ComputerTalk Magazine 3/CTM9209.ZIP/ART13

Text File | 1992-08-27 | 13KB | 240 lines

                             ╓───────────────╖
                             ║ WordStar v1.5 ║
                             ║  for Windows  ║
                             ╙───────────────╜
                               by Tony Curro



        WordStar has been around for long time for DOS. There are even some
text editors, and even editors run on BBSs, that conform to the WordStar
keystrokes. Recently, they released a version for Windows. Now, they have
updated that version, and released WordStar  for Windows v1.5 (WSWIN).


         For starters, WSWIN is full featured word processor. Actually,
that is a misnomer. WSWIN is a complete package for processing just about
anything, from words to graphics; from dBASE to Excel. It will then turn
this information into a professional looking document; be it a letter, or a
newsletter, or a brochure. Yes, it also has excellent desktop publishing
capabilities. Your lack of creativity, will be the only thing to stop
WSWIN. If you can think about it, and it has to do with words or graphics,
chances are WSWIN can do it. It even has OUTLINE capabilities.


        WSWIN v1.5 is currently packaged with Correct Grammar, which is
made by Writing Tools Group, Inc., a subsidiary of WordStar International,
Inc. The installation process is very painless. As with other Windows
products, you must run the INSTALL program from within Windows. This
requires 11MB for a complete installation of WSWIN, and another 1.6MB for
the installation of Correct Grammar.


        One of the main reason for the amount of disk space needed, is the
tutorial. WSWIN, has a very well done and extensive tutorial. Overall,
WSWIN has a high learning curve. You can simply sit down and type a letter
several minutes after you complete the installation. But, you can even do
that with Notepad, or any simple text editor. The time spent learning WSWIN
will pay off in eye catching documents. The tutorial consists of 8
sections, with a total of 29 lessons. The first 4 sections will be enough
to get you fairly well along. However, completing all of them will give you
a better understanding of the capabilities of WSWIN. Lessons take from 4-10
minutes to run. You can do only one to two lessons at a time; WSWIN
remembers which you have covered, and places an X in the box.


        WSWIN comes with button bars along the top of the screen, making it
easier to control all aspects of the program, without needing to remember
keystrokes. The first bar consists of STYLE, FONT, SIZE, and a collection
of text formats: Bold, Italic, UnderLine, Double UnderLine, Super and
Subscripts, and a VIEW mode.


        Style allows you alter how your text appears on screen. In a
document you most often with be using BodyText, which defaults to
TimesRoman 12. This can be modified and saved using the Style option from
the pull-down menu. You make these changes once, and then you can select
them in the future. In the STYLE button there are options for various
pre-defined formats. So changing text to a HEADER (there are 4 different
ones), or a Footer, or adding a bullet, or an outline, can be done
painlessly from this spot.


        Selecting Font drops down a Menu of all available fonts on your
system. Likewise, choosing Size, will show you the available Font Sizes
for the selected font. The other buttons are self-explanatory, except the
VIEW MODE. Clicking on the, <*>, will switch from a mode were you see all
carriage returns, Tabs, and spaces (which are designated by a period to
indicate a space, to one where you just see the plain text, as it would
appear on the page. You can switch back and forth by clicking this button.



        The next line of buttons control TABS, Justification: Left, Right,
Center, Justify (where both left and right margins are even), line and
paragraph spacing, and columns. The columns' options are to change the text
that is flowing from left to right, into 2 3, or 4 columns. Clicking on the
2 column mode, will change all the text on the page into two columns.


        On the left side of the screen you have another button bar. This
contains: Graphic Edit tool, Edit tool, Frame Creation tool, and several
others including tools that allow you to create a drawing using the basic
tools from WSWIN.  You have an ARCed line, straight line, curved line,
oval, rectangle, rounded corner rectangle and a rotate tool.


        WSWIN comes with over 40 templates, covering almost everything.
Included are templates for: memos, envelopes, stationery, newsletters,
fliers, brochures, reports, fax cover sheets and others. The WSWIN manual
has an appendix that shows all the templates and associated filenames.
These templates come with graphics and other designs. All are in color. I
did not mention that you can use color for text and graphics within WSWIN.
This writer created a whole set of stationery including business cards,
from the templates included with WSWIN. When you select NEW, you see a menu
with files bearing the extension of .WST (WordStar Template). The one
labeled DEFAULT.WST, is always highlighted. You can select anyone you wish.
After selection, on the top of your screen, you will see the path to the
file. The filename however, will be UNTITLED.WSD (WordStar Document). This
is so when you select SAVE, you do NOT accidentally overwrite the template.
The program will prompt you for a name. WSWIN uses two directories for
storing these files. By default they are: DOCS (for .WSD), and Template
(for .WST). It will always save into these directories, unless you specify
a different path or drive.


        As with all quality word processors, WSWIN comes with a Spell
Checker, Thesaurus, and the aforementioned Correct Grammar. I have been
noticing that some word processors are including a grammar checker with
their programs. The grammar checker provided with WSWIN will give you an
explanation of words and usage, and has a tutorial for further help in
understanding these explanations.


        Do you do mailings? WSWIN can print those long lists very easily.
First, you create a .DTA or data file to store the information: Name,
Address, etc. After you save this file, you open your letter. From the FILE
menu choose, SELECT DATA FILE. Once you have this file loaded you can enter
your information. At this point select INSERT from the drop-down menu, and
select the VARIABLE option. You will see the fields that you created
earlier. Selecting date will put the {date} variable on the letter. Others
work in the same format. Once you have finished, you select Print, from the
File menu. Once your Print menu comes up, you will see a button named MERGE
PRINT. Selecting this will merge your data file into the current document,
using the variables you selected, and print the whole file out. This also
works when printing envelopes.


        I own a HP LaserJet IIP printer with the optional lower tray, which
I use for letters. For years I have had problems printing envelopes. Now my
problems are solved. Using WSWIN, I created a printer set up for only
envelopes, and selected Landscape mode and  my other settings, then saved
it, and installed it as a printer. Now when I want to print an envelope, I
bring up the envelope template I created, and select the ENV printer from
my printer list. I enter the name and address to whom I am writing, and
select print. A perfect envelope every time, and I do NOT have to sit there
and manually feed envelopes. I insert several, and just change the name
each time. If I am going to be printing several, I create the DTA file, as
mentioned above, and MERGE PRINT all the information.


        Another feature that works well is LINKING. This is the process
where you can link two frames together. When you are typing, the
information that does not fit on page 1 automatically goes to page 2. By
LINKing frames, you can have that information go from page 1 to page 3 or
page 4. This is especially useful in creating a newsletter, and you may
want all your stories to start on the first two pages. These like mostly
all the WSWIN features, are accomplished by a few mouse clicks or key
strokes. They are not a major procedure. Other things you can do are add
Headers, Footers, Index, and Table of Contents.


    Adding a graphic image is very simple. It can be done in five
easy steps:
    (1) Click on Frame Create
    (2) Select the Frame tool.
    (3) Place the tool, which looks like a page with a circle and
square on your document, and create the size of the frame.
    (4) From the File menu, select INSERT graphic.
    (5) Size and center the graphic.
You can import graphics from several different formats, including:
BMP, WMF, WPG, PIX, DRW and others. Once you have a graphic image
up you can scale and crop it if you wish.


        Function keys are another feature that can be used. Except for F1
and F10, which are reserved from Windows, you can use the others alone, or
with CTRL and SHIFT, for many different options. Let's say you always you a
specific format for a certain line. Rather than having to select it from
the STYLE option, a quick press of the F key will perform the operation.


        The creation of Tables is another easy feature. You select a table
and drag it out to as many columns as you want. Then as you enter data the
text will automatically wrap to the next line. However, you can set the
'stops' on the table to expand them, and make the columns wider.
Information is handled just like any text. You can center, bold, left
justify and so on. A table does not give you any limitations to how you can
manipulate the text.


        I have stated many times, that doing this or that is easy.
Truthfully it is easy, once you learn the program. I deplore programs that
have a long learning process. But, we must face the facts. Many of today's
programs are both large and powerful. There is no denying this. Being so
extensive, most of them, require a bit of learning. You see videos on the
market on how to learn various programs, like word processors, databases,
spreadsheets, and even DOS and Windows. Many people also advertise, and
there are companies giving classes that run from a day to a week, on the
various programs mentioned above. A video on learning WSWIN might be nice.
Depending on how you learn, it might be best for you. Then you have people
who do not have a TV near their PCs. In either event, spending several
hours,  at the PC, doing the WordStar for Windows tutorial, should be all
that is needed. Do NOT sit there and do it in one day. After a while your
mind will get muddled. Do a lesson or two a day. At that pace you can
absorb more. Another suggestion is, after doing a few lessons, try what you
have learned. Do it several times. Don't get bogged down though, in trying
to do something you did not cover yet. Concentrate on what you did in the
tutorials. At this pace you will become proficient in WordStar for Windows
very quickly.


        There is one thing I did not find in WSWIN. This is a SORT option.
I entered a list of names in three columns. They were not in any order.
After I inserted them, I found I could not sort them. I have to EXPORT them
to an ASCII file, run another program to sort them, and then IMPORT them
into the document. Needless to say, the formatting was off, and I had to
re-set my three columns. It was not a major chore, but one that should have
been avoidable. I am assured from WordStar technical support that they
should be working on this. It is in their DOS-based products.


        Barring this one thing, WordStar for Windows v1.5 is a good buy for
the money. Until December 31, 1992, WordStar has a very aggressive price
plain in effect. You can get WordStar for Windows v1.5, which lists for
$495 and Correct Grammar 2.0 that lists for $100, for the total price of
$119 list; most likely lower priced in retail stores. It  seems as if,
almost every day, another company is releasing a new word processor for
Windows. Some might be as full-featured as WSWIN; others cheaper; others
more expensive. Pound for pound I think WordStar is a good buy, in these
cost-conscious times.



                      ╓──────────────────────────────╖
                      ║     Product Information      ║
                      ╠══════════════════════════════╣
                      ║         WordStar for         ║
                      ║         Windows v1.5         ║
                      ╟──────────────────────────────╢
                      ║       List Price: $119       ║
                      ║         (till 12/92)         ║
                      ╟──────────────────────────────╢
                      ║ WordStar International, Inc. ║
                      ║    201 Alameda Del Prado     ║
                      ║        P. O. Box 6113        ║
                      ║       Novato, CA 94948       ║
                      ╙──────────────────────────────╜