Editing WordStar (section)

== Running on modern platforms ==
WordStar version 3.x used the MS-DOS [[File control block]] (FCB) interface, an early data structure for file input/output which was based closely on CP/M's file input/output functions. The provision of the FCB interface was intended to simplify the [[porting]] of ([[assembly language]]) programs from [[CP/M]] to the new [[MS-DOS]]. When MS-DOS adopted the [[Unix]]-like file interface of [[file handle]]s, FCBs became a [[Legacy system|legacy interface]] supported for backward compatibility. Because FCB compatibility has not been maintained, WordStar 3.x will not function properly on modern versions of Windows. In particular, WordStar 3.x cannot save files.

One workaround is to use the [[DOSEMU]] emulator on Linux, which correctly implements the FCB interface; the [[DOSBox]] emulator does not, even on [[Linux]]. WordStar 4.0 does not have this problem because it uses the newer MS-DOS interface for input/output. OS/2 can run WordStar in a DOS session. Another option is using the [[FreeDOS]] operating system.

Another option is to run the CP/M versions of WordStar using a CP/M emulator, such as ''CPMEmu'' for Linux and the Raspberry Pi, or ''CP/M for OS X'' for macOS.

In October 2014, WordStar support was added to [[vDos]], a derivative of [[DOSBox]] optimized for business applications; vDos allows WordStar 4.0 and above to run under 32- and 64-bit versions of Microsoft Windows from XP through 10.<ref name=vDos>{{cite web
|url=http://sfwriter.com/ws-vdos.htm
|title=WordStar and vDos
|year=2014
|first=Robert J.
|last=Sawyer
|access-date=October 19, 2014
}}</ref>
In 2024, [[Robert J. Sawyer]] released archives of WordStar capable of running on all modern platforms.<ref>{{cite news |title=Classic word processor WordStar gets a new "plug-and-play" release by one of its most loyal users |url=https://www.techspot.com/news/104165-classic-word-processor-wordstar-gets-new-plug-play.html |work=TechSpot |date=7 August 2024}}</ref>