The windows environment can be easily changed by starting or ending various windows services. For example, this method can be used to easily shut down multiple services for a performance boost during game playing. Warning: Manipulating windows services can have unpredictable effects on your system. You should create a system restore point before experimenting. We all want to tweak or windows systems to the extreme to get the quickest, most powerful system possible. Many people will disable multiple window services manually before game playing. What a pain! Many times people forget what the services do or forget to restart the important ones. Services can be easily changed by creating batch files. The important commands are the following: NET START - starts the service NET STOP - ends the service For example: NET STOP "Error Reporting Service" Output: The Error Reporting Service service was stopped successfully. Knowing the commands, one can now easily create batch files calle... Read More

 Successful batch files cannot be slowed down with a bunch of user prompts. This little recipe will show you how to supress prompts in batch files.Commands such as deleting all files can complicate batch files because the system prompts for confirmation. For example... del *.* replies with *.*, Are you sure (Y/N)? Man, that'll slow up a batch file. By using echo this will automatically reply for you: echo y| del *.* To supress the "File Not Found" error when trying to delete files from an empty directory, use this code instead: if exist *.* echo y| del *.*... Read More

 This quick recipe describes how to supress responses to commands within batch files.During the execution of your batch files, users can see your commands on the screen. Most of the time this is good for debugging purposes; however, often it's better to run your batch file silently. Any command that is followed by "> nul" will not be shown on the screen. The greater sign directs the output to null (nowhere). For example, copy *.* *.bak will show you as it copies all the files in the directory and renames them with the bak extension. copy *.* *.bak > nul will silently complete its work without placing anything on the screen.... Read More

 As admins, we often have to take actions against a list of things (computers, servers, file shares, etc). One great way to approach this is to put the list in a test file and use a FOR command to loop through the file and take a action against the contents.Say we have a file full of computernames: complist.txt: EricsPC BobsPC ExtraPC and we need to delete each of these computers from the domain. Using a FOR loop to profress the file is the way to go (especially if there are really 300 computer names!) First a test: FOR /f %a in ('complist.txt') do echo Computer: %a should return Computer: EricsPC Computer: BobsPC Computer: ExtraPC To actually delete the PCs from the domain, change the command to: FOR /f %a in ('complist.txt') do net computer \\%a /DEL When we run it we'll see net computer \\EricsPC /DEL net computer \\BobsPC /DEL net computer \\ExtraPC /DEL Of course we can use this to run any command-line against any list. In fact, we can use the FOR to run a command that would genera... Read More

 Regardless of the scripting language, the use of variables can greatly enhance the functionality of a script. This recipe demonstrated basic use of variables in MS-DOS or Windows batch files.The following script demonstrates a trivial example of setting a variable and displaying it: @echo off set var=testing 1 2 3 echo The variable is "%var%" If you put these lines in a file called test.bat and run this batch file by typing test from the command line in the same directory, you'll see the following output: The variable is "testing 1 2 3" You can view the defined system and user variables by typing set at the command line. You can use any of these variables in your batch files, for instance the variable %computername% contains the name of the system running the script. To unset or erase a previously set user variable, use the following command: set var= Variables, once set, can be used most anywhere in a batch file where text can go. For example, a variable can be set... Read More

 When editing documents for others, the comments feature of Word can be very useful. However, the small black on red text is painful. Here's how to change the appearance of the comments Change the Comments Style: 1. Open Word 2. Click Format menu 3. Click Styles and Formatting 4. At the very bottom of the Formatting sidebar is a dropdown box. Select custom for this dropdown. 5. Check Balloon Text (Not Comment Text) 6. Click OK 7. Select Balloon Text in the Formatting sidebar 8. Click Modify 9. Now you can select the font face, style, and color you want for your comments. 10 Click OK... Read More

 Let Microsoft Word save the files for you in case Word has to close down or your system crashes.Microsoft Word has a built in feature called AutoRecover that automatically saves a document and incase word has to close or your computer crashes, word automatically opens your file for you. Word saves you files temporarily every 10 or 9 minutes depending on which version you have. It is better to set that to a lower time so that more current information is saved. To do this just follow these steps: 1. First click on Tools. You can find the tools button in the menubar. 2. Then click on Optionsthen click on options. 3. After that click on the Save tab click on the save tab 4. Make sure the check box beside Save AutoRecover info every: is checked 5. Then use the buttons beside the number you see to make the number lower. You can also type in a number. Note: you can't set it to a number lower than 1 because if you do that the check box will uncheck itself 6. Just click on OK and your all set! ... Read More

 I have to document trademark junk material all the time. Here is the fastest ways to do so.There are a lot of hard ways to insert symbols into word documents. However, most symbols have quick ways of doing it as well. A recent recipe here explored using the ascii control set and reminded me of this. To insert a trademark symbol into word quickly, you can do one of two things. 1. Type (TM) which word will convert automatically to the symbol 2. To do it old school ascii style: a- Hold down ALT b- On your keypad type 0153 c- Let go of ALT I don't know why you have to use your keypad... but you do. As soon as you let go of ALT, you should see the symbol. It works on web pages as well...... Read More

 The easiest and quickest way to create an ebook from word.This quick little plug-in will allow you to convert your documents to Microsoft's Reader ebook format. If you need to view your word files on a device that supports this format, this download is exactly what you are looking for. Word 2000/XP/2003 Add-In: Read in Microsoft Reader 1.1.3... Read More

 These two nifty macros enable you to delete the embedded hyperlinks that are generated when typing URLS or copying information from the web.Ever copy and paste something from the Internet and then into Word only to get the hyperlinks embedded? You can removed them easily with the Macros below. Word Hit [ALT]+[F11] to open the Visual Basic Editor Go to "Insert" > "Module" and in the pop-up window copy: Sub RemoveHyperlinks() Dim oField As Field For Each oField In ActiveDocument.Fields If oField.Type = wdFieldHyperlink Then oField.Unlink End If Next Set oField = Nothing End Sub Then click "File" > Close and return to Microsoft Word You can now run the Macro in Word by going to: Tools > Macro > Macro and then Run "RemoveAllHyperlinks" Excel: You can do the same in an Excel Document: Hit [ALT]+[F11] to open the Visual Basic Editor Go to "Insert" > "Module" and in the pop-up window copy: Sub RemoveHyperlinks() 'Remove all hyperlinks from the active sheet ActiveSheet.Hyperlin... Read More

 Office keeps a lot of personal information in your document files. Here is how to remove it.Microsoft Office keeps a lot of personal information locked inside documents created within Word, Excel, and Powerpoint. Although this information is helpful within your own system, this information should be removed from the files before you release them into the public. Luckily Microsoft has released a program to help you remove this information. http://www.microsoft.com/downloads/details.aspx?FamilyId=144E54ED-D43E-42CA-BC7B-5446D34E5360&displaylang=en... Read More

 Remove other toolbars and only use what you need while creating something with word. Some times it is easier to have one toolbar rather than have many toolbars. For example you might be doing a little bit of drawing and a little bit of web-editing and editing a little bit of forms. You don't need to have three toolbars for that, you can just have a single toolbar for everything. This way your space isn't that cluttered and you know what you are typing!To do this... 1. Click on View in the menu bar 2. Then click on Toolbars 3. After that click on Customize... 4. In the window that pops up go to the Toolbars tab 5. To your right click on a button called New... 6. Give your toolbar a name and type it under in the place of Custom 1 7. Then where it says "Make toolbar available to:" you can either select normal and you can see your toolbar in any document. Or you can select a particular document which this toolbar should be made available to 8. Then after your toolbar appears to your right ... Read More

 Arg, I hate the insert key. Here is how to kill it in Word so you'll never accidently go into overtype mode.Overtype mode sucks. Sucks! Since the days of the old word processors, typing at the cursor should insert text--not type over it! I hate to rattle off a sentence of two... only realize that I accidently had hit the insert key and turned on overtype. Now, half my paragraph is typed over! Typically one turns on and turns off overtype mode by pressing the insert key. Kill the Insert Key: 1. Start Word 2. Click on the Tools menu 3. Click Customize 4. Click the Options tab 5. Click Keyboard 6. Under the Catgories dropdown box, select All Commands 7. Under the Commands dropdown box, select Overtype 8. Under the Current keys downdown box, select Insert 9. Click Remove 10. Click Close until the dialog windows close.... Read More

 Make sure that no one changes your precious work in Word.Protect Document is a very helpful tool to help you keep your file the way you left it. To enable Protect Document: 1. Click on Tools in the menu bar 2. Then click on Protect Document... 3. Then a window will pop-up asking you what you want to protect your document for. -The Tracked Changes option allows you to track every single change that was made. It changes the colour of the text to red and gets underlined if you make any changes -The Comments options only allows the user to put in comments. (To insert a comment go to Insert>Comment and to view a comment go to View>Comments) -The Forms option only allows you to edit forms in the document. You can't edit anything else 4. To choose your option just click on the choice that you want. 5. If you want a password then type in a password in the "Password (optional):" text box. (Word will ask you the password when you want to unlock your document!) 6. Click on OK 7. If you didn't cho... Read More

 Macros are simple yet powerful programs to simplify hard tasks. All you do is record a macro and then you can use it whenever you want.First you have you create a Macro so that you can use it. Creating/Recording Macros are fairly easy. 1. Click on Tools in the menu bar 2. Then go to Macro 3. Click on Record New Macro... Now give your very own Macro a name, where it needs to be stored and write up a description (so that when you need to use that macro you know exactly what the macro does) Then assign the macro to Toolbars (for toolbar functions) or Keyboard (for keyboard functions) 4. Now you are ready to record a new Macro. If you selected then you can start recording the Macro (after you fill in the things in the window that pop's up) you can also give a keyboard shortcut to that macro (to assign keyboard shortcuts you need to press two keys together such as Alt+t or Ctrl+t) 5. Record whatever you need to record (for example text formatting, page numbers etc. the possibilities are unl... Read More

 Recently, a worm has been found to execute through Word. Until it is patched, it is recommended that Word should be run in safe mode. Actually, safe mode is quicker to load for most people as well.I have a ton of Word add-ons for various things. Running word in safe mode prevents all the extras from loading. Word itself still runs fine. Due to a recent worm/virus/trojan/whatever, some experts are suggesting that word be run in safe mode. Here is how to do it. Here is how I run word in safe mode: 1. Click Start 2. Click Run 3. In the runbox type: winword /safe 4. Click OK or press Enter 5. Word will open with (Safe Mode) in the title bar... Read More

 Any version of Word > 2002 will allow the user to select nonconsecutive items and words.We all select, copy, and paste. Repeatedly. This little trick will likely save you a lot of time. Now, with the latest versions of Word, users can select text and items that are not connected or even near to each other. 1. Select a word or passage of text. 2. Hold CTRL 3. Select a distant word or text 4. Repeat until all text is selected 5. Copy, manipulate, or whatever. For example, you could select the title and then skip down and select the 4th paragraph. Pressing copy here will put only the title and the paragraph into your clipboard.... Read More

 Keystroke command to quick change the case of words with a Word document.Very few things are as painful as trying to convert a large text of all-caps text to normal. Heck, it's almost quicker to retype it. Word versions 1997 and later have a shortcut to make this much quicker. SHIFT-F3 - changes selected text between title case, upper case, and lower case. For example: WILL YOU PLEASE FAX THIS TO BOB   (Shift-F3) will you please fax this to bob   (Shift-F3) Will You Please Fax This To Bob Now, you can appropriately quote that dOOd in the newsgroups that loves to shout IN ALL CAPS.... Read More

 Quick trick that allows a user to save or close multiple documents at once.Versions of Word 2000 and greater allow the user to close or save all open documents at once. 1. Hold SHIFT 2. Click File menu 3. Select either Save All or Select All Holding SHIFT allows these two new options to appear.... Read More

 This describes the quickest way to duplicate text or graphics within Word Documents.1. Select the text or item you wish to duplicate 2. Hold the CTRL key 3. Using the left mouse button, drag the object to where you want the duplicate to appear. The original will stay in place and a duplicate will be formed.... Read More