Google Docs is convenient, cheap, and compatible with just about any platform, making collaboration incredibly simple. It’s also infuriating, incomplete, and limited. Google Docs wafts in the cloud, just beyond your tinkering fingertips, and you’re at the whim of the Google engineers who control the tweaks, fixes, and enhancements.Since launching Google Spreadsheets in 2006, Google has steadily improved Docs to support complex text documents, worksheets, tables, forms, and presentations.

You might have to wait for its software wizards to make the big changes, but you can still apply a few workarounds and hidden features. Want to trim the number of Google Docs browser tabs? Compensate for the lack of a guided spelling checker? Create shortcuts for frequently used text?

To make your overall editing experience a bit better, read on; we also offer some tips that you can use with Google’s spreadsheet and presentation applications.( Editor’s note: This is the first part of an ongoing series covering fixes for Google Docs annoyances. In this first edition, we tackle the Google Docs text editor.). Manage repeated textDesktop text editors can use plug-ins and utilities, such as, to autocomplete frequently repeated words and phrases, such as your professional title or an oft-used line of HTML. If you want to move your text editing to the cloud, Google Docs provides a similar—but limited—function. GoogleLet’s say you’re a teacher who constantly writes “Needs more explanation” in your students’ papers. To save time, go to Tools, Preferences from inside a text document in Google Docs.

In the pop-up window that appears, under ‘Automatic substitution’, type nme below the ‘Replace’ heading and Needs more explanation below the ‘With’ heading. Next, click OK.Back in your document, type nme and press the spacebar: You should see “Needs more explanation” appear automatically.

If it doesn’t work, go back to Tools, Preferences to make sure that ‘Automatic substitution’ is checked. Try to choose substitutions that are short and use unique letter combinations, so that Google Docs won’t mistakenly overwrite a desired word with a substitution.Substitution settings are universal, so your canned text will be available to you in any text document in Google Docs. One limitation to this feature is that Google Docs inserts an automatic substitution only as a single line of text, so full signature blocks are beyond its capacity—for now. View plain text files GoogleIf you prefer to use plain desktop text editors such as Emacs, Gedit, Notepad, or Vim, you may find that files created in those apps won’t display in Google Docs. Instead, you’ll be greeted by something similar to the smiling image here.

This happens when you upload a text file with a filename extension that Google Docs can’t recognize (such as.sh for Bash scripting files), or when your plain text file lacks an extension entirely. Before you upload a plain text file to Google Docs, right-click the file and select Rename, and then add the.txt filename extension to the end. Now you’ll have no problem reading your document in Google Docs. Simulate a guided spelling checker GoogleUnlike most other text editors, Google Docs has no formal spelling check process and instead checks your spelling on the fly, as many webmail programs do. If you see a word with a red underline beneath it, you can right-click it to view spelling alternatives.That technique works, but it isn’t as good as a guided program that flags all of your potential spelling mistakes one by one. To make Google Docs guide you through all of your typos and errors, use the keyboard shortcut Ctrl-; to go to the next misspelling in your document and Ctrl- to see the previous one. Claim more real estateGoogle Docs wastes valuable screen real estate by surrounding the menu and toolbars with big empty spaces.

Using Google Slides by - Eric Curts Google Slides is a part of Google Docs. It allows you to create, share, and present multimedia presentations. The program is similar to Microsoft PowerPoint. Table of Contents How to access Google Slides How to create a.

That extra space, added to your browser’s window dressing (called “browser chrome”), leaves you with less usable room to get your work done. To improve this layout disaster, press Ctrl-Shift-F from inside a document.

This feature reduces the menu-bar size for text documents, drawings, spreadsheets, and presentations.Keep in mind that you must set this preference for every separate document type. So if you set compact controls in text documents, for instance, your spreadsheets will not use this layout until you also set it in the spreadsheet editor.If you want even more space, try viewing your documents in full screen (found in the View menu). This setting does not expand into your full display size, but it does take over your entire browser tab and hide all of your Google Docs menus and toolbars. Full screen is a good choice for keyboard shortcut users. Setting a document to full screen is not a permanent preference, however; you must enable it every time you open a document.

Turn off notificationsAre you collaborating on an online document, but going nuts due to the constant email notifications from the project? You’re not alone. Reacting to user frustrations expressed in several Google Docs discussion threads, Google created a feature that lets you stop email notifications on a per-document basis.To stop email notifications, open the offending document, click the Comments icon at the upper right of the screen, then Notifications, and select the option of your choosing: to receive All, Only yours, or None.

Too often, we plug all of our computer presentation equipment in, fire up our presentation and we don't get what we expected. It might be that we can see our presentation on our laptop computer, but the screen or projector won't show the presentation. Maybe we see the presentation on both our laptop and the projector but we want to see Presenter View on our computer so we can see our notes. Before you get that panicked feeling and think the projector is not working properly, check these six most common problems with computer presentation displays.Problem #1 – Display toggleLaptops have multiple display modes.

The four most common are: 1) laptop display only, 2) external display only, 3) duplicate the laptop display on the external display, and 4) extend the laptop display onto the external display. The computer may not be in a mode that displays the presentation on the external display properly.There are two typical modes that presenters use. The duplicate displays mode allows the laptop and the projector/TV to have the same content. This is the mode that most presenters use. Some presenters use the extend display mode because the Presenter View option in PowerPoint requires this mode. Presenter View allows you to show your slides on the external display while the laptop has a view that contains the current slide, upcoming slides, and your notes.

While this mode sounds appealing, it does depend on the hardware capabilities of the laptop and the projection system, which most presenters have no control over. I don’t suggest you rely on this mode working all the time.Some laptops default to extended display mode when they are connected to some projectors or TVs. To switch display modes in Windows 8 or 10, press Windows+P (hold the Windows key and press the letter P). You can now use your arrow keys to select the mode you want and press Enter when done (or use your mouse to click on the desired mode). Many laptops also have a key combination that will allow you to rotate between the display modes.

If you have Windows 7, this will be the method you use to change display modes. Look for a key (usually one of the function keys) that has a picture of a display on it. You usually have to hold a special Function key (usually labeled Fn) and press this key to switch between the different modes. After you press the key combination, wait at least five to ten seconds for the new setting to take effect before you toggle to the next setting.Problem #2 – Cables LooseIt is amazing how many display problems are caused by loose cables between the computer and data projector. Make sure all cables are securely connected to the appropriate port. With many laptops requiring dongles to convert between mini DisplayPort or USB-C ports and a VGA or HDMI cable, check each connection is secure. Remove and re-seat each cable/connector to make sure.Problem #3 – Projector/TV Input SourceOn data projectors or TVs that are often used with multiple input sources, the input source selected on the data projector/TV may be using a different input source than the one your computer is connected to.

There is usually a button on the top of the projector, side of the TV or on the projector/TV remote control which allows you to toggle between the different input sources. You may have to go into the data projector/TV settings menu to change the input source on some older projectors/TVs.Problem #4 – Power Switched OnIncredible as it seems, power being turned on is one of the common problems. This happens because when we turn on our laptop, if it is not plugged in, it will still run on battery. We don’t realize that the projector has not been plugged into the power outlet and when we turn it on, nothing happens.

Check that the power cord is in the wall outlet if the data projector does not turn on.Problem #5 – Projector Standby Mode OnIf you plug your computer into a projector that someone else has just been using and your display does not come up, check if the projector’s standby mode is on. This standby mode keeps the projector fan running but does not light the bulb. It is usually used for cooling a projector after a presentation.Problem #6 – Projector Cover LooseWhen data projectors are moved or transported, the cover can sometimes come loose. When this happens, they will power up but not turn on the bulb for safety reasons. Gold miner game invision. Turn off the projector and check to see that all covers are securely on.

Never check for loose covers with the projector on, you will risk being electrocuted or burned by hot components inside the projector.Next time you have everything plugged in and you don't get what you expected, check to see if one of these six problems is the cause.Want a more comprehensive checklist you can quickly refer to the next time your presentation won't display?.Are you looking for a customized workshop where your staff can learn to create PowerPoint presentations that have a clear message, focused content, and effective visuals?. If you are an individual who wants to learn these skills at your own pace,. Dave Paradi has over twenty years of experience delivering customized training workshops to help business professionals improve their presentations.

He has written and over 100 articles on the topic of effective presentations and his ideas have appeared in. His focus is on helping corporate professionals visually communicate the messages in their data so they don’t overwhelm and confuse executives.

Dave is one of less than ten people in North America recognized by Microsoft with the for his contributions to the Excel and PowerPoint communities. He regularly presents highly rated sessions at national and regional conferences of financial professionals.

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