by Kendall Callas
As more and more features, linkages, and efficiencies get packed into new versions of
WordPerfect, you should think about upgrading. WordPerfect 5.1 users, pay attention!
WordPerfect for DOS version 6.2 has been released, offering Templates (automatic fill-in-the-blank forms), Address Book (Rolodex function), and QuickCorrect (word and symbol correction/substitution/abbreviation as you type) to the DOS world.
WordPerfect 7.0 for Windows 95 has been out for some time to rave reviews; Windows 3.1 users can stop salivating and upgrade to 7.0 this summer -- probably by the time you read this.
WordPerfect 8 for Windows 95 is in beta testing, due for release this summer (they say June, but you know how that goes).
Corel has announced an interesting upgrade strategy: from now on, new versions of WordPerfect will be released yearly.
Bells and whistles are one thing, but the style of the program and basic features have improved as well. Here are three basic improvements I offer as reasons WordPerfect for DOS 5.1 users should upgrade. These are available in all versions of WordPerfect for Windows, and all WordPerfect for DOS versions since 6.0.
Ctrl+letter keys can be used for cut+paste and also bold/italics/underline.
The new keystrokes for cut+paste are:
Copy = Ctrl+C
Cut = Ctrl+X -- Think of the X as scissors
blades.
Paste = Ctrl+V -- Think of the V as an editor's
arrow or "insert here" mark.
These keys are useful in moving text within a document and between documents. Windows users can also move text between programs.
The new keystrokes for emphasis (on/off) are:
Bold = Ctrl+B
Italics = Ctrl+I
Underline = Ctrl+U
These are standard keystrokes that also work in all Windows programs that allow these features.
Oops! We all make mistakes. Now you can easily reverse them with a simple keystroke, Ctrl+Z.
Unlike the Undelete feature, which is limited to replacing your last 3 deletions, Undo lets you reverse anything (typing, deleting, sorting, cut+paste, changes to settings, etc.). DOS users can only reverse their last change, but Windows users can reverse the last ten changes. (Ten is the default, you may set WordPerfect for Windows to save up to 300 changes!)
Undo changes are saved invisibly in the document -- so you can even undo changes made last week! Ctrl+Z is also a standard keystroke available in all Windows programs.
Location markers may be set in your text to make it easy to return to a particular spot. Bookmarks are saved with the document, and you may have as many as you wish. Naming is flexible, for example: "1", "2", "3", "Chapter 2", "Check this cite", "Elaborate here", "Pending confirmation", etc.
One bookmark, named the QuickMark, can be set to automatically mark the cursor location when the document is saved. This makes it easy to retrieve a document and resume where you left off.
Macro programmers like bookmarks because a macro doesn't need to know in which direction to search, the BookMarkFind macro command hops directly to it whether it's up or down. Also, bookmarks may be paired to bracket text, which is then easy to copy or delete.
These 3 features alone are worth upgrading from WP 5.1, but of course there's much
more that
you will find valuable.
Copyright (C) 1997 by microCounsel, (415) 921-6850. All rights reserved.
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