Date   : Tue, 30 Dec 1986 1434:00
From   : Sold - but we have others <binder%fizbin.DEC@decwrl.dec.com>
Subject: Re: Query: WS continuous underline

Jay Bowden asks:

> WordStar question: How can you get the underline to fill the spaces between
> words?  I have wanted to do this from time to time myself, but always come
> up empty handed, and just put up with the way WS does it.  She can not;
> there is some peculiar nursing journal format she has to conform to.  I've
> wondered about the non-break-space, but that's such a pain!  Any easy
> answers? 

There are two ways that I know of to accomplish what you want.  

First, of course, is to use the non-break space, but I agree that it's a pain.

The second way assumes that your printer (your sister's, actually) has a 
command code to turn on continuous underline.  If that is the case, there is a 
WS patch called ANYCODE that will do what you want.  The original ANYCODE was 
created by Doug Hurst.  I rewrote it to handle what I felt were two very 
severe limitations it had - my version is called ANYCODE2, and it is upward 
compatible with Doug's ANYCODE.

ANYCODE2 uses two characters as flags to initiate special sequences.  

1.  A back accent (" ` ", hex 60) will cause ANYCODE2 to collect the next two
    characters, which must be valid hex-ASCII characters (0123456789ABCDEF)
    and convert them into a single ASCII character for transmission.  For
    example, this sequence: 

       whatever text `0Fexpanded text`12 some more text

    will cause the words "expanded text" to be printed double-wide on an Epson
    printer.  The `0F is an ASCII <SI> and the `12 is a <DC2>. 

2.  A tilde (" ~ ", hex 7E) will cause the same action except that an <ESC>
    will be transmitted FIRST, before the constructed character.  For example,
    this sequence:

       ~4E`08

    will transmit <ESC> N <BS> which will cause an Epson printer to set for
    an eight-line perforation skip between pages.  You could do the same
    thing this way:

       `1B`4E`08

    but using the tilde is more convenient.

ANYCODE2 allows you to use lowercase characters in your code sequences, so 
that `4e will be read the same as `4E.  It also allows you to print the two 
special leadin characters by repeating them - this sequence:

       an ``enclosed' word

will print as:

       an `enclosed' word

ANYCODE2 is in 8080 code and can be assembled and installed into WS using DDT 
under CP/M.  It goes into a special patch area provided and does not increase
the size of the WS.COM file. 

To do continuous underlining, create your WS file as you want it, and then go 
back and, with margin release set, insert the code sequences to turn 
continuous underlining on and off.  You can do this very easily by creating a 
text block containing one sequence, plant it everywhere you want it, and then 
create another block for the second sequence.  You have to do all the 
justification and so forth that you want BEFORE inserting the code sequences, 
because WS sees these sequences as "real" characters in the file.

I don't have a way to upload ANYCODE2 to a BBS anywhere - no serial line on my 
home machine.  If there is interest in ANYCODE2, send email to me, and I'll
bring a copy of the source listing to work and type it in for upload or
posting. 

Cheers,
Dick Binder   (The Stainless Steel Rat)

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