Creating and Editing Documents

Index

• What do I need to be able to create and edit documents on my computer?
• How can I get word processing software?
• What can I do with a word processor?

 Q: What do I need to be able to create and edit documents on my computer?

A: You will need software called a word processor. A word processor is a software program which works similar in nature to a typewriter. Unlike a typewriter, however, word processing software lets you make changes to the document "on the fly", so that making changes is quick and efficient.

Q: How can I get word processing software?

A: There are many word processing software packages out there. Probably the best-known is Microsoft Word, which is part of the Microsoft Office office suite. By many it is considered the best word processing software there is. However, there are many free alternatives to Microsoft Word, including StarOffice and Microsoft Wordpad which are freely available and contain many of the features found in Microsoft Word. We would recommend using StarWriter, part of StarOffice, for word processing if Microsoft Word is not available to you. We will use StarWriter for our examples.

Q: What can I do with a word processor?

A: A word processor lets you create documents, and gives you quite a bit of control over them. Some of the most common features of word processors are below:

• Text Editing: In addition to letting you type your documents, word processors also allow you to change the style, size and color of the text. There are a large number of text styles you can use on your computer. In computer terms a text style is called a font.
   
• List Creation: In a word processor, if you create a list, and it will automatically number the items for you. If you need to add or remove items later, simply add a new item to the list and the word processor automatically updates the numbering. Even if the item you add is in the middle of the list, it will not require you to re-type anything. 
   
• Inserting Pictures and Links: In addition to text, a word processor lets you add pictures and links to other documents within a document. This can make a document more lively and interactive.
   
• Table Creation: Tables let you present data in a professional manner.
   
• Printing: You can use a word processor to specify page margins for printing, add text to the top and bottom of each page (called headers and footers, respectively) and automatically generate a table of contents.

Q: How do I create a document using StarOffice?

A: To create a document using StarOffice, start the StarOffice program and select New from the File menu. Select Document from the sub-menu that appears. A new document will appear. See an example.

Q: How do I open a document using StarOffice?

A: Start StarOffice, and select Open from the File menu. Browse through your computer to the file you want to open, select the file, and click the Open button. The document will open in StarOffice. See an example.

Q: Can I open documents created using other software packages in StarOffice?

A: StarOffice is compatible with Microsoft Office 97/2000, meaning you can read and write Microsoft Word  files with StarOffice.

Q: How do I save a document using StarOffice?

A: Simply click the Save button or select Save from the File menu. If necessary, StarOffice will ask you to name the file and save it in the directory of your choice. See an example.

Q: How can I edit text with a word processor?

A: Text editing is easy with a word processor. A word processor lets you type text just like a typewriter, but it gives you several different formatting options. You can:

• Make text bold, italic or underlined. To do this, either use the B, I and U buttons on the toolbar or use the keyboard shortcuts CTRL+B (Bold), CTRL+I(Italic) and CTRL+U(Underline). See an example.
   
• Change font style, size, or color. To do this, you use the font style, size and color selectors in the toolbar. See an example.
   
• Indent and outdent text. Indenting text moves it further towards the middle of the page, outdenting text moves it back towards the outside of the page. This is similar to setting tab breaks in a typewriter. The advantage of indenting is that if the indented block spans many lines, you need not indent each line. See an example.

Q: How do I create lists with a word processor?

A: Most word processors have two list buttons; a "bulleted list" button and a "numbered list" button.

A bulleted list uses a symbol, like a dot, diamond or rectangle, to mark each list item, like so:

• item 1
  • item 1.1
• item 2
• item 3

A numbered list uses a numbering system, i.e. (1, 2, 3), (A,B,C), (I, II, III), to number items, like so:

1. item 1
   1. item 1.1
2. item 2
3. item 3

See an example.

Q: How do I insert pictures into a document with a word processor?

A: It is actually quite easy to insert digital pictures into a document. In most word processors, there will be an Insert menu which will have an option such as Graphics, Image or Picture. Simply select this option, browse to the location where your image is stored, and select it. The image will now appear within your document. See an example.

Q: What is a 'link' and how do I insert one into a document?

A: A 'link' is a block of text which, when clicked, takes the viewer to a web site. In most word processors, to do this you can simply go to the Insert menu and select Hyperlink. See an example.

Q: How do I create a table in a word processor?

A: In StarWriter, you go to the Insert menu and select Hyperlink. There, you can choose the number of rows and colums you would like. See an example.

Q: How do I print a document?

A: You can simply hit the Print button on the toolbar - the one which looks like a printer. You can also select Print from the File menu, which will give you more options about exactly what you would like to print. See an example.