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Q&A: MacFixIt Answers

MacFixIt Answers is a feature in which we answer questions e-mailed in by our readers. This week there were questions on using keyboard shortcuts with OS X's application services, log-in items no longer launching automatically, migration recommendations for new Macs, and the longevity of Microsoft's DOCX format. We continually answer e-mail questions, and though we present a few answers here, we welcome alternative approaches and views from readers and encourage you to post your suggestions in the comments.

Question: Using keyboard shorcuts with application services MacFixIt reader "lew" asks:

Is there a keyboard shortcut to launch … Read more

15 essential Chrome OS keyboard shortcuts

Google's Chrome OS uses some familiar keyboard shortcuts as well as some unique ones. A few of these access Chrome OS settings and others take the place of missing physical keys on Chromebook keyboards (Page Up, Page Down, Home, End). Here are 15 essential keyboard shortcuts in Chrome OS:

Settings:

Ctrl+? Open help Shift+Esc Open task manager Ctrl+Alt+/ Open keyboard shortcut list Ctrl+M Open file manager

Navigation and text editing:

Alt+ up arrow Page Up Alt+ down arrow Page Down Ctrl+Alt+ up arrow Home Ctrl+Alt+ down arrow End Ctrl+Tab Switch to next browser … Read more

Tip: Set a window zooming shortcut in OS X

Window Zooming in OS X does not magnify a window's contents, but rather resizes the window to fit its contents. While this is the most common use of this button, the function is application-specific and may do anything from changing the overall window appearance such as switching to the mini player in iTunes to doing absolutely nothing at all.

Invoking the zoom function is done by clicking the green button to the right of the close and minimize buttons, but it can also be accessed from the Window menu that most OS X applications have. Unlike the Close and … Read more

Program makes keyboard shortcuts easy to find

For some PC tasks, nothing but a mouse will do. But when you need to get a load of work done in a short time, the key is to keep your hands on the keys.

Easier said than done, considering the world of actions--other than typing--you're likely to perform on your PC in the course of a workday. If only it were easier to remember those hundreds of keyboard shortcuts that let you park your mouse in long-term storage.

Several years ago I described how to create an easy-to-access list of keyboard shortcuts. I followed that post with key combinations for moving and resizing on-screen windows.… Read more

Super Windows 7 keyboard shortcuts

The other day a visiting relative asked if he could use my laptop to check his Facebook account. He couldn't make it past the desktop. "Hey, don't you have Firefox on this machine?"

"Press the Windows key, type f, and press Enter," I told him.

I had been using Windows 7's Start menu search box to launch Firefox and other apps for so long I neglected to add a Firefox shortcut to my taskbar. (I prefer to keep my desktop clear of icons by placing my desktop shortcuts on a menu that pops out of the taskbar, … Read more

Chrome Apps

Google Chrome and Google Apps are a natural marriage, and Google Apps Shortcuts is the matchmaker. It's a free extension that adds Google Apps to the Chrome interface. If you haven't tried Google Apps, it's worth checking out. It gives quick access to the Google applications you use every day, such as Gmail, Google Docs, and Contacts. Chrome is already fast; Google Apps Shortcuts makes it a lot more versatile.

Google extensions install automatically when you open their download links in Chrome. We merely clicked to allow the browser to add Google Apps Shortcuts, and Chrome did … Read more

How to set custom keyboard shortcuts for applications

Keyboard shortcuts for various commands are exceptionally useful for speeding up your workflow, and many applications have some set of custom keyboard shortcuts (beyond those reserved for system functions), that can be used for common functions. Though these are convenient, many times applications will have frequently used functions that do not have an associated keyboard shortcut.

MacFixIt reader "Richard" recently wrote in asking about the options for setting custom keyboard shortcuts:

Program menus list keystroke combinations (presumably the most popular) for some functions; for the others you must position the cursor on it and click. Using Pages (4.… Read more