Word processing

In the past, people processed words using typewriters. Although the typewriter did a fair job of getting readable characters into paper, once they were there it was hard to get them off. And because you didn’t get a chance to see your words until they were on paper, by the time you realized you had made a mistake it was too late: you had to try to erase the mistake or start the document over. This problem was solved when computer word processing programs gave you a chance to preview the pages of your document before they were printed.

Word processing refers to the use of a computer program to prepare and print documents. A word processing program can be used to create letters, memos, and a variety of other types of documents. Word processing programs include fea­tures that are used to create, edit, format, save, and print documents.

For our purposes, we will define a word processing document as a text file that was created using a computerized word processing program. Such a file can be revised and reformatted as often as necessary. If the computer has a printer attached, the document can be printed as often as necessary. Today, if you are using a modern, full-featured word processing program, your documents can even include graphics. In addition to text, a modern word-processed document can contain special page-design elements such as lines and boxes designed to make pages easier to read.

Word Processing Program Design. For many first-time users, a computerized word processing program might seem very much like using a typewriter. The characters and punctuation are typed using a keyboard that looks very much like the one on a typewriter. The big difference is that the characters are not printed directly to paper, but are instead displayed on the monitor screen.

Document Status. Usually the word processing program includes status information at the top or at the bottom of the screen that displays the name of the file you are working on and the page, line, and character number related to the current position in the document.

Menu Options. Many modern word processing programs also include a set of keywords across the top of the screen that refers to menus that provide program options. With these word processing programs, selecting a menu name results in a display of that menu. Each menu groups and summarizes specific areas of the program’s functions. An option title is selected from the menu to initiate that option. Often, selecting the menu title “opens” that menu directly beneath the title.

The Cursor. Word processing programs display either an on-screen cursor or an insertion point indicator. The cursor indicates the position at which the next character entered will be placed. The cursor may be a horizontal bar that is displayed beneath text characters or a rectangle that overlays each character. Many modern word processing programs use an insertion point indicator that is a vertical bar narrow enough to be displayed between characters. We will refer to each type as a “cursor.”

If the word processing program supports the use of a mouse, the cursor can be moved to a new position by repositioning the mouse pointer and pressing a button on the mouse. The cursor can also be moved by pressing one of the arrow keys on the keyboard. Each press of a left- or right-pointing arrow key moves the cursor one character position in the direction of the arrow, each press of an up- or down-pointing arrow key moves the cursor up or down one line. Many beginners make the mistake of repositioning the cursor by pressing the spacebar. Many typewriter users got used to moving to a new position on the page by using the typewriter’s spacebar. But that method should not be used with a word processing program because the program places an invisible space-holding character at the cursor position every time the spacebar is pressed. Likewise pressing the Return key adds a line-holding character at the cursor position and moves the rest of the lines in the document down one line. (The Return key is sometimes referred to as the Enter key). If either of these keys is used for cursor placement, you will soon fill up your document with these invisible characters. To avoid this problem, some word processing programs include an option that displays a special character on the screen to indicate the presence of each invisible character.

Some word processing programs include other cursor movement options that provide ways to move between words or between pages in the document. For example, special key combinations or menu options may provide a way to go to a different place in the document. Many of today’s word processing programs provide menu options for navigating through the document and for initiating many of the program’s main features. Most also provide a set of keyboard shortcuts for the same purposes. Many programs take advantage of the Control key that appears on most keyboards. You hold down the Control key while you press one of the letter keys as a shortcut method of initiating a program option.

Many modern word processing pro­grams support the use of a mouse as a pointing device. If so, you may be able to move through your document by repeatedly clicking the mouse button while the pointer is positioned over the scroll bar that is displayed at the right side of the screen.

You can also move to a new position in the document by dragging the scroll box up or down. “Dragging” means to position the mouse pointer over the scroll box, hold down one of the buttons on the mouse, and move the scroll box up or down. When you release the mouse button, a new section of text will be displayed that is associated with the area of the scroll bar where you placed the scroll box. You can also move the area of text displayed by positioning the mouse pointer over the scroll arrows at the top or bottom of the scroll bar and then clicking the mouse button. Each click on the scroll arrow moves the display one line. It may take some experimenting with the scroll bar, the scroll box, and the scroll arrows to learn how much each action changes the displayed position in the document.

Entering Text. Using the keyboard, text is entered start­ing from the left side of the screen. The left side starting position is determined by the left margin setting for that particular document. When enough characters are entered to reach the end of the line, the Return key could be pressed to end that line and drop the cursor down to the beginning of the next line. However, using today’s word processing programs, you don’t have to press the Return key to end each line. Modern programs can detect the position determined by the right margin setting and automatically move the cursor down to the beginning of the next line. This is known as the word wrap feature. It makes it easy to keep your hands on the proper character keys because you don’t have to take them off to press the Return key to end the line. In addition, if you allow the words you enter to automatically wrap to the next line, any changes you might make later will automatically be reformatted.

The Tab key is used to add blank spaces at the beginning of text lines or between words. Each press of the Tab key moves the cursor to the next preset tab position. To add blank lines between paragraphs or titles, you press the Return key (once for each blank line). Remember, as described earlier, the program will place an invisible line-holding character at the cursor position each time you press the Return key.

10. Ответьте на вопросы:

1. How did people process words in the past?

2. What were the disadvantages of using typewriters?

3. What can word processing program be used to?

4. Where is a set of keywords situated?

5. What does the cursor indicate?

6. What is the Tab key used to?