How do I choose the SkyDrive folders to sync with the desktop app?

Posted on by
1

The SkyDrive desktop app by default syncs, that is, copies to the computer, all folders in SkyDrive. If you do not wish to replicate all folders, you can choose which to sync. Here is how:

  • imageRight-click the SkyDrive icon in the notification area.
  • Click Settings in the small menu.
  • Click the Choose Folders tab
  • Click the Choose Folders button.

The SkyDrive folders will now be displayed with checkboxes in front. Uncheck the folders that you do not want replicated on your computer in the SkyDrive folder.

SkyDrive-sync-05The first time you do this you will see a notice as shown here. It says:

If you stop syncing files or folders, they’ll stay on SkyDrive but won’t be on this PC. If they’re already on this PC, they’ll be deleted.SkyDrive-sync-12

You can select root folder or sub-folders as you like.

  • Make the selections. Checked folders will be synced.
  • Click OK and click OK in the prior dialog.

The changes will be made momentarily.

Here are some screen shots showing the SkyDrive folder before some folders were removed from syncing and after, as well as the – unaffected – online SkyDrive.

SkyDrive-sync-07

SkyDrive-sync-09

SkyDrive-sync-10

.:.

© 2012 Ludwig Keck

LiveWriter-credit-360

How do I import just certain photos from my camera to my computer?

Posted on by
2

Microsoft Photo Gallery provides a very flexible import tool. For the easiest way to use this tool, first set up your computer to launch it when you connect your camera. Check this post for instructions on setting up your computer: How do I import photos from my camera to my Windows 7 computer? 

To specify just the photos that you wish to import use the options in the import dialog. When the dialog opens the photos on your camera are shown in groups by the time/date the photos were taken. Import-09The groups that you have not yet imported are checked. Note the Select all option above the listings.

Click this several times to select all or to unselect all. You want them all unselected.

If you do not want the imported photos to be placed into multiple folders, adjust the Adjust groups slider all the way to the right. You will see the results in the main area.

Click the View all xx items link on the right of the listing to show thumbnails of all photos.

Now proceed through the thumbnails and select the photos you wish to import. Selecting works just as you expect. Click to select, click again to unselect.Import-14 

Note that the number you have selected is shown. You may have to scroll down and up if there are a lot of photos on your camera.

When you have made your selections click Import to complete the task.

.:.

© 2012 Ludwig Keck

LiveWriter-credit-360

How do I go about blogging?

Posted on by
Reply

Blogging is a fine way of sharing your ideas, experience, and passions. Millions do it. It is easy and fun. One tool stands out that makes blogging easy for everyone: Windows Live Writer.

Technogran at Technogran’s Tittle Tattle has published a fine tutorial series. A post listing the tutorial posts is at Live Writer Basics – Live Writer Tutorial Series. The blog Live Writer Basics offers additional information and links to other resources.

Visit these blogs to help you get started.

.:.

© 2012 Ludwig Keck

LiveWriter-credit-360

Where does the “Original size” of a picture in Microsoft Word come from?

Posted on by
Reply

When a picture is inserted in a Microsoft Office Word document it is scaled to fit. The size can be set to other values to suit the document. In the Size dialog window the size of the picture is shown in inches and as a percentage of the “Original size” which is also given as the height and width in inches. So, how does Word come up with the “original size”?

The EXIF data of photo files contains a couple of values name “X resolution” and “Y resolution”. In a Windows Properties box they show up as “Horizontal resolution” and “Vertical resolution” and are given in “dpi”. That last item, the unit of measure, “dpi”, stands for “dots per inch”. There is your big clue. Using “dots” was the way pictures were printed on paper in the old days. Well, if you pick up a newspaper you can still see them nowadays.

These resolution values do not describe anything relating to the picture, they are setting instructions for printers. They can be changed by a number of programs. Changing these values does not affect the picture at all. The number of pixels stays the same, the color depth is not affected. So these values can be changed at will. Several programs, in fact, do that. Cameras set these values, most to 300, some to other values. When Windows Live Photo Gallery makes a JPG copy of a photo it sets the values to 72. Some other editors use 96. I have one that uses 472, another 262. It really does not matter.

For the most part these numbers are meaningless. Microsoft Office Word, however, uses these resolution values as they were originally intended: As printing instructions specifying the dimensions of the printed picture on paper. If you have a photo that is 768 pixels wide and the horizontal resolution value is set to 96, then the picture printed size is 8 inches (8 inch multiplied by 96 dots per inch yields 768 dots – the pixels dimension of the picture).

So Word will set the “100%” size to 8.0 inch – if this does not fit in the margin settings, the picture will be scaled down and the Scale value will be a lower number.Office-31

Normally that is not a problem as most pictures have either 72 or 96 set as the resolution value. If the 768 pixel wide picture had the resolution set to 256 then Word would calculate the width as 768 / 256 = 3 inches. It would most like be set to that value and look somewhat small. It is perfectly acceptable to increase the size setting. If you want the picture to appear 6 inch wide you can set the scale to 200%. Word keeps the original number of pixels of the picture intact until the document is printed or saved with certain save or export options.

.:.

© 2012 Ludwig Keck