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Using Page Preview Causes Windows to Resize WordStar Window

also... WordStar window too tall or too short
and... Windows changes the font size of the WordStar window

Applies to all versions of WordStar and Windows - example given is WordStar 7 and Windows 98.

Initial Problem

• WordStar 7 run in DOS shell window.
• Window's screen settings changed to 43 lines (default is 25).
• Page Preview selected. OK.
• Exit Page Preview (return to editing screen) resets display to 25 lines.
• Windows increasing font size to fill larger window with fewer lines.
• Need to restart WordStar to regain 43 line display.

also covers

• WordStar run in DOS shell window
• Window is either too tall (WordStar only partially fills the window) or
• Window is too short and has a scroll bar (not all of WordStar screen visible, and scrolls as cursor moved).

Solutions

1. Font size change

This is due to the font being set to Auto. The font will always change to keep an 80x25 (by default) text display. Setting this to anything else will adjust the window size rather than the font size.

2. Destruction of 43 Line Window after use of Page Preview

This is due to WordStar asking Windows to create a VGA/EGA text mode display after switching away from the graphics mode Page Preview display. The default size for VGA/EGA text screens is 80x25, this being the size of window created.

WordStar has to be told that it is not working with a standard VGA/EGA screen, but with one capable of displaying 43 lines. This has to be done by changing the Monitor type within the Console settings with WSCHANGE. Just changing the number of lines is not sufficient as WordStar will still tell Windows to create a virtual monitor of default size.

Additionally, Windows should also be told that the DOS mode for this DOS program uses a none standard display size. This setting should match that chosen within WordStar (25, 43, or 50 lines). If this is not done, Windows may display a window that is taller than necessary causing WordStar to only partially fill it, or, conversely, one that is not tall enough causing Windows to add a vertical scroll bar.

To Correct the Problem

USING WSCHANGE

You can run WSCHANGE by finding it with Windows Explorer and double clicking on the filename, or by opening a DOS Shell (MS-DOS Prompt) from your start menu and using the DOS commands to run it (assuming that the DOS Shell starts in C:\WINDOWS - the default, and that your WordStar is in C:\WS7):

C:\WINDOWS>cd \ws7 <CR> change to the WS7 directory (folder)
C:\WS7> you're now there.

You type the lower case courier bold text, the upper case text being the prompts. <CR> means carriage return, or enter key. The italic text is just notes and shouldn't be typed.

The first thing to do is make a backup of your working WordStar!

C:\WS7>copy ws.exe ws_saved.exe <CR>
C:\WS7>wschange <CR> run WSCHANGE.

WSCHANGE will open and ask you the file to use for default settings. For now this will be the default WS.EXE. However, should you wish to tweak your modified version, which I suggest you give a different name, you'll need to type that name instead. this should become clearer later.

Just press <CR> to accept the default WS.EXE.

Now you're asked what you want to call the modified version of WordStar. I'd suggest Ws43Line.exe so that you know that this is that particular version. Renaming the file will leave your original WordStar intact so you can still run it if you want. Future modifications to this version would be made by entering ws43line.exe in the first box as noted above.

We're now going to change the monitor settings. This is option A in the main menu. Type the letter 'A' to change to the Console Menu. We want to change the screen size which is listed under the Monitor Menu, also option A. Type the letter 'A' again.

Here we need to tell WordStar to use a monitor that can display 43 lines. This is the EGA with 43 line option, letter D. Type the letter 'D'. WSCHANGE will tell you that WordStar is now set for 43 line display. Press <CR> to continue. You could now check the Screen Sizing menu - C - but this should have been changed automatically. Type 'C' and check that the height is set to 43. Type X to return to the previous menu, and X again, and again. You're now asked to confirm your changes. Type Y.

That's it! Now try it.

C:\WS7>ws43line <CR>

Now, depending on your default DOS settings within Windows you'll get a windowed or full screen version of WordStar with 43 lines. 35 lines for the editing screen, one for each of the title bar, menu bar, info bar, tab bar, and at the bottom of the screen the status bar. Type that is hold the Control key down and press Enter to switch between full screen and windowed. If that works, try out your page preview. This should now work correctly!

The VGA 50 line option looks good on a 1024x768 monitor too. Don't use the options with underlining as you'll end up with a monochrome display rather than colour and the text and background are indistinguishable.

Windows DOS Mode Settings (Shortcuts)

To allow you to run WordStar in a variety of screen sizes, and with your preferred font size at start-up you should really create some new Shortcuts. This will allow you to keep the default MS-DOS Prompt for any other DOS programs that can't support the extra lines, etc., they'll just fill the first 25 lines of the window!

Use Explorer to move to your WordStar directory (folder).

Right click in the file list area (what you see depends on how your system is set up. If you have folders listed on the left and files on the right you need to right-click in the right hand pane. From the pop-up menu select New > Shortcut. This will give you a New Shortcut dialog. Fill in the details as follows:

Command line: C:\WS7\Ws43Line.exe or whatever you called it.

Click Next >

Type a Name: WordStar with 43 Line Display

Click Finish

Back in Explorer look for your new shortcut. If you can't see it, right-click again and select Refresh to force Windows to re-read the file list.

Once you've found the shortcut right-click on it and select Properties.

Select the Program tab and make sure the Close on Exit tick box is ticked. If it isn't, every time you exit WordStar you'll be left with a DOS window that you don't want.

Click Advanced and make sure that the Suggest MS-DOS mode box is the only one ticked. Click OK.

Click Change Icon if you'd prefer something other than the MS-DOS one. I'd suggest starting off with the one provided with WordStar. Select Browse and change to the WordStar directory where you'll see one icon displayed. There are some other icons here. Click OK. You can change this at any time.

Click the Font tab and choose your favourite font, or leave it set to Auto. I like 5x12 but this will be too small for many people. If you can't see all the font sizes, make sure the Available Types is set to Both.

Click the Memory tab. All settings here should be Auto. Under the Extended (XMS) memory option the Uses HMA tick box should be ticked.

Click the Screen tab. Here, set the Usage to Windowed and Initial size to 43 Lines. All tick boxes can be ticked.

Click the Misc tab.You can select the Quick Edit option to allow you to use your mouse to copy text to the Windows clipboard without using the Control Menu > Edit > Mark (the icon at the left of the window's title bar) sequence. However, this will prevent you using the mouse to select the WordStar menus, etc., so if you use the mouse this way, de-select it.

Click Apply, then Click OK.

Most of the above settings are the defaults. I've only listed them all in case the default DOS settings have been changed. Much of this also applies to Windows 3x although you'll need to use PIF Editor to create the new shortcut icons in Program Manager.

Now, Click on your shortcut again and while keeping the mouse button down drag it to a blank area on the desktop (it could have been created here in the first place), then let go of the mouse button. You can now run the 43 line version of WordStar from here. I'd also make a shortcut for your standard 25 line WordStar in the same way, just right-click the shortcut and select Copy. Click on the desktop and then right-click again and select Paste. Right-click the new shortcut and select Rename, change its name to WordStar 25 Line Display, or whatever else you like. Right-click it again and select Properties. Select the Program tab and change the program name (Ws43Line.exe) to WS.EXE leaving the rest of the Command Line entry intact. Now go to the Screen tab and set the Initial Size to Default or to 25 Lines. Click Apply and then OK.

Note that you can play around in WSCHANGE as long as you've made a copy of your working version of WordStar before starting. You can also say NO to the changes when you exit WSCHANGE. I'd always back up the working file first though.

Copyright © 1999, 2000 Michael Petrie, United Kingdom.