WD6X: What's New in Word 6.0?

• Microsoft Word for Windows, version 6.0

SUMMARY

This article contains questions and answers about what's new in Word 6.0?

MORE INFORMATION

   This FastTip assumes you are familiar with a previous version of Word
   for Windows and that you want more information to help you decide
   whether to upgrade to Word 6.0. If you have already upgraded to Word
   6.0, the information below is contained in Chapter 2, "What's New in
   Word 6.0?," in the "Microsoft Word Quick Results" guide.

   If you do not own a previous version of Word for Windows and want
   general information about the product, call Microsoft Sales Information
   Center at (800) 426-9400. If you are outside the United States, contact
   your local subsidiary. To locate your subsidiary, see the Microsoft
   World Wide Offices Web site at:

      http://www.microsoft.com/worldwide/default.htm

   1. Q. Why did Word for Windows suddenly jump from version 2.0 to 6.0?

       A. This is the first version of Word in which we use the same core
          code for both Word for Windows and Word for the Macintosh(R).
          This means both products share the same file format, features,
          appearance, and documentation. To reflect this similarity, we
          decided to give both products the same version number. The
          current version of Word for the Macintosh is 5.1, so we
          couldn't use version 3.0. Therefore, version 6.0 was the
          logical choice.

   2. Wizards and "Auto" Formatting Features

       Word includes the following features to automate and simplify the
       creation, formatting, and production of documents:

       a. Wizards: A "wizard" is an interactive Word feature that asks
          questions and then uses your answers to automatically lay out
          and format a certain type of document. A wizard is often the
          fastest way to create a letter, memo, resume, newsletter, or
          insert a table in a document.

       b. AutoCorrect: The AutoCorrect feature automatically corrects
          common typing mistakes as you work. For example, if you type "t-
          e-h", AutoCorrect replaces it with "the" as soon as you press
          the SPACEBAR. You can also use AutoCorrect to quickly insert
          words or phrases that are long or difficult to type. For
          example, use AutoCorrect to automatically replace "ASAP" with
          "as soon as possible".

       c. AutoFormat: The AutoFormat command formats document elements
          such as headings, tables, and bulleted lists by applying styles
          to each paragraph in the document. Once AutoFormat has applied
          styles to your table or text, you can quickly change the "look
          and feel" of your document using the Style Gallery command.
          Using AutoFormat, you can produce professional-looking letters,
          memos, and reports even when you're in a hurry.

       d. Heading Numbering and Bullets and Numbering: You can create
          numbered headings that Word automatically updates whenever you
          move, add, or delete a heading. You can create bulleted and
          numbered lists - even multiple-level lists for legal and
          technical documents. As you edit your list, Word renumbers the
          items automatically.

       e. AutoCaption and Cross-Reference: The AutoCaption feature
          automatically adds a caption label and number (such as "Table
          1") to a series of tables, graphics, or other items in a
          document. If you add, move, or delete items in a series of
          items, Word automatically updates the caption numbers. Use the
          Cross-Reference command to easily create cross-references to
          captions, headings, tables, and other items.

   3. New Editing Features

       a. Multiple-Level Undo and Redo keeps track of your last 100
          editing and formatting changes. You can select one or more
          actions to undo using the Undo button on the Standard toolbar.
          If you decide that you'd like to keep one or more changes after
          you undo them, use the Redo button. For example, if you apply
          the wrong style to your document, you can undo it; then, if you
          change your mind, you can reapply the style using Redo. Of
          course, there are certain actions you cannot undo, such as
          saving or printing your document.

       b. You can now drag and drop text and graphics across windows. You
          can also drag items between applications.

       c. The Find and Replace commands are now both more flexible and
          more straightforward.

   4. New Formatting and Style Options

       a. Format Painter: Using the Format Painter button, you can copy
          formatting. Just "pick up" the formatting that you want to copy
          and then "paint it" onto the text you want to format.

       b. Drop Cap: Automatically add a dropped capital letter, word, or
          graphic to a paragraph.

       c. Character Styles: Save character formatting as a character
          style and apply it in one step.

       d. Character Spacing and Automatic Kerning: Use character spacing
          to adjust the spacing that follows a letter or symbol. Use the
          new kerning capabilities of Word to control the spacing between
          certain letter pairs.

       e. Organizer Feature Helps You Copy and Manage Styles: You can now
          copy individual styles, macros, AutoText entries, and toolbars
          between documents and templates.

       f. Reveal Formats: You can use the Help button to display all the
          formatting information about selected text.

   5. New Page Layout Choices

       a. Columns: Create newspaper-style columns of unequal width. You
          can now set the width of each column individually.

       b. Print Preview: Print preview can now show you more than two
          pages so you can get an overview of your entire document. In
          addition, you can drag text and graphics from one page to
          another and zoom in to edit text.

       c. Display Multiple Pages in Page Layout View: Using the Zoom
          command, you can display and edit multiple pages in page layout
          view.

       d. Table Headings: If a table spans more than one page, you can
          use the Table Headings command to automatically repeat the
          table headings on each page.

   6. Mail Merge, Step by Step

       The Mail Merge Helper simplifies the creation of form letters by
       taking you through the basic steps for creating any type of mail
       merge document. You can create a letter and mailing list from
       "scratch," or use an existing document and data from Microsoft
       Access(R), Microsoft Excel, or another application.

       Print Envelopes and Labels Easily: Word walks you through the
       formerly time-consuming process of creating envelopes or mailing
       labels. You don't have to measure labels and change page setups
       anymore. Word can even add U.S. postal bar codes and Facing
       Identification Marks (FIM) to your envelopes.

   7. Easier-to-Use Interface

       The following features make Word 6.0 easier and quicker for you to
       use:

       a. Toolbars: Word now has specialized toolbars that you can use
          for tasks that range from applying formatting to adding line
          drawings. You can display or hide toolbars individually, and
          you can move them around on the screen so they're accessible,
          yet out of the way as you work. You can also add, remove, and
          rearrange toolbar buttons. You can even create custom buttons
          (and create graphics for them) to run macros, apply formatting,
          or carry out commands that you use often. Word provides more
          than 300 built-in button faces that you can use to customize
          your toolbars.

       b. ToolTips help you identify toolbar buttons by displaying the
          name of the button when you point to the button and pause.

       c. Context-sensitive shortcut menus and an improved status bar
          help you work quickly.

       d. Full Screen View hides menus, toolbars, rulers, and other
          elements to maximize the text area on your screen.

       e. Drawing Layer: By using the tools on the Drawing toolbar, you
          can create drawing objects such as squares and polygons that
          you can use to create organization charts, flow charts, maps,
          and other line drawings. You can also add callouts to graphics.
          You can move a drawing object behind text and behind or in
          front of other drawing objects, and you can align objects by
          "snapping" them to a grid.

   8. Customize Word with New Options

       The following new options make Word even more flexible than ever:

       a. You can add top-level menus to the menu bar, and you can place
          items on a menu in any order or position.

       b. You can create your own custom toolbars, and you can drag
          toolbar buttons from one toolbar to another.

       c. You can delete toolbar buttons or menu commands you don't use
          and add or regroup those you use most.

   9. Workgroup Features

       Word includes the following new features to help you create,
       distribute, and produce documents in a workgroup:

       a. Master documents organize large, complex documents. Use a
          master document as a "container" to manage a long document that
          includes many subdocuments.

       b. Send documents to reviewers through electronic mail with the
          Add Routing Slip command. You can send a document to several
          reviewers simultaneously or route a single copy from one
          reviewer to another in the sequence that you specify.

       c. New Annotation features speed up reviews. You can now mark text
          for annotations so you don't have to retype it or describe it
          in your annotation. When you consider comments from others, you
          can view all annotations at once or only those from a single
          reviewer.

       d. Revision Tracking shows you who did what when. Revision marking
          now shows you who made a change and when the change was
          entered. You can display or hide revision marks as you edit a
          document and select the color and character formatting used to
          mark changes.

       e. Create Forms to fill in on-screen. The new Forms toolbar makes
          it easy to create a complex form with text fields, check boxes,
          and drop-down lists. You can even produce customized help text
          for each part of a form, and you can protect the form so users
          can only type in the designated spaces.

   10. Getting Help and Learning Word

       Online Help is more accessible, context sensitive, and useful than
       ever before - just double-click the Help button and there it is!
       You can even keep step-by-step procedures in a separate How To
       window that remains visible as you work. Each command dialog box
       includes a context-sensitive Help button that takes you directly
       to Help for that command. Help includes examples and on-screen
       demonstrations, and it also contains extensive troubleshooting
       steps you can follow when you have a problem.

       Each time you start Word, you'll see a "Tip of the Day" about how
       to use Word more effectively. Tips tell you about new features,
       shortcuts, and new ways to use familiar features.

   11. System Requirements

       If your computer can run Windows version 3.1, it can run Word 6.0.
       The hard disk and memory requirements vary, depending on how you
       install Word and how many Windows-based applications you run
       simultaneously. The following are the minimum requirements for
       installing and running Word:

        - An industry-standard computer with at least an 80286 or
          compatible microprocessor.

        - Microsoft Windows version 3.1 or later.

        - A hard disk and a 1.2 megabyte (MB) or greater capacity floppy
          disk drive.

        - To install Word, you need at least 5 MB of space available on
          your hard disk. To install the complete Word package, you need
          at least 24 MB of disk space.

        - To run Word, you need at least 4 MB of RAM.

        - EGA or better resolution monitor.

        - A Microsoft Mouse or compatible pointing device is recommended,
          but not required.

        - A printer is optional.