I use WordTsar every day, mainly under Linux, but also on Windows. If you want to see what I do with WordTsar, look here http://geraldbrandt.com.
There are two types of ‘commands’ in Wordstar, those using the control keys (the default help menus will get you started with those) and dot commands for other formatting.
WordTsar implements the following special keys:
F1: Configuration
F11: Full screen mode
Moving around the Document
The cursor keys, home, end, page up and page down work as expected. The Wordstar keys for carat/cursor movement are:
Ctrl-S | Move cursor one space left |
Ctrl-D | Move cursor one space right |
Ctrl-A | Move cursor one word left |
Ctrl-F | Move cursor one word right |
Ctrl-E | Move cursor one line up |
Ctrl-X | Move cursor one line down |
Ctrl-QE | Move cursor to top left |
Ctrl-QX | Move cursor to bottom left |
Ctrl-QS | Move cursor to beginning of line |
Ctrl-QD | Move cursor to end of line |
Ctrl-QR | Move cursor to beginning of document |
Ctrl-QC | Move cursor to end of document |
Ctrl-QB | Move cursor to start of marked block |
Ctrl-QK | Move cursor to end of marked block |
Scrolling through the Document
Ctrl-W | Scroll up one line |
Ctrl-Z | Scroll down one line |
Ctrl-R | Scroll up one screen |
Ctrl-C | Scroll down one screen |
Marking/Cutting/Pasting
Marked blocks or selecting of text works different under WordTsar than most applications. A block of text can be marked and then left alone for as long as you like before doing anything with it. You can mark a block, then edit the document for an hour before you do something with the marked block.
Copying and pasting marked blocked blocks use an internal buffer, and a standard copy does not make the block available to the OS for other applications. It is the same with paste. In order to share text with other applications you must use the specific control sequences.
Ctrl-G | Delete single character |
Ctrl-H | Backspace a single character |
Ctrl-T | Delete a single word |
Ctrl-Y | Delete a single line |
Ctrl-KB | Mark the start of a block of text |
Ctrl-KK | Mark the end of a block of text |
Ctrl-KV | Move the marked block to current cursor location |
Ctrl-KC | Copy the marked block to the current cursor location |
Ctrl-KY | Delete the marked block of text |
Ctrl-K[ | Copy from OS clipboard into the document |
Ctrl-K] | Copy from the document to the OS clipboard |
Full List
This is a copy of the implemented.xlsx file, showing what the commands are, and whether or not WordTsar has implemented them yet.
This is a smidge out of date, but is in the process of being updated.
Control Keys
WordStar Command Sequences | Version | ||
^A | cursor left one word | 0.1.73.17 | |
^B | reformat paragraph | ||
^C | scroll down one screen | 0.1.73.17 | |
^D | cursor right one char | 0.1.73.17 | |
^E | cursor up one line | 0.1.73.17 | |
^End | cursor end of file | ||
^F | cursor right one word | 0.1.73.17 | |
^G | del. char. at cursor | 0.1.73.17 | |
^H | del. prev. char. | 0.1.73.17 | |
^Home | cursor to beg. file. | ||
^I | insert tab | 0.1.73.17 | |
^J | help | 0.1.73.17 | |
^K | accept all answers in dialog box | ||
^K | block and save menu | 0.1.73.17 | |
^K\ | Create fax file | ||
^K] | copy to clipboard | 0.1.73.17 | |
^K[ | copy from clipboard | 0.1.73.17 | |
^K” | convert block to u/c | 0.1.73.17 | |
^K’ | convert block to l/c | 0.1.73.17 | |
^K. | convert first letter each sentence to u/c | ||
^K? | Word/byte count of block or file | 0.1.73.17 | |
^K< | Unmark block | 0.1.73.17 | |
^Kn | insert place marker (0-9) | 0.1.73.17 | |
^KA | copy block between windows | ||
^KB | beginning block marker | 0.1.73.17 | |
^KC | copy block | 0.1.73.17 | |
^KD | save file & ->opening menu | ||
^KE | rename a file | ||
^KF | run a DOS command | ||
^KG | move block between windows | ||
^KH | display/hide block/markers | ||
^KI | column replace mode switch | ||
^KJ | delete a file whil/editing | ||
^KK | mark end of block | 0.1.73.17 | |
^KL | change logged drive/dir. | ||
^KM | block math | ||
^KN | column mode switch | ||
^KO | copy a file while editing | ||
^KP | print a file while editing | ||
^KQ | exit & abandon changes | 0.1.73.17 | |
^KR | insert file into document | 0.1.73.17 | |
^KS | save file & resume edit | 0.1.73.17 | |
^KT | save and name file | 0.1.73.17 | |
^KU | mark previous block | ||
^KV | move block | 0.1.73.17 | |
^KW | write block to file | ||
^KX | save file & exit WS | 0.1.73.17 | |
^KY | delete block | 0.1.73.17 | |
^KZ | sort block | ||
^L | repeat prev. find/replace | 0.1.73.17 | |
^<- | cursor left one word | ||
^M | insert hard carriage ret* (will change when macros added) | 0.1.73.17 | |
^M | macro menu | ||
^M! | insert time | ||
^M# | insert math expression | ||
^M$ | insert last math result as dollar amount | ||
^M* | insert current filename | ||
^M. | insert current directory | ||
^M: | insert current drive name | ||
^M= | insert last math result | ||
^M@ | insert today’s date | ||
^M\ | insert current path and filename | ||
^MD | edit/create macro | ||
^ME | rename macro | ||
^MO | copy macro | ||
^MP | play macro | ||
^MR | record macro | ||
^MS | single step | ||
^MY | delete macro | ||
^N | insert blank line | 0.1.73.17 | |
^O | onscreen format menu | 0.1.73.17 | |
^O? | display status screen | ||
^O] | right-align line | ||
^O# | page number | ||
^O<-/ | Enter closes dialog box | ||
^OA | auto align text | ||
^OB | change screen settings | ||
^OC | center line | ||
^OD | command tags on/off | 0.1.73.17 | |
^OE | soft hyphen | ||
^OF | paragraph style menu | ||
^OFD | create/edit para. style | ||
^OFE | ren. a docursor para. style | ||
^OFO | copy para. style to lib | ||
^OFP | ->previous. para. style | ||
^OFR | ren. a lib. para. style | ||
^OFS | select a para. style | ||
^OFV | view a para. style | ||
^OFY | delete lib. para. style | ||
^OG | temporary indent | ||
^OH | auto-hypenation switch | ||
^OI | tab settings | ||
^OJ | justification switch | ||
^OK | open/switch window | ||
^OL | left margin | ||
^OM | size current window | ||
^ON | notes menu | ||
^ONA | create annotation | ||
^ONC | nonprinting comments | ||
^OND | view/edit notes/index | ||
^ONE | create endnote | ||
^ONF | create footnote | ||
^ONG | find note | ||
^ONI | index entry | ||
^ONL | check spelling in notes | ||
^ONN | change note number | ||
^ONU | reformat text in note | ||
^ONV | convert notes | ||
^OO | copy curr. ruler to text | ||
^OP | page preview | 0.1.491 | |
^OR | right margin | ||
^OSn | line spacing | ||
^OT | ruler line display switch* | ||
^OU | columns (newspaper style) | ||
^OV | center text vertically | ||
^OW | word wrap switch | ||
^OX | margin release | ||
^OY | page setup | 0.1.1314 | |
^OZ | paragraph numbering | ||
^P | enter control character in dialog boxes ? | ||
^P | print controls menu | 0.1.73.17 | |
^P! | custom printer code | ||
^P& | start Inset within WS | ||
^P* | insert graphic tag | ||
^P- | change color/shading | ||
^P. | insert dot leader to tab | ||
^P= | change font | 0.1.73.17 | |
^P? | change printer | ||
^P<-/ | overprint line | ||
^P0 | display ext character set | ||
^PA | alternate font | ||
^PB | bold switch | 0.1.73.17 | |
^PC | pause print | ||
^PD | double strike switch | ||
^PE | custom printer code #1 | ||
^PF | phantom space | ||
^PG | phantom rubout | ||
^PgDn | scroll down a line | ||
^PgUp | scroll up a line | ||
^PH | overprint character | ||
^PI | insert tab character | ||
^PJ | insert line feed | ||
^PK | index entry switch | ||
^PL | form feed | ||
^PN | normal font/pitch | ||
^PO | binding space | ||
^PQ | custom printer code #2 | ||
^PR | custom printer code #3 | ||
^PrtSc | save and print file* | ||
^PS | underline switch | 0.1.73.17 | |
^PT | superscript switch | 0.1.73.17 | |
^PV | subscript switch | 0.1.73.17 | |
^PW | custom printer code #4 | ||
^PX | strikeout switch | 0.1.73.17 | |
^PY | italics switch | 0.1.73.17 | |
^Q | quick menu x | 0.1.73.17 | |
^Q= | go to font tag | ||
^Q<-/ | go to style tag | ||
^Qn | go to marker #n (0-9) | 0.1.73.17 | |
^QA | find & replace characters | 0.1.73.17 | |
^QB | cursor to block beginning | 0.1.73.17 | |
^QC | cursor to end of doc | 0.1.73.17 | |
^QD | cursor to end of line | 0.1.73.17 | |
^Q | Del delete line left of cursor | ||
^QE | cursor to begin. of screen | 0.1.73.17 | |
^QF | find characters | 0.1.73.17 | |
^QGn | cursor to next char n | ||
^QG_/ | cursor to end of paragraph | ||
^QHn | cursor to prev. char n | ||
^QI# | cursor to page/line # | ||
^QJ | Thesaurus | ||
^QK | cursor to block end | 0.1.73.17 | |
^QL | spell check rest of file | ||
^QM | onscreen calculator | ||
^QN | check spelling of a word in text | ||
^QO | check spelling of a word you enter | ||
^QP | cursor to prev. position | ||
^QQn | repeat keystroke n times | ||
^QQ^C | scroll dn screen to eof | ||
^QQ^R | scroll up screen to bof | ||
^QR | cursor to beginning of file | 0.1.73.17 | |
^QS | cursor to beginning of line | 0.1.73.17 | |
^QTn | delete to char n | ||
^QU | reformat rest of file | 0.1.73.17 | |
^QV | cursor recent find/replace or block | ||
^QW | scroll up continuously one line at a time | ||
^QX | cursor to end of screen | 0.1.73.17 | |
^QY | del. line to right of cursor | ||
^QZ | scroll down continuously one line at a time | ||
^R | repeat last ans. at prompt | ||
^R | scroll up one screen | 0.1.73.17 | |
^-> | cursor right one word | ||
^S | cursor left one character | 0.1.73.17 | |
^T | delete word | 0.1.73.17 | |
^U | undo last deletion | ||
^U | stop operation | ||
^V | insert/overtype switch | 0.1.73.17 | |
^W | scroll up one line | 0.1.73.17 | |
^X | cursor down one line | 0.1.73.17 | |
^Y | del. current line | 0.1.73.17 | |
^Z | scroll down one line | 0.1.73.17 | |
Dot Commands
Dot commands not implemented will have a red background (in default color mode) for non-implemented commands. (borrowed from Robert J. Sawyer’s site: https://sfwriter.com/wsformat.txt)
Sorry for the way this looks. I’ll find something better.
The file implemented.xlsx (in the Sourceforge repository) will show whether it’s been implemented or not.
Additional formatting information is recorded in WordStar files through means of "dot commands." Dot commands are instructions that are preceded (in the first position in the line) by a period <2Eh> and stand alone as the only entry on that line. (See the WordStar documentation for exact descriptions of each dot command.) In the table below, the codes in the "Usage" column indicate the following: M Affects only merge printing. I Affects only indexing. T Affects only table of contents. P Affects printing or merge printing. E Affects editing, printing, or merge printing. Versions prior to 4.0 require whole numbers as arguments to dot commands that require numbers (subscript roll, page offset). With version 4.0, math was allowed in the arguments for easier entry of complex page layouts. In version 5.0, the ability to specify measurements in inches was added. In version 5.5 revision C, measurements in points and centimeters were allowed. Inches in 5.0 were specified using the double quote only. In 5.5C, inch measurements were allowed with 'I' or 'IN'. Centimeters are specified as 'C' or 'CM', and points with 'P' or 'PM'. Upper and lower case are allowed with these. Most dot commands that take their arguments as number of lines or columns will allow measurements as well. Refer to the WordStar documentation to find out which dot commands accept measurements as arguments. WordTsar follows the 7.0 standard. The present interpretation of dot commands is: Command Usage Meaning .AV M Ask for variable. Requests the user to enter data from the keyboard at print time for a specific variable. .AW E M Aligning and word wrap ON/OFF. Enables or disables aligning and word wrap at a specific point in the document. Used primarily to prevent changes to tables. .BN P Bin select. Selects one of the sheet feeder bins at print time. The number of sheet feeders is defined in the PDF. .BP P Bidirectional print ON/OFF. Enables and disables bidirectional printing. If the printer does not have bidirectional printing capability, this command is ignored. .CC E P Conditional column break. Like the .CP command, but works with columnar breaks instead. If the number of lines following the conditional column break command fit on the current page, then there is no effect, otherwise, a columnar break will occur. .CO E P Columns. Allows the user to specify the number of columns and optionally, the gutter width in columns or inches. .CP E P Conditional page break. If there are less than the number of lines specified remaining on the page, then a page break is generated. If the number of lines following the conditional page break fit on the current page, then there is no effect. Takes the line height changes into account. .CS P Clear screen and display message. This command is used to clear the screen during printing. If a message follows the .CS, it is displayed on the first screen line below the Print Menu. .CV E P Convert note type. For further areas in the document, all notes of the first type specified will be treated as notes of the second type. Works with comments, footnotes, and endnotes. .CW P Character width. This command allows the user to specify the width of the characters in 1/120 inch increments. This width takes effect on the next line of text. Either the normal (^N) or alternate (^A) character width is changed depending which is in effect. The default is 12 (12/120ths is 10 characters per inch). .DF M Data file. This merge print command is used to specify the file name which holds data that will be merged into text. The data file may be in comma delimited format, a dBASE file, or a Lotus 123, Symphony, Quattro, or VP- Planner worksheet. The user may also optionally change the data separator character for that file. .DM P Display a message. Displays a message on the screen at print time. If printing in the background, .DM's can "scroll off" the screen while it is hidden from the user. .E# E P Set endnote value. Specifies the new value for endnote numbering. .EI M End if. Indicates the final spot in a merge print document affected by a .IF command. There must be one .EI for every .IF command. .EL M Else. Used for the "else" case after using a .IF command. .EL commands are optional. .F# E P Set footnote numbering type and value. Specifies the new value for footnote numbering. Optionally specifies whether footnote numbering should restart every page or be consecutive throughout the document. .FI P File insert. Prints the specified file at that point in the document. .FI commands may be nested up to 7 levels deep. .FI files can be in ASCII, WordStar, or Lotus 123, Symphony, Quattro, or VP-Planner worksheets. .FM P Footer margin. The number of blank lines from the end of the text on a page to the first footer line. Default is 2. The sum of the footer margin plus the number of footer lines must be less than or equal to the bottom margin. .FO or F1 P Footer. The text following the command .F1 will be printed as the first footer line on this and all subsequent pages. A .FO (or .F1) followed by one or zero blanks cancels the footer line. The footer uses the character width and line height in effect at the time the .FO (or .F1) command is encountered in the text. .FO can optionally specify even or odd numbered page footers. .F2 P Second footer. .F3 P Third footer. .F4 P Fourth footer. .F5 P Fifth footer. .GO P Go to top or bottom of document. .HE or H1 P Header. The text following the command .H1 is printed as the first header line on all subsequent pages. If the header command is one of the first dot commands on a page it takes effect for that page, otherwise it affects the following pages. A .HE or .H1 followed by one or zero blanks cancels the header line. The header uses the character width and line height in effect at the time the .HE or .H1 command is encountered in the text. .HE can optionally specify even or odd numbered page headers. .H2 P Second header. .H3 P Third header. .H4 P Fourth header. .H5 P Fifth header. .HM P Header margin. The number of blanks lines between the top of the text on a page and the last header line. Default is 2. The sum of the header margin plus the number of header lines must be less than or equal to the top margin. .HY E P Turn Auto-Hyphenation ON/OFF. Enables or disables the hyphenator. Starting with WordStar 6.0 Rev. D. .IF M If. Used for conditional merge printing in conjunction with the .EL and .EI commands. Only simple conditions can be tested using the following operators: = Strings alphabetically equal. <> Strings unequal. > Greater than. < Less than. #= Numbers equal. #<> Numbers unequal. #> Greater than. #< Less than. .IF commands may be nested up to 255 levels deep. .IG or.. E Ignore. The text on the remainder of .. the line is treated as an unprinted comment. .IX I Index. The text on the remainder of the line is put in the index. A comma is used to separate a main index entry from a subentry. If a dash is the first character following the .IX, the index entry is treated as a cross reference entry. If a plus sign is the first character following the .IX, the page number for that index entry is printed in boldface. .KR P Kerning. Adjusts space between certain pairs of printed characters for fonts that contain kerning information. .L# P Line numbering. Specifies whether to turn line numbering off, or the spacing and position of the line numbering. Also optional is whether to start numbering at the beginning of each page or the beginning of the document. .LH E P Line height. Changes current line height in 1/48 inch increments. The default is 8/48 or 6 lines per inch. All lines following this command are set based on the current line height value. Optionally, an argument of 'A' or 'a' will turn on "auto-leading", and all subsequent lines will use the line height of the largest font in the line. .LM E P Left margin. Determines the left edge of subsequent text. .LQ P Letter quality ON/OFF. Enables or disables letter quality printing on dot matrix printers (ignored if not supported on the printer). .LS E P Line spacing. Selects a line spacing of between 1 and 9 for subsequent typing or paragraph alignment. A value of 1 is for single spacing, 2 for double spacing, etc. .MA M Math. Stores the results of a complex equation in a variable. .MB E P Bottom margin. The footer or page number is printed within this margin. The default value is 8 lines. .MT E P Top margin. The number of lines from the beginning of the page to the beginning of printed text. The header is printed within this margin. Default value is 3 lines. .OC E P Centering ON/OFF. When ON, further lines in the document will be centered within the left and right margins until a .OC OFF command is encountered. .OJ E P Output justification ON/OFF. Command which turns right justification ON or OFF for subsequent typing or paragraph realignment. When OFF, text is ragged at the right margin. When ON, text is flush right. .OJ C Center. .OJ R Right flush. .OP P Omit page number. At print time no page numbers are printed unless the "#" has been used in footers or headers. .P# E P Paragraph number. Specifies the initial value and/or the format to use for paragraph numbering. Also optionally specifies whether compound or outline numbering is to be used. .PA E P Page break. Begin a new page here. .PC P Page column. Indicates the column at which the page number will be printed. This is active only when the footers are not in use and page numbering is turned on. If the column specified is 0, then the page number is centered between the margins in effect where the .PC command is given. .PE P Print endnotes. When encountered during printing, endnotes will be printed at this point in the document. .PF P Paragraph realignment while printing. May be ON, OFF, or DIS (for discretionary). When ON, subsequent paragraphs are realigned as they are printed. When OFF, paragraphs are not realigned. When DIS, paragraphs are realigned only when merge print data is substituted in the document. Paragraphs are aligned using the left, right, and paragraph margins currently in effect. .PG P Number pages. At print time the page number is printed at the bottom of the page unless a footer overrides it. Usually used to restore page numbering after being turned off with .OP. .PL E P Page length. The total number of lines in a page assuming 6 lines per inch. An eleven inch page contains 66 lines. .PM E P Paragraph margin. The left margin to use for the first line of every subsequent paragraph. Used for both regular and hanging indents. .PN E P Page number. The current page number. .PO P Page offset. The number of print columns from the left edge of the paper to the left margin of text. The current setting of character width (.CW) deter mines the actual amount of indentation. .PO can optionally specify even or odd number page offsets. .PR P Printer information. Currently used to select the print orientation for laser printers (use .PR OR=L for landscape, and .PR OR=P for portrait). .PS P Proportional spacing ON/OFF. Subsequent text is to be printed using a proportional font. .RM E P Right margin. Determines the right edge of subsequent paragraphs. .RP M Repeat. Command to repetitively print copies of a document. The .DF command may interfere with the .RP command. .RR E P Ruler. Embeds a ruler line to be used for subsequent typing and alignment. The text following the .RR is the exact image of the ruler line above the text on the screen. A .RR with a # (0-9) specifies a preformatted ruler line (stored in the user area). .RV M Read variable. Merge print command used to read one or more of the next data from a file into variables. .SB E P Suppress blank lines on/off. Starting with WordStar 6.0 Rev. D, Soft lines at the beginning of pages will be automatically suppressed. This dot command controls the display and printing of blank hard returns at the beginning of pages. .SR P Sub/superscript roll. The increments (in 1/48ths of an inch) which the carriage is to roll up or down for subscript and superscript printing. Default is 3 (3/48ths of an inch). .SV M Set variable. Merge print command used to store data in a variable. .TB E P Tab stops. Sets multiple tab stops for further editing/printing in the document. .TC T Table of contents. The text following the .TC is a table of contents entry. A "#" indicates where the page number is to go in the entry. .TC1 through .TC9 are used to simultaneously build nine other tables. .UJ P Micro justify. Specifies whether subsequent lines are to be micro- justified at print time. When ON, the white space necessary to right justify a line is spread in very fine increments evenly over the line. When OFF, whole blanks are used to spread the white space. When DIS, the printer driver decides; microjustification is not performed if it slows down printing dramatically. .UL P Continuous underlining ON/OFF. Enables or disables underlining of blanks between words. .XE .XQ P Custom print control. The hex pairs .XR .XW following the dot command define the custom print control for ^E, ^Q, ^R, and ^W encountered in the text respectively. The definition may include up to five bytes. .XL P Form feed. The hex pairs following .XL define the print control string to be sent to eject the paper to the following page when printing. .XX P Strikeout character. Redefines the character used for strikeouts.