Welcome to the March/April 2008 issue of Mac Hints & Tips
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Paul Taylor
paul@mac-hints-tips.com
Clear Off Your Desktop!
The desktop is designed to keep files and folders that we need for quick access. I, like many of us, am guilty of keeping a cluttered desktop of random things I have downloaded, installed, and abandoned.
With OS 10.5 Leopard, several interface improvements were made to make it easier to stay organized. All downloaded files go into a Downloads folder, easily accessed from the dock, and any folder can be placed in the dock for easy access. The Documents folder is on the dock by default. Treat your dock as the quick access tool for your life and put the applications you use daily on it.
There are some downfalls to a cluttered desktop. Despite the belief that it speeds up work and play, an excess of items on the desktop will slow down boot times, create visual distraction, and make it more difficult to find items. Anytime a machine boots, every icon on the desktop has to load. We at Small Dog Service have been watching for the most icons on any desktop and the current record is 502 items. Is this you? Consider consolidating to a single folder to ease boot times. ~ Todd
Small Dog Electronics
Help Yourself!
A brief guide to basic fix-it techniques for Mac OSX
Not everyone can be, or indeed wants to be, a Mac OS X troubleshooting expert, but there are a number of relatively simple things you can do when things go wrong, before seeking expert help. While the techniques outlined here will certainly not fix every ill, they might well be helpful, and certainly won't do any harm.
The instructions that follow assume that you are comfortable with common Mac operations such as downloading files from the Internet, locating and running applications, using menus, reacting to dialogs, and the like. Some acquaintance with "fix-it" utilities in general would be useful. If you don't feel comfortable following the instructions below, then please ask someone more experienced for help.
Avoid the Problem
The best "treatment" for problems is to avoid them, and about the best thing you can do for your Mac in this regard is to keep its software up to date. Do elect to install all items suggested by Software Update.
When a major update is involved (such as the one from Mac OS X 10.4.9 to 10.4.10), the cautious user will run the Repair Disk and Repair Disk Permissions routines (described below) before the update, and Repair Disk Permissions once again afterwards. This isn't essential, but many experts recommend it.
Restart the Mac
It's amazing how many users will fret over a problem without trying the simplest remedy of all-restarting the Mac. Very often, no other action is required to resolve an isolated problem occurrence.
By the way, it's good practice to restart your Mac at least once a day, even if you often allow it to sleep overnight. The process resets and refreshes many essential system functions.
Repair Disk
This procedure should always be your starting point when investigating a problem. It checks the integrity of your hard disk's directory (which constitutes the index to all the files on the disk), and requires that you start up either from the CD or DVD that came with your Mac, or from the Tiger installer disc if that was a more recent purchase.
To do this, insert the CD or DVD, restart the Mac, and hold down the letter "C" key until the grey Apple logo appears. A little later you're asked to nominate your preferred language. Having made that choice, look at the top of the screen for the Utilities menu, and choose Disk Utility.
In the Disk Utility window, select your disk in the left hand column, and click Repair Disk. If the repair process ends by reporting that repairs were made, repeat it. If it says that the disk "appears to be OK," quit Disk Utility, quit the Installer, and allow the Mac to restart normally.
Note: if the result of this exercise is that Disk Utility reports problems that it's unable to fix, you or someone else will need to use a commercial disk repair program such as Disk Warrior or Drive Genius to resolve the problem.
Repair Disk Permissions
This procedure ensures that the system (and all applications that use the standard Apple Installer utility) have appropriate access to all the files needed to run correctly.
Once the Mac has started normally, launch Disk Utility (it's in the Utilities folder inside your Applications folder) and this time, after selecting your startup disk in the left hand column, click the "Repair Disk Permissions" button.
If you observe that repairs are made during the process that follows, repeat the process until no further repairs are made. Once you've worked through repairing the disk and file permissions, the order in which the remaining procedures are addressed depends a bit on the nature of the problem, but in the end is not critical.
Repair Keychains
If the problem you're trying to fix relates to your Keychain, launch the Keychain Access utility (found in the Utilities folder inside your Applications folder) and from the Keychain Access menu choose Keychain First Aid. Enter your password, click Repair and then Start. This may well do the trick (though not always, sadly).
Repair Printer Setup
If your problem specifically concerns printing, you can try the reset procedure that made its appearance in Tiger (10.4). Launch Printer Setup Utility (found in the Utilities folder inside your Applications folder) and from the Printer Setup Utility menu choose Reset Printing System. After doing so you'll need to restart the Mac and visit System Preferences > Print & Fax to set your printer up once again.
If that doesn't sort the problem out there's a shareware utility that's without equal in fixing printer problems-Printer Setup Repair from <www.fixamac.net>. The free trial period for this is only 7 days, but in any case it's worth its weight in gold. Using it can be complex and at least a scan of the manual is advisable, but keeping it simple, you can go directly to the Reset & Backup tab and click Reset the Printing System. Once again you'll need to restart the Mac and set your printer up again in System Preferences > Print & Fax.
Clean Caches
The Mac OS stores many files in caches -- temporary storage areas containing copies of recently-used files in the expectation that they may be required again soon. If they are, the copies can be retrieved from the caches much more quickly than can the originals from their scattered locations out on the hard disk. If not required again soon, the copies are purged from the caches to make room for more frequently used data.
Unfortunately, files in the caches sometimes become corrupted and can then cause all kinds of odd problems. Since the caches contain only copies of files it's quite safe to clear (or "clean") them, thus eliminating the trouble-makers -- the system will gradually refill the caches with new, more useful files as you continue work with your Mac.
To clean the caches you'll need a third party utility such as the shareware Tiger Cache Cleaner from <www.northernsoftworks.com> or the freeware OnyX from <www.titanium.free.fr/index_us.html>.
After launching the utility, locate the function that cleans the caches, and choose the most thorough cleaning options offered -- remember that this process cannot cause any problems of its own. Allow the process to complete, and restart the Mac.
You may find that after cleaning caches, some activities such as system startup run a little more slowly than usual. This effect will disappear as the caches are refilled by the system.
Deactivate the Preferences folder
It sometimes happens that the "preference files" that record all kinds of settings and choices you make while using your Mac and its applications can become corrupted and cause a wide variety of problems.
Locate the Preferences folder at this location: HardDisk/Users/UserName/Library/Preferences, and simply drag the entire folder to the desktop; then log out and log back in again (or alternatively, restart the Mac).
In either case the original Preferences folder and its contents will be "out of action," and a new one will have been created automatically to contain some essential system preference files. (You'll notice that many aspects of the Finder such as the appearance and content of your desktop icons and Dock have reverted to their defaults.)
Now see if your problem still exists. If it does, then the Preference files are not the cause, and you can drag the original Preferences folder back to its proper location, replacing the newer one created there.
If moving the Preferences folder onto the desktop fixed the problem, you now face the tedious task of finding out which particular preference file(s) caused it. A utility such as Preferential Treatment from <www.jonn8.com/html/pt.html> can detect certain kinds of preference file corruption and is easy to use, but is usually not enough by itself.
The basic forensic technique is to move a small group of files from the deactivated Preferences folder to the new one, log out and log back in, and check for reappearance of the problem. Repeat as many times as necessary to isolate the troublemaker(s). This process can be refined with experience, but that's the gist of it.
Create a New User Account
If Preference files don't seem to be the cause of the problem, the next step is to set up a new user account. To do this, go to System Preferences > Accounts, click the lock to make changes, then click the "+" button to add a new account. Be sure to give this account Administrator privileges.
Log out and log back in, this time into the newly-created account. If the problem has disappeared, then something in the original User folder is the cause of the problem -- perhaps a Library item. Resolution will require further work beyond the scope of this article.
If the problem still exists when logged into the new account, then the indication is that the cause lies somewhere in the basic OS, and that it will probably be necessary to perform a reinstallation.
Reinstall the Latest Combo Update
Rather than launch into a complete reinstallation, which will necessitate applying numerous updaters to restore the Mac to its previous condition, it's often effective (and a lot quicker) to reinstall just the latest Combo up dater. Go to the Apple website <www.apple.com> and click Downloads. Then use the tabs and links at top left to go to All Downloads > Apple > Mac OS X Updates. Find the latest Combo updater appropriate to your Mac (PPC or Intel), download it, and run the installer.
Archive & Install the Mac OS
If all else fails you will probably need to reinstall the entire Mac OS. Start up from the Installer CD or DVD, and at the step where you choose the disk to install to, click the Options button. (You may well be told to do this by an alert message, anyway.)
Make sure you have chosen to perform an Archive & Install, and to "Preserve Users and Network Settings." This will ensure that the reinstallation process will not result in any loss of your own files or documents.
Importantly, note that in the following step you can click the Customize button and avoid installing printers and languages that you don't need, which will save a lot of time and disk space.
After the reinstallation is complete and you have confirmed that the problem has been fixed, run Software Update and allow the installation of all suggested updates. Be prepared for this to take quite a while, even with a decently fast Internet connection. When the process appears to be complete, run Software Update again -- very often the installation of one update makes an even later one available.
When all updates have been installed, make sure that hardware such as printers and scanners is working. If not, you will need to reinstall the relevant drivers from the disks that came with the hardware (or better still, download and install the latest versions from the manufacturers' websites). Other specialized devices such as music and video hardware may also require drivers to be reinstalled. ~ Steve Cooper
AUSOM News, Melbourne, Australia
Some Thoughts on Troubleshooting Macs
Repair permissions is (generally speaking) seldom needed, and would not have anything to do with missing icons (permissions have to do with who can read, write or execute a file or folder, and nothing else.) Permissions work by reading the package receipts and resetting file and folder access according to the permissions therein. Icons do not have package receipts. ("Repair" is a misnomer ... it's more like "replace with original.")
Running permissions has taken on a mythic, solves-everything aura, which is incorrect. Generally speaking, running permissions isn't likely to hurt anything, but that's not strictly true: Some installers set specific permissions, which can be reset, leading to the program not working properly. An example is folks who use PostFix, which is included with the OS. It takes specific settings to function; running repair permissions resets all those, and disables the program.
Ditto the mythic (but better deserved) reputation of DiskWarrior and/or TechTool and/or Drive Genius. People often run one of these every time anything odd happens, without understanding what it is that these tools do. (They reconstruct directories -- not a likely source of icons disappearing.) However, they can generally do little damage, although, on the other hand again, given the particular circumstances, there are times when running one of these can make an odd or bad situation fatally worse.
That's why there are experts who earn their living repairing software and hardware issues, who understand what the tools actually do, and can choose the appropriate methodology (which is, frankly never the "shotgun" approach).
The advantage to repair permissions, running fsck, DiskWarrior, et al is that the most common issues/problems (such as corrupt directories) can be solved most of the time by using a product that is either included free (permissions, fsck etc.) or can be purchased and used easily, and for less than the cost of a service call.
So in terms of frequency, the most common issues are:
(That's off the top of my head. Those of you who are still doing this daily may want to amend or re-order this list.)
Generally speaking, here are the basic troubleshooting steps (some may apply or not, to your situation:)
Now, Backup the drive, because the next steps will change it:
These are not maintenance steps. These are not all appropriate in all cases. These are the general order through which one would diagnose the issue. Note that "diagnose" is not "repair." Repair comes second, not first.
Troubleshooting is sometimes an easy process, and sometimes, as we programmer's say, it's "non-trivial." ~ Tracy Valleau
TechX 18 via Mouse Tales, North Coast MUG, Berea, OH
The Top Five Things to Know About Your Computer
When using OS X, certain things are very important to remember. And some, maybe not so much. Seriously, if you only know five things about your computer, let it be these:
1. What Version of the Operating System (OS) are you running?
Some examples are OS 9, or OS X (Roman numeral for 10); OS X even gets more complicated because there are different versions of it, from 10.0 up to 10.4 (and soon to be 10.5). Knowing your specific version is huge; so much depends on it. For example, very few printers work on anything older than 10.2 anymore (with the exception of the Brother Laser Printers we sell). Similarly, many programs these days only have OS X compatibility, and you have to know which exact version they support (currently, Quicken 2007 only supports 10.3+ while TurboTax 2006 still supports 10.2+). Combine the OS version with the name of your computer model (iMac G5, iBook, etc.) or the style (all-in-one, laptop or separate tower & screen), and we or your local service center will be that much closer to meeting your needs.
2. What is your Administrative Password?
OS X REQUIRES a system password that you select the first time you set up the computer (however, you are now able to make it blank -- just don't forget that you did it!). It may be helpful for you to write it down for future reference; even if you don't need it to start up the computer (the default setting remembers it at login), it is needed for most software installations and diagnostics. A convenient template to use can be downloaded as a PDF from http://www.apple.com/support/mac101/cheatsheet (just don't forget to put it in a safe place that you'll also remember!).
3. What type of Drive do you have?
If you have a newer computer, you either have a Combo Drive (Burns CDs, Reads DVDs) or SuperDrive (Burns CDs + DVDs). The drives that read these types of media are often referred to as optical drives. If your computer is older (but really, how old is old?), you may have an optical "ROM" drive that cannot burn media. I'm sure many of you are still using Zip drives or even Floppy drives too!
4. Type of Hardware Connections
This definitely depends on your computer's age; Apple started using USB connections primarily back in the late '90s, so most of you use these ports for printers, digital cameras, keyboards, mice, etc. Prior to that, many systems used ADB (round little 4-pin ports for keyboards and mice), Serial (9-pin ports for printers), and SCSI (often pronounced "scuzzy" that had a bulky rectangular shape for various drives and scanners). Peripherals using any of those three most likely are not compatible with new systems, or if you could make it work, it's not worth the money you've spent on it! For screens, Apple currently uses industry-standard VGA and DVI connections. However, they used to use a proprietary connection called ADC (for the plastic Apple Display series). Depending on what you'd like to connect, you may need to use an adapter for the port on your computer. For example, MacBooks have a mini-DVI port that will need either a DVI connection on the other end (for digital screens such as the Apple Displays), or VGA (for analog screens).
5. Internet Service Provider (ISP)
Knowing what internet provider you have and the type of service helps a great deal. You may have a "high-speed" connection such as DSL (provided by Verizon or another local phone company) or cable (provided by your cable TV company), or a slower dial-up service such as Earthlink, AOL, or local phone company. Now, satellite services offered by companies such as WildBlue provide pretty fast Mac-compatible service as well. For one, many people use an email service that is part of their ISP, so knowing who you use is imperative when migrating all of your emails to a new computer!
OK, so you don't have to write all of that down, but hopefully it provides some insight into what we computer nerds need to know the next time you call for tech support or bring your computer in for repair. ~ Kali
Small Dog Electronics
Backup on the Cheap
You know you need it. You know you should want it. But the second the phrase "backup strategy" enters the course of general conversation, you experience a strong desire to lie down in a dark room. Don't feel overwhelmed. One of the most common reasons people don't back up is because they don't know where to put their data. Here are two ways to solve that problem without breaking the bank.
Backup data to your internal hard drive, and you'll lose everything if that drive goes kaput. So where to store your backups? External hard drives are fast and convenient, but they can be pricey. Don't let the lack of one stand in your way. Nearly all new Macs ship with a double-layer (DL) SuperDrive, capable of burning as much as 8.5GB of data to DL media. Single-layer DVDs are inexpensive and can hold up to 4.7GB. And even cheap-as-dirt 700MB CD-R discs can store hundreds of small files. For rewritable storage on-the-go, a USB key drive that holds a couple of GB of data is both inexpensive and easy to transport.
When you're away from home, even if you have an external drive, you may not have access to it. You could use Apple's .Mac service, since it includes a gigabyte of storage and the convenient Backup software, but that costs $100 a year. Instead, create a free Google Gmail account and use the more than 5.3GB of online email storage you get to back up important files while you are on the road. The free Gspace plug-in for Firefox makes it easy.
The Finder, Mid-Columbia MUG, Kennewick, WA
Installing System Updates
Installing system updates or any updates that come in through the Software Update application is quite simple! Of course there are a few tips I would like to offer.
If you have very important files, documents, music, anything, I would recommend backing that stuff up before you install any updates. It may sound like a pain but it can really be worth it sometimes. If you really want to go above and beyond that you could clone your hard drive (http://www.shirt-pocket.com/SuperDuper/SuperDuperDescription.html>) so that incase the update goes bad you can just restore your drive and it will be just as it was before. You should not only back up when you install updates though; backing up your data should be part of your normal computer using routine!
If you ever have issues with installing system updates there are a few things you can check over. First make sure that you have enough disk space for the update. When you launch Software Update it will check with Apple services to see if there are any available updates. If there are, it will display the name of the update and the size of the download. You can check the amount of space you have left on your hard drive by right-clicking on your Macintosh HD icon located on your desktop and clicking on Get Info from the menu that pops up, alternatively you can click on the Macintosh HD icon on your desktop and press Command/I. This will bring up a little window with details about your hard drive. In the General section you can see the format of your drive (usually Mac OS Extended), the capacity, amount of space available and how much space you've used. Obviously check out the amount of free space. If you don't have enough free space, you will need to delete some of your files, or better yet, move them to another disk.
If you have issues with installing the updates it would be wise to run Disk Utility (found in Applications> Utilities) and then repair the disk permissions. It's also a good idea to run this tool every month or so. Keeps your system running smooth!
Should the Software Update application crash or if you happen to loose power or if something happens in the middle of install system updates that prevents it from finishing it is possible that your system will not boot or will boot up but will act odd. If this happens you should probably do an archive and install. This will reinstall the system but save all your files and documents. You can do this by using the software restore disks that came with your Macintosh.
The last tip I want to provide is waiting. Software Update is set to run weekly and check for updates. If it finds anything it'll let you know. I usually wait about a week from when that Software Update window comes up until I actually install the update. The only reason I do this is because it's possible that the update itself might have an issue and within that week Apple has time to fix the issue(s) if there are any. Issues could be things like fixing one issue but this could stop some application or function from working correctly. While it's usually unlikely for this to happen because Apple puts these patches through some tests, it is possible.
I've never had any issues with installing system updates, but I've heard of a few people that have, so I think it's pretty safe to say that you won't have issues with install updates. If you do, hopefully you can refer to this article on troubleshooting software updates! ~ Jimmy
Resources:
<http://docs.info.apple.com/article.html?artnum=106692>
<http://docs.info.apple.com/article.html?artnum=106695>
Small Dog Electronics
Cancel a Shut Down Command
Have you ever told your machine to shut down, and then remembered that you had one last thing you wanted to do -- send an email, check the weather forecast, or pay a bill online, for instance? Once the shut down process has started, it seems you are out of luck and there is no obvious way to cancel a shut down command.
However, there are two things you can do that will prevent your machine from shutting down. Either one should work, assuming you have enough open applications so that the shut down process is taking a bit of time.
First, you can try launching a program from your Dock, preferably a larger app that takes a bit of time to open. The launching application will cancel the shut down process.
If that trick doesn't work for you, its also possible to stop the shut down process by having a visible Save dialog box in any application.
The quickest way to get one of these onscreen is to press Command/Shift/S, which executes the File: Save As command. After realizing you want to cancel your shut down, use Command/Tab to quickly get to a still-running application that allows Save As, and then press Command/Shift/S. As soon as the shut down process reaches the app with its visible Save As dialog, the process will terminate.
Once the shut down has been cancelled, you can do whatever it is you needed to do, then shut down again when done. And don't worry, no harm can come to your machine by canceling the shut down process. ~ Rob Griffiths
TMUG Insider, Pleasanton, CA
Better Folders in Leopard's Dock
Before Apple's 10.5.2 update to Mac OS X 10.5, folders placed in the Dock behaved so strangely as to be almost useless. But in 10.5.2 and above, you can make them useful again: Control/click on the folder in the Dock to bring up its contextual menu, and make these choices: Sort by Name, Display as Folder; View Content as List. Now the folder looks like a folder; click it to display a hierarchical menu of its contents; Command/click it to open the actual folder in the Finder. ~ Glenn Fleishman
Design Tools Monthly
Faster Installations
Here is a tip that will speed up application installers, especially under Mac OS X 10.5: unmount all volumes except the startup drive. Otherwise, the installer will search all your drives for previous versions. The volume containing your Time Machine backup slows the process the most.
Design Tools Monthly
Killer Leopard Feature: Easy Screen Sharing
Mac OS X 10.5 lets you share your Mac's screen remotely without requiring any extra software. To view a different Mac's screen, first make sure that Screen Sharing is enabled in the Sharing Preference Pane on the Mac you want to control. Then open a new Finder window on your Mac, select the remote computer from the Shared list on the left side of that Finder window, click the Share Screen button, and then enter a user name and password for the Mac you are connecting to. That's it!
Design Tools Monthly
Meet Alex
Alex is a new speaking voice in Leopard. You will almost certainly want to use Alex. The voice is the most natural created yet.
Mouse Droppings, Corvallis, OR
Look for Leopard Updates
If you do have Leopard installed, be sure you keep up with the software updates and install them as soon as you are aware of them. Since Leopard is a brand new operating system, Apple will be releasing updates as they find any problems and you will find that your system will run better with each update. 10.5.1 is already out. To check on updates, click on the Apple menu > Software Update. ~ Nancy Gravley
Mouse Tales, North Coast MUG, Berea, OH
Logging In and Out
The terms 'log in' and 'log out' are often a source of puzzlement to beginners, but the actions they refer to are in fact quite easy to understand.
Mac OS X, like all modern Operating Systems, is a 'multiple user' system even though, in your particular situation, there may be only one user-you. Imagine that you are setting up a classroom Mac for use by six students, each of whom needs to have his own unique operating environment (in both the cosmetic and the organizational sense) and who needs to have his documents kept private from and inaccessible to other users.
A multiple-user system enables you to organize things in just this way, as long as you are the designated Administrator user. You set up the required six 'user accounts', each with its own 'user name' and 'password'.
When the Mac first starts up under such a setup, the process stops at the 'log-in screen', displaying a list of the defined users. A person wanting to use the Mac has to click his user name then type in the matching password-this constitutes the 'log-in' process-upon which the Mac will resume the startup process and arrive finally at that user's desktop.
Note: The Mac may even be set up so that the user has to type in both his user name and password to log in, rather than just the latter.
Now, when the first user has finished his work, he needs to lock away his own work, while leaving the Mac running ready for the next user. To do this, he goes to the Apple menu and chooses 'Log Out [his username]'. The Mac thereupon closes that user's working environment, returns to the aforementioned log-in screen, and waits for the next user to provide his log-in details (user name and password).
Even though you may be the only user of your Mac, you can try this by going to the Apple menu and choosing Log Out [user name]. You'll see the Mac behave as though it's shutting down or restarting, but it will actually do neither, simply returning quite quickly to the log-in screen. Click your user name, enter the password, and click Log In. In a few seconds you'll be back at your desktop.
[If you find at the log-in screen that you don't know what your password is, then shame on you, but you can probably escape simply by clicking the Restart button. Since most folks' Macs are set up to log in automatically to a single user account after a restart, bypassing the log-in screen, this will get you back to work.]
You have now 'logged out and back in again', which is a not uncommon instruction when you're reading material concerned with installing software or troubleshooting. For those with an interest in this direction, it's notable that logging out and back in again completely reloads the User Library and all User Preferences, so that changes made in these areas can be made effective without the need for a complete restart. ~ Steve Cooper
AUSOM News, Melbourne, Australia
OS X Start-Up
Did you know:
TMUG Insider, Pleasanton, CA
Troubleshooting Apple's Mail
Improper mail account configuration settings are the most common cause of Mail application issues. Fortunately, the Mail application includes a built-in account diagnostic tool called the Mail Connection Doctor that will attempt to establish a connection with all configured incoming (POP and IMAP) and outgoing (SMTP) mail servers. To open the Mail Connection Doctor, choose Window > Connection Doctor within the Mail application. If a problem is found, a suggested resolution will be offered, but for a more detailed diagnostic view, click the "Show Detail" button to reveal the progress log and then click the "Check Again" button to rerun the tests. ~ Kevin M. White
Mac OS X Support Essentials, Second Edition
Apple's Mail's New Features
The Mail application has added a number of new features. You can now add stationery with built-in templates for invitations, announcements, etc. These templates allow you to include photos. You can also now add numbering, bullets, indentions, and colored text to your messages.
Mail Tip One
Choose a stationery template for your email that can be read by both Macs and PCs.
The "add stationery" button is on the far right of the tool bar. When you click the button, your stationery choices open for you and you just click one to choose it.
You can even make a choice after you have created your text and Mail will fit your content into the stationery.
Mail Tip Two
Add an image to a stationery Template in a designated spot. Make sure that your image is in a format that does well across the Internet (.jpg, .pdf, .gif, etc.)
Mail Tip Three
Use numbering, bullets, indentations, and colored text in your emails. While in the process of creating a new message select the Formats Menu.
For colored text choose the color icon from the menu bar and select the color you wish to use. You will be required to check a box making your document a "Rich Text" document to proceed.
Another cool new feature include in Mail is the ability to create a new address card in Address Book from information included in the content of an email message. (This only works if you are receiving your mail through the Mail application.)
Note: If you already have an address in place for the individual, that address will remain and the new address will be added as a second listing.
Note: If additional addresses or phone numbers are included without name identifiers, they might be picked up as well. If that happens, just delete them from your card before you save. ~ Nancy Gravley
Mouse Tales, North Coast MUG, Berea, OH
Creating Address Book Categories
Q: How does Apple's Address Book assign categories to contacts? I notice that most, but not all, of my contacts have one or more categories listed in the Note section. ~ James Aldrich
A: Your mysteriously categorized contacts were undoubtedly exported from a contact manager, such as Address Book, that supports the universal vCard contact standard
Try exporting these contacts yourself by creating a new group and giving it a descriptive name -- My Friends, for example. Pack that group with appropriate contacts. Now drag that group to your desktop -- a vCard file will appear. Double-click on the file, and Address Book will tell you that it's going to import and update x number of contacts. Click on OK, and then select that group. You'll see that each of those contacts now includes a Note entry along the lines of Categories: My Friends. If any of the contacts belong to other groups as well, those group names will also be listed.
Is this useful? Sure. Use these category notes to create a smart group that automatically gathers contacts that appear in multiple groups. For example, a smart group with two conditions, Note Contains My Friends and Note Contains Business, would list only those contacts you count among your business buddies.
Chris Breen's Mac 911 via TMUG Insider, Pleasanton, CA
Instantly Backup Your Address Book
Don has a great tip below about how to restore a badly corrupted Address Book. This Mac Treat is about how to instantly back up your Address Book -- so, in the absolutely worst-case scenario, you'll have access to all your addresses.
I typically use iSync and .Mac to backup and sync my Address Book across multiple Macs, and on my Treo cell phone. However, a few months ago something happened during the iSync process, and all my addresses were tripled. What a pain! Luckily, I religiously (maniacally) back up my Address Book using its extremely easy File > Back up Address Book feature. I was able to use this to restore everything from my back up. From there I reset iSync and .Mac sync preferences, and I was back in order.
How to do it:
That's it. I typically email a copy of this back up file to myself -- so I'll have it saved on my email web-server. You can also burn it to CD or save it to a flash drive iPod. If you are worried about security or privacy, you can easily lock your exported address in an encrypted disk image. Read how on our blog:
<http://blog.smalldog.com/article/318/creating-an-encrypted-disk-image>
It's easy to restore your Address Book from the backed up file. To restore: In Address Book, choose Revert to Address Book Backup from the File menu.
In the resulting dialog, locate your backup file (it ends with an .abbu extension), select it, and click Open.
Finally, you can also export all your addresses as a group vCard. To do this,
Small Dog Electronics
Finding Your Lost Address Book
I was innocently working at my Mac when I needed to look up an address. When I opened the Address Book application, I was stunned -- there were none of my 750 addresses present. All there was was a blank database. I had a bit of fear I had lost all those addresses from 20+ years of storing them on my Mac when I realized that I had them on my MacBook, synced to my .Mac account, had a recent backup on my spare drive, had them on my iPod and on my cell phone.
Nevertheless, I was not happy that they were gone when I needed them. I discovered an interesting tip, if you find yourself in a similar situation. If you follow this path ~/Library/Application Support/AddressBook you will find both a file entitled "AddressBook.data" and a file entitled "AddressBook.data.previous".
If you should find yourself with an empty Address Book, simply close the Address Book application and change the name of "AddressBook.data" to something like "lost my way.darn" or anything but AddressBook.data.
Then, change the name of "AddressBook.data.previous" to AddressBook.data". Open the Address Book application and all your names and addresses should be recovered.
The real lesson here is very clear. If you have ANY critical information on your Mac, make back-ups! I love the signature of my friend, David Lerner, from Tekserve in New York City -- "May you have 1000 backups and never need one." ~ Don
Small Dog Electronics
Entourage and Time Machine
Time Machine is a breakthrough automatic backup feature that's built right into Mac OS X Leopard, but for Entourage users it's recommended that you exclude your Identity from Time Machine (same holds for other database-based email applications).
There is an alternative for Entourage users using a Folder Action and Automator. The nice thing about this method is it can be used by those still running Tiger and it is free.
Entourage and Time Machine (The Entourage Help Blog) <http://blog.entourage.mvps.org/2008/01/entourage_and_time_machine.html>
When I requested permission to reprint her posting, Diane agreed, and sent the following additional information:
If you just put Entourage into Offline mode at night, the daemon will not be active. Most users have reported that as long as the database is not being used during backup there is no problem.
If the database gets written during the backup you can either (1) lose some data or (2) have a corrupt backup file. If you are not writing anything -- e.g., no automatic Send & Receive All schedule -- you can back up without quitting anything. To be absolutely safe, you should quit Entourage before backup.
It's also another good reason not to let Time Machine backup your database hourly. Most likely it will be active during most of the backups during the day. ~ Diane Ross
Entourage Help Page: <http://www.entourage.mvps.org/>
Entourage Help Blog: <http://blog.entourage.mvps.org/>
OS X Discussion List via Mouse Tales, North Coast MUG, Berea, OH
Make Word Multilingual
Q: I am living in France, which means that I write in both French and English in Microsoft Word. It's a bit time-consuming to go to the Tools > Language menu and select a different language for a document. Is there any way to develop a shortcut that will let me toggle between the two languages as I go from task to task? ~ Nick Brown
A: When you switch languages in Microsoft Word, you not only change the symbols that your Mac's keyboard types (as happens when you choose a different language in the International preference pane), but also instruct Word to use a different dictionary and grammar checker. One of the quickest ways to switch languages is with a Word macro -- a single command that executes a series of tasks.
In Word, choose Tools > Macro > Record New Macro, enter a name for your macro -- say, French -- and click on the Keyboard button.
In the Customize Keyboard window that appears, assign a keyboard shortcut for your macro -- Control/Option/F, for instance -- and click on "Assign." Click on "OK" to begin recording your macro.
While the macro is recording, choose Tools > Language, select "French" in the Language window that appears, and click on "OK." Stop recording the macro. Now create another macro that switches the language to English.
This time, name the macro English, assign it a shortcut such as Control/Option/E, and choose "English" in the Language window while recording.
Once these macros are in place, just press the corresponding keyboard shortcut to change languages. You can also assign macros to toolbar buttons. To do so, click on the Toolbars button in the Record Macro window.
Another option is to create a style based on French or English. Choose Format > Style.
In the Style window that appears, name the style, select "Styles In Use" from the List pop-up menu, and then select "Normal" from the Styles list at the top of the window.
Click on the "New" button. Choose "Language" from the pop-up menu at the bottom of the resulting New Style window. Then choose the language you'd like to use (French or English), and click on "OK."
The New Style window will now tell you that you're using a Normal style and which language you chose. Modify the style as you like from there, and click on "OK" to add the style. When you want to switch languages, just impose the new style.
Chris Breen's Mac 911 via The Finder, Mid-Columbia MUG, Kennewick, WA
Timesaving Tips for Preventing Typos
1. Add special abbreviations to the Exceptions list
When you type a period (.), Word assumes you want to start a new sentence, and capitalizes the next word. That's handy in most cases, but what if the period you typed was the end of an abbreviation, not the end of a sentence? To prevent unwanted capitalizations from happening too often, AutoCorrect contains a list of common abbreviations. If you type one of the abbreviations on the list, Word knows not to start a new sentence by capitalizing the next word. If the abbreviation you need is not on the list, you can add it yourself.
Add an abbreviation to the Exceptions list
2. Add your own shorthand to the AutoCorrect list
Do you use special shorthand language when you're working quickly? For example, instead of typing someone's full name, you might type only the person's initials. Instead of going back later to fill in the detail, you can have AutoCorrect substitute the full text for your shorthand version on the fly.
To accomplish this, just add your shorthand to the AutoCorrect list, along with the corresponding text. Then Word will "correct" your spelling by substituting the full text. Your shorthand can represent a few words, a block of text such as an address, or even a fully-formatted table.
To enter formatted paragraphs or a table in the "With" box, type and format the text in your document. Then select the text and click "AutoCorrect" on the Tools menu. You'll notice that the text is entered in the "With" box automatically, so all you have to do is type your shorthand characters in the Replace box to the left.
TMUG Insider, Pleasanton, CA
Print Grayscale from Acrobat
Although some printers and RIPs have an option to print a color document in grayscale, each manufacturer uses a different conversion algorithm to do so, resulting in different grayscale values on each device.
To avoid that, you can print as grayscale to all devices directly from Acrobat. (Acrobat uses the same color-to-grayscale engine as Photoshop's default conversion.) Just select "Composite Gray" in the Output panel of the Advanced section in Acrobat's Print dialog box.
Design Tools Monthly
White Lines in Acrobat
If you export a PDF from a Creative Suite application, and an item in the PDF has a white line around it, you can make that line go away by turning off "Smooth Line Art" in Acrobat's Page Display preferences. That white line usually doesn't print anyway, but you'll feel better not seeing the white line.
Design Tools Monthly
Compare Document Revisions in Acrobat
Acrobat Pro (6 & 7) has a built-in feature that lets you quickly identify the differences between any two PDFs. This can be a godsend when confirming that all needed corrections were made in complex documents or confirming copy edits in long documents (book publishers love this feature).
Open two PDFs you want to check for differences, and choose Document > Compare in Acrobat Pro (Acrobat Standard doesn't have this feature).
TMUG Insider, Pleasanton, CA
Better Living Through iPhoto Sharing
Q: I often travel with my laptop and store trip pictures in iPhoto. When I return home, what's the best way to transfer my photos from my laptop iPhoto to my desktop iPhoto? ~ H Thomas Staton
A: There are many ways to do this, but I prefer the sharing method. For this to work, the two computers must be able to talk to each another over a Bonjour network.
First, launch iPhoto on both computers. On the laptop, enable the "Share My Photos" option in iPhoto's Sharing preference pane. On the desktop Mac, turn on the "Look For Shared Photos" option in this preference pane. On the laptop, create a new smart album that's defined by the dates when you loaded your travel pictures on your laptop -- Date Is In The Last 2 Weeks, for example.
On the desktop Mac, select the laptop's shared photo library, click on the triangle to reveal that library's albums, choose the smart album you just created, and drag its icon to iPhoto's Library icon. The photos will be copied from one Mac to the other. Unlike iTunes, iPhoto allows you to copy shared files.
There are other ways to accomplish your goal. You could use iPhoto's "Share: Burn" command to burn photos to a recordable CD or DVD. You could sync a color iPod to your laptop, turn on photo synchronization in iTunes, enable the "Include Full-Resolution Photos" option, plug the iPod into your desktop computer, and copy those images from the iPod into your iPhoto library. Or you could set up a traditional network, mount your desktop Mac's hard drive, select the album you want to export on your laptop, choose "File: Export," click on the "File Export" tab in the Export Photos window, enable the "Full-Size Images" option, click on "Export," and choose your desktop Mac's networked drive as the destination for the exported photos.
Chris Breen's Mac 911 via Fat Bits, Conejo Valley MUG
Rebuild Your iPhoto Library
A fairly common complaint among iPhoto users is that sometimes after adding or deleting photos, other photos may suddenly disappear. The easiest fix is to first backup your photo library (~/Pictures/iPhoto Library), and then rebuild the iPhoto library by launching iPhoto while holding down the Command and Option keys. The backup isn't necessary, but it may be wise.
Design Tools Monthly
Trim Feature
Sometimes after working with images on a transparent background, you're left with extra space around your object. Cropping the image precisely can be tricky, especially if you have subtle shadow edges.
This is where Photoshop's Trim command comes in so handy (choose Image > Trim in Photoshop's menu).
As long as the area you want to crop is transparent or a solid color, the Trim dialog box lets you instantly crop your document's canvas to the outer border of your image. While this feature has been part of Photoshop from the very early years, a lot of designers miss it along the way. A great time saver.
CreativeTechs.com
Color Your Layers for Ease
If you're working with a large number of layers in Photoshop, you might find it difficult to quickly locate and select a particular one. So why not color code your layers? All you have to do is Control/click on the visibility eye icon to display a list of label colors. While you're at it, you might want to know that Option/clicking on the Eye icon allows you to quickly show or hide the other layers.
Chris Breen's Mac 911 via TMUG Insider, Pleasanton, CA
Don't Crop -- Use Photoshop's Background Eraser Tool
If you find yourself needing to quickly remove the background from an image in Photoshop, take a moment to play with the Background Eraser tool. (Click-and-hold on the eraser in Photoshop's tool pallet to choose this tool).
The Background Eraser samples the color in the center of the brush. It deletes that color and softens the edges so that color halos are not visible if the foreground object is later pasted into another image. ~ Creative Techs
LIMac Forum, Long Island, NY
Synch Bookmarks Between Firefox and Safari
Q: I have been using Safari for a number of years and have been very happy with it as a browser. That said, Firefox has the ability to use some web pages that Safari cannot completely render. Is there an easy way to move bookmarks from Safari to Firefox, and similarly, can bookmarks be synced between the two applications? ~ Jonathan M
A: The first time you launch Firefox, you'll be able to import your Safari bookmarks.
After that, you can import bookmarks through Firefox's Bookmarks Manager. Choose Bookmarks > Manage Bookmarks, and then choose File > Import. You'll be able to choose Safari, Microsoft Internet Explorer, Opera and From File. Choose Safari and click Continue, and your bookmarks will be imported.
And if you want to synchronize bookmarks between Safari and Firefox, consider using Everyday Software's Bookit 3.7, $12. <http://www.everydaysoftware.net/bookit/>
macHOME HotTips via Mouse Tales, North Coast MUG, Berea, OH
Web Pages That May Be of Interest
I consider myself an advanced power user of Mac OS X, having used it since the beta days as well as being entrusted to train and support designers using OS X. This web site, blog actually, has a daily tip which almost always hits me with something I didn't know or something I knew but had forgotten or something I once used and dismissed but has since evolved into something useable.
I visit daily via an excellent widget that shows today's tip headline. Each tip is very well written and illustrated and takes only a minute or two to digest. <http://tips4mac.blogspot.com>
Highly recommended to any Mac user interested in bettering their usage and understanding of the system. ~ Joe Debono
AUSOM News, Melbourne, Australia
The 60s
This is one of the best presentations of the Sixties that I have ever watched online. It is very well done. Just click on the link, sit back and enjoy the memories. You can relate to many old songs, cars, events and TV Shows of the '60's.
<http://cruzintheavenue.com/TakeMeBackToTheSixties.htm>
Bill Mok
Family Watchdog
Find registered sex offenders in your area, or anywhere, along with photos and descriptions.
<http://www.familywatchdog.us>
Cool Site of the Day
Churchill Speaks
Winston Churchill made many significant speeches in his lifetime, most of which have become well-known because of their unique timing in History and oratory power.
The Churchill Speech Interactive website is a great educational resource that allows you to explore one of Churchill's most memorable orations, delivered in Fulton, Missouri less than a year after the end of World War II. Listen to a recording of the original "Iron Curtain" address, read Churchill's speech notes, and learn more about the life of this legendary figure. ~ Patrish Blackstock
<http://www.churchillspeeches.com>
Mouse Droppings, Corvallis, OR
Murphy's Law
To paraphrase the relatively cynical but realistic theory known as Murphy's Law, "if anything can go wrong, it will." Browse the site by topic and you'll find that seventy years of evolution have shaped Murphy's Law into some pretty creative forms.
Visitors will find "Laws" that relate to specific topics including Love ("If the person isn't taken, there's a reason"), Computers ("No matter how hard you work, the boss will only appear when you access the Internet"), War ("Never underestimate the ability of the brass to foul things up"). ~ Patrish Blackstock
<http://www.murphys-laws.com>
Mouse Droppings, Corvallis, OR
Spyonoldlovers.com
Whether we admit it or not, most of us are curious to know what our former love interest, old associates and even enemies are up to. Is my ex-girlfriend still married to that banker? Did my old boss really hit the lottery and then lose it all?
Our community aims to help you find those answers anonymously, for free, and the person you are secretly spying on will never know you are seeking information about them.
<http://spyonoldlovers.com>
Cool Site of the Day
Richard Seaman's Pitch Lake Gallery
Pitch Lake on Trinidad's west coast, in the appropriately named "La Brea" district, is a 95 acre lake of tar. The guidebook said the lake is often a disappointment for tourists who drive down from Port of Spain, because it looks like a large parking lot. "Personally," says photographer Richard Seaman, "I found the trip very worthwhile." I think you will too. These photos are amazing. ~ Patrish Blackstock
<http://www.richard-seaman.com/Travel/TrinidadAndTobago/Trinidad/PitchLake/>
Mouse Droppings, Corvallis, OR
Find Your Candidate
Here's a link suggested by Bob LeGault, just in time for the busy presidential campaign season. Fill in 3 demographic items, and answer a few hot issue multiple choice questions. Candidates are then ranked according to how they stand on the same questions. Thanks, Bob! ~ Patrish Blackstock
<http://www.wqad.com/Global/link.asp?L=259460>
Mouse Droppings, Corvallis, OR
Classic Movies Database
Reel Classics is a cool website dedicated to Classic Movies, and boasts a comprehensive database of information related to vintage cinema. Film buffs can browse by section to read about the individual "Stars", "Films", and "Movie Makers" that originally made Hollywood magic. There are also loads of other cool features including articles, an audio/video gallery, an online store with vintage merchandise and memorabilia, free downloads and much more! ~ Patrish Blackstock
<http://www.reelclassics.com>
Mouse Droppings, Corvallis, OR
Song Facts
Song Facts is cool website that definitely lives up to its name, providing fans with insight and insider information about individual songs. Browse the site's huge database, which is filled with information collected from the musical minds of radio professionals and music buffs, as well as resources such as newspapers, magazines, artist interviews, and books. I found it easiest to browse by year. ~ Patrish Blackstock
<http://www.songfacts.com>
Mouse Droppings, Corvallis, OR
Information about your Zipcode
Check out your zipcode -- you will not believe the information you will find there!
<http://zipskinny.com>
Greg Griffith
Terrific Tagging
Because I import music from a variety of sources, my iTunes library has become cluttered with unsorted MP3 and AAC files that lack album, track, and even artist and song-name information. Fortunately, there's a great tool for labeling MP3 files, so you don't have to do it all by hand: Jay Tuley's free iEatBrainz will look for your music files' "digital fingerprints" on the free MusicBrainz database and give you a list of possible matches. You can quickly select the right ones and import the information you need. In conjunction with Chaotic Software's Media Rage ($30), it allowed me to label and add artwork to 450 unsorted song files in my iTunes library, in less than two and a half hours. If you're like me and cannot imagine having your Mac on without iTunes being open, this tool is definitely a must. ~ Bill Urbina
Chris Breen's Mac 911 via Fat Bits, Conejo Valley MUG
Out, DRM'd Spot!
Perhaps you've purchased music from iTunes and you want to play those tunes on a non-iPod music player. APPLE SAYS NO. Maybe you've become a Mac/Linux user, and you need your Windows Audio files in a standard, portable format. MICROSOFT SAYS NO. How about making backup copies of your music library? Or burning your favorite tunes to a CD so you can listen in the car? THE RIAA SAYS NO.
But that doesn't mean you can't. Yes, you CAN free your iTunes music from the shackles of DRM (Digital Rights Management). Yes, you CAN move your Windows WMA audio files to other operating system platforms. Yes, you CAN make a backup copy of your music to protect yourself from hard drive failure. And yes, you CAN listen to your music without a computer, on that expensive stereo system in the living room, in your car, or with a non-iPod music player.
If you're frustrated by the DRM protection roadblock, check out my big list of audio converters here: <http://askbobrankin.com/drm_removal.html> ~ Bob Rankin
InternetTourbus.com via Mouse Tales, North Coast MUG, Berea, OH
Organizing iTunes Playlists
Q: When I work with iTunes making up a playlist, I am frustrated by the fact that iTunes insists on an alphabetic listing of all songs. This precludes any balancing of the list. Is there any way around this that will allow me to burn a disc in the order I prefer? ~ Howard Agger
A: At the top of each column, you'll see a header such as Name, Time, Artist, etc. These are actually buttons that control the organization of the items in the playlist. Click Time, for example, and the playlist will organize itself from longest to shortest song; click it again and it will reverse this order. To have an unstructured playlist, click to the leftmost column header. (It is blank and you'll see a series of numbers under it). As soon as you click it, you can drag and drop tracks in any order you want.
macHOME HotTips via Mouse Tales, North Coast MUG, Berea, OH
Share Your Tunes
Apple does not allow you to copy songs bought from the Apple Store to a CD and give them to a friend. The files are m4a file. To convert them to mp3 files, go download Switch Free at <http://switch.en.softonic.com/>. Drag the songs you want out of iTunes onto your Desktop. This creates a copy of the m4a files. Drop them on Switch with mp3 selected as the output file and a location as the place where you wish them saved. The resulting mp3 files can be loaded on a CD and shared with a friend.
Mouse Droppings, Corvallis, OR
Permanently Remove a Widget From Dashboard
(Note: this tip works in both Tiger and Leopard.)
If you're like me, you've downloaded a bunch of widgets for your Mac's Dashboard that you no longer use. Pink Floyd Reunion Tour Watch widget – never mind, they're never reuniting. Expos baseball schedule – they've moved to Washington DC and changed their name. John Edwards for President Widget – no longer useful (Was it ever? Just kidding. I liked him.)
It's easy to deactivate a widget, but the icon for the widget continues to show up in the Dashboard menu at the bottom of the screen. If you want to clean up your Dashboard menu, it's possible to permanently delete widgets. Click on the Finder icon at the left end of your Dock (or the top of your Dock, if you keep your Dock arranged on the left or right of your screen.) Browse to your Home folder, then open your Library folder.
Inside the Library folder look for a folder named Widgets. All the widgets you've downloaded are stored here. You can delete these widgets by dragging them to your Mac's Trash, or by clicking on them and pressing Command/Delete, which will send the widget to the Trash. Once you empty the Trash, the widget is gone forever!
(Or at least until you download it again from <http://www.apple.com/downloads/dashboard>) ~ Ed
Small Dog Electronics
Track Gasoline Prices with This Widget
This little widget queries the Internet for the lowest gasoline prices in your area. It works with Google maps to guide you to the lowest priced gasoline, is well designed, and is eminently useful. Check it out here:
<http://www.apple.com/downloads/dashboard/transportation/gas.html>.
Leopard compatible. ~ Art Hendrickson
Small Dog Electronics
Mac Hints & Tips is a compilation of tips found in Mac user group newsletter from around the world, as well as many Mac-related books, magazines, websites, and individuals. Following is a partial list of some of the contributors with links to their websites. To all who have contributed to the Mac community, we all give many thanks for sharing their tips and expertise.
Mac User Groups:
Mouse Droppings, newsletter of the Corvallis Macintosh User Group in Corvallis, Oregon, one of the oldest and most active user groups in the country, and the home of Phil Russell, a highly respected Macintosh writer and the main source of hints and tips published by me over the years, as well as other MUG newsletters throughout the world. www.cmug.com
Apple Barrel, newsletter of the Ridgecrest Apple User Group, Ridgecrest California. www1.iwvisp.com/croton
AUSOM News, newsletter of Australia's largest Macintosh User Group, Apple Mac Users' Society of Melbourne Australia. www.ausom.net.au
The Finder, newsletter of Mid-Columbia Macintosh User Group in Kennewick, Washington. www.macusergroup.com
The Juice, newsletter of SummitMac, Fort Wayne, Indiana. http://homepage.mac.com/vguess/summitmac
LIMAC Forum, newsletter of the Long Island Mac Users Group in Seaford, New York. www.limac.org
Mouse Tales, newsletter of the North Coast Mac Users Group, Cleveland, Ohio. homepage.mac.com/ncmug_oh
Friends:
Bill Dorrity, Goose Creek, South Carolina
Websites:
CreativeTechs.com -- "Left brain support for right brain professionals." Friendly expert computer support for Seattle area creative teams. www.creativetechs.com
Allen Wyatt's MacWordTips.com -- A website devoted to MS Word tips and scripts. www.macwordtips.com
Small Dog Electronics, an Apple Specialist and reseller of Apple Macintosh computers, peripherals, and software. www.smalldog.com
TidBITS.com -- a free email and Web publication covering the Macintosh Internet community. www.tidbits.com
Publications:
Jay J. Nelson's Design Tools Monthly -- An executive summary of graphic design news which includes Mac news and rumors, new software and hardware announcements, upcoming seminars and shows, interesting websites, and other valuable information. You may request a free sample copy of this monthly newsletter by going to www.design-tools.com or calling 303.543.8400.
InDesign Magazine, a complete resource for InDesign professionals. Published by Creativepro.com in PDF format. www.indesignmag.com
Macworld Magazine. The ultimate resource for Mac users. Each issue is packed with practical how-tos, in-depth features, the latest troubleshooting tips and tricks, industry news, and is home of Chris Breen's Mac 911 columns. www.macworld.com
If you are not a member of a Macintosh User Group, I highly recommend that you find one in your area and join. User groups are the greatest source of information and help available to all Mac users -- from novices to experts. You can find one in your area by going to apple.com/usergroups/find