Internet Fixes Weekly Windows Newsletter

Save time with Doskey macros in Windows XP!

Windows XP's command-line utilities are useful in many situations. However, the biggest drawback to using the command line is typing commands with long parameter lists.

For example, suppose you're using the Driverquery command to display a list of all the installed drivers on a remote system. Here's how your command line may look:

Driverquery /s server1 /u maindominter /p p@ssw3d /fo list

If you make one little typo, you'll have to start all over.

The next time you find yourself working from a command prompt, and you know that you'll be repeatedly issuing the same command, save time by creating a Doskey macro using this syntax:

Doskey shortcut=command string

To shorten the command line given above, type the following:

Doskey DQ=Driverquery /s server1 /u maindominter /p p@ssw3d /fo list

Now you can quickly and easily issue the entire command string by typing DQ. Simply overwrite the computer name, username, and password for different systems.

Moving custom colors and patterns between computers Windows 2000!

If you've created several custom colors and/or desktop patterns, there may be a time when you'll want to share them with other users or move them to a new computer. Don't waste your time re-creating the colors and patterns manually--there's an easier method. Just copy them to the other computer.

To do so, you need to copy the contents of two registry keys. The registry key HKEY_CURRENT_USERControl PanelCustom Colors contains the custom color definitions that you've created under your current logon. The key by default contains 16 custom colors, although all are set to white until you actually modify the colors.

To copy these colors to another computer, just copy the registry key to a file. Open REGEDIT, select the key, and choose Registry | Export Registry File. Make sure the Selected Branch option is selected, specify a name for the REG file, and click Save. Then, copy the REG file to the other computer and double-click it to import the settings into the registry. Note that any custom colors defined on the destination computer will be replaced.

You can use a similar method to copy patterns. Open REGEDIT and export the key HKEY_CURRENT_USERControl PanelPatterns to a REG file. Then, import the file on the target computer to copy the patterns. As with custom colors, any corresponding patterns on the target computer will be replaced with those from the source computer.

Reminder: Editing the registry can be risky, so be sure you have a verified backup before making any changes.

Customize any folder with Image Preview in Windows ME!

Windows Me's My Pictures folder is a handy place to store all your digital images because, unlike other folders, it displays a preview of the selected image in the Image Preview window to the left of your file list. You can use the Image Preview window to preview and rotate your images, and also to view them as a slideshow. But what if you like to store your pictures in a folder other than My Pictures? Follow this simple technique to turn on the Image Preview feature in any folder where you would like to see previews of your pictures.

Open Windows Explorer and then open the folder where you've stored your pictures. Choose View | Customize This Folder. The Customize This Folder Wizard launches. Click Next, and then verify that the Choose Or Edit An HTML Template For This Folder option is checked, and click Next. From the Choose A Template list box, select Image Preview, and click Next, and then click Finish to close the Wizard. The Image Preview window now appears in the folder where your pictures are stored.