NewDeal Hot Tip 1910

[Hot Tips for...] NewWrite

NewWrite Preformatting and Reformatting

One of the great features of many NewDeal applications is the ease with which you can alter formatting. For this reason, you can work with text and graphics in a way that you are comfortable with and then reformat when you're finished to get the kind of output you desire. Here are a few simple suggestions and examples.

Making use of NewWrite's style, font, size, and color

Text Font and Size

I like using the Shattuck Avenue font but am not able to read it easily on screen. Therefore I work in URW Roman or Sans and when I'm finished I highlight my work and change to Shattuck Avenue. (Do this by clicking your left mouse button 5 times to highlight the entire document, then select the desired font.)

I do the same with font sizes. In this way I can work with 18 or 24 point type on screen then size down to print.

Special Effects

If you have a long passage to type underlined, bold, italic, etc. consider using this technique to make your work on screen easier to see. Type the entire passage, highlight, then click on Character, Styles, then choose the desired effect.

Using Colors to Change Screen Appearance

Again this will be of greatest value to folks like me who have trouble dealing with the bright white background and black text.

Changing Text Color

To change text color, click on Character, click on Text Color. A box displaying a choice of colors will appear. Pick the desired color, then click on Apply. Your best bet on a light background is a dark color... and on a dark background a light color. In either case, leave Shading set to 100% as it's easier to read on screen than shaded text. When finished typing, you can change your text back to the original color by highlighting it, clicking on Character, Text color, and picking black.

Changing Background Color

Click on Paragraph, then Paragraph Color. A box similar to the Text Color box will appear. Choose the desired color then pick Apply. Remember to highlight the area and return the paragraph color to white before printing or you'll get a surprise.

A Few General Tips About Reformatting

Whether you're changing fonts, text color, or paragraph color you can leave the option window open and just move it off the bottom of your screen. To keep the window open select Apply but not Close. In the case of fonts, click on Fonts, click on More Fonts. This will give you the same list of fonts (unless you have purchased extras), but with a window that lets you preview and apply them without closing the window. This may sound like a small matter but can save a lot of time and work in the long run.
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Last Modified 7 Mar 1999