Windows Tips for WordPerfect Users #2

by Kendall Callas

Ever want to include a picture of your computer screen in a document? Then you need to learn about the “Print Screen” key. If you ever write training materials or computer documentation, these two related tips are for you. This information applies to all software (DOS or Windows), running under Windows 3.1 or later:

Screen Snapshot (Print Screen)

To take a picture of the screen, simply tap the “Print Screen” key on the right side of your keyboard (sometimes the key is labeled “Prnt Scrn”). This loads a snapshot of the screen into the paste buffer. Now, position your cursor where you want to place the screen shot in your document, then paste (use the keystroke Ctrl+V, or click the Paste icon, or use the command Edit, Paste).

(You may snapshot screens from any software running under Windows, even DOS applications, such as WordPerfect 5.x. You may paste the picture into any Windows word processing software, such as WordPerfect, Microsoft Word, WordPad, etc.)

Menu snapshot (Alt+Print Screen)

Sometimes you won't want a picture of the whole screen, just a particular dialog box. Alt + Print Screen is the answer. It works just as described above, but produces a smaller snapshot, of just the window in the foreground. For example, using any version of WordPerfect for Windows, display a dialog box, such as:

Ctrl+Shift+H - for Print History, or
Ctrl+W - for WordPerfect Symbols

Then, hold down the Alt key as you tap the Print Screen key. Now position your cursor and use Ctrl+V to paste a picture of the dialog box into a document.

Your future efforts writing training materials and computer documentation will be improved greatly through just a moment of experimentation with the Print Screen — alone or in combination with the Alt key.

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