Word Processing

Word Processing

 
Word processing enables user to prepare documents. The text can be stored for later manipulation in variety of ways. The packages available for word processing are WordStar. Word perfect, Soft word etc in DOS based Applications and WORDPAD, MSWORD etc in WINDOWS based applications. These packages are user friendly and menu driven.

Menus are displayed to remind you of options that are available. Help messages are used to provide information about how to use the commands.

Major Features of Word Processing:

The computer automatically starts a fresh line when the current line is filled up. One need not press “Carriage Return” except for the change of paragraph.

Cursor Control:

Cursor control commands are used to move the cursor at the desired location in the documents. It can be moved through a character, a word, a line, a paragraph or pages quickly and with a minimum of keystrokes. One can jump to top or buttom of a screen, or top or bottom of the document quickly.

Tabs:

Tab operates in WP systems much like tabs on a typewriter.

Editing:

WP allows editing of text through full screen editor. Following are some of the features provided for editing the text.

Insert:

Characters, word, sentences can be inserted anywhere in the document.

Delete:
 
The required length of text can be deleted from the document.

Recovery of Deleted Text:

If some text is deleted accidentally, it can be recovered.

Find and Replace:

A specific text string can be searched in the document and can be replaced with another text you specify.

Block Manipulation:

A block of required text can be marked for further operations. In DOS based applications, a block can be marked by drinking the curser to the position where one wants to start the block and give command for starting the block either through menu or by using a particular key combination. Then bring the cursor to the position where you want to end the block and again give the command through menu or a specific key combination. In windows based applications, for marking a block bring the mouse pointer to the position where you want to start the block, click the mouse and drag through the text to the position where you want end the block, at this position leave the mouse switch. The area marked is highlighted by a different colour, usually black in windows based applications.

Once the block is marked, various operations like deleting the block, moving the block to another position, copying the blocked text or giving some special effects like making the text bold or italic , cantering the text etc. can be carried out.

Move and Copy:

A block is marked and the cursor is placed where you want the block to be oved or copied. The difference between “Move” and “Copy” is that the first causes the source block to be deleted while the second makes a copy leaving the sources as it is. You can change the order of sentence / paragraphs using this facility.

Text Formatting:

Some of the features of text formatting are briefed below.

Margin Setting:

The margin can be set for top, bottom, left and right.

Paragraph:

A paragraph can have altogether different specifications compared to previous text. You can also indent for a hanging paragraph.

Line Spacing:

You can specify the amount of space between lines.

Foot Notes:

Footnotes can be generated at the bottom of a page whenever required.

Table of Contents:

The table of contents which shows specific topics and its page number can be generated using this facility.

Index Generator:

An index, generally we see at the end of a book, can be generated using this facility.

Justification:

An option is provided whether a document should be only right justified, or left justified or both sides justified margins.

Centering Text:

Text in a line can be centered.

Multiple Columns:

Using WP you can create single or multiple print style columns.

Pagination Controls:

One can specify, lines per page, controls and positioning of page headers/ footers Automatic page numbering.

Special Facilities:

Like underlining, boldface type, superscripts and subscripts are available in the WP packages.

Spell Checker: 

WP packages have facility of checking spelling of words in the text and point out errors. It also suggest correct alternatives for a specific word to choose from.

File Management:

Most of the WP packages provide with the file management facilities like copying a file, deleting a file, reaming a file, Backup a file and changing of directory/ drive.

Printing:

A document can be printed through the package. You have facilities like, pausing after each page or continuous printing, letter quality, fonts selection, page numbering while printing and specifying number of copies. The print option is enlisted in the File Menu.

Graphics:

It is possible to create graphic Images that can be embedded in the text and printed at the same time as the text. Facility for incorporating some special graphic characters is also provided in WP packages.

Document Non-Document File:

Document file is one which is generally used for correspondence, documentation, reports etc. where as a no document file is used for storage of experimented data, source code of computer program etc. The major differences between the two are enlisted in the table below:

Corners of a Rectangle:

Circle (x,y),r – Draws circle with center (x,y) and radius r.

Example:

Program to generate an expanding circle on the screen.

10 CLS
20 SCREEN 1: COLOR 0,1
30 LINE (39,0) – (279,199) , 3,B
40 CLR =1
50 FOR R= 5 TO 120 STEP 5
60 CIRCLE (160,100) , R, CLR
70 NEXT R
80 CLR =CLR + 1 :IF CLR > 3 THEN CLR =1
90 GOTO 50
100 END

The statement 10 clears the screen and the next statement specifies medium resolution graphics with a Black background and colour palette number1. Line 30 generates a while square around the outer edges of the screen. A colour for the first group of circles is then specified in line 40.

A loop begins in line 50, and continues through line 90. These generaters a group of concentric circles, with centre (160,100) and colour specified by the parameter CLR which is changing through 1 to 3.

Thus, a variety of graphic pictures can be generated using the specific commands in BASIC and writing a program.

Hardware Graphics:

HG is a menu driven graphic package which can be used to draw graphs and charts. It is possible to draw line graphs, bar charts, pie charts, graphic text with the help of this package. It facilitates different colours in graphs; it is possible to write legends, titles, to the graph, drawing annotations, freehand drawing on the graph, putting multiple graphs on a single sheet. It is also possible to develop a slide show using H.G.