MM 1A03E Tutorial

Monday, May 17, 1999

Administrative Stuff

Please sign up for CIS services on MUGSI if you have not done so already. Visit http://www.mcmaster.ca/dataserv-htm/mcss0001.htm. You must register with MUGSI to log on to Windows in the computer labs and to use e-mail.

Also, please sign up for the class electronic discussion list. Francois has put up instructions for this at http://www.chass.utoronto.ca/~lachance/mcmaster/humcom.htm

Windows: About Applications

Windows is capable of multitasking. That means that it can run more than one application at a time.

A typical Windows application has several main features. Here are some samples from WordPerfect.

The title bar is the blue bar at the top of the screen. It tells you the name of the application and / or the name of the file that you're viewing. Notice that it features 3 buttons on its right-hand side.

The dash (-) minimizes the window (moves it to the taskbar).
The box or pair of boxes alters the size of the window.
The X closes the application.

The pull-down menu bar under the title bar lets you access the commands for the application.

The button bar, sometimes called a toolbar, lets you access the most common commands for the application. It is found under the menu bar.

The main screen takes up the biggest portion of the window. It is where you do your work.

The status bar is generally found above the Windows taskbar. It provides extra information about the current settings for your application.

Windows: Closing Applications

There are three ways to close a Windows application.

Select FILE | EXIT on the menu bar.
Click the X on the title bar.
Use the keyboard shortcut by pushing the ALT key and the F4 key at the same time.

Windows: CTRL + ALT + DEL

If you need to shut down the computer quickly for any reason, or if the computer hangs for some reason, try pushing the CTRL, ALT, and DEL keys at the same time. A pop-up window will give you the option of ending one of the tasks currently running or of shutting down completely. You can also push CTRL + ALT + DEL again from this window to restart the computer.

Windows: About Files & Folders

Using Windows entails working with folders and files.

Folders contain applications, files, other folders.

Files are applications and documents (things created by applications).

Always remember to save your work! When you save something, you create a file, but first you will have to name the file. The traditional DOS format for a file name is 8.3: 8 characters, then a dot, then an extension, consisting of 3 more characters. The extension tells Windows to which application the file belongs; for example, WordPerfect uses a .wpd extension, Microsoft Word uses .doc, and Windows Paint uses .bmp. Windows has since revised this 8.3 format to 255.3! (Note that when you create a file, Windows lets you launch the corresponding application from that file. For example, you can start up WordPerfect by firing up a WordPerfect document.)

Also, always organize your files into folders. This will make your files easier to find.

Windows: Working with Files & Folders

Windows has 2 applications that you can use for working with files and folders. One is called My Computer. The other is called Windows Explorer. Look for them on the desktop or in the Start menu.

My Computer presents a window with all of the drives on your computer. You can access a drive from this window by double-clicking on its icon. My Computer will open up a new window for that drive.

To select a file or folder, left-click it once with the mouse. If you wish to select multiple files, hold down CTRL and left-click until all the items are highlighted.
To copy a file or folder, select it, and choose EDIT | COPY from the pull-down menu. Alternatively, you can right-click on the file and select COPY from the pop-up menu. The COPY function can also be accessed with the keyboard shortcut CTRL + C.
(When you wish to paste, locate the correct folder or drive, and select EDIT | PASTE from the pull-down menu. Alternatively, you can right-click and choose PASTE from the pop-up menu, or use the CTRL + V shortcut.)
To move a file or folder, select it "click and drag" it to its destination.
To rename a file or folder, select it and choose FILE | RENAME from the pull-down menu bar. Alternatively, you can select RENAME from the pop-up menu from the right-click. When you rename a file, make sure that you do not change the extension.
To delete a file or folder, select it, and select FILE | DELETE from the pull-down menu. You could also select DELETE from the pop-up menu on the right-click, or just push the DELETE key on the keyboard. The item will go to the Recycle Bin; you can completely erase it by entering the Recycle Bin and selecting FILE | EMPTY RECYCLE BIN from the pull-down menu. Note, however, that an item from the floppy drive does not go to the Recycle Bin...it just gets erased!

Windows Explorer displays all of your files in folders in a single window which has been divided into two "frames". This means that, for example, you can move files and folders from one frame to the other, rather than opening up window after window after window. Follow the steps given above for My Computer to learn how to copy, move, rename, and delete.

Windows: More Help

For more help with Windows, access the Help mode on the Start menu.

TactWeb: What to do

I strongly advise you to visit the TactWeb site as soon as possible. Try to get in at http://tactweb.mcmaster.ca/. Failing that, visit http://kh.hd.uib.no/tactweb/homeorg.htm. Whatever you do, work through the workbook.

TactWeb is a text analysis program. That means that it allows you to search a text by certain parameters. For example, you could search to find out how many times the word "brave" occurs in the text, or to find out how it explores the theme of "love".

TactWeb only has 2 texts available to study: Shakespeare's A Midsummer Night's Dream and a video game database developed at McMaster. Your assignment will involve Dream.

Find a partner as soon as possible. Look for your assignment at http://www.chass.utoronto.ca/~lachance/mcmaster/tactw.htm.

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