| Computer Related > 5 Things I can't do on a PC | Miscellaneous |
| Thread Author: Pat | Replies: 19 |
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New Tue 7 Sep 10 05:43
5 Things I can't do on a PC - Pat
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Following on with the popular theme, and after reading the thread about Office, I know you're all going to think I'm thick. I also know this is where I'll get the answers too! A bit of background. I'm running Vista Home Premium on the desktop and Windows XP Professional on the laptop but Office Professional 2002 on both. Since I've taken up DGPC training, I have to keep lists and do PowerPoint presentations. I managed to teach myself how to do the latter last winter, after a fashion, but noticed a typo in one and wanted to change it, but it won't let me. 1) Correcting a PowerPoint slide 2) Making a form or list with lines in Word 3) Making a spreadsheet with just 5 columns not thousands 4) Making a PDF documant that I can edit myself 5) Stopping logos etc 'moving' to where they want to be and not staying where I put them. I could go on but this will do for a start. I have a new course to write between now and November in PowerPoint which needs diagrams, pictures and video clips inserting, I then have to send it away to be approved and inevitable will have to modify sections so I need to get it right first time this time. I've also realised I should have kept a simple list of individual drivers details ( name, address, driver licence number, course name and date etc) from this year, for my own records and to enable me to contact them. I have all those details on the appropriate forms in a file, but yesterday I scanned a list of them that was in pdf and it wouldn't let me modify it at all. I changed it to word and it did but it wouldn't let me draw lines under each line of information. I get so frustrated with myself, and waste so much time trying to do the simple things like laying stuff out that I give up and go and prune the roses instead. Self disciline is hard when you work from home! As an after thought, I had better tell you that I'm very dodgy with spreadsheets. I seem to get the christian names to move to the wrong surnames and not know how I've done it, or how to put them back ( or even if they are wrong unless there's one I know) Can we take one problem at a time so that I can be sure I have got it right before Iwe move on to the next one? Thanks in advance for your patience:) Pat |
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New Tue 7 Sep 10 08:09
5 Things I can't do on a PC - smokie
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Quick comments: 1) If you are using Powerpoint (or a good clone) then I would have thought eiting a slide was as easy as selecting it in the left hand "preview) column, then it appears in the edit screen on the right - just type what you want. 3) Don't worry about the additional unused rows & columns in Excel. It's usually smart enough to only print the used area, but if you only want to print a selection you can select the area you want to print then go to File/Set Print Area. 4) PDF editors seem to be premium products. One of the ideas of pdf format is that it cannot be readily change, so it is used (in our company at least) for final versions of documentation. In Word 2007 you can save Word docs as pdf, probably also in other products too. So if you have the source document save in Word, you simply edit that then save as a pdf. 5) Stopping logos moving in...? Word? Often right clicking an object will bring up a properties panel where you can define all sorts of effects - including "anchoring", or whether text is wrapped or overlaid. I must admit I don't do much of this and have found it messy, so often leave insertion of objects until the eiting is complete otherwise you spend ages messing with the pictures which you have to keeop repeating. |
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New Tue 7 Sep 10 09:48
5 Things I can't do on a PC - Pat
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Thanks Smokie 1) It will let me edit the title and layout but not the text ( which was a copy and paste bit). 3) I tried to rint only once and it printed all the blank columns, will try File/ set print area. 4) It's when I scan something and save it as PDF it won't let me work on it.....save as word to complete, then change to PDF? 5) Tried that but it justs moves and drops down onto another page! Pat |
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New Tue 7 Sep 10 13:06
5 Things I can't do on a PC - John H
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>> Can we take one problem at a time so that I can be sure I >> have got it right before Iwe move on to the next one? >> It looks like you might benefit with a fresh start through some tutorials. office.microsoft.com/en-us/support/beginner-s-training-for-office-2003-HA001146533.aspx?CTT=3 office.microsoft.com/en-us/support/download-office-2003-training-HA001161816.aspx office.microsoft.com/en-us/support/training-FX101782702.aspx Noting that Office XP/2002 and Office2003 are for all intents and purposes one and the same, then for help with specific functions in Word-Excel-Powerpoint-2003 is here office.microsoft.com/en-us/word-help/CL010072934.aspx office.microsoft.com/en-us/excel-help/CL010057150.aspx office.microsoft.com/en-us/powerpoint-help/CL010072915.aspx taking your list in turn: >> 1) Correcting a PowerPoint slide Solution is as posted by Smokie. It is a puzzle why it does not work for you. >> 2) Making a form or list with lines in Word Not sure what you are asking for here. >> 3) Making a spreadsheet with just 5 columns not thousands Don't worry about it, as Smokie said. But if you still want to block the excess columns and rows from your screen, do this: Columns: to hide the 6th column onwards, click on column F (that will select/high,ight whole of column F). Now press CTRL+SHIFT+RightArrow . That will select the rest of the columns to the end. Now from the Menu, select Format-Column-Hide . Job done. (To unhide, select Format-Column-Unhide). Rows: To hide the 21st row onwards, click on row21. Now press CTRL+SHIFT+DownArrow . That will select the rest of the rows to the bottom. Now from the MenuBar, select Format-Row-Hide . Job done. (To unhide, select Format-Row-Unhide). Sheets: Excel2002/3 opens new workbooks with 3 blank sheets by default. You can either change the default (MenuBar-tools-options-general- "sheets in new workbook", or hide sheets in turn in an open workbook, or add/delete sheets in each workbook as needed. >> 4) Making a PDF documant that I can edit myself I am told that the new free version of FoxitReader 4.1 includes a free pdf editor. www.foxitsoftware.com/pdf/reader/capabilities.php If that does not work, then another option is to add the free OpenOffice suite and add the free pdf editor for it. download.openoffice.org/index.html extensions.services.openoffice.org/en/project/pdfimport >> 5) Stopping logos etc 'moving' to where they want to be and not staying where >> I put them. The solution given by Smokie should work. Right click on the logo. Select "Format Picture", Layout, select something other than "in Line Text", Advanced, Picture Position, tick Lock Anchor, untick Move Object with Text. |
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New Tue 7 Sep 10 15:31
5 Things I can't do on a PC - AnotherJohnH
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>> I've also realised I should have kept a simple list of individual drivers details... Can of worms alert: www.ico.gov.uk/what_we_cover/data_protection.aspx May be relevant in a "work list" context. I'd image there will be somebody along soon who actually knows what they are talking about :) |
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New Tue 7 Sep 10 16:21
5 Things I can't do on a PC - Pat
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Thanks JohnH, I'll wade through that advice one piece at a time and will enjoy the tutorials. The Word list is in the form of a table and had 4 columns, I needed to make it 6 to add some information. I worked on it for almost 4 hours today before I gave up and made a new table with 7 columns then copied and pasted all the information in from the old one. I didn't even know it was a 'table' until half way through the morning, so that wasted loads of time. Still one row will only do text vertically while all the others are fine. I have no patience with things like this and really never wanted to do this type of stuff at all but needs must for the job I'm doing now. Another John H Thanks for the warning but I'm very familiar with the DPA and all the information covered by that is kept in the place registered for that purpose. It's a simple list of Drivers name, course taken, date taken, where based and cumulative hours uploaded. No addresses or contact details at all. Pat ( off to do some reading!) |
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New Tue 7 Sep 10 16:42
5 Things I can't do on a PC - Pat
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Just got a spreadsheet to open with one page and hid all the columns apart from 6 of them:) You are clever! Pat |
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New Tue 7 Sep 10 16:46
5 Things I can't do on a PC - John H
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>> The Word list is in the form of a table and had 4 columns, I >> needed to make it 6 to add some information. >> I worked on it for almost 4 hours today before I gave up and made >> a new table with 7 columns then copied and pasted all the information in from >> the old one. You can edit the original table to add more rows and columns, and split existing boxes. >> Still one row will only do text vertically while all the others are fine. Click on the first box in the row, press shift + the next box in turn until all the boxes are highlighted) Right click on that row, and choose from "text direction" to suit. Last edited by: John H on Tue 7 Sep 10 at 16:48
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New Tue 7 Sep 10 17:28
5 Things I can't do on a PC - Pat
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If I do that will it 'undo' if it doesn't work because I have to email that list tonight and I don't want to try and do it all over again? Pat |
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New Tue 7 Sep 10 17:31
5 Things I can't do on a PC - Pat
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It's just the first cell in that row and I've just highlighted it but it's already showing horizontal text, but still types vertically. Pat |
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New Tue 7 Sep 10 17:45
5 Things I can't do on a PC - John H
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>> If I do that will it 'undo' if it doesn't work because I have to >> email that list tonight and I don't want to try and do it all over >> again? >> I always save draft document by naming them using a format such as 5_things_I_cannot_do_draft_2.doc 5_things_I_cannot_do_draft_3.doc once I get to the final "5_things_I_cannot_do_final_4.doc" , I delete the drafts. >> It's just the first cell in that row and I've just highlighted it but it's >> already showing horizontal text, but still types vertically. >> Beats me! Last edited by: John H on Tue 7 Sep 10 at 17:47
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New Tue 7 Sep 10 17:53
5 Things I can't do on a PC - Pat
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And me John:) I get so disheartened when I want something to look professional and no matter how hard I try, it doesn't. Luckily I know the date for that cell so have just left it blank and will pretend I forgot it if it's noticed! Thanks for trying, anyway:) Pat |
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New Wed 8 Sep 10 14:42
5 Things I can't do on a PC - smokie
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| Tried the format painter? Highlight a cell which si what you want and click the paintbrush. Then click in the cell you want to change. |
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New Fri 10 Sep 10 12:23
5 Things I can't do on a PC - Stuartli
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Foxit, of Foxit Reader fame, also does a free version of its PDF Editor: www.foxitsoftware.com/pdf/editor/ |
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New Thu 16 Sep 10 21:15
5 Things I can't do on a PC - spamcan61
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>> >> >> It's just the first cell in that row and I've just highlighted it but >> it's >> >> already showing horizontal text, but still types vertically. >> >> >> >> Beats me! >> Sorry for being too late on this thread to be any use, but I thought I'd offer a few thoughts anyway:- 1) is the text alignment set to horizontal? check by right clicking in the stroppy cell and setting ' text direction' 2) If the computer thinks there isn't enough room to 'write' in the cell horizontally then the letters will be stacked vertically even if the text direction is set to horizontal. This is often caused by offsets or tabs that have been set in the cell; check the tab settings for the cell on the horizontal ruler at the top of the page ( if you can't see the ruler use View > Ruler to switch it on. If you make the text a lot smaller does it then appear as you want? If so then it is a tab/spacing/indent problem. |
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New Fri 17 Sep 10 07:06
5 Things I can't do on a PC - Pat
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The text is set to horizontal but I will go and play with the rulers and see if that helps. Thanks:) Pat |
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New Fri 17 Sep 10 09:38
5 Things I can't do on a PC - spamcan61
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Another thing I do sometimes when weird stuff is happening in Word and I don't know why is to create a new blank table with the same number of row & columns as the old one and paste the old text into the new table. If you try this make sure you use Edit > Paste Special > unformatted text when pasting or it'll probably just copy the problem across. I've used Word, Excel and Powerpoint pretty much every working day for the last 15 years and it still does things that confuse me now and again; IIRC even good old Office 2003 has automotatic style updates enabled by default, which can cause weird formatting issues. It's a bit depressing when your work colleagues value as much for your word processing skills as your technical knowledge! |
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New Fri 17 Sep 10 12:20
5 Things I can't do on a PC - Tooslow
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I'd just add to that that you should always "paste special", "unformatted" into Word, otherwise the attributes, including the deaded "Style" will get copied in and the document can get completely trashed. I believe 2007 is better in this respect but I no longer have any need to find out :-) John |
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New Fri 17 Sep 10 12:50
5 Things I can't do on a PC - Pat
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I tried making the text smaller but it was still vertical, so I clicked on the drop down menu at the centre off the scree at the top and clicked on 'clear formatting' it reverted to 'Table' and now it's all working fine:) Thanks, that looks so much better. Pat |
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New Fri 17 Sep 10 14:34
5 Things I can't do on a PC - spamcan61
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If you really want 'fun' with styles then use a pdf to Word converter on a pdf, then try and edit the resulting Word document. I had to do this at work once because we needed a user manual for a new product variant in a hurry, and the only source documentation available was in pdf. Pretty much every sentence in the document ends up with its own style, so on a 100 page document I ended up with literally hundreds of styles. The only escape was to do a select all and then paste the text into a blank document unformatted then start from scratch with the formatting. /Andy |
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