WordStar keyboard command list based on the WordStar version 3.0 command set. The circumflex character (^) represents the keyboard Control, or Ctrl key. Commands that include use of the Control key are entered by holding down the Control key, and while it is held down, typing the letter representing the command. Some commands include a second letter, which can be typed after releasing both the Control key and the first command letter.

 

FAQ Topic Command Groups
    No File Menu No File Menu
    Help Menus Help Menus
   Cursor Movement Cursor Movement
   Scrolling Scrolling
   Basic Editing Basic Editing
   Formatting Formatting
   File/Block Operation File/Block Operation
   Search & Replace Search & Replace
   Saving Files Saving Files
   Printer Controls Printer Controls
   Miscelleneous Miscelleneous
   Dot Commands Dot Commands
   Mailmerge Dot Commands Mailmerge Dot Commands
   Character Pitch Character Pitch
   Line Height Line Height

No-File Commands

Description Command Notes
Open Document file D   
Rename file E (^ KE)   
File directory on/off F (^ KF)   
Set help level H (^ JH)   
Changed logged disk L (^ KL)   
Run mailmerge (optional) M   
Open non-document N   
Copy file O (^ KO)   
Print file P (^ KP)   
Run program R   
Run SpellStar (optional) S   
Exit to operating system X   
Delete file Y (^ KJ)   

Help Menus

Description Command Notes
Help menu ^ J   
Block menu ^ K   
Onscreen menu ^ O   
Print menu ^ P   
Quick menu ^ Q   

Cursor Movement

Description Command Notes
Right character ^ D   
Left character ^ S   
Up line ^ E   
Down line ^ X   
Right word ^ F   
Left word ^ A   
Tab right ^ I  
Top of screen ^ QE   
Bottom of screen ^ QX   
Beginning of file ^ QR   
End of file ^ QC   
Right end of line ^ QD   
Left side of screen ^ QS   
Block beginning ^ QB   
Block end ^ QK   
Find misspelling ^ QL   
Position before previous command ^ QP   
Start of last find/replace ^ QV   
To marker 0-9 ^ Q0-Q9   

Scrolling

Description Command Notes
Down line ^ W   
Up line ^ Z   
Up screenfull ^ C   
Down screenfull ^ R   
Continuous up scroll ^ QZ   
Continuous down scroll ^ QW   

Basic Editing Commands

Description Command Notes
Delete character ^ G   
Delete character left DEL also ^ H
Delete word right ^ T   
Delete line ^ Y   
Delete to end of line ^ QY   
Delete to beginning of line ^ Q DEL also ^ QT
Insert on/off ^ V   
Insert carriage return (blank line) ^ N   
Reform paragraph ^ B   

Formatting

Description Command Notes
Paragraph tab ^ OG   
Variable tabbing on/off ^ OV   
Center line ^ OC   
Left margin set ^ OL   
Right margin set ^ OR   
Margin release ^ OX   
Set margins and tabs from file ^ OF   
Tab set ^ OI   
Tab clear ^ ON   
Justification on/off ^ OJ   
Line space setting ^ OS   
Page break display on/off ^ OP   
Ruler display on/off ^ OT   
Word wrap on/off ^ OW   
Print control display on/off ^ OD   
Hyphen help on/off ^ OH   
Soft hyphen entry on/off ^ OE   

File/Block Operation

Description Command Notes
Column mode on/off ^ KN   
Mark block beginning ^ KB   
Mark block end ^ KK   
Hide/display block ^ KH   
Copy block ^ KC   
Delete block ^ KY   
Move block ^ KV   
Write block to file ^ KW   
Set/hide marker 0-9 ^ K0-K9   
Read file into text ^ KR   
Copy file ^ KO   
Rename file ^ KE   

Search & Replace

Description Command Notes
Find string ^ QF   
Find & replace ^ QA   
Find/replace again ^ L   

Saving Files

Description Command Notes
Save and resume ^ KS   
Save, done edit ^ KD   
Save, exit to operating system ^ KX   
Abandon edits ^ KQ   

Printer Controls

Description Command Notes
Alternate pitch (12cpi) ^ PA   
Boldface begin/end ^ PB   
Double strike begin/end ^ PD   
Non-breaking space ^ PO   
Overprint next character ^ PH   
Overprint next line ^ P RETURN   
Print pause ^ PC   
Ribbon color change ^ PY   
Standard pitch (10cpi) ^ PN   
Strikeout begin/end ^ PX   
Subscript begin/end ^ PV   
Superscript begin/end ^ PT   
Underscore begin/end ^ PS   
Phantom space ^ PF   
Phantom rubout ^ PG   
User printer controls ^ P Q, W, E, R   

Miscelleneous Commands

Description Command Notes
Delete a file ^ KJ   
Interrupt ^ U   
Print a file ^ KP   
Set help level ^ JH   
Changed logged disk ^ KL   
File directory on/off ^ KF   
Repeat next command ^ QQ   

Dot Commands

Description Command Notes
Bidirectional print on/off .BP   
Microjustify on/off .UJ   
Page offset .PO   
Character width .CW   
Comment (not printed) .IG or ..   
Conditional page .CP   
Footing .FO   
Footing margin .FM   
Heading .HE   
Heading margin .HM   
Line height .LH   
Margin at bottom .MB   
Margin at top .MT   
New page .PA   
Omit page # .OP   
Page number .PN   
Page number column .PC   
Sub/superscript roll .SR   
Paper length .PL   

Mailmerge Dot Commands

Description Command Notes
Data file .DF   
Read variables .RV   
Repeat .RP   
Set variable .SV   
Ask for variable value .AV   
Display message .DM   
Clear screen .CS   
File insert .FI   
Print-time line forming .PF   
Right margin .RM   
Left margin .LM   
Output justification .OJ   
Interpret input as justified .IJ   

Character Pitch

Pitch in characters per inch (cpi) Command Notes
5 .CW24   
6 .CW20   
7 .CW17   
8 .CW15   
10 .CW12 default
12 .CW10   
15 .CW 8   
20 .CW 6   
24 .CW 5   
30 .CW 4  

Line Height

Lines per inch Command Notes
2.0 .LH24   
2.4 .LH20   
2.6 .LH18   
3.0 .LH16   
4.0 .LH12   
4.8 .LH10   
5.3 .LH 9   
6.0 .LH 8 default
6.8 .LH 7   
8.0 .LH 6   
9.6 .LH 5