OS4 TIPS & TRICKS

Keyboard:

On PC keyboards the left and right Windows keys are mapped to the left and right Amiga keys.

For keyboards without a right Windows key, the Menu key can be mapped to the right Amiga key by setting and saving the uboot variable "kbddev_norwin" to "1". E.g. at the uboot prompt type "setenv kbddev_norwin 1; saveenv"

ScrollLock is mapped to the Amiga Help key. PrintScreen/SysReq" can be used instead by setting the uBoot variable "kbddev_sysreqishelp" to "1".

Hold the Help key down or both mouse buttons, during a reboot, to open the boot menu.

Hold either Amiga key down and press the Arrows to move the pointer, also press Shift to go faster.

Hold either Amiga key down and press the left and/or right Alt key to reproduce the left and/or right mouse button(s).

Workbench:

Hold Right-Amiga key and click the close gadget to close all open drawer windows.

Hold Right-Amiga key and double-click drawer icon to open new drawer while closing parent window.

Hold Shift while clicking on the Zoom gadget to maximize a window full screen.

Hold Shift while moving a window to force it to stay within the Workbench screen (if "Off-screen windows dragging" is enabled in Prefs/GUI -> Control).

Hold Shift while dragging a Screen to switch to the alternate bounds set in Prefs/GUI -> Control.

Press Ctrl + Alt to resize a window from any edge or corner.

Press Ctrl + Amiga to move a window by clicking it anywhere.

Press Left-Amiga to move a screen by clicking it anywhere (unless you changed the shortcut in Prefs/GUI).

Press Left-Amiga + M to flip through each open screen.

Press Left-Amiga + N to jump directly to the Workbench screen.

Shell:

To make directories several levels deep with a single command, type "MakeDir level1/level2/level3/level4 ALL".

To make multiple directories with a single command, type "MakeDir level1/level2 levelA/levelB ALL".

Ctrl + A and Ctrl + Z jump to the beginning/end of the line.

Shift + Left/Right-Arrow jumps one word at a time.

Shift + Up-Arrow jumps to the first match in the command history.

For example if you typed "Dir Drawer/SomeFile" and later "Dir Drawer/AnotherFile", typing "Dir D" then Shift+Up will match the string before the cursor and bring back "Dir Drawer/AnotherFile" to the prompt.

By placing the cursor in front of the wanted string you can also match the text after the cursor, For example you could type "Some" then move the cursor e.g. "[S]ome" then press Shift+Up to bring back "Dir Drawer/SomeFile".

ReAction Text Editing:

The Home/End/PageUp/PageDown keys are functional in ReAction editors like Notepad and Icons/Tooltypes.

The same functionality is also provided by Shift + Arrows.

Alt + Left/Right-Arrow jumps one word at a time.

Alt + Up/Down-Arrow jumps to the first and last line of the text.

Ctrl + Arrows select the text.

Useful Aliases:

The following aliases could be added to your S:Shell-Startup file

Ports RX "say show('p',,'0a'x)
Typing Ports in the Shell will then show the list of active ARexx ports.

Rexx RX 'ADDRESS
This makes it easier to send Arexx commands, like "Rexx YAM QUIT".

String Gadgets:

Right-Amiga + I or + increases the number to the left of the cursor

Right-Amiga + D or - decreases the number to the left of the cursor

Right-Amiga + Z undoes the last keypress

Right-Amiga + Q undoes last change since the string was validated

Right-Amiga + A selects the whole string

Right-Amiga + X clears the string

Misc:

You can protect your partitions from unwanted changes by using the Lock command:
Lock SYS: ON MyPassword and unlock it with the command Lock SYS: OFF MyPassword