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Toolbox for WordPerfect

Macros, tips, and templates for Corel® WordPerfect® for Windows®
© Copyright 1996-2013 by Barry MacDonnell. All Rights Reserved.

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Page updated May 17, 2013

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Tips & Tricks

[The most recent tips are typically listed first in each Section.]

Section 1: Automating documents and tasks
Section 2: Automating templates
Section 3: Formatting and structuring text
Section 4: Menus, toolbars, property bars and keyboards
Section 5: Miscellaneous tips and tricks
Section 6: Other "tips" sites
Section 7: Updating, upgrading, or reinstalling
Browse:    List of related pages linked to this Tips page

What's new and different in recent versions of WordPerfect? See here.
Is your WordPerfect up to date? See Section 7 below.

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Section 1:
Automating documents and tasks

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  • [Sticky>>] See the Library's Section 1 for macros that help automate documents and tasks.
  • Some basic information on WordPerfect templates, including how to create your own custom templates.
  • Insert 'boilerplate' and other repeating items with QuickWords, QuickCorrect, QuickMacros, shortcut keys, floating cells, and (in WP10+) text variables, and the Corel ClipBook.
  • Using the merge (a/k/a "mail merge") feature.
  • Custom styles can also be used to insert boilerplate text as well as formatting.
  • Create a vertical toolbar with text buttons (instead of graphic icons; see screenshot) to quickly access your favorite folders, templates, and files. See PDF icon Vertical Toolbar.pdf (a PDF document; 09/17/07, 150Kb).
  • Automatically associate a personalized keyboard or menu with a template so that the keyboard or menu will appear automatically when you open a new document. You can even have it appear only when you use a specific feature, such as a Header, Footnote, Outline, etc.
  • If you want to easily print a document or an envelope to a different printer from the one normally used to print your document, then return the printer setting to the default, see this thread on WordPerfect Universe. It demonstrates a couple of macros for the purpose. (The macro code can be copied into WordPerfect; see here for instructions. Or see the final download post here by Klaus Pfeiffer for the ready-to-use expanded version for WP8+.) See also "How to quickly change printers (WP8+) back to the default after printing to a different printer or faxing the document."
  • Enhance the Find and Replace feature. The standard Find and Replace dialog has to be dragged from its position in the center of the screen if you want to see the item found or the item to be replaced. Moreover, it does not provide an easy way to replace (or format) just certain instances of an item. Finally, having to repeatedly open the F&R dialog (Edit, Find and Replace, or <F2>) to find or replace the same item is tedious. Here's a way to enhance the Find and Replace feature.
  • Automate your current session tasks with a QuickMacro.
  • How to stamp a document with "Draft," "Copy," or other identifiers.
  • Convert mailing addresses to upper case without punctuation.
  • Here's how to quickly fill up Avery® sheets to make duplicate return address labels, shipping labels, business cards, etc.
  • Using two printer trays: Print or merge your letterhead from one printer tray and the second sheets from another tray, and keep the same formatting from record to record.
  • Filling in forms using WordPerfect.

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Section 2:
Automating templates

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  • [Sticky>>] PDF icon Automating WordPerfect Templates.pdf - Revised 06/26/12; 624,044 bytes, 43 pages. For WordPerfect 8 and later versions. Left-click on the link to read the PDF file online, or right-click to download it, then choose "Save Target As..." or similar browser command. [See the Table of Contents.]
    • Automating WordPerfect Templates is a comprehensive Adobe PDF document about creating prompts (with WordPerfect's Prompt Builder), bookmarks, and template macros (optional) in a WP8 or later version template to help you automate templates. It is particularly useful as a "How To" guide on creating letterheads or other automated documents such as invoices, fax cover sheets, memos, orders, etc., that are based on a custom template. Even if you don't need to employ all the features covered in the article, it can serve as a reference for future use. [This file is also included with an automated letterhead template in the Library, here.]
    • Note that the word "template" has a specific meaning in WordPerfect.

See the first section of Automating WordPerfect Templates, "What is a template?" Many users often mistakenly believe a template is any file they use over and over. This can lead to confusion -- especially when seeking help from advanced users, who know it is a separate file on disk. Quoting from the article:

In WordPerfect, a template is a document on your disk with a special filename extension, ".wpt," where the "t" stands for "template". Think of it as a stencil or model that you can use to make copies of the original. ... Like other word processors, every document you create in WordPerfect is based on a template. Even new, empty documents with names like Document1 are based on a special template, called the default template. ... Templates—whether default or custom—define formatting and program options for a document such as margins, tab settings, styles, menus, toolbars, and keyboard definitions. ...

    • For more information about templates -- both the default template and custom templates -- see this page.
  • How some of WordPerfect's predefined templates (i.e., included in File, New from Project) can automatically fill in your personal information (name, address, telephone number, etc.):
    • The first time you open a predefined template that requires it, WordPerfect will ask you for your "Personal Information." This will be stored in your Address Book (usually accessed with Tools, Address Book) just like any other address. Generally, this is a one-time procedure.
    • You can have only one such default address entry for your Personal Information, and if you change it (with File, New From Project, Options, Personal Information; then after the change use the Options button again and click Refresh Projects), the change will affect all new documents that use personal information prompts.
    • For this reason, those who need different names on a document (such as a letterhead) may be better off creating copies of the template without any personal information prompts (i.e., type personal information directly on the template itself without using prompts). Each such custom template can be used to load documents using a toolbar button or menu.
    • To see more about this feature and how to automate your own custom templates, see the previous tip.
  • Automatically insert the current date as (unchanging) text (not as a code) in a letterhead or other template.
  • Load a letter (or any other template document) with a mouseclick.
  • "Trigger" a macro from inside a template to play automatically when specific events occur as you use the template, such as when you print the document. For example, you could automatically run the spell checker before printing a document. [If the macro doesn't play in such an automated template or WordPerfect Project, see the Notes section on the "Trigger a macro..." page.]

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Section 3:
Formatting and structuring text

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  • [Sticky>>] See the Library's Section 2 for macros that help format and structure text.
  • [Sticky>>]  What is Reveal Codes?
  • [Sticky>>]  Want to replace underlines with italics? Redline with bold? Or augment an attribute -- a text format code pair -- throughout the document (e.g., change italics to bold italics)? Or even remove all text to which an attribute (or combination of attributes) has been applied? See the Replace Codes macro here, which can do these things from a single pop up menu.
  • Need symbols? WordPerfect installs about 24 special TrueType symbol fonts with file names (on disk) that begin with "WP". These should appear in the Insert, Symbol dialog. 
    • Many standard fonts also have symbols as part of the font's character set, so you can use Insert, Symbol (or Ctrl+w) to view and insert them from the "Current Font Symbols" set (i.e., Set 12). 
    • Check to see if you have special symbol fonts installed, such as Wingdings, Webdings, or similar. If so, apply the symbol font in the document and then use Insert, Symbol to view (or insert) them from the "Current Font Symbols" set (Set 12) dialog. 
    • For quicker access to the most recently used symbols: If you don't already have a Symbols button on a toolbar or property bar you can add it: 
      • Right-click whichever bar you choose; 
      • on the context menu that appears, click Settings;
      • on the Customize Settings dialog that apepars, click Edit (button);
      • in the editor's "Feature categories" drop list, choose Insert;
      • scroll down to Symbols MRU;
      • click the Add button;
      • move the new button to your chosen position;
      • click OK, then Close.
    • As a hard-copy reference for future work, you could type a sample of all keyboard characters to which the font was applied.
    • You can use Ctrl+w in either field in the Find and Replace dialog, or you can copy-and-paste a symbol from the document into either F&R field. [For more tips on using Find and Replace see here.]
    • Keyboarders: You can use just the keyboard to quickly insert a favorite symbol. For example, typing in sequence (Ctrl+w)(4)(,)(2)(Enter) will insert a small square bullet.
    • You can also use the keyboard to insert some symbols such as accented letters, as noted below.
  • How to number the lines in WordPerfect columns.
    • Format your text in newspaper columns with Format, Columns. (Set "Space between" as desired.)
    • In the first column, add line numbers with Format, Line, Numbering. (This brings up the Line Numbering dialog.) 
    • Enable (tick) the checkbox "Turn line numbering on". 
    • Set the Position to "Outside left margin". 
    • Set the distance (in the adjacent measurement field), as desired.
    • Set the Font (button) to a smaller font, as desired. 
    • Set any other options as desired.
    • Important: Enable (tick) the checkbox "Number all newspaper columns". 
    • Click OK. [Screen shot of sample]
  • Need fancy page borders? Or end-of-paragraph symbols or characters ("enders")?
    • You can get some "fancy" borders with Format, Page, Border/Fill, and click the drop list, "Border Type". (See also here for other ways to create graphic borders.)
    • Also, there is a shipping macro to produce "enders": PARABRK.WCM. Just use Tools, Macro, Play, and type "parabrk" in the dialog. It should pop up a small dialog to let you choose an ender. (You can also assign the macro to a keyboard shortcut, toolbar, or menu: See here.) Tip: After you insert some enders, look in Reveal Codes and you will see how the macro has entered them. You should then be able to create your own by recoding a macro (Tools, Macro, Record) to insert symbols (Ctrl+w) or other characters.
  • Need a different look in your document's headings (not to be confused with page headers)?
    • Copy the "Stepped" styles (screen shot) directly from the documents in Headings.zip (which demonstrate these styles) into your default template, or use the manual procedure explained in the documents to create your own versions.
    • "Close up" the space between a Heading (or other paragraph) style and the following paragraph: see here.
    • For automatically numbered Legal-, Standard-, and Roman-style Headings, see here.
    • To set up headings to the left of the page's body text (such as found in many non-fiction books and manuals -- and simulated here on this website page), you can use WP's columns feature:
      • Click Format, Columns. Choose 2 columns, then click the "Parallel" radio button. Set the first column's width (e.g., 1.5"), and the middle space between coulmns (e.g., 0.25").
      • With the cursor in the first column, enter your formatted section heading (e.g., use Heading 2 style from the Styles drop list on the property bar). Jump over to the second column with <Ctrl+Enter> and enter the body text for that section, using hard returns between paragraphs as usual.
      • When you are finished with that section's body text, jump to the next section's first column with <Ctrl+Enter>, enter a new heading (or graphic image), jump to the second column and enter body text, etc.
      • To discontinue ("stop") columns -- for example, to add a full-width heading such as a chapter title (perhaps using Heading 1 style) between such sections of columnar body text -- click Format, Columns, Discontinue.
    • See also: Styles (general information and links to other pages on this site concerning styles).
  • Do you want to import a web page into WordPerfect with formatting and images intact? In WPX4 (and perhaps earlier versions) you can copy the web page's address (the URL) in your browser's Address field to the Windows clipboard, then paste that address into WordPerfect's File, Open, File name field. click Open and the program should then convert it to an ordinary WordPerfect document. [Thanks to Roy "lemoto" Lewis for this tip.]
  • Do you use full justification and also use two spaces at the end of a sentence? In WordPerfect X4 (and perhaps other versions), the printed pages might show some lines that are not fully justified -- even though they appear to be fully justified on your screen. This seems to be due to using two spaces between sentences (which can be done automatically by WordPerfect as you type with an option in Tools, QuickCorrect, Format-As-You-Go). A solution is to use just one space to terminate sentences in such documents, unless there is an real need for extra spaces at that location.
    • Related tip: The DeSpacer macro can help remove all existing extra spaces in a document.
    • Note: WP11/12/X3 had a problem with the "Change two spaces to one space between sentences" setting (in Format-As-You-Go) previously mentioned; see here for the solution.
  • Line Breaks: If you need multiple paragraphs inside a given paragraph style -- including WordPerfect Headings, outline and bullet lists, automatically numbered lists, and paragraph borders (see the Format, Paragraph menu) -- press <Ctrl+Shift+L> to begin each new paragraph. This gives the same effect as pressing <Enter>, but it is interpreted as a line break, not a paragraph break. (Line breaks are indicated by a [Ln Brk] code; paragraph breaks are indicated by a [HRt] code.)
  • The Shadow Cursor feature can be enabled/disabled from the View menu. You can also right-click in the Application Bar at the bottom of the WordPerfect window, and choose Settings; enable the checkbox for the Shadow Cursor. Then you can click the new icon on the Application Bar to toggle the Shadow Cursor on and off.
  • Here's a thread on WordPerfect Universe about using the Table of Authorities feature.
  • Ever wonder what those items in Format, Line, Other Codes do? See here.
  • Numbering table rows, wrapping text around a table, sorting tables, and other WordPerfect table tips.
  • Outline fonts: If you select text and click Format, Font, Outline the text will be printed in outline form (i.e., with borders around the characters and with no fill in the characters' strokes). However, unless you use a font that was designed to display on acreen in outline form, such as the Corel-supplied Swiss721 BlkOul BT, it will show on screen only as a normal font. You will need to print the page to see the outline font. [Note that, more often than not, Publishing to PDF will not reproduce the outline font, except for those fonts that can display the outline form on screen. Workaround: Use something like PDF995 to produce a PDF with the outline font.] [Thanks to Charles Rossiter for these tips.]
  • Need help with page numbering? See here.
  • Need to create a Table of Authorities? See Corel's support site, Article ID 753748.
  • What are those [Ignore...] codes on the page? Why won't your formatting take effect? Answer: Usually, when you get an [Ignore...] code it means that WordPerfect cannot do something at that point because it is either not allowed, superfluous and not needed, or some other code is interfering with or taking precedence over your manually entered codes. Open Reveal Codes (<Alt+F3>) and check all format codes that precede the current location to see if there are any that might be taking precedence.
    • [TIP: You might also have to edit the initial [Open Style: DocumentStyle] code at the top of the document (double-click it in Reveal Codes) to check for hidden formatting that might be causing the problem. This style code contains many of the current document's formatting codes from the default template or custom template, and it might have been edited or changed from its usual setting.]
  • Need to convert numbers or currency to their text equivalent? For example, you can convert $123.45 to One Hundred Twenty-Three and 45/100 Dollars ($123.45) with Mike Koenecke's ConvNum macro. You can convert normal numbers, dollars, pounds, euros, yen, etc.
  • It is possible to set decimal font sizes in WordPerfect: 11.5 point, 12.7 point, etc., and even font sizes larger than 72 points. There are two ways to do it:
    • Method A. From the Text property bar in your document: For such fractional font sizes, click inside the font size field, type the desired decimal size (in tenths of a point), then press <Enter>. (You must press <Enter> and not use <Tab> or mouse-click out of this field; if you do, the setting won't "stick.")
      • Note that if you are working inside a Styles Editor, this method might not work; see Notes below for a solution.
    • Method B. From the Format, Font, Size submenu in your document: Click inside the font size field, type the desired decimal size. Here, you can use <Enter> or just click on the OK button.
    • Tip:
      • For larger font sizes (up to 1199 points), click inside the font size field, type the larger font size, and press <Enter>.
    • Notes:
      • If you are working inside a Styles Editor dialog, such as when modifying the initial style at the top of the document (perhaps to set the default template's style) or some other style such as a footnote style, you might find that using the dialog's property bar's font size field to set a decimal size does not work.
        • Solution: With the Styles Editor dialog open, use the Format, Font submenu at the top of the Styles Editor (not at the top of the main WordPerfect wiindow) to set fractional font sizes.
        • Using the property bar in that Styles Editor dialog for whole number font sizes -- or other formatting available on that bar -- works as you would expect. It is just fractional font sizes that should be entered via the dialog's menu, not via the property bar.
        • In the main document, however, you can use the text property bar's font field to set a decimal size. Again, just be sure to confirm the newly entered size (i.e., the size you type into the font field) by pressing <Enter> in that font field. If you <Tab> or mouse-click out of that filed, the new size won't "stick."
  • Here are several methods that create check boxes with an "x" or check mark inside them.
  • Can you set a "default font" for all documents -- existing and new -- or just for new ones? See this thread at WordPerfect Universe (see also the other suggestions at the end of the thread -- especially those about NOT using File>Document>Default Font).
  • Need to create a horizontal bar symbol (an "over bar" or "overline") over a letter, such as an "X-bar"? Click Format, Typesetting, Overstrike and type the letter in the field (e.g., "x"). Then press <Ctrl+W>. Look for symbol 1,21 and choose it. Click Insert & Close, then OK. The symbol should appear in your document. In Reveal Codes you'll see an [Ovrstk] code which can be selected and turned into a QuickWord for easy access later. (Thanks to Kenneth Hobson for this tip.) For another method, see "Continuous Overbar on Multiple Characters" in this thread on WordPerfect Universe.
  • Using styles in WordPerfect. (What's the difference between styles and templates? See here.)
  • Need to create page numbering for Chapters or Sections like that found in many books? That is, do you need to create a page number at the bottom of the first page of a chapter or section with remaining page numbers at the top of subsequent pages? Here's how.
  • WordPerfect's Publish to PDF (Adobe's Portable Document Format)? Here are some tips.
  • Saving custom styles to your default (or other) template; importing custom styles from other documents (even ones you didn't create); and removing new styles from your template when you don't need them anymore: See here.
  • Adding emphasis to text: How to create custom paragraph/page border or fill styles.
  • Automatic paragraph numbering, outlines, and numbered lists.
    • Need to create numbered paragraphs or item lists automatically so that numbers change when you add or delete items? Tired of WordPerfect turning automatic paragraph numbering on whenever you type a "number-plus-tab" (e.g., 1.<tab>) to create a list? This is a QuickCorrect feature, called "QuickBullets." Here's how to quickly turn this feature on/off, along with several other tips to remove them, change them, create new outline styles (such as checkbox lists), or convert them to ordinary text.
    • Here's how to create or modify outlines [e.g., create fixed-width paragraph numbers and other custom-formatted paragraph numbers and styles (001, 002, etc., or [1], [2], etc.)]. 
    • Need a new bullet outline 'style'? Create custom bullets for your outlines.
    • Mark a Paragraph heading style or Character style for automatic inclusion in a Table of Contents.
    • Reduce spacing between a paragraph heading and the following body text.
  • Need "upside-down" text on the same page as normal text? (For example, for 1/2- or 1/4-folded cards or mailers.) You can rotate text 90, 180, or 270 degrees if it is placed inside a text box.
    • Create the "upside-down" portion by selecting the text and clicking on Insert, Text Box.
    • Left-click on any of the box's eight drag handles to resize it.
    • When the mouse pointer changes to a four-headed arrow over a drag handle, left-click to drag the box to positon it.
    • Click outside the box to de-select it, then right-click on top of the box again and choose Content, Rotate 180 degrees, OK.
    • (Other right-click options let you change the border to <none>, anchor the box to the page, specify a position, etc.)
  • Here's how to replace multiple instances of one font type with another font type. (See also the Replace macros from Ron Hirsch on that page that can replace, remove, or augment font attributes (bold, italics, etc.), or change font sizes.
  • Here's how to create text labels outside a document's page margins, along the edge of the page(s).
  • Convert lower case words to UPPER case, or vice versa: You can click on Edit, Convert Case... on the main WordPerfect menu, but there are easier ways to do this:
    • You can convert case with the click of a toolbar button. There's a "Case Toggle" button available you can add to a toolbar or property bar, which will convert the current lower case word (or selected words) to upper case, or vice versa. Here's how to add it:
      • Right-click on the main toolbar, then click Edit from the context menu. Under 'Feature categories,' choose the Edit category, and then choose the Case Toggle feature from the Feature list. Click 'Add Button,' drag the new button if desired to a new location, then click OK.
      • You may want to also do the same thing with some text selected first, to have the button available on the Selected Text property bar as well as the main toolbar. Select some text, then right-click the (now visible) Selected Text property bar (not the main toolbar), and follow the same steps as above.
      • Note that there's an Initial Capitals button available, too, which you might want to add in the same manner to both bars.
    • If you use the default Windows keyboard, pressing <Ctrl+K> will toggle the current word or selected text. If you use the DOS keyboard, you can assign the Case Toggle feature to <Ctrl+K> (or any other available keys).
    • Use a macro such as the one here.
    • See also Initial Capitalization in Titles and Headines.
  • Footnotes and Endnotes: Setting or changing margins, numbers, font sizes and other formatting. Includes a method to hide all note numbers.
  • Place endnotes at the end of each chapter, subdocument, or other section (or any place you want them), instead of at the very end of the document.
  • How to create even page and odd page identification using the two types of headers and footers (A and B). You can even create a third type of header or footer (Header C or Footer C) with this little trick.
  • Indent a paragraph with dot leaders.
  • Need to reset page margins on page 2 (if there is a page 2) back to the one-inch default or some other setting? Here's how to do it in either the current document or in a template.
  • Need to make specific words bold (or italicize them, etc.) throughout the current document? Click Edit, Find and Replace. Type (or copy) the text in the Find box. Then click inside the Replace With box and type (or copy) the text in the Replace with box. While inside the Replace With box, click Replace, Font [on the Find and Replace menu] and then click Bold and OK. Then click Replace (or Replace All). That'll change the original text to bold or replace the original text with some other text that is bold. [Thanks to "Robin" at WordPerfect Universe for this tip.]
    • Related tips -
      • To highlight words based on words stored in a master list of words/phrases, or typed into a pop-up menu, see the HiLiteDoc macro.
      • Text formatted with bold, italics, highlighting, etc., can be replaced or augmented with other format attributes using Ron Hirsch's Replace Codes macro on the Other Authors page.
  • Are your quotation marks "straight" and not "curly" (typographical)? If Tools, QuickCorrect, SmartQuotes settings have been turned off (e.g., "Use double quotation marks as you type" is unchecked), this may be the problem. Editing macros or performing some merge operations can turn SmartQuotes off, and the new setting can remain in effect for future sessions. You can turn SmartQuotes back on manually or with a macro such as the one in QC.ZIP (which archive also contains a macro to convert existing regular double or single quote marks to typographical quote marks, or vice versa).
  • Page numbering techniques: See this thead on WordPerfect Universe.
  • Using hyphens, hard hyphens, soft hyphens, and hyphenated soft returns.
  • Convert the mailing address on envelopes or labels to UPPER case.
  • Customize the return address on envelopes with graphics and font attributes.
  • How to prevent long web URLs from moving to the next line as a block (or text such as e-mail addresses, text separated by dashes, etc.).
  • Converting text into a table and vice versa.
  • How to create a Question-and-Answer style.
  • Problems with formatting text after copying it from a web page or other internet source? If it's a name and address, does WP's envelope feature miss it? Does it have many strange codes in it? Use this simple Paste Special trick to help solve the problem by pasting the material as unformatted text.
  • Mixing landscape and portrait pages: How to maintain headers, footers, and page numbering at the top and bottom of all pages when you mix landscape orientation with portrait.
  • Rotating text to intermediate angles (e.g., 33 degrees).
  • Align endnotes on the period (a/k/a/ "full stop") following the endnote number.
  • Do you want to remove blue underlines in e-mail addresses and web site URLs from your printouts? Get rid of the hypertext links. Here are some ways to do it in WordPerfect.
  • Mixing text justification on the same line without using tabs or spaces, like this second page header:
    Dec. 14, 2003 XYZ Company Page 2
  • How to create "Continued on Page x" footers where "x" is the number of the following page.
  • Need to create custom inserts for CD jewel boxes? WordPerfect 9 has a project template for this, but if your version does not, here's the procedure. (8/23/99) Also, if you use Avery CD-ROM labels on the CDs, here's a way to format them. (12/23/99) And you can get a free utility, ClickBook Jr CD Case Creator., to create these inserts.
  • Using two footers simultaneously (one for page number, the other for separator line and filename, etc.) so that items do not overlap.
  • Creating vertically formatted business cards or labels in WordPerfect.
  • Consecutively numbered labels, tickets, cards, etc.

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Section 4:
Menus, toolbars, property bars, and keyboards

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  • Some menu tips:
    • Customize your top menu - how to add new menu choices, rearrange existing ones, or delete them from the menu.
    • Use a "menu macro" to play other macros. See Mike Koenecke's MacroMenu.Zip at http://www.macros.koenecke.us/. It uses a push-button display to make it easy to play any of your macros.
    • Microsoft Word users: Choosing the new Workspace Manager in WordPerfect 12 and later versions to enable Microsoft Word Mode (primarily designed to help new users adjust to WordPerfect) will change the default WordPerfect menu and various other items such as some keyboard shortcuts. This can be confusing when you read tips or procedures here (and elsewhere). You can right-click the top menu bar and choose a <WordPerfect Menu> from the context menu to access some of the features that might not be visible or that might seem to be inoperative, then change the menu back to your preference. [For more on this issue, see "Are you used to using Microsoft Word?" at the top of this page.]
      • For example, you might not be aware that WordPerfect already has clickable "document tabs" of a sort, at the very bottom of the window in the Application Bar (a/k/a status bar). These show all open documents and let you quickly navigate between them with a mouse click or keyboard shortcut. In case you don't see these tabs: With a WordPerfect menu active (right-click on the menu bar and choose <WordPerfect Menu>) then (in WordPerfect 9 and later) click on View, Application Bar to display it. (If you use a Microsoft Word menu, you can then re-enable it the same way.) You can also use your keyboard to shift back and forth between open documents: see this PDF file that contains a table of keyboard shortcuts.
  • Some toolbar and property bar tips:
    • If one or more toolbars or context-sensitive property bars are not visible, ensure that View, Toolbars, <toobar name>, is enabled (i.e., cheked). Normally, you will want these enabled at the very least: Property bar, Application bar (sometimes called the "status bar," located at the very bottom of the WordPerfect window), and the main (or customized) WordPerfect toolbar.
      • Users sometimes accidentally right-click on the Property bar and choose to "Hide Property Bar." This setting will be retained until you re-enable all Property bars with View, Toolbar, Property bar. If your Property bars are missing this might be the cause.
    • How to create a new toolbar button to play a macro or use a built-in WordPerfect feature.
    • How to add buttons to the context-sensitive property bars.
    • How to create a new, custom toolbar (along with several tips, such as how to copy existing toolbars, move or copy existing buttons, have the new toolbar appear only when certain documents are loaded, etc.).
    • You can drag shortcut icons from your desktop to your toolbar.
    • For an easy way to set up a custom vertical toolbar with text buttons see the "Create a vertical toolbar..." tip above.
    • How to change (edit) the default toolbar "audiocassette" icon images on the macro buttons on your toolbar.
    • Too many styles? You can rename your personal styles by editing them with Format, Styles, Edit, and include something like a "!" or "_" or space " " as the first character in the Style's name. This will sort them at the top of the Styles list and on the drop list on the Text property bar.
    • You can set the vertical order of your toolbars by choosing the order in which you activate them with Tools, Settings, Customize, Toolbars (tab). You may have to deselect existing toolbars, then reselect them in the proper order (the first you enable with a checkmark will be topmost, the last will be bottommost) so that their positions relative to one another will "stick" when you close WordPerfect. (Note: Not tested in all versions of WordPerfect.)
  • Some keyboard tips:
    • Assign a macro, feature, program, or string of keystrokes to a key or key combination (i.e., a "shortcut key" or "hot key" such as <Ctrl+1> or <Alt+Shft+m>).
      • The tip on that page includes a simple method of inserting accented letters (e.g., é, ô).
      • [Note that there are several ways to enter accented letters (diacritical marks) in WordPerfect: For example, you can use QuickCorrect abbreviations. Or you can insert them using the WordPerfect symbol feature (Insert, Symbol) by first pressing Ctrl+w, then typing the base letter (e.g., the letter e), then typing the accent mark (e.g., '). (Other "accent" marks you can use on the keyboard: `, ", ^, /, ~, etc.)]
    • After typing in ALL CAPS with the <Caps Lock> key enabled -- or if you hit <Caps Lock> by mistake -- you might find that the next sentences lOOK sOMETHING lIKE tHIS. In WordPerfect, you can click Tools, QuickCorrect, Format-As-You-Go, and enable the Caps Fix checkbox. To set Windows XP computers to work this way in all programs, see here.
    • Tired of hitting the <Insert> key by mistake and toggling Typeover mode "on"? Here's how to reassign the Typeover function on your keyboard to another keystroke combination -- and keep the <Insert> key in Insert mode in WordPerfect.
    • Force WordPerfect to save the current file as you type, without having to press a special key or click a button or menu item. The method can be used along with WordPerfect's automatic file backup feature.
    • "Two-key" macros can help organize macros under a common keystroke combination. Press one to play the macro, then another to perform some action. Useful for inserting accented letters, simulating WordStar double keystroke commands, etc. (See also the tip about inserting accented letters without a macro.)
    • Make a key do "double duty" by assigning a macro to it, and make the macro play only if the key is struck twice.
    • Looking for a list of shortcut keys?
      • For a reference list of navigation and text selection keys that are used by default in WordPerfect's Windows (CUA) and DOS keyboards, you can read (left-click) or download (right-click, then Save Target As) PDF icon CUA-DOS.pdf, a three-page Adobe PDF file.
      • For WordPerfect 11 and later versions you can print a list of current shortcut key assignments; see Step 2 here.
      • For WordPerfect 9, Corel's KnowledgeBase provides a list here. Also see the Function Key template, WP9FKEYS, here in the Library.
    • Move back to a previous cursor location with the blue arrow icon buttons on the main toolbar. If you don't have them, right-click on the toolbar, choose "Edit," then under the Feature Categories list in the Toolbar Editor, choose Edit, then Back (or Forward). Finally, click the Add Button button. (The newly added button can be dragged to a new position while the Toolbar Editor is still open.)
  • Miscellaneous (related) tips:
    • Three easy ways to play macros, load programs, type keystrokes into the document, or use built-in WordPerfect features.
    • Navigating quickly to your favorite folders, files, and templates from inside WordPerfect. Here are several ways to speed up your access to these items while in WordPerfect:
      • Set the default folder where documents will be saved (unless you choose another folder for a specific document) with Tools, Settings, Files, Document tab, then specify the folder in "Default document folder." This folder will then be the one that displays when you first use File, Open/Save/Save As or Insert, File during the session.
      • For the current WordPerfect session (only) you can force WordPerfect to remember the last folder accessed by clicking on File, Open. Then on the Open File dialog's menu, click on Edit and enable (i.e., tick) "Change Default Folder". (N.B.: If you do not see a menu in the Open File dialog, click the icon on the extreme right-hand side of the dialog.) For the next WordPerfect session, the first folder opened is the one that is set in Tools, Settings, Files, "Default document folder".
      • Add a new subfolder directly under the standard Favorites folder in Windows and name it "WordPerfect". (For example, in Windows XP it would be something like C:\Documents and Settings\Administrator\Favorites\WordPerfect, where "Administrator" could be your own User Name on your system.) Any shortcuts to often-used folders that you create in that new subfolder will show up in the Favorites menu in the File, Open and the Insert, File dialogs.
      • Create a vertical toolbar with text labels (instead of graphic icons) to quickly access your favorite folders, files, and templates. See the "Create a vertical toolbar..." tip above or click here to directly open the PDF file.
        • Related tips: 
        • You can use any toolbar, not just a vertical toolbar, for this purpose: Just drag the folder's icon from Windows Explorer onto the toolbar. You can also create a mnemonic shortcut key by editing the folder button's icon or text label so you don't need to use a mouse to use that button (though you can if you wish).
        • You don't need to use a toolbar: You can use a macro to force the File, Open dialog to go to a specific drive and folder. Play the macro from a menu, keyboard, or toolbar (see here for instructions). The macro should contain code like this example (change the code to use your own desired path and filename):
          • OnCancel(Exit@))
            FileChangeDir("C:\Documents and Settings\Administrator\My Documents\Clients")
            FileOpenDlg
            Label(Exit@) Return
          • For a more robust macro that allows you to select favorite folders, see Klaus Pfeiffer's Quick Folder Selector macro.
      • To open commonly used files, here's a "low tech" method posted on the Corel newsgroups: Create a single document that contains hypertext links to other files on your computer. Simply select some text or a graphic in that document (e.g., a description of a previously saved document) and then click Tools, Hyperlink to create a link to it. (You can browse to select a particular document by clicking the Browse Folder icon adjacent to the Document/Macro name field in the Hyperlink Properties dialog.) For easier access to this "master" or "catalog" file, create a button on a toolbar (e.g., see the vertical toolbar section above) to open it; then navigate back to that open document whenever you need to select a particular listed document to open during that session.
    • Navigating quickly to your favorite folders, files, template, etc., from the Windows Start menu:
    • Want to remove the Yahoo! Search bar from WordPerfect X3? Use the "Change" command from the WordPerfect Office X3 Add/Remove Programs entry in your Control Panel. Select the option to modify your install, and then within the WordPerfect feature tree, de-select the Yahoo! Search entry. (Or, during initial installation of WordPerfect X3, you can deselect the option to install it.) If the button is still on the toolbar after doing this, drag it off the bar while holding down the <Alt> key, then restart WordPerfect.

...Browse an alphabetical list of all related (linked) pages...

Section 5:
Miscellaneous tips and tricks

blue bullet Browse an alphabetical list of all related (linked) pages
blue bullet Page Top

  • Searching inside documents. 
    • [From a Corel employee (on OfficeCommunity.com, 4/19/2013):] "If you have the WordPerfect IFilter installed, you can search the contents of all your WordPerfect documents at once using Windows Search. The WordPerfect IFilter is installed with WordPerfect Office X5 and X6, or can be downloaded for free from Corel.com at the following URL:
      http://www.corel.com/corel/pages/index.jsp?pgid=800161&ppid=300002
    • You can also search the contents of documents through WordPerfect's "Open" dialog when Corel QuickFinder is installed (QuickFinder is part of WordPerfect Office), using these steps:
      • 1. In WordPerfect, go to menu 'File'->'Open'.
        2. Browse to the folder you want to search (choosing the root of the C: drive will search the entire drive).
        3. Select the file type you want to search in the 'File type:' dropdown (I recommend the "Documents" type which will search multiple common formats).
        4. Enter the wanted word/phrase in the 'Filename' box and click the 'Find Now' button."
      • Note that installing some recent versions of WordPerfect "out of order" can cause a small issue with IFilter, See below for an easy fix.
  • Cursor jumps. When saving a document, does the cursor move to the bottom of the screen (in WordPerfect 11 or later version)? This is a minor bug. Try disabling (un-ticking) the "Auto generate" checkbox in Tools, Reference (on any of that dialog's tabs). 
  • Can't print selected text? Same as in the above tip: Try disabling (un-ticking) the "Auto generate" checkbox in Tools, Reference (on any of that dialog's tabs).
  • Using the Sort feature for lines and paragraphs. See this thread on WordPerfect Universe. [For sorting tables, see here.]
  • Symbols dialog is missing. Does the Symbols dialog fail to appear when you press Ctrl+W? Perhaps it was only moved off-screen. Try this:
    • Close all open programs so you can see the entire desktop.
    • Open WordPerfect, then press <Ctrl+w> to open the Symbols dialog. If it fails to appear, the dialog probably is hidden off screen.
    • Now, press <Alt+Spacebar>, release these keys, then press <m>. This represents "Move the focussed windows" and it should "select" the hidden dialog, even though it remains hidden. (In some Windows systems, try each of the 3 keys separately, in sequence.)
    • Now, take your hand off the mouse (you need to use keys) and press the <UpArrow> key several times. Or the <LeftArrow> key several times. One or the other or both should move the dialog back onscreen where you can see its outline.
    • Click <Enter> or click your mouse on the desktop; this should make it completely visible.
    • You can now drag it around and/or resize it. If successful, Windows should remember to keep it on screen and not hide it.
  • How to set WordPerfect X5's File, Open file name field to default to "*.*" and the file type to "All files (*.*)," as in previous versions: Use the following macro, which can be added to a menu, toolbar, or keystroke shortcut (such as <Alt+o>). Then use it in place of File, Open. [Update: this was fixed in WordPerfect Office X5, Service Pack 1.]
    • // Macro begins
      OnCancel(End@)
      FileOpenDlg(AllFiles!)
      Label(End@)
      // Macro ends
    • To copy this code into your WordPerfect as a functioning macro, see here.
  • How to properly count words in legal documents where citations with parentheses are used (e.g., 924(a)(1)): See this thread at WordPerfect Universe. WordPerfect normally treats the parentheses as spaces which gives an erroneous count, unless such a workaround is used.
  • How to select a rectangular block of text so you can delete it, copy it, or cut it.
  • Hyperlinks (a/k/a hypertext) can let you jump between sections of a document with a mouse click.
    • To learn how to use them: See WordPerfect's online help (F1 key) and search under the Index tab for "hyperlinks").
    • Hyperlinks can fail to work under certain circumstances in WordPerfect documents (but not in PDF files created from those documents).
    • Do you want to remove blue underlines in e-mail addresses and web site URLs from your printouts? Get rid of the hypertext links. Here are some ways to do it in WordPerfect.
  • You can customize the Application Bar (the very bottom edge of the WordPerfect program window) by right-clicking on it and choosing Settings. In the dialog that appears, select the items you want displayed (e.g., Date) in the checkbox list. While the dialog is still open, you can double-click any icons on the Application Bar itself to change them from an icon to a text label (which can be resized by dragging the edge of the label), and vice versa. You can also move an item by dragging it.
  • You can remove, or just temporarily clear, the list of last opened files on the File menu (sorry, you can't change the number of files displayed). Here's how (WP8 and later versions):
    • Click on Tools, Settings, Environment, Interface tab; then disable (i.e., untick) the "Last opened document on the File menu" checkbox; then click OK, Close.
    • To enable this feature again, enable (tick) the checkbox.
    • If all you need to do is occasionally clear the displayed list of last opened files, but you want to keep the displayed list feature active, here's a small macro that can untick/retick that checkbox whenever needed -- thereby clearing just the current last file opened list.
      • // Macro begins
        PrefMenu (DisplayLastOpened: No!)
        PrefSave ()
        PrefMenu (DisplayLastOpened: Yes!)
        PrefSave ()
        // Macro ends
      • The above macro can imported into WordPerfect and assigned to a menu, toolbar, or keystroke. See the EasyPlay page (see also the left sidebar there).
      • The above technique and macro also clears the file name ("history") lists in the File>Save and File>Save As dialogs.
  • If you use the Redaction Tool (new in the initial release of WordPerfect X4), here are some tips (click here for the PDF version) when using normal highlighting (Tools, Highlight) in the same document that is marked up for redaction (Tools, Redaction).
  • Document mysteriously appears modified. When you open an existing document, and you know you have not made any changes to it, does it change its status from unmodified to modified (i.e., it has been reformatted in some small way) -- and then ask you whether you want to save it when you try to close it? There are several reasons why a document might become reformatted by the program when opening or printing the document on screen. See "Why some documents seem to "spontaneously" change or reformat themselves when they are opened, printed, faxed, or shared between users".
  • Does WordPerfect think your document is an Avery label sheet instead of a "normal" document? This is a known problem on some systems if you have previously used an Avery label "page definition." See this post on WordPerfect Universe.
  • Are underscores or underlines disappearing on your screen in WordPerfect -- yet they print? Do the descenders (i.e., the lower part) on some letters (g, y, q, etc.) appear "cut off" on screen? What probably is happening is that, in effect, the underlines and/or descending characters are being placed between the pixels of the display screen.
    • Try changing the zoom with View, Zoom or by rotating your mouse wheel while holding down the <Ctrl> key.
    • To more permanently solve the problem, you could also create a new, modified Windows shortcut to WordPerfect on your desktop containing a special WordPerfect startup switch. (See WordPerfect Help <F1>, Index tab, for more on these startup switches.) Then use that shortcut to start WordPerfect.
      • Note: This method is for WordPerfect 10 and later versions. Users of earlier versions may be able to simply modify the "Target" field (not the "Start in" field) of their existing WordPerfect desktop or Start group shortcut, using a command such as the one in dark red below. Reason for the new method: If you used the standard installation for WP10 and later versions, the Microsoft Installer (MSI) will have created a shortcut in your Start>Programs group. The Target field in this shortcut will be grayed (greyed) out and inaccessible in the shortcut's Properties dialog. It is the Target field (not the "Start in" field) that you need to edit to add startup switches to WP10+. So don't try to modify the standard WordPerfect shortcut's Target field. You will need to create a brand new shortcut that can be modified. Here's how to do it:
        • Right-click on your Windows desktop. From the context menu that pops up, select New, then Shortcut.
        • When prompted to "Type the location of the item:" copy and the paste the following command, including the quote marks, into the field (this will become the Target in the shortcut).
        • "C:\Program Files\Corel\WordPerfect Office X4\Programs\wpwin14.exe" : /dm=90
          • This example path and filename (everything in quotes) is to the WordPerfect X4 executable program file on most Windows XP systems. If you use a different version of WordPerfect, a different setup, or a different version of Windows you will need to modify the path. Just use the Browse button to find the wpwinxx.exe file. (The "xx" in that filename represents a number that corresponds to your version of WordPerfect.)
          • Using /dm=90 should fix the underscore problem, and other similar issues. /dm-90 sets the displayed character size on screen to 90% of standard. Its effect is to increase the spacing slightly between characters on your screen. It has no effect on formatting or pagination, or your printouts.
          • The colon (:) removes the splash screen (which is optional; see WordPerfect's Help <F1>, Index tab, "startup switches"). Some users find that adding the /fl switch (which causes WordPerfect to write directly to the screen, but which might cause some flicker) solves some display problems.
          • Use spaces between each startup switch.
      • This tip may also solve the problem where some characters appear bunched up or bolded on screen at some screen settings, yet the document prints correctly.
      • Note: If you open documents from Windows Explorer, or My Computer, or Open With, or by any means whereby you double-click the file's name to load the file in WordPerfect, the shortcut discussed above will not be activated since you will have bypassed it. You can, however, use an alternative which involves adding the WordPerfect startup switch(es) to the file's association in Windows via My Computer or the Windows Control Panel (or Registry, if you are comfortable with Registry edits). See this thread on WordPerfect Universe (scroll down for the simple, step-by-step instructions).
        • [The following works in Windows XP. Other operating systems should be similar; however, Windows Vista and Windows 7 do not have an Advanced button as described below, so you might need a third party program to do the job or use a Registry edit as explained on this thread at WordPerfect Universe.]
        • For example, if you want to remove the WordPerfect splash screen and also add the /dm=90 startup switch, as in the example above:
        • Open My Computer; click Tools, Folder Options, File Types tab. Scroll down to WPD and select it; then click the Advanced button, then (with "Open" selected in the Actions pane) click the Edit button. You can add the startup switches to the very end of the command in the "Application used..." field. (Be sure to leave spaces between the command and any switches, as well as between the switches you have added.)
  • Need to compare two PDF documents? Most editions of WordPerfect X3 and later (notable exception: Home and Student editions) can now import PDF files, and you then can use WordPerfect's File, Document, Compare feature on the imported (converted) documents.
  • Color of Comments. If you want to change the color of WordPerfect Comments (i.e., created with Insert, Comment), see this post on WordPerfect Universe (WPU). If you want to automatically create Comments and format the text in them, see Txt2Cmt in the Library (which also contains the material in the referenced WPU post).
  • Sorting paragraphs that begin with quote marks. Need to sort words or paragraphs that begin with quote marks but should be sorted by the first text character, not the quote mark? Here's a tip posted by Noal Mellot at WordPerfect Universe:
    • "...Unfortunately, the alphabetical sort is not purely alphabetical, since punctuation marks and symbols at the start of a word introduce a degree of disorder. Let's say quote marks are keeping you from obtaining the sorting results you expect when sorting on the first word in a field. A macro could search for the initial quote mark, delete it, search for the final quote mark, delete it, space, then type a symbol (such as a spade) as a signal that the preceding word should be surrounded by quote marks. You could then sort normally on the first word. Once the sorting is done, another macro could search for the symbol, delete it with its space, back up to the end of the preceding word, type a quote mark, then move to the start of the word and type a quote mark."
  • Want to find the longest sentence in a document? For WordPerfect 10 and later, you can use a small macro by Kenneth Hobson. See here and also scroll down through the thread, which should explain why you need to turn on "Use WordPerfect 9 text selection" before playing the macro.
  • "Document page size" warnings. When printing in WordPerfect 10 or later version, do you get a warning message, "The document page size is set to a custom form that may not be supported by the printer. ..."? See Corel's support database ("3504 - Printing from WordPerfect® generates a 'document page size' message").
    • As the Corel article states, "This warning is usually generated if your printer does not support the page definition your [sic] trying to use. However, in some cases, the warning may be generated regardless of what is being printed." Usually, you can dismiss the message and print anyway, but the message can be annoying. The article shows how to get rid of it.
    • Note: This problem appeared to have been fixed in WordPerfect X3 (i.e., WP 13), but it might still exist in later versions, since the above Corel article shows it to be relevant to WordPerfect X4 as well as several earlier versions.
    • Alternative: Try creating a custom page size that is the same as the one provided by WordPerfect and use it instead. Some users report that this works for them.
    • If you are using a macro to print a document and you get this message, you could try adding a small routine to the macro that simulates your pressing the <Enter> key to dismiss the message. See Greg Turner's post in this thread at WordPerfect Universe. Below that post is another, which contains an adaptation of his code that prints any document and dismisses the message if it appears.
  • How WordPerfect finds a mailing address on your letter.
  • WordPerfect locking up? Strange problems with a document? Getting an "Unknown Format" message? These could indicate a damaged or corrupted document. See here.
  • Having difficulty selecting blocks of text with a mouse? Does the material "flash" by on screen too fast to stop it? This is a problem with Windows on a fast computer. Here are some ways to select text more accurately (thanks to Charles Rossiter at WordPerfect Universe):
    • "First, the mouse-click options: double-click selects the word; triple-click the sentence; and quadruple-click the paragraph.
    • Second, for a small block of text, you can click the cursor where you wish the selected text to start, do F8 to switch on "select", and then type a character at the end of the target block and that whole text will be selected up to the first occurrence of that character. For this, you can display the state of the Select option, by adding Select On/Off to the Application Bar.
    • Third, click the cursor where you wish the selected text to start. Hold down the shift key and move the cursor with the navigation keys (up, down, left, right arrows, page up, page down, home, end, ctrl+home, ctrl+end, alt+pageup, alt+pagedown). There is a full list in Help, Help Topics, Index tab, type "Navigation, Keyboard shortcuts". [Or see this small PDF: PDF icon CUA-DOS.pdf.]
    • Fourth, click the cursor where you wish the selected text to start. Use the scroll bar only to display where you wish the selection to end. Hold down the shift key and click the mouse at that end point." [Quote]
  • Does a document look smaller/larger than normal, or appear very tiny on screen? Maybe you accidentally set the program's Zoom level with your mouse. To change the View, Zoom setting hold down the <Ctrl> key while you rotate the mouse wheel. (Many other Windows programs work this way.)
  • Need to calculate a new date from today's date, or from some other date? Here a several methods.
  • To create a WordPerfect table that has a "Continued" label in the header row on the second and subsequent pages of the table:
    • Copy the original repeating header row(s) on the first page of the table to the Windows clipboard.
    • For the original header row, de-select “Header Row repeats on each page”.
    • Paste (from the clipboard) the original header row to the top row of the second page of the table. Type “Continued” where appropriate. This row will now be the header for the second and subsequent pages (“Header Row repeats” should still be selected in this row). [Thanks to Maggie Holman at WordPerfect Universe for this tip.]
  • Do you get error messages about using Microsoft Outlook as your "mail client" -- and you don't have Outlook installed or don't want to use it for your addresses? In WordPerfect 11/12/X3, try disabling (un-checking) the box, "Use Outlook address book/contact list," in Tools, Settings, Environment.
  • Does your WordPerfect 11/12 Document Compare feature not work properly (e.g., you get a program crash, or the entire first page of the old document is marked as a deletion even when no change to the page was made), with View, Page enabled and the Zoom set to Margin or Page width? This bug has workarounds: Turn on the ruler with View, Ruler and/or change the Zoom before doing a Document Compare. (If your printer has a problem printing inserted, redlined text after doing a Compare, see here.)
  • Inserting and using graphic images and photos in a WordPerfect document -
    Setting preferred defaults for graphic images / Cross-referencing to figure boxes / Numbering some (but not all) graphics / How to install the Clip Art catalog on a hard drive / Creating "sticky notes" / Adding a scanned signature to a document / [More...]
  • Modifying, suppressing, or delaying legal Pleading marks: See here.
  • Missing a favorite WordPerfect Project (File, New...)? Does a Project not work in your new version of WordPerfect when it used to work in your earlier one (such as the WP12 Memo Project)? You might be able to use older Projects in later versions of WordPerfect. Here's the trick.
  • Where is your default template [the template on which all new, blank documents are based]"? See here.
  • Which template? To find out which template (default or custom) the currently open document is based on, click on Tools, Template Macro, Edit. You can see the template's filename in that dialog, or you can see it if you click the Location button in that dialog.
  • Using the merge feature: See Setting Up a Mail Merge by Laura Acklen. And a few more merge tips see here (merging multiple-page letters using letterhead paper; merging multiple-page documents so that formatting is identical from record to record; page numbering in multi-page form documents). The Macros & Merges Forum at WordPerfect Universe can answer your questions.
  • Having problems converting a Microsoft Word document (.DOC) or other program document to a WordPerfect document (.WPD) or vice versa? The following tips were gleaned from Corel newsgroups.
    • First, if you did a "custom" WP installation rather than a standard installation make sure you installed the word processing conversion filters. In WP11+'s Custom Setup, conversion filters for Word (and others) are under WordPerfect Office 11 > Filters > Word Processors. In WP10 they are on a separate screen when you click on Next during the custom install. No filters, no conversions. Similarly, if Word was set up without the WP document conversion options, you will need to install them in Word.
    • Second, if you have a version of WP that was released before the Word program being used, then -- since Microsoft (unlike Corel) tends to change the document file structure with each new release -- you may not have the proper conversion filters anyway.
    • Third, if the document does not contain complex formatting you might find that saving it as a Rich Text Format (.RTF) file will solve most transfer problems. Both WordPerfect and MS Word can open such a file without separate filters. (Test it to see if it works for you.) If you want to use bullet symbols, see this thread at WordPerfect Universe.
    • Other tips:
      • If you want to convert a WPD document to a Word document so that it can be shared with someone who only has MSWord, it may be better to simply rename the file (from My Computer or Windows Explorer) with a .DOC extension and let the recipient's Word program do the conversion when it loads the file than to try and save the file in WP (File > Save As > File Type...) as a MSWord file. (Try it both ways to see how well the file is converted.)
        • Converting bullets and other WordPerfect symbols in WordPerfect document to a MS Word file can be problematic, since WordPerfect creates an Outline bullet style and other inserted bullets with one of its own WP* symbol fonts. Later versions of WordPerfect and later versions of MS Word might not have a problem with them, but you should ensure that the bullets in your WPD document are MS Word-compatible. Here are a few ways to do it:
          • Method A. When you save the WordPerfect (WPD) document with File Save (or Save As) dialog, be sure to enable the checkbox at the bottom of the dialog, "Embed fonts...". Then close the file. Rename the file with a .DOC extension in My Computer or Windows Explorer before sending it to the recipient who uses MS Word. Their copy of Word should open the file and display (and print) the Outline bullets. (This worked in tests with WPX4 and MS Word 2003.)
          • Method B. Rather than using an Outline bullet style or WP bullet symbols, use the standard Windows font, Wingdings, to produce bullets, boxes, etc., directly in the WPD document. The letter "l" (lower case L) produces a round bullet (which can be resized), and the letters "w," "t," and "u" produce diamond-shaped bullets. Since this is a standard Windows font it will (or should be) on the recipient's computer, whereas WP Symbol fonts probably will not be on their computer.
          • Method C. Save the WordPerfect (WPD) document as a MS Word (DOC) file in File, Save As (use the drop list under the Filename field); this adds a .DOC filename extension. Then upload the file to the (free) Google Docs website at http://docs.google.com/; edit the document there and add bullets where needed (GoogleDocs uses the Windows Symbol font to create bullets); and then download the file back to your computer, where it can be forwarded.
        • WP12+ users: If you prefer saving the WPD document as a MSWord file (be sure to read about a potential issue with bullets and other WP symbols, above), you can add a button to the toolbar to do it. This feature - 'Save as Microsoft Word...' - is found under the 'File' feature category in the Toolbar Editor. [For instructions on adding a feature to the toolbar, menu, or a keystroke combination, see here.] An alternative is to set up the computer that has just the Word program installed on it so that it will recognize a WPD filename extension as being associated with Word. Then Word will open the file when you double-click the filename in Windows Explorer (assuming Word has the WP filters installed). See your Windows Help file for how to do this; but generally, you can hold the Shift key down while you right-click the filename, then choose Open With, and then choose the MSWord program. Be sure to set Windows to "Always use the selected program to open this file.")
      • Even though WP12 (as of this writing) does a better job of converting files than earlier versions, it still does not always do a perfect job. "Chris D" posted this explanation in the Corel WP12 newsgroup:
        • "... They [Word and WordPerfect] are not just similar programs using different codes. The file structure is very different. WP uses a straight streaming file that starts at the beginning with the first page and ends with the last. Word uses 'objects,' primarily paragraphs as the foundation, then modifies them with other objects. The sequence of objects may or may not be what you see on your screen and printer output. Index pointers control the output from what may be a very tangled file.
        • WP's conversion program has to makes sense of the disorder and reorganize it to be a streaming file. Word's task at converting a WP file is much simpler as there is little to untangle. [WP does use objects for some tasks, such as headers, footnotes, etc., where the output is not in the main stream of text.]
        • Some users have found that letting Word convert the WP file is the better choice [than trying to save the WP document as a Word document in WP]. ...
        • The result [in WP12] is pretty decent portability for text-only documents with only minimal formatting. A heavily formatted or graphic-intensive document [might] not convert very well. ..."
      • After loading and converting a Word document in WP, you might find lots of unwanted format codes in the WPD document. You can remove many of them with a macro such as 'Word Cleanup' at http://www.macros.koenecke.us/.
  • WordPerfect 11/12/X3 users may find that they cannot enable QuickCorrect's Format-As-You-Go setting, "Change two spaces to one space between sentences." Although this option is broken in WP11/12/X3 (but reported as fixed in WPX3/sp1), a simple one-line macro can properly set the option. For example, to set Format-As-You-Go to convert from two spaces between sentences to one space, this one-line macro command does the job:
    • EndOfSentenceSpacing (DoubleToSingle!)
    • I have no idea why this fixes the problem, only that it works. However, you can choose "None" or "Change one space to two..." from the Format-As-You-Go dialog. It is just setting this particular alternative choice that doesn't work unless you use the above simple macro or enable the same macro command in the QC macro found in the Library.
  • Need to change text marked with (Format, Font) Redline and Strikeout codes to (File, Document, Review) Insertion and Deletion codes so that others can review and annotate the document? See this thread at WordPerfect Universe.
  • Problems with getting automated template Projects to work? If a Project has an embedded macro or macros, and you turned macros off when asked to do so by a dialog that popped up after installation or reinstallation of the program, then the Project will not work. Turning off macros in WordPerfect is not really necessary (compared to some programs that can carry "macro viruses"). Moreover, it unnecessarily restricts one of WordPerfect's most useful features. For more on this, including how to turn macros back on, see this thread on WordPerfect Universe.
  • Where did it come from? If you can't figure out which template a WordPerfect document is based on, you can get the template's filename two ways: (1) Use Tools, Template Macro, Edit and you should see the name on the pop-up dialog. [Thanks to Kenneth Hobson for this tip.] (2) More advanced users can load the document in Corel's file repair and information utility, WPLOOK, and check under the Prefix menu option. For more on WPLOOK see Laura Acklen's article here.
  • Sorting a table by dates in WordPerfect 9 can be problematic. WP10 and later versions have fewer problems in this area, along with a new "Date in a table row" sort option. For a solution, see Jan Berinstein's post on WordPerfect Universe here. (Note that she used WP9/sp3. For WP9/sp4, I found that her step #11 should be modified to read, "Select the column in the original table, delete the selection, then paste...."
  • Printer and fax formatting problems (i.e., the font or pagination differs slightly using different printers or when you fax a document) - See here.
  • If you select and copy macro code into WordPerfect from an internet site (web page, newsgroup, etc.) you might also drag along extraneous, unwanted formatting. Here's how to do it properly.
  • Need to split table cells in a particular row so that the resulting cells are equal in width? See here.
  • WordPerfect (versions 10.0.0.663 through at least 11.0.0.305): When trying to add "flagged" words to the writing tools in these versions, you might notice that some words (e.g., possessives, and words that include "/") are not being saved. This is due to a bug introduced in WP10/sp2 (i.e., 10.0.0.663) and which persists in the early builds of WP11 (note: it was fixed in WP11/SP3). You will need to add such words to the main dictionary via the WordPerfect Spell Utility (located under Start, Programs, WordPerfect...). See the Corel support site's article #753694 for instructions. The dictionary file you need to modify (for WP11) is wt11en.mor (WT=Writing Tools; EN represents the English dictionary; 11=WP11).
    • Note 1: By default, these files (for WP11) are found in the "C:\Program Files\Common Files\Corel\Shared\Writing Tools\11" folder.
    • Note 2: As Paula Ford notes on WordPerfect Universe (here): "...If you add words to the main word list (not the user word list), the spell checker will then skip possessives of the word....Add the root of the word, such as [WordPerfect], to the list. [If the word already exists in the list, you won't be able to add or save it again.] Check the Spell Utility's Help file for more detailed instructions. This is probably only helpful for words that you use repeatedly or perhaps where you are working on a long document over a long period time. It's hardly worth the effort for the quick letter."
    • Note 3: Most "flagged" words can be added to the user word list (wt11us.uwl) file during a spell check by clicking the Add button. It is only certain words (e.g., possessives such as "Bill's") that are not added this way because of the bug. And as Jack Waananen (Corel C_Tech) points out: "You can check the words in the UWL by doing Tools, Spell Checker, [then answer] No to the 'Close [spell checker]' message, [Then click] Options, User Word Lists. The words you 'Add'ed should show in that list along with the QuickCorrect pairs. The added words show the word on the left and <skip> on the right -- they are listed alphabetically amid the QC pairs. If your UWL is not properly receiving the 'Add'ed words, then delete (or rename to some other name) the WT11US.UWL file. When you relaunch WPWin11, a new default UWL will be generated from scratch that should work correctly."
      • Also, as Charles Rossiter (Corel C_Tech) notes: "The QuickCorrect file is also known as the User Word List. Where it is stored depends on your version of Windows. [For WP11] search for file WT11US.UWL (assuming the use of language code US). You can copy and rename [an earlier version of the .UWL file] to overwrite the WPWin11 version."
  • "Box" your text by selecting the text and then clicking Insert, Text Box (or click the Text Box icon on your toolbar). Unlike using Format, Paragraph, Border/Fill, creating a text box allows you to select the box and drag it to a different location. To create such a box with rounded corners, see the TextBox macro in the Library.
  • Do you back up important data or photos to a CD? Make sure they will last more than a year or two. See Fred Langa's article, "Time to Check Your CDRs" at http://www.informationweek.com/story/showArticle.jhtml?articleID=15800263. Tip: Don't buy cheap CD blanks and don't use stick-on labels (use a felt-tip pen instead). The adhesive on labels for CDs can possibly destroy the dye layer where the information is stored. Sunlight, heat, humidity, dirt, and fungi are enemies, too. (Thanks to Chris D on Corel's WordPerfect 11 news group for pointing to this article.)
  • Does the Document Review dialog keep coming up even after you are finished reviewing the document (with File, Document, Review)? Here's how to stop it from appearing.
  • Do you use Courier New (True Type) font? If it prints or faxes too light, you can download a free Dark Courier font for all Windows applications at Hewlett-Packard's site. (Http://www.hp.com; search there for "dark courier font"; instructions to install it are given on the search results page).
  • Clipbook, introduced in WP10, is still there; however, also see the free KeyNote program, a tabbed notebook and personal information manager with a tree structure and strong encryption. (I have not yet reviewd KeyNote.)
  • Automatically make back ups of your document to help you recover your work.
  • If you have more than one version of WordPerfect installed and you open a document by clicking its name in Windows Explorer, My Computer, or the Windows Desktop, it will open in the most recent version of WP that was installed.
    • To change this behavior and force Windows to use a specific WP version, open the preferred verion of WP and click Tools, Settings, Files. Be sure that "Use default extension on open and save" is checked. Change the WPD extension to something else and click Apply. Then immediately change it back to WPD and click Apply or OK. This process should update the Windows Registry to associate the .WPD filename extension with the currently opened version of WP.
    • Note that all files with a WPD extension will be opened in the preferred version of WP in the future, even if they were created in another version of WP. Normally this is not a problem since (unlike competing products) WP files are both downwardly and upwardly compatible without any need to convert them first -- something that has been true since at least WPWin6. However, if the file was created or updated using a different default printer, there may be slight differences in formatting due to the printer driver in use at the time, or due to slight variations in fonts on the two systems (even those they appear to have the same font name). This can happen if you have "Reformat douments for the WordPerfect default printer on open" checked in Tools, Settings, Environment.
    • Also [from a post by Charles Rossiter (Corel C_Tech) on the Corel WP11 newsgroup]: "You must expect different version of WPWin to produce different pagination, even if the printer selected is the same, and on the same PC. In WPWin9 et seq, you can do Tools, Settings, Convert and check the option 'Do not use printer metrics'. Click the [Template] button for this to apply to all new files. With this setting, effectively WPWin9/10/11/12/X3+ is using an internal generic 1200 dpi printer driver for screen formatting, and then uses the printer driver to produce the same pagination, as closely as possible within the resolution of the printers. Your printed output should appear identical."
  • QuickCorrect weirdness -
    When you type (i), (c), or (r), do they change into other characters? Do dates typed as "1/27/08" change to a numerical fraction? Here are some remedies:
    • Does "(i)" change to "(I)" and "i." change to "I." when you type these characters to enumerate a list item?
      QuickCorrect (under the Tools menu) has a default setting to change a solitary lower-case "i" to upper case -- something you probably want to retain. Trailing punctuation (as well as a hard return or tab) is treated like a space character (all of which activate QuickCorrect), so it "sees" the lower-case "i" as a solitary character and converts it to upper case.
      Solution: In QuickCorrect, add (without quote marks) an "(i)" in both the "Replace:" and "With:" fields. Repeat for "i." and "i)". [Thanks to Roy Lewis for this tip.]
    • WordPerfect 10 and later versions - Unlike in WP9 and earlier versions, typing a "(c)" or "(r)" will cause a conversion to © and ®. This seems to be a bug. Solution: Edit QuickCorrect (Tools, QuickCorrect) to include these entries:
      (c == replace with ==> ©
      (c) == replace with ==> (c)
      (r == replace with ==> ®
      (r) == replace with ==> (r)
           ...and to preserve capital letters:
      ((c)) == replace with ==> (C)
      ((r)) == replace with ==> (R)
      Now, when you need the Copyright or Registered symbol, just type (without quotes) a "(c" or a "(r". When typing enumerated lists using letters, you can use "(c)" or "(r)" without WP converting them to symbols.
      An alternative to this tip suggested by Noal Mellot in a WordPerfect Universe forum is to add a number after the appropriate letter (e.g., c9 would be corrected to ©). Using a letter in front (rather than a parentheses) avoids interference between upper/lower case, so you don't have to add separate entries for upper and lower case.
    • WordPerfect 10/11 only - Typing a date such as 1/27/07 with change the "1/2" part of the entry into a fraction.
      Solutions: Type 01/27/07 instead. Or, just delete all the fraction symbols from QuickCorrect to prevent dates from being changed, and use the Fraction macro, which produces a similar format for any fraction, not just the limited set that is in QuickCorrect. [This problem has been fixed in WP12.]
    • Spell Checker interaction: Note that the WordPerfect spell checker can convert the QuickCorrect abbreviations into their replacements -- which is a good reason to implement the tips in the above paragraphs.
      • Here's another tip, from "Jeremy" at WordPerfect Universe: "One way to keep an eye on what the spellchecker does is to open the spellchecker, click on 'options', and check 'prompt before auto replacement'."
      • In the same thread, "Robin" writes: "There is another method of stopping only certain words [such as QuickCorrect entries] from being automatically changed while running a spell check, rather than all of them. Go into Tools, Spell Checker, Options, User Word Lists. Click on the entry in question and click Properties, where you’ll see you have the option to either skip the entry, auto-replace the entry, or exception (which will stop on the entry and let you decide). If you change any of the entries to skip or exception, the entries are also removed from the Quick Correct list (but will remain in view in the Spell Checker list). Again, this only useful or important when you have QuickCorrect turned off."
    • More on QuickCorrect here.
  • You can use Find and Replace to find codes (e.g., [Left Tab] codes) as well as text. Just open Reveal Codes and select a sample of the code (<Shift+Arrow> works well to select things in Reveal Codes), copy it to the Windows clipboard with <Ctrl+C> and then paste it into the Find (or Replace) field with <Ctrl+V>. Alternatively, use the menu item Match, Codes in the Find and Replace dialog. (Careful: "...Left Tab" is not the same thing as "Left Tab.")
  • Collapse and expand text under your document headings with the Outline feature. If you have used WordPerfect's default heading styles (e.g., Heading 1, Heading 2, etc.) in your document, open Reveal Codes with View, Reveal Codes and put your cursor at the top of the document above all other codes. Click on Insert, Outline/Bullets..., <text tab>, Headings, OK. This will display an Outline property bar whenever your cursor is inside a heading, which you can use to promote/demote headings, show/hide levels, show/hide body text, etc. (Tested in WP8/9/10.)
  • WordPerfect 10 templates (English versions) can be downloaded from Corel's FTP site. For WP11 templates, see the top "Warning" section on the Library page about the possible need to recompile templates, and links to sites where you can download all WP11's shipping templates (recompiled for you).
  • Make a 1/4-page folded greeting card in WordPerfect using subdivided pages
  • Old address labels: If you have previously addressed labels and you want to sort them, extract their text, or merge them, try sorting them directly or use a procedure to convert labels to a table or to a merge data file. And you can do the reverse: Here's how to convert a table to a text file or convert a merge data file to a table.
  • Need to print booklets more easily? Want to save on paper and toner/ink? Try FinePrint from FinePrint Software or ClickBook from BlueSquirrel Software. Both create multi-up printouts or booklets from any Windows program. They are also good for printing draft work, two pages to a sheet of paper. Demo/trial versions available.
  • Need to print a list of filenames (not the files, just their names) in a directory or folder? See this post on WPUniverse.
  • A faster way to move through a document: Quickly move your cursor sentence-to-sentence or cell-to-cell in tables, highlighting (i.e., selecting) each sentence or cell as you go to make it easy to view, copy, or delete any of them.
  • Do you share your WordPerfect documents? If so, you probably should change your Undo/Redo History options, or use a macro to remove confidential revisions or deletions before distribution. You may also want to remove all "metadata" form your document before sharing it.
  • Can't see borders around table cells on your screen, even though they print? Can't see white text on a black or colored background in a table? Perhaps you have turned table gridlines "on." Click here for information about table gridlines, table guidelines, and cell borders.
  • Create a callout (a label-and-line that points to something else) in WordPerfect 8
  • Drawing down, up, or angled arrows in WordPerfect 8.
  • WordPerfect's Postal Bar Codes - Do they help speed delivery of individual letters?
  • A simple trick to help debug your macros.

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Section 6:
Other "tips" sites

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Section 7:
Updating, upgrading, or reinstalling WordPerfect

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 Section topics:

  • About your WordPerfect documents and templates (.wpd, .wpt):

The WordPerfect document file format has not changed since version 6, so your current documents (.wpd) and custom templates (.wpt) will be useable in newer program versions. However, a default template from a previous version of WordPerfect should not be used "as is" in a newer version (it would need to be renamed in any case); such special templates are version-specific. Migrating customizations in default templates and in other program files is discussed below. 

N.B.: Templates (.wpt) -- especially the default template -- and macros (.wcm) also need to be located where the new version expects them. For their new locations, see the various tabs under Tools, Settings, Files on the new WordPerfect version's menu. (There is a minor exception about the location of custom templates, discussed on the templates page here.) Ordinary documents (.wpd) can, of course, be located anywhere you wish. You can back up all user-created or user-modified files before installing a new version or reinstalling an old version, just to be safe: See the "Before you start" section below.

However, be aware that documents might have become damaged (i.e., corrupted) previously -- not as a result of updating, upgrading, installing, reinstalling, or repairing the program itself. To repair existing damage to documents or templates, see "Repairing WordPerfect documents and templates". As noted there, users often assume that repairing or reinstalling the program will fix their document problems, when in fact it will not affect their documents (nor their templates) since it will not overwrite these files during program patching, repair, installation, or reinstallation. Always try to fix the document(s) or template(s) first, before deciding to repair, uninstall, or reinstall the program.

Note also that some information is stored inside documents (e.g., the specific printer that was chosen at the time they were last saved). This might cause some concern if WordPerfect should automatically reformat such documents following major changes in WordPerfect versions or computer systems, using new printers, etc., as explained in "Why some documents seem to "spontaneously" change or reformat themselves when they are opened, printed, faxed, or shared between users". It's a good idea to read (or at least scan) that linked page before reinstalling the program to cure such "problems."

  • Updating your current copy of WordPerfect -- i.e., bring your program up to date with a Service Pack or "patch":
    • Know your WordPerfect "build number" (a/k/a "release number" or "minor version"). When a major version is released or when you "patch" it by installing a free Service Pack (see Corel's main site, under the Support tab), WordPerfect will display a four-part number in its Help, About WordPerfect... menu. For example, you'll see a number like 13.0.0.447 or 14.0.0.603. The first digits (e.g., 13) indicate the major version. The last part of the number (e.g., 447) is the build number. Note that WordPerfect X3 is designated by a "13," WordPerfect X4 by a "14," and so forth. Note also that the build number can also be found in a text file on the root directory of the WordPerfect CD called VOLINFO.TXT (in WordPerfect 8 and later).
    • You might need to know this four-part number to obtain and apply the correct patches (see next paragraph) for your edition and version of WordPerfect -- which is almost always a Good Thing to Do. [N.B.: Some recent versions can be updated directly from the Help menu's Check for Updates.] Moreover, when you visit support groups such as WordPerfect Universe or the Corel Newsgroups, providing this information helps make assistance or troubleshooting much more effective. In fact, it is sometimes indispensable since there are many times when suggestions or solutions work (or don't work!) in specific builds of WordPerfect.
    • Where to find information about Service Packs and links to download them:
      As mentioned, some recent versions can be updated directly from the WordPerfect Help menu's "Check for Updates". Most gurus suggest you keep your version up to date with a Service Pack, since many bugs are fixed (and sometimes new features are added) with a Service Pack. 
      • Alternative: Download the patch files: 
      • For recent versions of WordPerfect see the Support tab on the main Corel site for downloadable Patches & Updates. Be sure to read the Release Notes for the Service Packs. 
      • For older versions of WordPerfect see the WordPerfect Universe FAQ: What "version" of WordPerfect do I have; what updates/patches are available? The FAQ describes the various releases ("builds") of WordPerfect, important information about applying Service Packs, and links to Corel's download site.  Tip: Take the time to carefully read the information on the WordPerfect Universe linked page for your WordPerfect version. You will want to apply the correct patch(es).
    • If you are updating WordPerfect from a trial version of WordPerfect X5 and earlier versions, the conventional wisdom has been that you should completely remove the trial version (as explained in the next paragraph below and after saving any customizations as explained further in this section below). Some folks feel -- and often strongly recommend -- that it is a good idea to completely remove these trial versions before installing a new, full retail (boxed) version. They see it is "insurance" in preparation for a clean installation. [N.B.: On the other hand, many users have never done this and seem to have suffered no ill effects. Further, this should not be necessary anymore with WordPerfect Office X6 and possibly later versions, since the downloadable trial of X6 and the regular boxed version (CD#1) are the same, according to a Corel source.] 
      • For WordPerfect X5 and earlier versions: To manually remove all traces of WordPerfect Office X5, for example, see here (for other versions, search that Corel database for "How to remove WordPerfect"). Then clean out your Windows \Temp folders; the free CCleaner -- a very popular program -- is an easy way to do it; it can also clean out left-over things in the Registry. Then reboot your computer, turn off your anti-virus program temporarily, and install the full version from the CD. Once installed, turn your AV on again. (Some few AV programs can interfere; hence the recommendation. Note that some other memory resident programs can also interfere with program installation.)
        • N.B.: If you are trying to install a WordPerfect X5 retail (boxed) version over a trial version, and get an error message "Your system has not been modified. To complete installation...", see the Corel support database site (#11399).
      • For WordPerfect X6 and (presumably) later versions [Update: May 2012]: 
        • Corel has reported that the downloadable trial versions of WordPerfect Office X6 are exactly the same as the WordPerfect X6 retail (boxed) versions (CD#1). Once you pay for the product you should receive an email to unlock the trial and (possibly) also a link to download the "extras" that are usually on a separate CD: clipart, photos, fonts (fonts can be installed separately), a contents manual for the download, etc. 
  • Upgrading to a new version of WordPerfect:
    • Be sure to read the "Before you start..." section below. (Or at least read it before you do an actual upgrade.)
    • See What's new and different in recent WordPerfect versions to help you decide. Also, when you are on the Corel site you can look for links to a comparison between editions (such as Standard, Home and Student, Professional, etc.) of the current version.
    • About buying "bargain" software: Should you buy an "OEM" version of WordPerfect from an Internet source? There are several reasons why you should not consider buying an OEM (Original Equipment Manufacturer) version of WordPerfect Office, unless it comes bundled with a new computer (in which case it was virtually free of charge to you). Even then, you might want to read more about them, their drawbacks, and alternatives here.
    • Tip: You can install and keep multiple versions of WordPerfect on the same computer. See below.
  • Uninstalling and/or reinstalling your current WordPerfect program:
    • If you are uninstalling and/or reinstalling the program because you think it might fix a problem, see the footnote on the Repairing WordPerfect documents and templates page (here). Generally speaking, it is better to try and track down -- and fix -- the problem in a document (or documents) or in a template before reinstalling the whole program -- which, in any case, will not affect damaged documents or templates. See also Repairing 'bad' or damaged WordPerfect program files.
    • If you are reinstalling the program on the same computer: Uninstallation and installation instructions can be found in small files in the root directory of the installation CD: Readme.txt (for any text editor) and Readme.htm (for your Web browser). Choose whichever you prefer and double click its filename to open it.
      • Trial (downloadable) versions: 
        • For WordPerfect X5 and earlier versions: The conventional wisdom is to completely remove any trial version before installing a retail (boxed) version. See the "Complete removal" paragraph below. Also, some trial versions might not contain all items in the retail version.
        • For WordPerfect X6 and (presumably) later versions: The trial version of WordPerect Office X6 appears to contain everything on the retail (boxed) version's installation CD. However, once purchased, there might be separate download files for various "extras" (additional fonts, clip art, etc.) usually found on a separate CD in some retail versions. 
      • Customizations: If you have customized WordPerfect you might want to first follow the instructions in the "Before you start" section below, so that you can save and migrate those items later. 
        • N.B.: Here, "migrate" is the key idea, especially when reinstalling WordPerfect due to problems with the original installation: If, after reinstalling the program, you simply replace the new factory-fresh default template with your older version of that template, you may be bringing along any corruption inside that old template. It is a much better idea to migrate certain customized items (e.g., toolbars) from the old template into the nerw template. This is easy to do, primarily by copying them into the new template. The procedure is explained in the "Before you start" section below.
      • Complete removal: In recent versions of the program you will also find instructions and information in those files about how to completely (manually) uninstall all program components, including Windows Registry entries and user-modified program files.
        • For WordPerfect X5 or X6, for example, the information is also in the Corel Support Knowledgebase, "How to remove WordPerfect Office X5 [or X6]". For other recent versions use the appropriate term (X4, X3, etc.)
        • For WordPerfect 9 (2000) see this FAQ at WordPerfect Universe.
      • Before reinstalling: It is a good idea to clean out your Windows \Temp folders; the free CCleaner -- a well-known and very popular program -- is an easy way to do it; it can also clean out left-over things in the Registry (but this is not usually needed for most WordPerfect users.). Then reboot your computer, turn off your AV (anti-virus) program temporarily, and install the full version from the CD or (in recent versions) the Corel download file. Once installed, turn your AV on again. (Some few AV programs can interfere; hence the recommendation. Note that some other memory resident programs can also interfere with program installation, but again this is rare.)
    • If you are reinstalling the program on a new computer or a newly formatted drive, see the next section about what to back up and how to migrate your settings and customizations.
    • On computers that are running Windows 7 or Windows 8: Be aware that Corel has certified only WPX5 (fully patched) and WPX6 to run properly on Windows 7. They also certified only WPX6/SP1 and later to run on Windows 8. This does not mean that you cannot open and use WordPerfect documents and templates created in those earlier versions, as was discussed above. You can, since the file format has not changed since WPWin6. While others have been successful in installing earlier WP versions (although WP8 and earlier are often problematic) on Windows 7 for example, your mileage might vary, as they say. 
    • On computers that are running Windows Vista, Windows 7, Windows Server 2008, or Windows Server 2008 R2, you might not be able to open Help files that require the Windows Help (WinHlp32.exe) program [e.g., versions of WordPerfect -- such as WP12 -- produced before these Windows versions were released]. This [Microsoft] article contains information about a download that helps you fix this problem.
  • Before you start updating, upgrading, or reinstalling WordPerfect ... back up your customizations so you can migrate them if you need to. (Now might be a good time to back up user files, too.) Also, if you haven't done so already, be sure to read the previous subsections of Section 7 above, then refer to the following information.

    • Tips, recommendations, and resources:
      • Transferring (migrating) certain specific customizations when using the same WordPerfect version on different computers: 
        • Although the information in the Transferring keyboards, toolbars, menus, etc. from old version FAQ below discusses migrating these items from an older version of WordPerfect to a newer version, it also applies to transferring these items from a specific version of WordPerfect (e.g., WPX5) to a new installation where the same version (e.g., WPX5) is installed. 
        • Be sure to also check out the various (possibly) customized items under Transferring (migrating) specific items in the following sections below.
        • N.B. - and for future reference: As well, the aforementioned FAQ applies to transferring these items from a renamed version of the currently active default template to a factory fresh version of that template. (Renaming the currently active default template is a common troubleshooting method, as explained here.)
        • If the new installation is truly new -- i.e., not yet customized -- you can probably just copy the default template from the first installation to the new installation as long as both these templates have exactly the same name and come from the same version of WordPerfect. There's no need to copy individual items, as the FAQ explains. However, if it is not truly new, or your older default template comes from a different version or has a different name from the factory default, follow the instructions in that FAQ. [Resource: For more on locating your default template, etc., see The default template - how to find it, modify it, or fix it. This important file is the one on which all new, blank documents are based.]
      • Transferring (migrating) certain specific customizations when upgrading to a new WordPerfect version on the same computer or on another computer: 
        • You can easily transfer (i.e., copy) customized keyboards, toolbars, etc., to a newer version as explained in (1) the Transferring keyboards... FAQ below, (2) the Saving and Recovering Customizations FAQ below, and/or (3) under the Transferring (migrating) specific items in the following sections below.
          • Notes
          • You can have more than one version of WordPerfect Office on the same computer. See "Multiple versions" below.
          • Caution: Be aware that simply renaming an older version's default template with the factory-shipped name of a newer version's default template, or vice versa, for use in the different version is a very bad idea. Default templates are version-specific and have version-specific names. Use the transfer methods in the FAQ above to copy many of your customized items from one default template into a different default template. (Most other WordPerfect templates -- including any you have created -- are not so constrained. For more on this topic see here.) 
          • Starting with WordPerfect X6 the (greatly simplified) installation routine lets you choose to migrate any or all of the following: (1) the most recently used documents list; (2) newly created (i.e., custom) templates; (3) newly created (i.e., custom) macros; (4) the WordPerfect address book; (5) your QuickWords template file; and (6) your user word lists (i.e., the QuickCorrect lists). You can still use the manual methods below by un-checking these options duting installation. However, you will still need to manually migrate other items such as custom toolbars, keyboard definitions, custom styles, etc., as discussed in the next section.
      • Transferring (migrating) specific items - a check list:
        • Custom templates: [N.B.: This does not mean a customized default template (discussed in previous paragraphs). It means a template you created from scratch or another Project you modified. To migrate a customized default template use the reference material above as your guide.] 
          • If you want to place the custom template in the list of categories in File, New from Project on the new system, you can locate the category's folder by selecting a project in the desired category on the new system with File, New from Project, <select the name of the template>; then click the Options button, choose Project Properties, and jot down the full Windows path you find there. Then exit from WordPerfect and use Windows Explorer or My Computer (or just Computer in recent versions of Windows) to navigate to the folder and move your custom template file there. When you next load WordPerfect, you should refresh the Projects list with File, New from Projects, Options button, "Refresh Projects".
          • Alternative: You can place a template file (.wpt) anywhere on your disk and simply double click its name in Windows Explorer to open a new document based on that template -- but obviously you will need to find that template before you can use it. (There are some easy ways to do this with the help of toolbar buttons or macros: see here.)
          • Starting with Wordperfect X6 you can have the installation routine migrate these items for you. (Presumably, they should be in the same loations are factory templates, and shown in the File, New from Projects list on the earlier version.)
        • Customized keyboards ("shortcut keys"):  
          • See the Transferring keyboards... FAQ below. These are stored in the template as "keyboard definitions".
        • Customized menu: 
          • Generally, it is considered unwise to simply replace the newer (top) menu with one from an earlier version of WordPerfect. It is better to manually re-create the customizations on the newer menu using the older version as an on-screen reference. That way, you won't lose newer features or functions that might be included on the newer menu. You can do this two ways: 
            • If you still have the older WordPerfect version installed, open it as your reference along with the newer version and switch between versions as you update your new version's top menu. Also see the tips page on adding new choices to a menu.
            • If you only have a copy of the older version's default template you can (a) copy and rename the newer program version's <WordPerfect Menu> with Tools, Settings, Customize (as a backup); then (b) copy the older <WordPerfect Menu> into the newer version of WordPerfect to replace the existing (default) menu [you can use the same basic method used to copy custom toolbars -- called "Objects" -- as described in the WordPerfect Universe FAQ here]; then (c) temporarily enable both the backup version and the new menu version (Tools, Settings, Customize) and use the backup as an on-screen reference to manually re-create any of your preferred customizations on the newer menu. Also see the tips page on adding new choices to a menu.
        • Custom toolbar buttons: 
          • [For regular, standard toolbars that you customized, see the Transferring keyboards... FAQ below.] 
          • If you have a special toolbar in the previous WordPerfect version and you want to copy buttons from it into the new WordPerfect version, see this tip on the page, How to create a new custom toolbar. (If buttons play custom macros: You might have to edit the moved/copied button with the Toolbar Editor to specify the path to the related macro on the new system.)
          • Custom toolbar buttons and new custom toolbars are stored in the template.
          • Starting with Wordperfect X6 you can have the installation routine migrate this item for you.
          • QuickWords are stored in their own special template in the same folder as the currently active default template.
          • Starting with Wordperfect X6 you can have the installation routine migrate these items for you.
          • QuickCorrect lists are stored in their own program file(s), and the location varies with the version and operating system as described in the Corel link above. (See also the next section.)
        • Word lists (dictionaries): 
          • In the WordPerfect Universe FAQ below ("What files do I need to back up...") you will find this:
      • "User Word List and QuickCorrect Entries: The user word list (the list of words you have added while running a spell-check), along with the list of your QuickCorrect entries, is kept in a file called WT#XX.UWL (where # is the version number and XX is the country or language code, e.g., WT11US.UWL)."
        • Note that the first two letters are "WT," not "WP." For example, in the U.S. version of WordPerfect 12 the file is WT12US.UWL. 
        • Note also that these files may be stored in an "unexpected" location, such as C:\My Documents\Corel User Files. 
        • Starting with Wordperfect X6 you can have the installation routine migrate these items for you.
      • If you have added words to the Main Word List (using WordPerfect's Spell Utility), you should also back up that file, which is called WT#XX.MOR (where # is the version number and XX is the language code, such as WT11EN.MOR). 
      • For more information about WordPerfect word lists [Main word lists, User word lists, and Document word lists], see [the WordPerfect Universe FAQ, "How Do I Edit Dictionaries (Word Lists)?"]."
        • Custom styles (including Outline styles and Graphic styles): 
          • The best idea is to first export (save) the styles from the other WordPerfect program (they are stored in either specific documents or your default template) and then import (retrieve) them into the current WordPerfect program. See the page on Custom styles for this and several other methods you can use to retrieve them.
        • Custom page set-ups ("page definitions"),
          custom page numbering formats

          custom
          labels ("label definitions"), and
          custom sort keys (created with Tools, Sort):
          • Several of these items are stored in the Windows Registry, as noted below. Because many items in the Registry can vary with each user's system (or each user profile on the same system), it is best to re-create these items in the other/new version of  WordPerfect. (It might help to examine them first before upgrading or re-installing the program, and jot down the names, dimensions, dialog field entries, etc., then use this data when you re-create the items. Advanced users might want to refer to this thread on WordPerfect Universe about exporting/importing to the Registry.)
          • Pages: The customized items listed in Format, Page, Page Setup (or File, Page Setup) are stored in the Windows Registry. 
          • Page numbering formats: When you create a new page numbering format with Format, Page, Numbering, Custom Format (button), the program will store it in a new Windows Registry key (e.g., in Windows 7, it will be something like HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Corel\WordPerfect\16\Page Numbering\<key name here>). 
            • Tip: Custom page numbering can be deleted in WordPerfect using Format, Page, Numbering; then select the custom format and press the Delete key.
          • Labels: The customized items in Format, Labels are stored in a *.LAB file on your computer. You might be able to transfer the file to a new system or new version with the method discussed in this WordPerfect Universe thread.
          • Sort keys: Like page set-ups and page numbering, customized sort keys created in the Sort dialog are stored in the Windows Registry. Users familiar with exporting and importing Registry keys could use that method, as suggested on WordPerfect Universe here.
    • Some relevant WordPerfect Universe FAQs and information about their site:
      • Transferring keyboards, toolbars, menus etc. from old version gives "...step by step instructions for transferring custom keyboard[s], toolbars, menus, etc., from a previous version to a new installation when you either still have the old version installed (even on an old computer) or you have a backup copy of your important files." [Update: The same information can be found on the Corel Knowledgebase here.] 
        • (For convenience here are the basic steps:)
        • 1. Locate the currently active default template (the source file containing the object to migrate into the target WordPerfect program) and copy that file to a temporary folder (or the desktop) on that computer.
        • 2. Rename the copied file's name to something else (but retain the filename extension of .wpt), then copy it into the default template folder for the target WordPerfect program. (Since it was renamed it will not overwrite the existing default template, which might contain customizations you wish to retain.)
        • 3. Open the target WordPerfect program and click on Tools, Settings, Customize. (The Customize Settings dialog opens.)
        • 4. Select the applicable tab (Toolbars, Menus, or Keyboards).
        • 5. Select (click on) the item you wish to copy.
        • 6. Click the Copy button. (A Copy... dialog opens.) Choose the "Template to copy from" with the top drop list button. This should be the renamed file (#2 above).
        • 7. Choose the "Template to copy to" -- i.e., the target program's default template.
        • 8. In the center field on that dialog, choose the item to copy, then click Copy. If one by that name already exists you can rename it on the Copy/Rename Object dialog that appears. 
        • 9. Back in the Customize Settings you should see the new item listed. If it is not already enabled, you can enable (tick) the box next to it. (You can always delete it from there later, if desired, which will delete it from the target program.)
      • Saving and Recovering Customisations - A general reference FAQ on where certain customizations are stored, such as the QuickWord and QuickCorrect lists. It also deals with saving and restoring custom styles. However, for simply copying customized toolbars or keyboards from an older version of WordPerfect to a newer version, or from another computer using the same version, see "Transferring keyboards, toolbars, menus etc. from old version" above.
      • About WordPerfect Universe: Joining WordPerfect Universe is free (you can browse all forums except Chat before you join). If you are a new member at WordPerfect Universe, you should update your profile with your build number (see above) for your WordPerfect program so that it is always visible under your name when you post questions or ask for help. You might be asked for this information since it is often critical to solving a problem or getting accurate tips, so it is helpful to post it before being asked. On the Forums page, click the Member's Center tab at the top of the page, then click Edit Profile. Enter your full build number (e.g., 15.0.0.512, as shown in the programs Help, About Wordperfect) under Additional Information - WordPerfect Office version.

  • Multiple versions of WordPerfect on one computer:
    • Can you install more than one version of WordPerfect on the same computer?
      • Yes. This author has had as many as seven versions of the program (WP8-WPX4) installed on the same Windows XP system at the same time, for testing purposes. Some users simply like the idea of having an older version available while they get used to a newer one. They can use either version to open their documents, which has the nice side effect of being able to open more than 9 documents at one time. (However, be aware that newer versions can contain new formatting schemes, such as the Redaction Tool in WPX4, which obviously will not be available in older versions. Final document editing is best done in the most recent version.) Update 2012: See below about WordPerfect X6, which can open multiple instances of itself -- with each instance allowing up to 9 documents.
      • Notes:
        • In newer versions of WordPerfect [but probably only in Upgrade editions], during installation you should see a button marked "Advanced" or "Change" or similar. (Take your time during installation so you can locate this button on your screen.) This will allow you to install the newer version in a separate folder from the older version. You should not accept the installation's invitation to install over the older version (i.e., don't "update" or "upgrade" the older version). This has sometimes led to problems on some systems. You can always uninstall the older version once you no longer need it. Also see the Transferring macros... section below for additional information.
        • Be sure to see the section above this one about backing up certain files.
        • [Update Apr 2012:] Starting with WordPerfect X6 you can simultaneously open more than one copy ("instance") of the program, which means you can have more than 9 documents open at a time -- as well as make better use of multiple monitors. (There's a new menu choice: Window, Separate. Also see Tools, Settings, Files, which has a new checkbox option, "Outside WordPerfect, open documents in new application window." Some uses might want to un-check this option since it opens a new instance for every document you open directly from the desktop or with Windows Explorer.)
    • Will multiple installed versions of WordPerfect interfere with each other?
      • Not generally, if installed in numerical order (see below for out-of-order installations). But you might want to note that the newest installed version will take over the Windows file association for .WPD files, so that if you open a WordPerfect document with Windows Explorer, it will open in the newest installed version of WordPerfect. 
        • Tip: You can always reset such filename associations in Windows, or -- even easier -- simply open your preferred version of WordPerfect and (1) delete the three-character filename extension (WPD) in the "Use default extension on open and save" field in WordPerfect's Tools, Settings, Files. Then (2) re-type the same extension (WPD) back into the field. (No need to close WordPerfect when deleting and re-typing these characters.) This resets the Windows Registry for the default filename association. Also see the "Transferring macros..." section below for additional information.
      • You can delete a newer WordPerfect version, but the older version on your computer probably will need to be repaired. 
        • This can be done by inserting the older CD and choosing Repair; or it can be done in the Windows Control Panel from the Programs and Features applet (or, in Windows XP, from the Add/Remove programs applet): click on the WordPerfect program name in the list, and then choose Uninstall/Change at the top of the list, then choose Repair from the follwoing dialog. 
      • Conversely, you should be able to delete an older version without having an adverse impact on the newer version(s). (For WordPerfect 8 or 9, see "For older versions..." below.)
      • [Update Oct 2012:] WordPerfect X5 and later versions: "Out-of-order" installations. If (for example) you choose to reinstall WordPerfect X5 on a system with WordPerfect X6 already installed, you might run into a small issue with a file known as IFilter -- a "plugin" used with third party search tools. You might get an error message to the effect that another version of that file is already installed, and the WordPerfect X5 installation then will stop. The solution (from Corel, here) is to remove the existing version(s) of IFilter via your Windows Control Panel, where you should find it as a separate entry(-tries) in the Add or Remove Programs module: WordPerfect IFilter 32bit and/or WordPerfect Filter 64bit. Then install WordPerfect X5. Later, you can download the newest IFilter from Corel.com (from the Patches & Updates page here) and re-install it separately.
  • Transferring macros from one system to another, or from an earlier version of WordPerfect to a newer version:
    • The good news is that most macros written in earlier versions of WordPerfect for Windows will work in later versions. Some written in earlier WordPerfect versions, or some running under Windows Vista and later Windows versions, might require a little adjustment as discussed below. (For DOS versions, see the last paragraph in this section below.)
    • You can copy your WordPerfect for Windows macro files (*.wcm) from their original folder to either the default or supplemental macro folder as shown in the newer version's Tools, Settings, Files, Merge/Macro (tab). This is where WP looks for macros.
      • Tip: I use the Tools, Settings, Files, Merge/Macro (tab), Default macro folder (which some users -- myself included -- create under the \My Documents or the \Documents folder to make them easier to back up) for custom macros, and the Supplemental macro folder for WordPerfect's 30+ factory-included (or "shipping") macros -- some of which are called by the program to provide various features or functions. (Hence it is not a good idea to use a different folder in the Supplemental macro folder dialog field unless you have actually moved all the factory-included macros to that new folder, or you might find some program features do not work.) 
      • Tip: It is worth repeating that you should be sure that both macro-location fields in the Tools, Settings, Files, Merge/Macro (tab) dialog point to folder locations which exist in Windows and are accessible to the program when macros are played (see also the special caveat about Supplemental macros in the previous tip). The folders named in those fields are where the program looks for macros. You may want to reboot WordPerfect after making any changes to these fields, just to be sure the program recognizes the change.
      • Also: In Windows Vista and Windows 7 (and perhaps later versions) some folders (\Program Files, \Windows, et al) are protected from casual file creation, editing, and read/write activities (one reason for those pesky "Access Deined" messages), so you should avoid creating folders in those areas to store your macros. It is better to use existing user folder structures, such as the Documents folder mentioned in the first tip above.
    • Macros automatically recompile themselves when first played in a new version. [You can force a recompilation of any macro by simply editing the macro and type a space (or any character), and then delete the space, and then Save & Recompile from the Macro toolbar.] 
      • Tip: Some users with several versions of WordPerfect on the same computer prefer to maintain duplicate macros in special sub-folders for each version, and "point" each of their installed programs to these different folders with Tools, Settings, Files, Merge/Macro (tab). This keeps them from being recompiled each time the user switches to a different version of the program, as would be the case if all versions accessed the same macro folder. 
    • Some custom macros -- those that you or your colleagues recorded or wrote -- might require "tweaking," especially if they refer to old Windows system paths that might not exist on the new system or new version setup. Play each macro to see if it works as you expect. Take special note of the following paragraphs.
    • Be sure to read about warning messages about obsolete commands (and some command replacements) that you may see when playing or editing an older macro under a newer version of WordPerfect or on a different computer. [Warnings about obsolete commands were removed in more recent versions.]
    • Be sure to read about the new "WordPerfect 9 text selection" setting introduced in WordPerfect 10. This can seriously impact the way a macro behaves unless you take certain steps to compensate for it.
    • With Windows Vista and Windows 7 the macro command SendKeys() -- which has the ability to send keystroke combinations to the program -- is effectively broken. You have to disable the User Access Control (UAC) in those versions of Windows to make such text/symbol keystrokes work (script commands such as {Ctrl} or {Alt} still won't work). Disabling the UAC is something that is not generally recommended.
    • WordPerfect for DOS macros used a different macro language, so you will have to re-create them in your Windows version of WordPerfect. However ... note that many DOS features required keystrokes for many common tasks; these may now be single keystrokes or toolbar buttons in the Windows versions. Moreover, WPWin now has features that were common as macros in WPDOS; look for built-in features to replace some of those WPDOS macros.
  • Older versions (WP8, WP9):
    • Do you need to reinstall WordPerfect 8 or WordPerfect 9+ on another computer? Upgrade from WP8 to WP9? Preserve your custom settings, QuickCorrect and QuickWords lists, etc.? Read this.  
    • WordPerfect 9/SP4 (Service Pack 4) no longer available from Corel after 04/27/04, the release date for WP12. This CD-only update was a complete program rewrite to make it compatible with Windows 2000/XP, so no internet download is (or ever was) available. If you have this CD and plan to update your current version of WP9 to SP4 (i.e., 9.0.0.883), see this post on WordPerfect Universe. If you have a Family Pack (2 or 3), you have the latest available version for that type of WP9 and QuatroPro product.
  • Microsoft support articles:

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