NOTE: Kay*Fog RBBS #2 in San Francisco is devoted to conferencing and recently held a Wordstar Forum. One of the topics discussed was the use of strings for Wordstar (made with the use of a keyboard redefinition program such as Xtrakey--the best such program, in my opinion--Smartkey, etc.) The following messages devoted to this subject have been excerpted from this board, which can be reached at 415-826-2131. Most of these messages were written by the Assistant Sysop, Dick Ezzard, author of the famous "Wordstar Shades" article mentioned in PROFILES. Howard Schwartz Msg#: 60 *WORDSTAR FORUM* 08/19/85 05:39:33 (Read 34 Times) From: ASSISTANT SYSOP To: WORDSTAR UWERS Subj: KEYS TO WORDSTAR- INTRO Introduction: Keys to WordStar This message begins the "Keys to WordStar" series which will appear in this conference. It concerns the use of programmed special function keys to cascade WordStar commands at the touch of a single key. After a couple of introductory messages, each key definition will be posted in a message of its own, along with an explanation of its use, and a discussion of suitable applications. The reason for posting each key in its own message is to help test the TBBS system being implemented on KAY*FOG #2 system, which testing requres a lot of messages. Also as a bonus of putting this material in many messages, key definitions may be accessed one by one as required, and each may be skipped over by the discerning WordStar enthusiast who already knows about many of these. Thus, one way to exploit this series of messages is to use TBBS's scan facilities to look at the message titles and then read/ capture only those messages which look like they might contain something of real usefulness. Another way, of course, is to capture the whole schmear with a Read continuous and throw out what doesn't appeal. Readers are encouraged to submit their own favorite WordStar special function keys to this conference. Don't be bashful. Even the most arcane and specialized set of WordStar commands may save someone else engaged in a similar task a lot of time and grief. For example, if you have put together a special function key that aids formatted data entry or data file editing, although not of interest to most people, it will be a lifesaver to someone doing the same kind of thing. A script-writer may deal in specialized margin settings that have utility only to other script-writers. Send 'em in. Msg#: 61 *WORDSTAR FORUM* 08/19/85 05:40:42 (Read 35 Times) From: ASSISTANT SYSOP To: WORDSTAR USERS Subj: KEYS TO WORDSTAR - NOTATION Notation Used in Describing Keys The notation used for defining a programmed special function key in this seris of messages should be familiar to most computer users. The circumflex ^ symbol is used to indicate that the or held down at the keyboard at the same time another key is pressed. "^K" would mean: Hold down the key and hit the "K" key. Leaving off the quotes from now on, ^Kr would mean: Hold down the key and hit the K key, followed by a stroke of the r key. The ESCAPE or ESC key is notated by . Normally you do _not_ hold down the ESCAPE key when hitting another key. U would mean: Hit the ESC key, then hit the U key. The RETURN or CARRIAGE RETURN or ENTER key is notated by . Msg#: 62 *WORDSTAR FORUM* 08/19/85 05:41:34 (Read 36 Times) From: ASSISTANT SYSOP To: WORDSTAR USERS Subj: KEYS TO WORDSTAR - LIST WordStar Function Keys Series, Outline/ List The following list is presented as an experiment in putting short lines into the TBBS system, to see how the format may be maintained even though user's screen width will be defined in various ways. KEYS TO WORDSTAR Introduction: Keys to WordStar Macros: Cascading WordStar Commands Ramdisks: Speed and Silence Text Entry Keys: TE: Reverse Two Transposed Letters TE: Fetch Special Ruler Lines TE: Delete Word to Left Editing Keys: Traversing a File EDIT, TR: Jump Cursor to Next Paragraph EDIT, TR: Jump n Lines EDIT, TR: Jump n Paragraphs Massive Deletions EDIT, DL: Delete from Cursor to Beginning of File EDIT, DL: Delete from Cursor to End of File EDIT, DL: Delete to End of Paragraph EDIT, DL: Delete to Beginning of Paragraph Rearranging Text: EDIT, RT: Mark Current Sentence as Block EDIT, RT: Mark Current Paragraph as Block EDIT, RT: Move Cursor to Keyword EDIT, RT: Move Block to Cursor, Swap EDIT, RT: Move Line to End of File EDIT, RT: Move Block to End of File EDIT, RT: Install Several Sorting Bins EDIT, RT: Move Block to Bin n Indexing a File: EDIT, DX: Copy Line to End of File EDIT, DX: Copy Word or Phrase to End of File EDIT, DX: Copy Block to Top of File Multiple File Editing: EDIT, OF: View Another File EDIT, OF: Add a Note to Another File Other Editing Aids: EDIT, BL: Tag Marked Block for Later Remarking EDIT, BL: Remark a Tagged Block Miscellaneous Keys: MISC: Remove Ghost Lines from Screen MISC: Print Marked Block MISC: Remove Carriage Returns NOT Followed by Linefeeds Formatting Keys: FRMT: Reform Current Paragraph FRMT: Underline a Single Word END OF EXPERIMENTAL LIST of WordStar Keys Msg#: 63 *WORDSTAR FORUM* 08/19/85 05:44:26 (Read 33 Times) From: ASSISTANT SYSKP To: WORDSTAR USERS Subj: CASCADING WORDSTAR COMMANDS Macros: Cascading WordStar Commands Many computer systems allow you to automate strings of WordStar commands by programming "special function keys." Then the touch of a single key will cascade several (or more) WordStar commands which add up to the performance of some desirable process which would be slow and cumbersome to do if you had to enter each command separately. The WordStar command buffer is constituted so that it will receive and store a number of commands faster than any human can type. Also, carefully pre-arranged strings of commands do away with the possibility of typographical error when keying in a complex set of functions. Human mistakes with complex WordStar commands can result in undesirable damage to an important file. The addition of pre-programmed special functions to the existing power of WordStar make it a very powerful text tool indeed. Although the number of potential ombinatory special functions is theoretically some kind of astronomical number, the individual user will probably come up with a small set of favorites that he knows well and uses often. I find it convenient to keep such tools in "sets" which are appropriate to given kinds of activities. You can have one set for use during high speed text entry, another set for editing existing text. I especially find useful a set I use for re-arranging mishmash text files. If your computer does not come with pre-packaged key programming facilities, quite possibly you can achieve the same effects by the use of a special program. Many of these keyboard enhancers are available today, for almost every kind of computer, every operating system. To mention a few: SmartKey I, SmartKey II, ProKey, ManyKey, QuikKey, SuperKey. Put one of those babies to work with WordStar and supercharge your text processing. Msg#: 65 *WORDSTAR FORUM* 08/19/85 05:46:37 (Read 29 Times) From: ASSISTANT SYSOP To: WORDSTAR USERS Subj: TEXT ENTRY TYPOS Reverse Two Transposed Letters: ^Kk^S^Kb^S^Kv^Kh This will reverse two letters entered in transposed fashion, a common typographical mistake. For example, if you type the sequence teh, you can use this key to correct it to "the." It may be useful during high speed text entry if this is one of your common mistakes. However, it is probably more trouble than it is worth since it requires that you position the cursor carefully just to the right of the two transposed letters. The quickest ways to correct errors detected during text entry: If you are still in the word where the error occurred, use your deleting backspace to erase back to where the error is and retype the error. If the error is several words back on the same line, use ^A to jump back to the beginning of the word which contains the error, then retype the whole word (unless it is a monster like Brzeniski or something) inserting it in front of the error, then use ^T to delete the word with the error. If you notice an error back further on your screen, let it go till you go through on your proof read. Especially if you are going to do a spell check anyway. Msg#: 66 *WORDSTAR FORUM* 08/19/85 05:47:35 (Read 29 Times) From: ASSISTANT SYSOP To: WORDSTAR USERS Subj: FETCH SPECIAL RULER LINES Fetch Special Ruler Lines ^Qs^Kb^KK^Qb^KrR This baby marks a tiny emptyblock, then reads in a file called R which is where you keep formatting stuff like special ruler lines. This is very useful to people who have to adjust their tabs and margin settings often, like script-writers and people who make up highly formatted tables and lists. Also useful if you edit directly on data base files which have to line up. Your collection of ruler lines comes in as a marked block. Place the cursor on the example ruler line of your choice and do ^Of to reset your margins and tabs. Then do ^Ky to erase the ruler lines out of your current file until you need 'em again. Thanks to John English on CompuServe for this one. Msg#: 67 *WORDSTAR FORUM* 08/19/85 05:48:24 (Read 32 Times) From: ASSISTANT SYSOP To: WORDSTAR USERS Subj: DELETE WORD LEFT Delete Word to Left ^A^T Another error corrector for use during text entry. Will "eat up" words to the left, as many times as you hit it. If you want to start over just a little way back, comes in handy. Msg#: 68 *WORDSTAR FORUM* 08/19/85 05:49:18 (Read 32 Times) From: ASSISTANT SYSOP To: WORDSTAR USERS Subj: JUMP BY PARAGRAPH Jump Cursor to Next Paragraph ^Qf^N^N This actually does a find of two cr/lf line endings in a row, so it jumps to the next paragraph only if your standard format is to include a blank line between paragraphs. As a matter of policy it is quite useful to standardize a format for your own "manuscript" files, to work in conjunction with a collection of special function keys. Postpone matters of formatting for printing until the last thing you do to a file. When doing text entry and conceptual editing, leave justification off, and hyphen help off -- those "features" will just slow you down. After you have used this key once to jump to the top of the next paragraph, you can just hit ^L to repeat and traverse your file paragraph by paragraph. Msg#: 69 *WORDSTAR FORUM* 08/19/85 05:52:02 (Read 32 Times) From: ASSISTANT SYSOP To: WORDSTAR USERS Subj: JUMP N LINES Jump n Lines ^Qf^N This is just the front stub of a FIND command that look for line endings. After hitting the key, you enter a number to tell WordStar how many lines to find, then hit the key again. For example, after hitting the defined function key enter 55 and you will jump 55 lines, the normal length of a WordStar page. To go to the 10th page enter 550. After one use, if you want to jump the same number of lines just use ^L. Msg#: 70 *WORDSTAR FORUM* 08/19/85 05:52:57 (Read 30 Times) From: ASSISTANT SYSOP To: WORDSTAR USERS Subj: JUMP N PARAGRAPHS Jump n Paragraphs ^Qf^N^N Similar to the previous two keys, this one jumps paragraphs if they are delimited by double carriage return/ line feed sequences. After hitting the defined key, enter the number and hit . Repeat by ^L. Msg#: 71 *WORDSTAR FORUM* 08/19/85 05:53:48 (Read 29 Times) From: ASSISTANT SYSOP To: WORDSTAR USERS Subj: DELETE TO TOP OF FILE Delete from Cursor to Beginning of File ^Kk^Qr^Kb^Ky Dangerous. Its use is pick out a small section of text or data for retention, from a larger file. For example, say you have captured a log of messages from TBBS and there is one in there you want to keep for future reference. You could use WordStar to browse down to the file until your cursor is at the top of the material you want to retain. Hit this key and everything above it in the file disappears. This key is so dangerous that I have taken it off my keyboard, preferring to type in the command sequence myself when I really want to do a massive delete. An accidental delete from the bottom of a valuable file could be trouble, when you haven't backed up the fresh work. Msg#: 72 *WORDSTAR FORUM* 08/19/85 05:54:38 (Read 30 Times) From: ASSISTANT SYSOP To: WORDSTAR USERS Subj: DELETE TO END OF FILE Delete from Cursor to End of File ^Kb^Qc^Kk^Ky This cleans out everything in a file below the material you want to retain. Another example of a useful application for massive deletion is oilerplating. You keep a monster file of all the paragraphs you might use in a business letter. Open a new file in which to write a current letter. Then read in the file which is your collection of boilerplates. Select the few paragraphs you want to use this time, move them to the top of the file, and delete the rest using this special function key. Like its sister which deletes everything to the top of the file, I find this too dangerous to have around. I use the command sequence a lot, but don't want to be able to do it with one key! Would rather just type the commands as fast as I can. Msg#: 73 *WORDSTAR FORUM* 08/19/85 05:55:25 (Read 31 Times) From: ASSISTANT SYSOP To: WORDSTAR USERS Subj: DELETE TO END OF PARAGRAPH Delete to End of Paragraph ^Kb^Qf^N^N^Kk^Ky This will get everthing from where the cursor is to the end of the paragraph, if you format your paragraphs with double as recommended. Note that it uses both block operations and find operations which are in separate incompatible parts of the WordStar overlay file, so your disk will be accessed a couple of times with this one. However, not bad with a RAM disk. Note also that where your cursor lands after a find operation differs slightly between versions of WordStar so you might have to tinker with this one to maintain separation of paragraphs. Probably more trouble than it's worth. I get the same effect just as fast with a sequence of ^Qy to lop off the current line, followed by repositioning the cursor down and hitting ^Y the required number of times. Msg#: 669 *WORDSTAR FORUM* 10/05/85 07:05:27 (Read 18 Times) From: PAUL ST. JOHN To: ASSISTANT SYSOP (Rcvd) Subj: REPLY TO MSG# 73 (DELETE TO END OF PARAGRAPH) I just use ^Kb^B^Kk^Ky. It does the same thing quite effectively. Paul St. John Msg#: 685 *WORDSTAR FORUM* 10/06/85 04:32:14 (Read 17 Times) From: ASSISTANT SYSOP To: PAUL ST. JOHN (Rcvd) Subj: REPLY TO MSG# 669 (DELETE TO END OF PARAGRAPH) Very neat! Msg#: 74 *WORDSTAR FORUM* 08/19/85 05:57:14 (Read 27 Times) From: ASSISTANT SYSOP To: WORDSTAR USERS Subj: DELETE TO BEGINNING OF PARAG Delete to Beginning of Paragraph ^Kb^Qf^N^NB^Kk^Ky Similar to the just preceding key, only the FIND operation searches with the B for backwards option to find the double 's which define a paragraph. Again, maybe not worth the trouble in most cases. Msg#: 75 *WORDSTAR FORUM* 08/19/85 05:58:04 (Read 31 Times) From: ASSISTANT SYSOP To: WORDSTAR USERS Subj: MOVE LINE TO END OF FILE Move Line to End of File ^Qs^Kb^X^Kk^Qr^Kv^Qv^Kh This jewel is the prototype for text re-arrangement. It marks the current cursor line as a block and moves the line to the bottom of the file, then comes back to where you are working. If your file is short enough to exist entirely in RAM, it is very quick indeed, and you can move several lines by hitting this key several times in quick succession. Since each line goes to the end of the file, it appears under the one which was previously moved. Since you return to the place you just came from, you are on the very next line. So hit this key five times in a row and you move a five line paragraph to the bottom of the file. About five or six lines seems to be the limit of WordStar's command buffer and you will be signaled that the buffer is full by a beep and the appearance of some !!!!! marks at the top of the screen. Not to worry. Just slow down a little and then you can move some more lines. Msg#: 136 *WORDSTAR FORUM* 08/24/85 06:07:16 (Read 33 Times) From: DAVID GIUNTI To: ASSISTANT SYSOP (Rcvd) Subj: REPLY TO MSG# 75 (MOVE LINE TO END OF FILE) Just a note: If you use QK.COM to implement the W* macros, you can program this sequence to the ^Y key so that QK gets the ^Y and moves the line to the end of the file and Word Star never finds out that a ^Y was entered ! This can save the day for heavy handed programmers... Because Wordstar will make a buffer for your commands and if you hold that ^Y down for just a little too long you'll end up eating more than one line. When you end your edit with a ^Qc to go to the end of your file,... (you should always end at the end in N mode because W* keeps a hi-bit-letter as a pointer to where you are editing, and you don't want that high bit in your code),... you can delete all the lines you want to remove form the bottom of the file (with Block mark and delete) and check to make sure you didn't get the line that actually pays the overtime, or whatever. and finish your edit. Dave Msg#: 151 *WORDSTAR FORUM* 08/24/85 18:29:53 (Read 33 Times) From: DICK EZZARD To: DAVID GIUNTI (Rcvd) Subj: REPLY TO MSG# 136 (MOVE LINE TO END OF FILE) Dave-- Like your idea about bullet-proofing WordStar line delete ^Y by having that key programmed to send line to bottom of file instead of into the ether. Like throwing stuff into a wastebasket, later you can make the irrevocable decision to actually put a match to it and burn it up. In the meantime it is retrievable in cas of mistake. There is another patch which makes it necessary to hit ^Y two times before a line delete is actually effective. That one involves patching the "Keystroke dispatch table" of WordStar. I used that for a while, then let it go because it was slowing me down a little. Now I am back to living dangerously. One touch of ^Y disappears a line forever. Msg#: 491 *WORDSTAR FORUM* 09/19/85 23:05:41 (Read 22 Times) From: ED GREENBERG To: DAVID GIUNTI (Rcvd) Subj: REPLY TO MSG# 136 (MOVE LINE TO END OF FILE) Dave, .I take issue with your comment about wordstar keeping a highbit letter in your file. Perhaps you're thinking of the bug in WS whereby an accidental ^B in an non document file will set highbits on that particular line. In any case, I wonder what sort of high bit problem you're referring to. In four years of WS-ing programs, I've never experienced anything like what you're referring to, unless I've accidentally hit ^B. . best, . -edg Msg#: 518 *WORDSTAR FORUM* 09/21/85 20:15:08 (Read 25 Times) From: DAVID GIUNTI To: ED GREENBERG (Rcvd) Subj: REPLY TO MSG# 491 (MOVE LINE TO END OF FILE) Hi Ed, Nice to hear from you again. This high bit in the middle of the file is, as I recall associated with doing a ^KS to save from somewhere in the middle of an edited N-side source. If ^QC is not issued to go to the end of such a file there is a high bit left (Perhaps ^QP reases it) at the end of the ^KS-saved block, and this will cause havoc with some compilers. This is empthirical, ans even noted in the JRT Pascal manual, in the section of source preperation and error detection. Dave Msg#: 526 *WORDSTAR FORUM* 09/22/85 13:56:11 (Read 26 Times) From: ED GREENBERG To: DAVID GIUNTI (Rcvd) Subj: REPLY TO MSG# 518 (MOVE LINE TO END OF FILE) I'll try that out and let you know what I find. I'm surprised. Never heard that one before, and it's NOT the way that WS is supposed to find it's way back to the ^QP point. . -edg Msg#: 548 *WORDSTAR FORUM* 09/25/85 00:00:47 (Read 24 Times) From: DAVID GIUNTI To: ED GREENBERG Subj: REPLY TO MSG# 526 (MOVE LINE TO END OF FILE) ED, I'm not 100% on the ^KS ^QP point, as I've done a ^QC before ^KD for a long time on EVERY source file I edit with W* and even do an B in VDO as a carry over, and since then I've never had a problem that could be traced back to highbits of unknown origin. Dave Msg#: 76 *WORDSTAR FORUM* 08/19/85 05:58:50 (Read 30 Times) From: ASSISTANT SYSOP To: WORDSTAR USERS Subj: MOVE BLOCK TO END OF FILE Move Block to End of File ^Qr^Kv^Qv^Kh Used after you manually mark a block, this will move that block to the end ofthe file. And bring you back to where you are working. Aids tremendously in the re-arrangement of text. For example, let's say you have a file which is a mishmash of notes on roughly the same subject, but in no particular order. Starting at the top of the file, mark blocks that you think belong in the middle of the file and use this key to send them to the end. When you get done with the first pass, go back to the top and go through again sending down stuff that you think belongs to the end of the file. You have just done a rough sort. The stuff that "belongs to the beginning" you never touched so it is in the front of the file. The middle stuff went down first but was bumped back up to the middle when you sent the end stuff down on the second pass. Now you can do the same kind of sort on just the beginning stuff. Pretty soon you will start to see some kind of sequence. Another use for this one is to use it as an alternate to deletion. As you edit a file throwing stuff to the bottom can be the equivalent of putting it in the wastebasket. It is not irretrievable until you definitely decide to put a match to it. Use this technique as the poor man's "UNDO" command. Msg#: 77 *WORDSTAR FORUM* 08/19/85 05:59:39 (Read 27 Times) From: ASSISTANT SYSOP To: WORDSTAR USERS Subj: MOVE BLOCK TO CURSOR Move Block to Cursor ^Kv^Qv Proceeding through a file you can mark and move blocks in sequence. After you mark he first block, you prowl around moving the cursor till you find where you want the block to light. Hit this key and the block comes to the cursor location, the cursor snaps back to where the block was and you are ready to mark your next block. You may not wish to tie up a special function key for a command sequence as simple as ^Kv^Qv which is easy to type. Msg#: 78 *WORDSTAR FORUM* 08/19/85 06:00:24 (Read 29 Times) From: ASSISTANT SYSOP To: WORDSTAR USERS Subj: MARK PARA AS BLOCK Mark Current Paragraph as Block ^Qf^N^NB^X^X^Qf^N^N^Kk The lazy man's block marker. Provided your paragraphs are configured separated with double carriage returns as recommended, place the cursor anywhere in a paragraph and hit this key. The paragraph will be blocked for you, ready to move. Some cautions: Won't work unless the paragraph is preceded and followed by double , which is usually not the case for the first and last paragraphs in a file. And may not be the case at all if you don't format your manuscript files the same as I do. Then re-design of this key may be necessary. Also, this key works with WordStar version 2.26. The positioning of the cursor after a find operation differs slightly for some other vrsions of WordStar so some tinkering will be required. I don't use this one anymore because I am proficient enough at block marking to make better time just zinging the cursor up and down to mark blocks. Msg#: 79 *WORDSTAR FORUM* 08/19/85 06:01:20 (Read 29 Times) From: ASSISTANT SYSOP To: WORDSTAR USERS Subj: SETTING UP SORTING BINS Install Several Sorting Bins ^K1 ^K2 ^K3 ^K4 ^K5 All this key does is post a sequence of WordStar's place markers. This is preparatory to using the markers as targets for text block movements. Note that there is a space between each of the place markers. Msg#: 80 *WORDSTAR FORUM* 08/19/85 06:02:06 (Read 30 Times) From: ASSISTANT SYSOP To: WORDSTAR USERS Subj: MOVE BLOCK TO A BIN Move Block to Bin n ^Q1^Kv^Qv^Kh ^Q2^Kv^Qv^Kh This set of keysmoves marked blocks to pre-designated place markers. I have these key definitions installed on some of my number keys. When I want to move text to more locations than just the top or bottom of the file, I set up place markers, then move through the file marking blocks as I go. After a block is marked (by the lazy man's block marker key if you like) just hit the appropriate dispatcher key and the block will be moved to the corresponding place marker and the cursor will snap back to where you are working. Msg#: 81 *WORDSTAR FORUM* 08/19/85 06:02:58 (Read 30 Times) From: ASSISTANT SYSOP To: WORDSTAR USERS Subj: MARK SENTENCE AS BLOCK Mark Current Sentence as Block ^Qf B^D^D^Kb^Qf ^Kk Note that there are two spaces after each ^Qf. This key is dependent on the user being consistent in ending each sentence with two space characters. Does not work on the first sentence in a paragraph. Probably more of a stunt than anything useful. Msg#: 82 *WORDSTAR FORUM* 08/19/85 06:03:40 (Read 29 Times) From: ASSISTANT SYSOP To: WORDSTAR USERS Subj: COPY LINE TO END OF FILE Copy Line to End of File ^Qs^Kb^X^Kk^Qr^Kc^Qv^Kh This very useful key is sister to the key which moves lines to the end of file. This one sends a copy of the current cursor line to the end of the file and leaves you ready to continue prowling the file. Why copy lines to the bottom of the file? It is an easy way to make a table of contents for a text file. Every so often I signpost my manuscript files with headlines (usually use WordStar's double dot comment line format). After a file is more or less complete I start at the top and place the cursor on each heading line, hit this key and send a copy to the bottom of the file. After browsing through the entire file I find a collection of the headings at the bottom. When they are moved to the top they become a table of contents for the file and help me to jump down to a specific location by use of the ^Qf find operation, by showing me what I'm looking for. Msg#: 83 *WORDSTAR FORUM* 08/19/85 06:04:25 (Read 28 Times) From: ASSISTANT SYSOP To: WORDSTAR USERS Subj: COPY BLOCK TO TOP OF FILE Copy Block to Top of File ^Qr^Kv^Qv After markig a block, this key will send it to the top of the file. Often used to move a collection of redundant headings to the top of the file to serve as a table of contents for the file. Msg#: 140 *WORDSTAR FORUM* 08/24/85 16:04:25 (Read 25 Times) From: DICK EZZARD To: WORDSTAR USERS Subj: VIEW ANOTHER FILE View Another File ^Kb^Kk^Qb^KrO This key pulls down a shade (cf. window, see article, Shades of WordStar on KAY*FOG RBBS #1) into a pre-marked block. The shade it pulls down is a file called, by convention, O. I always keep my outline for my current project in a file called O so when I use this key I get to glance at my outline. It appears in the text file in which I am working and is distinguished from the current text by being pre-marked as a block. When I am done looking at the outline, I hit ^Ky and the outline goes away until I want to glance at it again. Msg#: 141 *WORDSTAR FORUM* 08/24/85 16:05:11 (Read 23 Times) From: DICK EZZARD To: WORDSTAR USERS Subj: WRITE TO NOTES FILE Add a Note to Another File ^Qb^KrN^KwNY^Ky This allows writing to the tag end of a file different than the one you are working in. By convention the other file is called N. If I am working away and think of something not pertinent to my current project, or if I get a phone call and want to remember something about it, I make a note right in the file I am working in. Mark the note, whatever it is, as a block and then hit this key. The file N will be read into the block at the top, and the file N will be written out again, as an entire block therefore encompassing the new note. It happens so fast you won't see file N come in, just the blocked note will disappear. But when you later look at File N, all notes will be in there in the order you sent them out. There must be a file N in existence before you use this key the first time, even if that file consists of only one . You need not send just "odd notes" to that N file. I often use this key in culling operations, to run through a copy of a mishmash file and extract the paragraphs which pertain to a particular topic. After extracting all material on one topic, you can rename N, start a new N, and go through the mishmash to cull out notes on a second topic. This key is also covered in the Shades of WordStar article. Msg#: 142 *WORDSTAR FORUM* 08/24/85 16:06:03 (Read 22 Times) From: DICK EZZARD To: WORDSTAR USERS Subj: TAG MARKED BLOCK Tag Marked Block for Later Remarking ^Qb^K0^Qk^K9^Kh This key gets around the fact that WordStar only permits one "active" marked block at a time. Sometimes you will want WordStar to be able to "remember" the current marked block while you do something with another block. This often arises for me when I read in an outline as a marked block, then want to move some text around to conform to the outline, but know I will want to erase the outline again in a little while. Hit this key and the block markings are removed, but the "old block" is tagged with place marker 0 at the beginning of the block, place marker 9 at the end. I select these place markers because I often use the lower place markers, 1, 2, 3, 4, as targets for block moves when re-arranging text. Thanks to Ed Greenberg of MicroPro for this "chipping off the old block" capability. Msg#: 143 *WORDSTAR FORUM* 08/24/85 16:07:03 (Read 23 Times) From: DICK EZZARD To: WORDSTAR USERS Subj: REMARK TAGGED BLOCK Remark a Tagged Block ^Q0^Kb^K0^Q9^Kk^K9 This key is the sister to the previous one, remarks the previously marked old block, after you are done with block operations elsewhere in the file. If the old block was an outline or notes which have now served their purpose, they are now ready for a ^Ky delete. Thanks, Ed. Msg#: 144 *WORDSTAR FORUM* 08/24/85 16:07:43 (Read 25 Times) From: DICK EZZARD To: WORDSTAR USERS Subj: GHOSTBUSTER Remove Ghost Lines from Screen ^K0^Qe^Qs^Kb^Qx^Qd^Kk^Q0^K0 This key marks the entire screen as a block, moving the cursor to the top left, then to the bottom right, but remembering where it was in the beginning and going back there after marking the block. Once in a while when WordStar is being run fast, its screen display buffer will get caught with a duplicate line in it. These extra characters are _not_ in the file, they are just in the stuff that WordStar is showing on the screen, and will disappear if the area they are in is marked as a block -- an operation which modifies the contents of the screen buffer (on most systems). Thanks to Martin Nicolaus of East Bay Fog for this "Ghostbuster." Msg#: 145 *WORDSTAR FORUM* 08/24/85 16:08:31 (Read 23 Times) From: DICK EZZARD To: WORDSTAR USERS Subj: PRINT MARKED BLOCK Print Marked Block ^KwPY^KpP^X This will send a marked block to the file called P and then print the file called P. Unless you have included formatting dot commands in the block, the block will print as a page in WordStar's default format. Note that if you use this one in conjunction with the previous full screen block marking, you get what een dump to the printer at the touch of two keys, while in WordStar. Msg#: 146 *WORDSTAR FORUM* 08/24/85 16:09:15 (Read 23 Times) From: DICK EZZARD To: WORDSTAR USERS Subj: REMOVE LONE CR'S Remove Carriage Returns NOT Followed by Linefeeds ^Qa^P^M^P^O^P^JGN This is an example of the highly specialized filtering which can be accomplished from within WordStar. This was the answer to a guy who had to process some files which had been downloaded from a remote in a format which did not include linefeeds on (some? many?) lines. By knocking off the odd carriage returns he was ready to re-form the files in a more standard manner. Believe this came from Mojo Jones of MicroPro. Msg#: 147 *WORDSTAR FORUM* 08/24/85 16:09:57 (Read 26 Times) From: DICK EZZARD To: WORDSTAR USERS Subj: REFORM CURRENT PARAGRAPH Reform Current Paragraph ^Qf^N^NB^X^X^B This will re-form the paragraph you are working in. Often when editing text you will add new words, delete something so that the lines have changed in length and the paragraph needs reformation. This key will do it. Presupposes you follow the convention to separate paragraphs with _two_ CR/LF sequences (blank line between paragraphs). This one is for WordStar version 2.26. Some versions of WordStar may put the cursor in a different location after a backwards Find operation looking for two CR/LF. If so, the number of ^X's in the key definition may vary. Msg#: 148 *WORDSTAR FORUM* 08/24/85 16:10:42 (Read 23 Times) From: DICK EZZARD To: WORDSTAR USERS Subj: UNDERLINE A WORD Underline a Single Word ^A^P^S^F^P^S Thanks to Ted Silveira for this formatting key. This one will put the printer control codes ^S for underscore at the beginning and end of a word just typed. A variation might be to put the underscore or boldface or alternate type size controls at the beginning and end of a marked block -- left as an exercise for the reader. Concerning formatting, this is often best left to be the final task before a file is output for printing. Such matters as justification, hyphen-help and underscoring, boldfacing, just slow you down during the "manuscript" drafting phases of word processing. My standard manuscript files are configured to be easy to work with, standardized so I can use certain special function keys I find useful (especially block marking and moving to place marker targets), and jam as much context as possible onto the limited screen window. It is only later that I bother to make a copy of file which is then gussied up for display with printer control gadgets like underlining and boldfacing, centering, justification, etc. -={ RETRIEVING DELETED TEXT IN WORDSTAR }=- by Laurie J. Braaten Anyone who has worked with WordStar for any length of time has probably had the misfortune of deleting the wrong line or block of text. By some fancy manuevering, you might be able to recover the text from your backup file. If you have a photographic memory, you may be able to retype it in no time. But if these do not work, you should be set for a frustating time trying to reconstruct your lost data. Now you can avoid this problem altogether by adding a "Yankback" feature to WordStar. This can be done quite simply with a series of command strings ("macros") which I call "WS Yankback," set up in a key definition program. (The more popular commercial key definition programs such as Smartkey, Xtrakey and the Backgrounder have been reviewed by Glenn Grant in the December 1985 issue of PROFILES. KSSTROKES 4.0, QWIKEY21, & GKEY2 are public domain programs which give good, but more limited results.) HOW TO SET UP WS YANKBACK FIRST, set up four macros which will now be used to delete text in place of their WordStar counterparts. The first will delete a line. The second will delete a block of text. The third deletes text left of the cursor; the fourth deletes text right of the cursor. All macros should be entered as continuous text without spaces. The ^ symbol is the control key, held down while you type the key which follows it; is a carriage return (or ^M). MACRO #1: ^QS^KB^X^S^KK^KWA:YANKEEY^KY MACRO #2: ^KWA:YANKEEY^KY MACRO #3: ^KK^QS^KB^KWA:YANKEEY^KY MACRO #4: ^KB^X^QS^S^KK^KWA:YANKEEY^KY SECOND, enter the yankback command: MACRO #5: ^KRA:YANKEE THIRD, on your WordStar disk, open a file named "YANKEE." This is where your deleted text will be stored. This file will be overwritten every time you delete text, so it does not matter what you type in it--a single character will do. But make sure that you have adequate disk space for any text you may want to delete (2K-6K should be plenty for most operations). Now, when you want to delete a line, use macro #1. It works just like ^Y: place the cursor anywhere on a line and use it to delete the entire line. If you want to yank back the deleted line, execute macro #5. When deleting a block of text, use macro #2 in the same way you would use ^KY. Mark the beginning and end of the block with ^KB and ^KK respectively, and execute macro #2 to delete the marked block. If the block needs to be recovered, macro #5 will yank it back. Numbers 3 and 4 work like ^Q and ^QY--only now the deleted text can be retrieved with the yankback command. (Macro #1 leaves a blank line where the text has been removed. If this is undesirable simple omit the ^S after the ^X.) Before using WS Yankback, be sure to test it thoroughly. If there are errors in the way the macros were entered you could lose more text than you planned to delete, and not be able to recover it. Use a practice file and check all of the commands. If they do not work, carefully recheck the macros to make sure they have been entered correctly. N.B. The yankback command WILL NOT WORK if you use ^Y, ^KY, ^Q or ^QY to delete text. The four macros given above must be used instead of these WordStar commands for the yankback to recover the deleted text. HOW WS YANKBACK WORKS WS Yankback simply writes the deleted text onto the file named YANKEE, and then deletes it from the working text. When the yankback is used, the text is read back into your file at the present position of the cursor. This operation takes some time, which is its major drawback. When deleting blocks of text, however, it may be worth the extra time to have the assurance that the data can be recovered. Since WS Yankback always writes the deleted line on the text YANKEE, the recovery operation will ONLY WORK FOR THE LAST DELETION--you cannot retrieve any materials deleted before the last text was deleted. WHAT ABOUT ^Y ? If you decide to use the first macro in place of ^Y, you may find that you still have problems with ^Y. You may accidentally hit ^Y when you want a ^T, or you may attempt to type an upper case "Y" (which, believe or not, I use quite often) and hit the control key instead of the shift key. I have solved this problem by following Ted Silveira's advice in PROFILES, July/August 1985, p. 44. Using DDT (etc.) or Winstall's custom patch "+" (which does not appear on the options menu), you may change address 054D (0535 in WordStar 3.0) to read "19 19" (hex) instead of "19 00." The result is that it now takes TWO ^Ys (or ^YY) to delete a line, minimizing the possibilities for an accident. Now when a ^Y is hit by mistake, the space bar will get you out of the partially executed command. If you find yourself rapidly typing two or more ^Ts without looking at either the keyboard or the results onscreen, you may want to try Melvyn Halbert's solution, found on the Tampa Bay KUG board (813-791-1454). He suggests changing the "19" at the appropriate address to "1C" (hex), which will reassign the delete line function to ^\ instead of ^Y. nging the "19" at the appropr