The following is a *living* compilation of Internet Explorer 4.0 Tips that I've dug up from time-to-time. *Living* means this list will be constantly updated as more tips are found/received. If you have a 'tip' you'd like to share, please send it to webmast@surfari.net and ask to have it included in the Information Gem Page.
TIP #1
CUSTOM FOLDERS
If you install the Web Integrated Desktop, you can easily add a
background picture to any of your folders. To do this, open the
folder to which you want to add a picture and choose View|Customize
This Folder. When the dialog box opens, select Choose a Background
Picture and click on Next. Select a picture from the list, or click
on Browse to look through your hard disk for other BMP files
(you'll find some in the \Windows folder that you might like to
use). Of course, if you have some favorite picture files that you'd
like to use, locate and select one. Click on Next and then click on
Finish.
If you decide you'd rather do without the background picture, choose View|Customize this Folder and the select Remove Customization. Click on Next, Next, Finish.
TIP #2
DESKTOP INTEGRATION
When you're downloading Microsoft Internet Explorer 4, go ahead and
let the program install the desktop modifications--you can always
turn off the feature later. If you decide you don't like the single-
click approach to folder navigation, open a window and choose
View|Folder Options. Now click on the General tab and then select the
Classic Style radio button and click on OK.
TIP #3
DOWNLOAD IE 4.0
When you download Microsoft Internet Explorer 4, you'll be given
a choice--you can install from the site or you can download the
files to install at a later time. Although it might be faster to just go
with the install, it's better to download the files. This way, if you
have problems, you'll have the files on your disk for later use.
TIP #4
UPGRADING FROM IE 3.0 TO 4.0
When you upgrade from Microsoft Internet Explorer 3 to Microsoft
Internet Explorer 4, your system will probably upgrade without a
hitch. But, if there is a hitch, and your ISP information doesn't get
upgraded, don't worry. The wizard will help you. When you lose
track of the ISP info during an upgrade, Microsoft Internet Explorer
will ask you to supply a provider the first time you run the new
version. All you have to do is select the radio button labeled Use
Current and follow the wizard through whatever information it
requests.
TIP #5
USING OUTLOOK EXPRESS FOR E-MAIL
Now that you're using Microsoft Internet Explorer 4, it's time to
consider using Outlook Express for your mail and news. If you tell
Setup to install Outlook Express, then you can open the program from
its icon in the toolbar. When Outlook Express opens, choose
Tools|Options and then work your way through the various pages setting
the parameters that suit you. Make sure you click on the Dial Up tab.
This is where you tell Outlook Express what dialup connection to use.
After you make all your selections, click on OK. You may still find
that the wizard opens the first time you attempt to read mail with
Outlook Express. If this happens to you, no problem--just follow the
wizard and supply your ISP provider, your e-mail address, and your
name, and the wizard will get you set up.
TIP #6
OUTLOOK vs. OUTLOOK EXPRESS
If you have a copy of Outlook (it comes with Microsoft Office 97),
you can use it for mail in place of Outlook Express. Outlook is the
full-featured version of the program, and you can use it for
appointments and other tasks as well as for mail. If Outlook is
installed on your system, you'll see it as a Programs option in
Microsoft Internet Explorer 4. Choose View|Internet Options and
click on the Programs tab. Click on the down arrow at the right of
the Mail drop-down list box to expand the list. If Outlook is
installed, one of the selections will be Microsoft Outlook. Choose it
to make Outlook your default mail program.
TIP #7
READ NEWSGROUPS WITH OUTLOOK EXPRESS
If you installed Outlook Express, you can use it to read news as
well as mail. To set up News, click on Go|News. If you have no
News set up at this point, Express will connect to your ISP's server
for a one-time download of the newsgroups available. Follow the
on-screen instructions for choosing the newsgroups that interest
you.
TIP #8
CHANGING OUTLOOK EXPRESS CONFIGURATION
If you need to make changes in your Outlook Express mail
settings, or even add a new account, choose Tools|Accounts and
click on the account to select it. Now click on Properties and make
whatever changes you need to make. When you're finished with
your changes, click on OK.
If you'd like to add a new account, make sure you have all the necessary information, then choose Tools|Accounts, and click on Add|Mail. A wizard will open asking you to input your data.
TIP #9
CHANGING DESKTOP CONFIGURATION
If you choose to let Microsoft Internet Explorer 4 install the active
desktop, you aren't stuck with the black default desktop. All you
have to do is right-click on a blank spot on the desktop and choose
Properties. Click on the Background tab and make a selection.
You can even choose None if you like. Now click on the
Appearance tab and select a background color. Click on OK when
you're finished.
If you've already been through the tutorial (Tell me about Active Desktop) and feel you don't need it any longer, you can have all the remaining functions of Active Desktop with a color scheme of your own choosing.
TIP #10
INSTALLING IE 4.0 on WINDOWS NT 4.0
You must install Service Pack 3 before you attempt to run
Microsoft Internet Explorer 4 in Windows NT 4.0. If you don't
currently have the service pack, you'll find it on the Microsoft
Internet Explorer 4 CD. If you need to briefly uninstall the service
pack, IE will warn you that the IE 4 shell cannot run without the
service pack. If you need to continue with the uninstall, go ahead,
but don't run Microsoft Internet Explorer 4 again until after you
reinstall Service Pack 3.
TIP #11
MOVING THE LINKS BAR
You can save some space at the top of your Internet Explorer 4
screen if you move the Links up next to the Address box. Just
move the mouse pointer around the bottom edge of the toolbar
until it changes to the double-vertical arrow, and then hold down
the mouse button and drag the Links bar upward. It will anchor
next to the Address bar. If you can't see all your links, grab the
Links bar at the left edge and drag to the left. This will increase the
size of the Links bar and decrease the size of the Address bar.
TIP #12
ADDITIONAL INSTALLATIONS OF IE 4.0 ADD-ONS
If you installed Internet Explorer 4 from CD and you want to install
some (or all) of the add-ons, insert the CD, open My Computer,
and right-click on the CD-ROM icon. Choose AutoPlay and the
Microsoft Internet Explorer 4 installation window will open. Click on
Install Microsoft Internet Explorer 4 Add-On Components. IE 4
opens the Add-Ons download Web page. You use this page
whether you download from the Internet or from the CD. Let IE 4
determine what you already have loaded and then decide what
you want loaded. After you make your selections, click on Next
and IE 4 will install your add-ons.
If you don't have the Internet Explorer 4 CD, but want to install the Microsoft Internet Explorer 4 add-ons, log on to the Internet and go to:
http://www.microsoft.com/ie/ie40/download/addon.htm
Let IE 4 determine what is and what isn't installed and then make your selection.
TIP #13
REVERT BACK TO NORMAL DESKTOP
Some users install the Active Desktop and then decide they'd
rather go back to the Standard Desktop. Some of you have asked how
to uninstall Active Desktop. Well, you don't have to uninstall it.
All you have to do is open My Computer and choose View, Folder
Options and click on the General tab. Select the Classic Style
radio button and click on Apply. Now click on OK. Next, choose
View As Web Page to deselect Web Page view. For all practical
purposes, this puts you back to the Standard Desktop.
TIP #14
SENDING ATTACHMENTS WITH OUTLOOK EXPRESS
There are several ways to include files with your e-mail messages when
you use Outlook Express. You can generate a new message and choose
Insert, File Attachment. This method will work with files of any type--
pictures, documents, or any text or binary files. If you choose Insert,
Text From File, the selected text file will appear in the body of your
message.
You can also drag a file to the message to attach it. Once you generate a message and open Windows Explorer, for example, you can use the mouse to drag any file or group of files to the message. Files that you attach to an e-mail message this way will always arrive as separate attachments--even text files won't be added to the body of the text.
TIP #15
CREATING A WEB PAGE WITH FRONTPAGE EXPRESS
You can create attractive Web pages with the FrontPage Express
editor without knowing a single HTML command. Let's take a look at
how to make and save a very simple Web page.
If you installed FrontPage Express, you'll find it in the Start menu. To run it, click on Start, Programs, Internet Explorer, FrontPage Express. To begin a page, choose Format, Font and select a font and a font size. To create a title, choose the largest size (7). Now type in a title and then click on the Center button to place the title in the center of the page. Next, let's add a horizontal line. To do this, choose Insert, Horizontal Line.
How about a picture? If you already have a JPEG or GIF image you'd like to include, choose Insert, Image. Click on the Other Location tab and select From File. Now click on Browse to look for your picture. When you locate the image file, double-click on it to add it to your page. If the picture isn't sized correctly, click on it and use the mouse to adjust the size. If you'd like the picture to appear in the center of the page, click on it and then click on and use the mouse to adjust the size. If you'd like the picture to appear in the center of the page, click on it and then click on the Center button in the toolbar.
Now that we have a few objects on our sample Web page, let's save it. Choose File, Save As. Click on As File and give your file a name. Select a folder and click on Save. Now you can double-click on your new file to see how it looks in Microsoft Internet Explorer 4.
TIP #16
USING THE OUTLOOK EXPRESS ADDRESS BOOK
Once you've installed Outlook Express, you'll want to add some
names to the Address Book. To get to the Address Book, run
Microsoft Outlook Express and go to File, Address Book. To record
a name and an address, click on New Contact. On the Personal tab,
add the person's name and e-mail address, and click on Add.
If you have several e-mail addresses for one person, click on Add for each one. Continue until you've entered them all. Select the one address you want to use as the default for that person and click on Set as Default.
If you'd like to add more information about the person, such as his or her home address, click on the Home tab and add the info there. As you can see, there are a number of tabs available. Click on any of them to add information. For example, to add your new entry's business address and phone number, click on Business and make your additions there.
After you finish adding all the information, click on OK.
TIP #17
USER SUPPLIED TIP - ADOBE ACROBAT READER
using ie4.0 or ie4.01 installed over old adobe reader with high security tab
in ie and ftp returns blank page
solution: takes time
1. must re install adobe reader from adobe com over ie
2. comes zipped-lengthy dowload
3. then new version adobe reader will initialize on taskbar
4. reduce security tab in edit internet options so the ftp comes thru (may be bounced transparently from high security setting
5. reboot
6. log into the ftp site and the adobe reader will show up on taskbar and using reader you can save, read, print, etc as when old version worked
will take time to download new version reader from adobe.com (free) and unzip and install
move zipped download to new or clean directory to unzip using their downloaded .exe, and then usual wizard microsoft installler will initialize and install into system (also permits de installation from remove programs in control panel)
take a litte patience and this will work
(tech explanation: the old adobe reader fought with the active x in the ie 4)(this is gate's explanation anyway)