Tips & Tricks-August 2002

PowerToys have been around for other versions of Windows and they are available for Windows XP. These are small applications that add new functions to Windows XP.

The most well-known of the PowerToys is Tweak UI, a utility that lets you fine tume many of the user interface settings. Some of the functions are available in Windows XP, but Tweak UI lets you refine the settings. Some of the interface changes you can make include:

You can customize the arrow that shows up on your desktop shortcuts to a different symbol.

You can modify the size of thumbnails as well as the quality that are displayed by Windows Explorer.

There are tips that you can scroll through that give you information about the functions of Windows XP.

You can set mouse characteristics.

You can determine which applications you will allow to appear on the portion of the Start Menu that shows your frequently used applications. So if you want to hide the fact that you have been playing solitaire so much that it shows on the frequently used programs, this is the way to do it.

You can pick between My Documents and My Computer as the first Icon to display on your system (the default appears to be My Documents.)

If you want to move the location of some the default folders such as My Pictures, use Tweak UI.

You can change the default editor (Notepad) that XP uses to view source code.

You can log on automatically (bypass the initial dialog box) with Tweak UI and avoid having to click on your own name (if you are the only user).

Tweak UI will also repair icons when Explorer is using the wrong icon for a program or shortcut.

More Customizations with Tweak UI

Another PowerToy is a Slide Show wizard that creates an HTML slide show. It automatically puts in the navigation buttons and allows you to view one slide at a time, with or without a filmstrip along the bottom, or the entire collection of slides.

If you have a Web cam, you can set it to snap pictures at specified interval, reduce the image size (or not) and save the images, even across a network.

Another PowerToy lets you resize images by selecting the image or images and right-clicking. Up pops a dialog box that gives you several sizes (including 320x240 for handheld devices) to choose from. The original files are not resized and there are a few other options you can choose, such as making files larger, but not smaller.

Have trouble seeing the items on your screen? PowerToys includes a taskbar magnifier. You right-click on the taskbar and select Toolbars, then"Taskbar Magnifier." A small window appears on the taskbar which shows the portion of the screen closest to your cursor; it can also be set to follow your keystrokes. The window can be made wider or taller (by enlarging the taskbar.) Enlarge the taskbar by holding the cursor at the upper edge until it turns into a double ended arrow, then drag the taskbar to the width you need. You can also set the level of zoom from 1:1 to 1:8.

There are several more, but I don't have time or space to look at all of them. This is an interesting and useful set of applets from Microsoft, even though they don't support them.