Word Processing, Word Processor and its Features

Written on February 11, 2016 by Claudio Dias in Microsoft Word No Comments

Word Processing:

Word Processing is the process of creating text documents. It consists of creating, editing and formatting text and adding graphics in the document. Microsoft Word is one of the most popular word processing software today. In the past, typewriter was the most common tool for printing simple documents. It could print only. This tool was not supports to images and special publishing techniques. The services of experts and publishing companies were required to publish and print such documents. But now days, computers totally changed the way of creating & printing the documents. Word processing programs facilitated this process. They provide facilities to create, edit, and format documents in different layouts. Using these programs, images can also be included in documents. Now every computer user can create complicated documents by using of word processing programs. Word processing is one of the most widely used applications on computers.

Word Processor:

Word processor is an application program or software that is used to create and format text-based documents. It provides features to add images, videos, different objects, sounds, charts and graphics in text documents. Microsoft Word is one of the top ranking word processing software today.

Features of a Word Processor:

Full-featured word processors provide several advanced features. These advanced features are used for creating high quality professional documents. To create a document, text is entered by typing on the keyboard. The word processor places a blinking cursor (insertion point) at the top left comer of the screen. It indicates the place where typed text will be written in the document. When text is typed, the cursor moves forward on the screen. On reaching the end of the line, the word processor automatically moves it to the start of the next line. The text in document can be changed and the document can be saved by using the Save command. The features of a word process are:

Insertion Cursor:

The Insertion Cursor indicates the point where the text is to be written in the document.

File management:

These are the tools for searching files on the disks, copying, pasting and deleting files.

Footnotes & Cross-References:

This feature allows users to automatically add footnotes and automates the numbering in a document and add cross-references.

Graphics:

This feature allows users to embed illustrations and add graphics in a document. More advanced word processors also provide tools for creating and editing graphics within a document.

Headers, Footers & Page Numbering:

The word processor automatically keeps track of the page numbers. This feature allows users to add headers, footers and page numbers.

Layout:

This feature allows users to specify page sizes, margins, indents, paragraph and line spacing, etc.

Macros:

A macro is a small piece of code. It is executed by pressing a single key. It is written to execute a series of commands. It saves lot of time by executing keystrokes.

Merges:

This feature allows users to merge text from file to another file. This feature is helpful in generating mailing labels.

Spell Checker:

The spell-check utility uses this dictionary to check spellings in a document. This utility highlights the text which is unknown or not recognized.

Table of Contents & Indexes:

This feature allows users to automatically generate table of contents and index.

Thesaurus:

Similar meaning of a word is called synonym and a word that has the opposite meanings is called antonym. The book in which synonyms and antonyms of words are given is called thesaurus. This feature helps users to find out the synonyms and antonyms of words in the documents.