PENN PRINTOUT
The University of Pennsylvania's Online Computing Magazine

PENN PRINTOUT November 1993 - Volume 10:3

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Editing by eye: WordPerfect 6.0 for DOS

By Sheila Emerson

WordPerfect for DOS is already the best-selling word processing package for DOS-based computers, and the feature-packed new version, 6.0, will assure its place as a market leader. The most dramatic change in version 6.0 is the addition of a graphical user interface (GUI), which allows text attributes and graphics to be displayed on screen. Version 6.0 is targeted at users who do not want the overhead of switching to Windows but want to take advantage of a GUI. Although WordPerfect users who upgrade to 6.0 may need time to get adjusted to the GUI and to slightly different keyboard mapping, the wealth of features will make learning the package worth the effort. Many of the features in the previous version, 5.1, have been improved to make them easier to use. And both the 5.1 and 6.0 versions have the same file format, so files can be moved back and forth between versions transparently.


Modes of operation

Users can easily toggle between three editing modes: text, page, and graphics. Text mode provides the familiar WordPerfect document screen. Text attributes such as italics and underlining are not displayed, and blank "boxes" serve as placeholders for images or text that is set off from the rest of the document, such as a caption or pull quote. Page mode, like Print Preview in other versions of WordPerfect, displays an entire page of a document, including headers, footers, footnotes, endnotes, and page numbers. Graphics mode displays text attributes and graphics on screen. Although it is convenient to see these, graphics mode also slows the program down considerably. You may therefore prefer to use text mode to create documents and only do final editing in graphics or page mode.


Editing tools

Available in each editing mode are several tools for easy editing of text and graphics. Customizable menus display a list of options at the top of the screen from which you can select a function or command. Scroll bars on the right side and bottom of the screen let you quickly move vertically and horizontally through a document. Customizable button bars along the top of the screen provide graphical representations (icons) of frequently used options or commands; selecting an icon activates that option or executes the command. If the computer is equipped with a mouse, the ribbon, a special tool for quickly formatting text, can also be displayed.

With the exception of the ribbon, all these tools are accessible by either mouse or the familiar function key combinations. Within each mode you can select which tools you want displayed. Although these tools may seem confusing to the uninitiated, with practice you can quickly develop some facility and speed up document preparation.


New and improved features

  • WordPerfect's graphics capabilities are a strong contender for most improved feature. Not only can you easily move, size, and change the orientation of a graphic, but you can flow text around a graphic and rotate captions 90, 180, or 270 degrees around an image. You can also superimpose text over background images, called watermarks, in a few easy steps--a boon for those responsible for laying out publications such as newsletters, brochures, and flyers.

  • Coaches are innovative interactive tutorials. Unlike traditional online help that only provides descriptions and examples of a particular function, coaches let you perform the function while you are taking the tutorial.

  • The Merge feature has been significantly improved and simplified. From a single screen you can easily indicate the form file (previously called the primary file), the data file (previously called the secondary file), the destination for the merged document, and the merge conditions.

  • Addresses from merged documents and from individual letters can be automatically added to envelopes. From a single screen you can choose the desired envelope size and create a Postnet Bar Code (used to help speed mail processing at the U.S. Post Office).

  • The drag and drop feature allows you to quickly reposition a text block or graphic to another location. You can use the mouse to click on a graphic or block of text and then move or drag it to another location in the document. The existing text will automatically reformat around the repositioned text or graphic.

  • Grammatik, one of the best-selling grammar-checking programs available, is included. Although no substitute for a skilled editor, it can perform useful grammar, usage, and punctuation checks based on each of ten writing styles.

  • If you have the appropriate hardware and software, you can include sound clips in a document, send and receive faxes, and transmit electronic mail messages from within the WordPerfect program.


Printing

WordPerfect for DOS includes several useful printing enhancements. A new booklet feature automatically formats documents to be printed as booklets and arranges pages in the proper order. Documents can be printed in reverse order, a time-saving feature for long documents. And both landscape (horizontal) and portrait (vertical) layouts can now be included on the same page. You can also print documents in color on non-Postscript printers.


Should you get it?

Because WordPerfect for DOS is so rich in features, the more powerful your computer, the faster the program will operate. While you can work comfortably using a 386-based computer, for better performance the Computing Resource Center recommends these minimums: a 486sx/25 MHz processor, 4 Mbytes of RAM, DOS 5.0, 16 Mbytes of free hard disk space, and a VGA graphics adaptor and monitor. WordPerfect 6.0 for DOS is a worthwhile investment, especially for users who work extensively with graphics and heavily formatted documents. Stop by the CRC for a test run.

SHEILA EMERSON is a Consultant for the Computing Resource Center.