appelbau@topaz.UUCP (02/14/87)
This review appeared in the Feb. 1987 issue of the Micro's of Monmouth Atari Computer Group Newsletter and may be reprinted provided MOM and the author get credit. AtariWriter Plus Atari Corp. P.O. Box 61657 Sunnyvale, Ca. 94088 List Price: $49.95 Min. 48k RAM Reviewed by Marc L. Appelbaum AtariWriter Plus (AW+) is an upgrade to the original AtariWriter (AW) word processor. AW+ can be used with any 8-bit Atari with at least 48k. If you have an Atari 130xe you can take advantage of the extra memory by using three banks of 15k (15,872 bytes.). To load AW+ insert the disk, making sure that the right side is up, (side A-48k, version, side-b 128k version.) After it loads you will see the familiar AW menu with a few new options. The first new option is the ability to get a directory of drive 2. The second addition is Verify Spelling, the third is Global format, and finally Mail merge. Lets look at the menu: C-create file, create's a file E-Edit a file, edit an existing file V-verify spelling, discussed later P-print file, discussed later G-global format, discussed later 1-index drive 1, gives a directory of drive 1 2-index drive 2, gives a directory of drive 2 L-load file, loads a file into memory S-save file, saves a file to disk D-deletes a disk file F-format disk, formats a disk The verify spelling option loads the Proofreader into memory. Then displays the Proofreader menu. The menu has a number of options on it. I will only look at a few. The correct errors option will proofread the file and stop when it finds an error at which point you'll be able to change the word, perform a dictionary search, or continue. Highlight errors, will proofread the file and highlight the errors in inverse video. Print errors will print out a list of errors. Dictionary search will search the Proofreaders dictionary for a specific word. Add personal dictionary is what I consider to be the most powerful function of Proofreader. It allows you to add a dictionary file that you've created to the programs dictionary. When the program proofread's your file the words in you dictionary will be included in the search. To create your dictionary file just create a file, the same way you normally would and type in the words you want toy files as you. I have two, one for work, and one for personal use. The one for work includes words such as:Rutgers, CCIS, Microlab, consultant, RAM, ROM, CPU, DEC, UNIX, etc.. The one for my personal use includes the names of my entire family, street names, town names, etc. Figure 1 is part of my dictionary file for work. The file personal dictionary option will save any new words to a file. By new words AW+ means words that are not in its dictionary. Return to AW+ just returns you to the main program. The print file option from the main menu will bring up another menu which will ask you want printer you have. It lists all the ATARI printers, if you type "H" for other printers it brings up another menu, this one list drivers for various other printers. If yours in not you can type "O" for other, and AW+ will ask you for the of the printer driver file. Once you select a printer type it remains in memory until you turn the computer off. You can also print to others devices instead of the printer. You can print to disk(i.e. print to d:file.prt.), cassette, or to the RS232 port. Global format allows you to change the format commands. It is equivalent to the first line of a AW file. You may or course insert formatting commands within your file. Building your own Printer driver To create your own printer driver boot AW+ with BASIC inserted and HOLD down the SELECT key until the Custom Printer Driver screen comes up. You'll then be prompted to enter the control codes for various functions. These codes can be found in the back of most printer manuals. When you're done creating you driver you'll be asked for a file name. Do NOT enter a file name with an extension. AW+ adds its own extension PDF (Printer Driver File.) The editor The editor is very similar to AW, with a few new options. In AW+ you can choose between insert and type-over mode by hitting <control>-insert. Insert mode is the default mode. As you type the text moves over to the right. In type-over mode you type-over existing text. AW+ also has the option to change the number of columns displayed on the screen. The default is 38. I use 80 columns if I know that I'm going to upload the file to a mainframe. This way I center things on the screen without having to worry about deleting control characters later. However the screen can't display all 80 at once, so it scrolls to the right. Supposedly the when the new XEP-80 comes out you will be able to see al 80 columns with a new version of AW+. An added feature which I like a lot is the ability to save a block of text to disk. Another new feature is the REVERSE search. This does exactly what is says. It performs a search starting from the cursor to the beginning of the file. AW+ allows to alphabetize a block of text. This comes in handy if you want to have a print out of your dictionary file. To alphabetize a block you simply press OPTION-B to mark the beginning of the block, highlight the block with the cursor, then press OPTION-A and AW+ will do the rest. AW+ also has the ability to save a file in ASCII format. You do this by typing <control>-s at the main menu. You would use the feature if you're going to upload the file to another computer, or you're going to use the file with an other editor. The Mail Merge The mail merge option loads another program called Mail Merge. It's actually a mini-database. I have no need to use this function at all, because I use Synfile+ as my database. Both Mail Merge and Synfile+ share data with AW+ in the same way, as they did with AW. Overall I've no major problems with AW+. If you've worked with AtariWriter before, then AW+ will be extremely easy to use. D:WORK.DIC Figure - 1 -- Marc L. Appelbaum "Insanity is just a state of mind" Arpa: marc@aim.rutgers.edu Uucp:rutgers!ru-blue!appelbaum