WordPad
Maureen Smith, Professor
Saddleback College
Windows 98 - Unit 5
Creating Documents with
WordPad
Easy-to-use word processor
 Basic features common to all word
processors

– Create, save, retrieve files; move, copy,
enhance, edit documents; set margins/align
text, search/replace

Lacks spell checker, thesaurus, advanced
features

Create simple documents (letters,
reports, memos) with objects
– Sound recording, picture, spreadsheet
Starting WordPad
Application found on Accessories menu
 Window with menu bar, toolbar, ruler,
status bar

– Blank area is workspace for inputting
– May also show optional format bar

Underlined menu items---keyboard
commands
Keying Text

Cursor is thin vertical blinking line
– Indicates start position
– Moves as you key text (push cursor along)
– Called insertion point, point where next
character will be inserted

Wordwrap is default
Saving a WordPad Document
Save frequently--every 10 minutes or so
 2 File menu options for saving:

– Save for documents already named as you
want them named
– Save As... for documents not yet named or
that you wish to rename

Save As... has drop-down list of options
for saving:
– Word for Windows 6.0 (default)
 In
WordPad, can open documents created in
any version of Word for Windows
– Rich Text Format (RTF)
 Instructs
word processor how document’s text
should look on-screen or on paper--shows bold,
centered, etc.
 Allows you to exchange RTF files between
operating systems or word processors without
converting
– Text Document
 File
with no formatting--text only
– Text Document--MS-DOS Format
 Saves
in ASCII
 Can be recognized by all PC word processors
and most other applications
– Unicode Text Document --another text-only

WordPad toolbar has a Save button
Closing a WordPad Document

Does not have a “close document”
command that allows you to close a
document while leaving WordPad open
– Select New from File menu to replace current
document with new blank screen
– Select Open from File menu to replace
current document with another
– Select Exit or click Close button to quit
document and WordPad
Opening a New WordPad
Document

New from File menu--New dialog box
– Can select type for new document
– Same types that appear in Save As...
– Usually will want to select default Word 6
Opening an Existing WordPad
Document

Several ways to open existing docs
– Select Open... from File menu
– Display File menu and look at bottom for four
most recently opened files
– Open icon on toolbar

Further options:
– Key file name in File name text box
– Specify type of files to display in Files of
type drop-down list
– Look in drop-down list to display contents
of desired drive or folder and then doubleclick file you want to open
Printing a WordPad Document

WordPad lets you print documents by
using Print... option on File menu
– Before you print, should always select Print
Preview

Print preview lets you see the way your
document will look when printed
– Found on File menu or Print Preview
button
– Miniature version of document, an outline
of text area framed against full page
– Mouse pointer becomes magnifying glass
that you can click on any area to see closer
view
– Buttons offer opportunity to print, advance
to Next Page, return to Previous Page, get
Two-Page view, Zoom In/Out, Close

Print--from File menu; number of
options
– Printer
– Print range
– Copies

Can also print document with print
button, but will not see Print dialog box

Remember multitasking capability
– While document is printing, can work on
some other task
– Can keep track of printing process by
checking printer icon next to clock on
taskbar
Editing and Formatting
WordPad Documents

Editing means revising or changing
words in text
– WordPad makes it easy to update report,
correct sales figures, delete text
Formatting means changing the look or
arrangement of text
 Great power in developing documents

Using Page Setup to Format a
Document
What will printed page look like?
 WordPad has default choices for paper
size, margins
 To see, or change, select Page Setup
on File menu

– Top of dialog box has facsimile page--what
printed page will look like with current
specs for paper size, margins, etc.
– Can change any spec and facsimile will
simultaneously change

Paper
– Change Size if you are not going to print
on standard 8 1/2 x 11-inch paper (default,
called Letter)
9
options
– Change Source if you are feeding special
paper into printer

Orientation
– Portrait is standard term for 8 1/2 x 11
– Landscape is 11 x 8 1/2

Margins
– Default settings are 1.25-inch left/right
margins and 1-inch top/bottom
 Default

measurement is inches
Remember “What’s This?”
Displaying Editing and
Formatting Tools

Do you want to see various bars, buttons,
rulers at all times? Or not? Your choice!
– Toggle switches

To change display options, click View
menu
– First 4 items (Toolbar, Format Bar, Ruler,
Status Bar) have toggle switches
– Last choice is Options...
3
choices under Word wrap and 4 choices
under Toolbars
 Options tab allows you to select unit of
measurement (inches, centimeters, etc.)
Selecting Text

Before you can cut (delete), move,
copy, italicize, underline, or otherwise
change copy, need to select text
– Same ways as in Notepad
– Drag with mouse
– Double-click to select word
– Select All from Edit menu to select entire
document

In addition, can use the mouse to select
various quantities of text
– Position mouse to left of text--I-beam
becomes right-pointing arrow
– Click once to select current line
– Double-click to select current paragraph
– Double-click first paragraph, hold down
Shift, click once on last paragraph to select
multiple paragraphs
– Hold down Ctrl and click once to select
entire document
Using the Edit Menu to Edit
Text
To delete highlighted text, use Cut or
press Delete or Backspace
 To move text--highlight, select Cut,
position cursor at new destination, and
Paste
 To copy--highlight, choose Copy, position
cursor at new destination, and Paste
(original text is untouched)

Undo command is safety feature; used
to cancel last editing command
 Toolbar includes icons for these editing
commands

– Not active until text is selected
Using the Format Menu to
Format Text

Format menu offers 4 options for
formatting document
– Font--easiest way to change more than one
characteristic of “the look of” characters
 Font,
font style, font size, strikeout/underline,
colors, language scripts
– Bullet style--symbols such as dots/diamonds
that appear at beginning of line of text,
making text stand out
– Paragraph--2 sets of choices:
 Indentation--Left,
right, first line (default is zero)
 Alignment--Left, right, center (default is left)
– Tabs--tab stop marks place where cursor
will stop when you press Tab key
 Default
tabs every half-inch; can add tabs
whenever you need through Tabs dialog box or
by using the ruler bar
Using the Format Bar to
Format and Enhance Text

Often edit and format constantly as you
create/revise documents
– To simplify process, format bar is handy

Contains 2 groups of items:
– Font text box and font size box
– 8 buttons that control formatting

Format bar boxes
– Font box--identifies typeface currently used
– Font size--numerical listing of sizes (from 8 to
72 points)

Format bar buttons--8 buttons you can
toggle on and off
– Bold, italic, underline
– Color palette--the color button
– Left, center, right alignment
– Bullets button activates bullet style format

Except for Colors, all are toggle switches
Finding and Replacing Text

Flipping through pages of even short
document to find word/phrase can be timeconsuming and frustrating
– WordPad simplifies such searches
– Can easily find what you are looking for and
even replace copy with revised text

Edit menu will show Find..., Find Next
(grayed out), Replace
Find...

Helps you locate word or phrase
– Find dialog box prompts you to enter search
word/phrase in text box labeled Find what

2 options
– Match whole word only
– Match case--makes search case sensitive
Find Next

Available only after Find has been used
– Grayed out first on Edit menu

Faster way to use Find Next-– Shortcut key: F3--one time when using a
shortcut key is faster than mousing around
Replace...

Prompts you to enter 2 key pieces of
information: Find what and Replace with
– Begin a Replace option by clicking either
Find Next or Replace All
Inserting Objects in a
WordPad Document

Can insert wide range of objects into
WordPad document
– Object images, pictures, media clips,
worksheets, charts, etc.
– Can combine text with illustrations, giving
you freedom for creativity and innovation
Creating Objects

Can create your own object
– Draw/paint object using software
– Create worksheet/chart using Excel
– Pick existing objects from “stock” sources
 Microsoft
ClipArt Gallery
Select Object... from Insert menu
 Create New (default) allows you to choose
from any options listed in Object Type text
box

– How many object types are available
depends on system
– If Microsoft Office is installed, will have
substantial selection (Excel, PowerPoint,
Microsoft ClipArt Gallery)
– WordPad is always on list (alphabetical)
– Result box tells what that option will do if
selected
– Application window opens, allowing you to
create object using that application
 Choose
Bitmap image; draw, paint, airbrush object
(then saved as “bitmap” image)
 Choose PowerPoint, can create object using
PowerPoint
– In each application window, create object;
then insert it into “target” WordPad document
and return to document at same time
– Microsoft ClipArt Gallery allows you to create
objects easy way--browse through “gallery” of
1,000 images, arranged by subject
Create from File--used when you have
already created/saved object and want to
insert it into WordPad document
 Plan ahead: where do you want to position
your object?

– Once command is given, object will be
inserted immediately before insertion point
 Can
then be sized (enlarged/reduced) and
moved
Editing Objects

Once object is inserted into document:
– Can be sized
– Can be moved
– Can be revised (certain objects--not all)

Sizing objects
– To enlarge/reduce, must first select object
8
small boxes (handles) appear at 4 corners
and at 4 midpoints
 Key
to sizing objects because you grab these
handles to resize the object
– To reduce size, click handle and push inward
– To enlarge size, click handle and pull outward
 Push/pull

corner reduces/enlarges in 2 directions
Can relocate object in 2 ways:
– Select object, hold mouse, move and release
 Called
drag and drop, can be used with any
selected object, including text
– Select object, click alignment button on
toolbar--object moves to new position

Once inserted, objects are not
unchangeable
– When you want to change/revise inserted
object, WordPad returns you to original
application in which object was created

Not all objects can be revised (ClipArt
Gallery)
Using Character Map in a
WordPad Document

Windows accessory used to find special
character or symbol and copy it into
WordPad document (even string of
characters/symbols)
– Displays currently selected font
– Each time you select new font, its character
set is displayed

Can slightly enlarge view of character by
pointing on it and holding down mouse
– When you find one, click character to
highlight, then click Select button
 To
make second copy of that symbol, click Select
again
– Can create string, but can choose only one
character at a time

When finished, click Copy button
– Stored on Clipboard
Return to WordPad and Paste
 Note in lower right corner, Keystroke box
tells you how to form selected character
directly from keyboard without opening
Character Map
