Don Spaeth's suggestion of using word-processor macros to strip
out SGML code prompted me to try one for Wordstar. I found I
couldn't get a truly recursive one, but if ESC-L and ESC-N are
defined as follows, it works with Wordstar 4, Wordstar 6, and
presumably Wordstar 5. Here `n means Control-n (typed in as
Control-P control-n; isn't it barbarous?)
 
L   brack1
    `Q`F<`M`M`K`B`Q`F>`M`M`D`K`K`K`Y`[L
N   brack2
    `[L`S`G
 
Esc-N is used to do the job. It calls esc-L, which deletes the
markup recursively and then terminates, leaving an L at the end.
Esc-N then resumes and gets rid of the L.
 
 
I remain hostile to this approach. As several posts have pointed
out, it's dangerously destructive. It's also very slow compared
with a translation-table utility. But at least no WS user now has
to work it out for herself.
 
Christopher