25. A word processing system in which paragraphs of text that use a foreign paragraph delimiter are properly displayed, the foreign paragraph delimiter being different than a native paragraph delimiter of documents created on the word processing system, comprising: (a) a computer that includes a memory in which is stored a set of executable instructions, a non-volatile memory for storing data files and program files, a user interface for entering text and selecting control options, and a display for visually presenting text and control options to a user, said executable instructions causing the computer to operate as a word processor; (b) means for producing a character position array in which each character of a document that is open on the word processing system is assigned a position, said character position array being divided into a plurality of pieces, each piece comprising a string of characters that are stored adjacent to one another in a file and which have identical format properties; (c) producing an array of data records including entries that correspond to each piece of the character position array, each entry including a file number and a file position within a file at which the string of characters comprising the piece are stored; (d) means for producing a file control block for each file that stores text used in the document when the file is initially opened by the word processing system; (e) means for inserting delimiter identification data in the file control block of each file, said delimiter identification data indicating a type of paragraph delimiter used by the text stored in the file; (f) means for determining a specific file in which a character of the document that is displayed is stored by referring to the character position array and to the array of data records, the delimiter identification data in the file control block for said specific file indicating the type of paragraph delimiter that is used for a paragraph containing the character; and (g) means for translating any foreign paragraph delimiter to the native paragraph delimiter in a display buffer in the memory, so that the paragraph containing the character is properly displayed to the user on the display screen.
25. A word processing system in which paragraphs of text that use a foreign paragraph delimiter are properly displayed, the foreign paragraph delimiter being different than a native paragraph delimiter of documents created on the word processing system, comprising: (a) a computer that includes a memory in which is stored a set of executable instructions, a non-volatile memory for storing data files and program files, a user interface for entering text and selecting control options, and a display for visually presenting text and control options to a user, said executable instructions causing the computer to operate as a word processor; (b) means for producing a character position array in which each character of a document that is open on the word processing system is assigned a position, said character position array being divided into a plurality of pieces, each piece comprising a string of characters that are stored adjacent to one another in a file and which have identical format properties; (c) producing an array of data records including entries that correspond to each piece of the character position array, each entry including a file number and a file position within a file at which the string of characters comprising the piece are stored; (d) means for producing a file control block for each file that stores text used in the document when the file is initially opened by the word processing system; (e) means for inserting delimiter identification data in the file control block of each file, said delimiter identification data indicating a type of paragraph delimiter used by the text stored in the file; (f) means for determining a specific file in which a character of the document that is displayed is stored by referring to the character position array and to the array of data records, the delimiter identification data in the file control block for said specific file indicating the type of paragraph delimiter that is used for a paragraph containing the character; and (g) means for translating any foreign paragraph delimiter to the native paragraph delimiter in a display buffer in the memory, so that the paragraph containing the character is properly displayed to the user on the display screen. 26. The word processing system of claim 25, further comprising means for translating foreign paragraph delimiters used for text in the document to the native paragraph delimiters when the document is saved to a file.