Author Archives: Sue Manuel

File synchronisation

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When working on documents saved to the university file stores using different PCs in the library there are a couple of things you can do to ensure that you see the most up-to-date version with your latest edits in place.

  • Save your file and allow a bit of time for file changes to be uploaded to the server copy before you switch your PC off or log off. This will help to counter busy periods on the network.  
  • Save your work before shutting down rather than relying on the prompt to save work as software is closed automatically as the system shuts down.
  • Run a manual sync for individual files by right clicking the file and going into ‘Properties’, ‘Offline Files’ and select ‘Sync Now’.
  • Right click on the Synchronisation icon on the Windows 7 ‘System Tray’ and select ‘Sync All’ Sync Icon

Connecting to IT Services Staff printers

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The Networked Staff printers need to be set up for each person who logs into a PC. The process is quite easy (when it works) and we can set it up for you. However, there may be occassions when you are using a shared PC or that of a colleague, so I thought it would be useful to provide instruction for those who would like to try this themselves. Quict steps for connecting to a printer are listed below and a guide with screen grabs is also available (Connecting to IT Services Networked Printers).

  • Click on the Microsoft Button (Start)
  • Select ‘Devices and Printers’
  • From the devices and printers window select ‘Add a printer’
  • Select ‘Add a network, wireless or Bluetooth printer’
  • Select ‘The printer I want isn’t listed’
  • Enter the pathname of the printer (\printersStaff-Mono) then click ‘Next’
  • The drivers will be installed on the PC
  • The printer will be installed, click ‘Next’
  • Set at the default printer, print a test page (unless you are connecting to the A0 printer) and then click ‘Finish’
  • The printer appears in the ‘Devices and Printers’ folder and is identified by the green tick icon
  • Repeat the process to connect to the Staff-Colour (\printersStaff-Colour) or A0 printer (\printersA0_cc_plain_hp) and remember to un-tick ‘Set as the default printer

Quick access to regularly used programs

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If you regularly use the same program every day, why not Pin it to your Start Menu or Task Bar. Locate the program in the All Programs list, Right click on the program and select Pin to Start Menu or Pin to Task Bar, easy peasy!

Start Menu

The Start Menu can be seen when you click on the Microsoft Button (Start)

 
Task Bar

The Task Bar is alongside the Microsoft button (Start) bottom left of your screen

 

Manipulating scanned PDF files

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Have you ever spent the best part of an hour scanning an item for the e-reserve only to find out that you have missed a couple of pages out, scanned one in twice, and one has some missing text? Or, have you used our photocopier/printers to scan to email and wondered how on earth you are going to get all the individual pdf files into a single document? Well, all your troubles are over because now you can take a quick squint at the ‘Manipulating scanned PDFs‘ guide to find solutions to these common problems.

Where have all my files gone?

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There are several ways to access files you saved to the network or PC stores.

  • Your networked files (previously U: drive) are located in ‘My Documents’ in the ‘Document’ library. This can be accessed by clicking on the ‘Windows Explorer’ icon on the ’Task Bar’, click the expand icon alongside ‘Documents’, and then click on the ‘My Documents’ folder.
  • Notice that you also have other Libraries for organising your music, images and videos.
  • The ‘Public Documents’ library is for temporary storage on your PCs hard drive.My Documents

Alternative routes to the same location are as follows:

  • Click on the Microsoft button (aka ‘Start’) then click on your name ‘My Documents’.
  • Click on the Microsoft button (aka ‘Start’) then click on ‘Computer’ to access from the navigation pane

Please remember that unless you save your files to ‘My Documents’ you will not be able to see them on other networked PCs, and if your hard drive fails your work will be lost.

Taskbar thumbnails – or no thumbnails!

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Do the thumbnail images which appear as you hover your mouse over program and system icons on the Taskbar make you feel a bit queasy? Would you rather your open programs, web pages and folders have their own icon on the Taskbar, as in Windows XP? No worries, this feature of Windows 7 is easy to adjust to your personal preference.

  • Right click on the Taskbar (bar at the bottom of your screen)
  • Select ‘Properties’ from the context menu (you should now see the Taskbar and Start Menu Properties box)
  • Make sure the Taskbar tab is selected
  • Look for the ‘Taskbar and buttons’ option
  • From the dropdown box alongside select either ‘Combine when taskbar is full’ or, if you really hate loath and detest the thumbnail previews, select ‘Never combine’
  • Click the ‘Apply’ button and notice the change to your Taskbar.

If you have a change of heart, just change the ‘Taskbar and buttons’ setting back again.

How big are my web mail messages?

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I know that we don’t all use Outlook for managing our emails so I thought it only fair to offer web mail client users some information on message sizes.

The Size of each of your messages is displayed in the last column alongside the From, Subject and Received headings above your mail entries. To sort your messages by their size just click on the Size link. This will place your largest messages at the top of your mail, and you can then quickly decide which messages to keep or delete to reduce your mail usage quota.

Printing tips: page/paper size

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IT Services charged print system is not very forgiving when paper sizes are not A4 or A3. This means that your print job may be rejected or the printed text is not formatted on the paper as you were expecting. So, please check the page size selected in your document.

  • MS Word and Excel: Page Layout, Size
  • MS PowerPoint: Design, Page Setup

Alternatively, try forcing the printer to print on the paper size you want (A4 or A3):

  • File, Print then select the printer queue you require (Staff-Mono or Staff-Colour)
  • Click on the Printer Properties link
  • In the Dialog Box select the Paper tab
  • Check the Print on tick-box, select A4 or A3 and then check the Fit to Print Sick tick-box