3 HANDY APPLE MAC KEYBOARD SHORTCUTS

APPLE MAC KEYBOARD SHORTCUTS ~ 3 Tips That Are Useful When Creating Documents (Please note that Google’s BlogSpot, the provider we use to publish this monthly column, has changed the allowable format style. So, if the column’s format looks a bit strange it’s due to Google and BlogSpot, not THE GADGETEER.) BOB SKIDMORE CORRESPONDENT © 2021 BOB SKIDMORE ALL RIGHTS RESERVED How often have you said “I wish I could easily make a screen shot of the entire screen, or a selectable portion of it, so I can have a record, or insert it in a document”? A screenshot is a photograph in the PNG format. It can easily be converted to a JPEG by opening it up, selecting EXPORT under the file menu and then selecting JPEG followed by DESKTOP, its final destination. How about an easy way to access symbols and emojis while you’re creating an email, or preparing a WORD document? Well here are some tips on achieving those goals on your Macintosh computer’s keyboard. To make a screen shot of the entire desktop on your computer’s display simply depress simultaneously the SHIFT, COMMAND and NUMBER 3 keys on the MAC keyboard. This will create a full-screen snapshot of the entire screen/desktop. If you would prefer to create a snapshot of a selected portion of the material you desire, simply depress simultaneously the SHIFT, COMMAND and NUMBER 4 keys on your MAC keyboard. You’ll notice that upon releasing the keys, your cursor now displays a crosshair symbol. Now move the mouse while depressing the left key until you have created the size and position of the snapshot that’s desired. Upon releasing the mouse’s key your snapshot is made and placed on the desktop. Screenshots are automatically labeled as such and thus positioned in the alphabetical order of the S’s, as a file. If you desire an easy way to access symbols and special characters, as well as emojis, simultaneously depress COMMAND and the NUMBER 3 keys and wait for a small popup adjustable screen to appear. Clicking on the desire symbol, character, or emoji will place it in your document exactly where your cursor was last displayed. Ok, how do you remember all this? Purchase a package of AVERY # 5795 Color Coding Labels available at Amazon, or at most office supply stores. These are labels that are the size of dots in the colors of green, yellow, blue and red. They’re small enough to be placed on your MAC’s keyboard to aid you in knowing what keys need to be depressed (see photo at top of page). Adding a small paper, or DYMO label to your keyboard, or display’s frame, would indicate which color represents what action is to take place and help you achieve the desired end result. I selected RED for IEMOJ, BLUE for ENTIRE SCREEN SHOT, and GREEN for SELECTABLE SCREEN SHOTS. You may wish to place this label that indicates what functions the colored keys will perform, on your keyboard, or computer’s display. Enjoy!

Graphic credits: The Gadgeteer & Google Images Bob Skidmore is a freelance writer, who may be contacted at bob.thegadgeteer.skidmore@gmail.com, or followed at twitter.com/bskidmore for the latest gadget industry news. He does not represent, or endorse any of the products he reviews and his opinions are solely his points of view and not those of the manufacturer, or any legal resource. The manufacturer generally supplies products and press releases at no cost for the articles and no other compensation is received. THE GADGETEER is highly selective as to products he feels worthy of review so as not to waste the reader’s time, thus the reason for many superior ratings. ## Check out Bob’s Twitter page for up to the minute gadget news. Available at: https://twitter.com/bskidmore