StarWord keeps WordStar's classic two-key command language (the control diamond, the `^K`/`^Q`/`^O`/`^P` menus, and dot commands) while adding pull-down menus, mouse support, Unicode, the OS clipboard, and cross-platform output. Notation: `^K` means hold `Ctrl` and press `K`; `^K S` means press `^K`, release, then press `S`.

## Getting started top

StarWord opens at the WordStar Opening Menu. Press `D` to open a document, `N` for a new one, `L` to change directory, `C` to configure, or `X` to exit. Inside the editor, press `Alt`+a highlighted letter (e.g. `Alt`+`F`) to open a pull-down menu, or use the classic control commands below. If you have unsaved changes, leaving the program raises a confirmation dialog (`S` Save / `A` Abandon / `Esc` Cancel).

## Cursor & scrolling top

Command | Action | Command | Action
--- | --- | --- | ---
`^E` / `↑` | Up a line | `^X` / `↓` | Down a line
`^S` / `←` | Left a character | `^D` / `→` | Right a character
`^A` | Word left | `^F` | Word right
`^R` / `PgUp` | Page up | `^C` / `PgDn` | Page down
`^W` | Scroll up a line | `^Z` | Scroll down a line
`Home` | Start of line | `End` | End of line

## Editing top

Command | Action
--- | ---
`^V` | Toggle Insert / Overtype
`^G` / `Del` | Delete character at cursor
`Backspace` / `^H` | Delete character left
`^T` | Delete word right
`^Y` | Delete line
`^N` | Insert blank line
`^B` | Reformat (re-wrap) paragraph
`^L` | Find next / repeat find
Edit › Undo / Redo | Undo and redo edits

## Blocks & files — `^K` menu top

Command | Action | Command | Action
--- | --- | --- | ---
`^K B` | Mark block begin | `^K K` | Mark block end
`^K C` | Copy block | `^K V` | Move block
`^K Y` | Delete block | `^K H` | Hide / show block
`^K N` | Column (rectangular) block mode | `^K M` | Block math (sum a column)
`^K W` | Write block to file | `^K R` | Read file into document
`^K S` | Save | `^K D` | Save & return to menu
`^K X` | Save & exit | `^K Q` | Abandon / quit (prompts if unsaved)
`^K 0`…`9` | Set place marker 0–9 |  |

## Quick moves — `^Q` menu top

Command | Action | Command | Action
--- | --- | --- | ---
`^Q S` | Start of line | `^Q D` | End of line
`^Q E` | Top of screen | `^Q X` | Bottom of screen
`^Q R` | Top of document | `^Q C` | End of document
`^Q F` | Find | `^Q A` | Find & replace
`^Q 0`…`9` | Go to place marker | `^Q W`/`Z` | Continuous scroll up/down
`^Q P` | Previous cursor position | `^Q V` | Last find position
`^Q Q` | Repeat next command | `^Q Del` | Delete to start of line

## On-screen format — `^O` menu top

Command | Action
--- | ---
`^O L` / `^O R` | Set left / right margin
`^O I` / `^O N` | Set / clear a tab stop
`^O C` | Center the current line
`^O J` | Toggle justification
`^O W` | Toggle word wrap
`^O S` | Line spacing

## Print controls — `^P` menu top

Print toggles insert formatting markers into the text (shown on screen, applied when printing/previewing).

Command | Action | Command | Action
--- | --- | --- | ---
`^P B` | Bold | `^P S` | Underline
`^P Y` | Italic | `^P X` | Strikethrough
`^P T` | Superscript | `^P V` | Subscript

## Dot commands top

A line beginning with a period in column 1 is a formatting command (document mode only).

Dot command | Meaning
--- | ---
`.pa` | Force a new page
`.pl n` | Page length (lines)
`.mt n` / `.mb n` | Top / bottom margin
`.he text` / `.fo text` | Header / footer text
`.pn n` | Set starting page number
`.po n` | Page offset (left indent)
`.ls n` | Line spacing
`.cp n` | Conditional page (keep n lines together)
`.fn`, `.ix`, `.tc` | Footnote, index entry, table-of-contents entry
`.df`, `.rv`, `&var&` | MailMerge: data file, read variables, field

## Tools top

Menu | Tool
--- | ---
Utilities › Word Count | Words, lines and characters
Utilities › Spell Check | Hunspell dictionaries (with affix expansion)
Utilities › Thesaurus | MyThes synonym data
Utilities › Mail Merge | Merge a data file into a form letter
Utilities › Calculator | On-screen calculator
Utilities › Macros | Record / play keystroke macros
File / Layout › Print | On Windows, opens the standard print dialog to choose the printer, orientation, paper size and copies, then prints. Elsewhere, prints to the default printer.
File / Layout › Print to PDF | Writes a paginated PDF named after the document (`<name>.pdf`) and opens it — a print-ready export.
Layout › Print Preview | Paginated on-screen preview

Spell-check and thesaurus data files are configurable (local hunspell/MyThes files or an http(s) URL that StarWord downloads and caches). See the configuration screen (Opening Menu › `C`, or `--config`).

## Mouse top

- Click the menu bar (or hover) to open pull-down menus; click an item to run it.
- Click in the text to position the cursor.
- Double-click selects a word.
- Drag selects text; drag a selection to move it (drag & drop).
- The mouse wheel scrolls the document, preview, or file list.

## OS clipboard top

In addition to WordStar's internal block commands, StarWord talks to your system clipboard:

Command | Action
--- | ---
`Ctrl`+`Shift`+`X` | Cut to OS clipboard
`Ctrl`+`Shift`+`C` | Copy to OS clipboard
`Ctrl`+`Shift`+`V` | Paste from OS clipboard

## Command line top

Both DOS-style `/X` switches and `-`/`--` flags are accepted:

Option | Effect
--- | ---
`/D` `-d` `--document` | Document mode (word-wrap, justify) — default
`/N` `-n` `--nondocument` | Non-document mode (plain text)
`/P` `-p` `--print` | Print a clean copy to stdout and exit
`/M` `-m` `--merge` | MailMerge to stdout and exit
`/C` `-c` `--config` | Open the configuration screen
`/?` `-h` `--help` | Show command-line help

## Terminal key conflicts top

A few WordStar control keys are also claimed by some terminals (notably Windows Terminal), which act on them before StarWord ever sees them. If a command seems to do the wrong thing, use the alternate key:

If this happens | Use instead
--- | ---
`^V` pastes (or says nothing) instead of toggling Insert/Overtype — the terminal grabbed `Ctrl`+`V` for “paste” | Press the `Insert` key (it toggles too), or unbind `Ctrl`+`V` in your terminal settings
`^C` copies a selection instead of paging down — the terminal grabbed `Ctrl`+`C` while text was selected | Click to clear the selection, or press `PgDn`

All cursor and navigation commands have a non-control alternative — the arrow keys, `PgUp`/`PgDn`, `Home`/`End`, `Insert`, `Delete` and `Backspace` — so you can always get the job done even when a terminal claims a Ctrl key.