Simtel MSDOS 1992 June

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PS's WordStar Enhancement Instructions Table of Contents Introduction ........................... 1 Distribution ........................... 2 Requirements ........................... 2 Installation ........................... 2 Modifying WordStar ................... 3 Installing the WordStar Patches ...... 3 Configuring WS.COM ................... 4 Operation .............................. 6 The Dynamic Function Key Prompts ..... 6 Control-Q on the Keypad .............. 7 Using the Keypad with KEYSx.PAT ...... 7 The Character Undelete Feature ....... 8 Modifying the Function Keys .......... 8 Repeat Rates and Zenith Computers .... 9 PS's WordStar(tm) Enhancement Instructions ** Introduction PS's WordStar Enhancement is a "parent" program that runs Word- Star release 4.0, 5.0, or 5.5 as a "child", and adds features to enhance its operation. One of the features added is "dynamic function key prompts". This feature makes it possible to display prompts for all 40 function key assignments on the screen using only one screen line. The prompts displayed are determined by the keys used. For example, if you press the Ctrl key, the prompts for Ctrl-F1 through Ctrl-F10 are shown. This feature is especially handy if you draw lines and boxes, because you can see the drawing characters assigned to the Alt-function keys. Another feature provided is character undelete. WordStar can restore deleted lines or blocks, but it cannot restore characters deleted with Back Space or Del. (It can restore a single deleted character if it is modified with WSCHANGE.) PS's WordStar En- hancement stores characters deleted with BackSpace and Del in a buffer, and lets you restore them by pressing a special key sequence. A third feature that PS's WordStar Enhancement adds is enhanced utilization of the keypad keys. This feature is useful for those who have 84-key keyboards, and those with 101-key keyboards who use the numeric keypad (with Num Lock off) instead of the sepa- rate arrow keys. It lets you perform a greater variety of cursor movements without having to bother with the Ctrl key, by causing the keypad 5 key to produce ^Q when pressed. This allows you to jump to the right edge of a line by pressing the 5 and 6 (rt arrow) keys, or to jump to the bottom of a file by pressing 5 and 3 (Pg Dn). An optional auto-patch file is provided to add more functionality by rearranging the keypad layout. If you install this patch, you can perform just about any type of cursor move- ment you need from the keypad without using Ctrl, and you can also enter the Find and Find-and-Replace commands from the key- pad. PS's WordStar Enhancement can also switch the Caps Lock and left Ctrl keys on 101-key keyboards, eliminating the need for SWITCH.COM (which does not work properly with the Enhancement anyhow). The dynamic function key prompts, keypad enhancements, and key switching are optional, and you can use the program just to add character undelete if you wish. Note: This document will refer to the disk containing the PS's WordStar Enhancement files as "this disk". These instructions assume that you are familiar with general DOS operation, and that you know how to copy files, create directories, and assign a drive/directory as the default. If you are unfamiliar with these terms, consult your DOS manual. 1 ** Distribution This program is distributed as "user supported software", and you are free to use it and distribute it to others, as long as you include this documentation with the other files, and as long as you do not modify either the program or the documentation. You may not sell this program for any amount, but you may charge a nominal fee (e.g. $5.00) for the disk on which it is distribut- ed. If you are a shareware distributor, it is recommended that you combine this program with other utilities on a disk to pro- vide your customer a greater service. If you feel that this program is of value to you, please send a contribution of up to $15 to Patrick Swayne 155 Baker St. Coloma, MI 49038 Warranty This program is provided AS IS without any warranty, expressed or implied, including but not limited to fitness for a particular purpose. Disclaimer In no event will Patrick Swayne be liable to you for any damages, including any lost profits, lost savings, or other incidental or consequential damages arising out of the use of or inability to use this program, even if Patrick Swayne has been advised of the possibility of such damages, or for any claim by any other party. ** Requirements To use PS's WordStar Enhancement, you will need a PC-compatible computer capable of running WordStar 4.0, WordStar 5.0, or Word- Star 5.5, the appropriate version of MS-DOS or PC-DOS, and enough memory to run your version of WordStar. WS.COM itself (the "parent" program that enhances WordStar) uses about 3k, but there is usually enough leeway in the specified memory requirements for WordStar to allow for it. ** Installation The first thing that you should do before installing this package is to make back up copies of this disk and all of your WordStar disks. The WordStar distribution disks are all write protected, and cannot be modified (and should not be modified in any case). NOTE: If you intend to configure your WordStar to use 43 screen lines on an EGA video system, or 50 lines on a VGA video system, and you want to use the dynamic function key prompts, use WIN- STALL or WSCHANGE to set up that configuration BEFORE you install 2 the following modifications. Modifying WordStar This section describes the patches that must be made to WordStar so that it can run with the PS's WordStar Enhancement's dynamic function key prompts, and the alternate keypad layout. It also describes a patch that you may install, if you wish, that changes the on-screen colors used to those used by Pat Swayne. All modifications are made only to the patch area of WordStar, and are reversible. If you do not intend to install these patches, skip this section and proceed to "Configuring WS.COM". If you have a hard disk, perform these steps: 1. Copy the files WS.COM, PC25.PAT, PC43.PAT, PC50.PAT, COLORS.PAT, and KEYS5.PAT (if WordStar 5) or KEYS4.PAT (if WordStar 4) from this disk to your WordStar directory. 2. Make sure that you have copied all of the files from your WordStar Program and Installation disks to your WordStar directory. Make your WordStar drive and directory the default drive and directory. 3. Type WSCHANGE WS and press Return. 4. Go to "Installing the WordStar Patches", below. If you have a dual floppy disk system, perform these steps: 1. Copy the files WS.COM, PC25.PAT, PC43.PAT, PC50.PAT, COLORS.PAT, and KEYS5.PAT (if WordStar 5) or KEYS4.PAT (if WordStar 4) to your WordStar Program disk. Delete one of the sample .DOC files if you need room. 2. Put your Program disk in drive A: and your Installation disk in drive B:. 3. Type B: and press Return. Type WSCHANGE A:WS and press Return. Installing the WordStar Patches Follow these steps to install the PS's WordStar Enhancement patches: 1. Select E (General patches) from the main WSCHANGE menu. 2. If you want dynamic function key prompts, select A (Auto- patcher) from the next menu. If your WordStar is configured for normal operation using 25 screen lines, type PC25.PAT at the file name prompt, and press Return. If your WordStar is configured for 43 line operation on an EGA video system, type PC43.PAT and press Return. If your WordStar is config- ured for 50 line operation on a VGA video system, type 3 PC50.PAT and press Return. If you are setting up a floppy only system, type A: before the patch file name (as in A:PC25.PAT). Press Return again when the "Patching com- plete" message appears. 3. If you want to install the keypad patches, select A (Auto- patcher) again, and enter KEYS5.PAT (or A:KEYS5.PAT) for version 5 or 5.5, or KEYS4.PAT (or A:KEYS4.PAT) for version 4 at the file name prompt and press Return. Press Return again when the "Patching complete" message appears. If you decide that you want to remove the key patches later, select E from the main WSCHANGE menu, and C from the next menu. This will remove all patches, so you will have to reinstall the PCxx.PAT patch, the COLORS patch (below), and any indi- vidual modifications you may have made. 4. If you want to install the color patches, select A (Auto- patcher) again, and enter COLORS.PAT (or A:COLORS.PAT for a floppy installation) at the file name prompt and press Return. Press Return again when the "Patching complete" message appears. Later, you can change the colors to your taste by selecting A from the main WSCHANGE menu, C from the next menu, and A from the next menu. (With WordStar 4.0, just select C and then A.) 5. Type X twice, and Y to cause your changes to be written to WordStar. 6. If you have a floppy only system, type A: and press Return. Configuring WS.COM WS.COM is the "parent" program that runs WordStar (WS.EXE) as a "child" and adds features to enhance the operation of WordStar. To configure WS.COM to work properly with your WordStar, perform the following steps (your WordStar disk/directory should be the default): 1. Type WS INSTALL and press Return. 2. When you are prompted for the name of "this program", press Return. (Later, if you decide to use a command other than WS to start WordStar, you must rename WS.COM, not just WS.EXE, and you will have to enter your new name at this prompt.) 3. WS.COM will prompt for your WS execution path. Enter the complete path describing the location of your WS.EXE file. For example, if you have WS.EXE on drive C: in a directory called WS5, enter C:\WS5\WS.EXE. Press Return after your entry. If you have a floppy only system, you should include the drive that the WordStar program disk will be in during normal operation. 4. WS.COM will ask "Does BACK SPACE delete characters?". 4 Normally you should answer Y to this question. However, if you have modified your WordStar to work like WordStar ver- sion 3 (Back Space moves the cursor back without deleting characters), answer N to this question. WS.COM needs the answer to this question and the next one so that its charac- ter undelete feature will work correctly. 5. WS.COM will ask "Does DEL work like Control-G?". Answer Y to this question unless you have modified your WordStar so that the Del key works as it did in WordStar 3. 6. WS.COM will ask "Do you want Caps Lock and Ctrl switched? Answer Y if you have a 101-key keyboard and you would rather have the Ctrl key in its old position. Do this whether you have SWITCH.COM installed or not, because it does not work correctly with WS.COM. 7. WS.COM will ask "Do you want ^Q from keypad 5 (with Num Lock off)?". Answer Y to this question if you have installed the KEYS patch. You may also want to answer Y if you have not installed the KEYS patch, but you still want ^Q from the keypad 5 key. 8. WS.COM will ask "Do you want Dynamic Function Key Prompts?". Answer Y or N depending on whether you want them or not. 9. If you answered Y at step 7, WS.COM will ask "How many lines does your WordStar use? (A=25, B=43, C=50)". Type A if it is configured for normal 25 line operation, B if it is configured for 43 line EGA operation, or C if it is config ured for 50 line VGA operation. Note: If you change the line setting later, you will have to install the correct patch (PC25.PAT, PC43.PAT, or PC50.PAT) using WSCHANGE, and run WS INSTALL again. 10. If you answered Y at step 7, WS.COM will ask "Do you want to change the function key prompt colors?" The function key prompts are maintained by WS.COM, not by WordStar (the PCxx.PAT patch turned WordStar's prompts off). The function key prompt consists of a key number and a 7 character label for each of the keys F1 through F10. If you answer Y, you will be prompted for the key foreground color, the key background color, the label foreground color, and the label background color. The default colors are white (light gray) on black for the key numbers, and black on white for the key labels. Colors should be entered as hexadecimal numbers from the following chart: 0 black 4 red 8 dk gray C lt red 1 blue 5 magenta 9 lt blue D lt magenta 2 green 6 brown A lt green E yellow 3 cyan 7 lt gray B lt cyan F white You should use only colors 0-7 for background colors. 5 11. If you answered Y at step 7, WS.COM will ask "Do you want to change the function key prompts?". Answer N for now. Lat- er, if you change the function key assignments with WSCHANGE, you can run WS INSTALL again and answer Y to this question. WS.COM will then display the existing prompt for each key and allow you to type in a new one. See "Modifying the Function Keys" later in this document for more informa tion. After you either answer N to the "change function key prompts" question, or finish providing the new prompts, WS.COM will modify itself with your changes. This completes the basic installation of PS's WordStar Enhance- ment. If you have a hard disk system, you should copy the files from the various WordStar disks that you will be using (for example, the Page Preview disk, the Spelling Dictionary/Thesaurus disk, and the Definitions disk) to your WordStar directory if you have not already done so. ** Operation Starting WordStar with PS's WordStar Enhancement installed is the same as starting WordStar without it. Once WordStar has started, however, there are some differences in operation, and some addi- tional commands. The Dynamic Function Key Prompts When you first start WordStar with the Enhancement installed (and the key prompts enabled), there will a single line of function key prompts on the bottom screen line if WordStar is running in the normal 25-line mode. If your WordStar is set up to run in the 43 line or 50 line mode, there will be no function key prompts at first, but they will appear if you tap a Shift, Ctrl, or Alt key. The function key prompts will always be on no matter whether you use the new WordStar 5 pull-down menus or the classic WordStar menus. If you press a Shift, Ctrl, or Alt key, the function key prompts will automatically change to indicate the correct response with that key held down. When you release the Shift, Ctrl, or Alt key, the function key prompts will again show the unshifted re- sponses. If you run Page Preview, the function key prompts will be gone upon return to the edit mode, but you can tap a Shift, Ctrl, or Alt key to restore them. If you start WordStar from ProFinder by typing the + key, and then flip back to ProFinder by typing + again, WS.COM will still have control of the bottom screen line. If you should type a Shift, Ctrl, or Alt key while you are in ProFinder, the WS.COM key prompts will over write the ProFinder key prompts. You can restore the ProFinder prompts by typing F1 and then Esc while ProFinder is in the File List mode. 6 Control-Q on the Keypad If you installed WS.COM so that the keypad 5 key (with Num Lock off) produces Control-Q, you can use it to issue extra commands from the keypad without having to hold down the Ctrl key. Assum- ing that Num Lock is off, here are the extra commands that are available (5+8 means to type 5 and then 8, but not the +). Key combination Command 5+8 Move cursor to screen top 5+2 Move cursor to screen bottom 5+4 Move cursor to left side of screen 5+6 Move cursor to right side of screen 5+9 Go to beginning of file 5+3 Go to end of file Using the Keypad with KEYSx.PAT If you have installed the KEYSx.PAT patch, the keypad number keys can be used as the following diagram indicates. -------------- -------------- -------------- | | | | | Page Backward| Cursor Up | Page Forward | | | | | | 7 | 8 | 9 | | | | | | Top of File | Top of Page | Bottom of | | | | File | -------------- -------------- -------------- | | | | | Cursor Left | Control-Q | Cursor Right | | | | | | 4 | 5 | 6 | | | | | | Left Side | | Right Side | | of Page | | of Page | -------------- -------------- -------------- | Cursor Left | | Cursor Right | | One Word | Cursor Down | One Word | | | | | | 1 | 2 | 3 | | | | | | Find and | Bottom of | Find | | Replace | Page | | -------------- -------------- -------------- The descriptions above each number in the diagram indicate the response if the key is pressed by itself. The descriptions below each number indicate the response if the 5 key is pressed first. For example, pressing the 5 key and then the 2 key moves the cursor to the bottom of the page. Notice that in addition to a complete set of cursor movement commands, the Find and Find-and- Replace commands are built into the keypad with this arrangement. 7 The Character Undelete Feature One of the features added to WordStar by WS.COM is the character undelete feature. If you delete characters from the screen one at a time (rather than a line at a time or by deleting a marked block), the deleted characters are stored in a buffer, and they can be restored one at a time beginning with the most recent character deleted. The character undelete buffer holds 256 char- acters, so if you have deleted more, only the last 256 will be preserved. There are two different ways to restore deleted characters, de- pending on how they were deleted. If they were deleted with the Back Space key, press Alt-U for each character you want to unde- lete. If they were deleted by the Del key, use Alt-I. Note: In order for Alt-I to work correctly, the Insert mode must be on (the word Insert will be at the top of the screen). Since the character undelete feature is maintained outside of WordStar itself, it cannot keep up if you delete too fast. If you hold down the Back Space or Del key and allow it to repeat, some deleted characters may be missed and not placed into the undelete buffer, especially if the repeat rate is fast. WS.COM can usually handle a slow repeat rate, however. If you mistakenly use Alt-U to undelete characters deleted with Del, or Alt-I to undelete characters deleted with Back Space, the undeleted characters will be backwards on the screen. For exam- ple, if "house" was deleted and then restored incorrectly, it would come out "esuoh". To fix the situation, use Del to remove text incorrectly restored with Alt-I, or Back Space to remove text incorrectly restored with Alt-U, and then use the correct key combination to restore it. If you would like to purge all of the deleted characters from the character delete buffer, press Alt-P. Note: WordStar 4 or 5 can be modified to work like previous versions. If you have done that modification, substitute Del for Back Space in the above discussion, and substitute Control-G for Del. With or without the previous version modification, charac- ters deleted with Control-G should be restored with Alt-I. The character undelete feature does not always restore deleted characters correctly. Soft Spaces are restored as hard spaces, and tabs (in the document mode) may not be restored at all or restored as spaces. Non-document mode tabs will be restored as spaces (one space for each deleted tab character. Modifying the Function Keys If you want to modify the responses assigned to the function keys, you can do it with WSCHANGE, but do not turn on the func- tion key prompts from within WSCHANGE (do not type L). After you make your changes, run WS INSTALL as instructed previously and 8 answer each question with the value that is currently set until you get to the "Do you want to change the function key prompt colors?" question. You can answer Y here if you want to change the colors, or N if you do not. Then answer Y to the "Do you want to change the function key prompts?" question. WS.COM will show you the current prompt for the unshifted F1 key. You can enter a new prompt of 1 to 7 characters, or you can press Return by itself to accept the old prompt as it is. Then WS.COM will display the prompt for the F2 key and allow you to enter a new one, or accept the old one, and so on until you have hand an opportunity to modify the prompts of all 10 function keys. Then WS.COM will display the prompts as they will appear during opera- tion (using any new colors you may have selected), and ask "Is this OK?" If you answer N, WS.COM will start over with the un- shifted F1 key. If you answer Y, WS.COM will start with prompt for Shift-F1. This process will continue until you have had the opportunity to change all 40 prompts. You can enter a graphic character into any prompt by typing a dollar sign ($) followed by the hexadecimal value of the graphic character. See Appendix D in the WordStar 5 manual, or appendix F in the WordStar 4 manual for the appropriate hexadecimal codes. If you want to put a dollar sign into a prompt, type two dollar signs. Repeat Rates and Zenith Computers WordStar 5.0 has the ability to control the key repeat rate (when a key is held down and allowed to repeat) on certain models of computers. Zenith and Heath PC-compatible computers have a var- iable repeat rate built in. When a key is held down and allowed to repeat, it starts repeating at a slow rate, and then speeds up. When WordStar takes over the repeat rate, it disables this feature, and leaves it disabled when you exit WordStar. The Zenith and Heath models affected by this problem are all models containing 80286 and 80386 processors. If you do not want to have your variable repeat rate disabled, run WSCHANGE and select E from the main menu, and press = to enter the patcher. Enter KSPEED as the address to patch, and patch the first four bytes to FF FF FF FF. Type X three times and then Y to write the patch to WordStar. If you have WordStar 5.5, a patch file called KSPEED.PAT is provided that you can load with the auto patcher in WSCHANGE to fix the problem. 9