Keyboard Kata

Keyboard Kata

While you may not able to type well, one thing that can make you more productive  is using keyboard shortcuts. I'm a Windows user, and these shortcuts apply to Microsoft products. (This leaves an opportunity for another Cybrarian will make a post about other OSs.)

First, I'll give several shortcuts that I use a whole lot.

Second, I'll give some practice steps to give it some flow; sort of like kata in martial arts; you practice until you have the flow, then practice more until you have it flowing right, then practice more until you have it flowing right and fast.

Several Keyboard Shortcuts

Windows key + R (open Run command)

Windows key + E (open Windows Explorer)

Windows key + M (minimize all programs)

Alt + D (select Address bar in Windows Explorer and any browser)

Ctrl + N (new file)

Ctrl + S (Save, or Save As for new documents)

Ctrl + O (Open)

Alt + Tab (switch between programs)

Ctrl + A (select all)

Alt + F4 (close program)

Ctrl + Shift + Escape (open Task Manager)

F2 (Rename a selected file/folder in the tree)

F4 (Repeat the last action, such as text color or 

Win + L (Lock your computer)

Alt + Spacebar (activates the shortcut menu for each program - the little hidden menu in the upper left of most Windows programs - this is good for moving or resizing a program)

Ctrl + Shift + T - re-open the previously closed browser tab (one at a time)

Windows key + Tab - display all of the open windows (cycle thorugh using arrow keys, press Esc to go back to Normal view)

There's an almost infinite variety of ways to use these by combining or altering them, so below are 7 "kata" for you to get an idea of how it could work. These don't include all of the commands above, but it's my hope that as you master each one, that you'll learn more about the power of going faster.

Kata 1 (find your hostname)

Win + R

cmd

Press Enter (hereafter just Enter)

hostname

Enter

exit

Enter

Kata 2 (navigate to Program Files)

Win + E

Alt + D

C:Program Files (use down arrow or Tab key to autocomplete if you like)

Enter

Ctrl + W

 Kata 3  (open Internet Explorer and navigate to a site)

Win + R

chrome

Enter

Alt + D

www.cybrary.it/wp-login.php

Enter

Log on and get a Cybyte

 Kata 4 (Get to your Internet Properties)

Win + R

inetcpl.cpl - Enter

OR (this is longer, but you'll amaze people this way when you do it quickly!)

Win + R

iexplore

Enter

Alt + T

O

Ctrl = Tab 4 times

Alt + L

<review settings>

Esc 2 times

Kata 5 (Open Word, save it, and then close the document)

Win + R

Winword

Enter

Enter (this selects the Blank Document)

<type in what you like>

Ctrl + S

Use the Tab, Arrow, and Enter keys to navigate to where you want to save it, and to enter your title

Enter (to Save)

Ctrl + W (to close the document)

Alt + F4 (to close Word)

(If you want to close the program, then replace Ctrl + W with Alt + F4)

Kata 6  (Open a few programs, cycle through them and close them)

(Since you're closing mutiple programs quickly, it's best to start with no open programs - it would be a shame to mess up any of your real work)

Win + R

Notepad

Enter

Win + R

ncpa.cpl

Enter

Win + R

Cmd

Enter

Win + R

mstsc

Enter

Win + R

chrome (or firefox or iexplore)

Enter

Alt + Tab

F4

Alt + Tab

F4

Alt + Tab

F4

Alt + Tab

F4

(Note: Alt + F4 works for each of these, but Esc will work on mstsc, and Ctrl + W will work on closing the browser windows)

Kata 7  (last one - we'll do a little nmap)

Win+ R

notepad

Enter

nmap 192.168.1.1

Enter

nmap -Pn 192.168.1.1

Enter

nmap -PS 192.168.1.1

Win + R

cmd

Enter

Alt + Tab (to go back to notepad)

Ctrl + Home (to go to top of note)

Home

Shift + end (to select first line)

Ctrl + C

Alt + Tab (to go back to cmd)

Ctrl + V

Enter

Alt + Tab (go back to Notepad while command runs and get ready for next command)

Arrow down

Home

Shift + end (to select first line)

Ctrl + C

Alt + Tab (to go back to cmd)

Ctrl + V

Enter

Alt + Tab (go back to Notepad while command runs and get ready for next command)

Arrow down

Home

Shift + end (to select first line)

Ctrl + C

Alt + Tab (to go back to cmd)

Ctrl + V

Enter

Alt + Tab (go back to Notepad while command runs and get ready for next command)

When commands are complete, Alt + Tab to go to cmd, then exit

Alt + Tab to go to Notepad (just to make sure it's selected)

Alt + F4

N (to close it, unless you want to save it)

I hope this helps you on your way to getting faster results with not only moving around Windows, but also getting things done.