Relay-Version: version B 2.10 5/3/83; site utzoo.UUCP Posting-Version: version B 2.10.2 9/18/84; site mecc.UUCP Path: utzoo!watmath!clyde!burl!ulysses!mhuxr!mhuxn!ihnp4!stolaf!umn-cs!mmm!rosevax!dicomed!mecc!sewilco From: sewilco@mecc.UUCP (Scot E. Wilcoxon) Newsgroups: net.text Subject: WP features (LONG) Message-ID: <356@mecc.UUCP> Date: Wed, 18-Sep-85 11:42:13 EDT Article-I.D.: mecc.356 Posted: Wed Sep 18 11:42:13 1985 Date-Received: Fri, 20-Sep-85 06:44:39 EDT Reply-To: sewilco@mecc.UUCP (Scot E. Wilcoxon) Organization: MN Ed Comp Corp, St. Paul, MN Lines: 328 Keywords: WP feature option capability list (I hope this gets outside Minnesota..net been having some problems) When deciding what might be needed in a word processing package, I found it was helpful to start with a list of possibilities. It is particularly helpful when asking people what features they want, as they can start from the list rather than their memories. Especially because two minutes ago they were using their memories for something completely different and now they don't know where to start. Although I made a reasonable attempt to make it exhaustive, I assume I've missed something. Let me know if I've missed an obvious entry. Typesetter directives (ie, kerning) were intentionally omitted as I'll probably need to make a separate list for those needs (do you have one?). No list can tell you what people NEED, though it may help figure out what they WANT. The list was produced an early part (the part I just did) of the search for a new WP/document system here at MECC. References to internal needs have been removed. Let me know if this is helpful. Or if it is considered harmful, so I'll know better next time...:-) Scot E. Wilcoxon Minn. Ed. Comp. Corp. circadia!mecc!sewilco 45 03 N / 93 15 W (612)481-3507 {ihnp4,uwvax}!dicomed!mecc!sewilco ______________________________________________________________ Document profile Document length limited only by disk size Documents can be larger than disk capacity Standardized document formats (default formats for memos, letters...) Definition of special forms needed Document versions Document name Document title Document author Operator Comment Keywords Document statistics Date created Date last revised Number of pages Number of lines Total word count Number of characters Total work time Total keystrokes Average sentence length Average word length Format features Reformatting during editing Multiple formats in one document Section/outline/chapter numbering automatically maintained Automatic generation of Table of Contents Automatic index support Change bars (bars on margin indicating lines changed) Page by page format options Adjustable top/bottom margins Forced page break Text block protected from page break Automatic widow and orphan control Multiple columns on a page (optional) Column balancing Footnotes: Automatic numbering Footnotes attached to a word Automatic continuation Notes - like footnotes, but printing them is optional Footnotes or notes at bottom of page Footnotes or notes at end of chapter Footnotes or notes at end of document Footnote format changeable Headers and footers: Automatic page numbers Selection of location of page number Selection of starting number of page number Page numbering style Header and footer positions adjustable Header and footer size unlimited Header and footer on/off Several headers in one document Several footers in one document Alternating headers or footers (even/odd pages) Line by line format options Font (typeface, style, size, spacing) Adjustable left/right margins Center text between margins Automatic paragraph indentation Text block protected from formatting Mathematical functions on numerical columns or data Hyphenation manual or automatic Spacing between lines Character format options Font (typeface, style, size, spacing) Boldface Italic Underline Double underline Overstrike Subscripts and superscripts Shadowing Left to right or right to left Required hyphen Required space Automatic or interactive hyphenation optional TAB options Indent Decimal tab Center tab Right justify tab Any combination of tabs Exchange meaning of comma and decimal point in numerical tables Moving through document when editing Skip forward/backward by (a number of) character word line sentence paragraph punctuation mark number uppercase character lowercase character control character screen page Marking and returning to a location in a document Jump to left/right of line top/bottom of screen top/bottom of page specific page (page name or page number?) top/bottom of document Search for word, case sensitive if desired sequence of words, case sensitive if desired numbers Text manipulation Insert Copy Delete Replace Move up to specific string by characters words lines sentences paragraphs screens pages Highlighting of text block selected for change Repeat last command Search and replace automatic or interactive selective or global case sensitive if desired Dictionary Spelling checker Check specified portion of text Check only current screen Add more words Delete words Listing of misspelled words, if desired Leave or replace a word (adding to dictionary is optional) Interactive spelling correction, showing list of words Document-specific dictionary Background spell checking Number of unique word misspellings identified Hyphenation assistance Synonym aid Glossary/abbreviation Glossary of standard text ("boilerplate") Word or phrase abbreviation Named standard formats Sequence of commands Video display Status line Keyclick on/off Tiltable display Glare shield on screen Function keys On-screen page break indicators Count of lines remaining on page Current page number Current document line Current column number Current document name and version Horizontal and vertical scrolling: Set amount of horizontal scroll Set amount of vertical scroll Horizontal or vertical folding, to compare sections of one document Redraw screen Automatic word wrap at margin Automatic on-screen formatting and reformatting Proportional spacing on bit map screens On-screen display of special characters (BOLD,UNDERLINE,ITALICS,CONTROL) Special characters (foreign language, mathematics, special symbols) What you see is what you get (from screen to print out) Optional symbols for tabs, returns, decimal tab, merge, required space/hyphen On-screen format lines or rulers Visible left and right margins Visible tab settings Editing multiple files (cursor/editing state remembered for each file) Multiple editing windows and/or split screen Security Individuals access permissions Group access permissions All access permissions Encryption of selected documents Password protection of selected documents When defining a non-echoing password, it must be entered twice Merge Merging list with a form (form letters, labels) Insert and place markers for form fill in Saving merged result in a WP file Printing merged result Sorting capability Selection of items to merge (ie "Extract data from database") ASCII compatibility and with files from other programs Reading/writing ASCII text files Writing to an ASCII file with formatting directives included Printing to an ASCII file Inserting text from a file Extraction (automatic or manual?) of data from spreadsheets Extract data from database Can read electronic mail Can send electronic mail Ability to reference files within host's directory structure Filter text through a program Printing devices Support for several printers on one system Printers from several vendors, including at least one page printer Print queueing (background printing) Proportional printing How many paper trays Can it feed forms/carbon forms/envelope feed Tractor feed Documents dependent on one printer's capabilities default to that printer Printing capabilities Multiple copies of a document Begin at specific page End at specific page Double-spaced draft Begin header/footer printing on first page or another page Specific pages in specific bin (definable at print or input time?) Convert tabs to spaces Optional cover page Directory support Alphabetical listing of documents Cursor selection of document Search/selection/listing of fields in document profiles Search/selection of names with wildcard Search for files by keywords Print out file names Multiple directories Access permissions Filing flexibility Editing occurs on a work copy of the document (or keystroke trail) Overwrite original document Discard editing session Save as new file Save as new version (if versions are supported) Copy document Delete document Archive documents (make off-line or backup) Load from archive (make on-line) Easily switching document between off-line and on-line status Ability to handle large documents (600 pages) More than one operator access same document at a time Recovery from crashes, errors, or mistakes Undo the last change Undo to previous version of line/sentence/paragraph Stop executing current command Automatic updating of backup information during editing session Recovery after crash (most recent changes might be lost) Recovery can be turned off (optional) Restore pages selectively Restore entire document Automatic keystroke replay Notify affected operator of error Log errors Customization Support for different terminals Reassign function key locations Change wording of menus/prompts Rearrange menu selection Turn menus and prompts off Personalize standard formats for various document types Create new alternate characters Add entries to the hyphenation exception list Documentation Training Self-teaching guide Quick reference summary Reference manual Technical reference manual Online help ______________________________________________________________ Scot E. Wilcoxon Minn. Ed. Comp. Corp. circadia!mecc!sewilco 45 03 N / 93 15 W (612)481-3507 {ihnp4,uwvax}!dicomed!mecc!sewilco Brought to you by Super Global Mega Corp .com