It is possible to work in Windows without using a mouse, though it is not easy, nor is it very intuitive. Those who have not been using computers going back to the days of non-graphical interfaces, such as DOS, probably are not familiar with issuing instructions to their computer in any way but clicking or right clicking, and maybe a couple of shortcut keys or key combinations.

My goal in this session is to enable you to, at the least, finish your current task, access other open applications, save your in progress work and shut down your computer properly, until you can replace your mouse or other pointing device. You would be able to continue working with out replacing the pointing device, but I don't recommend it as you will work better and faster with the pointing device to which you have become accustomed. (Just as a note, I am doing this in FrontPage Express and am doing it completely without use of my mouse, to show you that it can be done.)

Let's get started then:

Lets assume that you are writing an e-mail and have your word processor and a spreadsheet open at the same time, because you are copying information from them into your now three page email, when suddenly your mouse stops working. You want to save your current information, so that you can come back and finish this e-mail when you have replaced your mouse, without having to redo everything then. In this case you want to save the e-mail, close down your word processor and spreadsheet, saving any changes of course, and shut down your computer properly, so you can install your replacement pointing device.

For the purposes of this session I will be showing the keys or combination of keys you need to use using all capital letters, for example ALT, ENTER, END, etc.

  1. To save the e-mail you are working in press ALT+F, then S, which will bring up your Save Dialog Box, save your work in the appropriate place with an appropriate name if required, press ALT+F, then X to close your e-mail program.

The following are ways to move and function within a Dialog Box (as found in using Windows Help):

To Press
Cancel the current task ESC
Click a button if the current control is a button SPACEBAR
Select or clear the check box if the current control is a check box SPACEBAR
Click the option if the current control is an option button SPACEBAR
Click the corresponding command ALT+underlined letter
Click the selected button ENTER
Move backward through options SHIFT+TAB
Move backward through tabs CTRL+SHIFT+TAB
Move forward through options TAB
Move forward through tabs CTRL+TAB
Open a folder one level up if a folder is selected in the Save As or Open dialog box BACKSPACE
Open Save In or Look In in the Save As or Open dialog box F4
Refresh the Save As or Open dialog box F5
  1. If your other programs were not minimized, the one you used prior to the e-mail program should now be on the screen, in which case you would save and exit the same way you did for the e-mail program and continue until all of your open applications have been closed down. If your other applications were minimized press WINDOWS+TAB to cycle through the buttons on the taskbar until you come to the one you want to save the work in and close next. If you are using a machine that does not have a WINDOWS key, which is more than likely not the case, pressing ALT+TAB will perform the same function.
  2. Now that you have saved all your work and closed all your open applications you can properly shut down by pressing WINDOWS, then u, select the appropriate option, tab until the OK button is highlighted and press ENTER.

The above instructions should enable you to save your work, close your applications and shut down your computer correctly, should your mouse or pointing device become inoperable for some reason but the whole system is not locked up. I suggest that you familiarize yourself with working with shortcut keys and combinations periodically so that if the situation arises you can save your valuable work and properly shut down your computer to keep from compounding the problem by maybe damaging your system and program files due to an incorrect shut down.

There are numerous other shortcut keys and combinations that can be used to operate in Windows with out using a mouse, a lot of which can be found by using the Windows Help files or specific application Help files. I personally use a lot of shortcut keys and combinations and have even gone so far as to set up my own in some applications that allow me to create them, because the more I can keep my fingers on the keyboard the faster I can work, especially in a word processing program or database.

Perhaps at a later date, if there is enough interest, we can further explore the use of shortcut keys and shortcut key combinations to make working in Windows easier or more productive. Please explore your options in this regard, as I assure you, there is some shortcut that will suit you and the way you use Windows.

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