DSDC-SDT2@GUNTER-ADAM.ARPA (Walt Livingston) (02/25/85)
Since this is the year of the wordstar questions, I'll submit mine too. I have a text to format that has 3 columns. I want to submit text, independent of line constraints, into these 3 columns (each column is about 25 char wide), and still retain ^B (reform) functionality. Is there a way to do this ?? Here is a sample of what I need. This is column one and stops ' This is the second column and ' third column at the "'". I need to fill ' starts to the left, and is ' always short this column more than column ' independent of column 1 ' two and need the format (^B) ' in most cases ' for justification purposes. ' ' As you can see, I need total column independence. I have tried this and when I use the ^B command, it treats the entire text as line oriented. Any hints ?? Many thanks in advance. Walt -------
hes@ecsvax.UUCP (Henry Schaffer) (02/26/85)
Re: Right justification within several columns. I think I would keep the columns singly (one beneath the other) down the page, and then use column move to place them side by side when it was time to print them. --henry schaffer nc state univ
augenbra%udel-eecis3.delaware@UDEL-LOUIE.ARPA (02/27/85)
Um, Walt, I don't quite know how to break this to you, but it can't be done.
There are a couple of ways around the problem, though. For all my document
work, I use an old RUNOFF style text processor, and only use WordStar as a
editor. This is not optimal, but does offer proportional type, dual and triple
column work, etc. I use MAGICBIND from "Computer Editype Systems, Inc.". The
output from the package is beautiful, but the syntax is painful. It is
reasonably WordStar compatible.
Your other option is to use another word processor. Electric Pencil (for
TRS-80) is rumoured to have dual column capability, as is SpellBinder (for
CP/M). Good Luck.
|Joe|db21@ihuxk.UUCP (Dave Beyerl) (02/28/85)
> Since this is the year of the wordstar questions, I'll submit mine too. > > I have a text to format that has 3 columns. I want to submit text, independent > of line constraints, into these 3 columns (each column is about 25 char wide), > and still retain ^B (reform) functionality. Is there a way to do this ?? > Here is a sample of what I need. > > This is column one and stops ' This is the second column and ' third column > at the "'". I need to fill ' starts to the left, and is ' always short > this column more than column ' independent of column 1 ' > two and need the format (^B) ' in most cases ' > for justification purposes. ' ' > > As you can see, I need total column independence. I have tried this and when > I use the ^B command, it treats the entire text as line oriented. Any > hints ?? > Many thanks in advance. > > Walt > ------- I too was looking to set up multiple column text files in Wordstar. I finally came across a book that describes the procedure, however, you cannot do this all on the same line. The book is titled "Practical Wordstar Uses" by Joan Arca. I believe its in chapter 12 were she describes the procedure. This procedure entails setting your margins for the column width wanted and type in your text using any of the formatting commands you want. After you have determined that what you have is the final form, you begin making block moves into the column format you want. As soon as you start making the moves you lose ALL paragraph reformatting capability using ^B. The book gives some good examples on how to do this and has many other useful examples as well. The book sells for around $19.95 and is published by Sybex. Hope this helps. For every problem there is one Dave Beyerl solution which is simple, neat, ihuxk!db21 and wrong!
werner@aecom.UUCP (Craig Werner) (03/01/85)
> I have a text to format that has 3 columns. I want to submit text, > independent of line constraints, into these 3 columns (each column is > about 25 char wide), and still retain ^B (reform) functionality. > Is there a way to do this ?? NO Not with Wordstar, or with Select, or with any of the half-dozen word processors I've used. Two alternatives: the old cut-paste-photocopy method (Do the columns separately and then paste together) or perhaps a postprocessor along the lines of troff (nroff-like would not be enough) -- Craig Werner !philabs!aecom!werner What do you expect? Watermelons are out of season!
NBaheti.es@XEROX.ARPA (03/03/85)
I have seen a program called MAGIC PRINT that will work on most of the common daisy wheel printers that may be of soem help to you. It works on wordstar command control codes, but also allows you to format text via its own special set of "comma commands" which are like W* dot commands. Contact: Mr. Todd Katz Lifeboat Associates --Arun
starr@shell.UUCP (Bob Starr) (03/03/85)
Wordix (from Emerging Technology) can handle triple column output easily. I have done it. Wordix is a text formatter for the PC ala nroff. Excuse me if this is an inappropriate reply, as I didn't see the original posting.
hes@ecsvax.UUCP (Henry Schaffer) (03/05/85)
To move columns around in Word*, use the ^KN to turn on (toggle) column mode (can check in the ^K block menu.) Mark a column block at top left with ^KB and at bottom right with ^KK. Then you can move sequential pieces of a long single column document into multi-column pages, and vice versa. (The formatting is done in when in single column.) --henry schaffer