Frozen Fish 1: Amiga/FrozenFish-Apr94.iso/bbs/alib/d5xx/d595/p-writer.lha/P-Writer/P-Writer.doc

Text File | 1992-02-01 | 14KB | 318 lines

PRE1
                      P - W R I T E R V3.2
  Introduction

     P-Writer is designed for the production of illustrated texts for display
  by P-Reader.  It does not compete with word-processors or with full-featured
  editors like EMACS.  Its special features are:

     Inclusion of illustration "command-lines".
     Loads and saves texts in compressed or uncompressed form.
     Full screen available for text, no waste in overlaps.
     Page and line sizes match P-Reader.
     Escape codes for text colour and style tied to keys of the numeric pad.
     Colour and style implemented immediately as well as being included in text
     Control by function keys, numeric pad, and header strip gadgets.
     Continuous display of cursor position.
     No line scrolling. Page appears as it will be seen in P-Reader.

  Calling

      From CLI:   P-Writer <FILE>    File is optional.
      From Workbench:  Click the icon.

  Operation

     Two buffers are provided, each with its own window.  The full range of
  commands is available in either window.  The programme is controlled mainly
  by the ten function keys, as shown in the Help screen (press <Help>).   To
  produce an F-key strip index, switch on the printer and double-click the
  picture below with the RIGHT mouse button.  Cut out, write "P-Writer" on
  the back, and sandwich between two layers of clear Con-Tact film.









#! 1 1 10 0 writer.key



  F1: Move to Page [x].  To move to any page press F1, enter the number of
  the required page, press RETURN.

  F2, F3: Press F2 or F3 to get the first or last pages respectively.

  F4: Search.  Requester will appear.  Enter the string to be found, set case
  sensitivity, press RETURN, and click OK (or Cancel). The search always starts
  at the beginning  of the file.   A cursor will appear immediately before the
  found string.

  F5: Search again.  Search will continue from the last instance found.

       WARNING    Search window must remain active during the search
       process. If your pointer automatically activates the window
       on which it is placed, make sure that it is over the search
       window.

   F6: Search & Replace.  Enter the string to be replaced, set case sensitivity
   and click OK.  When the requester re-appears enter the replacement and click
   OK.  Cursor will show each instance of the string found.  Click Y to replace
   N to pass over, R to replace all further instances, Q to quit.

   F7: Deletes the line carrying the cursor.

   F8: Half-page down.  Text moves forward half a page.  The symbol % will
   appear before the page UP gadget as a warning whenever the last line does
   not represent the end of a true page.

   F9: Load.  Brings up file requester.  New files can be selected at any time.

   F10: Save.  Raises the usual file-requester - enter the destination.  OK
   then brings up a requester carrying four gadgets (plus OK and Cancel)
   Click COMP to compress the text, or UNCOMP to leave it uncompressed.  Press
   ILLUST if the text calls up pictures or animations, or NORMAL if it is a
   plain text.  The last two gadgets set a header which tells P-Reader the
   mode and screen size to use when displaying the text.

    If you do not have Arp Library installed, Load and Save requesters will
   appear showing a simple string gadget.  Enter the file name required and
   press OK or CANCEL.

   SHIFT-F1:  Set Mark.  To mark the start of a section to be cut out, press
   <SHIFT><F1> together.  An asterisk will appear before the Page UP gadget.

   SHIFT-F2:  Cut.  The section of text between a mark and the current cursor
   position is cut out and placed in the file ram:cut (opened if necessary).
   This file remains even after P-Writer has closed.

   Shift-F3:  Paste. The cut section is placed into the text starting at the
   current cursor position.  Calling "Paste" immediately after a "Cut" restores
   the text to its original state.  The content of ram:cut is always used,
   regardless of its origin,  whether a previous cut has been made or not, and
   it can be inserted any number of times.   If a number of P-Writer texts are
   running at the same time, text can be exchanged between them, giving the
   equivalent of multiple buffers.

   SHIFT-F4.  Re-draw page.  Use when necessary to correct appearance after
   inserting style or colour changes.

   SHIFT-F5.  Split window.  Either window (but not both) can be split.  Window
   1 will appear in the top half, window2 in the lower half.  Click above or
   below the dividing line to select the window required.

   SHIFT-F6.  Full window.  Cancels the Split Window command.

    After operations that change the window no header strip, or one that does
    not extend to the full width, indicates that the window needs to be clicked
    in to activate it.  Occasionally some of the header-strip gadgets may not
    be visible - click their normal position and they will re-appear.

   SHIFT-F7.  Clear.  Clears the current active window.

   SHIFT-F8.  Half-page up.  Text moves back half a page.  The symbol % is
   shown as in "half-page-down".

   Additional functions are performed by page header gadgets.

      Window close - Normal Intuition function.
      Page UP      - Just click on it (L mouse button).
      Page DOWN    - Just click on it.
      Depth       - Change to other window.

   The header strip shows: current file reference (shortened), total number of
   pages, current page, line, and column.   Note that if the mouse is clicked
   with the cursor beyond a line's end the cursor will go the end of the line
   but the actual position clicked on will be shown in the header. Current
   buffer is shown in the space between the page Up and Down gadgets.

   Operation of other keys, such as backspace, delete etc, is where possible
   like Emacs.  Visible line length is limited to 79 characters, (cursor needs
   the 80th to park on),  actual line length, which will include escape
   sequences, is limited to 160 characters.

   TABs can only be entered if there is room available for them on the line.

 Text colour and style - Numeric Pad Keys

   Pen colour is set by the numeric pad keys 1 2 3 to pen 1, pen 2, and pen 3
   respectively.

   Background colour is set by the keys 4 5 6 to pen 1, pen 2, and pen 3.

   Style is set by keys 7 8 9 to Bold, Italic  and  Underlined.

   RESET to normal colour and style with numeric pad key 0.

   A new pen setting cancels the previous one;  a new background setting
  cancels a previous one.  Bold and Italic cancel each other.  Otherwise they
  are cumulative. For example pressing 6 2 7 9

                              produces this

 Presence of invisible escape codes can affect backspace, delete, and return.
TO CHANGE A LINE HAVING A COLOUR/STYLE CHANGE IT IS BEST TO DELETE (F7) AND
RETYPE THE WHOLE LINE.

   Use of colour/style changes can produce unexpected results.  For example if
  a background colour is left open it can under some circumstances take over
  the whole screen, (correct with a RESET at the end).  Where a colour or style
  is applied to consecutive lines the settings should be repeated at the start
  and cancelled at the end of each line.  Use SHIFT-F4, where necessary, to
  correct the appearance of a line after completing a colour/style change.

  For reference, the escape sequences are:  (^[ represents the CSI)
   key 0   ^[[0;40m         key 4   ^[[41m           key 7   ^[[1m
   key 1   ^[[31m           key 5   ^[[42m           key 8   ^[[3m
   key 2   ^[[32m           key 6   ^[[43m           key 9   ^[[4m
   key 3   ^[[33m

                            ILLUSTRATIONS

   In this version four types of illustration can be called :

 ILBMs (IFF pictures)

   True ILBMs produced by DPaint or any of the standard drawing software can
   be used, provided that:

     Size is no greater than 640 X 256 (PAL) or 640 X 200 (NTSC).
     No HAM or HALFBRITE.
     Depth is three planes (eight colours).

   The picture shares a screen with the text, so the palette used by the
   picture will affect screen colours.  Wherever possible the first four
   colours of the picture should be close to 000, FFA, 3F3, F20.  The rest of
   the default palette is 45F, FC8, A60, 0A0.  The small utility P-Check can
   be used to check suitability and to get the width and height of a picture.

      Calling syntax:     <#><!> 1 [Left edge] [Top edge] [Cycling] File

   # followed immediately by ! is the Command Introducer or CI.   P-Reader
   treats this as an escape sequence introducer and any characters following
   it are not printed. (Never put a command sequence in the middle of a line!).
   The numeric pad key <.> prints the CI.
    #! 1 61 15 1 tree
    1:          Enter 1 to indicate Type ILBM.

    Left edge:  Position of left edge of picture - column.

    Top Edge:   Position of top of picture - row.

    Cycling:    Enter 1 to enable cycling, 0 to inhibit        Click LMB to
                                                              stop cycling.
    File:       Full path and filename.

   The sequence may be placed anywhere on the page, but is best put at the
  bottom so that all text is displayed first.
  #! 2 0 0 0 fight.anim
 Animations

   This version supports straightforward ANIM5 animations as produced by
 DPaint,Videoscape, The Projector, P_Animator and others.  Full information on
 how to create animations for P-Reader is given in P_Animator.
                                                          Click LMB to start
   The command syntax is:                                 Click again to stop

             <#><!> 2 0 0 0 File

   The sequence starts with the same CI as before.

   2:     Type 2.  Animation.
   0 0 0  (For future expansion;  do not omit).
   File:  Full path and filename.

   The sequence can go anywhere on the page.
   There should be no text directly under the
 anim.

    THREE ILBMS OR ONE ANIM MAY BE CALLED ON EACH PAGE

  Sounds

   Sound effects can be included if they are in the normal 8SVX format.
 #! 4 yuppy
   Command syntax:   <#><!> 4 File

   Sequence starts with the CI.
      4:       Type 4 - Sound effect.
      File:    Full path and filename.

Borders

   Provides a standard Intuition Border which may be used to enclose text or
  pictures.

   Command syntax :  <#><!> 3 [Left edge] [Top line] [Width] [Height][Pen]

   The sequence starts with the same CI as before.
      3:           Type 3 - Border.
      Left edge:    First column to be included in the box.
   Top line:     First line to be included.
   Width:        Number of columns wide.                        This is
   Height:       Number of lines high.                      CI 3 60 3 17 3 6
   Pen:          Pens 0 to 7 may be used.
       #! 3 60 2 17 3 6
   The command sequence may be placed anywhere on the page, however to prevent
   the border from being over-written by text it is best put on a line below
   where the border will appear.

    WARNING  Never put any command sequence on the bottom line of a page.

 Identification

  Illustrated files can be identified by the initial word PRE. (Not re-produced
  by P-Reader).  This is followed by a number to indicate page height (0 = 256
  lines, 1 = 200 lines).  LH indicates that the file is compressed.

                           P-CHECK UTILITY

   P-Check is used to check whether a supposed IFF pic or anim is suitable for
   use as an in-text illustration, and to get information on width, height,
   and whether cycling is active.  Files must not be compressed.

   Syntax:   P-Check [file].

   Any warning it gives on suitability ONLY applies to in-text use. The
   criteria used do not apply when P-Reader is used as a stand-alone reader
   for the display of pictures or animations.

                    ^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^

   Credit:  YUPPEE sound stolen from Nic Wilson's Sam programme.

   To Do:

       P-Writer does not always handle tabs properly - low priority since I
     hate tabs and never use them - if files are going to be compressed tabs
     save little or nothing anyway.

       Many of the functions are slow and generally operations are not as
     smooth as they should be.  Should improve steadily.

       An infuriating bug somewhere occasionally causes the visual screen
     to get out of sync with its buffer. Use of SHIFT-F4 usually corrects
     things. The bloodhounds are out.

    P-Writer and P-Check are Freeware.  They may be copied and distributed
  freely and used without charge for non_profit-making purposes.  Authority
  for profit-making use should be obtained from the author below.

    No responsibility can be accepted for any loss occasioned by use of these
  programmes.

    Comments, suggestions, bug-reports all welcome.

   Chas A. Wyndham,
   1265 Canning Mills Road,
   Roleystone,
   WA 6111.
   Australia