The following is being uploaded for possible use in the DL.  I trust that 
our faithful Sysops will post a notice on the message board if they decide 
to include it.  

I've not yet figured out how to get back online after uploading with 
Crosstalk - lost my buffer file last time I tried it -  so am lumping two 
somewhat different subjects together in a special visit. I understand that 
all such material is screened by the Sysops anyway.  Will be watching the 
message board for any word of problems or whatever.

                                                           Ray Thurow



More SHADES of WordStar

   Dick Ezzard's "Window Shades" stimulated a couple of mods using numbered 
place markers, which I have now added to the last remaining uncoded keys on 
the numerical keypad when I use with WordStar.

                           ---------------------
   The first puts "permanent" markers around another file that is read into 
the edit file.  This lets you move smaller blocks out of it without losing 
the identity of the rest of the added material.

^K ^B ^K 8 RETURN ^K 9 ^K ^K ^Q ^B RETURN ^K ^R

   Reads (copies) file of your choice into a newly marked block at the 
cursor position.  Use to review outside material while editing, or to move 
some or all of another file into other parts of the text being edited.

   The block of new material is also marked by numbered marker <8> at the 
beginning and <9> at the end, so other block manipulations of the new 
material can be done without losing the identity of the rest of the new 
material and inadvertently leaving parts of it stranded unnoticed in the 
text.  Only parts intentionally moved or copied outside the markers will 
stay if you delete the new block with the following procedure.

DELETING UNWANTED parts of OUTSIDE MATERIAL after reading or doing whatever 
with it-
   If block markers have been moved, the outside block can be marked again 
at any time by ^Q8 ^K^B and ^Q9 ^K^K. It can then be deleted with ^K^Y, 
written to a new file, or whatever you like.  If it is deleted, only the 
markers <8><9> will remain, and you can get rid of them or not; they are not 
part of the text and won't be saved.

BAILOUT FROM ACCIDENTALLY HITTING key coded with this string -
   When the screen prompts for name of file to read, just <CR> and you will 
be left with the markers. They don't hurt anything, but can be removed with 
^K8 ^K9 if you like.
   If another block was marked at the time that you hit the key, the block 
markers will be gone and you will have to remark it.


                     ----------------------------------

The second uses Dick's note file N, but adds blank lines ahead of the new 
material and then deletes them.  The original marked block is unchanged.
 
^Q^B SPACE ^K7 BACKSPACE ^N ^N ^K^R N RETURN ^K^W N RETURN 
   Y ^Q7 ^K^K ^K^Y

   Appends two blank lines and a previously-marked block to the end of a 
note file named N. Can be executed from anywhere in the file.  Original 
block is unchanged except that it will be unmarked.
   Leaves cursor at new marker <7> at the old block beginning. If you want 
to keep the block identity, put a numbered marker (not 7) at the end before 
this operation; the cursor and <7> will be left at the beginning, and you 
can then remark it.   

RECOVERY FROM ACCIDENTAL EXECUTION 
   Usually just ignore the extra addition to the N file.
   Cursor will end up at the top of any previously marked block, no matter 
where it was before, and that block will no longer be marked.  One more 
reason why it's a good idea to remove block markers when you're finished 
with them. 

                            -------------------
Thanks again to Dick Ezzard for the original ideas.



***************************************************************************


HIGHLIGHTING TEXT BEING MARKED FOR UNDERSCORE OR BOLDFACE


These are some unrelated suggestions born of a recent request for a way to 
highlight material being underscored.  This will do it as it is being typed, 
with some limitations.  It slows my computer (Vector 4 using CP/86) too 
much, and I understand that this also happens on some others, so an 
alternative solution is also included.

While the notes refer to underscoring, they work the same with boldface.

Key programming is not required for testing, but it is really necessary for 
practical application.



To START UNDERSCORE WITH HIGHLIGHTING, type:

   ^KB ^PS SPACE ^KK ^S

This marks a block and puts the cursor just inside where it will push the 
end marker ahead of it as long as you have INSERT ON.

At the end, type:  ^PS ^KH


If you are doing a lot of this, two separate keys could be coded as above; 
otherwise, the first one is the tricky one that really needs its own key for 
foolproof use.   


                       -----------------------------

   ANOTHER SOLUTION to AVOID SPEED HANDICAP OF TYPING IN HIGHLIGHTED AREA


A similar approach can be used to drop a numbered placemarker alongside the 
last underscore or boldface command.  Type:

                   ^PS ^K6 (or the number of your choice)

When you mark the end, the marker is moved there.  This isn't quite as 
helpful as the highlighting, but it's faster.  I'm coding keys for ^PS ^K5 
and ^PB ^K6 on my plain vanilla WordStar keyboard.  I am already using the 
higher numbers, but rarely go above 1 or 2 for wandering aound the text.


Of course, all of these markers are lost in the final saved copy, so you 
still have to watch as you go.  A good strategy would be to use ^QF before 
the final save to see where the last markers are.


**************************

Now, if someone would just tell us how to find ^PS and ^PB with ^QF, we 
wouldn't need those last two.

                                                 Ray Thurow
