subject: COMMAND LINE OVERVIEW Esc key: When you are in normal editing mode, the Esc key moves the cursor between the text area and the Command Line. use: There are numerous commands which may be issued from the Command Line such as EDIT, GET, CALC, search, find and replace, etc. These commands are initiated by moving the cursor to the Command Line, typing the command, and then pressing Enter or F10. The Command Line will scroll to the left and right if necessary. editing: The Ins key places the Command Line in insert mode which is independent of the insert/overwrite mode of the text area. (The standard mode for the Command Line is overwrite, and it will always be in overwrite upon entry or after executing a command). Tab and Shift Tab move 5 spaces to the right or left. Ctrl Right Arrow and Ctrl Left Arrow move the cursor to the next "word" to the right or left on the Command Line. Home moves the cursor to the beginning of the line. End moves the cursor one space beyond the last character on the line. Del deletes the character under the cursor. Backspace moves to the left and deletes that character. F6 erases all characters under, and to the right of the cursor. F10 key: The commands can also be initiated by pressing F10 instead of Enter. F10 will start a command on the Command Line even if the cursor is in the text area. This is a powerful feature, especially for use with keystroke macros. If the cursor is on the Command Line when you press F10, the cursor will first move to the text area before executing the command. buffer: When you type a new command on the Command Line, it is saved in a buffer for later use. Up to 10 commands are saved in this buffer. The last command issued is always visible on the Command Line. To recall a previous command, press Ctrl W when the cursor is on the Command Line. Repeated Ctrl Ws will cycle through all the commands in the buffer. You can modify any command as desired and press Enter or F10 to execute the command. 71 keystrokes: Most keystrokes which operate in the text area will also function from the Command Line. For example, Ctrl PgUp which moves the cursor to the top left of the file you are editing will also perform this function from the Command Line. The only difference is that the cursor will remain in the Command Line. Exceptions to this rule are: (1) Those keystrokes mentioned under "editing" above are reserved for Command Line functioning. (2) Ctrl W, and Enter behave differently as described above. (3) Ctrl J (join), and F5 (delete current line) do not function from the Command Line. (4) The following keystrokes work just as they would if you were in the text area, but they will cause the cursor to leave the Command Line and return to the text area just as if you had pressed Esc first: Up Arrow - moves to bottom text line in active window. Down Arrow - moves to next text line below bottom text line in active window if it can. Ctrl Home - moves to upper left corner of active window. Ctrl End - moves to lower left corner of active window. F8 - initiates highlight options menu. F10 - initiates command. Ctrl O - checks spelling of word under cursor in TEXT AREA. Ctrl V - highlights word under cursor in text area. Ctrl Z - initiates Fault Finder. commands: The remainder of this section will describe each command which can be issued from the Command Line. command: SEARCH (FIND) purpose: Locate a group of characters in the text being edited and move the cursor to that location. setup: Move cursor to Command Line. format: {-}/string{/ {b {n}}} {-}\string{\ {b {n}}} 72 discussion: Without optional initial '-' character, the text will be searched beginning one character beyond the current cursor position toward the end of the file to find a group of characters which matches "string". With optional initial '-' character, the text will be searched beginning one character before the current cursor position toward the beginning of the file to find a group of characters which matches "string". '/' implies that the search is case insensitive, i.e., if "string" is "abc", then "abc", "AbC", "ABC", etc. will all be considered as valid matches. '\' implies that the search is case sensitive, i.e., if "string" is "abc", then only "abc" can be considered as a valid match. The optional trailing '/' or '\' allows blank characters to be included at the end of the string to be matched and permits the {b {n}} options to be used. The optional {b {n}}, implies the search process should only conducted on each line beginning at column b, for a maximum of n columns. If b is present but not n, then the search will be conducted from column b to the end of each line. NOTE: when n is used, the entire string must exist within the n columns specified or no match will be registered. Thus n must have a value of at least "string" characters. example(s): -\Find this The text is searched from one character before the current cursor location toward the beginning of the file to find an exact match for the characters "Find this". (Quote marks not included.) /Find this / 15 25 The text is searched starting at one character after the cursor location toward the end of the file to find the sequence of characters "Find this " regardless of case. (Quote marks not included.) The search is only made from columns 15 through 39 of each line. command: FIND and REPLACE purpose: Locate a group of characters in the text and optionally replace them with a second group of characters. setup: Move cursor to Command Line. format: {-}/string1/string2/ {b {n}} 73 {-}\string1\string2\ {b {n}} discussion: Without optional initial '-' character, the text will be searched beginning one character beyond the current cursor position toward the end of the file to find a group of characters which matches "string1". With optional initial '-' character, the text will be searched beginning one character before the current cursor position toward the beginning of the file to find a group of characters which matches "string1". '/' implies that the search is case insensitive. '\' implies that the search is case sensitive. "string2" is the replacement string. The optional {b {n}}, implies the search process should only conducted on each line beginning at column b, for a maximum of n columns. If b is present but not n, then the search will be conducted from column b to the end of each line. NOTE: when n is used, the entire string must exist within the n columns specified or no match will be registered. Thus n must have a value of at least string1 characters. process: When a match is found for string1, the string will be highlighted and the following question will be asked: Answer by pressing Y, N or X. Y and X will cause "string2" to replace "string1". Next you will be asked: Find Next? (Y/N) (or X=Yes and don't ask) Y and X will cause the Find and Replace operation to continue, whereas N will cause it to stop. (If you press Esc in response to either of these questions, the process will also stop). Answering X to the first question causes Find and Replace to replace each match as it is found. Answering X to the second question causes the Find and Replace to search for the next match without waiting. Two X responses is called a GLOBAL find and replace. All occurrences of "string1" from the current cursor position to the end of the file will be automatically replaced by "string2". Answering X to the second question only allows you to step through each match in the file and visually 74 inspect it before making the decision to replace it or not. Answering X to the first question only will automatically replace the next match found, but allows you to terminate the process after any replacement has been made. example: -\But,\However,\ 5 20 Find the string "But," from one character to the left of the current cursor position toward the beginning of the file (if it occurs within the column range 5 to 24) and replace it with the string "However," on request. command: CALCULATE purpose: Find the result of a simple equation and save the result in a buffer so it can be inserted into the text area if needed. setup: Move cursor to Command Line. format: CALC equation {h} -or- CALC equation {d} equation: The equation may contain the operators: + addition - subtraction * or x multiplication / or ö division Parentheses can be included. The natural hierarchy of operations is used, i.e., multiplication and division are performed before addition and subtraction. Values may be: standard decimal values¯ - 500 15.3 .5678 exponential values¯ - 1.5E+3 .5E-8 hexadecimal values¯ - 04ABh 0FFh 01234h Note that hexadecimal values must begin with a zero and must end with the character h. result: The result of the equation will be displayed in a window in the center of your screen and the message line will read: Move to desired location and press Ctrl_ to insert data The result is placed in the "math buffer" and will remain there until another calculation (or a date or time stamp) is performed. Ctrl _ will cause the 75 contents of the buffer to be inserted in the text. The number of decimal places displayed in the result is normally 2. If a value in the equation has more than two decimal places displayed, then that number of digits following the decimal point will be displayed. 10+2.3333 --> 12.3333 10+2.3 --> 12.30 If the last character in the equation is h, the result will be expressed as a hexadecimal number. examples: (8+6)x(5-2) --> 42.00 8+6 x 5-2 --> 36.00 50/25+10 --> 12.00 50/25+10h --> Ch (50/25+10)h --> Ch (50/25+010h) --> 18.00 (020h) --> 32.00 20h --> 14h command: DROP TO DOS purpose: Permits you to execute a DOS instruction or even execute a small program without having to exit PC-Type II. setup: Move the cursor to the Command Line. format: DOS command ALLDOS command where "command" is the DOS command to run, e.g. DIR. discussion: "Command" is passed to DOS just as if you were actually in the DOS environment at the DOS prompt. The screen will be cleared and the command will be executed. When the command is finished, the message "Press a key to continue" will be displayed. After you press a key your screen will be replaced as it was before issuing the command. If you want to drop to DOS and stay there for a series of commands, just place the keyword DOS on the Command Line with no following command. You will remain in DOS until you type EXIT to return. NOTE: If you are going to run another program after dropping to DOS, it is good practice to save your file first. Otherwise, if the other program behaved poorly and crashed your system, you could lose the file you were editing. PC-Type II uses a fair amount of memory, and the more files you have active, or the larger the files are which are active, the less memory is available for going to DOS to execute other commands or programs. If there is insufficient memory available to go to 76 DOS, then a message to that effect will be given. ALLDOS: The ALLDOS command will write the memory being used by PC-Type II to disk before dropping to DOS and executing "command". When the "command" is finished, the memory saved on disk will be restored before returning to PC-Type II. This permits you to run large programs without leaving PC-Type II. The DOS Command Line instruction is faster but may not be able to work if insufficient memory remains. The ALLDOS Command Line instruction is slower but permits you to run sizable programs when you drop to DOS. example: DOS dir a:*.doc Drop to DOS and do a directory of all the .DOC files on the current directory of the A disk. command: EDIT purpose: To edit another file (or part of a file). setup: Move the cursor to the Command Line. Alternatively you may perform the identical function with the "(E)dit/Get" option from the Main Menu (F2). format: edit filespec {b {n}} -or- editp filespec {b {n}} pct filespec {b {n}} -or- pctp filespec {b {n}} discussion: FILESPEC can be any valid file specification and can include drive, path, filename and file extension. It can also include the standard DOS DIR command wildcard characters "*" and "?". If it includes the wildcard characters, then all files fitting the description will be presented to you in a menu from which you can choose the specific file you want. {b {n}} are optional parameters specifying "begin at" and "for n". If the EDIT command keyword used was "EDIT", then b and n refer to line numbers. If the EDIT command keyword used was "EDITP", then b and n refer to page numbers. If neither b nor n are used, then the entire file will be loaded. If only b is used, then the file will be loaded from the beginning point to the end of the file. PCT and PCTP are aliases for EDIT and EDITP. If you are like me, you will get in a habit of typing PCT to edit other files. NOTE: If you enter PC-Type II with the simplest entry command, PCT after the DOS prompt, then you will 77 be in an empty file called "New File". Should you EDIT a file in this situation, the name "New File" will be replaced by the name of the file just loaded. examples: EDIT c:\letters\mom.8 The entire file MOM.8 in directory LETTERS of drive C is loaded into PC-Type II. PCTP c:\letters\mom.8 3 2 Pages 3 and 4 of the same letter are loaded. EDIT c:\letters\mom.8 45 The same letter is loaded starting at line number 45 to the end of the file. command: GET purpose: To load all or part of a file on disk into the file currently being edited. setup: Move the cursor to the Command Line. Alternatively you may perform the identical function with the "(E)dit/Get" option from the Main Menu (F2). format: get{p} filespec {b {n}} discussion: FILESPEC can be any valid file specification and can include drive, path, filename and file extension. It can also include the standard DOS DIR command wildcard characters "*" and "?". If it includes the wildcard characters, then all files fitting the description will be presented to you in a menu from which you can choose the specific file you want. {b {n}} are optional parameters specifying "begin at" and "for n". If the GET command keyword used was "GET", then b and n refer to line numbers. If the GET command keyword used was "GETP", then b and n refer to page numbers. If neither b nor n are used, then the entire file will be loaded. If only b is used, then the file will be loaded from the beginning point to the end of the file. When a file is loaded with the GET command, it will be inserted in the current text between the line on which the cursor is located and the following line. NOTE: If you enter PC-Type II with the simplest entry command, PCT after the DOS prompt, then you will be in an empty file called "New File". Should you GET a file in this situation, the name "New File" will be replaced by the name of the file 78 just loaded. examples: GET c:\letters\mom.8 The entire file MOM.8 in directory LETTERS of drive C is loaded into the current file on the line following the cursor. GETP c:\letters\mom.8 3 2 Pages 3 and 4 of the same letter are loaded following the cursor line. GET c:\letters\mom.8 45 The same letter is loaded into the current file starting at line number 45 to the end of the file. command: NAME purpose: To change the file specification of the current file being edited. setup: Move cursor to Command Line. format: NAME filespec discussion: The filespec provided can include drive, path, filename and file extension. If only a filename and file extension are provided, then the default directory is assumed. After typing NAME followed by the new filespec on the Command Line and pressing Enter, the file specification of the current file being edited will be changed to the new filespec supplied. The name will change in the highlighted filespec area in the double line at the top of the active window. If the screen is split and the same file appears in more than one window, the name will be changed in all places. The renamed file will always be referenced by the new name. NOTE: Some invalid file specifications will be caught, but the NAME command is very lenient about the file specification you provide. However, should you try to save the file and the new specification is invalid, then you will be asked to modify it at that time. example: NAME c:\mydir\newname.pct The name of the current file being edited will be changed to NEWNAME.PCT, and if saved, will be saved on drive C in directory MYDIR. 79 command: PRINT purpose: Initiate printing by going to the Print Window. setup: Move the cursor to the Command Line. format: PRINT discussion: The effect of this command is identical to pressing P from the Main Menu (F2). command: GOTO and SCROLL purpose: GOTO moves the cursor to a specified line in the file. SCROLL moves the cursor a specified number of lines toward the top or bottom of the file. setup: Move the cursor to the Command Line. format: n (This is GOTO) +n (This is SCROLL) -n (This is SCROLL) discussion: GOTO Typing a number n on the Command Line and then pressing Enter or F10 will cause the cursor to be moved to the line specified. If a line number is given which exceeds the length of the file, an error message will be issued. This is an especially useful command if you use PC-Type II as an editor for source code, for when you compile, errors are usually given by line number. With this command you can immediately go to the erroneous line. SCROLL Typing a number n preceded by a + or - sign causes the cursor to move n lines toward the end or toward the beginning of the current file being edited. This is useful if you want to move the screen up or down within the file by a value that differs from the number of lines visible in the window. It can also be a useful command, (in conjunction with F10), when creating keystroke macros. examples: 156 The cursor will be moved to line 156 of the file. -38 The cursor will be moved 38 lines toward the beginning of the file. If the cursor was on line 138, it will be on line 100 after the command is issued. 80