Using Show Windows Side by Side

[CuzICan]

The other night a family member was working on the computer and was flipping back and forth making the windows that they were working within active and then going to the other one and working with it, and just having a heck of time jumping back and forth.

I offered the suggestion to them of using "Show windows side by side"

If you are moving files, or working between 2 apps and you need to view them both or it is a hindrance to keep making first one then another active, you can alleviate that annoyance.

Go to the task bar with the apps opened, and right click, then select "SHOW WINDOWS SIDE BY SIDE"

Complete your task and then you can deselect the option by going BACK to the taskbar and right clicking again and selecting "UNDO SHOW WINDOWS SIDE BY SIDE"

I was unaware of this for a long time and just happened upon it and I thought HEY this is great for moving files, making graphics off an online tutorial, whatever!!!

I use it quite often with paint shop pro when I am making graphics and using an online tutorial that I will use once and don't care to print. Also when I am moving files between 2 folders.

Hope this helps someone. I know the option is available in Vista and probably XP too , I was unaware it was available when I was running XP though

[Phil Washburn]

with windows XP, the command from the task bar is either "tile windows horizontally", or "tile windows vertically"

[CuzICan]

Thanks Phil I didn't know if it was available on XP and that particular command is not I guess...

In vista it is an option and it lays the window up on the screen as it says: Side by side, and Windows sizes them equally when you use the command.

Once again thanks for letting me know -- been awhile since I ran XP and it's hard to remember what all was there, esp since I never used that on XP. I remember trying the cascade layouts to see what they were but I also remember I didn't especially like that.

I do like the side by side in Vista though.

[BigBird]

Hey Cher
I do this in excel daily. Excel has a feature under window drop down horizontal and vertical. It has a side by side feathure that will let you scroll rows or columns in both spreadsheets simultaneously.
I also use this with a second montior to run a third application windows for us spreadsheet geeks.
Holla back if anyone needs additional info.
Another windows feature is sending screen shots of an error or whatever you are looking at. I hit alt+printscreeen button and paste in an email. Picture is worth a thousand words and use this daily.
Lindsay

[CuzICan]

Yes I have found it to be a great utility in Windows and I, too, use the print screen for shots in my Paint Shop Pro Program, it's so much easier when you can actually see what someone is talking about esp if they are having some sort of problem that they need help with...thanks so much for mentioning that as well!

[mmarcum6]

One feature I use a lot are quick key combinations and there are far to many to list. I do machine screen development a lot and will have several applications running at the same time. This will bore many users, but if it makes one persons life easier then it was worth posting. I use alt + tab a lot to switch between my applications probably 100+ times a day. I run two monitors but run 3 to 5 applications at a time. I guess I should just go redneck and put a 52" screen on the wall and tile them. I hope this helps at least one person. I use the shortcut keys more than the mouse. Yep I'm a nerd and proud of it!