Frequently Asked Questions

That should open a screen something like this, listing your printer(s):

:

If your printer appears in the list but you can’t use it, right-click on it and make sure (by clicking) that Set as Default Printer is checked. If it is not on the list, double-click on Add Printer to start the Add Printer Wizard. Click on Next, and select Network Printer:



Check the second button, and if you know your printer’s name (highly unlikely), type it in the blank; otherwise, click the Next button to browse for it. A list will appear which should include either BL-VPAD-POPLARS (if you work at Poplars, Bryan Hall, or Carmichael Center) or BL-VPAD-SERVICE (if you work elsewhere on campus). Double-clicking on either one should give you a list of network printers available to you, and hopefully, yours is on the list. Highlight it, click on Next again, let the Wizard know if you wish it to be your default printer or not, then click on Finish, and you’re done.

If you need to switch between printers frequently, it may be useful to create shortcuts to them on your Windows Desktop, which will allow you to drag a file to be printed onto the appropriate printer icon without your needing to open the Printer dialogue to switch.
To create the shortcut, go to your printer list (see the beginning of this help file if you have forgotten how to get there), right-click on a printer icon, double-click on Create Shortcut, and assent to its placement on the Desktop.

What is a shortcut, why would I want one, and how do I create one?

As defined in the Windows 2000 Glossary, a shortcut is:

A link to any item accessible on your computer or on a network, such as a program, file, folder, disk drive, Web page, printer, or another computer. You can put shortcuts in various areas, such as on the desktop, on the Start menu, or in specific folders.

The primary reason for shortcuts is to save time, and in Windows they save time by allowing you to open files, programs, mapped network drives, etc., from almost any location without having to navigate through stacks of folders and subfolders. The most efficient location for a shortcut is on the Taskbar just to the right of the Start button, which allows you to open a file or program with a single click. Next most efficient places are the Start menu (the menu which shoots up when you click on the Start button in the Windows opening screen): any item you place here is accessible in just two mouse clicks (one on Start and one on the item itself); and the Windows Desktop: shortcuts placed on the Desktop open with a double-click. Since you can easily move any Desktop shortcut to the Taskbar or the Start menu, we’ll begin by showing how to create a Desktop shortcut.

You can create a shortcut to any program which shows up in the Programs list (click on the Windows Start button, then on Programs) simply by highlighting and dragging it (by holding down the left mouse button while you move the cursor) from the Programs list to the Desktop. If it does not show up in the Programs list, you have to dig deeper. Say you often need to enter foreign language characters and would like to have the Character Map utility available from the desktop. Click on the Start button, move to Programs, next to Accessories (you may have to click the down arrow at the bottom of the truncated menu to open up the full menu of programs), next System Tools, and finally Character Map.  You can highlight it, then drag it from there onto the Desktop. By default any shortcut you create will have a curving small black arrow pointing toward the graphic.

If you decide you use a given shortcut enough to warrant a place for it on your Taskbar or Start menu, simply drag it from the Desktop onto the Taskbar to the right of the Start button, or onto the Start button itself. A copy will remain on the Desktop as well unless you choose to delete it.

One especially helpful use of shortcuts is to provide easy access to your mapped network drives (see Mapping a Network Drive). To create a Desktop shortcut to a mapped network drive, double-click the My Computer icon on the Desktop, right-click on the desired drive, select Create a Shortcut, and when you asked if you want the shortcut placed on the Desktop, choose Yes.

Remember that you can safely delete any shortcut at any time without affecting the program, file, or the drive it points to.

How do I find a program on my computer?

The most common way to find an installed program in Windows is to click on the Windows Start button, then on Programs (to see all the listings you may need click on a down arrow at the bottom of the Programs list to open it up fully). Most programs will show up somewhere on this list.



If your program does not show up on the list but you are sure it is installed, the next place to search is in the Program Files folder on the C: drive. The easiest way to get there is by double-clicking on the My Computer icon on the Desktop. One of the items to show up in the window which opens will be Local Disk (C:). If you double-click on it you will see a list of folders and files residing there, among them the Program Files folder. Double-clicking on it will show the parent folders for probably 95% of the Microsoft and third-party programs installed on your computer. If you know the name of the program you are looking for, you may be able to find its home folder in this group. Once inside that folder the operative file you need to find is one with an .exe suffix. Sometimes the name with the .exe suffix differs from the name the program generally goes by (e.g., the .exe files for Microsoft Word and Microsoft Access are winword.exe and msaccess.exe), but more often it is recognizably close. If you are unsure (or if your setup omits file suffixes altogether), double-click on the candidate you think likeliest. If the program launches, you guessed right. If not, guess again.

In rare cases a program places its home folder in the root directory of the C: drive, which would make it show up in the same listing which contains the Program Files folder. Thus you might find a folder named Oracle, or Adobe standing on its own outside of the Program Files folder.

If none of these places to search turns up your program, you may need to resort to a Windows Explorer search. To do that, click the Start button, choose the Search option, then For Files or Folders. Enter a single word (no spaces) which incorporates a significant portion of the name of the program you are looking for, and click the Search Now button.

Mapping a Network Drive: What is it, and how is it done?

Mapping a network drive is assigning a drive letter to a folder on another computer in your network to allow you to access and use it as easily as you do the folders on your computer’s own C: drive.

To map a drive, double-click any icon on your desktop which offers you a Tools menu (like My Documents, My Computer, Network, or even Recycle Bin). Left-click on Tools, then on Map a Network Drive. This will open a dialogue box similar to the following, with a suggested drive letter. If you prefer to assign a letter of your own choice you can click on the small black



triangle to the right of the suggested letter and choose from the others available. Once the desired letter is in place, if you know the path to the desired folder (such as \\facilities\users) you can enter it into the Folder box; if not, click on the Browse… button to the right of the Folder window, which will open another box like the following:



This shows you the network folders to which you may have access. If the folder you want to map appears in this list, highlight it, click on the OK button, and you’re done. More often you’ll have to navigate through the folders listed to find the one you’re after. The small + before a folder indicates that it contains subfolders, and clicking on the + will open it to show them. Once you have found and highlighted your folder, click the OK button and its name will automatically be copied into the Folder window of the Browse for Folder dialogue box. All that remains then is to click on Finish. If you have the necessary administrative permissions for that folder, it should open up on your screen within a second or two. If you do not, you will receive an error message and you’ll need to speak to your supervisor to arrange for permission. Once mapped, the remote folder should show up in the My Computer window with an entry in the Name column which identifies the folder and its parent, along with the drive letter assigned (e.g., “Users on ‘Facilities’ (H:)”), followed by “Network Drive” in the Type column.

How can I resize, move, or close a window when I can’t reach the bar with the buttons?

Depressing the Alt and Spacebar keys will bring up the following menu:



Hitting the underlined letters will perform the operations indicated; in the case of M and S, you can use your cursor keys to move or resize the active window.

What if I have a computer problem that isn’t related to off-the-shelf software?

If you are having problems with an existing in-house application, say for example, an Access report is coming up with incorrect information, or if you have a situation which would benefit from a new custom application, http://vpad.service.indiana.edu will take you to the VPCPF Technology/Computer Support Request page, where you can enter your request for a new application, an application enhancement, or for a solution to a problem you may be having with a current application. In addition, this is the place to go if you need to request permissions for network folders, or if you have deleted an important file and need it restored from backups. You will also find on this page a Request Inquiry link to follow up on requests you may have entered earlier.

If your problem is related to hardware, say your monitor just failed, you should be able to find the right person to call from the list at http://www.indiana.edu/~vpapcs/ .

Where can I find support for problems with off-the-shelf software?

If the software’s own Help files do not answer your question (you looked there first, of course), you might find the answer in IUB’s extensive Knowledge Base (http://www.kb.indiana.edu), either by searching, or by making use of its round-the-clock e-mail and phone support. Microsoft provides numerous articles in its own Knowledge Base and elsewhere. The place to start for help from Microsoft is http://support.microsoft.com. If your problem involves software supported by VPCPF, http://www.indiana.edu/~vpapcs/ provides a list of names and phone numbers of support personnel serving the various areas under VPCPF.