Free Book – Windows 10 Home Users Companion

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[Drcard:))]

Hi All,

The links below are to download Windows 10 Home Users Companion in either the .pdf or .docx format.

This book is a collection of computer topics that includes time and labor saving tips, customizations to make use easier, how to instructions to accomplish tasks, troubleshooting problems, enhancements, reference tables, using Windows installed utilities, and tips/how to’s for Outlook, Word and Excel. Each topic was written with detailed steps, screen shots, and notes about common mistakes so an average Windows 10 Home and Microsoft Office user will get excellent results the first time they try. I have performed each of these topics which is where the screen shots come from. The goal is to allow the non-savvy average user to benefit form the advantages provided by these topics.

The book is divided into sections as indicated in the Table of Contents. Each topic in the Table of Contents is a link to go directly to that topic. In the Table of Contents in the .docx version of the book, placing the pointer over the topic title will show a brief description of what that topic does. This description on hover is not in the .pdf version. The .pdf version will download to a smart phone better than the .docx version.

I have included a copy of the Table of Contents listing all the topics so you can decide if you want to download the book or not. See inserted pdf.

I offer the book, as is, free of any charges; and thus, must state that I assume no responsibility for your use any information in the book.

That being said, I have some last warnings:

There are over 100 topics covering 297 pages in this book so these are large files of 14.1 & 14.8 MBs

The links are to a free hosting/downloading site that is “paid” for this service by ads. When you go to download you might get a popup ad. Just close the ad and proceed with the download.

PDF – Windows 10 Home Users Companion

DOCX – Windows 10 Home Users Companion

Table-of-Contents

HTH, Dana:))

• This topic was modified 8 months, 3 weeks ago by Drcard:)).
• This topic was modified 8 months, 3 weeks ago by Drcard:)).

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Paul, Matador, samak, SueW, Jaquin757, Fred

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FYI
I just replaced the .docx and .pdf files  of the book with the updated versions. The updated versions have a link at the the end of each topic to return to the Table of Contents. Makes navigation a little easier.

HTH, Dana:))

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SueW

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Hi Dana,
The directions for “W-3 Change the Default Format of Lines and Shapes in Word” appear to be what I’ve been looking for for a long, long time.

I have a few questions about the directions.

It looks to me that:
Step 1: Starts with a blank Word Document.
Steps 2-5 are taken within the Normal.dotm template to set the Shape Outline for the shape (i.e., the black arrow shape) as it is being constructed in the heretofore blank document. You end these steps by making the black-arrow-shape outline the default line.
Steps 6-7 are taken within the Normal.dotm template to set the Shape Fill for the shape (the see-thru black oval shape) as it is being constructed in the heretofore blank document. You end these steps by making this see-thru oval shape the default shape.

Question #1: If I understand these steps, before making this the default shape, you could take the additional steps needed to change the color and width of the oval shape outline, as well. Right?

Question #2: I notice in your directions that you have used a see-thru red rectangle shape around the “Set as Default Line” and the “Set as Default Shape”. Is this in your Normal.dotm template, too? I ask because this is a see-thru red rectangle and not a see-thru black oval. Basically, I’m asking if you can put two different shapes in the template — (a see-thru red rectangle AND a see-thru black oval)?

Step 8 deletes the line (the black arrow) and the shape (the see-thru black oval) that you have contructed in the heretofore blank document, but saves in Normal.dotm the defaults you have set in step 5 for the black arrow and in Step 7 for the black see-thru oval.

Question #3: It looks like your directions use an unoutlined textbox, too – for example, where it says “This” or “Save icon” or “Fill colors”. Would you go thru similar steps to put a textbox like this in the template, too – set as the Default textbox (Mine would be a red-outlined textbox)? I am guessing afterwards, when you insert a textbox, it would look like the one you constructed as the default and put in the template. Then, you could put whatever text, even colored text, that you want in the inserted textbox and re-size it as necessary?

Question #4: Now, my last question: what if, in the future, you no longer wanted these default lines, shapes, and/or textboxes in the template? How would you get rid of them so that the previous template defaults are applied? Could you save the template before you made any changes to it under another name? Should this other name follow certain conventions as to filename and extension? (I found Normal.dotm at C:Usersmy-personal-foldernameAppDataRoamingMicrosoftTemplates.) And then could I restore the old template by renaming it Normal.dotm?

As an alternative, I see that I already have a “Backup of Normal.wkb” dating back to 2020. So, I must have changed the Normal.dotm file somehow back them. Maybe, I could follow this backup naming as an example and copy the present before-the-changes Normal.dotm with a new name (something like “Normal-dotm-before new line, shape, and textbox defaults.wkb” pehaps)? And, if the new Normal.dotm did not work as I wanted the line, arrow, and textbox to work, I could copy this .wkb file with the name Normal.dotm and I would have the old Normal.dotm back?

See the attached file where I have inserted 3 manually-constructed red-outlined textboxes and 2 manually constructed shapes (a red-rectangle shape and a red-oval shape) — all of which are not yet set up as defaults and are not yet entered into Normal.dotm.

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WCHS wrote:

I have a few questions about the directions.

I have 1 more question about putting a Text Box default in a template.

Normally, when I create textboxes, I choose “Draw Text Box”, rather than selecting one of the textboxes offered. And after I draw a box, I go to the Shape Drawing Tool, and make my selection for “no fill” and for the line color and width. I think that it doesn’t make any difference as to how you go about choosing the textbox, right? What counts for the default for Text Box in the template is the choices you’ve made in Shape Fill and Shape Outline for that Text Box, right?

I also have a question about Picture Borders.
Sometimes, I use Snip & Sketch to make a screenshot and save it (as a .jpg file). Then I bring it into Word at a point where it is needed and then I create a Picture Border for it, selecting color and line width. But, I do not see that there is a “Set as default Picture Border”, similar to “Set as default Line” or “Set as default Shape”. So, is it possible set a default for a Picture Border in a template in the same way you can set a default for Line and a default for Shape in a template? Or does ‘Set as default Line’ or ‘Set as default Shape’ take care of a Picture Border? I’d like to save some repetitive keystrokes on Pictures Borders, too.

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WCHS wrote:

So, is it possible set a default for a Picture Border in a template in the same way you can set a default for Line and a default for Shape in a template?

No. The reason that there is no default for a border for a picture is because the picture border is an add on and no border appears by default when you insert a picture.
You can change the default layout (move with text, in front or behind text, etc.) for a picture but not addons or corrections or other effects.

Also, you can use a shape (which you can change the default of) as your border for a picture such as a rectangle. One of the fill choices is a picture. See Use Word Shapes as Picture Frames in my book.

HTH, Dana:))

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WCHS

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WCHS wrote:

Steps 6-7 are taken within the Normal.dotm template to set the Shape Fill for the shape (the see-thru black oval shape) as it is being constructed in the heretofore blank document. You end these steps by making this see-thru oval shape the default shape.

Question #1: If I understand these steps, before making this the default shape, you could take the additional steps needed to change the color and width of the oval shape outline, as well. Right?

The see-thru oval is not the default shape. It is the shape outline and shape fill that becomes the default and will apply to other shapes such as the rectangle, cloud. Shapes and Lines are separate graphics and thus have different default values. Yes you can change the color of the outline, thickness, etc. and set as default. This will be the outline for all shapes, but does not affect the line defaults you set. The defaults you set are for the outline and fill for all shapes. Also shown was setting the default for lines. You can apply this to other insert objects such as a text box entered without any outline…free floating text. So yes it applies to a text box.

WCHS wrote:

Question #2: I notice in your directions that you have used a see-thru red rectangle shape around the “Set as Default Line” and the “Set as Default Shape”. Is this in your Normal.dotm template, too? I ask because this is a see-thru red rectangle and not a see-thru black oval. Basically, I’m asking if you can put two different shapes in the template — (a see-thru red rectangle AND a see-thru black oval)?

Answered above

WCHS wrote:

Question #3: It looks like your directions use an unoutlined textbox, too – for example, where it says “This” or “Save icon” or “Fill colors”. Would you go thru similar steps to put a textbox like this in the template, too – set as the Default textbox (Mine would be a red-outlined textbox)? I am guessing afterwards, when you insert a textbox, it would look like the one you constructed as the default and put in the template. Then, you could put whatever text, even colored text, that you want in the inserted textbox and re-size it as necessary?

Yes and answered above.

WCHS wrote:

Question #4: Now, my last question: what if, in the future, you no longer wanted these default lines, shapes, and/or textboxes in the template? How would you get rid of them so that the previous template defaults are applied?

Delete or move the normal.dotx template from its default location while Word is closed. When Word opens and doesn’t find the Normal.dotx it will create a new one with original default settings.

Let me know if you need more info.

HTH, Dana:))

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Drcard:)) wrote:

Delete or move the normal.dotx template from its default location while Word is closed. When Word opens and doesn’t find the Normal.dotx it will create a new one with original default settings.

I am using Word 2016.
In C:>Users>my-personal-foldername>AppData>Roaming>MicrosoftTemplates, I do not see normal.dotx (neither uppercase of lowercase ‘n’) . I see a Normal.dotm (uppercase ‘N’), but that’s all there is with “Normal’ as the filename. There is no filename normal (lowercase ‘n’).

The only files there with .dotx extensions are various versions of “Welcome to Word(n).dotx” and they date back to 2016 and 2017. I opened some of these and they seem to be some kind of ‘tour’ to help in using various aspects of Word.

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WCHS wrote:

I do not see normal.dotx (neither uppercase of lowercase ‘n’) . I see a Normal.dotm (uppercase ‘N’), but that’s all there is with “Normal’ as the filename. There is no filename normal (lowercase ‘n’).

Sorry,

Quick response and a “senor” moment. Yes the Normal.dotm is the Normal template you want to open to set the defaults.

Think of setting the defaults for the lines, shapes, text boxes, and other objects the same as setting the defaults for Font, margins, and and other forms of formatting you want to start with when you open Word.

You can set different defaults for different templates.

HTH, Dana:))

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Drcard:)) wrote:

You can set different defaults for different templates.

Well, now you’ve opened a fork in the path. I thought a template HAD to be named Normal.dotm. So, you can give a template any name, so long as the extension is .dotm?? How do you create a template that can be ‘a different default’ and how do you call it into duty?

I’d love for you to post a how-to on AskWoody on that subject. I remember having seen earlier on AskWoody your Edit PDFs with Microsoft Word. I’ve used those instructions many times. Thank you.

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WCHS wrote:

I’d love for you to post a how-to on AskWoody on that subject. I remember having seen earlier on AskWoody your Edit PDFs with Microsoft Word. I’ve used those instructions many times. Thank you.

I’ll work on one with screen shots, in the meantime:

You can make any number of templates, each having the options and formatting set as you want for that template. Only one of these templates can be named Normal.dotm. You can name the other templates any name you want and save them as .dotx or .dotm file extension. The x means no macros allow and the m means macros allowed. Normal.dotm can only be a .dotm.

These custom templates will be store in the Custom Office Templates in the Documents library.

You can open a document using that template 2 ways:
1) Open Word and select New and select it from your Personal templates listed.
or
2) Create a Shortcut to the custom template in that Custom Office templates. Clicking a shortcut to the template opens a blank document based upon that template.  After finishing it will offer saving the file as a .docx or .docm. and not over write your template.

I have my own trick. I created a macro that records the steps to open the template using the Alt commands in Word. I assigned a keyboard shortcut within Word for this macro. Any time I want a new document based upon that template I press two keys of the keyboard shortcut and it opens ready to be used.

HTH, Dana:))

1 user thanked author for this post.

WCHS

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Drcard:)) wrote:

I’ll work on one with screen shots, in the meantime:

I think I get the gist of making multiple templates and using them, but I will welcome a more complete explanation with screen shots.

According to what I understand here, you can name the template anything you want in the filename and by the name you will be able to tell what the template offers, right?

I think I will create a reference table with a more expansive desription of what each template offers and the name of the template file — to help me remember what is what.

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Hi Dana,
Thanks for the clarification of lines and shapes. I have just noticed that only a few “shapes” under Insert>Shape are true lines and therefore the ‘Fill’ is greyed out. So, here the ‘Set as Default Line’ applies. Other “shapes” do not have the “Fill” greyed out and so the ‘Set as Default Shape’ applies. Even the various bracket types, the scribble, and the curve are not lines !!, but shapes (i.e., the ‘Set as Default Shape’ applies).

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