Word Processing Operation
Open a word processing application.
To start Word using the Windows Start menu - Click on the Start icon to display the Start menu and then move the mouse pointer onto Programs. From the sub-menu select Microsoft Word.
For Openoffice open - start - openoffice - openoffice writer - as in illustration below
Word 2007 - below
Open an existing document - make some modifications and save.
To open a file - Click on the Open icon and from the dialog box displayed select the required file. Use the Look in drop down menu to select the drive or folder that contains the file you want. To open the file you require either, double click on the file name OR select the file name by clicking on it, and then click on the Open button.
Opening a file from a USB stick (memory stick) -Click on the Open icon and a dialog box is displayed. Click on the down arrow to the right of the Look in section.· From the list displayed select USB drive - Select the required file and then click on the Open button.
Tools to help you with opening files You can use the buttons across the
top of this dialog box to help you in selecting the required file. Click
on the Down arrow to display folders (directories) and drives.
Open Dialog Box Icons Icon Function
See recent files - Click here to access recently opened files or folders
(acts like a Back button within an Internet browser such as Microsoft
Internet Explorer).
Move up one folder level Click here to move up one level through your
folder (directory) tree.
Search the Web - Click here to search the Internet .
Delete the selected file -Click here to delete the selected file or folder.
Create a new folder - Click here to create a new folder beneath the selected
folder.
See different "opening views" - Click here to see a drop down
menu, from which you can select commands, as illustrated.
Entering text into a Word document Word normally functions in Insert mode
that means that text is added to a document without overwriting anything
else. Alternatively, Word can function in Overtype mode that will overwrite
existing text with any new text that you type in. The status bar at the
bottom of the Word window indicates that you are in Overtype mode by highlighting
the OVR indicator.
To insert text in a document In Insert mode, text is inserted into the document at the insertion point. This is the default mode. Text that already exists is moved forward to make way for the new text. - Position the insertion point where you want to insert the new text.- When you begin typing, the existing text will move to the right and wrap to the next line.
To overtype text in a document In Overtype mode, text overwrites the existing text. Position the insertion point where you want to type the new text. Press the Insert key to switch to overtype mode. The OVR indicator on the status bar will be highlighted. When you begin typing, the existing text will be replaced with your new text.
What is “Click and Type”? Introduced in Word 2000 and enables you to double click on any blank area of your document and immediately begin to enter text at that location.
To use “Click and Type” · Ensure that you are in Print Layout view by clicking on the View drop down menu and selecting the Print Layout command. Double click on any empty area of the page. Word will move the insertion point to that location. Type your text.
Saving to disk This feature allows you to store new or existing documents on disk. The Save As command can be used to save a file under a different name, to save a file in a different word processor format, or to save a file to a different drive and/or folder. If you have not previously saved a file, then clicking on the Save icon will display the Save As dialog box.
To save using "Save As" · From the File menu choose the
Save or the Save As command, or use any of the following keystrokes:
Save Ctrl+S
Save As F12
You can also select from the following options to save files:
Save in (a drop down menu within the dialog box) Select from this drop
down list to save the file to a different disk drive or a different folder.
Save as type Select from this list box if you want to save the file in
a different file format such as WordPerfect or Works.
Note: The File Save command will replace the original copy of a document
with the document that is on the screen. The File Save As command will
rename the document on the screen so that you can keep the earlier version,
as well as save any changes you have made. When you try and close a document
without saving it first, Word will ask you if you want to save it.
Open several documents.
You can open files one at a time, or if you know how to select multiple
files, you can open two or more files at the same time. This technique
can save you time!
To select a continuous block of files · Click on the Open icon,
which will display the Open dialog box. · Click on the first file
of the block you wish to select, then while depressing the Shift key,
click on the last file of the required block. When you release the Shift
key the entire block will remain selected.
To select multiple files that are not in a continuous block · Click
on the Open icon, which will display the Open dialog box. Click on the
first file that you wish to select and while keeping the Ctrl key depressed,
click on the other files that you wish to select. When you release the
Ctrl key, the selected files will continue to be highlighted.
In either case outlined above, clicking on the Open button, once multiple
files have been selected, will cause all the selected files to open within
Word.
To switch from one open document to another one - Simply click on the required document, as displayed in the Status Bar at the bottom of your Windows screen.
Create a new document and save.
To create a new document - Click on the New icon and a new blank document will be displayed on the screen. This document will be based on the default template within Word. To save your new document after you have entered your text, click on the Save icon and supply a name for the document file.
Save an existing document onto the hard disk or onto a USB stick.
To save a document using the Save icon - Click on the Save icon and from the dialog box displayed select the required folder. Enter a file name and then click on the Save button. After you have saved the file for the first time, clicking on the file icon will automatically save your document with the filename you gave it. It does not give you the option to rename.
To create a new folder in which to save your document - Click on the Create New Folder icon, displayed within the Save As dialog box. This will display the New Folder dialog box. Enter the name of the new folder, and then click on the OK button. NOTE: The folder will be created under the current folder.
To save a document using a different file name - Lets say you have opened an existing document and wish to make some changes and then re-save the document using a different file name. You would click on the File drop down menu and select the SaveAs command. You would enter the new name and click on the Save button.
To display hidden “Save All” & "Close All" commands · This feature may be useful if you have more that one document open at the same time. Depress the Shift key while clicking on the File drop down menu. This will display the extra Save All/Close All commands. changes to …
To save a file to a USB stick - Click on the File
drop down menu and select the Save As command. A dialog box will be displayed
similar to that illustrated. - Click on the down arrow to the right of
the Save in section of the dialog box, which will display a drop down
menu. Select the USB drive icon.· Enter a file name and then click
on the Save button.
Close the document.
To close a document in Word - Select Close from the File drop down menu OR press Ctrl+F4. The document will be closed and the screen will be cleared. If you try to close a document without saving it, Word displays a dialog box asking if you want to save any of the changes you made to the document OR click on the Close icon displayed at the top-right of the document window. Be sure to click on the close document icon, (as opposed to the Close program icon).
To display a hidden “Close All” command · This feature may be useful if you have more than one document open at the same time. Depress the Shift key while clicking on the File drop down menu. This will display an extra Close All command.
To close the Word program Click on the Close icon displayed at the top
right of the Word window OR press Alt+F4.If you have not saved your work,
a dialog box will be displayed which asks you if you wish to save your
changes. Make your choice from one of the following:
Yes Saves the changes and exits the program.
No Does not save the changes and exits the program. Warning: Choosing
No will lose any work which you have done since you last saved the file.
Cancel Cancels the command and stays in the Word program.