Sams Teach Yourself Microsoft Windows 2000 Professional in 10 Minutes

By Dorothy Burke and Jane Calabria

• Table of Contents
  • Copyright
  • Tell Us What You Think!
  • About the Authors
  • Introduction
  • Conventions Used in This Book
  • Lesson 1. Navigating Windows 2000 Professional
  • Lesson 2. Working with a Window
  • Lesson 3. Using Menus
  • Lesson 4. Using Windows 2000 Professional Help
  • Lesson 5. Using Dialog Boxes
  • Lesson 6. Working with Multiple Windows and Applications
  • Lesson 7. Copying, Moving, and Linking Between Windows and Applications
  • Lesson 8. Using My Computer
  • Lesson 9. Managing Files with My Computer
  • Lesson 10. Using WordPad
  • Lesson 11. Understanding File Properties and the Recycle Bin
  • Lesson 12. Printing
  • Lesson 13. Using My Network Places
  • Lesson 14. Using the Control Panel
  • Lesson 15. Using Outlook Express Mail
  • Lesson 16. Sharing Workstations and Setting Passwords
  • Lesson 17. Using Internet Explorer 5
  • Lesson 18. Web Site and Document Searching
  • Lesson 19. Troubleshooting, Restarting, and Disaster Planning
  • Lesson 20. Customizing the Windows 2000 Environment
    • Creating Shortcuts
    • Arranging Icons
    • Choosing Colors and Backgrounds
    • Changing Fonts
    • Customizing the Taskbar
    • Changing the Time or Date
    • Creating Custom Toolbars

Creating Shortcuts

A shortcut is a quick way to access a program, printer, folder, or document you use often. The shortcut appears as an icon on your desktop that acts as a pointer to that program, printer, or document.

The quickest way to make a shortcut is to point to the icon in My Computer or Windows Explorer, hold down your right mouse button, and drag the icon to your desktop. When you release the right mouse button, a pop-up menu opens. Select Create Shortcut(s) Here, and the shortcut icon appears on the desktop as shown in Figure 20.1.

Figure 20.1 Be sure to use your right mouse button when you drag an item to the desktop to create a shortcut. If you use the left mouse button, you will move the item to the desktop instead of creating a shortcut.

To create a program shortcut, select the program's executable file (such as the Word icon). To create a printer shortcut, select the appropriate printer. To create a folder icon, select the folder.

To use a shortcut, click the icon. If the shortcut is to a program, it will start the program. If the shortcut is to a document, it will start the program associated with the document and then open that document. If the shortcut is to a printer, just drag a document icon over the shortcut to print the document. If you drag a document icon over a program shortcut, the program will start and then open the document associated with it.

To remove a shortcut icon, drag it to the Recycle Bin or select the shortcut icon and then press the Delete key. If you delete the shortcut, you're not deleting the program, printer, or document—you're only removing the icon from your desktop. However, if you delete or remove the program, document, or printer, the shortcut no longer has anything to point to and clicking it results in an error message to that effect.

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