately, renaming a folder or file is simple. To rename a file or folder, follow these steps: 1. Right-click the folder or file in the Windows Explorer. 2. Choose Rename from the resulting submenu, which puts the item in

edit mode. The item is highlighted in a small box, and the cursor is positioned with the box, as shown in Figure 3.31.

Figure 3.31 Use edit mode to rename a folder or file.

3. Type the new name and press Enter.

Duplicate and Move Just like changing a file or folder’s name, you might need to reposition a folder or file. That might mean moving a file or a group of files from one folder to another or moving a subfolder and all its files from one folder to another. You might even need to copy or move a file or subfolder full of files from a hard drive to diskette or vice versa.

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Selecting Files, Directories, and Folders Select a file or directory or folder individually or as a group of adjacent or nonadjacent files or directories or folders.

Using the Windows Explorer, select the drive that contains the files or folders you want to duplicate or move. Locate and select the folder or files. You can select a single file by simply clicking it. Selecting a group of files takes a few more steps. To select a group of contiguous (or adjacent) files, select the first file in the block of file items and hold down the Shift key as you select the last file. Doing so highlights the entire block of files—the first, the last, and every file between the two, as shown in Figure 3.32. Click here

Then, click here

Figure 3.32 Select a contiguous list of files.

Files aren’t always in a contiguous list. When you need to select a number of noncontiguous files, select the first and then hold down the Ctrl key as you click the remaining files. The operating system highlights each of the files that you click, as shown in Figure 3.33.


These files are selected

Figure 3.33 Click each file while holding down the Ctrl key to select noncontiguous files.

Duplicating Files, Directories, and Folders Duplicate files and directories or folders between directories or folders and between drives.

To duplicate a folder or file, select the file (as discussed in the previous section). Then, choose Copy or Copy to Folder from the Edit menu. (Use Copy when working with a file and Copy to Folder when working with a folder.) Windows displays the Copy Items dialog box. Use the resulting list to locate the target folder, as shown in Figure 3.34. The list includes all your system’s drives and folders, including external drives such as the floppy or CD. Select the appropriate drive and folder, and click the Copy button. Doing so makes an exact duplicate of the selected file or files at the new location. This procedure is an easy way to back up your work to floppy or CD-ROM.

Moving Files, Directories, and Folders Move files, directories/folders between directories/folders and drives.

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Specify the target folder

Then, click Copy Figure 3.34 Use the Copy command to duplicate files.

Moving files and folders is similar to copying them. Just remember that you won’t end up with two files in different locations. You’re simply moving a file from one location to another. Use the process in the preceding section to move files and folders, except choose Move to Folder from the Edit menu.

The Importance of Backing Up Your Files Understand why making a backup copy of files to a removable storage device is important.

In the last section, we mentioned that you can use the copy feature to copy your work to a floppy or CD. That’s what’s known as a backup copy—an extra copy that you can resort to if the worst happens and you can’t use your computer, or a file stored on your computer is corrupted. You’ll want to back up your files on a regular basis. If the only copy of your work is on the internal hard drive and something happens to your computer system, such as a virus, hardware failure, theft, and so on, you’ve lost not only your computer, but all your hard work. It could take days to reconstruct all your work, and even then, it might not be possible to fully recover everything. Do yourself a favor and back up your work on a frequent and regular basis. Even every day isn’t too often if you make frequent changes and additions to your files.


Delete and Restore With time, most files do become obsolete and you’ll want to delete them to free up space.

Deleting Files, Directories, and Folders Delete files, directories/folders to the recycle bin/wastebasket.

To delete a file, simply select it in Windows Explorer and press Delete. There’s nothing to it! However, before actually deleting a file, you might want to make a backup copy as discussed in the previous section. To delete a folder, select the folder in Windows Explorer and press Delete. This will delete both the folder and everything stored in the folder (other folders or files). Deleted files and folders are not completely removed from your system. Rather, they are stored in the recycle bin. The next section shows how you can get back a file that you accidentally deleted.

Restoring Files, Directories, and Folders Restore files, directories/folders from the recycle bin/wastebasket.

How many times have you deleted a file only to groan, “Oh no!” just moments later? It happens to everyone, but don’t fret. Windows stores deleted files in a special folder called the recycle bin instead of immediately deleting a file. You can restore a file from the recycle bin to its original location by simply right-clicking the file in the recycle bin and selecting Restore.

Taking Out the Trash Empty the recycle bin/wastebasket.

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The recycle bin can consume a lot of disk space if you let the deleted files pile up; just like real garbage, all those files can really muck up the place. Consequently, it’s a good idea to occasionally delete the files in the recycle bin. To do so, right-click the recycle bin (in the Windows Explorer or on the desktop), and choose Empty Trash from the resulting submenu. Unlike dragging a file to the recycle bin, emptying the recycle bin is permanent.

Searching The more files you add, the harder it might be to find just the file you need. Oh, they’re there on your hard drive; you just can’t find them. When this happens, you can use the Windows Search (or Find) tool to quickly locate the files.

Finding Files, Directories, and Folders Use the Find tool to locate a file, directory/folder.

To launch the Search feature, click the Start button and choose Search from the Start menu. Doing so opens a new window with several options. Click the All Files and Folders option, which displays a new set of options. Enter the name of the file or folder you’re searching for into the first control, as shown in Figure 3.35, and then click Search. After a few seconds, Windows begins displaying a list of files that match the entered name. To immediately launch a file, simply double-click the file in the results list.

Searching by File Properties Search for files by content, date modified, date created, size, wildcards.

When searching for information, a file’s name might not be helpful. For instance, you might need to search for a file based on the day it was last modified, or you might be searching for a specific string of characters (such as “cat”) within any file. When this is the case, Windows needs more information. Table 3.3 lists the options and settings.

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View the results here

Click here to begin the search Figure 3.35 Search for a specific file or folder.

Table 3.3 Advanced Search Options Intent

Option

Search by content

Enter the exact text string that you’re searching for into the second control in the A Word or Phrase in the File control.

Search by date modified

Click the When Was It Modified option.

Additional Settings

Results Finds all the files that contain the search string.

Don’t Remember

Includes all dates.

Within the Last Week Finds all files modified during the current week. Past Month

Finds all files modified during the current month. (continued)

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Option

Additional Settings

Results

Within the Past Year Finds all files modified in the current year.

Search by file’s size

Search by file type

Click the What Size Is It option.

Click More Advanced Options option.

Specify Dates

Allows you to specify a time period.

Don’t Remember

Includes all sizes.

Small (Less Than 100KB)

Finds all files that are smaller than 100KB in size.

Medium (Less Than 1MB)

Finds all files that are smaller than 1MB in size.

Large (More Than 1MB)

Finds all files that are larger than 1MB in size.

Specify Size (in KB)

Narrows the search by specifying a range of sizes.

Select a file type from the Type of File control’s dropdown list.

Finds all files of the specified file type.

Windows does not offer an easy way to search for files by date created. But here’s a trick you can use. Search for the file by date modified, using a date range that includes the date created that you’re looking for. Then right-click at the top of the results on the header row, where it says Date Modified. This will show you a list of information that you can display about each file in the results. Select Date Created from the list, and then click the Date Created header to sort the results by date created. Now you can quickly scan the list to find the file that you’re looking for. Wildcards are special characters that narrow the results of your search. Technically, a wildcard is a symbol that represents one or more characters. Use them when you’re uncertain of the exact characters needed. Windows supports two wildcard characters during a search task: the asterisk (*) matches any character or multiple characters, and the question mark (?) matches any one character in the same position.


When searching by filename or by content, simply substitute the appropriate wildcard for the unknown characters. For instance, Sm*th would match Smith, Smyth, and smooth. On the other hand, Sm?th would match only Smith and Smyth.

Viewing Recently Used Files View list of recently used files.

Sometimes the easiest way to find a file is to view a list of the most recently used files. This procedure is an efficient way to search for a file without having to wait for Windows to search through all the files in your system. To find a file in this manner, click the Start menu and choose My Recent Documents from the Start menu. Doing so displays a list of all the files you’ve recently opened. Simply click a file to open it. If the Start menu doesn’t list your recently used documents, right-click the Start menu, choose Properties, and click the Customize button on the Start Menu tab. Then, click the Advanced tab and check the List My Most Recently Opened Documents option, and click OK twice.

Compressing Files Files come in all sizes and the more data a file contains, the larger it is. In addition, file types can create large files, even when the file contains a small amount of data. For instance, a database or image file can be very large. The larger a file is, the more room it consumes. Furthermore, larger files take longer to download when transferring files over the Internet. As a result, you might find yourself compressing files from time to time—both to save space and to save time when transferring data.

What Is File Compression? Understand what file compression means.

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Compressing a file, a folder, or even a software application decreases the size of that file and consequently the space required to store that file on your hard drive or diskette (or CD-ROM). In addition, a compressed file transfers more quickly over the Internet than a noncompressed file.

Compressing Files Compress files in a folder on a drive.

To compress a folder, select the file or folder in Windows Explorer and select New. Then, choose Compressed (zipped) Folder from the resulting list of options shown in Figure 3.36. Once you compress a folder, you can drag files to it. You can move a compressed folder and its files to a diskette, CD-ROM, or another folder.

Figure 3.36 Compress a file to save space.

Extracting Compressed Files Extract compressed files from a location on a drive.

To extract a compressed file, right-click it and select Extract to from the resulting menu. This option is available only when you’ve selected a compressed file.


Viruses A computer virus can put you out of business quick. If your computer is infected by a virus, you can’t do too much to combat these hideous files and protect your system. So you need to focus on prevention! In this section, you’ll learn the following: ➤ What a virus is and why they’re dangerous ➤ How a virus can be transmitted to your system and how you can trans-

mit them to others ➤ The advantages of using virus-scanning software ➤ How to disinfect your system once you catch a virus

Concepts Chapter 2 introduced you to viruses. In this chapter, we show you how to use special software to protect your system from viruses.

What Is a Virus? Know what a virus is and what the effects of a virus might be.

Technically, a virus is a file that replicates itself. But most computer viruses also have other effects. They might delete files on your hard drive, hijack your Internet connection, or cause programs to stop working. Some viruses send email from your account to spread themselves. Others install “back doors” on your computer, so that malicious users can control your computer remotely. Viruses are destructive, and you should avoid them at all costs.

Transmitting a Virus Understand some of the ways a virus can be transmitted onto a computer.

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By and large, most viruses are transmitted by infected email messages that lull the user into opening an attachment that then releases the file into the system. Most of the time, you can avoid infection by not opening attachments from strangers. If someone you know is infected, their system might send you an infected message; therefore, it’s important to carefully review all email messages with attachments, even when you know the sender. If you weren’t expecting the attachment, contact the person before actually opening the attached file. Email isn’t the only means by which you can be infected or infect others. Visiting a Web site or using an infected diskette can infect your system.

Protecting Your System Understand the advantages of a virus-scanning application.

Regardless of how careful you are, you can become infected with a virus. The best way to protect yourself is with special software. There are a number of software programs, known as virus-scanning applications, on the market that are designed to scan your incoming email and your system for viruses. When a virus is found, the software deals with it before it can infect your system.

Applying the Disinfectant Understand what “disinfecting” files means.

Once your scanning software detects a file that’s been infected, you can try to disinfect the file. That means the software will try to remove the virus without harming the file, and sometimes it works. Often, it doesn’t. In that case, the file should be quarantined or deleted. A quarantined file is moved to a safe location within your system. Deleting the file is probably the best course of action because a quarantined file can still release its virus.


Handling Viruses As we mentioned, viruses are dangerous and the best protection is special scanning software. In the next section, we walk you through the process of using software to scan for infected files.

Scanning for Viruses Use a virus-scanning application to scan specific drives, folders, and files.

Most virus-scanning software is enabled all the time. That way, it can check for infected files every time you download email. On a regular basis, you’ll also want to check your system, just to make sure it’s clean. An undetected virus could be causing problems you don’t yet know about. At the very least, it is a ticking time bomb. Run scans often by launching your virus-scanning software and choosing the appropriate scan options. Figure 3.37 shows the scanning options provided by Norton AntiVirus. (Remember, your software might present options differently, but most software will offer the same type of protection.) Choose the area you want to scan

Click Scan Figure 3.37 Scan your system’s files for viruses.

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The Importance of Regular Updates Understand why virus-scanning software needs to be updated regularly.

Malicious developers are releasing new viruses that attack vulnerable systems every day. To be truly effective, the scanning software must be current. That means you’ll probably need to download new virus-detecting files on a regular basis. If you receive a lot of email or browse a lot of Web sites, every few days isn’t too often.

Print Management So far, our discussions have centered around file management, but saved data isn’t the end of the story. You’ll frequently need to print data to share it, review it, or simply store a hard copy of it. In this next section, you’ll learn a little about print management. In this section, you’ll learn the following: ➤ How to install a new printer and set the system’s default printer ➤ How to print, pause, restart, and delete a print task using a print

manager

Setup The critical component in any print management scheme is the printer. That printer can be connected to your local system or via a network.

Changing the Default Printer Change the default printer from an installed printer list.

Your software applications will send data to the default printer. By default, we mean the printer that the system recognizes as the printer to use unless otherwise instructed.


If you have more than one printer connected, you should set one as the default. To do so, open the Control Panel, click the Printers and Other Hardware link, and then click the View Installed Printers or Fax Printers. Right-click the icon that represents the printer you want to be the default, and choose Set as Default icon. Doing so displays a small check next to the icon as a visual indication of that setting, as shown in Figure 3.38.

Figure 3.38 Make a printer the default printer.

Installing a New Printer Install a new printer on the computer.

Before your software applications can send data to a printer, the system must recognize the printer. That means, once you connect the printer to the CPU, you must then install the printer. Generally, you’re just copying special software files known as print drivers so your system and the new printer can communicate. To install a printer, follow these steps: 1. Connect the printer to the CPU as instructed in your documentation. 2. Open the Control Panel and click the Printers and Other Hardware

link. 3. Under Pick a Task, click the Add Printer link. Doing so launches the

Add Printer Wizard. This wizard will ask you a few questions about your new printer and then integrate the printer with your system. Just answer each question and click Next to continue. You’ll need to know the following: ➤ Know whether the printer is connected directly to the local system

or through a network.

118 Chapter 3 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . ➤ If the system isn’t a plug-and-play device (one that just works as

soon as you plug it in), you might need to copy a print driver. In some cases, you can download the file. Most of the time, the file is included on a CD-ROM that comes with the printer. ➤ You might be asked to identify the printer’s manufacturer and its

exact model name and number.

Print Outputs It makes sense that if you have a printer and it’s installed, you’ll want to use it!

Printing a Text Document Print a document from a text-editing application.

To print a file from a text-editing application, first launch the application; we’ll use Notepad for this, so select Start, All Programs, Accessories, Notepad. Now select Open from the File menu to open the document that you want to print. Select Print from the File menu to open the Print dialog box and click the Print button to print your document.

Viewing Print Progress View a print job’s progress using a desktop print manager.

While you’re waiting, you can check on a print job’s progress by viewing the print manager. The printer might display this print manager automatically or you might have to open it yourself by clicking the print manager icon in the taskbar’s tray. The icon might resemble a printer or a document. Figure 3.39 shows a typical print manager window with a print task in progress.


Figure 3.39 Viewing the progress of a print job.

Manipulating a Print Job Pause, restart, and delete a print job using a desktop print manager.

From the print manager, you can manipulate the print task in a number of ways. You can pause it and then restart it or completely delete the task before it’s finished. After selecting the appropriate print job in the print manager, choose the appropriate option from the Printer (or similar) menu shown in Figure 3.40.

Figure 3.40 Manipulating a print task in the print manager.

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Question 1 Which of the following is the safest and most efficient way to react to a nonresponding program? ❑ A. Turn off the computer by flipping the CPU’s on/off switch. ❑ B. Unplug the CPU at the electrical source. ❑ C. Press Ctrl+Alt+Del, and choose Restart from the Shut Down menu. ❑ D. Click the Start button on the taskbar and choose Turn Off Computer.

Answer C is correct. This particular keystroke combination will restart your computer and clear the internal error that’s causing the problem. Answers A and B are incorrect and could result in serious harm to your data and any open software applications. Answer D is incorrect because you won’t be able to access the Start button.

Question 2 Which of the following removable storage media must you prepare by formatting before you can use them? ❑ A. CD-ROM ❑ B. Floppy diskette ❑ C. Internal hard drive ❑ D. Zip disk

Answers B and D are correct. You must format a floppy or Zip disk before you can store data on them. Answers A and C are wrong. A CD-ROM needs no preparation and you should probably never format your internal hard drive yourself. Hard drives must be formatted initially but after that, you don’t need to format it again. Occasionally when things go wrong, reformatting a hard drive is necessary, but it’s best to leave that task to the experts.


Question 3 Which of the following are legitimate window operations? ❍ A. Moving it ❍ B. Opening it ❍ C. Resizing it ❍ D. Deleting it ❍ E. Closing it

Answers A, B, C, and E are correct. You can manipulate a window by opening, closing, resizing, or moving it. Answer D is incorrect because you can’t actually delete a window although you can close it when you’re done.

Question 4 Which of the following are legitimate elements in a window? ❑ A. Title bar ❑ B. Status bar ❑ C. Toolbar ❑ D. Shortcut icon ❑ E. File

Answers A, B, and C are all correct. Neither a shortcut icon nor a file is a window element.

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Question 5 Match the following extensions to their corresponding file types: ❍ A. .doc ❍ B. .xls ❍ C. .tmp ❍ D. .bmp ❍ E. .mdb

1. A spreadsheet file 2. A special temporary file created by the system 3. A word processing file 4.

A database file

5. An image file

The correct matches are A to 3, B to 1, C to 2, D to 5, and E to 4.

Question 6 Why might you want to create a copy, known as a backup, of your work? ❑ A. In case the computer’s hard drive is corrupted or the system is incapacitated by theft, damage, or virus ❑ B. In case the original file is accidentally deleted ❑ C. To protect your system from a virus ❑ D. For reverse-engineering purposes ❑ E. To audit your work for the purposes of quality control

Answers A and B are correct. Backups are created to protect your work in case of equipment or file failure. C is incorrect because creating a backup will not protect your system from a virus, although having a noninfected backup would be helpful in the event of attack. Answers D and E have nothing to do with creating a backup.


Question 7 Which sequence of events would you use to add a folder to your hard drive? ❍ A. Open the Control Panel window and select Add New Folder. ❍ B. Launch the Windows Explorer, choose New from the File menu, and then select the location for the new subfolder. ❍ C. Launch the Windows Explorer, locate the file to which you want to add the new subfolder, and choose New from the File menu. ❍ D. Launch the Windows Explorer, locate the drive and folder to which you’re adding the new subfolder, and then choose New from the File menu.

Answer D is correct. Answer A is incorrect because no such command exists in the Control Panel window. Answer B is incorrect because you must select the folder to which you’re adding the subfolder before executing the New command. Answer C is incorrect because you can’t add a folder or subfolder to a file.

Question 8 Where will you find the Windows Help and Support feature? ❑ A. In the Control Panel window ❑ B. On any menu ❑ C. On the desktop ❑ D. On the Start menu

Answers A and D are correct. Although many menus sport a Help menu, it is application-specific and isn’t connected with the Windows Help feature. Although you could add a shortcut icon to the desktop that launches the Help and Support, there isn’t one by default.

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Question 9 Which sequence of events would successfully add a shortcut icon to the desktop? ❍ A. In the Windows Explorer, choose File, Create New Shortcut. ❍ B. Right-click the Explorer window and choose Create New Shortcut. ❍ C. In the Windows Explorer, right-click the file to which you want to create a shortcut. Then, right-click the new shortcut file in the same folder, select Send to, and then choose Desktop (Create Shortcut). ❍ D. In the Windows Explorer, select the file you want to create a shortcut to and then click the Shortcut icon on the toolbar.

Answer C is correct. Answer A is incorrect because you must select the file you’re creating the shortcut for first. Answer B is incorrect for the same reason. Answer D is incorrect because there is no Shortcut icon on the Explorer toolbar.

Question 10 Why might you compress a folder or file? ❍ A. To save space on the storage medium ❍ B. To improve overall performance ❍ C. To repair the folder or file ❍ D. To reduce the size of the file or folder

Answers A, B, and D are correct. Answer C is incorrect because the compression process will not repair any corruption problems the file might have.


Need to Know More? O’Hara, Shelley. Absolute Beginner’s Guide to Microsoft Windows XP. Indianapolis, Indiana: Que Publishing, 2002. How Operating Systems Work,

http://computer.howstuffworks.

com/operating-system.htm

The Peripherals Library,

http://computer.howstuffworks.com/

channel.htm?ch=computer&sub=sub-peripherals

4 Word Processing . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

Terms you’ll need to understand: ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓

Find (Search) command Proper case Paragraph mark Soft carriage return Table Mail merge Main document in a mail merge Data source in a mail merge Merge field

Techniques you’ll need to master: ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓

Opening, closing, and creating documents Saving and renaming documents Opening and working with more than one document Recognizing generic text file types Adjusting the application settings to suit your needs Inserting, selecting, editing, and even deleting text Copying and moving text within the same document or between open documents Applying a large range of formatting styles Adding a table to a document Inserting graphics into a document Creating mail merge documents and running a mail merge Printing your documents

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Now that you know your way around your computer system, it’s time to get down to specifics. This chapter serves as a basic introduction to word processing. Specifically, this module covers the following six topics: ➤ Application basics ➤ Working with text ➤ Formatting documents ➤ Working with tables and images ➤ Setting up a mail merge ➤ Printing documents Print Preview Save Cut New

Document Map Insert Hyperlink Columns Zoom Paste Undo Insert Table

Redo

Open Print Copy Spelling and Format Grammar Painter

Tables and Borders

Drawing

Microsoft Show/Hide Word Help

Insert Microsoft Excel Worksheet

Microsoft Word standard toolbar. Decrease Italic Align Right Indent Font Size Align Left Numbering

Style

Font

Microsoft Word formatting toolbar.

Outside Border Font Color

Bold Center Bullets Highlight Underline Justify Increase Format Gallery Indent

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Line Style Eraser

Border Color Outside Border

Draw Table

Shading Color

Insert Table

AutoSum

Merge Cells Split Cells Align Top Left Distribute Rows Evenly

Sort Descending Sort Ascending Change Text Direction Table AutoFormat

Distribute Columns Evenly Microsoft Word tables and borders toolbar. Insert WordArt Circle Fill Color Dash Style Arrow Font Color Shadow

Auto Rotate Draw

Select Object

Line

Text Box

Rectangle

Line Color

Insert ClipArt

3-D

Line Style Arrow Style

Microsoft Word drawing toolbar.

Using the Application Probably the most common application that most of us share is a word processing application. We write letters, compile reports, and even keep diaries in word processing documents. In this first section, you’ll learn the basics: ➤ How to open and close a word processing application ➤ How to open and work with multiple documents ➤ How to create a new document ➤ How to save, name, and rename a document ➤ How to work with a number of text file types ➤ How to maneuver between multiple open document windows ➤ How to find help

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First Steps with Word Processing Working with a Windows-based application, regardless of the type of application, has its advantages because so many of the basics are the same. What that means is that if you learn one Windows application, you can quickly assimilate another into your list of expertise.

Getting In and Getting Out Open (and close) a word processing application.

There are a number of ways to launch your word processing application (in this case, Microsoft Word 2002). In the end, you’ll choose the method that’s the most convenient for you: there’s no right or wrong to your decision. To open a word processing application, do one of the following: ➤ Choose the program from the Windows Start menu or the All Programs

menu. ➤ Click a shortcut icon, either on the Quick Launch toolbar or your

desktop. ➤ Double-click a word processing file.

Figure 4.1 shows the Windows Start All Programs menu, with Microsoft Word 2002 selected. To display the menu, click the Windows Start button on the Windows taskbar and choose your application if it’s on the Start menu. If it doesn’t appear on the Start menu, choose All Programs and select it from the All Programs menu. For a quicker start, locate the Word 2002 icon on the Windows XP Quick Launch toolbar, shown in Figure 4.2, and click it. Similarly, you can add a Word shortcut icon to your desktop. Launching Word opens the application window shown in Figure 4.3 and a blank document. If you’re unfamiliar with Word, take a few minutes to review the menu commands and toolbar buttons.

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Figure 4.1 You’ll find Microsoft Word on the Start menu or the All Programs menu. Launch Word from the Desktop shortcut

Launch Word from the Quick Launch toolbar Figure 4.2 You can find Word on the Quick Launch toolbar.

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Figure 4.3 Word launches a blank document.

Another easy way to launch Word is to locate a Word document file in the Windows Explorer and double-click it (or launch a file from a shortcut icon). Doing so launches both Word and the clicked file (instead of opening a blank document). Closing Word is extremely simple. Click the Windows Close button (refer to Figure 4.3) in the application’s title bar. Or choose Exit from the File menu. If there’s an unsaved document open when you close, Word prompts you to save it before closing both the document and the application.

Opening Documents Open one, several documents.

One thing you’ll find with most Windows applications is that there’s more than one way to do most everything. Opening a document is no exception to this rule. To open an existing document, follow these steps:

133 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .Word . . . Processing . . . . . . 1. There are three ways to initiate an open task: Click the Open button

on the Standard toolbar, choose Open from the File menu, or press Ctrl+O. All three methods display the Open dialog box. 2. In the Open dialog box, use the Look in control to navigate to the

appropriate folder. To learn more about navigating through the system’s file structure, see Chapter 3, “Using the Computer and Managing Files.” 3. Select the file in the updated list, and then click Open. Or you can

simply double-click the file and skip the Open click.

Creating New Documents Create a new document (based on default, other available template).

You won’t always work with existing documents; you’ll often create new ones. To do so, use any of these techniques: ➤ Click the New button on the Standard toolbar. ➤ Choose New from the File menu. ➤ Press Ctrl+N.

You can save the new document immediately or not. There are usually three ways to execute most common tasks: via a menu command, a toolbar, or a hotkey (a keyboard shortcut). You should be familiar with all the possible ways to complete simple tasks.

Any of these techniques will create a new document based on the default template (a template is a collection of settings, such as style names, for a particular document). You can also create a new document based on another available template. To do so, select New from the File menu to open the list of templates. Select the template for the new document and click OK to create the document.

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Saving a Document Save a document to a location on a drive.

We recommend that you save your documents on a frequent and regular basis. That way if the worst happens, such as a power outage or equipment failure, you lose only a small portion of your work. The first time you save the document, you are prompted to specify a name for the file: 1. Choose Save As from the File menu. 2. In the resulting Save As dialog box, shown in Figure 4.4, use the Look

in control to locate the directory where you want to save the file. 1. Select a folder

3. Click Save 2. Enter a filename Figure 4.4 Give the new document a name.

3. Enter a name for the file in the File Name control. 4. Click Save.

After saving the document, you’ll probably make revisions. When this happens, you need to save the file again. To do so, simply click the Save button on the Standard toolbar. Or choose Save from the File menu or press Ctrl+S. If you select Save the first time around, Word displays the Save As dialog box so you can name the file.

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Saving a Document with a New Name Save a document under another name.

Don’t be surprised if you find yourself renaming a file. For instance, you might report on monthly sales. In this case, you might pull up March’s document, overwrite existing figures, change the title to April, and then save the file as AprilSales instead of MarchSales. There are two ways to approach a renaming task. The important thing to remember is that you might end up with one file (losing the original), or you might end up with two (the original and the new one). To rename a document and retain both copies, follow these steps: 1. Open the original file using one of the methods previously discussed. 2. Once the document is open, choose Save As from the File menu. 3. Overwrite the current filename in the File Name control. 4. Click Save.

To rename the file and overwrite the original file, follow these steps: 1. Click the Open button, choose Open from the File menu, or press

Ctrl+O. Any of these actions opens the Open dialog box. 2. In the Open dialog box, right-click the file in the file list. 3. Select Rename from the resulting context menu to put the filename in

edit mode. 4. Enter the new name and press Enter. You’re left with just one file—the

newly named file. The contents of the document are still the same as the original; only the name has changed at this point.

136 Chapter 4 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . You can rename an existing file and in doing so, create two files—one with the original name and one with the new name. Or you can replace the original file with a renamed file. You should know how to do both.

Working with Other Text File Types Save a document in another file type such as: text file, Rich Text Format, HTML, template, software specific file extension, version number.

Microsoft Word’s file type is indicated by its file extension, .doc, but Word can work with a number of text file types, which are listed in Table 4.1. Table 4.1 Text File Types Extension

Stands For

Definition

.doc

Word document

Word’s specific file type.

.txt

Text file

A universally recognized text type that almost all applications support.

.rtf

Rich Text Format

A universally recognized text type that supports most formatting.

.html

Hypertext Markup Language

A static Web page.

.dot

Word template file

A special file that contains common formatting and other elements, from which you can begin most other documents.

Occasionally, you might need to change a document’s file type. You can change a file’s type during the save process. To change a file’s type, follow these steps: 1. With the file open in Word, use any of the save methods listed earlier

to open the Save As dialog box. (Don’t click the Save icon.) 2. Select the appropriate file type from the Save as Type control. Note

that in some cases you can select the version of the software (such as Microsoft Word 97) as well as the file extension (such as .doc or .rtf). 3. Change the file’s name and the file’s current folder if you like, but

doing so isn’t necessary to save the file’s type. 4. Click Save.

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Working with Multiple Documents Switch between open documents.

In Chapter 3, you learned about multitasking—working with more than one window or application at any given time. Word is a multitasking application in that it lets you work with more than one document window open at any given time. Think of each document as a window. Working in multiple windows is convenient when you need to copy or refer to data in one document while working in another. To open more than one document, simply repeat one of the processes mentioned in the previous sections for opening documents as many time as needed, but specify different files each time. There are a couple of ways to switch back and forth between the open documents. First, you can choose a document from the Window menu shown in Figure 4.5. Or click the appropriate minimized document icon on the Windows taskbar. Choose from the Window menu

Choose an icon from the Windows taskbar Figure 4.5 Select a document from the Window menu to make that window current.

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You can press Alt+Tab and cycle through all the open windows, which will include any non-Word applications and files. (You can learn more about this technique in Chapter 3.)

Getting Help Use available Help functions.

Most applications provide an extensive Help feature that you can quickly access. Most of the time, you’ll find Help on the main menu bar. Open the menu’s drop-down list to learn what options your software offers. Figure 4.6 shows Word’s robust Help offerings.

Figure 4.6 Word offers many Help features.

There are three options you’ll probably use frequently: ➤ Microsoft Word Help—Provides Web-enabled access to a number of use-

ful articles and other Help options. Alternately, you can press F1. ➤ What’s This?—Displays a screen tip for the specified option. Select an

item, such as a control or a menu command, and press Shift+F1 to change the cursor to an arrow with a question mark. Click on any part of Word with this cursor to view a short explanation of the element. ➤ Office On The Web—Connects to Microsoft’s online Office site, which

gives you access to an extensive library of articles and useful hints. To turn off Clippit, the Office Assistant, right-click it, choose Options, and uncheck the Use the Office Assistant option.

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When You’re Done Close a document.

When you’re done with a document, you’ll want to close it. Do so by choosing Close from the File menu. If you try to close a document without saving it, Word prompts you to save your changes.

Adjust Settings Word is very flexible and allows you to determine a number of environmental settings.

Viewing Modes Change between page view modes.

Word offers four perspectives, or views, of your document: Normal, Web Layout, Print Layout, and Outline. Most of the time, you’ll probably use Normal mode when entering text, formatting, or editing the document. For that reason, it’s also the default mode. To select this option, choose Normal from the View menu. To view the active document as it will appear in a Web browser, choose Web Layout from the File menu. If you’d like to see what the document will look like in printed form, choose Print Layout from the File menu. This mode requires more memory, and a large document might scroll a tad slower than in another mode. The last mode, Outline mode, is more specialized and therefore, you will probably use it less than the others. Choose Outline from the View menu when you need to structure your document in a classic outline format.

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Zooming In Use magnification/zoom tools.

The Zoom tool on the Formatting toolbar lets you quickly zoom in on or out of the current document. Simply select a value from the control’s drop-down list, shown in Figure 4.7, or enter a value. Enter a value

Select a value Figure 4.7 Quickly zoom in or out of a document.

If you have a mouse with a scroll wheel, you can also scroll the wheel while holding down the Ctrl key on your keyboard to change the zoom for a document.

When a document’s in Normal view, you can click the Print Preview tool to get a better look at the document as a printed document. For instance, Figure 4.8 shows several pages of a rather long document in Print Preview.

Manipulating Toolbars Display, hide built-in toolbars.

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Menu bar

Return to previous menu

Standard toolbar

Figure 4.8 View the document in Print Preview.

Word has one menu bar and several toolbars, which is typical of Windows applications. By default, Word displays the menu bar and the Standard toolbar (refer to Figure 4.8). A number of other toolbars make quick work of many tasks. Similarly, you can hide a toolbar if you don’t need it. To hide or display a toolbar, right-click the background of any visible toolbar or menu bar. By background, we mean that you shouldn’t click a menu command or tool. Right-clicking the background displays the list of available toolbars. Check a toolbar to display it; uncheck it to hide it.

Manipulating Nonprinting Characters Display, hide nonprinting characters.

As you type text, you also enter a number of characters that don’t actually show onscreen, or the printed page, but that doesn’t mean they’re not there.

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To view these characters onscreen, choose Options from the Tools menu and click the View tab. Then, check the appropriate options. Figure 4.9 shows the effects of checking the Spaces and Paragraph Marks options. Space characters

Paragraph marks Figure 4.9 Check these options to view nonprintable characters onscreen.

Setting Basic Options Modify basic options/preferences in the application: user name, default directory/folder to open, save documents.

If you share your documents with others, you might want to identify yourself as the document’s author. To do so, choose Properties from the File menu and then enter your name in the Author control, shown in Figure 4.10.

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Figure 4.10 Claim authorship of your files.

Another way to personalize your work session is to set the default folder for your saved and new documents. To do so, choose Options from the Tools menu and then click the File Locations tab. Select the Documents item and then click Modify. When Word displays the Modify Location dialog box, use the Look in control to specify the folder you want Word to use as the default folder. As a result, Word always looks for files in that folder when you execute an Open command and attempts to save files in that folder when you execute a Save command.

Main Operations The nuts and bolts of working with text require a certain amount of expertise, which you need to master. In this section, you’ll learn how to do the following: ➤ Insert data. ➤ Select and edit data. ➤ Copy, move, and delete data. ➤ Search and replace text.

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Insert Data Data comes in all shapes and sizes, which includes plain text and other special characters and symbols. In this section, you’ll learn how to insert both.

Inserting Text Insert text.

Once you have a document to work with, inserting data is the simplest thing you’ll do. Simply grab your keyboard and start typing.

Inserting Special Characters Insert special characters, symbols.

Inserting normal text is easy, but the keyboard doesn’t offer every character you might need. When you need to insert a special character or symbol, position the cursor at the point within your document where you want to insert the special character or symbol. Then, choose Symbol from the Insert menu to display the Symbol dialog box, shown in Figure 4.11. Click to view symbols Click to see special characters

Click to insert a symbol or special character Figure 4.11 Insert special characters.

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This dialog offers hundreds of special characters and symbols: You might want to spend a little time reviewing all the possibilities. There’s a tab for special characters and a tab for symbols. To insert either, select it, and click Insert. Click Close to return to the document and the newly inserted symbol or special character.

Select Data The easiest way to select data is to simply drag the mouse pointer over the text. But there are a number of shortcuts that can make selection easier.

Selecting Text Select character, word, line, sentence, paragraph, entire body text.

Not everyone wants to grab the mouse to select data. Table 4.2 lists a number of keystroke and mouse combinations for selecting text. All work from the current insertion point. Table 4.2 Selecting Text Keystroke

Results

Double-click

Selects the word under the cursor.

Triple-click

Selects the paragraph containing the cursor.

Click in left margin

Selects the line that you clicked next to.

Ctrl+click

Selects the sentence under the cursor.

Click+drag

Selects text that you drag the mouse over, as long as you hold the button down.

Shift+right arrow

Selects the next character.

Shift+left arrow

Selects the previous character.

Shift+up arrow

Selects all the previous characters in the current line and the previous line up to the point of insertion.

Shift+down arrow

Selects all the characters to the right of the insertion point and up to that point in the next line. The insertion point is the point where the text entry cursor is currently displayed.

Ctrl+Shift+right arrow

Selects from the insertion point to the end of the current word. (continued)

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Results

Ctrl+Shift+left arrow

Selects from the insertion point to the beginning of the current word.

Shift+End

Selects from the insertion point to the end of the current line.

Shift+Home

Selects from the insertion point to the beginning of the current line.

Ctrl+Shift+down arrow

Selects from the insertion point to the end of the current paragraph.

Ctrl+Shift+up arrow

Selects from the insertion point to the beginning of the current paragraph.

Shift+PgDn

Selects one screen down from the insertion point.

Shift+PgUp

Selects one screen up from the insertion point.

Ctrl+Shift+Home

Selects from the insertion point to the beginning of the document.

Ctrl+Shift+End

Selects from the insertion point to the end of the document.

Ctrl+A

Selects the entire document.

When you select text, Word shows it highlighted in reverse (by default, this means white characters on a dark background), as shown in Figure 4.12.

Figure 4.12 Word displays selected text in reversed colors.

Edit Data Editing text is just about as simple as entering it, and fortunately, Word supports a number of methods for doing so.

Inserting Text Within Existing Text Edit content by inserting new characters within existing text, overtyping to replace existing text.

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You can edit a document by inserting new characters or by replacing existing characters with new ones. To insert new characters, follow these steps: 1. Word’s default is Insert mode. You can tell whether the document’s in

the right mode by checking the Status bar for the OVR icon. If it’s dimmed, you’re in Insert mode. Otherwise, you’re in what’s known as Overtype mode. Press the Insert key to toggle between Insert and Overtype mode. 2. Position the cursor where you want to add the new character or char-

acters. 3. Start typing.

Remember, you’re adding characters to the existing text, so you’ll use this method to add missing words, change a word from singular to plural by adding an s character, and so on. In contrast, you can replace existing characters in much the same way, but you must work in Overtype mode. To do so, press the Insert key and check the status bar. The OVR icon must not be dimmed. Once you’re in Overtype mode, select the cursor where you want to start replacing characters and start typing. Word will write right over the existing characters, one for one.

Using Undo and Redo Use the Undo, Redo commands.

Editing doesn’t always involve adding or replacing new text. For instance, you might decide to italicize or bold a word or phrase or you might delete characters altogether. Occasionally, you even change your mind, and then sometimes you even change your mind again! That’s when the Undo and Redo buttons come in handy. The Undo button acts as a sort of cancel feature, and the Redo button cancels the last cancel action. Don’t let that confuse you, though; it’s really very simple. The Undo button tracks your actions, and any time you want to cancel (or retract) an action, you simply click Undo. Alternately, you can choose Undo Typing from the Edit menu or press Ctrl+Z. For a quick example, type a character and then press Undo to erase it. If you decide you want the character back, click Redo.

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Clicking Undo or pressing Ctrl+Z works backward through your last actions. The Undo button maintains a list of actions, which you can select from its drop-down list, as shown in Figure 4.13. That way, you can choose to undo more than one action with a single mouse click. The Redo button is similar in that it tracks your Undo actions and also allows you to select them in bulk from its drop-down list. Cancel actions out of order Cancel the last action

Click Redo to cancel an Undo

Figure 4.13 Select an item from the Undo control’s drop-down list.

Duplicate, Move, and Delete Editing might require that you copy, move, or even delete text from an existing document or between documents.

Duplicating Text Duplicate text within a document, between open documents.

To duplicate or make a copy of text, follow these steps: 1. Select the text you want to copy using any of the methods discussed

earlier. (See the section “Selecting Data.”) 2. Choose Copy from the Edit menu or press Ctrl+C. 3. Position the cursor at the point where you want to copy the text to. If

you’re copying the text to another open document, select that document from the Window menu or from the minimized document icon

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on the taskbar first. Then, position the cursor within the target document. 4. Once the cursor is in the right position, select Paste from the Edit

menu or press Ctrl+V.

Moving Text Move text within a document, between open documents.

To move text, use the same process discussed in the last section. However, instead of choosing Copy from the Edit command, select Cut (or press Ctrl+X). Doing so deletes the selected text. (You can always click Undo if necessary. See the “Using Undo and Redo” section.) Next, position the cursor to the section of the document to which you want to move the text, and choose Paste from the Edit menu (or press Ctrl+V). Just like with duplicating, you can move the text to another open document by selecting the document from the Window menu or the Word icon on the Windows taskbar. Sometimes, the drag and drop method is the easiest way to move text. Just highlight the text and then drag it to the new position.

Deleting Text Delete text.

Don’t let the idea of deleting text frighten you. Until you save the document, the delete isn’t really final. You can close the document without saving it and reopen it to recover deleted text. Or an easier solution might be to use the Undo feature. Just don’t save the document until you’re absolutely sure that it’s correct. Or if you really want to protect yourself, make a copy of the file

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by renaming it. Then, if the worst happens, you can quickly revert to the original by opening the copy. To delete text, select it using any of the selection methods discussed earlier in this chapter (see “Selecting Data”) and then press the Delete key. It’s that simple!

Search and Replace It’s easy to find a specific word or phrase in a small document, but the larger the document is, the harder this visual task becomes. When you need to find something, use the Find command.

Searching for a Specific Word or Phrase Use the search command for a specific word, phrase.

Word’s Find command can help you find words and phrases in a document. To find a specific word or phrase in the current document, choose Find from the Edit menu or press Ctrl+F. Enter the word or phrase in the Find and Replace dialog (the Find tab will be selected for you) and click Find Next. Word highlights the first occurrence of the entered text. To continue finding more occurrences, press Ctrl+F and click Find Next again. Using this feature, you can quickly replace text. For instance, suppose you want to replace each occurrence of St. with Street. To do so, you select Replace from the Edit menu (or press Ctrl+H). In the resulting Find and Replace dialog box, enter the search and replace text, which in this case is St. and Street, respectively, as shown in Figure 4.14. To quickly replace each occurrence of St. with Street, click the Replace All button. Or you can pick and choose which occurrences to replace by clicking Find Next and then clicking Replace when you want to replace the highlighted text. To skip an occurrence, click Find Next without clicking Replace.

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Enter the search string Enter the replacement string

Click here and then here to replace one by one Figure 4.14 Replace text using the Find and Replace feature.

Formatting Perhaps the real power in any word processing application is its formatting capabilities. The text communicates your document’s purpose on an intellectual level, but formatting can make the difference between success and failure. If the reader finds the document too busy or uninteresting, it can lie unread for days or even make its way straight to the trash. In this section, you’ll learn how to ➤ Format text. ➤ Format paragraphs. ➤ Format documents as a whole.

Text Formatting Most of the time, text is the bulk of your documents. Formatting text can produce consistency throughout your document while visually drawing attention to individual elements. In this section, you’ll learn how to format text.

Changing Font Attributes Change text appearance: font sizes, font types.

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The font you use can definitely express the document’s mood: it can be formal, casual, artistic, or even playful. To change the font type and its size for the document, follow these steps: 1. Choose Font from the Format menu. 2. Click the Font tab if necessary in the Font dialog box. 3. Select a font from the Font list to change the font type. 4. Choose a new value from the Size list to change the font’s size, as

shown in Figure 4.15. The current font Choose a new font

The current font size Choose a new font size

Font color Create superscript Create subscript

Figure 4.15 Change the font type and size.

Use the Font and Font Size controls on the Formatting toolbar to quickly reset both the type and size, respectively.

Changing the font in this manner changes the document’s default type and size for new text. It doesn’t automatically update the existing text. To change existing text, simply select the text using one of the methods discussed in “Selecting Data” earlier in this chapter. Then, use the Font and Font Size controls on the Formatting toolbar to select a new type and size, respectively.

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Applying Bold, Italics, and Underlining Apply text formatting such as: bold, italic, underline.

Some formats, such as bold, italics, or underscores, can help emphasize text. Fortunately, applying these attributes is simple. Select the text and click the Bold, Italics, or Underscore button. You can also use the Font dialog box (see Figure 4.14), but the toolbar buttons are quicker.

Applying Subscript and Superscript Apply subscript, superscript to text.

Subscript and superscript text is used to produce smaller letters either just below the center of the line or just above the center of the line. Figure 4.16 shows both.

Figure 4.16 Create subscripts and superscripts.

To change to subscript or superscript, choose Font from the Format menu and select Subscript or Superscript, respectively, in the Effects section (see Figure 4.15). If the text already exists, you can select the text and then select the appropriate option.

Applying Letter Case Apply case changes to text.

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Letter case is an important part of punctuation, and most of the time, you specify letter case while actually entering the text. By default, text is entered in lowercase. To enter an uppercase letter, hold down the Shift key while pressing the appropriate letter key. You can, if necessary, change the case of existing text. To do so, select the characters and hold down the Shift key while you press F3. Continue to press F3 until you get the case you want. This keystroke combination cycles through the three possible settings: proper case, all uppercase, and all lowercase. Proper case begins each word with an uppercase letter; the remaining letters in the word are lowercase.

Using Colors Apply different colors to text.

Adding a bit of color to your document can convey emotions and order. For instance, a bit of pink or yellow might be a good choice for a party invitation. Or you might want to present an overdue charge in red. Sometimes color is used to categorize data. To apply a color other than black, which is the default, select the text and then choose a color from the Font Color control’s palette, shown in Figure 4.17.

Figure 4.17 Use colors to convey a message or categorize data.

You can change the document’s default font color by choosing a color from the Font Color control in the Font dialog box (see Figure 4.15). Remember, doing so won’t change existing text.

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Copying Existing Formats Copy formatting from a piece of text to another piece of text.

It’s common to apply multiple formatting attributes, such as a new color, bold, and italics, to text. Doing so requires a number of keystrokes or clicks. Once you have a style that you like, you don’t have to repeat the original routine to apply it to other text. Instead, use the Format Painter tool on the Standard toolbar. To do so, follow these steps: 1. Select the text with the formats you want to copy (or simply position

the cursor somewhere within the word or paragraph). 2. Click Format Painter. 3. Select the text you want to format to copy all the formats from the pre-

viously selected text to the current text. To format multiple but noncontiguous text, click the Format Painter tool twice to lock it. Then, select each area you want to format. When you’re done, click the Format Painter to unlock it.

Using Styles Apply an existing style to a word, a line, a paragraph.

A style represents a set of formats that you can apply at the same time. A document can contain a number of styles for quick and easy formatting. In fact, Word comes with a number of default styles that you can use, or you can create your own. To apply a style to existing text, select the text, which can be a character, a word, a line, or an entire paragraph. Then, choose a style from the Style control’s drop-down list (on the Formatting toolbar). The text will take on the attributes of the chosen style.

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Hyphenation Use automatic hyphenation.

Some types of documentation don’t allow for hyphenated words at the right margin. When you need to hyphenate a document, you can do so quickly and automatically: 1. From the Tools menu, select Language, and then click Hyphenation. 2. In the resulting dialog box shown in Figure 4.18, check the

Automatically Hyphenate Document option.

Figure 4.18 Turn on hyphenation for the entire document.

3. Click OK to close the dialog box. Word will automatically hyphenate

your entire document. If you end up with too many hyphens, open the Hyphenation dialog box (see Figure 4.18) and increase the value in the Hyphenation Zone control. If the right margin is too ragged, reduce the value.

Paragraph Formatting In the last section, you learned how to apply formats to text at large. You also need to know how to apply paragraph-level formats. These formats affect all the text in a paragraph, such as indenting, line breaks, and so on.

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Inserting and Removing Paragraph Marks Insert, remove paragraph marks.

A paragraph mark is a nonprintable character that determines the end of a paragraph. To insert this character, press Enter to force the cursor to a new line. Doing so sends the message to Word that the current paragraph is ending, and Word inserts the paragraph mark. Finding a paragraph mark can be difficult because by default, Word doesn’t display these characters online. (To learn how to display them, see the earlier section “Displaying and Hiding Nonprinting Characters.”) If the characters are visible, you can simply locate them visually and delete them as you would any other character. When they’re not visible, select the space between the last character in the paragraph and the first character in the next paragraph, and press Delete. Doing so combines the two paragraphs.

Inserting and Removing Line Breaks Insert, remove soft carriage return (line break) marks.

A soft carriage return or line break is similar to the paragraph mark in that it forces text to the next line. The difference is that a soft carriage return doesn’t start a new paragraph. Even though it may look like two paragraphs on the screen, for example, text before and after a soft carriage return can all be formatted as a single paragraph. Your word processing application might not make a visual distinction between a space at the end of the line of text and a soft carriage return.. If you should need to delete a soft carriage return, simply place your cursor on the line with the soft carriage return, click End, and then click Delete.

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Aligning Align text left, center, right, justified.

Aligning text helps you create groups and otherwise distinguish one area of text from the rest. For the most part, alignment is considered a format that you can quickly apply to text. If the text already exists, select it and click the appropriate toolbar button on the Formatting toolbar—Align Left, Align Right, Center, and Justify—or choose Paragraph from the Format menu and select the appropriate alignment option, as shown in Figure 4.19. Center Left align

Right align Justify

Figure 4.19 Use paragraph level formats to align text.

Or turn on the alignment format in question and begin typing text. When you’re done, return the alignment format to the default style.

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Indenting Indent paragraphs: left, right, first line, hanging.

Paragraphs come in several styles where indenting is concerned. The most common is a single indent in the first line at the left margin. Often, you’ll see an entire offset at the left or both the left and right margins. One last style is called hanging: The first line has no indention and the remaining lines are all indented at the left margin. Figure 4.20 shows each paragraph indenting method. Left and right indents Normal indent

Hanging indent Figure 4.20 Indent paragraphs in a variety of ways.

All indention types are easy to apply using paragraph formats. To apply an indention type, choose Paragraph from the Format menu, and then choose the appropriate option. To quickly indent a full paragraph, position the cursor anywhere in the paragraph and click either the Decrease Indent or Increase Indent tools on the Formatting toolbar.

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Line Spacing Apply single, double line spacing within paragraphs.

Most word processing applications default to single line spacing, but you might need to reset that option occasionally. For instance, a draft document might be easier to read and edit with double-spacing. Line spacing refers to the amount of space from the bottom of one line of text to the bottom of the next line. Your application adjusts line spacing to accommodate the largest font. To change the line spacing for a paragraph, choose Paragraph from the Format menu and select one of the following options from the Line Spacing drop-down list on the Indents and Spacing tab: Single, 1.5, Double, At least, Exactly, Multiple. Or click the Line Spacing tool on the Formatting toolbar. Single, 1.5, and Double are self-explanatory. When choosing At least, Exactly, and Multiple, you need to specify a value using the At control. The At least and Exactly options work with point values, which correspond to the font’s size. When selecting Multiple, enter the number of lines: 3, 4, and so on.

Leading Apply spacing above, below paragraphs.

The space above and below a paragraph is part of that paragraph, and you can control it. To do so, choose Paragraph from the Format menu and specify the Before and After values in the Spacing options.

Tabs Set, remove, and use tabs: left, center, right, decimal.

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Tabs are a convenient way to insert a fixed number of spaces, and there are several ways to apply them: ➤ Left—The tab mark sets the left margin, with text flowing to the right. ➤ Center—The tab mark identifies the center of the text. Consequently,

text flows to either side of the actual tab. ➤ Right—The tab mark sets the right margin, with text flowing to the left. ➤ Decimal—The tab mark aligns decimal values by the decimal character.

To set a tab, choose Tabs from the Format menu and set the appropriate settings, shown in Figure 4.21. After setting a tab, you can insert a tab into text by pressing the Tab key. To remove a tab, position the cursor just after the tab space and press Backspace. Enter the tab’s position

Identify the tab type

Figure 4.21 Set tab properties via the Tabs dialog box.

Bulleted and Numbered Lists Apply bullet, numbers to a single level list. Remove bullets, numbers from a single level list.

A bulleted or numbered list is an effective way to group common points or lead the reader through a sequential list. Fortunately, they’re easy to apply. You can enter all the text and apply the format at once, or you can enable the format, type the text, and then turn off the format when you’re done. Either way, click the Numbering or Bullets tool on the Formatting toolbar

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to quickly produce results. The feature automatically inserts the bullet character or the appropriate number. To remove bullets or numbering, select the bulleted or numbered text and then click the appropriate tool on the Formatting toolbar again.

Bullet and Number List Styles Change between the style of bullets, numbers in a single level list from built-in standard options.

Word offers a number of bullet characters and numbering styles. Select the bullet or number list and choose Bullets and Numbering from the Format menu. Click the Bulleted or Numbered tab and then select the settings you want. You can even change the numbering scheme by choosing Restart Numbering or Continue Previous List.

Adding a Border and Shading Add a top and bottom border, box border and shading to a paragraph.

Borders and shading are unique formatting tools that you’ll probably use sparingly. To add a border, select the text you want to surround and click the Outside Border tool on the Formatting toolbar, as we’ve done in Figure 4.22. This tool is very flexible and allows you to specify a number of border types. For instance, if you want a border just at the top and bottom of the paragraph, you’d select the Top Border and Bottom Border options from the tool. Feel free to experiment with all the options. Sometimes you might want to add a bit of shading. You can use the Shading Color tool on the Tables and Borders toolbar. To display this toolbar, rightclick the background of any open toolbar or the menu bar and select Tables and Borders. Select the paragraph you want to add some shading to, and select a color from the Shading Color tool’s option shown in Figure 4.23. Choose Borders and Shading from the Format menu to access more options for both.

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Figure 4.22 Add a border or shading.

Select a shade color

Figure 4.23 Choose a shade option.

Document Formatting You can meet a number of formatting challenges, such as setting margins and displaying page numbers, at the document level.

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Changing Orientation and Paper Size Change document orientation, portrait, landscape. Change paper size.

Word assumes each document will be printed on standard 8.5-by-11 sheets of paper, and from top to bottom. As with most defaults, you can change those settings. The document orientation has two possibilities: portrait and landscape. Portrait is the default and prints the text from top to bottom between the left and right margins. Landscape prints the text sideways and uses the left and right margins as the top and bottom margins. Consequently, the portrait top and bottom margins become the right and left margins. To access these settings, choose Page Setup from the File menu. On the Margins tab, select Portrait or Landscape. On the Paper tab, choose a setting from the Paper Size control’s drop-down list. If the appropriate setting doesn’t exist, choose Custom Size and then specify the custom dimensions in the Width and Height controls, accordingly. Word will automatically adjust the existing contents to fit new settings, although we suggest you try to set these options before you create the document if possible.

Changing Margins Change margins of entire document, top, bottom, left, right.

Each document has four margins: top, bottom, left, and right. The default is 1 inch for the top and bottom margins, and 1.25 inches for the left and right margins. To reset a margin, choose Page Setup from the File menu and click the Margins tab. You can change one, two, three, or all four. However, new settings can conflict with existing text and images. When that happens, you need to accommodate by rearranging the contents or resetting the margin value.

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Working with Page Breaks Insert, delete a page break in a document.

If you tell Word the paper size and set margins, Word can correctly determine when it’s time for a new page. However, you can force Word to start a new page any time you like by pressing Ctrl+Enter. Or choose Break from the Insert menu. To delete a page break, place your cursor in the page break and press the Delete key.

Displaying Text in Headers and Footers Add, modify text in headers, footers.

Headers and footers help you maintain consistency from page to page. You’ll use them to display page numbers, document names and locations, or a report’s date: there’s really no rule to what you can display in a header or footer. It’s simply a predefined area at the top or bottom of each page that repeats data. By default, neither the header nor footer is enabled. You can turn on either by selecting the Header and Footer command from the View menu. When you do, Word displays a special area at the top and bottom of the current page and launches the Header and Footer toolbar. Figure 4.24 shows header text. Header text appears at the top of every printed page in your document; footer text appears at the bottom of the page. After entering the text, click the Close button on the Header and Footer toolbar to close the section and return the cursor to the main body of the document. To modify a header or text, simply open it using the Header and Footer command from the View menu.

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Header and Footer toolbar Figure 4.24 Add a header or footer to the document.

Enhancing Headers and Footers Add fields in headers, footers: date, page number information, file location.

Headers are often used to display information about the document itself, such as the date the document is printed, the current page number, and where the file is located on your system. Fortunately, Word handles these possibilities automatically. Figure 4.25 shows the many automatic text options you can add to the header of footer via the Insert AutoText control. Simply select an option to display and print that particular value. For instance, we used the following options to display the appropriate information in the current document’s header: -PAGE-, Created On, and Filename and Path.

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Figure 4.25 Automatically add text fields to the header or footer.

Automatic Page Numbering Apply automatic page number to a document.

The automatically inserted page number schemes available via the Insert AutoText control might not be adequate. Fortunately, Word offers another way to add page numbering to a document. The Insert Page Number and Insert Number of Pages controls on the Header and Footer toolbar display the current page number and the total number of page numbers in the document, respectively. Follow these simple instructions to create the footer shown in Figure 4.26: 1. With the header or footer section open and the toolbar displayed, type Page number

. (Notice that there’s a space after number.)

2. Click the Insert Page Number tool to insert the current page number,

and add another space character. 3. Type

of

. (Notice the extra space.)

4. Click the Insert Number of Pages tool to insert the total number of

pages in the document. If you want to center or right align the text, just select the text and click the appropriate alignment tool on the Formatting toolbar.

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Enter text Figure 4.26 Create your own page numbering scheme.

Objects There’s more to a document than just text. You might want to use tables to organize data, display a chart, or even include an image or picture. In this section, you’ll learn how to ➤ Create tables. ➤ Insert and modify table data. ➤ Format tables. ➤ Insert and manipulate pictures and other image files.

Tables Rows and columns of cells compose a table that you can fill with text and graphics. Tables are often used to organize and present information. There are two toolbars you can work with: the Standard toolbar and the Tables and Borders toolbar. The latter offers more options.

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Creating the Table Create a table ready for text insertion.

To create a table, position the cursor within the document where you want to add the table and click Insert Table on the Standard toolbar. When Word displays the prototype table, select the appropriate number of columns and rows. For instance, Figure 4.27 shows us creating a small table with three columns and four rows. Display Tables and Borders toolbar

Insert Table tool

Figure 4.27 Create a table.

Entering and Editing Table Data Insert, edit data in a table.

After inserting the table, you’re ready to start inserting text. To do so, select a cell and type the appropriate entry. To move to another cell or row, click the Tab key. Pressing Enter simply moves the cursor to a new line within the same cell. After you enter data in a table, you can edit it just like any other text in your document. Place your cursor in the appropriate cell of the table and then type new text, delete the existing text, or use any other technique for editing text that you like.

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Selecting Table Components Select rows, columns, cells, entire table.

To quickly access a cell, simply click inside it. To select the entire cell, click to the left of the cell. You know when you’re in the right area because the insertion point changes to a short arrow pointer, similar to the one shown in Figure 4.28.

Figure 4.28 Click to the left of a cell to select it.

Click to the left of a row to select all the cells in that row. To select an entire column, click just above the column. To select the entire table, simply drag the mouse across the table. Alternatively, you can choose Select from the Table menu and then choose the appropriate component from the resulting submenu.

Inserting Rows and Columns Insert and delete rows and columns.

To insert a row or a column, click anywhere inside an adjacent row or column, respectively. Select Insert from the Table menu and choose the appropriate option from the resulting submenu. You can choose to insert columns to the left or right of the current column, or rows above or below the current row, as shown in Figure 4.29. To delete a row or column, click anywhere in the column or row that you wish to delete. Then select Delete from the Table menu and choose the appropriate option from the resulting submenu.

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Figure 4.29 Click to the left of a cell to select it.

Modifying Columns and Rows Modify column width, row height.

Word uses default dimensions to determine a table’s row height and column width: the width depends somewhat on the number of columns in the table. You can change both the height and width as necessary. The easiest way is to leave it up to Word by using one of the auto fit options. First, select a column, row, or the entire table, accordingly. Then, choose AutoFit from the Table menu to display the following options: ➤ AutoFit to Contents—Column adjusts to the accommodate the largest

item in the column. ➤ AutoFit to Window—Table adjusts to fit within the current section’s right

and left margins. ➤ Fixed Column Width—Each column is the same defined width. ➤ Distribute Rows Evenly—Resets all rows to the same size. ➤ Distribute Columns Evenly—Resets all columns to the same size.

You can also change column widths and row heights manually. To change the width of a column, place the cursor directly over the line separating the column from the next column. Hold the mouse button down and you drag the dividing line to change the widths of both columns. To change the height of a row, you can use the Enter key to enter additional blank lines in any cell in the row.

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Modifying Cells Modify cell border width, style, color.

Earlier you learned how to draw borders; you can do the same with cells. Simply select the cell by clicking to the left of it. Then, choose the Outside Border tool on the Tables and Borders (or the Formatting) toolbar to add a border to the selected cell. To modify the line style, with the cell still selected, choose a style from the Line Style control’s drop-down list. Or change the border’s width by choosing an option from the Line Width control’s drop-down list. The Border Color control lets you specify the border’s color.

Shading Cells Add shading to cells.

Shading can add a nice touch to a table and often makes it easier to read. To shade a cell, simply select it and choose a color from the Shading Color control’s dropdown list.

Pictures, Images, Charts Can you imagine the time you’ll save yourself and potential clients when your short sales pamphlet includes a picture of your product, instead of just a boring text description? Pictures, images, and charts used in the right circumstances have a greater impact than just text. Within the ICDL syllabus, a picture means a visual representation originating from a built-in image gallery available to the application; an image means an image brought into the application as a file; and a chart means an object generated by a secondary application based on tabular data.

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Inserting a Picture, Image, or Chart Insert a picture, an image, a chart into a document.

You create pictures, images, and charts separately from your document and then insert them. For the most part, you use the Picture command to insert all three. To do so, position the insertion point where you want the picture, image, or chart to appear within your document. Then, choose Picture from the Insert menu. The resulting submenu offers several choices. For the ICDL exam, you’ll need to know about these choices: ➤ Clip Art—This option displays the Insert ClipArt dialog box, which

allows you to choose a picture from among a set of pictures supplied with Word. ➤ From File—This option displays the Insert Picture dialog box, which you

use to browse your file system and locate the appropriate file. ➤ From Scanner or Camera—Insert a picture being held in memory by your

scanner or digital camera. ➤ Chart—This option inserts a chart object.

Selecting a Picture, Image, or Chart Select a picture, image, chart in a document.

You need to select the picture or chart object to perform certain tasks, such as copying or moving it. To select a picture or chart object, simply click it. You know it’s selected when the object displays a border and selection handles like the one in Figure 4.30.

Duplicating a Picture, Image, or Chart Duplicate a picture, image, chart within a document, between open documents.

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Figure 4.30 This selected chart has selection handles.

It’s easy to create a copy of a picture or chart. Simply select the object and choose Copy from the Edit menu or press Ctrl+C. Then, position the insertion point where you want to paste the copy and choose Paste from the Edit menu or press Ctrl+V. If you need to copy a picture or document from one document to another, open both documents. With the document that contains the picture or chart current, select and copy the object. Make the target document current by selecting it from the Window menu or by clicking the appropriate document-representing icon on the taskbar. Within the target document, position the insertion point and then paste the object.

Moving a Picture, Image, or Chart Move a picture, image, chart within a document, to another document.

Use the preceding procedure for copying an object to move the object. The only difference is that instead of choosing Copy from the Edit menu or pressing Ctrl+C, you should choose Cut from the Edit menu or press Ctrl+X. The cut command deletes the object from its original position.

Resizing a Picture, Image, or Chart Resize a picture, image, chart.

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Figure 4.30 shows a number of selection handles surrounding a chart object. Use these special handles to change the size of a picture or chart object in the same way you’d change the size of a window. Hover the mouse over any of the handles, and when the mouse pointer changes to a double arrow, push the handle in or drag it out, accordingly. Keep in mind that not all pictures resize well. You might find that the picture displays poorly at another size. If you drag one of the side handles, only the width or height of the picture will change, distorting it. If you drag one of the corner handles, this will change both the width and height proportionately.

Deleting a Picture, Image, or Chart Delete a picture, image, chart.

Deleting a picture or chart object is simple. Select it and press the Delete key. However, doing so might have unintended consequences, such as wrapping text and moving other objects to compensate.

Mail Merge Personalizing a form letter or printing labels has always been a tedious and time-consuming job—until word processing came along. With the help of Word, you can quickly produce all those letters or labels. In this section, you’ll learn what a mail merge is and master the basics.

Concept and Practice Sometimes you want to mail a document to multiple recipients with customized content for each one. This process is called performing a mail merge, and you need to understand it to pass the exam.

What’s a Mail Merge? Understand the term mail merge and the concept of merging a data source with a main document such as a letter or a label document.

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A mail merge is the process of merging two documents into a new document. You start with two documents, known as the main document and the data source document. The main document is usually a form letter or something similar. The data source contains the data you need to personalize each letter, such as names, addresses, and other information pertinent to the recipient of the finished document. You might be wondering how the word processor knows just where to insert the pieces of information in the data source document. You insert fields into the main document—fields that correspond to the data fields in the data source document. For instance, a data source document might contain names and addresses for each customer you’re trying to contact with updated information on their account. The document would contain a name field, an address field, a city field, a state field, and so on. The main document would consist of the main body of the letter in which you disperse field codes for the name field, the address field, and so on. When you merge the two documents, Word fills in those fields with one customer’s information and then starts a new letter and fills in those fields with the next customer’s information, and so on. In the end, you have one document that contains all the letters. You can save the document or print all those letters right then. It’s a three-step process: 1. Create the main document (such as a letter). 2. Create the data source document. 3. Merge the two documents and save or print the results.

Preparing the Main Document Open, prepare a main document for a mail merge by inserting data fields.

It doesn’t really matter whether you create the main document or the data source document first. However, you might find it best to start with the main document. That way, you know exactly what data you need to store in the data source document. Creating the main document is similar to creating any other document. You enter the text, images, and charts and format it just as you would any other document. The difference is that you specify field codes within the body of

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the document, like the one shown in Figure 4.31. Word refers to these field codes as merge fields.

Figure 4.31 The main document contains field codes.

Using Figure 4.31 as a guide, enter the document’s text. (You’ll enter the merge fields later.) Then, choose Mail Merge from the Tools menu to launch the Mail Merge Helper. Click Create under Main Document and then click Form Letters. Click Active Window because you’re creating the main document from scratch.

Preparing the Mailing List Open, prepare a mailing list, other data file, for use in a mail merge.

The next step is to prepare the data source document (mailing list). This document will contain the unique data that personalizes each letter. We show you how to create the actual data source file, but you might not have to go to all this work if your data is already stored somewhere else. For instance, if the data is in an Access database, you could merge the Access table with the main document. Return to the Mail Merge Helper dialog box to create a new data source document, as shown in Figure 4.32:

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Figure 4.32 The data source document contains values for three letters.

1. Click the Get Data button in the Data Source section. 2. In the resulting dialog box, choose the appropriate fields for the docu-

ment, as shown in Figure 4.33. To do so, remove unneeded fields.

Figure 4.33 Specify the fields you want to add to the data source.

3. When the list is ready, click OK, and save the data source file when

prompted to do so. 4. Click Edit Data Source to display the data form shown in Figure 4.34.

The controls match the fields you just selected in the previous step.

Figure 4.34 Enter data source values using this data entry form.

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If you have an existing data source containing the information that you want to merge, you can skip the above steps to create a data source. Instead, click the Get Data button and select the Open Data Source choice. This will allow you to select from among a variety of data sources, such as a Word document, an Excel spreadsheet, or an Access database. Word will prompt you to supply the merge data from the selected data source. Now you’re ready to add those merge fields into the main document: 1. Click in the main document where you want the data to appear. 2. Click Insert Merge Field on the Mail Merge toolbar. 3. Select the field name you want. 4. Repeat Steps 1 through 4 until you’ve completed the document and

inserted all the merge fields. 5. Save the document.

The Merge Merge a mailing list with a letter, label document.

Now that you have a main document and a data source document, you’re ready to merge the two. Click Merge on the Mail Merge toolbar. At this point, you must decide whether to send the merged letters directly to the printer or save them. For this exercise, choose New Document and click Merge. The finished document contains three pages, one page for each letter. (This will vary depending on your main document.) The thing to remember is that the merged document contains all the letters: Figure 4.35 shows the first. The process doesn’t create a separate document for each letter. You can print the merged document now or close it and print it later.

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Figure 4.35 This is the first of three new letters created by the mail merge.

Creating mailing labels using the mail merge feature is almost identical to creating form letters. The major difference is that in the first step, when you click the Create button, you should choose Mailing Labels instead of Form Letters. Then click the Setup button to set the size of the mailing labels to print.

Prepare Outputs So far, you’ve learned a lot about getting data into a document and manipulating it. You also need to know how to get that data “out” so you store it, view it, and share it. In this next section, you’ll learn how to prepare a document for printing and then how to actually send the data to your printer.

Preparation You could enter a bunch of text and then just print it, but the finished product wouldn’t be very effective. A lot goes in to preparing a document for its final show—the hard copy.

No Substitute for Good Proofing Understand the importance of proofing your document such as: checking the layout, presentation (margins, appropriate font sizes, and formats), and spelling.

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Even the most proficient data entry operator introduces the occasional error. Never assume accuracy: proof your documents carefully for typographical and grammatical errors: ➤ A résumé with even one error will probably be tossed in the garbage. ➤ A tax audit with two transposed digits could produce results you don’t

even want to consider. ➤ What happens if the data entry clerk spells your newborn’s name wrong? ➤ A proposal with misspelled words or bad grammar isn’t likely to sell a

prospective client. We could go on, but we don’t need to: you get the point. Don’t take anything for granted. Once you’re sure the data is accurate, you want to present that data in the best package possible. Is the document well centered between the margins? Is the type easy to read? Is the font type appropriate to the document’s purpose? These are all questions you want to ask before considering that document done.

Checking Your Spelling Spell-check a document and make changes such as correcting spelling errors, deleting repeated words.

Word can help when it comes to some spelling errors. Word will review the document for words it doesn’t recognize. Choose Spelling and Grammar from the Tools menu or press F7 to launch what’s known as the Spell Check feature. Word will stop at the first word it can’t identify and highlight the word, as shown in Figure 4.36. You can continue without changing the spelling or you can choose from a list of possible replacements. The spell checker will also spot repeated words for you. For example, if you accidentally type “My hat is on the the grass,” the second occurrence of “the” will be flagged as a spelling error. In this case, the available options in the Spelling and Grammar dialog box will be Ignore (to keep the repeated word) and Delete (to delete the second copy of the word).

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Ignore every occurrence Add the word to the dictionary Change every occurrence to the highlighted suggestion

Change the word to the highlighted suggestion Figure 4.36 Check your documents for misspelled words.

Adding Words to a Custom Dictionary Add words to a built-in custom dictionary.

Occasionally, Spell Check flags words that are spelled correctly. For instance, if you frequently enter the name Gunderloy, you might want to add that word to the dictionary. That way, Word won’t stop unnecessarily each time it encounters the name. When you encounter such a word using Spell Check, click the Add to Dictionary button (refer to Figure 4.36). After that, Spell Check doesn’t stop at the word anymore.

Previewing the Document Preview a document.

You work hard to make sure your data is accurate and that the format is readable and appropriate for the audience. So how can you make sure without actually printing the document, which wastes time, ink, and paper? Word lets you preview the document: you can see onscreen exactly how the printed document will look on paper. To do so, simply click the Print Preview tool on the Standard toolbar.

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Printing Once the document’s ready for printing, you have to prepare the printer by telling it what size paper you’re using, the document’s margins, and so on.

What Gets Printed Choose print output options such as the entire document, the specific pages, and the number of copies.

Printers are flexible and print only what you tell them. Word allows you to print one page of a document, all of a document, or a range of pages within the same document. You can also print one copy or several. To print a single copy of all the pages in a document, you can click the Print tool on the Standard toolbar. When you need a bit more control, choose Print from the File menu or press Ctrl+P. Doing so displays the Print dialog box shown in Figure 4.37. Print all the pages in the document Select from multiple printers

Change the printer properties

Enter the number of copies you want

Print a range of pages Print just the current page Figure 4.37 Use this dialog box to control what gets sent to the printer.

Most of the printing options are self-explanatory, but printing a specific range of pages requires a bit of expertise:

184 Chapter 4 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . ➤ To print just one page, enter the page number. ➤ To print a range of pages, enter the first and last page numbers, separat-

ed by a hyphen character (–); the setting 1–10 would print pages 1 through 10 or 1 through the last page, if the document has fewer than 10 pages. ➤ To print nonconsecutive pages, enter each page number, separated by a

comma character (,); the setting 1, not pages 2 through 9.

10

would print pages 1 and 10 but

➤ To print both a range and a collection of nonconsecutive pages, use all

three of the above, separating each setting with a comma character; the setting 1, 3-5, 10 would print pages 1, 3, 4, 5, and 10.

Printing a Document Print a document from an installed printer using defined options, default settings.

To print a document, you must be connected to a printer. If you’re connected to more than one printer, your system considers one of those printers the default and Word prints to that printer unless you specify otherwise. (You can learn more about installing a printer and setting the default printer in Chapter 3.) To print a document, choose one of the following: ➤ Click the Print button on the Standard toolbar. ➤ Choose Print from the File menu. ➤ Press Ctrl+P.

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Question 1 Which of the following will the standard word processing application do? ❑ A. Allow you to work with more than one document at a time ❑ B. Help you analyze numbers and accounting elements ❑ C. Offer options for saving and formatting text in a professional and appropriate manner ❑ D. Help you personalize form letters quicker and more efficiently

Answers A, C, and D are correct. A word processing application is capable of multitasking, helping you format text, and providing mail merge capabilities. Answer B is incorrect. Although some word processing applications can calculate simple mathematical operations with values in tables, that isn’t its primary focus and the feature is usually limited.

Question 2 When working with more than one document, how do you switch between documents? ❑ A. Choose a document from the Window menu. ❑ B. Choose a minimized document icon from the Windows taskbar. ❑ C. Press F6. ❑ D. Press Alt+Tab to cycle through all the windows.

Answers A and B are correct. Answer D is correct but not the most efficient method because the keystroke combination cycles through all the open windows on your system, not just the open word processing documents. Answer C is incorrect; it does not select an open but inactive window.

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Question 3 You can do which of the following with text in a word processing document: ❑ A. Enter, edit, and delete it ❑ B. Automatically translate it to another language ❑ C. Move it from one document to another ❑ D. Copy it from one area of the document to another

Answers A, C, and D are correct. You can enter, edit, delete, move, and copy text in a word processing application. Answer B is incorrect; Word does not offer any automatic translation facilities.

Question 4 How would you replace a multiple occurring word or phrase? ❍ A. Find each occurrence and overwrite it with the new text. ❍ B. Hold down the Ctrl key while highlighting each occurrence and then replacing them all at one time. ❍ C. Use the Find and Replace feature.

Answer C is correct. Answer A would work but would be very inefficient. Answer B is incorrect.

Question 5 You can apply formatting at many levels throughout your document. Which of the following is a legitimate formatting level within in a normal document? ❑ A. Object ❑ B. Paragraph ❑ C. Printer ❑ D. Text ❑ E. Document

Answers B, D, and E are correct. Answer A is incorrect; although you can format an object such as a picture, that formatting is unique to the object. Answer C is incorrect; you can’t format text at the printer level because there’s no such level.

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Question 6 Most word processors are flexible when it comes to printing the document. Match the following settings to the results listed below: ❑ A. Pages option is set to 1–8 ❑ B. Number of Copies setting is set to 3 ❑ C. Pages option is set to 1, 8 ❑ D. Page Range option is set to All ❑ 1. Pages 1 and 8 ❑ 2. All the pages in the document ❑ 3. Pages 1 through 8 ❑ 4. Three copies of the specified pages

The correct matches are A=3, B=4, C=1, D=2.

Question 7 When checking your document for spelling errors, you can do the following: ❑ A. Enter the corrected spelling yourself. ❑ B. Enter the corrected spelling from an online dictionary service. ❑ C. Ignore the spelling because it’s correct, even if Word highlights it as suspect. ❑ D. Add the word to the dictionary so Word won’t stop at it again.

Answers A, C, and D are correct. Answer B is incorrect. You can use an online dictionary service to discern the correct spelling, but there’s no builtin mechanism for automating that process from Word.

Question 8 Which of the following would you automate using a mail merge? ❑ A. Printing file labels ❑ B. Printing nametags for a public meeting ❑ C. Personalizing a form letter for several recipients ❑ D. Printing envelopes

Answers A, B, and C are correct. Answer D is incorrect; Word prints envelopes, but it isn’t part of the mail merge process.

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Question 9 What are the main components of a mail merge? ❍ A. Main document, data source document, and the merged document ❍ B. Paper, envelopes, and mailing labels ❍ C. Mailing list and a postage meter

Answer A is correct. Answers B and C are incorrect. You might need all these things to actually print and mail your document, but they aren’t part of Word’s mail merge process.

Question 10 How can you tell whether a picture is selected? ❍ A. It’s highlighted. ❍ B. It’s maximized to consume the entire screen. ❍ C. The picture displays selection handles in the border. ❍ D. The border turns red.

Answer C is correct. Answers A, B, and D are all incorrect.

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Need to Know More? O’Hara, Shelley. Absolute Beginner’s Guide to Microsoft Windows XP. Indianapolis, Indiana: Que Publishing, 2002. ABCs of Word Processing,

http://www.geekgirls.com/menu_

wordprocessing.htm

Microsoft’s Office Word site, word/

http://www.microsoft.com/office/

5 Spreadsheets . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

Terms you’ll need to understand: ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓

Aggregate functions AutoFill Cells Cell reference Formula Freeze Function Most-recently used (MRU) list Spreadsheet Unfreeze Worksheet

Techniques you’ll need to master: ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓

Opening and closing spreadsheets Creating a new spreadsheet Navigating between spreadsheets and worksheets Customizing spreadsheet settings Adding and editing data Searching for, replacing, and sorting data Adding, removing, and copying worksheets Creating formulas and using functions Customizing cell formats Creating charts and graphs Printing spreadsheets

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Another common business application is the spreadsheet. Spreadsheets present a rectangular grid into which you can enter and perform calculations on numbers; they’re important in just about every business. This module tests your familiarity with these basic facets of spreadsheet operation: ➤ Opening and closing spreadsheets ➤ Editing data ➤ Managing worksheets ➤ Performing calculations ➤ Formatting data ➤ Using charts and graphs ➤ Printing spreadsheets

This chapter will help you review the skills that you need to pass this module of the ICDL. Paste Function Save Print Cut Undo Insert Sort New Paste Hyperlink Descending Preview

Drawing Microsoft Excel Help

Open Print Copy Spelling

AutoSum Redo

Format Painter

Chart Wizard

Zoom

Sort Ascending

Excel standard toolbar. Merge and Center Underline Bold

Font

Font Size

Excel formatting toolbar.

Center

Increase Decimal

Percent Style

Borders

Increase Indent

Comma Decrease Align Left Style Indent Italic Align Right Currency Decrease Style Decimal

Font Colors

Fill Colors

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Chart Objects

Chart Type By Column Data Table Angle Text Upward

Format Selected Object

Angle Text Downward

By Row Legend

Excel chart toolbar.

Using the Application In this section, we introduce you to Microsoft Excel 2000, the spreadsheet application that we use to demonstrate the skills for this ICDL module. To get started, you need to review some general skills for working with the user interface of Excel.

First Steps with Spreadsheets Let’s start with the basics. Before you can do anything else with Excel, you need to be able to launch and shut down the application, as well as navigate between different parts of the application.

Opening the Application Open (and close) a spreadsheet application.

By now, you should be pretty familiar with opening and closing applications under Windows. To review, here’s how it works with Excel: ➤ To open Excel, select Start, All Programs, Microsoft Excel. Or if you

have a Quick Launch button for Excel on the Windows taskbar, just click the Quick Launch button. ➤ To close Excel, select Exit from the File menu or click the Close button

in the upper-right corner of the Excel window.

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Opening Spreadsheets Open one, several spreadsheets.

In Excel, you work with individual files called spreadsheets. A spreadsheet is a place that you can store numbers, text, mathematical formulas, graphs, and other things. To open a spreadsheet, select Open from the File menu, or click the Open toolbar button on the Standard toolbar. This action opens the Open dialog box, which lets you browse to locate the file that you want to open. Select the appropriate filename and click the Open button. To open several spreadsheets, you can repeat this process for each one. Alternatively, you can use the Ctrl+click and Shift+click shortcuts in the Open dialog box to select multiple files, as you learned in Chapter 4, “Word Processing.” If you want to open a file that you were recently working with, you can select it from the most recently used (MRU) file list at the bottom of the File menu to reopen it. You can adjust the number of files in the MRU list by selecting Tools, Options, General and changing the number in the Options dialog box.

Creating New Spreadsheets Create a new spreadsheet (default template).

Excel opens with one spreadsheet already created. To create more, select New from the File menu and then click OK. Alternatively, you can click the New toolbar button on the Standard toolbar.

Saving Spreadsheets Before you get too far with Excel, you’ll want to know how to save your work. The ICDL module tests your ability to save in several different ways.

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To save a spreadsheet, select Save from the File menu or click the Save toolbar button on the Standard toolbar. If you have not yet saved this particular spreadsheet, this action opens the Save As dialog box. Enter a name for the spreadsheet file, browse to the location on the disk where you want to save the file, and click Save. If you change the contents of the spreadsheet and want to save it again without changing the filename, select Save from the File menu, click the Save toolbar button on the Standard toolbar, or press Ctrl+S. You aren’t prompted for a filename, but the contents of the existing file will be updated. Save a spreadsheet under another name.

Sometimes you might want to save a copy of your spreadsheet under a new name. To do so, select Save As from the File menu. This action opens the Save As dialog box. Enter a name for the spreadsheet file, browse to the location on the disk where you want to save the copy, and click Save. The new copy remains open in Excel after this operation. Save a spreadsheet in another file type, such as text, HTML, a template, with a software-specific file extension, or with a version number.

When you just use Save or Save As, Excel saves spreadsheets in its own native format, an .xls file. This format is the best format to use if you’re only going to work with the data in Excel, but it might not be convenient for sharing data with other applications. Fortunately, Excel lets you save data in a variety of other formats. To save data in another format, select Save As from the File menu. Then use the Save As Type combo box to select the file type that you’d like to use for the data. Table 5.1 shows some of the available data formats.

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File Extension

Web Page

.htm

Excel template

.xlt

Text

.txt

Comma delimited

.csv

dBASE

.dbf

You can also use Save As to save a spreadsheet in a format that can be read by an earlier version of Excel. Excel 2000 lets you save in Excel 2.1, Excel 3.0, Excel 4.0, Excel 5.0, or Excel 97 formats.

Navigating Between Spreadsheets Switch between open worksheets and open spreadsheets.

You need to understand the difference between a spreadsheet and a worksheet. A spreadsheet is an entire Excel file; each spreadsheet may contain one or more (there’s no practical limit) worksheets. Figure 5.1 will help you understand the difference between the two terms. In this figure, three spreadsheets, named Spreadsheet1.xls, Spreadsheet2.xls, and Spreadsheet3.xls, are open. You can see buttons for each of these in the Windows taskbar at the bottom of the screen; the button for Spreadsheet3.xls is depressed, indicating that as the spreadsheet that you’re currently working with.

Figure 5.1 Three spreadsheets and three worksheets.

Within the spreadsheet, there are three worksheets, Sheet1, Sheet2, and Sheet3. These three worksheets are indicated by the tabs and the lower-left side of the Excel user interface.

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To switch between open worksheets in a spreadsheet, simply click on the tab for the worksheet that you want to view. You can also use the Ctrl+PgUp and Ctrl+PgDn keyboard shortcuts to move between worksheets in a spreadsheet. To switch between open spreadsheets, you can use any of these techniques: ➤ Click on the appropriate button on the Windows taskbar. ➤ Use the Alt+Tab key combination to quickly navigate between all the

open windows on your computer. ➤ Select the spreadsheet that you want to navigate to from the list on the

Window menu inside of Excel.


Excel offers you several ways to get help if you get stuck. You’ll find these choices on the Help menu within Excel, or you can launch Help by pressing the F1 key. Here are the major choices for Help: ➤ Microsoft Excel Help—Includes a detailed help file with information on all

aspects of the application. Depending on your settings, you might see this file in a Web-based window, or help might be presented by the animated Office Assistant. ➤ What’s This?—Displays a screen tip for the specified option. Select an

item, such as a control or a menu command, and press Shift+F1 to view a short explanation for the element. ➤ Office On The Web—Connects to Microsoft’s online Office site, which

gives you access to an extensive library of articles and useful hints.

Finishing Up Close a spreadsheet.

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When you’re finished working, you might want to close an individual spreadsheet while still keeping Excel open. To do so, select Close from the File menu or click the Close button in the upper-right corner of the spreadsheet. Don’t confuse this button with the Close button for Excel itself; Figure 5.2 shows the difference. Click here to close Excel Click here to close the spreadsheet

Figure 5.2 Two different close buttons in Excel.

Adjusting Settings Excel, like most Windows applications, lets you adjust the program settings for your own convenience. In this part of the module, you should know about magnification tools, toolbars, freezing and unfreezing, and basic option customization.

Zooming In and Out Use magnification or zoom tools.

Excel lets you control the display of text on your screen by magnifying or shrinking the entire worksheet. You can use any of these techniques to change the zoom factor of the current worksheet: ➤ Select Zoom from the View menu. Choose a magnification, and then

click OK. ➤ Select a value from the Zoom drop-down box on the Standard toolbar. ➤ If you have a mouse with a mouse wheel, hold down the Ctrl key and

scroll the wheel to change the magnification. Figure 5.3 shows part of the same worksheet at 10% zoom (left) and 200% zoom (right).

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Figure 5.3 The effect of changing the zoom in Excel.

Adjusting Toolbars Display, hide built-in toolbars.

Excel features a variety of toolbars to provide easy access to common functions. By default, Excel displays the Standard toolbar and the Formatting toolbar, but you can change this display easily. Right-click anywhere in the toolbar area (except on an existing toolbar button) to display the shortcut menu shown in Figure 5.4, which lists all the toolbars. Click the name of a toolbar on this menu to display it if it’s hidden or to hide it if it’s already displayed. You can also select Toolbars from the View menu to choose which toolbars to display.

Figure 5.4 Selecting toolbars to display.

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Freezing and Unfreezing Freeze, unfreeze row and/or column titles.

It’s common for worksheets to contain quite a bit of information. Often, there will be titles in the first row or the first column of the worksheet (or both) to identify information. Excel lets you freeze these titles so that they remain visible while you scroll around the rest of the worksheet. To freeze part of a worksheet, first click in the cell just below and to the left of the part that you want frozen: ➤ To freeze just the first column, click in cell B1. ➤ To freeze just the first row, click in cell A2. ➤ To freeze both the first row and the first column, click in cell B2. Cells on an Excel worksheet are identified by specifying the letter at the top of the column and the number to the left of the row. Thus, cell A2 is the cell in the second row of the first column.

After you select the appropriate cell, select Freeze Panes from the Window menu. Excel draws heavy lines to indicate the frozen panes. Figure 5.5 shows a worksheet with both the first row and the first column frozen. Note that row 1 and column A are still visible even though the scrollbars indicate that the rest of the window shows data from elsewhere on the worksheet. To unfreeze the panes, select Unfreeze Panes from the Window menu.

Working the Way You Want Modify basic options/preferences in the application: user name, default directory/folder to open, save spreadsheets.

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Figure 5.5 A worksheet with one row and one column frozen.

Excel also lets you customize many aspects of its operation to suit your own preferences. Here are just two examples: ➤ To change the default username, select Options from the Tools menu.

This action opens the Options dialog box, shown in Figure 5.6. On the General tab, change the User Name and click OK. ➤ To change the default directory for files, select Options from the Tools

menu. Enter the new directory in the Default File Location box on the General tab and click OK. If you browse around the other tabs of the Options dialog box, you’ll find many other aspects of Excel that you can customize.

Figure 5.6 The Options dialog box in Excel.

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Cells Much of the time in Excel, you’ll be working with cells—the little rectangular areas that make up a worksheet. The module tests your ability to perform a number of basic cell operations, including ➤ Inserting and deleting data ➤ Selecting data ➤ Moving data around ➤ Using the search and replace tools ➤ Sorting data

Insert Data The most basic task of all is to put data into your spreadsheet so that you can work with it.

Entering Data in a Cell Enter a number, date, text in a cell.

To insert data in a cell, just click the mouse in the cell (or use the keyboard arrow keys to move to the cell). Then type the data that you want the cell to contain. As you enter the data, you see it appear in both the cell you’ve selected and in the formula bar at the top of the screen. When you’re done, press Enter or one of the arrow keys to confirm the data entry. To enter text in a cell, just type the text that you’d like Excel to display. Excel might reformat the data that you enter. For example, if you enter 2345678.7878787, only the rounded value of 2345678 shows in the cell. If you enter June 3, 2003, Excel will display this as 03-Jun-03. The data you entered is all there; if you’d like, you can right-click on the cell and select Format Cells to change the way that it’s displayed.

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Select Cells Sometimes you need to select one or more cells on a worksheet to work with them. For example, later in this chapter, you learn how to change the color of all selected cells. Excel offers many ways to select cells.

Selecting Cells Select a cell, range of adjacent cells, range of nonadjacent cells, entire worksheet.

To begin, you can select a single cell by clicking the mouse in that cell. You can also select a cell by moving around with the arrow keys. The selected cell has a heavy black outline. To select more than one cell, hold down the mouse button and drag the mouse. This action selects all the cells in the rectangular area that you drag. Alternatively, you hold down Shift and press the arrow keys to enlarge the current selection with the keyboard. To select ranges of nonadjacent cells, hold down the Ctrl key and then click or drag the mouse in all the cells that you want to select. To select the entire worksheet, click in the upper-left corner of the worksheet (to the left of the A column header, just above the 1 row header), or click anywhere in the worksheet and then press Ctrl+A. Excel displays a single selected cell by drawing a heavy border around it. If you select multiple adjacent cells, the selection will be displayed with a heavy border and a gray background, as shown in Figure 5.7. If you select multiple nonadjacent cells, each selected cell will be displayed with a gray background but without a heavy border.

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Figure 5.7 A selected range of adjacent cells

Selecting Rows Select a row, range of adjacent rows, range of nonadjacent rows.

To select an entire row of cells, click in the row header to the left of the row. For example, click in the gray area labeled 3 to select the entire third row of the worksheet. Alternatively, you can select the entire row containing the current cell by pressing Shift+space. To select a range of adjacent rows, hold down the mouse button and drag it down through all the row headers that you want to select. Alternatively, click in the first row header, and then Shift+click in the last row header of the area that you want to select. To select a range of nonadjacent rows, Ctrl+click in each row header for the rows that you want to select.

Selecting Columns Select a column, range of adjacent columns, range of nonadjacent columns.

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To select an entire column of cells, click in the column header at the top of the column. For example, click in the gray area labeled C to select the entire third column of the worksheet. Alternatively, you can select the entire column containing the current cell by pressing Ctrl+space. To select a range of adjacent columns, hold down the mouse button and drag it across all the column headers that you want to select. Alternatively, click in the first column header, and then Shift+click in the last column header of the area that you want to select. To select a range of nonadjacent columns, Ctrl+Click in each column row header for the columns that you want to select.

Rows and Columns In addition to selecting them, you can also insert, delete, and modify rows and columns in an Excel worksheet.

Inserting Rows and Columns Insert rows, columns in a worksheet.

To insert a new row in a worksheet, right-click the row header for the row that you want to end up directly below the new row. Then select Insert Row from the shortcut menu. Alternatively, select Rows from the Insert menu to insert a row directly above the currently selected cell. To insert a new column in a worksheet, right-click the column header for the column that that should end up directly to the right of the new column, as shown in Figure 5.8. Then select Insert Column from the shortcut menu. Alternatively, select Columns from the Insert menu to insert a column directly to the left of the currently selected cell.

Deleting Rows and Columns Delete rows, columns in a worksheet.

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Right-click the column and select Insert…

…to insert a new column directly to its left

Figure 5.8 Inserting a column in a spreadsheet.

Of course, Excel also offers ways to delete rows and columns that you don’t need. To delete a row, right-click on the row header and select Delete. Alternatively, click anywhere in the row and select Delete from the Edit menu. This action opens the Delete dialog box. Select the Entire Row option and click OK. To delete a column, right-click on the column header and select Delete. Alternatively, click anywhere in the column and select Delete from the Edit menu. This action opens the Delete dialog box. Select the Entire Column option and click OK. You should know your way around a spreadsheet. The exam may ask you to format a cell or a range. In addition, you should be able to insert a new sheet and delete and insert columns and rows.

Modifying Rows and Columns Modify column widths, row heights.

You can also change the size of any row or column.

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To adjust the height of a row, place your mouse pointer at the bottom edge of the row header for the row. The cursor changes into a double-arrow cursor (a line with arrows pointing in both directions). Hold down the mouse button and drag the splitter up or down to change the row height. Alternatively, you can select the row and then select Format, Row, Height to specify a new height for the row. To adjust the width of a column, place your mouse pointer at the right edge of the column header for the column. The cursor will change into a splitter cursor. Hold down the mouse button and drag the splitter left or right to change the column width. Alternatively, you can select the column and then select Format, Column, Width to specify a new width for the column.

Edit Data From time to time, you need to change the data in a cell. Perhaps your boss recalculated some piece of information, such as the annual sales projection, or perhaps you simply made a mistake. In any case, Excel makes it easy to edit existing data.

Editing Data in a Cell Insert additional cell content, replace existing cell content.

To edit the data in a cell, double-click in the cell. This action turns the cell itself into a live editing area. It also copies the contents of the cell to the formula bar. You can either edit the data directly in the cell or in the formula bar; the two stay synchronized. When you’re finished, press Tab or Enter or click the green check mark next to the formula bar. To replace the data in the cell, just click in the cell and start typing. As soon as you type a single character, the existing data is removed.

Undo and Redo Use the Undo, Redo command.

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Now that you’ve seen how easy it is to replace data, you might be worried: what happens if you accidentally type a character in the wrong cell and erase some critical data? Don’t worry! Excel supports nearly unlimited undo and redo capabilities. To undo the most recent action, reversing all its effects, select Undo from the Edit menu, click the Undo button on the Standard toolbar, or press Ctrl+Z. If you change your mind, you can then redo the action by selecting Redo from the Edit menu, clicking the Redo button on the Standard toolbar, or pressing Ctrl+Y. You’ll notice drop-down arrows next to the Undo and Redo toolbar buttons. Clicking on one of these arrows displays an entire list of recent actions that you can undo or redo, as shown in Figure 5.9. Click on any action in the list to undo or redo all the actions to that point.

Figure 5.9 The Undo list in action.

Duplication, Move, Delete Excel also offers a variety of ways to duplicate, move, or delete data from cells.

Duplicating Data Duplicate the contents of a cell, cell range within a worksheet, between worksheets, between open spreadsheets.

To duplicate the contents of a cell or a cell range, you can use Excel’s copy and paste tools. Follow these steps:

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that we discussed earlier in this chapter. 2. Select Copy from the Edit menu, press Ctrl+C, right-click the selected

cells and select Copy, or click the Copy toolbar button on the Standard toolbar. 3. Select a destination for the data. It can be another cell in the same

worksheet, a cell on a different worksheet in the same spreadsheet, or even a cell on a completely different spreadsheet. If you’re duplicating an entire range, you can select an identically sized range or a single cell at the upper-left corner of the destination. If you select a target range larger than the original range, the contents will be repeated multiple times, as shown in Figure 5.10. 4. Select Paste from the Edit menu, press Ctrl+V, right-click the destina-

tion cell and select Paste, or click the Paste button on the Standard toolbar.

Copy from a singe cell…

…and paste into a range to repeat the cell contents

Figure 5.10 Duplicating a cell to a range.

Using AutoFill Use the autofill tool/copy handle tool to copy, increment data entries.

Excel offers several ways to quickly fill in repetitive information. For example, suppose you need the number 5 to appear in every cell in a row from column 1 to column 20. You can use AutoFill to make this happen quickly. Type

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the number 5 in column 1. Then select the entire range, from column 1 to column 20. Select Edit, Fill, Right to copy the number to every cell in the range. You can also use Edit, Fill, Down to copy data to other cells in the same column. Alternatively, you can use the copy handle to perform the same operation with the mouse. Fill in the first cell, and then hover the mouse over the lower-right corner of the cell until you see a small plus sign. This plus sign is the copy handle. Click the mouse and drag to the right or down to duplicate the contents of the cell. The copy handle method also knows how to generate common series of entries. For example, if you type Jan into a cell and then drag the copy handle from that cell, succeeding cells are filled in with Feb, Mar, and so on.

Moving Data Move the contents of a cell, cell range within a worksheet, between worksheets, between open spreadsheets.

To duplicate the contents of a cell or a cell range, you can use Excel’s cut and paste tools. Follow these steps: 1. Select the data that you want to duplicate, using any of the methods

that we discussed earlier in this chapter. 2. Select Cut from the Edit menu, press Ctrl+X, right-click the selected

cells and select Cut, or click the Cut toolbar button on the Standard toolbar. 3. Select a destination for the data. It can be another cell in the same

worksheet, a cell on a different worksheet in the same spreadsheet, or even a cell on a completely different spreadsheet. If you’re duplicating an entire range, you can select an identically sized range or a single cell at the upper-left corner of the destination. 4. Select Paste from the Edit menu, press Ctrl+V, right-click the destina-

tion cell and select Paste, or click the Paste button on the Standard toolbar.

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Deleting Data Delete cell contents.

To delete the contents of a cell or a range of cells, first select the cell or cells. Then press the Delete key on your keyboard, right-click the area and select Delete, or select Delete from the Edit menu. If you press the Delete key, the contents of the selected cells are replaced with empty cells, and no other data moves. If you use one of the menu items, you are prompted as to whether to shift data up or left to fill in the deleted cell.

Search and Replace Excel, like any other major application, lets you search for and replace data in a worksheet.

Searching for Data Use the search command for specific content in a worksheet.

To search for data in a worksheet, select Find from the Edit menu or press Ctrl+F. This will open the Find dialog box, shown in Figure 5.11. Enter the text that you want to search for, and specify whether you want to search in formulas (the calculations that determine the displayed text; you’ll learn more about formulas later in this chapter) or values (the actual displayed text). Click the Find Next button, and continue clicking the button to find additional instances of the data. You can also use check boxes in the Find dialog box to specify that the text must match what you typed exactly (including capitalization) and whether you want to only match entire cells instead of text anywhere within a cell.

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Figure 5.11 Searching for content in a worksheet.

Replacing Data Use the replace command for specific content in a worksheet.

To replace data, select Replace from the Edit menu, or press Ctrl+H. The Replace dialog box, shown in Figure 5.12, is very similar to the Find dialog box. However, it includes an additional control where you can select a replacement value. Enter the text that you want to find and the text that you want to replace it with. Click the Find Next button to highlight the first instance of that text in your worksheet. Now click Replace to replace that instance and search for the next one, Replace All to replace all remaining instances of the data in the worksheet, or Close to cancel the process.

Figure 5.12 The Replace dialog box.

Sort Data Few of us are so lucky as to always enter data in the exact order we need to view it. This next section offers a look at sorting data.

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Sorting Data Sort a cell range by one criterion in ascending, descending numeric order, ascending, descending alphabetic order.

Excel makes it easy to sort your data. For example, suppose you have a worksheet containing customer names and addresses, and you’d like to have them sorted by zip code. Just follow these steps: 1. Select the entire range containing all the data. 2. Select Sort from the Data menu. 3. In the Sort dialog box, shown in Figure 5.13, choose the data that you

wish to sort by. 4. Click OK.

Figure 5.13 Searching for content in a worksheet.

Excel can sort either alphabetic or numeric values using the same procedure. To sort in descending order, click the Descending option button before performing the sort. Or select the data you want to sort and click the Sort Ascending or Sort Descending buttons on the toolbar.

Worksheets A worksheet is the object into which you enter (and store) data and formulas. The module also tests your ability to perform basic worksheet operations.

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Handling Worksheets Sometimes you need to work with entire worksheets, rather than single cells. In this section, you’ll learn how to perform basic worksheet operations: inserting, renaming, deleting, copying, and moving worksheets.

Inserting Worksheets Insert a new worksheet.

Although the default Excel spreadsheet has three worksheets, you’re not limited to that number. To add a new worksheet, select Worksheet from the Insert menu. You can also right-click on any existing worksheet tab and select Insert. In this case, the Insert dialog box, shown in Figure 5.14, appears. Select Worksheet and click OK to insert the new worksheet.

Figure 5.14 The Insert dialog box.

Renaming Worksheets Rename a worksheet.

You’re not required to use the default worksheet names of Sheet1, Sheet2, and so on. In fact, it’s better to rename your worksheets to indicate their

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actual usage. A spreadsheet that you use for budgeting, for example, might contain worksheets named Projected, Actual, and Variance. To rename a worksheet, Select Format, Sheet, Rename or right-click on the worksheet tab and select Rename. Either way, you can type a new name directly on the worksheet tab. Click anywhere in the worksheet or press the Enter key when you’re done.

Deleting Worksheets Delete a worksheet.

Sometimes you might decide that you no longer need a worksheet in a particular spreadsheet. To delete a worksheet, select Delete Sheet from the Edit menu or right-click on the worksheet tab and select Delete. In either case, Excel presents a warning message. Click OK to delete the worksheet or Cancel to return to the spreadsheet without deleting the worksheet.

Copying and Moving Worksheets Duplicate a worksheet within a spreadsheet, between open spreadsheets. Move a worksheet within a spreadsheet, between open spreadsheets.

You can also copy and move worksheets. To begin, select Move or Copy Sheet from the Edit menu or right-click on the worksheet tab and select Move or Copy. This action opens the Move or Copy dialog box, shown in Figure 5.15. Select the spreadsheet and position where you want the worksheet to end up. To copy the worksheet, check the Create a Copy check box. To move the worksheet (removing it from its current location), clear this check box. Click OK to perform the operation. You can use the same technique whether you are moving or copying the worksheet within a spreadsheet or to an entirely different spreadsheet.

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Figure 5.15 The Move or Copy dialog box.

Formulas and Functions If you only used it to store data, a spreadsheet wouldn’t be much different from a word processing document. But spreadsheets have an additional function that you won’t find in word processors: they perform calculations. For example, you can tell a spreadsheet that one cell should always contain the sum of the values in two other cells or the average of a column of cells. You need to understand the basics of such formulas and functions to work effectively with a spreadsheet.

Arithmetic Formulas The simplest formulas involve basic arithmetic: addition, subtraction, multiplication, and division. In this section, we review how to construct formulas using these basic operations.

Building Simple Formulas Generate formulas using cell references and arithmetic operators (addition, subtraction, multiplication, division).

To create a very simple formula, follow these steps: 1. Type the value

1

in cell A1.

2. Type the value

1

in cell A2.

3. Type the value

=A1+A2

in cell A3 and press Enter.

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Figure 5.16 shows the worksheet at this point. Notice that the worksheet displays the value 2 in cell A3, whereas the formula bar shows the actual formula that you typed.

Figure 5.16 A worksheet with a simple formula.

When you type an equals sign as the first character in a cell, that tells Excel that the cell will contain a formula—instructions for a calculation. Excel displays the results of the calculation, but as the formula bar shows, it stores the actual formula. This particular formula tells Excel that cell A3 should contain the sum of the values in cells A1 and A2. If you change one of those values, Excel automatically recalculates the formula. For example, type 4 in cell A1. As soon as you press Enter, cell A3 changes to display the new results of the formula, 5. Formulas can contain any combination of the basic arithmetic operators: ➤ + for addition ➤ – for subtraction ➤ * for multiplication ➤ / for division

A formula can contain more than one of these operators, and you can use parentheses to group things together. Formulas can also refer to the results of other formulas. For example, at this point you can enter the formula =((A3A1)*2)/A2 in cell B1. B1 will display the result of the calculation, 2.

Formulas and Errors Recognize and understand standard error values associated with using formulas.

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Once you start using formulas, there’s the chance of making an error: telling Excel to calculate something that makes no sense. For example, enter the formula =A1/0 in any cell on your worksheet. Excel displays the result as #DIV/0! to indicate that you attempted to divide by zero, which of course is impossible. Table 5.2 shows the error values that you might see on a worksheet. Table 5.2 Excel Error Values Value

Meaning

#####

The data is too wide to display. Make the column wider to see what’s really here.

#VALUE!

A cell doesn’t have an appropriate value for the entered formula. For example, if you enter =A1+A2, but A1 contains letters instead of numbers, you get this error.

#DIV/0!

You attempted to divide by zero.

#NAME?

Excel doesn’t recognize some text in a formula. For instance, =ZZ1+ZZ2 causes this error because there is no column ZZ.

#N/A

A value is not available. This error most often happens when you’re using a built-in function and you don’t supply all the values that it requires.

#REF!

A cell reference doesn’t point to anything. If you delete cell A1, for example, any formula that refers to A1 will return #REF!.

#NUM!

Invalid number. This error can happen when a calculation returns a result too large or too small for Excel to display.

#NULL!

A range reference doesn’t return any cells. This error is usually the result of typing a cell reference incorrectly.

Cell Referencing In the very first formula that you wrote, =A1+A2, A1 and A2 are cell references: they tell Excel where to find values for the formula to use. Excel offers several different ways to create cell references.

Using Cell References Understand and use relative, mixed, absolute cell referencing in formulas.

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The two basic types of cell reference are absolute and relative. An absolute cell reference isn’t adjusted when you copy it; a relative cell reference is adjusted. Here’s an example to show you the difference: 1. Enter the values

1

in cell A1, 2 in cell B1, 3 in cell A2, and 4 in cell B2.

2. Enter the formula

=A1+A2

in cell A4.


=$A$1+$A$2

in cell A5.

4. Select cells A4 and A5 and press Ctrl+C to copy them. 5. Click in cell B4 and press Ctrl+V to paste the cells. 6. Press Esc to clear the selection highlight.

Figure 5.17 shows the result. Cell B4 shows the sum of B1 and B2, whereas B5 shows the sum of A1 and A2.

Figure 5.17 Experimenting with cell references.

If you look at the new cells, B4 contains the formula B1+B2, whereas B5 contains the formula $A$1+$A$2. By default, Excel formulas are relative; when you copy them, Excel automatically adjusts them to refer to cells in the same relative positions. Copying the formula from A4 sideways fixed up the cell references to point to column B instead of column A. Adding the dollar signs converts a relative formula into an absolute formula. Copying $A$1 anywhere still results in a reference to cell A1. A third type of reference is the mixed reference, in which you specify one part of the formula as absolute and the other as relative. A cell reference of $A1 always points to column A, but the row changes if you copy it up or down on the worksheet. A cell reference of A$1 always points to row 1, but the column changes if you copy it sideways on the worksheet.

220 Chapter 5 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Be prepared to enter simple expressions that perform basic mathematical and logical operations.

Working with Functions As part of its formula support, Excel contains numerous built-in functions to make it easier to calculate things. You need to know about some of these functions to pass the exam.

Using Aggregate Functions Generate formulas using sum, average, minimum, maximum, count functions.

The first set of important functions are the aggregate functions—so called because they give results based on aggregating the values in several cells. To see the basic aggregate functions in action, try this example: 1. Enter the values 1, 2, 3, 4, and

5

in cells A1 through A5.


=SUM(A1:A5)

in cell B1.


=AVERAGE(A1:A5)


=MIN(A1:A5)

in cell B3.


=MAX(A1:A5)

in cell B4.


=COUNT(A1:A5)

in cell B2.

in cell B5.

Figure 5.18 shows the results.

Figure 5.18 Experimenting with aggregate functions.

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There are two things here that you haven’t seen yet in this chapter. First, the reference A1:A5 is a cell range reference: It refers to an entire range of cells, from A1 through A5 inclusive. Here are some other cell range references: ➤ B4:B17 refers to all the cells in column B from row 4 to row 17. ➤ A3:J3 refers to all the cells in the third row from column A through col-

umn J. ➤ A2:D5 refers to a rectangular area with A2 at its upper-left corner and

D5 at its lower-right corner. The other new parts of the formulas in this exercise are the aggregate functions SUM, AVERAGE, MIN, MAX, and COUNT. They do just what you’d expect: calculate the sum, average, minimum value, maximum value, and number of values in a range. So you might read =MAX(A1:A5) as “return the maximum value out of all the values found anywhere in the range from A1 to A5.”

Using Logical Functions Generate formulas using the logical function IF (yielding one of two specific values).

You should also know how to use the logical function IF. The IF function lets you return one of two values depending on a condition. To see how it works, try this example: 1. Enter the value

1

in cell A1.


=IF(A1=1, “Good”, “Bad”)

in cell B2. Note that cell B2

displays the value Good. 3. Now change the value in cell A1 to 2. Cell B2 displays

Bad,

as shown in

Figure 5.19. The IF function requires three pieces of information, separated by commas. The first is a condition that can be either true or false. In this case, the condition is A1=1; that’s a true statement when A1 contains the value 1 and a false statement otherwise. The second part of the IF function is a value to return if the condition is true, and the third part is a value to return if the condition is false. So you might read the formula =IF(A1=1, “Good”, “Bad”) as “return the value Good if cell A1 contains 1 and the value Bad otherwise.”

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Figure 5.19 Using a logical formula.

Formatting So far we’ve just been letting Excel decide how to display the information that we enter. But Excel allows you to choose many options that affect the format of the display. You need to know about a few of these to pass the exam: ➤ Controlling the display of numbers, dates, and percentages ➤ Changing fonts ➤ Changing colors

Numbers/Dates In many cases, worksheets consist largely of numbers and dates: think of a financial statement, for example. So it only makes sense that Excel offers flexible ways to format this information.

Formatting Numbers Format cells to display numbers to a specific number of decimal places, to display numbers with, without commas to indicate thousands.

Let’s start with some numbers. Enter 12345.6789 in a worksheet cell. Excel displays it rounded off as 12345.68, but all the digits are still there. You can use the Increase Decimal and Decrease Decimal buttons on the Formatting toolbar to change how many decimal places are displayed. By using these buttons, you can display the number in a variety of ways:

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You can also choose whether or not to include commas in your numbers as separators for thousands. Click the Comma Style button on the Formatting toolbar to add commas (displaying the number as, for example, 12,345.68). Excel also lets you fine-tune numeric formats using the Format Cells dialog box. To display this dialog box, right-click on the cell and select Format Cells, select Cells from the Format menu, or press Ctrl+1. This dialog box, shown in Figure 5.20, lets you fine-tune every aspect of numeric display. It gives you a handy preview of the results in the Sample area. Click OK to apply your changes.

Figure 5.20 Fine-tuning numeric formatting.

Formatting Dates Format cells to display a date style.

When you enter dates into Excel, it automatically knows to display them as dates. For example, if you type 4/5/2003 into a cell, that’s exactly what will be

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displayed. But there are many alternative date formats available. To see them, select a cell containing a date and open the Format Cells dialog box. You see that you can get anything from 5-Apr-03 to A out of the same date. Whatever format you choose for display, Excel still stores the entire date in your worksheet.

Formatting Currency Format cells to display a currency symbol.

Many worksheets contain numbers that should be displayed as currency: income, expenses, asset values, and so on. To display a number as currency, select the cell and click the Currency Style toolbar button on the Formatting toolbar, or select Style from the Format menu, choose the Currency style, and click OK. The currency style uses the appropriate symbol for the version of Windows you have installed. For example, if you’re working with Japanese Windows, currency is displayed with a yen symbol instead of a dollar sign.

Formatting Percentages Format cells to display numbers as percentages.

It’s also easy to format cells to display numbers as percentages. For example, enter .35 in a cell, and then click the Percent Style toolbar button on the Formatting toolbar. Excel displays the cell as 35%. You can also select the Percent style in the Format Cells dialog box or the Style dialog box.

Contents So far we’ve been changing the values displayed but not the way that they look. Excel offers you complete control over the visual aspect of the value as well.

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Changing Fonts Change cell content appearance: font sizes, font types. Apply formatting to cell contents such as: bold, italic, underline, double underline.

To change the font type or font size of any cell, open the Format Cells dialog box and click on the Font tab. This action displays the choices shown in Figure 5.21. As you change the font and size, the Preview window shows you the appearance of your chosen font. Click OK to apply your changes to the cell.

Figure 5.21 Setting the font for a cell.

You can also set font attributes such as bold, italic, underline, and double underline in this dialog box, but there are alternatives for most of these choices as well. For bold, click the Bold toolbar button on the Formatting toolbar, or press Ctrl+B. For italic, click the Italic toolbar button on the Formatting toolbar, or press Ctrl+I. For underline, click the Underline toolbar button on the Formatting toolbar, or press Ctrl+U.

Changing Colors Apply different colors to cell content, cell background.

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If you’d like, it’s easy to dress up your spreadsheets with a little color. To change the color of the font in a cell, click on the drop-down arrow next to the Font Color toolbar button on the Formatting toolbar. This action opens a palette of color choices. Click on the one you want to change the font color. To change the color of the cell’s background, follow the same procedure with the Fill Color toolbar button on the Formatting toolbar. Font and background color choices are also available in the Cell Format dialog box. You can change the font color on the Font tab or the background color on the Patterns tab.

Copying Formatting Copy the formatting from a cell, cell range to another cell, cell range.

Setting the format, font, and color options for a single cell can take quite a while. Fortunately, you don’t have to repeat this process for every similar cell. Instead, you can copy all the formatting from a cell or range to another cell or range. Just follow these steps: 1. Select the cell or cell range that already has the formatting that you

want to copy. 2. Click the Format Painter toolbar button on the Standard toolbar.

(Click twice to lock the tool.) 3. Click on the cell that you want to have the same format, or click and

drag across a range of cells.

Wrapping Text Apply text wrapping to contents within a cell.

When you enter a long piece of text in a cell, Excel displays it across several cells. If you prefer, you can make the text wrap in the same cell. To do so, select the cell and open the Format Cells dialog box. Select the Alignment

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tab and check the Wrap Text check box. Click OK. Figure 5.22 shows the result. Note how the nonwrapped text overflows its cell into the adjacent cells.

Figure 5.22 Unwrapped and wrapped text.

Alignment, Effects For the last formatting section, we cover alignment and border customization.

Aligning Cell Contents Align contents in a cell, cell range: left, center, right, top, bottom.

The Alignment tab in the Format Cells dialog box also lets you specify where in a cell to place the text. You can use the Horizontal combo box to select left, center, or right alignment (as well as some other choices) and the Vertical combo box to choose whether to print text at the top or bottom of the cell. You can also adjust the horizontal alignment with the Align Left, Center, and Align Right toolbar buttons on the Formatting toolbar. Figure 5.23 shows the effects of various alignment choices.

Figure 5.23 Excel offers a variety of alignment choices.

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Adding Titles Center a title over a cell range.

You can also center text across an entire range of cells, rather than in a single cell. To do so, first type your text in a single cell. Then select a horizontal range of cells that includes the cell containing your text. Open the Format Cells dialog box and select the Alignment tab. In the Horizontal combo box, select Center Across Selection. Click OK. The dividing lines between the cells vanish, and your text is centered in the entire range.

Setting Text Orientation Adjust cell content orientation.

You can even print cell text at any angle you like. Select a cell, open the Format Cells dialog box, and select the Alignment tab. You can use the Orientation control to set the angle of the text: sloping up, sloping down, and even vertical.

Adding Borders Add border effects to a cell, cell range.

You can also fine-tune the borders for each cell in your worksheet. Select a cell or a range and then click the drop-down arrow next to the Borders toolbar button on the Formatting toolbar. This action gives you a palette with a number of built-in choices, such as a border only to the left or a border all the way around the cell. For even more choices, open the Format Cells dialog box and choose the Borders tab. The controls on this tab allow you to select which borders to draw, how thick they should be, and even which color to use for each individual border.

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Charts/Graphs Numbers are fine for presenting data, but sometimes a large array of numbers can be difficult to understand. That’s when Excel’s charting and graphing capabilities come in handy.

Using Charts/Graphs For ease of understanding, Excel makes it possible to create charts (sometimes called graphs) of your data. The exam will test your ability to create and edit charts. In Excel, chart and graph both mean the same thing.

Creating Charts and Graphs Create different types of charts/graphs from spreadsheet data: column chart, bar chart, line chart, pie chart.

To see how creating charts works, you need some sample data. Enter the data shown in Figure 5.24 in cells A1 through B4 of a new worksheet.

Figure 5.24 Sample data for creating charts.

Now follow these steps to create a simple column chart of the data: 1. Select the entire region from A1 through B4. 2. Click the Chart Wizard toolbar button on the Standard toolbar, or

select Chart from the Insert menu. 3. In Step 1 of the Chart Wizard, you can select the type of chart to cre-

ate. Accept the default clustered column chart, and click Next.

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the range before launching the wizard, the correct range already appears here. Click Next. 5. In Step 3, you can add a chart title or specify titles for the axes of the

chart. Click Next. 6. In Step 4, select the option to place the chart as an object in the cur-

rent worksheet. Click Finish. 7. Excel creates the new chart and displays it together with the Chart

toolbar, as shown in Figure 5.25.

Figure 5.25 A new column chart.

To create a different type of chart, simply select the chart type in Step 1 of the Chart Wizard. Figure 5.26 shows the same data on a bar chart, a line chart, and a pie chart.

Figure 5.26 Bar, line, and pie charts.

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Text on Charts Add a title, label to the chart/graph. Remove a title, label from the chart/graph.

When you create a new chart, it’s immediately ready to be edited. You can tell that a chart is in editing mode because the Chart toolbar is visible and the chart has a series of square selection handles at each corner and in the middle of each side. (You can use the mouse to resize the chart by grabbing one of these selection handles and dragging it.) What can you do when a chart is in editing mode? For starters, you can add a title or a label. To do so, right-click on the chart and select Chart Options. Enter any text you would like for the chart title and the labels for the X and Y axes of the chart, as shown in Figure 5.27, and then click OK. Excel adds your text to the chart.

Figure 5.27 Adding a chart title and axis labels.

You can also add labels to the individual bars or slices on your chart. To do so, right-click one of the data points and select Format Data Series. Select the Data Labels tab and then choose an appropriate option (such as Show Value) to add labels to the data. To remove a title or label from a chart, right-click on the text that you’d like to remove and select Clear.

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Customizing Colors Change the background color in a chart/graph. Change the column, bar, line, pie slice colors in a chart/graph.

You can also change the color of any part of a chart. To change the background color of a chart, click on the chart background (away from any lines or objects) and select Format Chart Area from the shortcut menu. Click on the Patterns tab in the Format Chart Area dialog box, select the new color, and click OK. To change the color of an object such as a column, bar, line, or pie slice, first click on any of the bars, columns, or slices to select the entire data series. Then click on the particular bar, column, line, or slice to select it. Right-click the selected object and select Format Data Point. Click on the Patterns tab in the Format Data Point dialog box, select the new color, and click OK.

Changing Chart Types Change the chart/graph type.

If you’ve added a pie chart to your worksheet but later decide it should have been a line chart—no problem! Make sure the chart is in editing mode, rightclick anywhere on the chart, and select Chart Type. This action opens the Chart Type dialog box, which lets you convert the chart to any other type that Excel supports.

Working with Charts and Graphs Duplicate, move charts/graphs within a worksheet, between open spreadsheets. Resize, delete charts/graphs.

You should also know the basics of manipulating charts:

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Then click anywhere on the worksheet, on another worksheet in the same spreadsheet, or in any other open spreadsheet and press Ctrl+V. ➤ To move a chart to a different position in the same worksheet, click on

the chart and hold the mouse button down. Drag the chart to its new position and release the mouse button. ➤ To move a chart to another worksheet or spreadsheet, click on the chart

to select it and press Ctrl+X. Then click anywhere on the worksheet, on another worksheet in the same spreadsheet, or in any other open spreadsheet and press Ctrl+V. ➤ To resize a chart, click on the chart to select it. Then drag any of the

selection handles to expand or contract the chart. ➤ To delete a chart, click on the chart to select it. Then press the Del key.

Prepare Outputs When you’re all done with your spreadsheet, you’ll probably want to print out a copy. In this section of the chapter, we review the basic steps in setting up your worksheet for printing and then printing it.

Worksheet Setup The exam will test your ability to set up a worksheet for printing, including setting up the pages and adding text to the header and footer areas of the printout.

Setting Up Pages Change worksheet margins: top, bottom, left, right. Change worksheet orientation: portrait, landscape. Change paper size. Adjust page setup to fit worksheet contents on one page, on a specific number of pages.

Before you can print your work, you should make sure you have the printer set up the way you want it. To do so, select Page Setup from the File menu. This action opens the Page Setup dialog box, shown in Figure 5.28.

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Figure 5.28 The Page Setup dialog box.

You can set a variety of print options in this dialog box: ➤ To change the worksheet margins, click on the Margins tab. You can

enter individual values for the top, bottom, left, and right margins here, as shown in Figure 5.29. ➤ To change the paper orientation, click on the Page tab. Select portrait or

landscape orientation. ➤ To change the paper size, select the paper size on the Page tab. ➤ To adjust the page setup to fit the worksheet on a specific number of

pages, click on the Fit to option button in the Scaling section of the Page tab, and specify the number of pages to use for the printout.

Figure 5.29 Setting worksheet margins.

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Working with Headers and Footers Add, modify test in headers, footers in a worksheet. Insert fields: page numbering information, date, time, filename, worksheet name into headers, footers.

You can specify headers and footers to be printed at the top and bottom of each sheet of the printout. To do so, select the Header/Footer tab of the Page Setup dialog box. You can use the Header and Footer combo boxes to choose among a variety of standard formats, including page numbering, filename, worksheet name, and the current date. You can also insert custom text in headers or footers. Click the Custom Header or Custom Footer button to open the Custom dialog box, shown in Figure 5.30. Buttons in this dialog box let you format text, or insert the page number, the total number of pages, the date and time, and the file or worksheet name. To enter text, select the section (left, center, or right) of the header where you want the text to appear, and type in the text.

Figure 5.30 Creating a custom worksheet header.

Preparation Before actually committing your spreadsheet to paper, there are some preparatory steps that you should always take.

Checking Your Work Understand the importance of checking spreadsheet calculations and text before distribution.

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There’s an old saying in the computer world: garbage in, garbage out. Although Excel calculates whatever you tell it without making any numerical mistakes, it can’t know whether you’ve given it the wrong instructions. Before you distribute copies of your spreadsheet, you should check it for correctness. Some things to think about: ➤ Is all the text spelled correctly? Excel includes spell-checking capabilities

(Tools, Spelling) that you should take advantage of. ➤ Does everything look right? If some number seems suspiciously high or

low to you, check that cell to make sure that you didn’t make a mistake in entering the formula. ➤ If you’re creating a new version of an existing spreadsheet, do the num-

bers match up reasonably well? In most cases, large jumps in profit or distribution numbers between successive quarters, for example, might be suspicious.

Previewing Preview a worksheet.

Before you use up paper, you should do one final check on screen. For the final check, it’s useful to use print preview, which shows you exactly what the printed text will display. Select Print Preview from the File menu to see an onscreen preview. You can page through the preview to make sure that text is readable, that headers and footers are printing the correct information, and so on. When you’re done checking your work, click the Close button to return to the worksheet.

Customizing Print Features Turn on, off display of gridlines, display of row and column headings for printing purposes. Apply automatic title row(s) printing on every page of a printed worksheet.

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Excel offers you several ways to customize printouts: ➤ You can choose whether the printout should contain the gridlines or the

row and column headings. Although these items are useful onscreen, they can be distracting on paper, so Excel defaults to not printing them. To adjust these settings, select Page Setup from the File menu and navigate to the Sheet tab. There are separate check boxes for gridline and heading printing, as shown in Figure 5.31. Click OK when you’re done. ➤ You can choose to print a row or a set of rows at the top of each page.

This choice is useful when, for example, the first row contains titles for the columns. Again, you can make this setting on the Sheet tab of the Page Setup dialog box. To repeat two rows at the top of each sheet of the printout, for example, enter 1:2 in the Rows to Repeat at Top control.

Figure 5.31 Setting worksheet margins.

Printing You’re almost finished. All that’s left is making the final printout!

Printing Your Work Print a cell range from a worksheet, an entire worksheet, number of copies of a worksheet, the entire spreadsheet, a selected chart.

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To print your worksheet, select Print from the File menu. But you need to know how to select what you want to print: ➤ To print a cell range, select the cell range and then select File, Print

Area, Set Print Area. Then select Print from the File menu and click OK. ➤ To print an entire worksheet, first clear any print area by selecting File,

Print Area, Clear Print Area. Then select Print from the File menu and click OK. ➤ To print an entire spreadsheet, first clear any print area by selecting File,

Print Area, Clear Print Area. Then select Print from the File menu. In the Print dialog box, select the Entire Workbook option button and click OK. ➤ To print multiple copies of a worksheet, select Print from the File menu.

Enter the number of copies in the Print dialog box and click OK. ➤ To print a selected chart, select the chart and then select Print from the

File menu. Click OK.

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Question 1 You need to transfer data from Microsoft Excel to another application. Which of these formats can you use to save your Excel file? ❑ A. Microsoft Word (.doc) ❑ B. dBASE (.dbf) ❑ C. Text (.txt) ❑ D. Microsoft Access (.mdb) ❑ E. Bitmap (.bmp)

Answers B and C are correct. Excel can save files to a variety of text, spreadsheet, and database formats, including plain text and dBASE. Answers A, D, and E are incorrect because Excel cannot directly save files in those formats.

Question 2 Which of these techniques can you use to modify the Excel user interface? ❑ A. Remove menus that you never use. ❑ B. Show toolbars that are normally hidden. ❑ C. Change the text of menu items. ❑ D. Zoom in so text appears larger.

Answers B and D are correct. You can right-click in the toolbar area and choose which toolbars to display, and you can use the Zoom control or Ctrl+mouse wheel to zoom in on hard to read text. Answers A and C are incorrect because Excel does not allow you to modify its built-in menus.

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Question 3 You want to refer to a rectangular group of cells in a formula. The cells in the array should be A1, A2, A3, B1, B2, and B3. Which cell range reference should you use? ❍ A. A1B3 ❍ B. A1:A2:A3:B1:B2:B3 ❍ C. A1:B3 ❍ D. A1-3:B1-3

Answer C is correct. To refer to a rectangular cell range, you specify the upper-left and lower-right corners, separated by a colon. Answers A, B, and D are incorrect because they are not valid Excel references.

Question 4 Cell C4 of your worksheet contains a complex formula that took you several hours to develop. You want to type some text in cell D4, but you accidentally type it in cell C4 instead, replacing your formula. What should you do? ❍ A. Close the worksheet without saving, and reopen it from the hard drive. ❍ B. Re-create your formula from memory. ❍ C. Open the worksheet with the same name and the extension .BAK from your hard drive. ❍ D. Press Ctrl+Z.

Answer D is correct. Ctrl+Z is the keyboard shortcut for the Undo function, which removes the typing and returns your formula. Answer A is incorrect because unless you’ve just saved the worksheet, the copy on disk won’t contain all your work. Answer B is incorrect because it would be more work than necessary. Answer C is incorrect because Excel does not maintain automatic backups.

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Question 5 Which formula should you place in cell C5 to show the results of adding the value in cell A2 to the value in cell B2? ❍ A. A2:B2 ❍ B. =A2+B2 ❍ C. A2+B2 ❍ D. ‘A2+B2

Answer B is correct. To start a formula, you must use an equals sign. Answer A is incorrect because it is a cell range reference, not a formula. Answer C is incorrect because it doesn’t start with an equals sign. Answer D is incorrect because the single quote is used to indicate literal text, not a formula.

Question 6 Which formula should you use to calculate the total of the numbers in cells C2, D2, E2, and F2? ❍ A. =SUM(C2:F2) ❍ B. =COUNT(C2:F2) ❍ C. =SUM(C2+D2+E2+F2) ❍ D. =COUNT(C2+D2+E2+F2)

Answer A is correct. To calculate the total, you need to use the SUM function and a cell range reference. Answers B and D are incorrect because the COUNT function counts cells with values; it doesn’t calculate their totals. Answers C and D are incorrect because the SUM and COUNT functions require a cell range, not a set of cells.

Question 7 You place the formula =A$1+A$2 in cell A3. Now you copy cell A3 to cell B3. What will be the formula in cell B3? ❍ A. =A$1+A$2 ❍ B. =A$2+A$3 ❍ C.

=B$2+B$3

❍ D. =B$1+B$2

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Answer D is correct. Answer A is incorrect because the formula hasn’t updated at all. Answer B is incorrect because the $ character makes the row numbers absolute but not the column reference. Answer C is incorrect for the same reason.

Question 8 If you type 1345.9873 in a cell on a worksheet, what will Excel display by default? ❍ A. 1346.0 ❍ B. 1345.99 ❍ C. 1345.987 ❍ D. 1345.9873

Answer B is correct. Excel rounds numeric values to two decimal places for display by default. Answers A, C, and D are incorrect because they include the wrong number of decimal places.

Question 9 You have changed the font, foreground color, and background color of a cell on your worksheet to match your corporate style. Now you want to apply those choices of color and font to other cells on the worksheet. How should you proceed? ❍ A. Use AutoFill to copy the format. ❍ B. Use Ctrl+C to copy the format and then Ctrl+V to paste it. ❍ C. Use the Format Painter to copy the format. ❍ D. Use a formula to copy the format.

Answer C is correct. The Format Painter tool lets you copy formatting from a cell and apply that formatting to other cells without altering their contents. Answer A is incorrect because AutoFill copies values, not formats. Answer B is incorrect because copy and paste overwrite the values in the destination cells. Answer D is incorrect because formulas work with values, not with formats.

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Question 10 You have created a bar chart of data from your worksheet. Now you want to see the same data as a pie chart instead. What should you do? ❍ A. Delete the bar chart and use the Chart Wizard to create a new pie chart from the same data. ❍ B. Use the mouse to drag the bars from the bar chart until they form a pie shape. ❍ C. Right-click the bar chart, select Chart Type, and change the type to pie chart. ❍ D. Select the chart and then select Pie Chart from the Format menu.

Answer C is correct. The Chart Type menu item lets you quickly convert a chart to a different type. Answer A is incorrect because it requires more work to have the same effect. Answer B is incorrect because you can’t drag the bars in that fashion. Answer D is incorrect because the Format menu does not include commands for chart types.

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Need to Know More? Kraynak, Joe. Absolute Beginner’s Guide to Microsoft Excel. Indianapolis, Indiana: Que Publishing, 2003. BayCon

Group

Microsoft

baycongroup.com/el0.htm

Excel

Tutorial,

http://www.

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Terms you’ll need to understand: ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓

Database Relational database Table Row Field/column Record Data type View mode

✓ ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓

Design view Primary key Index Relationship Query Criteria Report

Techniques you’ll need to master: ✓ Creating and modifying database objects such as tables, queries, forms, and reports ✓ Applying appropriate data types and understanding the consequences of your choices ✓ Understanding how a relational database works and the purpose of primary keys

✓ Knowing when and how to index a field or fields ✓ Searching for text in a table or form ✓ Creating queries to limit data ✓ Limiting data using criteria expressions ✓ Creating and printing reports ✓ Grouping and summarizing data in a report

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Knowing your way around a database can be a great asset: it’s a growing expertise, and you need to know how to enter and manipulate stored data. This module on database applications covers the following topics: ➤ Using the application ➤ Tables ➤ Forms ➤ Retrieving data ➤ Reports ➤ Preparing outputs

New

Save Print Cut Undo Properties Paste Analyze New Object Preview

Open Print Copy Code Spelling OfficeLinks Relationships Format Painter

Microsoft Access Help

Access database toolbar. Apply/Remove Filter Filter by Selection New Record Sort Ascending Database window

Insert Hyperlink

Sort Descending

Find

Filter by Form Access table datasheet toolbar. Insert Rows Primary Key Properties

Indexes Build Delete Rows Access table design toolbar.

New Object

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Microsoft Access Help

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Show Direct Relationships

Clear Layout

Access relationships toolbar. Apply/Remove Filter Filter by Selection New Record Sort Ascending

Sort Descending

Find Delete Record

Filter by Form Access query datasheet toolbar. Show Tables Query Type Top Values

Run Totals Access query design toolbar. Apply/Remove Filter Filter by Selection New Record Sort Ascending Properties

Sort Descending

Find Delete Record

Filter by Form Access form view toolbar.

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Save Cut Undo AutoFormat Database window Print Preview Paste Field List Properties Microsoft Access Help Access form design toolbar.

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Italic Align Right Line/Border Width Align Left Font/Fore Color

Bold Center Line/Border Color Underline Fill/Back Special Effects Color

Access formatting (form/report) toolbar.

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Build Save Cut Undo Print Preview Paste Field List Code New Object Sorting and Grouping Access report design toolbar.

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Using the Application The range of database applications runs the complete line from simplistic to dazzling. You’ll find people using them to track personal possessions and companies using them to track every nuance of their businesses. In the simplest terms, a database stores data. In this section, you’ll learn the basics of operating a database application: ➤ How to create a new database ➤ Database terminology ➤ Different database objects ➤ How to open and close a database ➤ How to switch between object views ➤ How to get help when you need it

Database Concepts This section introduces you to the database application by defining what a database is and the objects used to store and manipulate data.

What Is a Database? Understand what a database is.

A database is a collection of persistent data. Microsoft Access, the database software used in this module, is a relational database management system (RDBMS). A relational database is a collection of persistent data that’s stored in multiple, but related, tables.

The Major Objects Understand how a database is organized in terms of tables, records, fields, and with field data types, field properties.

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A database stores data in tables—a collection of related data stored in rows and columns. The terms row and column refer to the physical structure of the table, as illustrated in Figure 6.1. The data in a column represents a field, the smallest unit of data in the database. A row is the combination of columns for one entity, or record, where the record is the actual data. You’ll often see the terms field and column used interchangeably. Columns (fields)

Rows Figure 6.1 A table consists of rows and columns.

Each field in the database is described by its data type (which limits the data that can be stored in that field) and its properties (such as its length or its description). You’ll learn more about field data types and field properties later in this chapter.

About the Primary Key Understand what a primary key is.

A primary key is the field or fields that uniquely identify each record. Primary keys are used to associate tables that contain related data. (You’ll learn a little more about that later.)

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For example, suppose your database contains a table of customers. Each customer is described by the various fields in the table: customer number, customer name, address, contact name, and so on. Because each customer has a unique customer number, the customer number field can be the primary key for the table. The primary key field can be based on an AutoNumber field, which generates a unique value for each record automatically. Or you can use one or more fields of data. When choosing a primary key, keep the following rules in mind: ➤ The primary key values must be unique. ➤ A primary key value can’t be null. Within this context, null means an

empty field. ➤ The primary key must exist when the record is created and stored.

About an Index Understand what an index is.

An index is an internal structure that stores key values which act as pointers to the data. The database uses indexes to search and sort data. The structure and process are similar to those for the index in a book. Instead of thumbing through the entire book hoping to find a particular topic, you refer to an index and find the exact page or pages that cover the topic.

About Relationships Understand the purpose of relating tables in a database.

By definition, a relationship is an association. Within the context of a relational database, a relationship is the association of two tables based on the primary key value. That means the primary key value is stored in both tables. With the primary key table, the value is unique and defines just one record

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in that table. For instance, the primary key value for a customer named Alfreds Futterkiste might be ALFKI (in the Customers table in Northwind, a sample database that comes with Access). That value points only to orders for Alfreds Futterkiste in the related Orders table. Furthermore, the Customers table can’t contain another primary key value of ALFKI. How does that help you find all the order records for Alfreds Futterkiste that are stored in a completely separate table? The primary key value identifies those records. When you enter a new order record, you must associate that new record to Alfreds Futterkiste by entering that customer’s primary key value, ALFKI, in the record along with the new order data in the Orders table. That’s what’s known as a foreign key value. In short, a foreign key is another table’s primary key value. Unlike a primary key value, a foreign key can be duplicated. For example, consider Figure 6.2, showing the Customers and Orders tables from the Northwind sample database. In the Customers table, the CustomerID field is the primary key. In the Orders table, the CustomerID field is the foreign key. You can see that if you want to know anything about the customer for an order (say, the address or contact information), you can use the CustomerID from the foreign key field to figure out which row of the Customers table contains the full info. The third window in Figure 6.2 is a query window. The query in this case displays data from both the Customers and Orders tables. Because of the primary key–foreign key relationship, Access knows how to combine information about the two tables into a single view. (You’ll learn more about queries later in this chapter.)

The Rules Understand the importance of setting rules to ensure relationships between tables are valid.

Related tables can be vulnerable if you don’t apply rules to protect them. Because both tables contain the same value in the form of the primary and foreign key values, you must take measures to ensure that those values are entered appropriately. These rules protect the integrity of your data. Integrity, within the context of a relational database, is simply a set of rules that maintain the relationships and, consequently, the data. One of these

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integrity rules is known as referential integrity, which simply stated is as follows: A foreign key value must match a primary key value in a related table or be null (empty). Now, for the most part, you do not want a null foreign key value unless you have very specific reasons; ordinarily, we recommend against using null foreign values. Foreign key Primary key

Fields from Customers

Fields from Orders

Figure 6.2 The system displays related data from two tables together as one record.

For example, suppose your database includes a table of publishers and a table of books. Your data integrity rule would be that each book belongs to a particular publisher. In this context, the primary key of the publisher’s table (say, the publisher’s name) would appear as a foreign key in the books table. You’ll learn more about referential integrity later in this chapter.

First Steps with Databases Now that you know what a relational database is and does, it’s time to launch Access and start using it.

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Opening and Closing the Application Open (and close) a database application.

As with all Office applications, you have a number of ways to launch Access: ➤ Open the Start menu by clicking Start in the Windows toolbar, choose

All Programs, and select Microsoft Access. ➤ Click Access on the Windows Start menu (if available). ➤ Choose Access from the Windows Quick Launch toolbar (if available).

Once launched, Access displays a dialog box that allows you to open an existing database or create a new one. Or simply click Cancel to open just the application.

Logging On to an Existing Database Open, log on to an existing database.

There are a number of ways to open an existing database. If it is available, you can click a shortcut icon that launches Access and opens a specific database. Or with Access open, you can click the Open button on the Database toolbar, choose Open from the File menu, or press Ctrl+O. All three of these methods display the Open dialog box shown in Figure 6.3. Using the Look in control, navigate to the appropriate folder. Then, either highlight the database in the file list or enter the database in the File Name control, and click Open.

Creating a New Database Create a new database.

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Identify the database file Figure 6.3 Identify a database in the Open dialog box.

You can build a database from scratch or you can base a new database on a template. With Access open, choose New from the File menu, select Database from the General tab, and then click OK. When Access displays the File New Database dialog box, indicate the folder where you want to store the new database using the Look in control, enter a name in the File Name control, and then click Create.

Saving a Database Save a database to a location on a drive.

Oddly enough, saving a database to a particular drive and folder is part of the creation process. Specify where you want to store the database when you create it. However, you can move a database via the Explorer window. (See Chapter 3, “Using the Computer and Managing Files,” for details.)


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Access offers an extensive Help section that can help you learn how to use the software. Choose Microsoft Access Help (or press F1) from the Help menu to display the Help window (or launch the Office Assistant) to do the following: ➤ Enter a specific question. ➤ Click the Index tab to search by keywords. ➤ Get more help online.

Closing a Database Close a database.

To close an open database, choose Close from the File menu, or click the Windows Close button on the Database window toolbar. To close Access, click the Windows Close button on the application window or choose Exit from the File menu.

Adjust Settings Access is a busy program with a number of objects you can view in various modes and a fistful of toolbars and options you can apply. Knowing your way around the Access window and its many objects will make your work easier.

Viewing Objects and Data Change between view modes in a table, form, report.

When an actual database file is current, Access displays the Database window. If the database is new and contains no objects, the window is empty, except for the shortcut items (that launch objects and wizards). If you based the new database on a template, or if you’re working with an existing database, the window contains objects, similar to those shown in Figure 6.4. Simply click the Shortcut buttons on the Objects toolbar to view the readyto-use objects.

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Shortcut buttons to specific object types Figure 6.4 Database objects are accessible via the Database window.

The Database window houses all the objects in a database. All these objects are really just user-interface elements that allow you to interact with the data. Tables store the actual data. Forms allow you to view, add, and modify data. Reports allow you to arrange data in a meaningful format, which you can then print and share. Each object type has two viewing modes. You use design view to create and modify the object properties. To actually interact and view the data, you use one of the many object views: Datasheet (tables), Form, and Print Preview (reports). To access a table, form, or report, click the appropriate Shortcut button on the Objects toolbar (to the left of the Database window). Doing so updates the list of objects accordingly. To open and view the object and any data it might display, simply double-click the item. Or select the item and click the Open button on the Database Window toolbar (see Figure 6.4). To open the object in design view, select the item and click the Design button on the Database window toolbar.

Working with Toolbars Display, hide built-in toolbars.

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Access (normally) displays the Database toolbar and the standard menu bar when it launches. There are a number of toolbars available, and you’ll notice as you use Access that the toolbar buttons and menu bar commands change according to the view and object that are current. To display toolbars, select Toolbars from the View menu to display the list of available toolbars shown in Figure 6.5. Checked items are already displayed. To display an unchecked item, simply select the toolbar from the resulting list. To hide a toolbar, repeat the process, but select a checked item to uncheck it. The available toolbars change according to the current object and view.

Figure 6.5 Check and uncheck toolbars to display and hide them, respectively.

Tables Access stores data in tables. You need to know how to create and modify them. Tables are also known as datasheets: both terms are used interchangeably. In this section, you’ll learn the following: ➤ How to create and modify a table ➤ How to define a table’s primary key ➤ How to exercise control by setting field properties ➤ How to define and set relationships between related tables

Main Operations A table has one purpose—to store data. To open a table and view the data, simply double-click it in the Database window. You need to know how to create and modify a table by adding fields and specifying data types. In addition, you should know how to add, modify, and delete data via the table and how to navigate from field to field and from record to record.

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Creating Tables Create and save a table and specify fields with their data types.

There are several ways to create a table. You can open a blank table in view form and start entering data immediately. Or you can open a blank table in design view and set properties before you enter data. To open a table in view mode, double-click the Create Table by Entering Data shortcut in the Database window’s tables list. At this point, you can start entering data and Access tries to guess the field’s most appropriate data type. To enter data, simply select a cell and enter a value. Click Tab to move to the next field and enter another value, and continue in this fashion until you’ve entered all your data. The table in Figure 6.6 shows two fields; one contains an alphanumeric value, and the second contains only numeric digits. Access automatically defines the first field as a text field and the second as a number field. You can change the settings later if necessary. At any time, you can switch the table to design view so you can set specific field and table properties. To do so, click the View button on the Table Datasheet toolbar. To save the table and the data, choose Save from the File menu or press Ctrl+S. In the resulting dialog box, enter a name for the table, and click OK. Or, close the table; if there are unsaved changes or additions, Access prompts you to save the table. After saving the table, close it and reopen it to remove the extraneous field columns. There are other ways to create a new table: ➤ Choose Table from the Insert menu to display the New Table dia-

log box. ➤ Click the Tables shortcut on the Objects bar, and then click New or

Design to display the New Table dialog box. ➤ Double-click the Create Table in Design View shortcut in the Database

window. ➤ Double-click the Create Table by Using Wizard shortcut in the

Database window. This action helps you build the new table.

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Text field

Click to close

New record row Figure 6.6 Enter data directly into the table. You’ll be expected to know how to create, view, modify, and delete the different types of database objects on the exam.

Adding and Deleting Data Add, delete records in a table.

To add a new record, select a field and type the entry. Press Tab to move to the next field. Continue in this manner until you’ve entered a value for each field. (You might want to leave a field blank occasionally.) Press Shift+Tab to move to the previous field. To move to the next record, you can use the mouse to click the first field in the next record. You can use the Tab key to cycle through all the fields. From

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the last field in the table, pressing Tab selects the first field in the next record. When you save a record, Access automatically displays the new record row so you can enter the next record. To delete a record from a table, click in the gray area just to the left of the record (this is called the record selector). Then press the Delete key or select Delete Record from the Edit menu.

Adding a New Field Add a field to an existing table.

If you want to add a field to an existing table, the table must be in design view. If the table is open and in view mode, click the View button on the Table Datasheet toolbar. If the table is closed, click the Tables shortcut on the Objects bar, select the table and click Design on the Database Window toolbar. Figure 6.7 shows the previous table in design view with a newly added field. To add a field to the table, select the first empty row in the Field Name column, type the field’s name, and click Tab. At this point, you must specify the field’s data type: remember, you choose it by selecting a data type from the Data Type field’s drop-down list. (Access did it for you earlier when you entered a value directly into the table in view mode. As you can see, Access chose appropriately. Field1 is a text field, Field2 is a number field.) Once you choose a data type, Access displays the appropriate properties in the Field Properties pane. You can adjust these settings as necessary. When you’re done, close the table and save it.

Adding and Modifying Records Add, modify data in a record.

The sample table has a new field, and right now that field contains no data. If the table is still in design view, click View. If it’s closed, double-click the table in the Database window. Once the table is in view mode, you can enter new data in the new field or a new record. You can also modify existing data.

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Choose a data type

Figure 6.7 Use design view to alter a table’s design.

To enter new data into the new field, select the first blank field in the column and enter an appropriate value. Press the Down arrow to select the next field in the column and enter a value. When you’re ready to enter the next full record, press Tab to select the first field in the new record row. Enter appropriate data and press Tab to move to the next field. Continue in this manner as long as necessary to enter any new data. (Notice that all the extraneous fields are now gone.) To modify a value, select the appropriate field and replace the value. Simply select the character or characters and enter the new ones. Access overwrites the existing data, character for character. To save the new value, simply move to another record. Before saving the value, you can reject the change by pressing Ctrl+Z.

Deleting Data in a Record Delete data in a record.

To delete a value, select it and press Delete. At this point, you can enter new data if you like or leave the field blank, as long as the field’s Required property is set to No (which means the field can be blank). To delete an entire

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record, click the record selector (the little gray square to the left of the record) and press Delete. Confirm the action by clicking Yes or click No to cancel the request.

Using Undo Use the Undo command.

If you make a mistake during data entry or simply change your mind, don’t worry. It’s easy to make changes. Simply click the Undo toolbar button, but be careful. You must do so before saving the record. Once the new value is saved, you can’t use Undo to revert to the previous value or cancel the action. After saving a record, choose Undo Saved Record from the Edit menu.

Navigating the Records Navigate within a table to next record, previous record, first record, last record.

Use the Tab key to move from field to field. Use the Navigation buttons to move from one record to another. You’ll find these buttons at the bottom of the table, on the Navigation toolbar shown in Figure 6.8. All these buttons have small arrows in them.

First record

Current record

Previous record

New record Last record Next record

Total number of records

Figure 6.8 Use navigating buttons to move though the records.

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If you want to make a quick jump to a record, enter the record number in the Current record control in the Navigation toolbar and press Enter.

Deleting a Table Delete a table.

Use caution when deleting tables: there’s no way to undo the action and you might lose data you need. If you decide you really can safely delete the table, simply select the table in the Database window and press Delete. When you do, Access asks you to confirm the action. Click Yes to continue or press No to cancel the request.

Saving and Closing a Table Save and close a table.

You must open a table to save it, but once it is open, you can save the table at any time by clicking Save on the File menu or pressing Ctrl+S. If the table is new and has never been saved, Access asks you to supply a name for the table. To close a table, click the Windows Close button in the table title bar or choose Close from the File menu. If the table has unsaved changes, Access prompts you to save the table.

Define Keys So far, our discussion of keys has been brief: you know what they are and how Access uses them. You also need to know how to set a table’s primary key.

Defining the Primary Key Define a primary key.

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A table must be in design view for you to set its primary key. In design view, select anywhere in the field row that you want to make the primary key and press the Primary Key button on the Table Design toolbar. If the primary key comprises more than one field, select the rows (using Ctrl+click on each row that you want to select) and click the Primary Key tool. Alternately, you can also right-click the row and select Primary Key from the resulting menu. Doing so displays a small key icon to the left of the field rows, as shown in Figure 6.9. Primary key tool

Indexes tool

Indicates that the row is the primary key Figure 6.9 Set a primary key field for the table.

Applying an Index Index a field with, without duplicates allowed.

You also set indexes in design view. Click the Indexes tool on the Table Design toolbar to display the Indexes dialog box, shown in Figure 6.10. If the table contains a primary key, the appropriate index is viewable in this dialog box. To set another index, enter a name for the index, choose the field to which you’re adding the index, and then specify a sort order. If you want the index to also be a primary key, choose Yes from the Primary Key property’s drop-down list. To create a unique index that rejects duplicate entries in the field, select Yes from the Unique property’s drop-down list. A Yes setting for the Ignore Nulls property allows Access to save a record with null values in that field. (You can’t apply a Yes setting if the index is on a primary key.)

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Figure 6.10 Adding an index to a table.

Table Design/Layout Controlling data at the table level is fundamental to the database’s function. Whenever possible, you want to use the table properties to discern the type of data required and accepted.

Applying Field Attributes Change field format attributes such as: field size, number format, date format.

Field properties can determine how many characters an entry will accept and how that entry is displayed. These properties are applied at the table level, and the table must be in design view for you to set these properties. When the field is a text field, simply enter the maximum number of characters any entry can contain as the field’s Field Size. The default field size is 255. Why would you bother? Doing so can help you control the data. For instance, if you want to force users to enter the postal abbreviations for states, you could limit a State field’s size to 2. That way, if the user enters Kentucky instead of KY, Access rejects the entry. Number fields also have a Field Size property, but you can’t just enter a number. Instead, Access offers a variety of numeric types that limit the size of the acceptable numeric value; Table 6.1 lists those options.

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Smallest Value

Largest Value

Decimal Places

Byte

0

255

0

Integer

-32,768

32,767

0

Long Integer

-2,147,483,648

2,147,483,647

0

Single

-3.4X10

3.4X10

38

7

Double

-1.8X10

1.8X10

308

15

Replication ID

N/A

N/A

Decimal

-1.10

38 308

38

1.10

N/A 38

28

The Field Size property controls the size of a value. The Format setting determines how that value is displayed. For the most part, you use this property to display numbers and dates. Table 6.2 lists the available formats and gives an example of each. Table 6.2 Number and Date Formats Data Type

Format

Explanation

Enter

Displays

Number

General Number

Displays the number as entered

123.456

123.456

Currency

Displays the regional currency symbol and thousands separator

1234.56

$1,234.56

Euro

Displays the Euro symbol regardless of regional settings

1234.56

€1,234.56

Fixed

Displays at least one digit; following the regional settings for negative amounts, decimal and currency symbols, and decimal places

1234.56

1234.00 if Field Size set to Integer or Long Integer 1234.56 if Field Size set to Single, Double, or Decimal

Standard

Same as Fixed but includes thousands separator

1234.56

1,234.00 or 1,234.56 (see Fixed) (continued)

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Date/Time

Format

Explanation

Enter

Displays

Percent

Multiplies the value by 100 and displays results with the percent sign

1 1.2 .2

100% 120% 20%

Scientific

Displays scientific notation

1234.56

1.24E+03

General Date

Shows date or time or both using Short Date and Long Time

1/1/04 1/1/04, 01:34:00 PM

1/1/04 1/1/04 1:34:00 PM

Long Date

Day of week and date

1/1/04

Thursday, January 1, 2004

Medium Date

Military, abbreviated style

Short Date

1/1/04

1-Jan-04

1/1/04

1/1/04

Long Time

All three time components

01:34:00 PM

1:34:00 PM

Medium Date

Hours and minutes and a.m./p.m.

01:34:00 PM

1:34 PM

Short Time

Hours and minutes using military clock

01:34:00 PM

13:34

Consequences of Changing Field Size Understand consequences of changing field size attributes in a table.

Choose the data type that most adequately accommodates the data. Make sure the data type will accept the largest possible value, but don’t allocate more space than is really needed. Once you’ve entered data, you shouldn’t change the data type unless it’s absolutely necessary. Doing so can have unintended consequences, such as lost data. For instance, if you change a text data to a number field, Access deletes any values that it can’t successfully convert to a valid numeric data type.

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Changing the Field Size setting can have the same result. Usually, you can increase the size without any problems. On the other hand, if you reduce the size and the field contains values that are larger or greater than the new size, Access deletes those values. If you do decide to make changes, create a backup of the table before you do so, just in case you lose data unexpectedly.

Creating a Validation Rule Create a simple validation rule for number, text, date/time, currency.

Data types and Field Size settings aren’t the only way to control the data a field will store. For instance, you might use a number data type and set the field size property to integer, but that setting has a huge range from -32,678 to 32,767. What if you want to store only values that range from 500 to 700? The data type will weed out non-numeric entries, but integer is the most adequate field size setting you’ve got and it can’t limit the entries to the degree you need. When you need more control than the data type and field size setting provide, try setting a validation rule. This property requires an expression that expresses the conditions an entry must meet to be accepted and saved. In this case, the expression >=500 And #12/31/1996#

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For a currency field, you could validate that the amount is less than $100: = (greater than or equals), = (equals), (not equal to), And, Or.

There are other ways to limit the data a query returns. Using what’s known as a criteria expression, you can return only that data that meets a specific condition. A criteria expression can be as simple as a lone value, such as a particular customer’s name. Or a criteria expression can be complex. For instance, you use a criteria expression to find all the orders filled on or before a specific date or during a specific time period. To express conditions, you use the logical operators in Table 6.3. Table 6.3 Logical Operators Used in Criteria Expressions Operator

Description

=

Is greater than or equal to

=

Equals

Is not equal to

And

Meets all specified conditions

Or

Meets any one specified condition

Adding and Removing Criteria Expressions Edit a query by adding, removing criteria.

Adding a criterion is a simple process. With the query in design view, determine the field you want to limit and enter the appropriate expression in that field’s criteria cell. For instance, to limit the previous query (refer to Figure 6.20) to a specific customer, open the query in design view and enter ERNSH in the CustomerID field’s Criteria cell. Next, enter the expression

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in the OrderDate field’s Criteria cell, as shown in Figure 6.22. The results display records for only one customer, Ernst Handel, and only those orders placed between November 1, 1996 and November 1, 1997. Between #11-01-96# and #11-01-97#

Figure 6.22 Limit the underlying data to just the records you want to see.

You can completely change the query’s results by removing any of the criteria expressions. To do so, simply highlight the appropriate expression and press Delete.

Editing a Query’s Data Structure Edit a query: add, remove, move, hide, unhide fields.

A query displays the data that meets all the conditions and makes it to the results as a datasheet. In fact, it’s difficult to tell the difference between the two, but they are different. The query doesn’t actually contain the data as a table does; the query is just showing the data from the underlying tables. However, most queries are dynamic in that any changes you make to the

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query via the datasheet make their way to the underlying table, so be careful when viewing query results. Similar to a table, the query’s datasheet can be modified as follows: ➤ To add a field, return to design view and add the field to the query’s

lower grid. ➤ To remove a field, return to design view and delete the field from the

query’s lower grid. To do so, simply select the column and press Delete. ➤ Move a column the same way you would in a table using the drag and

drop method. (See the section “Moving a Column” for more specific instructions.) ➤ To hide a column, open the query in design view and uncheck the Show

checkbox for the column. ➤ To unhide a hidden column, open the query in design view and check

the Show checkbox for the column.

Running a Query Run a query.

We’ve shown you the results of two queries, but we haven’t told you how we displayed them. To run a query, and subsequently view its results, click the Run button (it’s labeled with an exclamation point) on the Query Design toolbar.

Deleting a Query Delete a query.

Delete a query the same way you do any other database object. In the Database window, click the Queries shortcut on the Objects bar. Select the query in question, and press the Delete key. When prompted, either confirm or cancel the action.

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Saving and Closing a Query Save and close a query.

Many queries are used over and over. To save a query, click Save from the File menu, enter a name, and click OK. Or click the query’s Close button in the title bar and name the query when prompted.

Sort Records Viewing data in a meaningful order is just as important as limiting the data that you view. You need to know how to sort records by field data.

Sorting Data Sort data in a table, form, query output, in ascending, descending numeric, alphabetic order.

You can sort records in a table, a form, or even a query. Data can be sorted in ascending or descending order, alphabetically and numerically. Here’s how to sort in a table or form: ➤ Click anywhere in the field by which you want to sort and click one of

the Quick Sort tools: Sort Ascending or Sort Descending. Access sorts the entire table by the contents of the selected field. ➤ Click anywhere in the field by which you want to sort and choose Sort

from the Records menu. Then, choose Sort Ascending or Sort Descending from the resulting submenu. To sort a query’s output, open the query in design view and choose one of the sort options from the appropriate field’s Sort cell, as shown in Figure 6.23. You can sort by more than one field, but remember that the sort takes precedent from the left. The results show the contents of the OrderDate field sorted within the context of the CompanyName field.

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Figure 6.23 Sort the results of a query.

Reports A report is the database object that lets you present data in a meaningful way for sharing or even just storing. In this last section in this chapter, you’ll learn how to ➤ Build reports based on tables and queries. ➤ Rearrange a report. ➤ Group and summarize report data. ➤ Preview and print reports.

Working with Reports Reports are used to share data or even to just store hard copies of data.

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Basing a Report on a Table or Query Create and save a report based on a table, query.

Reports are based on a data source, either a table or a query. There are a number of ways to create a report: ➤ Choose Report from the Insert menu. ➤ Choose Report or AutoReport from the New Object button’s drop-

down list. ➤ Click the Reports shortcut on the Object bar and double-click one of

the shortcut items. ➤ Click the Reports shortcut on the Objects bar and click New or Design

on the Database Window toolbar. If a report is based on data in more than one table, you must use a query that’s based on the appropriate tables.

Arranging Fields and Label Headings Change arrangement of data fields and headings within a report layout.

Figure 6.24 shows a report in design view, which is where you determine the report’s layout. As you can see, there are a number of sections, but there can be more. Using the drag and drop methods, move controls (and labels) to other sections or to new positions within the same section.

Grouping Data by Fields Group data under a specific heading (field) in a report in ascending, descending order.

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Headers

Data controls

Label controls

Footers

Figure 6.24 Arrange a report in design view.

When using a wizard to generate a report, you get the opportunity to specify whether the report is grouping data by specific fields. When creating a report from scratch, you can use the Sorting and Grouping feature. With the report in design view, click the Sorting and Grouping tool. In the resulting dialog box, specify the fields you’re grouping and specify a sort order if necessary, as shown in Figure 6.25. The grouped report reduces all matching values into one line and displays all the data within that group, as you can see in Figure 6.26.

Figure 6.25 Group a report by specific fields.

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Group on ShippedDate

Figure 6.26 The grouped report has a group header and detail records for each group.

Summarizing Grouped Data Present specific fields in a grouped report by sum, minimum, maximum, average, count, at appropriate break points.

Often, a grouped report summarizes the data in each group, like the one shown in Figure 6.27. Specifically, the report shows three levels of counting the number of orders: the number of orders per customer, the number of orders per month for each customer, and the total number of orders. To summarize the data, you simply add the appropriate domain expression to the appropriate area. A domain expression is an expression that evaluates an expression using a set of records: ➤ Any expression in the detail section returns a value for each record. ➤ An expression in a group’s header or footer evaluates each group. ➤ An expression in the report’s header or footer evaluates all the data in

the report.

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Group summaries

Report summary Figure 6.27 Reports often summarize the data.

To create a grouped report, you can use the Report Wizard. To see this in action, follow these steps. 1. Select the Reports shortcut in the Database window. 2. Click the New toolbar button. 3. In the New Report dialog box, select the Report Wizard and tell it the

data should come from the Order Details table. Click OK. 4. On the first page of the Report Wizard, select the OrderID and

Quantity fields and click Next. 5. On the next page of the Report Wizard, accept the default grouping by

OrderID and click Next. 6. On the next page of the Report Wizard, click the Summary Options

button. This will open the Summary Options dialog box, shown in Figure 6.28. 7. Check the boxes for the type of summary that you’d like to display on

the report. Click OK. 8. Click Finish to create the report.

Adding and Modifying Text in Headers and Footers Add, modify text in headers, footers in a report.

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Figure 6.28 Choosing summary options for a report field.

Each report has two types of headers and footers. There’s one at the report level: it is a good spot to put a report title, date, author, or report summary details. Another is at the page level, and it is a great place to display page numbers. (These are available to every report, unlike group headers and footers.) With the report in design view, choose Report Header/Footer or Page Header/Footer from the View menu to open the appropriate section of the report. Once the section is open, you simply insert controls as you normally would. For example, to add text to a header, drag a Label control to the header and then add the text to the Caption property of the label. To modify the text, edit the Caption property of the label.

Deleting a Report Delete a report.

To delete a report, click the Reports shortcut on the Objects bar in the Database window. Then, select the report and press Delete. When prompted, either confirm or cancel the action.

Saving and Closing a Report Save and close a report.

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You save and close a report as you have all the other objects. To save a report, choose Save from the File menu, enter a name, and click OK. Or close the report and save the report when prompted. To close a report, choose Close from the File menu. Or click the Close button on the report’s title bar.

Prepare Outputs You can print data and objects in almost any environment and in any form, but you’ll seldom want to. Most of the time, you print reports. Occasionally, you might print query output for a quick review. In this section, you’ll learn the following: ➤ How to preview data as it will print in a table, form, or report ➤ How to determine a report’s orientation and paper ➤ How to print data in a table, query, form, and report

Prepare to Print Printing data in a database is usually a simple process. You should be able to both preview and print data in a table, query, form, and report.

Previewing a Table, Form, or Report Preview a table, form, report.

Print Preview is a special mode that shows you what the selected object will look like printed. To view an object in Print Preview, simply click the Print Preview button on the toolbar. You use this mode to determine whether a report is balanced well, to confirm that all the elements are visible, and so on. It’s just an easy way to find problems so you can fix them before you waste time, paper, and ink printing.

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Modifying Page Options Change report orientation: portrait, landscape. Change paper size.

Portrait orientation is the default page setup for all objects. Portrait orientation assumes that the data is printed from top to bottom. The other orientation option is landscape, which turns text sideways. As a result, the (normally) left and right margins become the top and bottom margins. To choose an orientation, open the object you plan to print and then choose Page Setup from the File menu to open the Page Setup dialog box, shown in Figure 6.29. On the Page tab, click one of the Orientation options. Choose one of the predefined options from the Size control’s drop-down list to change the paper size on which you want to print.

Figure 6.29 Modifying report page options.

Print Options You want to print the data you want and only the data you want, and fortunately, Access makes that easy.

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Printing Tables Print a page, selected record(s), complete table.

You can print one record, a set of records, a single page, or all the records in a table. With the table open, choose Print from the File menu or press Ctrl+P. In the Print dialog box, choose from the following options: ➤ All—Prints all the data in the table. ➤ Pages—Enter the first and last page you want to print in the From and

To controls, respectively. ➤ Selected Record(s)—Prints only those records that are currently selected.

Pressing the Print tool prints all the records in the table.

Printing Forms Print all records using form layout, specific pages using form layout.

Determining what gets printed while viewing data in a form is essentially the same as with a table. If you press the Print tool, Access prints all the records within the context of the current form. You might want to preview such a request before actually printing, just to make sure you’re going to get what you expect. You certainly don’t get just the one record in the one form: you get a series of forms, each showing one record. To print a single record or selected records, choose Print from the File menu (or press Ctrl+P) and refer to the options discussed in the last section (for tables).

Printing a Query Print the result of a query.

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Printing the output from a query is exactly the same as printing a table or a form. To print the entire query, press the Print button. To exercise more control, choose Print from the File menu or press Ctrl+P and refer to the options in the previous section (on printing tables).

Printing Reports Print specific page(s) in a report, complete report.

To print an entire report, select the report and click the Print button. Or choose Print from the File menu (or press Ctrl+P) to display the Print dialog box. Click the All option, and then click OK. To print a single page, display the Print dialog box. Enter the page number in the From control, and click OK. To print multiple pages, enter the first and last page in the range of pages you want to print in the From and To controls, and click OK.

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Question 1 You’d most likely use a database application to do the following: ❑ A. Track appointments. ❑ B. Store important data. ❑ C. Type letters. ❑ D. Send email.

Answers A and B are correct. A database’s main purpose is to store data, but if that data happens to be appointments, you can certainly track them using a database. Answer C is incorrect; use a word processor to type letters. Answer D is incorrect because you can’t send email from a database.

Question 2 Which of the following are legitimate database objects? ❑ A. Tables ❑ B. Mail merge documents ❑ C. Queries ❑ D. Forms

Answers A, C, and D are correct. Answer B is incorrect. You use a word processor to create mail merge documents.

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Question 3 Which is the best definition for a primary key? ❍ A. The field on which two tables are related ❍ B. The first field in a table ❍ C. The table’s only AutoNumber field ❍ D. The field that uniquely identifies each record in the table.

Answer D is the best answer. Answer A is incorrect because tables can be related on nonkey fields. Answer B is incorrect because a field’s position within the table has no bearing on whether it’s a primary key. Answer C is incorrect; although primary key fields are often AutoNumber fields, a table can have an AutoNumber field that isn’t a primary key.

Question 4 Which data type is the best choice for a field that must accommodate integer values between 0 and 255? ❍ A. Byte ❍ B. Integer ❍ C. Single ❍ D. Double

Answer A is correct. Answers B, C, and D are all much larger than necessary.

Question 5 Identify the following as a one-to-many relationship or a one-to-one relationship. ❑ A. Customers aren’t limited in the number of orders they may have open at any given time. ❑ B. Each employee can handle more than one account. ❑ C. Each employee can list only one address. ❑ D. Each order may contain multiple items. ❑ E. Each employee may have multiple appointments for any given day.

Answers A, B, D, and E represent one-to-many relationships. Answer C is the only one-to-one relationship.

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Question 6 You want to limit entries to values between 10 and 100, and a data type alone won’t get the job done. What else can you do? ❍ A. Use validation text to alert the user to the restrictions. ❍ B. Set the Validation Rule property to the following expression: >=10 AND = 40000 ❍ C. Salary > 40000 ❍ D. Salary < 40000

Question 39 Which objects can you use as the source of data for an Access report? ❑ A. Table ❑ B. Query ❑ C. Form ❑ D. Report

Question 40 Which Access objects allow you to summarize information to display, for example, the total of all line items on an invoice? ❑ A. Table ❑ B. Query ❑ C. Form ❑ D. Report

Question 41 How can you change the zoom factor of a PowerPoint presentation? ❑ A. Select Zoom from the View menu. ❑ B. Use the + and - keys on the numeric keypad. ❑ C. Hold the Shift key and scroll the mouse wheel. ❑ D. Hold the Ctrl key and scroll the mouse wheel.

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Question 42 You are creating a PowerPoint presentation and want to add notes to your slides. Which views allow you to edit notes? ❑ A. Normal view ❑ B. Slide Sorter view ❑ C. Outline view ❑ D. Slide view

Question 43 You want to insert the slide number at the bottom of every slide in your PowerPoint presentation. What should you do? ❍ A. Insert the slide number on the master slide. ❍ B. Insert the slide number on the design template. ❍ C. Insert the slide number in the slide footer. ❍ D. Manually add the slide number to each slide.

Question 44 You have created a chart of sales data in your PowerPoint presentation. Now you want an identical chart in another PowerPoint presentation. What should you do? ❍ A. Open the second presentation and recreate the chart by following the same steps you used in the first presentation. ❍ B. Copy the chart from the first presentation and paste it in the second presentation. ❍ C. Save the first presentation as a JPG image and then insert the image in the second presentation. ❍ D. Use a screen capture program to capture the chart from the first presentation and paste it into the second presentation as an image.

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Question 45 You are creating a PowerPoint presentation and want to have the title slide fade out and the next slide fade in. What should you use? ❍ A. Master slide ❍ B. Transition ❍ C. Animation ❍ D. Design template

Question 46 You have created a PowerPoint presentation with detailed financial information for the Board of Directors. You want to show selected slides from this presentation to an audience of managers as well. You might still need to edit figures on some of the slides. What should you do? ❍ A. Hide the slides that are not appropriate for the managers and use the same presentation. ❍ B. Make a copy of the presentation and then delete the slides you don’t want from the copy. ❍ C. Copy individual slides from the main presentation to a new presentation for the managers. ❍ D. Print out the presentation and then photocopy the appropriate pages for the managers.

Question 47 In Slide Sorter view, one of your slides has an icon with a slash through it displayed beneath the slide. What does it mean? ❍ A. The slide has an animation. ❍ B. The slide has a transition. ❍ C. The slide has been deleted. ❍ D. The slide is hidden.

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Question 48 You want to quickly type in slide titles and main bullet points to begin developing a PowerPoint presentation. Which PowerPoint view should you use? ❍ A. Slide view ❍ B. Outline view ❍ C. Slide Sorter view ❍ D. Slide Show view

Question 49 You visited a Web page yesterday that you’d like to revisit today. How can you most easily find this page? ❍ A. Look in your browser’s cache. ❍ B. Use the History panel. ❍ C. Use the Favorites panel. ❍ D. Use a search engine.

Question 50 You have received an email message that you want to be sure you review later. What should you do? ❍ A. Save the message as a text file. ❍ B. Reply to the message. ❍ C. Flag the message. ❍ D. Forward the message to yourself.

Question 51 You have received an email message with an attachment. You don’t recognize the sender of the message. What should you do? ❍ A. Delete the message and the attachment. ❍ B. Save the attachment to your hard drive. ❍ C. Preview the message. ❍ D. Open the attachment.

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Question 52 Your boss wants you to send her a copy of a message that you’re sending to a customer, but she doesn’t want the customer to know. What’s the easiest way to do this? ❍ A. Add your boss’s email address to the To: box. ❍ B. Add your boss’s email address to the cc: box. ❍ C. Add your boss’s email address to the bcc: box. ❍ D. Create a new mail message to your boss and retype the message there.

Question 53 You need to send frequent email messages to a purchasing agent at another company. What should you do to make this easier? ❍ A. Memorize the recipient’s email address. ❍ B. Save the recipient’s email address in a text file. ❍ C. Add the recipient’s email address to your Outlook Express address book. ❍ D. Write the recipient’s email address on a sticky note on your monitor.

Question 54 What is a URL? ❍ A. An email address ❍ B. An identifier for a Web site ❍ C. A clickable text on a Web page ❍ D. An encryption standard

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Question 55 Which of these indicate that a Web site is secure? ❑ A. An address starting with http:// ❑ B. An address starting with https:// ❑ C. A lock icon in the Internet Explorer status bar ❑ D. A red background

Question 56 You have found a Web site that gives useful weather forecasts, and you want to be able to easily revisit it in the future. What should you do? ❍ A. Save the Web page as a file on your hard drive. ❍ B. Add the Web site to your browser history. ❍ C. Add the Web site to your favorites. ❍ D. Save the Web site address in a file.

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Answer Key 1. B, C, and D 2. A 3. A and D 4. A 5. A and C 6. B 7. D 8. A, B, and C 9. C 10. A 11. A and B 12. C 13. A and C 14. D 15. C 16. B and C 17. A 18. C 19. A 20. D 21. A 22. C and D 23. B 24. C 25. C 26. A 27. B and C

28. D 29. D 30. D 31. B 32. C 33. A 34. B and C 35. C 36. B 37. A, B, and C 38. B 39. A and B 40. B and D 41. A and D 42. A and C 43. C 44. B 45. B 46. A 47. D 48. B 49. B 50. C 51. A 52. C 53. C 54. B 55. B and C 56. C

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Detailed Answers Question 1 Answers B, C, and D are correct. Information technology (IT) refers to the entire system of computers, including the hardware, software, and the networks that tie computers together. Answer A is incorrect because the user is not generally considered to be a part of the technology.

Question 2 Answer A is correct. Typically, mainframe computers cost millions of dollars. Answers B, C, and D are incorrect because these types of computers cost hundreds or thousands of dollars.

Question 3 Answers A and D are correct. The CPU is the “brain” of the computer, which performs calculations and controls the logic of all programs running on the computer. Answer B is incorrect because devices such as hard drives and CD-ROMs are used for storing large amounts of data. Answer C is incorrect because input is handled by input devices such as keyboards and mice.

Question 4 Answer A is correct. One page of text is about 5KB in size, so several pages will be perhaps 30KB. Answers B, C, and D are incorrect because they are all much larger units of storage.

Question 5 Answers A and C are correct. Monitors and printers are designed to take information from the computer to you, so they are output devices. Answers B and D are incorrect because mice and trackballs take information from you to the computer; they are input devices.

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Question 6 Answer B is correct. An intranet application uses a network entirely contained within a single company. Answer A, sending email, is an example of an Internet application. Answer C, which uses the large network that connects everyone, is also an Internet application. Answer D, using a private network with business partners, is an example of an extranet application.

Question 7 Answer D is correct. Answer A is incorrect because words in the dictionary are usually not accepted as good passwords. Answer B is incorrect because good passwords should be at least seven characters long. Answer C is incorrect because it is too short and because it contains only numerals. Only Answer D is long enough, is not a real word, and contains a good mix of characters.

Question 8 Answers A, B, and C are correct. Viruses can be transmitted in all sorts of software, whether that software is stored on a diskette, downloaded as email, or viewed as a Web page. Answer D is incorrect because hardware such as keyboards do not harbor computer viruses.

Question 9 Answer C is correct. Placing the computer in standby mode reduces its power consumption but keeps the contents of memory intact. Answers A, B, and D are incorrect because rebooting or turning off the computer erases all information in the computer’s memory.

Question 10 Answer A is correct. The title bar is at the top of each window, and it displays the name of the current application or document. Answer B is incorrect because you use the scrollbar to move the contents of the window up and


down. Answer C is incorrect because the menu bar contains the application’s menus. Answer D is incorrect because the toolbar contains the application’s toolbar buttons. Answer E is incorrect because the status bar, at the bottom of the window, contains information about the application but not its name.

Question 11 Answers A and B are correct. Folders can store files or other folders. Answer C is incorrect because open windows are not stored; they are just displayed on your desktop. Answer D is incorrect because display settings are stored outside of the file system and managed by Windows itself.

Question 12 Answer C is correct. When you hold down the Ctrl key and click, Explorer keeps your previous selection and adds the new file to the selection. Answers A and B are incorrect because in each case only the last file clicked will be selected. Answer D is incorrect because holding Shift while you click selects all files between the original click and the current click, which in this case would include B.txt.

Question 13 Answers A and C are correct. The Search tool in Windows lets you find files by name or size, as well as some other ways. Answers B and D are incorrect because the Search tool does not offer those options.

Question 14 Answer D is correct. Disinfecting the file removes the virus while retaining your critical information. Answer A is incorrect because deleting the file loses the information inside of the file. Answer B is incorrect because scanning the file only tells you that it contains a virus; it doesn’t do anything about the problem. Answer C is incorrect because compressing a file does nothing to remove viruses.

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Question 15 Answer C is correct. Before the computer will recognize your printer, you must install the proper printer drivers. Answers A, B, and D are incorrect because the printer itself is unlikely to be the problem.

Question 16 Answers B and C are correct. The print manager lets you pause, cancel, and restart print jobs. Answers A and D are incorrect because the print manager does not let you repeat or alter print jobs.

Question 17 Answer A is correct. Word can save documents to a variety of text formats, including .txt, .rtf, and .doc. Answers B, C, and D are incorrect because Word cannot convert documents into the native formats used by the other Office applications.

Question 18 Answer C is correct. To enter new text in Word, just click where you want the text and start typing. Answer A is incorrect because clicking the Insert key sets Word to overwrite mode, and the new text overwrites existing text. Answer B is incorrect because it is more work than is required. Answer D is incorrect because highlighting the existing text causes the new text to replace the existing text.

Question 19 Answer A is correct. Word’s Undo facility lets you reverse any changes to the document so you can recover from mistakes. Answer B is incorrect because closing and reopening the document loses any other changes that were made since the most recent save operation. Answers C and D are incorrect because deleting the new text does not restore the existing text.


Question 20 Answer D is correct. The Format Painter provides an easy way to transfer all formatting in a single operation. Answers A and B are incorrect because it takes more work to recreate a format than it does to copy formatting. Answer C is incorrect because this procedure doesn’t format existing text.

Question 21 Answer A is correct. Shift+Enter inserts a soft carriage return in a Microsoft Word document. Answer B is incorrect because Ctrl+Break interrupts a running program. Answer C is incorrect because Ctrl+Alt+Del reboots your computer. Answer D is incorrect because Alt+Enter deletes the current line.

Question 22 Answers C and D are correct. The Page Setup dialog box lets you change the document orientation and paper size. Answers A and B are incorrect because to change which pages are printed or the number of copies to print, you must use the Print dialog box.

Question 23 Answer B is correct. Text in the header of the document is printed at the top of each page. Answer A is incorrect because it would take a lot of extra work. Answer C is incorrect because footer text appears at the bottom of each page. Answer D is incorrect because it would take a lot of extra work.

Question 24 Answer C is correct. Adding the company name to the dictionary helps you make sure that it is spelled consistently in the future and keeps Spell Check from flagging it as a misspelled word. Answers A and B are incorrect because ignoring the spelling just leaves it to be flagged the next time you run Spell Check. Answer D is incorrect because canceling Spell Check leaves the rest of the document unchecked.

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Question 25 Answer C is correct. The Freeze command freezes rows, columns, or both so that they are not affected by scrolling. Answers A and B are incorrect because Freeze does not prevent you from editing data. Answer D is incorrect because the Freeze command does not affect the worksheet’s color scheme.

Question 26 Answer A is correct. The single quote tells Excel that you are entering a literal value rather than a formula. Answers B, C, and D are incorrect because they are treated as invalid formulas rather than as literal text.

Question 27 Answers B and C are correct. These actions select the entire worksheet. Answers A and D are incorrect because these actions do not select the entire worksheet.

Question 28 Answer D is correct. The formula =A1+A2 makes the cell stay equal to the sum of the other two cells no matter what is entered in those cells. Answer A is incorrect because Excel does not update the literal value 9 if one of the other cells changes. Answers B and C are incorrect because they do not start with the = sign, so Excel will not recognize them as formulas.

Question 29 Answer D is correct. Excel displays ##### if the data is too wide to display. Answer A is incorrect because Excel displays #DIV/0! if you attempt to divide by zero. Answer B is incorrect because Excel displays #NAME? if a cell reference is invalid. Answer C is incorrect because Excel displays #VALUE! if you attempt to put invalid values into a formula.


Question 30 Answer D is correct. The dollar signs before both the row and column references convert them into absolute references. Answers A, B, and C are incorrect because they use relative column references, relative row references, or both.

Question 31 Answer B is correct. To specify a rectangular range, you specify the upperleft and lower-right corners of the range, separated by a colon. Answers A, C, and D are incorrect because those references are not syntactically valid.

Question 32 Answer C is correct. Clicking the Decrease Decimal button changes the display of the cell but does not affect the value stored in the cell, so Answers A, B, and D are incorrect.

Question 33 Answer A is correct. The primary key is the field or combination of fields that is used to identify records in a table. Answers B, C, and D are incorrect because those are not definitions of the term primary key.

Question 34 Answers B and C are correct. You can undo data changes in Access with the Undo toolbar button. Answers A and D are incorrect because you can’t undo table creation or deletion.

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Question 35 Answer C is correct. When you convert a Text field to a Number field, Access converts as much of the textual data to numbers as it can. Answer A is incorrect because Access doesn’t try to do anything with letters, even if they spell the name of a number. Answer B is incorrect because you can’t store letters in a Number field. Answer D is incorrect because Access does not stop the conversion at the first error.

Question 36 Answer B is correct. A query lets you retrieve a smaller set of records from a table according to some criteria. Answer A is incorrect because the table itself holds all the data. Answers C and D are incorrect because forms and reports can be based on queries but do not themselves apply criteria to the data.

Question 37 Answers A, B, and C are correct. You can view and edit data in a table or query datasheet or in an open form. Answer D is incorrect because you cannot edit data in a report.

Question 38 Answer B is correct. Using >= causes the query to include records that are greater than or equal to the specified number. Answer A is incorrect because it only retrieves records where the salary is exactly 40000. Answer C is incorrect because it retrieves records that exceed 40000 but not those where the salary is exactly 40000. Answer D is incorrect because it retrieves records where the salary is less than 40000.

Question 39 Answers A and B are correct. Tables and queries are objects that contain data, and this data can be used in forms and reports. Answers C and D are incorrect because forms and reports do not have data of their own and so cannot be used as a data source.


Question 40 Answers B and D are correct. You can display summary information by creating a totals query or by adding a group to a report. Answer A is incorrect because tables don’t display summaries. Answer C is incorrect because forms display all records or a single record but no summaries.

Question 41 Answers A and D are correct. You can use the Zoom menu item, or Ctrl+wheel, to change the zoom factor in PowerPoint. Answers B and C are incorrect because those actions do not change the zoom factor.

Question 42 Answers A and C are correct. PowerPoint notes are visible in Normal view and Outline view. Answers B and D are incorrect because notes are hidden in Slide Sorter view and Slide view.

Question 43 Answer C is correct. When you create a slide footer, you can specify to include the slide number automatically on each slide. Answer A is incorrect because text on the master slide appears unchanged on every slide in the presentation. Answer B is incorrect because you can’t insert text in the design template. Answer D is incorrect because this technique doesn’t automatically renumber slides if you rearrange your presentation.

Question 44 Answer B is correct. You can copy PowerPoint objects such as charts and images from one presentation and paste them into another presentation. Answers A and D are incorrect because they require extra work. Answer C is incorrect because you cannot save an entire presentation as a single JPG file.

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Question 45 Answer B is correct. Transitions control the effect when you leave one slide to show another slide. Answer C is incorrect because animations happen on a single slide, not between slides. Answers A and D are incorrect because the master slide and design template are static, not animated.

Question 46 Answer A is correct. By hiding selected slides, you can make sure that the other slides remain identical even if you continue to edit the presentation. Answers B and C are incorrect because they result in a second copy of the presentation that can get “out of sync” with the first copy. Answer D is incorrect because a printout isn’t a presentation.

Question 47 Answer D is correct. The icon with the slash indicates that the slide is currently hidden. Answers A and B are incorrect because transitions and animations are indicated with other icons. Answer C is incorrect because deleted slides are not displayed in Slide Sorter view.

Question 48 Answer B is correct. Outline view lets you edit many slides quickly by working in the outline. Answer A is incorrect because Slide view is geared towards working with a single slide. Answer C is incorrect because Slide Sorter view shows you slides but does not let you edit them. Answer D is incorrect because you cannot edit slides when in Slide Show view.

Question 49 Answer B is correct. The History panel gives you an easy way to revisit recently visited pages. Answer A is incorrect because there’s no easy way for you to look in the browser’s cache. Answer C is incorrect because you didn’t bookmark the site. Answer D is incorrect because there’s no need to search for the site when it’s sitting in your history.


Question 50 Answer C is correct. Flagging a message provides a visual cue to remind you to review the message later. Answers A, B, and D are incorrect because these actions don’t do anything to make the message stand out from other messages.

Question 51 Answer A is correct. An unexpected attachment from an unrecognized recipient might be a computer virus. The safest thing to do is simply delete the message and the attachment. Answers B, C, and D are incorrect because these actions could trigger a computer virus if one is present.

Question 52 Answer C is correct. The bcc: box allows you to send a copy of a message without the original recipient knowing that the copy has been sent. Answers A and B are incorrect because they result in the customer knowing that you sent the copy. Answer D is incorrect because it’s easier to use the bcc: box.

Question 53 Answer C is correct. Saving an address in your email address book makes it easy to address new mail to that recipient. Answers A, B, and D are incorrect because if you save the address anywhere else you need to retype it every time you want to send a message.

Question 54 Answer B is correct. A URL is an address for a Web page or other resource on the Internet. Answers A, C, and D are incorrect because those are not definitions of a URL.

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Question 55 Answers B and C are correct. A secured Web site will use the https:// address format and will display a lock in the Internet Explorer toolbar. Answer A is incorrect because http:// is used for regular, unsecured Web sites. Answer D is incorrect because any Web site can use any background color.

Question 56 Answer C is correct. The Favorites list gives you a way to quickly jump to favorite Web sites from your browser. Answer A is incorrect because the saved copy is never updated. Answer B is incorrect because sites vanish from the history after a fixed time. Answer D is incorrect because it’s easier to choose from the Favorites list than it is to cut and paste the address from a file.

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11 Review Session 2 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

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How to Review This Material Both sets of review questions consist of 56 questions—8 questions per module. This isn’t meant to represent what you’ll experience in the actual ICDL exams, but rather to give you a chance to check your own knowledge and comprehension of the material. At this point, you’ve worked through Review Session 1 and reviewed the areas in which you were weak. If you answer any questions incorrectly in Review Session 2, review those sections in the book. Continue re-testing with both sets of review questions until you’re able to complete all questions correctly.

Practice Tips You’re on your own while working through these questions, but we do recommend that you try to use them to fairly check your knowledge. That way, you’ll be better prepared and less anxious during the real test. Use the following tips to get maximum benefit from the review questions: ➤ Prepare your environment by asking everyone to not disturb you. Turn

off your telephone, your TV, your radio: in short, minimize all your distractions and create a quiet spot and time. ➤ You’ll need plenty of paper on which to write your answers. If you have

questions or doubts during the test, jot those down too so you can review the book for complete answers later. ➤ Don’t use any reference material to answer these questions. Remember,

you’re preparing yourself and you need to know the areas that require more study. It isn’t necessary that you ace these questions the first time out.

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Self Test ‘This ECDL Foundation approved courseware product incorporates learning reinforcement exercises. These exercises are included to assist the candidate in their training for the ICDL. The exercises included in this courseware product are not ICDL certification tests and should not be construed in any way as ICDL certification tests. For information about Authorised ICDL Test Centres in different National Territories please refer to the ECDL Foundation website at www.ecdl.com’ The European Computer Driving Licence Foundation Ltd.

Question 1 Which of the following items is solely hardware? ❍ A. A 17-inch flat monitor ❍ B. The Windows XP operating system ❍ C. Your new personal digital assistant (PDA) ❍ D. The printer driver that controls your printer

Question 2 Which functions is your computer’s central processing unit (CPU) responsible for controlling and manipulating? ❑ A. Performing calculations ❑ B. Controlling logic flow ❑ C. Coordinating functions between peripherals and software ❑ D. Analyzing data

Question 3 Which of the following computer types are you most likely to use while at home? ❍ A. Mainframe ❍ B. Personal computer ❍ C. Laptop ❍ D. PDA

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Question 4 Which of the following technologies are examples of a computer network? ❑ A. The Internet ❑ B. Your company’s intranet ❑ C. Your personal computer ❑ D. Your bank’s new online banking service

Question 5 You need a new password to protect your home system. Which of the following is a good password? ❍ A. Your name, your spouse’s name, or a child’s name ❍ B. Your birthday ❍ C. ajI#05m ❍ D. ace

Question 6 Which of the following are valid and efficient uses of computers in everyday life? ❑ A. A medical diagnosis ❑ B. Booking a plane ticket ❑ C. Using a personal and automated checkout register to pay for items after shopping ❑ D. Taping your favorite TV show while you’re out

Question 7 Identify the items you should consider when putting together the most ergonomically correct workstation: ❑ A. An adjustable chair that you can adjust for height and lumbar support. ❑ B. A brisk air conditioning unit that keeps each office cold so the occupants remain alert. ❑ C. Place the monitor directly in front of the user. ❑ D. Bright lights.

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Question 8 Copyright laws are applicable to data on your system and information you glean from the Internet. Which of the following activities is legal? ❍ A. Downloading copyrighted music to a CD-ROM and listening later at your leisure ❍ B. Forwarding copyrighted material that gives you permission to forward or share the material within certain guidelines ❍ C. Installing your next-door neighbor’s software so you can evaluate it— you might decide to purchase it yourself later ❍ D. Installing your work-related software at home

Question 9 Choose the fastest removable data storage from the following list: ❍ A. Zip disk ❍ B. Hard drive ❍ C. Diskette ❍ D. CD-ROM

Question 10 How can you protect your system from the destruction and annoyance caused by a virus? ❑ A. Run regular system scans that search for hidden virus files. ❑ B. Don’t open an email attachment if you aren’t expecting it or don’t know the sender. ❑ C. Don’t use diskettes or Zip disks from unknown sources. ❑ D. Install a firewall. ❑ E. Install special virus-scanning software that can find and deal with virus files.

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Question 11 An application has stopped responding. What do you do? ❍ A. Press Ctrl+Alt+Del and then choose Restart from the Shut Down menu. ❍ B. Choose Turn Off Computer from the Start menu. ❍ C. Turn off the system at the switch. ❍ D. Unplug the system to dump everything in the current memory and then plug it back in.

Question 12 How can you learn important information about a system, such as the amount of RAM and the operating system? ❑ A. Choose My Computer from the Start menu, and then choose About from the Help menu. ❑ B. Look it up in the Help topics. ❑ C. Open the Windows Explorer and then choose About from the Help menu. ❑ D. Choose Control Panel from the Start menu and then click the System link.

Question 13 From the Windows XP Control Panel window, you can find links to complete which of the following tasks? ❑ A. Adjust the system’s date and time settings. ❑ B. Launch the Help window. ❑ C. Turn off the computer. ❑ D. Install new software and hardware. ❑ E. Launch your most-often used files.

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Question 14 What’s the quickest way to find Help for using Windows XP? ❍ A. Click Help on the taskbar. ❍ B. Press Ctrl+H. ❍ C. Choose Help and Support from the Start menu. ❍ D. Double-click the Help icon on the current toolbar or the Windows Explorer toolbar.

Question 15 What three methods will copy text to the Clipboard? ❑ A. Select the text and click the Copy button on the toolbar. ❑ B. Press Ctrl+C and then select the appropriate text and press Enter. ❑ C. Highlight the text and then select Copy from the Edit menu. ❑ D. Choose Copy from the Edit menu, select the text, and then click OK. ❑ E. Select the text, and press Ctrl+C.

Question 16 What Windows tool can you use to view, locate, copy, and move files stored on your system? ❍ A. The Control Panel ❍ B. My Computer ❍ C. The Windows Explorer ❍ D. Help and Support

Question 17 Which of the following will open a new blank document in Word? ❑ A. Choose New from the File menu. ❑ B. Launch Word. ❑ C. Press Ctrl+N. ❑ D. Click the New Blank Document tool on the toolbar.

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Question 18 Which of the following statements about duplicating and moving text in a Word document are true? ❑ A. To copy text, select the text, press Ctrl+X, position the cursor where you want to paste the text, and press Ctrl+V. ❑ B. You can’t copy or move text from one document to another. ❑ C. To copy text, select the text, press Ctrl+C, position the cursor where you want to paste the text, and press Ctrl+V. ❑ D. To move text, select the text, press Ctrl+X, position the cursor where you want to paste the text, and press Ctrl+V.

Question 19 Identify the different methods for switching between multiple Word documents: ❑ A. Choose a file from the Window menu. ❑ B. Select a file from the File menu. ❑ C. Click the appropriate file-representing icon on the Windows Taskbar. ❑ D. Press Alt+Tab to cycle through the open documents.

Question 20 To change your entire document from single to double space, you’d do which of the following? ❑ A. Select the entire document, choose Paragraph from the Format menu, and select Double from the Line Spacing control on the Indents and Spacing tab. ❑ B. Press Ctrl+2. ❑ C. Choose Paragraph from the Format menu and select Double from the Line Spacing control on the Indents and Spacing tab. ❑ D. Select the entire document by holding down the Ctrl key and clicking the document’s left margin and then pressing Ctrl+2.

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Question 21 Each of the following statements denotes a formatting level for a particular formatting task. Which statements are true? ❑ A. Specifying subscript or superscript is done at the text or font level. ❑ B. Line spacing is done at the paragraph level. ❑ C. Lead spacing or leading is done at the paragraph level. ❑ D. Change page margins at the paragraph level.

Question 22 Which of the following processes will insert a table of three columns and four rows? ❑ A. Click Insert Table, drag across three columns and four rows, and then press Enter. ❑ B. Choose Table from the Insert menu; enter 3, 4; and click OK. ❑ C. Choose Insert from the Table menu, choose Table, and then enter 3 in the Number of Columns control and 4 in the Number of Rows control. ❑ D. Select properly formatted text (tabs between each column), select the Table menu, choose Insert, and then click Table.

Question 23 To change the size of an inserted picture object, do the following: ❍ A. Select the picture object, choose Resize from the Edit menu, and click the percentage option by which you want to increase the object’s size. ❍ B. Click the picture object to select it and then drag any of the selection handles to adjust the object’s size. ❍ C. Simply drag any border until the picture object is the desired size. ❍ D. Click the picture object, and choose Resize from the Format menu.

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Question 24 In a mail merge operation, the mailing list document might consist of the following: ❑ A. Customer names and addresses for a mass mailing ❑ B. Employee names and departments for routing a memo ❑ C. A class schedule ❑ D. List of meeting attendees for name tags

Question 25 The spreadsheet data you’re viewing extends past the right and bottom edges, and it’s impossible to view the column and row headings and the data at the same time. What do you do? ❍ A. Change the Zoom value until you can see both the headings and the data you’re working with. ❍ B. Freeze the worksheet by clicking in the cell just below and to the right of the headings. Then, select Freeze Panes from the Window menu. Doing so keeps the headings visible while you scroll to any area of the worksheet. ❍ C. Split the worksheet vertically or horizontally so you can see the headings in one pane and the data in another. ❍ D. Choose Split Screen from the View menu.

Question 26 By default, what does Excel display if you enter the value 123.456 in any cell? ❍ A. 123.456 ❍ B. 123.00 ❍ C. 123 ❍ D. 123.46

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Question 27 What’s the quickest way to delete a row from the current worksheet? ❍ A. Click anywhere in the row, select Delete from the Edit menu, click the Entire Row option, and click OK. ❍ B. Click anywhere in the row and press the Delete key. ❍ C. Right-click on the row header and select Delete. ❍ D. Select the row header and choose Delete from the Edit menu.

Question 28 To fill a range of columns with the same value, you’d do the following: ❑ A. Type the value, select the range, and then press Enter. ❑ B. Type the value, and pull down the Fill handle to select the remaining cells in the range. ❑ C. Select the range, type the entry, and then press Enter. ❑ D. Select the range, type the value, and press Ctrl+Enter.

Question 29 Cells A1:A4 contain values you want to average. Which of the following formulas or functions might you use? ❑ A. =(+A1+A2+A3+A4)/4 ❑ B. =AVERAGE(A1:A4) ❑ C. =A1+A2+A3+A4/4 ❑ D. (A1+A2+A3+A4)/4

456 Chapter 11 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

Question 30 You enter a value into a cell, but Excel displays #####. What’s wrong and how do you solve the problem? ❍ A. Excel can’t resolve the cell references. Usually, it means there’s a typo in the formula; find and correct the mistake. ❍ B. There’s no data in one of the referenced cells. Find the empty cell and enter an appropriate value. ❍ C. The value is too wide to display. Make the column wider to accommodate the entire value. ❍ D. A value isn’t available. Most likely, you’ve omitted a function’s argument; find the missing argument and enter an appropriate value.

Question 31 The simple formula in cell A5, =SUM(A$1:A$4), copied to cell B6 results in the following formula: ❍ A. =SUM(A$1:A$4) ❍ B. =SUM(B$1:B$4) ❍ C. =SUM(B1:B4) ❍ D. =SUM(B$2:B$5)

Question 32 Suppose the current worksheet displays a pie chart, but you need a column chart. Which of the following actions changes the pie chart to a column chart? ❍ A. Select the pie chart and choose Column from the Chart menu. ❍ B. Right-click the chart, select Chart Type, and select the appropriate column option. ❍ C. Right-click the chart and select Column. ❍ D. Right-click the chart, select Modify, click the Chart Type tab, and click Column.

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Question 33 Which of the following comments about database technology is false? ❍ A. A relational database is a collection of persistent data that’s stored in multiple but related tables. ❍ B. Tables are usually related on a primary key/foreign key field. ❍ C. A relationship is an association between two tables. ❍ D. A primary key stores unique values, but null values are allowed if necessary.

Question 34 An Access database can contain a number of objects. The following list matches some of these objects to their purpose. Which list is the most accurate for all the listed objects? ❍ A. Tables display data, queries limit data, forms interact with the user, and reports create a hard copy of the data. ❍ B. Tables store data, queries display data in answer to your questions, and forms allow you to view and modify data. Reports display data in meaningful groups and order. ❍ C. Tables store data, queries display data, forms interact with data, and reports print data. ❍ D. Tables temporarily hold data, queries ask questions, forms display data, and reports allow you to print data.

Question 35 Which of the following sets of instructions isn’t a valid method for creating a new table? ❍ A. Choose Table from the Insert menu, and choose Datasheet View in the New Table dialog box. ❍ B. Click the Tables shortcut on the Objects bar and then click New. ❍ C. Click the Tables shortcut on the Objects bar and then double-click the Create Table in Design View shortcut in the Database window. ❍ D. Click the Tables shortcut on the Objects bar and then double-click the Create Table by Using Wizard shortcut in the Database window.

458 Chapter 11 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

Question 36 A primary key field’s main purpose is to uniquely identify each record. How do you set a primary key? ❑ A. Open the table in design view and choose Primary Key from the Edit menu. ❑ B. Open the table in view mode, select the field or fields that you want to be the primary key, and select Primary Key from the Edit menu. ❑ C. Open the table in design view, select the field or fields you want to be the primary key, and then click the Primary Key button the toolbar. ❑ D. Open the table in design view, select the field or fields you want to be the primary key, right-click the selection, and choose Primary Key.

Question 37 Relationships enable Access to pull together related data. How do you create a relationship between two tables? ❍ A. In query design, choose Insert Relationship from the Insert menu. ❍ B. Open the Relationships grid, select the field in both tables, and click Create Relationship. ❍ C. Click the Relationships button on the Database toolbar to open the Relationships window. Add the two tables to the window if necessary. Then, drag the field by which you’re relating the two tables from one table to the corresponding field in the second table. In the resulting dialog box, click Create. ❍ D. In the Relationships window, drag the join line from one table list to the other and then identify the field by which you’re relating the two tables from the resulting field list.

Question 38 You want to use a query to view only those customers who have made purchases since January 1, 2003. To do so, you’d use which of the following criteria expressions in the order date column? ❍ A. >#1/1/2003# ❍ B.

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