===================================================================== Wordprocessing: CAN YOU DO THE LOCOMOTION? ===================================================================== Do you still use LocoScript 1? Are you frustrated by not being able to upgrade to a daisy-wheel printer? FIND/EXCHANGE requiring an exact match? Are you hindered by having to load CP/M to FORMAT and COPY discs? Do you feel restricted by not being able to load and/or insert documents prepared by other word processors? Are you suffering from LocoTwiddle? The writers compulsion to 'twiddle his thumbs' while waiting for LocoScript 1 to scroll or when doing a SAVE; PRINT or EXIT and when using DOC, FIND/EXCHANGE and PAGE? Happily LocoScript 2 has corrected these shortcomings. Right from the start you feel at home in familiar surroundings. But take a closer look.... The first difference you will notice immediately when using LocoScript 2 is that it is about three times faster than LocoScript 1 when scrolling and manoeuvering through your text. When jumping to another part of the document either with the DOC/PAGE key or the new FIND PAGE facility you will be surprised at the increase in speed by getting there substantially faster still! There is a comprehensive 230 page tutorial broken down into twenty-one manageable sessions. To get the most out of the program its highly recommended to use the tutorial as many refinements are explained between these pages. Others that were lurking within LocoScript 1 are explained better and if you are anything like me then you might have missed some details too. In any event there is a chapter concerned with 'Converting to LocoScript 2' that points out where to look to see the main improvements. There are six useful appendices including a Glossary and a Quick Reference section - you won't get lost in the new LocoScript - you can start where you left off by allowing LocoScript to automatically convert your documents to the new format. Then there's a HUGE character set of 400+ characters compared with the 150 available in the old program, so you shouldn't be stuck for any special characters again. But, just in case you do find you need some, there is a facility to create up to sixteen user-defined characters with the LOCOCHAR.BAS program supplied with the master disc. These new characters can then become your new default or used only in those documents where required. The existing character shapes have been improved in some instances as well, some made wider, and the underline made lower to give a clearer image on the built-in printer. Want to use an alternative Printer? You can choose from thirty-eight brands, that's some 220 different models which, of course, include all the major manufacturers' machines. The manual covers the use of these 'other' printers in detail, but you won't be able to print all of the 400 + characters available to the Amstrad Matrix printer on many of these alternatives and some will need special printer-drivers from 'The Extra Printer Drivers Disc.' There is also a "Printer Character Sets Disc" available that lets you produce the character set required by your printer or print wheels if they are not compatible. You can have three printers connected to the PCW8256/512 (four on the PCW9512) at once (the extras connected via the RS232 Interface) and choose which one to use from within LocoScript. 'Why would I want an extra printer?' you may ask! Use the built-in printer for drafts with cheaper paper while the extra printer(s), being a daisywheel or Laser say, is set up with Quality paper ready for your completed 'masterpiece.' The FIND facility has been considerably improved to offer a useful, more reliable method of FINDing particular words or phrases. It now allows you to IGNORE CASE so that FIND 'London' will FIND, LONDON london LONDon and of course London. You may also set FIND to LOOK FOR WHOLE WORDS. With the previous example it would ignore Londonderry with this option set but FIND it when not. FIND is also able to 'USE WILDCARDS' in place of letters you are not sure of. FIND 'L?nd' would result in 'land, landlady, landscape; lend, Lender; Linden; London, Londonderry; and Lundy' all being found. FIND is now powerful enough to allow you to use LocoScript as a simple database. Ever wanted to COPY or FORMAT a disc whilst using LocoScript? Reset the PCW, LOAD CP/M then RUN Disckit, carry out your disc tasks, exit Disckit, reset the PCW and re-load LocoScript. What a performance! Thankfully here is a wordprocessor that understands that these functions exist. Plus, of course you can RENAME and VERIFY your discs too. Now the average user can pack his CP/M utilities discs away, FOREVER! 'What about a word counting facility?', I can hear you shout. 'I'll still need CP/M to run my word counter program.' You can forget about all that disc changing, making ASCII files and proof reading that 'masterpiece' now. I don't know what I would do without LocoSpell. Just call up LocoSpell from within Edit mode to quickly check the spelling of a single word, part or all of a document. Once installed its part of LocoScript, and as simple to use as any other 'pull down' menu. The word count is given at the end of each proof reading so by checking the whole document you get an accurate total as well. When an error is found you are offered a variety of actions. 'Use suggested replacement, replace and then edit, edit this word, consult the dictionary, ignore this word, mark this word correct and add to user dictionary'. The 'use suggested replacement' option is quite handy (when it gets it right) because it saves you editing the word. Unfortunately though, LocoSpell tends to suggest peculiar replacements, which can be humorous. Sometimes I write on specialised subjects with lots of technical jargon. No problem. Create your own dictionary for each specialised subject. Each 'user dictionary' you create will supplement the 78,000 word dictionary supplied when checking these technical documents. LocoSpell takes time to proof read your documents, but far less than doing it manually and probably more accurate to boot. While this Locomotive isn't the Flying Scotsman its certainly an 'Express' with first-class service and comforts. With so many enhancements the great majority of users will find it suits them and their needs. If you are like me and write more than the occasional odd letter to Aunt Mable you will find this Locomotive a pleasure to drive, without the traumas of changing to the unknown. GERRY AUSTIN. CHARACTERS AVAILABLE TO LOCOSCRIPT 2 ALPHANUMERICS: abcdefghijklmnopqrstuvwxyz ABCDEFGHIJKLMNOPQRSTUVWXYZ 0123456789  ACCENTS: ` ~ GREEK CHARACTERS: oO CYRILLIC CHARACTERS: aA eE iI oO pP cC xX OTHER SPECIAL LANGUAGE CHARACTERS: K ~^ ` TEXTUAL SYMBOLS: - , . ; : ! ? & ' " _ * # / ( ) [ ] { } @ | CONTINENTAL TEXTUAL SYMBOLS: CURRENCY SYMBOLS: # $ MATHEMATICAL AND TECHNICAL SYMBOLS: + - * / ^ = \ < > % ARROWS: ^ SPECIAL TEXTUAL SYMBOLS: