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Go backMacintosh BasicsWorking with more than one program

In the previous section, you created Memo to Sandy using MemoWriter, a program which allows you to create text documents. In the memo, you asked your co-worker to meet you at a restaurant to discuss work.

Suppose you want to include a map to the restaurant in the memo. You’ll need to use a different program to draw a map. Let’sDraw! is a sample program that you can use to draw pictures, including maps.

First, you’ll need to open Let’sDraw! to create the map.

  1. Click the Let’sDraw! icon to select it.
  2. Then choose Open from the File menu.

Good. The Let’sDraw! program opens and you see a window called “Untitled.” This is your new document. It’s like a blank piece of paper.

This is a map to Swanky’s. Now: Save this document and name it Map.

Notice that your document has been saved and named. Next, you’ll need to paste this map into Memo to Sandy. You need to make a COPY of the map before you paste it.

To make a copy, you first need to SELECT what you want to copy. To select the map:

  1. Move the pointer to the Edit menu.
  2. Press and hold down the button.
  3. Drag through the lsit of commands until Select All becomes highlighted.
  4. Release the button.

Notice the dotted outline around the map. This indicates that it is selected. Now you can COPY the map: Choose Copy from the Edit menu.

When you copy something, it is put into a space in the computer’s memory called the CLIPBOARD. You’ll see it again when you paste it into the memo.

To paste the map, first you need to open Memo to Sandy. The Memo to Sandy icon is in the Hard Disk window. But right now the Hard Disk window is covered by the Map window.

To bring the Hard Disk window to the front, you can use the pull-down Application menu, in the right-hand corner of the menu bar. (It’s circled now.)

Pull down the Application menu now:

  1. Move the pointer to the Application menu icon.
  2. Press and hold down the button.

You can let go of the button for now.

In this menu, you can see the names of programs that are currently open. Let’sDraw! is open. (Let’sDraw! has a check in front of it, because it is the program that’s ACTIVE, the one that’s on the top.) The other program that is open is the FINDER. The Finder is the name of the program that displays the desktop, and manages the items on your Hard Disk.

To bring the Hard Disk window to the front so that you can open Memo to Sandy, you need to choose the Finder program from the Application menu.

  1. Pull down the Application menu.
  2. Choose Finder from the list of programs.

Now, the Hard Disk window is on top. The Map window is still open behind the Hard Disk window.

To paste your map into the memo, you’ll need to open Memo to Sandy:

  1. Click the Memo to Sandy icon to select it.
  2. Then choose Open from the File menu.

Now Memo to Sandy is the topmost open window. To paste the map in the space under the text:

  1. Click inside the circle to set the insertion point.
  2. Then open the Edit menu.
  3. Choose Paste from the list of commands.

And there’s the map to Swanky’s.

Now you need to save your work and quit.

  1. Pull down the File menu.
  2. Choose Save from the list of commands.

The pointer will turn into a wristwatch while your work is being saved. When your work has been saved, the pointer will reappear.

Now, you can quit MemoWriter:

  1. Pull down the File menu.
  2. Choose Quit from the list of commands.

Now, quit the Let’sDraw! program:

  1. Pull down the File menu.
  2. Choose Quit from the list of commands.

And here you are at the desktop. You’ve learned quite a bit in this section. You’ll find the Application menu very useful when you’re working with more than one program.

Here are two new documents for you to practice with. You’ll paste a graphic from one document into another, just as you did earlier. First: Open Staff Memo.

Here’s your memo seeking your staff’s opinion of the new logo. You need to paste the logo into the memo. You start by opening the document that contains the logo. The document is stored on the Hard Disk. To open the logo document, choose Finder from the Application menu.

Good. Now: Open the document called Logo.

Now, you need to select the logo and make a copy. Choose Select All from the Edit menu.

Now, you can copy the logo. Choose Copy from the Edit menu.

Good. Now you can paste your copy of the logo into the memo. Choose MemoWriter from the Application menu.

And here’s the memo. Before you can paste, you need to click to set the insertion point (the place where you want the logo to appear). Click within the circle to set the insertion point.

Good. Now you can paste a copy of the logo into the memo. Choose Paste from the Edit menu.

There’s your logo.

Now you can save your work, and quit the programs that you’ve been working with. To save the memo: Choose Save from the File menu.

Now you can quit the MemoWriter program: Choose Quit from the File menu.

Now the Let’sDraw! program is active (on top). To quit Let’sDraw!: Choose Quit from the File menu.

You’ve now completed “Working with More Than One Program.” (This tour doesn’t save the work you do in the practice sessions, so these two documents won’t appear again.)

Good. You’ve now completed “Working With More Than One Program.”

Page added on 6th October 2005.

Copyright © 2002-2006 Marcin Wichary, unless stated otherwise.