Tips and Tricks for Microsoft FreeCell

How to use the keyboard only:
To move cards from one column to another in the layout, press the
number of the starting column and then the number of the destination
column.  To move the exposed card in a column to the home cells,
press the column number, followed by 9.  To move the exposed card
in a column to one of the free cells, press the column number
followed by 0.  To move a card from one of the free cells back to a
column in the layout, press 0 repeatedly until the card is
highlighted, then press the destination column.  To move the card to
the home cells, press 9.  To show the partially hidden cards in a
column, press the column number twice, which quickly shows each
hidden card in sequence from top to bottom (thanks to Tom Baker for
pointing out this function).


How to cheat the statistics in Microsoft FreeCell:
     If you hit control-shift-F10, a window titled "User-Friendly
User Interface" pops up.    If you choose Abort, the next move you
make will send all the remaining cards to the foundations.  If
you choose "Retry", the next move you make will cause an
automatic loss.    (Another way to cheat is to reboot Windows
rather than exiting the game, or use the control-alt-delete function
to stop the FreeCell process).


How to keep two sets of statistics:
     Two or more sets of statistics can be kept under Windows 95
if it is set up as multi-user.  Most users of Windows 95 may not
realize that this capability is available.  It is intended
primarily for installations where more than one person may be
using the same computer at various times, and includes a password
capability so that different users can prevent others from
accessing their private data.  But a password need not be
specified if it is not desired.  Windows 95 systems are initially
delivered set up in single-user mode, but can be changed to
multi-user by a simple process, as follows:  In "My Computer",
select the Control Panel, then click on the "Passwords" icon,
then "User profiles".  This gives you a screen with two pairs of
choices, the top one of the top pair being between "All users of
this PC use the same preferences...." and the bottom one of the
top pair "Users can customize their preferences....".  The default
is the top, or "same preferences" choice, which is equivalent to
"single user".  When the "customize" option is selected, this
creates the option of identifying different "users" who log under
different names, with a password which is optional.  The "Shut
Down" screen will now have a fourth choice "Close all programs
and log on as a different user."  When you log on, you are then
asked for a user name and a password.  The first time you log on
with a new, previously unused user name, it sets up a user profile
under that name.  If you don't enter a password, then no password
will be needed for future logging on under that user name.  Once
you create two user names, Freecell will keep separate statistics
for each user.  Several users can be set up in this manner if
desired.  The other part of the "User Profiles" screen is to
decide whether the desktop icon layout and/ or the Start menu
contents should also be customized for each user.  The simplest
choice is to have neither one checked, as otherwise any changes
made in the future will be effective only for the user active at
the time of the change.  Checking either of these choices can be
useful, however, if it is desired to customize different desktops
for the different users.

How to transfer stats from one computer to another:
    MS FreeCell keeps its stats in the Windows registry, a central
depository of program information.   This can be edited using the
application program REGEDIT.EXE which should be in your Windows
directory.   You might need to search for the FreeCell entries;
mine are in My Computer\HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\
Windows\CurrentVersion\Applets\FreeCell.  If you want to transfer
your stats from one computer to another, you can either write
down the (hexadecimal) values for losses, lost, streak, wins, won
from your old registry and modify the values in your new registry
to match them.   In theory (I have never done this) you can also
use the Export feature to copy the FreeCell branch of your old
registry to a file, then Import it into the new registry.   

!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Warning: It is apparently possible to damage the Windows registry
if you are not careful -- if you are not an experienced Windows
user, it is a good idea to ask your local expert to help you with
any registry modifications.   The management will take no
responsibility for any registry damage you might experience.