This guide deals with 'moving' information between documents within different applications through copy, cut and paste, the clipboard and how to print.

CLIPBOARD: Copy, Cut and Paste

There is a temporal memory sector in Windows called the clipboard. Any item that you copy or cut is stored there for future use.

• Copy: makes a copy in the clipboard without modifying the original. This duplicates an item.

• Cut: makes a copy in the clipboard and removes the original. This moves an item.

• Paste: inserts a copy of the clipboard content where you have placed the cursor/arrow.

The clipboard can only contain one element. (except in a few applications like Word 2000) The content is kept there until something else is copied or cut into the clipboard. Eg: if you select text and copy it, it will stay in its original location and an additional copy will be made into the clipboard. You can then paste this text in various places without having to copy it again. As soon as you copy another item (text or image) you erase what was in the clipboard and replace it with the new selection.

Cutting, copying and pasting can be used within different applications.

The steps to duplicate and move elements are:

• Select the item you wish to copy to the clipboard.

• Select Edit - Copy/Cut (or use the corresponding button).

• Place the cursor at the spot you wish to insert the copy stored in the clipboard.

• Select Edit - Paste (or use the corresponding button).

Activity I

1) Open WordPad and write a text called Exercise 2.

2) Draw something in Paint called Drawing related to the text.

3) Paste the drawing in WordPad. The steps are:

• In Paint, Select the section of the drawing you want to use.

Selecting: With the Selection tool drag a rectangle around the image you wish to use. The larger the image, the more space it will take. Because graphics take up a lot of space, you don´t want them too big if you are working with floppy disks.

With the pointer, drag and form the rectangle which includes your image. You can also select a portion of an image if you don't want all of it. (For example this Paint window).

• Select Copy from the Edit menu. (This makes the selected item copy to the clipboard).

• Open the WordPad window and place the cursor at the spot you want to place the drawing.

• Choose Paste from the Edit menu.

• Move the drawing to the desired place by using the Space Bar and the Enter key. (As if it were a large text character).

4) Print the WordPad file that now includes the drawing.

PRINTING

It is best to follow these steps before printing a document for the first time:

• Select Page Setup from the File menu and make sure that the margins, paper size and orientation are right.

• Select the Print Preview from the File menu in order to see how your full page will look onscreen.

• Select Print from the File menu and check:
  
  1) Which printer you will use.
  2) Which part of the document you will print. (All, selected pages etc…)
  3) How many copies will be printed.
  4) What print quality you will use. (In Properties)
  5) What type, size and orientation is selected for the paper. (In Properties)
  6) OK.

Note: For each printer, there will be different ways to select the printing properties and some will have more options than others.

PRINT DIALOG BOX

Note: If you print with the button from the toolbar, a copy will usually be printed (without the dialog box) using the preset settings (and sometimes using the previously used settings).

5) Through the drawing you made to the Recycle bin.

 

The Recycle Bin stores all files, folders and other items you delete. Until you empty its content, you can recover any of the items stored in it.

IMPORTANT: While you work save frequently. This is the best way to work and it is good to get used to it. In this way if there is a problem with the machine you will only lose a small part of your work. (You will loose everything since the last time you saved.)

You could have your work erased/lost due to:

• Problems in the software (called bugs).

• User mistakes. (Quite common, even with the most experienced!)

• Power failure. (Variable tension, failure, etc…)