More Microsoft PowerToys for Windows XP
Kai Chandler looks Alt-Tab Replacement and the PowerToy Calculator
A recent Computing Guide introduced PowerToys for Windows XP - a free set of tools for Windows XP users. Here, we look in detail at some more PowerToys.
Alt-Tab Replacement
With this PowerToy, in addition to seeing the icon of the application, window you are switching to, you will also see a preview of the page. This helps particularly when multiple sessions of an application are open.
It's very easy to install. Just doubleclick on the file called TaskswitchPowertoySetup.exe and you'll be taken through the installation routine which only takes a few seconds.
When running, you change application by pressing ALT-TAB. That's the ALT and TAB keys together. This lets you rotate through your opened applications. The Powertoy makes it easier to identify the application as you see a small image of the application window. SHIFT-ALT-TAB will take you through the applications in reverse order.
PowerToy Calculator
With this PowerToy you can graph and evaluate functions as well as perform many different types of conversions. Again, it's a doddle to use and more powerful than the standard Windows calculator called calc.exe (for those not in the know, calc.exe is to be found under Start | All Programs | Accessories.)
To use the PowerToy calculator, just type the calculation eg. 3*8+2 and the calculation is made when you press Enter. The calculation and the answer are presented in a history window which can be saved and later edited. You can also copy and paste from the history window to make changes.
To display graphs of functions you must define the function eg. to display a sine curve enter g(x)=sin(x). It displays polar as well as conventional x-y graphs.
More useful perhaps is the unit converter which can convert length, mass, time, velocity and temperature between imperial and metric units eg. to convert 20 deg Celcius to Fahrenheit just enter 20 [c->f] to give the answer 68.
The PowerToy calculator also has a full range of trigonometric and logarithmic functions. E and pi are predefined. Reverse Polish Notation (anyone remember that?) is also supported.
To make the Powertoy calculator easy to call up when you need it, why not pin it to the Start menu? To do this, just look for an entry called PowerToys Calculator in the list of recently used programs on the start menu, then right-click the entry and select Pin to Start Menu. If this is new to you then it's discussed in more detail in More on XP's Start Menu
