OS X has always been famous for a rich set of built-in tools and utilities, virtually all occasions. Among them are many small and little-known features of which few have heard. Many simply do not know about them, and for the solution of certain everyday tasks, look for a replacement among the third-party applications. To correct this misunderstanding, I want to tell you about a few little-known but very useful features that you will successfully be able to use in their daily work.
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We peruse the expanded information on Wi-Fi-network
If you have not had any problems with your wireless network, you probably do not know about the existence of the integrated tool wireless diagnosis. It is hidden in the depths of the system and appears only to create a report when there are any network problems. To get to it please click on the icon Wi-Fi in the dock, holding down the key ⌥ (Option). A wizard dialog wireless diagnosticsBut it can be skipped by pressing ⌘2 (Command + 2) (In older versions of OS X, press
⌘N (Command + N)). You will then see a summary of a vast amount of information about available networks and their settings, where you can learn a lot of useful things.Write screencasts with QuickTime
The majority of users, this function may need to be infrequent, but those whose work is related to the creation of any kind of instructions, articles - this can be very useful. To create screencasts you do not need to install third-party applications and to resort to their help. Just open QuickTime and click File — capturescreen. At the same time, you can also write your comments using the built-in microphone. In details a screen capture with QuickTime I said in one of his articles.
We use dictation to write texts
For years, the software that supports voice typing was very expensive and inaccessible to ordinary users. With the release of OS X Mountain Lion, Apple has provided us free this function as part of the OS. Just double-click Fn (Default) in any application and start talking - anything you say will be quickly raspoznazvatsya and immediately gain in the form of text. Russian language, unfortunately, is not supported, but English works very well. If you have not used this feature - be sure to try. It contains the settings in the system settings, see Dictation and Speech.
Sign documents using Review
review It is perhaps the most misunderstood diamond OS X. He is so functional and supports a variety of document types, as well as editing tools. It can be used easily as a PDF-reader by default, but in addition, you can use it to put your digital signature on any document. Create it can be directly through the web-camera poppy, without the help of a scanner. To do this, go to settings — signatures and scan your autograph, pre-sign on a white piece of paper. Now, when you need to sign the document, go to Edit mode ⇧⌘A (Shift + Command + A) And press the corresponding button on the toolbar.
Call the dictionary with the help of gesture
Another great feature about which few people know, and rarely uses - a search in dictionaries, by pressing three fingers on any word or combination of keys ^⌘D (Control + Command + D). This technique works in any application, be it a browser or text editor. Very fast and convenient, especially if you have installed additional dictionaries.
We are looking for applications menu items with help
Help Menu, in fact, can not be considered a tool, but there is one good thing (in addition to the background information), which it is able to do. With its help, you can find any of the settings and the application menu items by scoring the first letters of the name in Help. Sometimes it is easier to use this method to search for the desired item, if you do not know its hot key or if it is a complicated software like Photoshop, where a huge number of menu items.
Use handwriting recognition
If you've never connected a graphics tablet to your Mac, you can hardly see the utility Ink. This is a special application for handwriting recognition, which options appear in the system settings, you must connect the tablet. With its help, you can take notes or draw various sketches. To do this, turn on the option Ink allow use in all applications and Handwriting recognitionIn the application settings. After that, open any app that supports text input and write it by hand directly on the tablet. Once you finish the proposal, Ink enters it into the document.
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We have questions, comments or suggestions? Welcome to the comments - I'm always happy to talk and help. Stay tuned, there is still a lot of interesting things!
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