Using the PrintScreen Key

Q.  I know you’ve covered this before, but can you review what the PrintScreen key does and how to use it?  It doesn’t appear to do anything. Thanks for your patience with dummies like me, Mr. M.

A.  There are no “dummies” here in Mr. Modemville, so I’m glad you asked. Though nothing appears to happen when you press the Print Screen (PrtScrn) key, Windows is actually taking a snapshot of what appears on screen and saving it to the Clipboard.

To use the saved image, you have to paste it from the Clipboard into a document, graphics program, or other destination.  I usually use Microsoft Paint, which is a simple graphics editor that is part of every version of Windows, as my initial destination. To launch it, click Start > Programs > Accessories > Paint.  Position your cursor where you want the saved image to appear, then click Edit > Paste or press CTRL + V. The image you saved by pressing the Print Screen key will pop onto the screen. You can then save it, edit it, or use it any way you wish.

Q.  What does PPM stand for?

A.  That’s a FUA (Frequently Used Abbreviation) for “pages per minute.” PPM is a measurement for determining how fast a printer is capable of printing. All PPM calculations are not created equal, however, so when comparing printer PPMs, it’s important to note what print quality is being used. Low- or draft-quality printing will be faster than high-quality printing; non-color printing will be faster than color printing; and text will usually print faster than graphically intensive documents. 

Q. Many times I need to double-space my Word documents, but I can’t seem to locate a command for that. Can you help? Thanks for a great newsletter, Mr. M. Keep them coming!

A.  If you want to double-space a Word document, start by selecting (highlighting) the text you want to DS — which is secret code for “double-space.” If you want to double-space an entire document, select the whole enchilada (which is secret code for “all the text”) by pressing CTRL + A.

In the Menu bar, click Format > Paragraph > Spacing. Under Line Spacing you’ll see a drop-down list where you can select single, one and-a-half, double, and several other options nobody understands or uses. Make your selection (“double”), click OK to save and exit, then print as you normally would.

Mr. Modem’s Sites of the Week:
History of Flight
Most of us recall the Wright Brothers when we think of pioneers of flight, but as this fascinating site reveals, many countries boast their own list of aeronautical evolutionaries. Click a flag to learn about the birth of flight in each individual nation, including Argentina, Sweden, Japan, Portugal, The Netherlands, Romania, and many others. You can also read “Pioneer Profiles” of such legendary aviators as Alberto Santos-Dumont, Igor Sikorsky, and Amelia Earhart.
http://tinyurl.com/nq2qvz

Organ Transplants
A look into the world of organ and tissue transplantation in America. Browse the “Faces of Donation” section to share real-life stories of donor families and organ and tissue transplant recipients. In the “Understanding Donation” section, you can explore “The Interactive Body” animation and learn about our various organs and tissues that can be transplanted.
www.organtransplants.org

Pack Track
You probably know that you can track your FedEx and UPS shipments on the Web, but did you know you can track shipments with any of 75 carriers, all from one Web site? Pack Track makes it happen.
www.packtrack.com

For plain-English answers to your questions by email, plus useful PC tips, subscribe to Mr. Modem’s Weekly Newsletter. For information, visit www.MrModem.com.

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