The challenge of creating rounded rectangles has plagued Photoshop users for years, but now this task is a cinch! Plus, you can edit your rectangles on the fly. First, select the Rectangle tool from the Tools panel. On the tool options bar select either the Path or Shape option. Click and drag on the canvas…
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If you use Photoshop to create any web-based graphics or text, you’ll be happy to know it’s easy to generate the CSS code for individual layers. Just [control]-click (right-click in Windows) on any layer and choose Copy CSS from the pop-up menu. You can also choose Layer > Copy CSS to accomplish the same thing.…
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Photoshop comes with an abundance of brush tips to choose from, but you might want your tip angled differently from the default. That’s easy enough to change. First, make sure the Brush tool is active, and then choose Window > Brushes to display the Brush panel. Click on Brush Tip Shape, and then enter a…
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One of the aspects that makes using the Pen tool so challenging is that you don’t get a visual of what shape your line is taking until after you add the next point to the canvas. But there is a useful feature that will solve that dilemma-the Rubber Band. With the Rubber Band option selected,…
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Drive encryption can help prevent sensitive data in laptops from being stolen. However, if a user forgets his or her password for a computer whose drive is encrypted with a tool such as BitLocker, the prospects for recovering files are much worse than otherwise. Without drive encryption, there are many hacks to recover files without…
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While Windows automatically saves wireless security keys for you, you may sometimes want to check what the security key is. This can be helpful if you need the password in order to connect another device to the same wireless network. Using the command line to do this is particularly helpful, since it works the same…
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Illustrator has a Rounded Rectangle tool, but you don’t have to settle with the default corner radius. In fact, you can specify the exact size of the rounded rectangle before you create it. Instead of clicking and dragging on the artboard to draw the rounded rectangle, click on the artboard to display the Rounded Rectangle…
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When you are placing images into InDesign, you’re probably accustomed to clicking the loaded cursor on the page to place the image at 100 percent, and then scaling it after the fact. But did you know you can actually scale your image proportionately while you place it? While the cursor is loaded, click and drag…
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You can change the look of your mouse cursor to jazz up your computer screen or to help you find it if you suffer from desktop clutter or tired eyes. To change your mouse cursor scheme: Open the Control Panel and double-click on the Mouse icon in Classic View. In Category View, click on…
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You use a handwritten signature to verify that you’re the author or maker of a letter, check, or other paper document. You can use a digital signature to verify that you created or sent an electronic document. Digital signatures are based on public key cryptography, also called asymmetric cryptography because it uses two keys. The…
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A service-level agreement (SLA) is a contract between a service provider and its internal or external customers that documents what services the provider will furnish. According to Margaret Rouse, Contributing Writer for TechTarget, “SLAs originated with network service providers, but are now widely used by telecommunication service providers and cloud computing service providers. Corporate IT…
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Every minute of the work day is an opportunity for developers to “develop” their craft. During this time, they can either make the decision to expand their skill set or chose instead to remain stagnant. Sadly, many choose the latter. Determining where to invest your time and energy for growth as a developer can be…
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As a training manager for New Horizons, I have been using Excel for many years—mostly to create reports and for data analysis. The application did what I needed it to do without too much trouble. Recently, my boss asked me to add a Pivot Table to one of the workbooks, and since I had not…
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Equip Yourself with Your Own Bright, Shiny Nose Everyone knows Rudolph the Red Nosed Reindeer, but did you know he wasn’t always Rudolph ? He was just a reindeer with a red, shiny nose who was never noticed, until one foggy night, when Santa called on him to guide his sleigh. Why did Santa chose…
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When you work with people in another time zone, it’s a good thing to keep track of what time it is there. But, it’s easy to forget how many hours ahead or behind they are. A simple way to keep track of this is by adding a second time zone to your Outlook calendar. To…
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