FAQS! FACTS! FAX! 155 (01/04/99)

LOST ADDRESS
I am using CompuServe 3.0.4, can you tell me how to print out my Address book and Favourites/Bookmarks, showing the locations as opposed to just the name of the site?
Susan Kessler

A

The files you are looking for are Addrbook.dat and Places.dat, both of them can be found in the Support folder inside CompuServe. You can either open them with your word processor (remember to change the file type to 'All Files' or they won't be displayed), or you can open them from Windows Explorer by double clicking on the file icons and choosing either Notepad or Wordpad to view them. You will have to tidy up the text files (remove all of the gobbledegook characters and insert line breaks) before they can be neatly printed out.

CROSS WORDS

With regard to the query about blacking in squares in Word 7 & 97 for a crossword (F!F!F! March 11th). Create the table/grid you want as normal using the Table shortcut icons. Right click anywhere along the top menu bar in Word to bring up the additional toolbar options and select the one for tables and borders.

You will see the paint pot icon for “fill” inside this toolbar – to black in the desired squares simply tab to the square and select the paint pot (you can set the colour or it will default to auto which is black). It will fill it automatically. Tab to other squares you want to fill in and do the same.
Linda Aspey

I have two possible solutions: If the crossword grid is drawn as a Word table, individual cells may be highlighted and shaded as required using the Borders and Shading option of the Format menu.

Alternatively, the grid may be drawn as an array of squares using Word's own draw features. Particular squares may then be filled by selecting black as the fill colour, rather than the default of no colour.
Pete Dargie

The easy solution to compiling crossword grids is to use Excel. Set the size of grid and format cells to give numbers as text with smallest font superscript. Highlight grid area and set borders to line out grid. Set the text and background colours to black. For each blacked-out square, click on the cell then click on background colour - instant black-out. Type in clue numbers where required. Copy the grid (Control + C), open a Word document and paste (Control + V) at the desired position.
Alan Bowman

To finish off a crossword grid with filled in black squares, after creating the grid in Word 7, go to Edit, click on Copy to put the grid onto the Clipboard (as a bitmap file). Exit Word 7. Go to Accessories, click on Paint, click on Paste to put the grid into to the Paint worktop. Click on black on the palette. Finally, use the Fill can in the toolbar to fill in the individual squares you want coloured black - simple.
Vic Garvey

A

Another tremendous response thanks to everyone who wrote in with solutions to this little problem. And whilst we're on the subject of word games…

SALMON RAVAGER

As an ineffective crossword puzzler solver I have looked and failed to find a computer program which will solve anagrams or list words which fit a letter pattern with gaps. Help!

Peter Gray, Redland, Bristol

A

We found a freeware DOS anagram program that can be run from within Windows. It's called Anagram Finder and can be downloaded from:

http://websites.ntl.com/~jim.williamson/index.html, it's not very pretty but it works really well (try it if you can't figure out what 'Salmon Ravager' means…). You might also like to try an on-line word unscrambler at:

http://www.ssynth.co.uk/~gay/anagram.html

As for crossword and hangman-type puzzles, it's worth trying your word processor's spellchecker. Word 97, for example, will offer suggestions if you substitute question marks for missing letters.

DUTY CALLS

Please could you tell me if there is any duty rota software currently available for use on a PC? I work on a busy surgical ward that employs thirty people and it is necessary to determine the correct skill mix of staff. I know that some hospital trusts have a facility available through their mainframes but colleagues and friends have drawn a blank on stand-alone applications.

Steve Lawton

A

A quick search on the Internet using 'duty roster' as search keywords  threw up several promising sites. You might like to begin with a program called Shift Easy from Go Safety Ltd., its site includes a downloadable demonstration copy: http://www.gosafety.aust.com/p113.htm

FASTER LOCO
With regard to using Locoscript Professional on a PC (F!F!F! March 11th), by carrying out an 'Additional' Installation (see pages 9 and 10 in the LS Pro Installation and configuration booklet) you can run it from within Windows. I have it loaded on three machines - it is very straightforward!
John Adderley

A

Thanks to John Adderley and several other readers who wrote in with that useful tip.

ACCURSED DATE

Every time I type the date for a letter in Word 97 (in the form: date, month, year) a rectangle briefly appears reading, for instance '1999-04-01' (it's even done it just now…). Not only does this very irritating item appear but it prints it out of its own accord. How do I rid myself of this accursed thing?

Eric Hayman, London W4

A

It's called an 'AutoComplete Tip', it's another one of those supposedly helpful little features -- usually installed by default -- that drive some PC users crazy because the means to switch them off is often difficult to find. In this case the option to disable it lives on the Insert menu under AutoText, select AutoText on the sub menu that appears, select the AutoText tab and uncheck the box marked 'Show AutoComplete Tip…' 

CLIP TEXT

I have scoured my store of Boot Camp cuttings and my new copy of the Boot Up book but can find no answer to my problem. How do I put text into a Clip Art image? My copy of Word includes various cartoons with blank spaces that are presumably designed for something to be written in?

Michael J.A.Glover, Gerrards Cross, Bucks

A

On the Insert menu click on Text Box, use the cross-pointer that appears to click and drag a box inside the blank space in the clipart image, use the sizing handles to fit the box into the space. You can then type in your text and adjust the font size to fit. You may need to experiment with line style, background and font colour options on the Drawing menu to achieve a neat appearance (click on the box and cylinder icon on the standard toolbar to enable the Draw toolbar).