MalekTips: 01-25-2006
 
Welcome to the latest issue of the MalekTips newsletter, providing computer and technology help and tips. We appreciate your subscription!
 
We have 30 new tips found below in the latest issue of MalekTips.
 
* Learn about the Dogpile metasearch engine and how it can help find a wider variety of results for your web queries. Don't limit your results to web sites - search for news items from a variety of sources. Help prevent objectionable material from appearing in your search results. Then after you are done searching, find out what's on the minds of other Internet users by viewing sample queries.
 
* This newsletter contains advice for DOS users and batch file programmers that use Windows XP. Help keep the COPY command from destroying data by forcing it to confirm before overwriting files and asking it to verify written files. Use the PATHMAN utility to more-easily modify the system path. Display the date in your batch files. And, test the speed of batch files by creating huge dummy files that can be megabytes or gigabytes in size.
 
* We also have help for more Excel 2003 functions. Check spreadsheet cells for errors and act accordingly. Return the remainder of divisions. Count the number of actual arguments in a series of cells. Perform natural, base-10, and base-n logarithms. Create hyperlinked cells to Internet resources.
 
* Plus, this newsletter has more tips for the IrfanView image/photo viewer and editor including how to create desktop and keyboard shortcuts to launch the software, Microsoft PowerPoint 2003 tips such as how to fine-tune text spacing and alignment, plus Opera 8 web browser tips including how to fix automatic web server name completion if it fails to work for you.
 
Remember - if you have a computer question, be sure to visit the MalekTips forums at http://www.malektips.com/forums
 
Andrew Malek MalekTips.Com
 
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* Tips! *
 
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Dogpile Search - Search the web with Dogpile
Use Dogpile to query several search engines simultaneously for what you want or need.
 
Dogpile Search - See What Others Have Been Searching For
Curious to see what others look for on the Internet?
 
Dogpile Search - View Popular Search Queries
List some of the more popular searches made with the Dogpile metasearch engine.
 
Dogpile Search - Attempt to Filter Adult Material from a Particular Query's Results
Attempt to filter more inappropriate content when using the Dogpile metasearch engine.
 
Dogpile Search - Search for News Items
Query multiple sources for the top news of the day.
 
IrfanView 3 - View an Image's Raw Hex Information
Display comments and other information hidden in certain image files with IrfanView.
 
IrfanView 3 - Change IrfanView File Associations
Toggle IrfanView to be the image viewer of choice when double-clicking multimedia file types from Explorer.
 
IrfanView 3 - Sharpen an Image
Have some blurry photos? Try sharpening them with IrfanView.
 
IrfanView 3 - Create Desktop Shortcut and Keyboard Shortcut
Make IrfanView easier to access by creating desktop and keyboard shortcuts.
 
IrfanView 3 - See Who Is Behind IrfanView
View the people behind the IrfanView software.
 
Microsoft Excel 2003 Functions and Formulas - Check for Errors
Determine if formula result errors exist in your Microsoft Excel 2003 spreadsheets.
 
Microsoft Excel 2003 Functions and Formulas - Return the Remainder of a Division Function
Display the remainder of a division function in Excel.
 
Microsoft Excel 2003 Functions and Formulas - Count Number of Actual Arguments in a Series
Display how many cells inside a series in an Excel spreadsheet actually hold data.
 
Microsoft Excel 2003 Functions and Formulas - Logarithmic Functions
Perform natural, base-10, and base-n log functions in Excel 2003 spreadsheets.
 
Microsoft Excel 2003 Functions and Formulas - Create Internet Hyperlink
Create a web or e-mail hyperlink in your Microsoft Excel 2003 spreadsheet.
 
Microsoft PowerPoint 2003 - Toggle Showing Multiple Presentations as Multiple Taskbar Items
Display or hide icons in your Windows Taskbar representing multiple PowerPoint presentations.
 
Microsoft PowerPoint 2003 - Change Text Alignment
Align text in a Microsoft PowerPoint 2003 presentation to the left, center, or right of a particular text box.
 
Microsoft PowerPoint 2003 - Toggle Automatic Spaces Added After Pasting Text
Toggle whether Microsoft PowerPoint 2003 should automatically handle adding or removing spacing when cutting or pasting text.
 
Microsoft PowerPoint 2003 - Adjust Line Spacing in a Text Box
Make text in a particular PowerPoint 2003 box appear single-spaced, double-spaced, or using a custom spacing.
 
Microsoft PowerPoint 2003 - Toggle Checking Spelling While Typing
Decide whether or not PowerPoint 2003 should add red squiggly lines underneath misspelled words.
 
Opera 8 - Toggle the Scroll Bars
Are the scroll bars in Opera 8 taking too much room away from viewing web pages? Remove them!
 
Opera 8 - Change Display Colors to Windows Standard
Force Opera 8 to use the Windows Native color scheme.
 
Opera 8 - Tired of Accidentally Closing Opera? Confirm Your Exit
Force Opera 8 to always ask whether or not you wish to close the web browser, helping prevent accidental closes.
 
Opera 8 - View Web Page Source
Display the HTML source of a web page viewed in Opera 8.
 
Opera 8 - Auto-Server Name Completion Not Working?
This tweak can help fix automatic web server name completion if it fails to work.
 
Windows XP and DOS - Ask the COPY Command to Verify Overwriting Files
Help prevent the DOS COPY command in Windows XP from accidentally overwriting files.
 
Windows XP and DOS - Modify the System and User Paths
The PATHMAN DOS command can make it easier to modify the system and user paths used by Windows XP.
 
Windows XP and DOS - Output the Date in a Batch File
Two options for outputting the current date in a DOS batch file running underneath Windows XP.
 
Windows XP and DOS - Test the Speed of Batch Files By Creating Dummy Files
The CREATFIL DOS command, available for Windows XP, can help test the speed of batch files and also how applications handle low hard drive space scenarios.
 
Windows XP and DOS - Ask the COPY Command to Verify Files Were Written Correctly
Help ensure the DOS COPY command in Windows XP accurately writes files, especially to external media.
 

 
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This issue of MalekTips is Copyright 2006 Andrew Malek of Envision Programming. All other copyrights and trademarks are properties of their respective companies.

Note that due to tip recategorization, some of the URLs mentioned in the newsletter may have changed. If you have any problems finding a particular tip, use the MalekTips "Search" feature to conveniently find what you are looking for.