Fritz: All Fritz/All Fritz.zip/All Fritz/FILES/INFOTEXT/REVIEWS.LZH/PROWRITE.TXT

Text File | 1988-11-19 | 7KB | 101 lines

                          Review of Professional Write
                       Copyright 1988 David W. Batterson


     While WordPerfect 5.0 remains the best-selling word processing software at
this time, there are many users who don't need its advanced features (nor want
to pay such a high price).
     At the low end of the software spectrum, there are many word processors to
choose from.  However, these often lack enough substance for serious work.
     Software Publishing Corp. (publisher of the popular PFS: First Choice,
PFS: Write, PFS: File and PFS: First Publisher programs) has released Version
2.0 of Professional Write.  It fits in nicely in the middle.
     Professional Write--the PFS: has been dropped for this program--has the
power you need while remaining easy to learn.  I've heard many WordPerfect
users say how difficult it was to master.  You won't find that problem with
Professional Write.
     There are no bells and whistles or DTP (desktop publishing) features here.
But you will find it to be a first class software product.
     Convenient pull-down menus guide your every move.  Commands can generally
be done in three ways, whatever you are most comfortable with.  For example, if
you want to underline, you just press <F3>.  This brings up the Edit menu.
Move the cursor to the selection "8. Underline word" and press <Enter>.  Or
simply press the 8 key and press <Enter>.  A third way is to press <Ctrl>-U.
     Once you memorize the <Ctrl> keys, you don't have to use the pull-down
menus.  The <Ctrl> keys make sense too, unlike some software programs'
commands.  <Ctrl>-G is Get, <Ctrl>-S is Save, <Ctrl>-T is Mark text, and
<Ctrl>-F is Find & Replace.  This is a big improvement over WordStar commands.
     As you would expect, there's a dictionary (77,000 words) and thesaurus
(20,000 keywords).  These should be increased in later updates in my view.  You
can add up to about 5,000 words to the personal dictionary.  If you fill it up,
just create another personal dictionary.  This is useful for specialized word
lists, such as legal terms or words used in your particular field.
     Professional Write reads files from many popular word processors, so no
file conversions are required.  You can import files from WordPerfect,
WordStar, Microsoft Word, MultiMate, Wang PC and others.  You can also save
your writing in those formats.  That's useful when a friend uses another word
processor.
     Using ASCII text files is not a problem, either.  Normally, when you
import such files, you must remove the hard returns at the end of lines in
order to insert new text.  Professional Write imports ASCII files but allows
word wrapping, just as in a normal document.  It also preserves any double
spacing in the ASCII file.
     The Find & Replace feature searches for words and phrases in your
document.  However, Professional Write also has the ability to search many
documents (in Professional Write format) in other directories/subdirectories
for specified words, characters or phrases.  Then you can get, delete or insert
that file in your document.
     The directory has a nice touch--the ability to type in a description of
your file.  If you described "LETTER.TXT" when you saved it, then you'll see
that description when you use the <Ctrl>-G + <Enter> commands.
     It's easy to add footers and headers to your documents.  Pressing <F4>
brings up the Format menu.  Then selecting "Set Header" or "Set Footer" brings
up windows where you simply type in the information.  No sweat!
     Form letters can be created using Professional Write's own Address Book,
or by using Professional File, dBASE III, or delimited ASCII files.  You can
also insert a Lotus 1-2-3 worksheet, or include a chart from Harvard Graphics
and other programs.
     Macros are a great idea, and I'm surprised more people don't use them.  A
macro allows you to use a short command (such as <Alt>-A) to take the place of
many keystrokes.  For example, you can create a macro to automatically set the
margins, and then type your name, address and phone number at the top of the
page.
     In some word processing software, creating macros can be confusing.
Professional Write has online instructions to help you write macros.  You can
create as many as 35, with variable lengths.  If you forget what <Alt> key
combination it was, there's a handy menu of all your macros.
     One interesting feature is the ability to draw lines.  A menu lets you
select the drawing style you want, such as ──────, ══════, or ██████.  Or you
can choose the character you want to draw with, including extended characters.
For instance, press <Alt>-178 (on the numeric keypad) for ▓, <Alt>-187 for ╗,
and <Alt>-240 for ≡.  Then draw lines or boxes with that character.
    ╔═════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════╗
    ║        ══════════════╣ It's easy to do too! ╠═════════════          ║
    ╚═════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════╝
     Remember, certain printers cannot print these characters, or require DIP
switch settings so that they will.  Check your printer manual.  If your printer
doesn't print the "high-bit" characters, Professional Write substitutes the +,
- and | symbols instead.
     There's a help screen menu of the extended characters too, as it's rather
difficult to memorize them.
     Other useful features of Professional Write include a calculator, file
encryption, EMS memory support, and the Address Book.  The Address Book can
hold up to 2,000 names & addresses.  You can then insert these in letters, use
them for form letters (mail-merge), and print envelopes and mailing labels.
     Professional Write supports laser printers, of course.  Since these
printers allow proportional font, this can cause problems with your right
margins coming out too wide.  At print time, pages will be rewrapped to
preserve the margin you want.
     One minor shortcoming is that you cannot escape to DOS while using
Professional Write.  I like that ability in a word processor, so that I can
stop and access another program temporarily, and then return to my place in the
document.  That's no drawback for a program that is so likeable.
     The suggested list is $199 but Egghead Software sells it for $134.99.
Check several discount suppliers for the best price.
     For more information, contact Software Publishing Corp., P. O. Box 7210,
1901 Landings Dr., Mountain View, CA  94039-7210; [phone].
                                       #
     David W. Batterson is a freelance computer journalist/reviewer who doesn't
use any of the big "W" word processing programs.  Contact him with your ASCII
files transmitted to MCI MAIL: DBATTERSON.