Assigning a Shortcut Key to a Windows 3.1 Screen Saver

The information in this article applies to:

• Microsoft Windows operating system versions 3.1, 3.11
• Microsoft Windows for Workgroups versions 3.1, 3.11

SUMMARY

In Microsoft Windows, you can assign a shortcut key to a screen saver.

MORE INFORMATION

The following steps demonstrate how to assign a Program Manager shortcut key to a Windows 3.1x or Windows for Workgroups 3.1x screen saver:

1. Using a text editor such as Notepad, change the line in the WIN.INI file that reads

         Programs=com exe bat pif
   

   to:

         Programs=com exe bat pif scr
   

   If you made this change from within Windows, quit and then restart Windows.

2. Add a screen saver icon to a program group using these steps:

   a. Open Program Manager.

   b. From the File menu, choose New.

   c. Select the Program Item option button.

   d. Choose OK.

   e. Enter the description in the Description box. Enter the

         command line in the Command Line box (see the table below).
   

   f. To assign a shortcut key in the Shortcut Key box, press and hold

         down the CTRL key and then press the key you want to use as a
         shortcut.
   

   Screen Saver            Command Line
   ------------------------------------
   Blank Screen            SCRSAVE.SCR
   Flying Windows          SSFLYWIN.SCR
   Marquee                 SSMARQUE.SCR
   Mystify                 SSMYST.SCR
   Starfield Simulation    SSSTARS.SCR

Configuring the Screen Saver's Options

To configure the screen saver's options, press the shortcut key or double- click the screen saver's icon and make changes in the dialog box that appears.

Starting the Screen Saver

To start the screen saver by double-clicking the icon or pressing the shortcut key, edit the screen saver icon's properties to include the "/s" switch on the command line. To do this, select the icon, choose Properties from the File menu, and add the switch to the end of the command line in the Command Line box. For example, a screen saver icon's Command Line might read:

   ssflywin.scr /s

Notes

You can activate the same screen saver or a different one in the normal fashion using the Desktop dialog box in Control Panel.

You can activate the screen saver when Windows starts by adding its icon to the Startup program group. (Note that pressing and holding down the SHIFT key while Windows starts will prevent the screen saver from starting.)

The Program Manager must be the current application for the shortcut keys to function.