Tips to use your mouse effectively

USING YOUR MOUSE CORRECTLY

• Left Click – Makes something happen “gives the computer a command”

• Right Click – Will always show you an action menu list of commands to choose from, based on whatever your mouse/cursor is on…

MOUSE SELECTION “HIGHLIGHTING” SHORTCUTS

TO SELECT A LINE OF TEXT: Place the mouse pointer in the left gutter area (the mouse will turn into a right facing arrow). Now left click the left mouse button once.

TO SELECT A BLOCK OF TEXT: Place the insertion point at the beginning of the block of text you want to select, Hold down the SHIFT Key, Place the I-beam at the end of the block of text and left click the left mouse button.

TO SELECT THE ENTIRE DOCUMENT: Left click Edit on the menu bar and Choose Select All, OR Hold CTRL Key + A

TO DE-SELECT (or unselect) ANYTHING HIGHLIGHTED/SELECTED: Left click anywhere in the white space of your document.

Change the style, size & color of your Cursor/Pointer

Quite often I hear “I can’t find the cursor” – So for those of us who may from time to time “lose the cursor” on our desktop and other screens when we are moving the mouse around – the best thing to do is to make the cursor larger or change the color from white to black – there are numerous choices…you decide.

To change the cursor/pointer appearance & other “hardware” settings follow these simple steps by going to the various settings available in your "control panel"

• Left Click on your Start Button
• Left Click on Control Panel
• Left Click on "Hardware & Sound"
• Now choose & Left Click on "Mouse", then "Change Pointer Appearance"
• You will see is a drop down list of choices under "Schemes"
• Once you decide which you would like, highlight it and click "Apply"
• A good choice is: Window Standard (extra large) system scheme

If you aren't happy with your choice, No Problem - Just repeat the process until you find a style, color & size that you are happy with

These steps may vary slightly based on the level of your operating system (Windows 98, XP, Vista or 7) but remember, they are basically the same for all..

Using a Mouse-Left or Right Click??

The "mouse" allows you to do many things - when you watch your monitor, the mouse control you will see is called the "cursor"...

By default (standard setting) "Mice" are set up assuming the person using it is "right handed" - you can change that default setting by going to: start, control panel, mouse - and changing the setting from right hand to left hand...

In all cases - these will affect whatever your mouse/cursor is on, on the monitor. It can open an application software program for you to use or when you are on the internet it will take you to another website; it can move an icon from one side of the screen to another, or when you right click you will have a list of various actions that you can have occur to whatever is under your mouse/cursor... Key is to know where your mouse/cursor is on the monitor before using your mouse keys...

When you are learning to use the mouse or speaking to a tech support or other person who is explaining something about your computer - the terms they will use for actions of the mouse and what they mean are:

• Pointing: Position the mouse over an item on your monitor
• Clicking: Pressing and releasing the mouse button
• Double-clicking: Press and release the mouse button twice rapidly - usually the left button
  Click n'Drag (or dragging) : Holding the left mouse button down while dragging it, will move or carry w whatever was under the cursor on the monitor
• Left-click: Press and release the “left” mouse button (Makes something happen) to whatever your mouse/cursor is on
• Right-click: Press and release the “right” mouse button (Get an action menu for whatever your mouse/cursor is on)