Word processing

A word processing program or word processor is used for creating and editing text documents. The program facilities can be accessed using a menu bar, although the most common tools can also be accessed using rows of button icons known as toolbars. The standard toolbar contains icons for the most frequently used facilities such as saving, printing, and spellchecking. There are also icons for cutting, copying, and pasting, and for undoing any changes. The formatting toolbar has icons for formatting the text, i.e. changing the size and shape of text characters. For example, the user can align the text to the left or to the right, or can justify the text, i.e. have it aligned to both the left and right at the same time. Rectangular gridlines, which form what is known as a table, can be used to control the layout. A desktop publishing package gives more precise control of format and layout, and allows the user to prepare documents for printing by a professional printer.

A WIMP system uses dialog boxes to give information or to get information from the user. Note that the American English spelling dialog is normally used in computing although the British English spelling dialogue can also be used. A dialog box isa window that opens on the display screen. It can contain various components, some of which are shown in the table below.

One way to find a file on a computer system is to use the Find dialog box. Having indicated what they are looking for, using text boxes, drop-down list boxes, and checkboxes, the user clicks the Search command button. The Find facility then searches for the file and displays its path on the screen.

3 Answer the following questions:

1 What is a word processing program or word processor used for?

2 In what way the program facilities can be accessed?

3 What does the standard toolbar contain?

4 What does the formatting toolbar do?

5 What does a desktop publishing package allow?

6 What components can a dialog box contain?