Using Internet Explorer 7
By Dick Evans
Sure, it is just a new browser, but there are a number= of differences from IE6. This white paper addresses some of those differences = and features.
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It does the same job as IE6 and older browsers, with a= new look and feel. Notice the menu bar is missing and there the few tools that are present are on the right. Let’s look at the new interface one piece a= t a time. Tapping the Alt key does open the Menu bar, if you need to scroll thr= ough the commands in that fashion.
Unlike older browsers and similar to browsers like Fir= efox, IE7 opens new pages in tabbed pages within the same incident of IE. However, unless you specify that you want a page to open in a new tab or open an emp= ty tab manually, the requested page replaces the one with focus—the one = you are currently viewing
It is nice to discover that some of the old shortcuts = still work with the new browser. F11 still changes the view to Full Screen and toggles it back to normal view. Alt-D still moves focus to the address bar = with the current address selected. Ctrl+left/right arrow moves the insertion poi= nt back and forth one section of the address at a time, and Ctrl+Home/End move= s it to the end or beginning of the address. To move to and select a section, us= e Shift+Ctrl+Arrow.
With the existing address selected, type the new addre= ss and hit Enter to change it—or type the domain name, then Ctrl+Enter to ha= ve IE7 add the prefix of "http://www." and the suffix of ".com" automatically. The Web page opens in the open tab. Use Alt+Enter to open the Web page in a new tab.
You can still open multiple incidents of IE. Click the= IE7 icon on the desktop or Start menu to open a new window or from the existing open window, Ctrl+N will still open a new incident of the same page in a new browser window. It does not open it in another tab. When you are through wi= th the page, simply close the browser and the original browser with all your t= abs is still available.
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To the right of the Address, notice the Search box. Mi= ne says Google in a grayed out font. This indicates I have chosen Google as my default search engine. The default search engine can be changed—MSN is the out of box default. This is changed under Tools > Options. Type your search words and hit Enter to open in the current tab or Alt+Enter to open = in a new tab.
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The results display in a new tab from the default sear= ch engine
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To the right of the status bar, locate 100%.
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Click the + sign to increase the page view to 125%, th= en 150%, then back to 100%. Or click the down arrow to select from the list of available percentages. Custom allows an exact setting from 1 to 999. Notice= the shortcut keys to Zoom – Ctrl+ and Ctrl-. This will zoom down to 10% a= nd up to 1000% in increments of 10.
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The Favorites button accesses more than favorites. Cli= ck the yellow Star or press Alt+C to open the Favorites Center. The three buttons across the top change the view from Favorites, to RSS Feeds, to browsing History. The green arrow pins the Favorite Center to the left of the browsi= ng window.
Notice the folders in Favorites named Links. Whatever = you save in this folder is viewable in a special links tool bar below the Addre= ss bar.
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To the right of the tabs there are a number of icons. = Click the Tools icon.
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Select Toolbars > Links to toggle the links toolbar= on (checkmark present means it is on).
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A customizable set of tools displays under the address= bar making it a one-click option to open the shortcuts saved in the Links folde= r. Click to open in the current tab or Ctrl+Click to open in a new tab.
The picture of the House opens the default home page &= #8211; the page that opens automatically when IE7 first opens. Click it to open the Home page in the open window or Ctrl+Click to open it in a new tab. (Alternatively press Alt+M, and then Enter to open it in the current tab.)<= /p>
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Pull down the arrow or Alt+M to Add or Change the Home= Page
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The strange symbol to the right of the house indicates= the availability of RSS feeds on the currently viewed page.
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If there were RSS feeds, this icon would be orange. Cl= icking it or Alt+J opens the list of available feeds.
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Pulling down the arrow displays the available feeds in= the current Web page. Click the desired feed.
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Confirm this is the correct feed, and then click “Subscribe to this feed”
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Click “Subscribe” to add this feed to the = list of saved RSS feeds in the browser
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Click Favorites > Feeds, then choose the feed to di= splay
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The feed displays. In the future, go to the saved feed= s to display the current content without having to access the Web site or search= for it.
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To remove a feed, right-click and choose Delete
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The Page icon (Alt+P) opens a menu with familiar optio= ns like SaveAs, Text Size, and View Source.
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The Tools icon (Alt+T) opens a menu with familiar comm= ands like Toolbars and Internet Options.
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To the left of the tabs, locate the four squares and t= he pull down arrow.
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Pulling down the arrow opens a list of available tabs.= The checked and bolded entry is the one currently viewed or the one having focu= s.
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Clicking the four squares opens a miniature view of ea= ch tab. Click the one to go to and that tab opens.
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Right-Click a tab to open a menu for additional option= s. Click the X to close the current tab, or press Ctrl+W
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Clicking the short tab (appears as an empty square tab= ) to the right of the last tab opens an empty window.
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To close IE7, click the big X (Close button) or press Alt+F4. With more than one tab open, the following dialog box displays.
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To close all the tabs, click Close Tabs. For an altern= ative way to close, pull down the Show Options arrow.
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By checking the "Open these…" box, the current tabs will close when Close Tabs is clicked, but the next time IE7 opens, all the tabs will reopen automatically.
There are many more commands in IE7, but this should g= et you started.