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Macintosh

Macintosh FAQ

Select the topic below which best fits your needs, or browse through our collection of questions and answers.

return to topHow do I format (initialize) my disk?

Instructions for formatting a floppy disk are built right into the Mac. When you insert an unformatted disk into the computer, the machine will ask if you want the disk initialized. (If you insert a low density disk, you will also have to answer whether it is single- or double-sided.) Click OK---that's all there is to it! The Macintosh will then format the disk for you. If you wish to reformat a previously formatted Macintosh disk, under the Special menu, choose Erase Disk and the floppy will be reformatted.

WARNING: Whenever you format (or reformat) a disk, any information that was previously contained on that disk WILL BE ERASED!

return to topHow do I open a program on my Mac?

There are two ways to open a program on the Macintosh.

return to topHow do I move between open programs on my Mac?

The Finder allows you to move between programs on the Macintosh. The finder icon (application menu) is located in the top right-hand corner of the screen. When you are not working in a particular application, the icon resembles a Mac computer; otherwise, the icon resembles that of the application in which you are working. Click on this icon with the pointer and a list of the applications you have open will appear. Drag down with the pointer until the application you want to move to is highlighted and let go. The Macintosh will change the active application to the one you selected.

return to topWhat can I name my files?

Anything you want to! Unlike Windows, the Macintosh does not restrict the number of characters in each title. Macintosh also does not require a three-character extension after the file name as Windows does. For organizational sake, you may wish to keep your file names as short as possible.

return to topHow can I locate a particular file on the hard drive or my disk?

Under the File menu, select Find. In the Find dialog box, type in the name of the file you wish to locate and designate where you would like the computer to look for that file---hard-drive, disk, etc. Click FIND. The computer will attempt to locate the file for you. If the file is not found, use the Find Again option to continue searching for your file.

return to topHow do I delete files?

You can delete files from the disk or hard drive by moving them to the trash can, which is usually located in the bottom right-hand corner of the screen. Click on the icon of file that you wish to delete, then drag that file to the trash can and let go. The sides of the trash can will bulge to show that it needs to be emptied. Under Special, select Empty Trash. (In the general access labs, the computer will ask you if you want to trash the items in the trash can. Click OK.) The Mac will then delete the contents of the trash can.

return to topCan I recover files after I have moved them to the trash can?

It depends. Files in the trash can are easily and safely recoverable until the trash has been emptied. Simply double click on the trash can and a window will appear showing what files are in the trash. You can drag any of these files onto the desktop or a folder to recover them. However, once you choose Empty Trash from the Special menu the files are permanently deleted.

return to topI want to know when a file on my disk was created. How can I view this information?

The Macintosh usually lists the available files as icons; however, it will also display this information in text form, including the name and size of the file, when it was last modified, and what program was used to create it. You can change the way a file is displayed using the View menu. Select the View that best suits your needs; for instance, choosing Date from the View menu will display all the file information listed above, but will arrange the files in order by the date which they were last modified.

return to topHow do I use the Open Apple [Cmd] Key on the keyboard?

The Open Apple [Cmd] Key is used on the Macintosh to perform keyboard shortcuts that allow you to bypass using the menu options, and thus, save time. For example, instead of selecting Print from the File menu, press [Cmd] + [P] and the computer will print the current document. [Cmd]+[S] will save the document; [Cmd]+[O] will allow you to open a document, [Cmd]+[N] will create a new document. Many of these shortcuts remain the same from one application program to another; many programs incorporate additional Keyboard shortcuts. Learning these shortcuts will help you accomplish computing tasks more easily and efficiently.

return to topHow do I use keycaps?

Most Macintosh computers offer a Keycaps option under the apple menu that helps you determine what key combination you need to use to produce a particular symbol or text feature. Selecting keycaps will bring up a graphical representation of the keyboard. When you press the option or shift keys or a combination of the two, the keyboard will display what characters are available when those keys are depressed. Clicking on the key you want with the pointer will make the corresponding character appear in the sample text area above the keyboard graphic; you can then cut and paste the character into the document you are working on. Keycaps also allows you to select different fonts. After you select Keycaps from the apple menu, click the Keycaps Menu to choose the font in which you would like the characters to appear on the keyboard graphic. This feature is especially helpful when viewing the characters in a dingbat or symbol font.

return to topCan I undo an action that has already been completed?

Sometimes. To undo an action directly after it has been completed, from the Edit menu, select Undo; or use the keyboard shortcut [Cmd]+[Z]. The Undo feature only works the action to be undone was the last action completed. For example, if you accidentally delete a line of text and continue typing, you cannot undo that deletion.

return to topHow should I remove my disk?

The safest way to remove your disk is to choose Put Away from the File menu. On most Macs you can also drag the disk to the trash can; UWEC lab Macs will not allow you to do this, however. Either of these methods will eject the disk and erase the disk's directory from the computer's memory.

DO NOT select Eject Disk from the Special menu. If you do this, the disk's directory remains in the computer's memory and "ghost" of the disk icon is left on the screen. As long as this "disk ghost" remains on the screen, the Mac will keep asking for the disk again when you try other file operations.

return to topHow do I get rid of a disk ghost?

A "disk ghost" is a transparent disk icon that is left on the desktop when someone ejects a disk using the Eject Disk command from the Special menu. As long as this icon is on the screen, the computer will not allow you to insert a new disk or begin a new file operation. If you have the ejected disk with you, reinsert it and remove it using the Put Away command from the File menu. If you do not have the disk with you, press [Cmd]+[.]. You may have to do this more than once. If the "disk ghost" persists, you may have to restart your computer.

return to topWhy is it important to shut down my Mac correctly?

Choosing Shut Down tells the Mac to do some small but important housekeeping chores before it shuts itself off. If you shut the Mac down with the switch, you will lose the contents of the disk cache and perhaps damage some open files. To shut down your Mac correctly, from the Special menu, select Shut Down. Do not simply turn the computer off with the power switch.

return to topHow do I select the printer for my document?

To change the printer, under the apple menu, select Chooser. The Chooser will list the kinds of printers and the specific printers available. Click on a printer or configuration to select it.

return to topWhat is an alias?

An alias works like a remote control; it can be used to open files, folders, or applications from places such as the desktop or the apple menu. Select an item such as a file, a folder, or an application, then, under the File menu, choose Make Alias. The alias will appear next to the original icon with its name in italics. You can then rename and move the alias anywhere you want. Because an alias is not a copy of the program or file but only an additional icon, it takes only a small amount of disk space and makes finding and opening the item you need easier and less time consuming.

return to topWhat is the control panel?

The control panel is a utility that allows you to adjust features of your Mac such as date and time, desktop pattern, and speaker volume. To access the Control Panel, under the apple menu, select Control Panels. A submenu will appear that lists the various options included; select the option you wish to access.

return to topWhat do I do if the screen freezes?

A "freeze" is usually the result of a conflict between a software extension and an application. If your screen freezes and the pointer or cursor will not move, try to quit the program by holding down [Open Apple] + [Option] + [Escape]; in the dialog box that appears, click Force Quit. If this doesn't work, any unsaved changes in the document you were working on will be lost; for this reason, it is a good idea to save your work frequently.

return to topWhat do I do if my disk is unreadable?

If the Macintosh is having trouble reading your disk, a message will appear asking if you would like to initialize the disk. Click EJECT; you don't want to reformat your disk. First try to insert the disk into another computer. It's a good idea to write protect your disk by moving the small plastic switch on the corner of the disk into the locked position; this will prevent any further damage from occurring. If the disk is still unreadable, take it to the LTS Consultants, where they can use a data-recovery application to try to recover the files.

return to topWhat do I do if I see a "sad mac" when I start up the computer?

Hope for the best. Usually when you turn on a Macintosh, the machine displays a "happy mac" to let you know that everything has started up correctly. The "sad mac" is the machine's way of telling you that it has diagnosed some sort of hardware problem while starting up. If this occurs while you are using a UWEC-owned computer, call the LTS Consultants. If at home, shut the computer off and check to make sure all the peripheral cables are attached correctly and securely, and try again. If this doesn't work, try starting the computer from the system floppy or CD that came with the Macintosh. If the problem persists, call a technician.

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