NET, IAS, State-SET (KSET, WBSET, MPSET, etc.), GATE, CUET, Olympiads etc.: Word Star

Doorsteptutor material for competitive exams is prepared by world's top subject experts: get questions, notes, tests, video lectures and more- for all subjects of your exam.

The original Word Star was the very first software program, not tmention word processor. It has only been within the last couple of years that changes of micro-computers-including enhancements tDOS, increased memory size, and the proliferation of hard disk systems-have made possible advancements in other word processing programs that make Word Star seem a bit antiquated by comparison.

Word Star՚s New Features

Release 4 contains over 125 new features thelp make creating and editing your documents even more efficient.

We give below summary of the most prominent changes the program:

  • An unease feature, which will restore the most recently deleted segment of text larger than a single character.
  • On-screen display of boldfacing and underlining. If your computer has a monochrome graphics card, these enhancements appear on your screen as they will be printed when you turn off the print controls with either AOD or AOP.
  • A continuous underline dot command, which automatically underlines all spaces between the words enclosed in the underlining print commands.
  • A gtpage function, which allows you tmove the cursor directly tthe top of a specified page in the document.
  • A shorthand feature that enables you tassign text and word processing commands ta two-letter key sequence. Tplay back the command sequence, you merely press the Esc key and then the letter or number key you assign tit.
  • A command tcopy the current ruler as an embedded ruler line in the text of the document. You can then edit the ruler line tsuit a new format. Aft embedded rulers are saved as part of the document and, therefore, remain in effect whenever you edit the document.
  • Multiple-line headers and footers. Release 4 allows up tthree header and footer lines on a page.
  • Forty function-key assignments (Fl to F10 used alone and in combination with the Shift, Ctrl, or Alt Key) , which cover the most common word processing commands you use. Any of the these assignments can be easily customized if they are not tyour liking.
  • Line and box drawing, which can easily be added tthe document by using the Alt key in combination with the ten function keys (Fl through F10) .
  • The insertion of any foreign language, math, or graphics character in the IBM Extended character set intthe text of a document by pressing
  • Alt and typing its ASCII code from the ten-key pad.
  • The insertion of the current date or time (as supplied by DOS) intyour document.
  • A save and print option (PrtSc) , which takes you directly tthe Printing Menu after saving the file.
  • Proportional spacing for those printers that support it. A new. PS command turns proportional spacing on and off in a document, and a new P command keeps proportionally spaced columns of text properly aligned.
  • Support of laser printers, including the various models of the HP LaserJet.
  • An or line calculator available at any time when editing, whose result, can be ensured directly intthe text of the document.
  • A block math feature that makes it possible ttotal any numbers in a marked block.
  • New Block operations that convert the text in a block tall uppercase or lowercase letters.
  • A block replace feature, which allow you toverwrite an existing column when performing a block operation with a column block.
  • A new run a program command, which allows you access tDOS without requiring you tfirst exit from WordStar. You can use this command trun another program or execute a DOS command.
  • A pew align the rest of the document command (QU) , which reforms all of the paragraphs from the cursor՚s present position tthe end of the document. The program alsoffers a new dot command that allows you tprevent WordStar from realigning a section of your document.
  • SA new protect command, which allows only you tview the contents of the document. The program alssupports giving read-only permission ta second person whattempts tedit a file that has already been opened when using WordStar on a local-area network (LAN) .
  • OS path support, which allows you tedit a document in any directory or subdirectory on a hard disk by specifying its full directory path. SA new spelling checker, which allows you tcheck and correct the spelling of words while editing a document. You can alsuse the speller tlook up a word that is not entered in the text.
  • The Word Finder thesaurus, which allows you tlook up and insert synonyms for words used in your documents.
  • Indexing and table of contents utilities, which compile indexes or tables of contents from marked or entered in the text

A Quick Tutorial

The tutorial is designed tquickly acquaint you with the basic working of WordStar.In it, you will learn how tstart the program, create a new document, enter text and make basic changes, and make backup copies of your files.In presupposes nexperience with WordStar or any other word processing program.In order tperform these exercises, you will need thave first installed WordStar and have ready twblank formatted disks.

Tstart WordStar on a computer with twfloppy disk drives, you need tplace a copy of your DOS disk in drive A (the drive on the left side, or on the top left if your computer has twhalf-height drives) before you turn the computer on

If you are prompted tenter the date and time, dsas follows:

When entering the date, you must enter only the numerical equivalent of the date separated by either⟋ (slashes) or- (hyphens) . For example, if today՚s date were June 29,1988, you would enter ⟋88 or 6 − 29 − 88. You must not enter the name of the month or the day of the week. When entering the time, enter the number of the hour and then the number of minutes separated by a colon. If it is afternoon, add 12 hours tthe number of the hour, sthat 2: 10 + p. m. Is entered as 14.10. If you make a mistake when entering either the date or time, press the Backspace key (marked and located above the-1 key) . Press the Return key, marked-I, after making each entry.

After entering the date and time, remove the DOS disk in drive A and replace it with a working copy of your WordStar System disk. Place one of your blank formatted disks in drive B. It is on this disk that you will save the documents you create in WordStar. Remember that you must never remove or place a disk inta drive when its light is on, signaling that the drive is busy. Doing scan result in possible damage tboth your disk and your disk drive. Once these disks are in place and the drive doors are shut, start WordStar by entering was and pressing-J.

If you are using WordStar on a hard-disk system, you vary this routine only slightly.Instead of placing a copy of the DOS disk in drive A before you turn on the computer, you just leave this drive empty and turn on the power switch, allowing the computer tboot from drive C (the hard disk) . If need be, enter the date and time as described above. After that, place your blank formatted disk in drive A.

Before you can start WordStar, you need tbe in the directory that contains all of the WordStar programs. The name of this directory is VWS4. Tmake this directory current you need tuse the change directory command.

CD⧵WS4 and press A Then enter the WordStar start-up command by typing ws and pressing-1.

Installing and Customizing WordStar

This work covers the installation procedure that you must follow before you begin using the WordStar program.Complete installation instructions are included for installing the program on a dual-floppy disk system as well as on a hard-disk system. As you will see, WordStar installation just involves making working copies of the original program disks and answering a few simple questions regarding the type of monitor, printer, and computer you are using.

In addition tinformation on performing this first-time installation, this work contains formation on using the WSCHANOE program tcustomize WordStar the Way you want it by changing almost any of its default setting. You can use the WSCHANGE program tchange these settings at any time when working with WordStar. If you run WordStar from a floppy disk in drive A, you can even use this program tset up customized versions of WordStar that can be used when creating specialized documents.

Making Copies of Your WordStar Disks on a Dual-Floppy Disk System

If your computer uses 5V inch disks, you will need three formatted disks tmake backup copies of your program tiles. If your computer uses 3Yi inch disks, you will need twformatted disks, and one of these can be formatted with the system files tcreate a bootable program disk. Note that there is not sufficient room for all of the WordStar program files and the DOS flies on a regular double-density 5V inch disk. You can, nevertheless make bootable program disk as long as you remove all of the. DOC sample files from the copy of the System disk and keep them on another disk.

Tformat the necessary disks, place your DOS disk in drive A, turn on your computer, enter the data and time, and then follow these steps:

  1. Tformat the bootable disk, place a blank disk in drive B and enter FORMAT B: ⟋S and press
  2. Press ⚹ J again when prompted tpress the ENTF. R key tbegin formatting. After the format procedure is finished, type N and press-1 tend the formatting
  3. Replace the formatted disk in drive B with a new blank disk. Now type FORMAT 3: And press-J.
  4. Press ⇾ again when prompted tpress any key tbegin formatting. After the format procedure is finished, if you use SV ⚹ inch disks, type Y, replace the new formatted disk with a blank disk, and Press-1 tformat ⚹ it. If you use iVx inch disks, type N and press-1 treturn tthe DOS. Prompt.
  5. Format the other disk as indicated in step.

Then type N and press-1 treturn tthe DOS prompt.

Next, you need tmake copies of your original program disks:

  1. Replace the DOS disk in drive A with the original WordStar System disk. If you formatted a disk with the DOS files on it, replace the formatted disk in drive B with it.
  2. Enter COPY A: ⚹ . ⚹ B: And press J.
  3. Label the disk in drive B WordStar System and replace in with one of your other formatted disks. Replace this disk with the, dictionary disk (if you use 3Vi inch disks, your dictionary disk is the same disk as the WordStar System disk, sreplace it with the installation⟋tutor disk) .
  4. Press F3 and press-1 tenter the same copy command as in step 2.
  5. Remove the copy in drive B and label accordingly (Dictionary or Installation⟋Tutor) . Replace it with the last formatted disk if you use 5V ⚹ inch disks.
  6. Replace the dictionary disk in drive A with the installation disk, and press F3 and tmake the last copy.

Now that you have made working copies of all of your WordStar disks, you are ready tstart the installation program.

  1. Place your working copy of the WordStar System disk in drive A and your copy of the installation disk in drive B.
  2. Type B: And press-1 tmake drive B current.
  3. Type WINSTALL A: WS and press-J tbegin the installation program. The Main Installation menu will appear on the screen.

Refer tRunning the WINSTALL Program later in this work, for information on how tproceed with this installation.

Copying the WordStar Program Files intYour Hard Disk

If you have a hard-disk system, you need tcopy all of the original program files inta new directory called ⧵ WS4. Tdthis, turn on your computer, enter the date and time (if required) , and then follows these steps:

  1. Type MD⧵WS4 and press-1 tcreate a directory called ⧵ WS4.
  2. Type CDYWS4 and press-1 tmake this new directory current.
  3. Place the WordStar System disk in drive A, type COPY A: ⚹ . ⚹ , and press-1.
  4. After all have been copied and the light on the disk drive goes out, replace the System disk with the dictionary disk.
  5. Press F3 and ⚹ J trepeat the COPY A: ⚹ . ⚹ command.
  6. Continue this procedure for the installation disk. You don՚t have tcopy the tutor disk files on your hard disk if you don՚t want to:

The next step is tstart the WINSTALL program: 1, Type

WINSTALL WS

and press-f. The Main Installation menu will appear on your screen.

Choosing Your Monitor

You need tuse option A (console) only if your computer has a color or EGA monitor or monitor that is not 100 percentage IBM compatible. If you have a non-IBM monochrome monitor but are not sure if it is 100 per cent

IBM compatible, I try using WordStar changing the default setting of me Console option; If you later experience “snow” on the screen when using the program, you can use the WSCHANGE program and choose the ROM BIOS option from the Monitor Selection option.

If you have a color or EGA monitor, type A tselect Console and then A again tselect the Monitor Selection menu. From there, select B if you have a color monitor (or experience “snow” on your monochrome monitor) , or select C if you have an EGA monitor and want tdisplay 43 lines of text in WordStar instead of the normal 25.

After you enter your selection, type X treturn tthe Console menu. From this menu, you can alschange the way WordStar displays, underlining on your screen by choosing option B (Printer) . Remember that you cannot see underlining on the screen unless your computer has a monochrome adapter card. You can choose between highlighting (the default on a colon system) and inverse videtindicate underlining.