DOS to Windows Migration Tips

by Kendall Callas

As the millennia whip by, more and more WordPerfect for DOS users migrate to WordPerfect for Windows. Here are a few tips to make WordPerfect for Windows a little more familiar to old and new users.

Familiar function keys.

Several function keys work the same in WordPerfect for DOS and Windows:

Move page by page.

The PgUp and PgDn keys move the cursor screen-by-screen. But sometimes it's handy to scan a document by skipping from page top to page top. To move the cursor page-by-page, simply add the ALT key:

F8 "Block" key.

WordPerfect for Windows offers a new easy way to select (highlight) text: simply hold down the Shift key as you use movement keystrokes to expand the shading. But if you liked the way the old DOS "Block" key worked, meet the F8 "Select" key. It works exactly the same is the old familiar block key for highlighting text: tap F8, then use movement keys to expand the shading. It even includes the handy one-key search function tap F8, then press a key to stretch the highlighting to find that keystroke in your text.

GOTO to get back.

If you've migrated from WordPerfect for DOS, you may mistakenly press Ctrl+End (the DOS keystroke to chop the line) and be a bit surprised to find the cursor has jumped to the bottom of the document. To jump right back, use Goto (Ctrl+G), and select Last Position. (In WP9, select "Edit Position", then click Previous.) In Using the keyboard in WP 6.1/7/8, this is efficiently done with Ctrl+G, Alt+P, Enter. The Goto screen offers several convenient movements (top of page, next table, bottom of column, etc.) in all versions of WordPerfect for Windows. Another way to pop up the Goto screen is by clicking the cursor position information [Pg 1 Ln 1" Pos 1"] in the bar at the bottom of the screen. (Double click in WP 6.1/7, single click in WP 8/9.)

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