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VDE.DOC
-------
Instructions for the VDE Editor:
version 1.8F (21 Feb 1996)
(c)1987-96, E. Meyer
=============================== CONTENTS ==================================
1. INTRODUCTION: Brief description; Copyright and Licensing.
2. QUICK START INSTRUCTIONS:
A. Installation, Menus and Commands, Help.
B. About text files.
C. Starting and ending an editing session.
D. Typing and correcting.
E. Moving the cursor.
F. The screen and windows.
G. Text formatting.
H. Searching and replacing.
I. Block operations.
J. Getting a printout.
K. Editing additional files.
L. What is a Macro?
3. DOS SYNTAX. How to invoke VDE from the DOS command line.
4. COMMAND SUMMARY: MenuBar choices; command keys.
5. GENERAL INFORMATION, alphabetically by topic:
Accessory programs, Compatibility with word processors,
Control key, Directories, Error messages, File modes, Keyboard
variants, Memory, Multitasking environments, Prompts.
(For a comprehensive COMMAND REFERENCE, see the file VDE.REF)
(For detailed explanation of MACROS, see the file VMACRO.REF)
(For use of the VINST installation utility, see the file VINST.REF)
============================ 1. INTRODUCTION ==============================
VDE is a small, fast text editor for IBM PC (near-)compatibles offering:
* easy menu-driven operation or WordStar-compatible command keys
* multiple file editing with dual windows, cut and paste, compare
* block copy, move, delete, read, write, and zoom
* find and replace (forward, backward, ignore case, all files, etc)
* protected mode and multi-level undo to avoid unintended changes
* keystroke macros with full programming ability
* commands to split files, count words, number lists automatically
* full-featured file browser (tag, edit, import, delete, etc)
* access to any DOS command or a full DOS shell
* variable number of text lines and columns displayable
* automatic save to disk at intervals
* programmable function keys and many other user configurable options
* compatibility with older or limited PC's including laptops, palmtops
But VDE is also a powerful word processor, with:
* left and right margins, wordwrap, automatic or manual reformat
* variable tabs, auto indent, center/flush right, justification
* print preview to check format and pagebreaks before printing
* customizable printer drivers for special effects (bold, underline,
italic, super/subscript, overstrike, proportional fonts, etc)
* printing options: headers, pagination, selective print, print to file,
single sheet feed, address envelopes
* multiple file formats for text exchange (including DOS, WordStar,
WordPerfect, XyWrite, NotaBene, Microsoft Word)
* integrated spelling checker (registered users only)
VDE's versatility is due to its integration of the most important word
processing features with the simplicity of a small text editor, making it an
efficient tool for many different tasks. VDE is an ideal choice for a DOS
file editor, and a practical editor to run from a shell within telecom,
database, file maintenance, programming, and other application software. Yet
its full formatting and printing features also make VDE a powerful word
processor. Many longtime users of leading retail software find themselves
doing more and more of their work in VDE instead.
"The recurrent theme in this business is smaller, faster,
cheaper. Except for software, which gets bigger, slower,
and costs the same." -- Bill Machrone
PC Magazine, May 1993
For some years now, VDE has offered an alternative to the trend among
retail word processors to emulate desktop publishing software by making
elaborate provisions for font variations and page layout, and presenting a
graphic representation of the printed result on screen. These hybrid programs
include numerous features which most people never use, consume lots of disk
space and memory, and have sluggish response times even on the fastest
computers. Their design ignores the fundamental fact that type-setting is a
process quite unrelated to writing, and there is no particularly good reason
for a writer to be distracted by it. Of course computers can make either task
easier, but apparently not with the same software -- not as long as processor
speed keeps struggling to keep up with software complexity.
VDE is so small and efficient that it still works well on generations of
older PC's long abandoned by major software vendors, as well as today's
simplest handheld PC-compatibles. The fundamental advance of a word processor
over a typewriter or a pen is in speed and ease of writing and revision, and
VDE allows you to concentrate on your writing, whether it's running on an 8086
or a Pentium. You can find a phrase, or make a global change, instantly; work
gets done sooner, and more of it can be done at the keyboard, eliminating
unnecessary printouts. Of course, when you are ready to print, VDE can still
take advantage of a variety of your printer's fonts. (And if you truly need
more sophisticated page design, you can easily import what you've written into
a full-blown desktop publishing program.)
How much can a program as small as VDE accomplish? Even more than a
glance at its list of built-in features might suggest. As you will discover,
VDE's programmable macros allow you to design and add many useful features
that aren't provided directly, like mail-merge, as you find a need for them.
HOW YOU GOT YOUR COPY OF VDE
VDE circulates widely as "shareware", giving you the opportunity to try
the program at no cost, and to share it with others -- hence the name. If it
doesn't meet your needs, you don't have to pay for it. If you find the
program valuable and continue to use it, you can "register" your copy for a
modest fee. In return, you get an update disk (often including extra
features like VDE's integrated spelling checker) and support from the author.
Shareware offers some unique advantages over retail software, because
users interact directly with the author. Obviously, costs are kept down
because glossy packaging, advertising, and retail markups are eliminated. But
shareware can also resist market trends and continue to provide useful kinds
of products that the big corporations have abandoned. And shareware authors
can respond more directly to user requests and concerns than software
publishers who release an update only when it seems profitable.
Shareware works when users give program authors useful feedback, and most
of all, when users support authors by registering their programs. This makes
it possible for quality shareware to continue to develop and improve. Please
support shareware by registering any programs that you use.
The use and distribution of VDE are governed by the "COPYRIGHT AND
LICENSE" information below. Please read this carefully!
FILES YOU SHOULD HAVE
Be sure you have all the files which should be included in this package:
VDE.EXE - The VDE editor itself.
VINST.COM - The installation and customizing utility.
VDE.DOC - This basic documentation for VDE.
VDE.REF - The detailed Reference Guide for VDE commands.
VMACRO.REF - The Reference Guide for use of macros.
VINST.REF - The Reference Guide for the VINST installation utility.
VDExxx.UPD - Latest news and update information for this version of VDE.
ORDER.FRM - Registration/site license order form.
FILE_ID.DIZ - Standardized software description for BBS operators.
WS4.VDF - Function key definitions for compatibility with WordStar.
WP.VDF - Function key definitions for compatibility with WordPerfect.
EXAMPLES.VDF - Several function key definitions from the examples in VDE.REF.
CTRLCAPS.COM - Utility to let [CapsLock] key act as [Ctrl] (see CONTROL KEY).
The optional spelling checker is not distributed as shareware; it can
only be obtained directly from the author upon registering VDE. Run the
INSTALL program on your registered VDE disk to access the speller files and
instructions.
COPYRIGHT AND LICENSE INFORMATION
The VDE editor and documentation are copyright (c)1987-95
Eric Meyer, all rights reserved worldwide. They may not be
circulated in any incomplete or modified form, nor sold for
profit, without written permission of the author. The use
or sale of VDE is subject to the following terms:
PERSONAL USE. If you find VDE valuable and continue to use it, you are
encouraged (but not required) to register, and help support the
development of high-quality, affordable software:
INDIVIDUAL REGISTRATION ...... $35 (US)
Registered users receive several benefits:
* The latest version of VDE (and other useful programs)
on disk direct from the author.
* Convenient integrated spelling checker with
customizable user dictionary.
* Technical support if you encounter problems using VDE.
Future upgrades can be ordered on disk when desired.
* A registration certificate verifying the legality of
your personal use of VDE at your workplace as well.
SITE LICENSES. Any company or institution wishing to use VDE in the course
of its business MUST purchase a SITE LICENSE. The cost of the license is
modest, and varies according to the number of computers on which VDE may
be in use in the workplace:
Up to 5 copies................. $50 (US)
Up to 10 copies............... $100
Additional copies over 10....... $5 each
The purchaser of a site license receives several benefits:
* The latest version of VDE (and other useful programs)
on disk direct from the author.
* Convenient integrated spelling checker with
customizable user dictionary.
* Technical support if you encounter problems using VDE.
Future upgrades can be ordered on disk when desired.
* A license certificate documenting the legality of your
company's use of VDE.
* Your employees can also use VDE at home and share it
with others without raising issues of software piracy.
COMMERCIAL SALE. Any software dealer or library may offer VDE for sale, as
long as the price charged for the disk containing VDE does not exceed US
$6 (for CDROM, $30). With this single exception, the sale of VDE, either
alone or together with other software or hardware, requires a licensing
agreement. Please write for terms.
ORDERING AND SOURCES. Site licenses and individual registrations may be
ordered directly from the author (see address below), by check or money
order in US currency; purchase orders are also accepted.
CREDIT CARD ORDERS (VISA,MC,AmEx,Discover), including international,
for licenses and registrations must be made through the Public Software
Library, P.O. Box 35705, Houston TX 77235. TO PLACE AN ORDER ONLY, phone
toll-free (800)242-4775; for related inquiries, phone PSL at (713)524-
6394, fax (713)524-6398, or email PSL at CompuServe [71355,470], Internet
71355.470@compuserve.com. Mention item #10303. (There is a $5 surcharge
for credit card orders.)
VDE is distributed widely through "shareware" channels. Users with a
modem can download the latest version as the archive file VDE(xxx).ZIP,
available from either of the two primary distribution points: (1) Glendale
Litera BBS - Glendale, CA (818)956-6164. (2) On CompuServe, VDE.ZIP in
library 1 (DL1) of the PCAPP forum.
In addition, VDE circulates on a variety of other remote systems, and
is available by mail from many good software libraries, including the
Public Software Library (order disk #1933).
FOREIGN USERS. In many countries, retail software is scarce or expensive,
and shareware is an even more attractive alternative. Registrations from
overseas are warmly encouraged, and users receive full support, including
disks by airmail, at no extra charge. Payment can be made by inter-
national credit card through Public Software Library; or you can send
money orders in US currency, drawn on a US affiliate bank, directly to the
author. Modest amounts of US cash ($50 or less) can also be sent safely
by registered mail.
Please write for further information about VDE. Address correspondence to:
Eric Meyer
3541 Smuggler Way CompuServe: [74415,1305]
Boulder, Colorado 80303 USA Internet: 74415.1305@compuserve.com
THE CUSTOMARY DISCLAIMER: You undertake to use VDE at
your own risk. The author does not warrant the suitability
of VDE for any particular purpose, and assumes no liability
for damages of any kind resulting from its use.
====================== 2. QUICK START INSTRUCTIONS ========================
These instructions for VDE assume basic familiarity with an IBM PC-
compatible computer running MSDOS. You need to know, for example, what terms
like "directory, root, filename, extension" mean, and how to use basic DOS
commands like DIR, COPY, and CHDIR. If you don't, your local bookstore has a
shelf full of books with titles like "Using DOS", and you should read one of
them before continuing.
This introduction is intended to give beginning users a quick start on
editing with VDE, including the most basic and common commands. Throughout,
you will find references like "(See MARGINS)" which lead to a more complete
explanation elsewhere (in VDE.REF, VINST.REF, etc).
--------------- A. INSTALLATION, MENUS AND COMMANDS, HELP -----------------
INSTALLATION
"Installation", or customization, of VDE is performed by the VINST
utility. After you have played around a bit with VDE, look in the VINST.REF
file for a description of all the options (display colors, action of certain
keys, editing settings, printer drivers, etc) that can be changed to suit
your tastes. For example, if you have a favorite set of margins, you can
VINST to specify these as defaults, rather than having to change the margins
each time you begin an editing session. You will eventually discover the
settings you prefer for the many other options and defaults, as you become
more familiar with VDE. [Various comments below in brackets "[]" point out
some uses of VINST.] And once you have modified your original copy of
VDE.EXE, its initial welcome/copyright screen will no longer appear.
VDE will work well on any computer with an IBM-compatible BIOS and video
adapter, but it also has special provisions for certain "near-compatible"
MSDOS computers that it supports:
Hewlett-Packard 95LX, 100LX, 200LX palmtops
Hewlett-Packard Portable Plus
Otrona 8:16 with IBM emulation
Users of these computers should run VINST to select a special installation
for them before trying to run VDE; see further notes about this in VINST.REF.
MENUS AND COMMANDS
Editing functions in VDE can be performed in two different ways:
(1) by MenuBar selections.
(2) by Ctrl or Alt-key commands.
VDE's commands ultimately offer the greatest power, flexibility, and speed,
but they can take some time to learn. MenuBars allow a user not familiar
with these commands to get started using VDE immediately, and will appeal to
those who are new to computers or word processing, who will use VDE only
occasionally, or who simply prefer not to memorize commands. Either approach
is available at any time.
(1) MenuBars guide you straightforwardly to the functions you need.
Suppose you want to underline a string of text in your file. Just press
^[Esc] (Ctrl and Esc), and the main "menu bar" will appear:
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------
File Block Delete sEarch formaT stYle Set View Print Misc User
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------
Underlining is a matter of type "stYle", so type "Y" (the highlighted letter)
to bring up the style menu bar, which gives choices "Underline", "Bold", etc.
Finally, select "U" for underline; the code will be inserted in the text.
In the text below, MenuBar commands will be referred to in the following
manner: {stYle:Underline}
This designates selecting st"Y"le, then "U"nderline from the menu bar
sequence (you actually type ^[Esc],Y,U). Most, though not all, of VDE's
functions are available from the menu bars. [Others can be added to your
User menu bar.]
(2) Commands, although they do need to be memorized, are more concise,
and give access to the full range of VDE features, including powerful macros.
If you're already familiar with the widely known WordStar command set, you
can probably start right off editing files with VDE. VDE uses simple one- or
two-key combinations, for example:
^QC
which means "Hold down [Ctrl] while pressing Q, then press C", or
AltD
which means "Hold down [Alt] while pressing D". Many of these are mnemonic
(^Q for Quick moves, etc), though some are not. Their advantage is that all
are easily found by the touch typist without distraction -- no groping for
function keys or mice interrupts the writing process. This largely accounts
for the continuing popularity of the WordStar word processor (now over a
decade old), and its emulation by countless other programs.
In addition to many WordStar-standard commands, VDE has a number of Alt-
key and Esc-key commands to invoke its additional features, such as multi-
file editing. (See COMMAND SUMMARY, and the file VDE.REF.)
HELP
ON-LINE HELP: You can get a brief reminder of the command set anytime you
like by pressing ^J or [F1] for help. A summary of the simple control-key
commands will appear; press [PgUp/Dn] or [^/v] to page through other
commands, or press A, E, K, O, P, or Q to display the Alt-key, Esc-key, ^K,
^O, ^P, or ^Q-commands instead (or F for a list of file modes, or J to return
to the original screen). Once you have found the information you needed,
press [Esc] or [Space] to exit from the help menu.
THE MANUAL: if you need more extensive help while learning to use VDE,
turn to the manual (the .DOC and .REF files). It is distributed on disk,
rather than in printed and bound form, for two reasons:
(1) It's easier to search for help electronically than to flip through a
cryptic printed index. Simply edit the file with VDE and use the find
command (^QF or {sEarch:Find}) to locate the information you need instantly.
You can even load VDE.REF as an additional file along with your own writing
work. Then, if you can't recall, say, how to get a word count, one keystroke
can take you to the manual to search for the phrase "word count".
(2) It saves trees, the pollution of paper production, and the choking of
landfills with waste paper. Not everyone will need or want a printed copy of
the manual. Of course, if you do, you can use VDE to print out any portion
of it that you desire, to have for reference at your desk. (You will need to
use an "elite" (12 cpi) or smaller font that can print 80 columns of text.)
------------------------- B. ABOUT TEXT FILES -----------------------------
VDE is a "text editor", intended only for editing either simple DOS text
or documents created with supported word processors. The results of
attempting to use it on other types of (binary) files are unpredictable.
Text files can generally be described as either DOCUMENTS or NON-
DOCUMENTS. A non-document consists of individual lines of arbitrary length
which are always kept separate; examples are DOS files like CONFIG.SYS or
AUTOEXEC.BAT. A document consists of a stream of text whose paragraphs can
be reformatted at will (to different margins, etc). If created with a word
processor, it may contain additional data indicating formatting, printing,
and other instructions along with the text itself.
VDE can read or write (and thus perform rough conversions between)
different types of files, including nondocuments, simple text documents, and
documents in WordStar, WordPerfect, XyWrite, NotaBene, or Microsoft Word
format. (See FILE MODES, COMPATIBILITY.) The maximum individual file size
is roughly 70-80k (about 80,000 characters). If an existing file is too
large to edit with VDE, it can be divided up (see SPLITTING FILES).
--------------- C. STARTING AND ENDING AN EDITING SESSION -----------------
The typical editing session begins by typing something like "VDE MY.DOC"
at the DOS prompt. If the file "MY.DOC" already exists, you will see it
displayed for you to review or modify; if you are creating it as a new file,
you will see a blank screen for you to type on. A DOS path should precede
the filename if it is in another directory ("VDE A:\WORK\MY.DOC"). A "file
mode" option can follow the filename: the normal default is ASCII document,
so if for example you want to edit a non-document (/N), you can specify that
("VDE C:\AUTOEXEC.BAT /N"). There are many other options available as well
(see SYNTAX for full details). To begin with, just try starting a small test
file of your own. Feel free to type in some text, use the arrow keys to move
around, or experiment with any of the commands described below.
VDE shows an informative "header line" at the top of the screen,
including the file name, the cursor position (by Page, Line, and Column), and
cryptic little "flags" showing the status of various editing options. (For
details see HEADER.) At times, further information may be provided below
this by various menus or error messages. If any commands require user input,
a "prompt" line (like "New value:") will appear below the header. Press [Esc]
to remove any menu or prompt; error messages will clear by themselves.
It is important to understand that VDE works entirely IN MEMORY: nothing
happens on disk until you issue a command to save your work. There are
several different commands to exit from VDE or select a new file to work on,
but the two most basic ones are:
^KX or {File:Exit}
and ^KQ or {File:Quit}
The first saves your work, and is the normal way to end your editing session;
the second does not save, in case you've made mistakes and don't wish them
saved as modifications to the file you were working on. Both commands will
return you to the DOS prompt. (Others allow you to remain in VDE to continue
editing; see SAVE/EXIT.)
"Backup files" are a good way to guard against losing earlier work. When
you save changes to MY.DOC, the original version of the file is not lost: it
is renamed MY.BAK. Thus, if you decide that the recent changes were a
mistake, you can recover the previous text from the BAK file. [If you prefer
to save disk space, you can choose not to preserve BAK files.]
------------------------ D. TYPING AND CORRECTING -------------------------
Whenever you type a character, it appears in your file, and the cursor
advances. If the cursor is in the midst of existing text, what happens to it
depends on whether you are in "insert" or "overstrike" mode. Check for the
"Ins" flag in the header; it indicates that what you type will be inserted,
preserving any existing text (which simply keeps moving to the right ahead of
the cursor). If you don't see it, you are in overstrike mode, and each
character you type will replace an existing one. You can switch between
these two modes with the simple command:
^V or [Ins]
Some people like to use overstrike mode (which is most like a typewriter)
when writing a first draft, and insert mode when revising; others prefer to
remain in insert mode all the time. You will discover which approach suits
your own working habits. (There is yet a third "word insert" mode; see
INSERTING.
Correcting mistakes is very easy. Besides simply overtyping, there are
many commands to remove unwanted text from the file (see DELETING). The most
commonly used are:
^G, ^T, [Del], ^[Del], [BkSp], ^[BkSp]
^G or [Del] deletes the character at the cursor; ^T deletes all those up to
the end of the current word; ^[Del] deletes the entire current word. [BkSp]
deletes the character before the cursor; ^[BkSp] deletes back to the
beginning of the previous word. VDE treats a "carriage-return/linefeed" or
"end of line" as a single character, so these deletion commands can also be
used to join lines.
Another command, useful for deleting larger amounts of text, removes the
entire line that the cursor is on:
^Y or {Delete:Line}
Of course, there is a danger of accidentally deleting text that you
wanted to keep, but don't worry. There is also a command to "undelete", or
recover, deleted text:
^U or {Delete:Undelete}
Normally this should be used while the cursor is still at the site of the
deletion accident. If you deleted a block, it will be replaced. If you were
deleting lines, words, or characters, or even just overtyping characters, you
can press ^U repeatedly to recover each deletion in order.
-------------------------- E. MOVING THE CURSOR ---------------------------
There are three ways to move VDE's cursor: you can use a pointing device
like a mouse (under DOS 3 or higher) if one is installed; or you can press
the four "arrow keys" on the PC keyboard or the WordStar "cursor diamond":
up [^] ^E
TO MOVE left right PRESS [<] [>] OR ^S ^D
down [v] ^X
To a large degree these methods are equivalent, but there are some subtle
differences (see CURSOR POSITION). Note that symbols like "[<]" are used
here and below to indicate Arrow keys, not characters like "less than".
If the cursor has been moved past the end of a line, the header will show
an arrow by the column number ("C>57"); many editing commands will not work,
because you are no longer actually within the file text. However, if you
type a character, spaces will automatically be added to allow inserting it at
this position. If you move beyond the edge of the display, it will shift as
needed to show a different portion of text.
Once you have a sizable amount of text, there are many further commands
to allow you to move around more rapidly (see CURSOR POSITION). The most
common are:
^A and ^F or ^[<] and ^[>]
to move the cursor back and forth an entire word at a time; and
^R and ^C or [PgUp] and [PgDn]
to move the cursor up and down through the text by about one screenful,
causing the display to scroll. In addition,
^QR and ^QC or ^[Home] and ^[End]
may be used to move instantly to the top or end of the file, respectively.
----------------------- F. THE SCREEN AND WINDOWS -------------------------
VDE normally displays a header line and a single screen of text, 24 lines
by 80 columns. But many commands are offered to display different amounts of
text or adjust the screen's view of it (see SCREEN CONTROLS). You can choose
whether to display the header at all, or whether to add a "ruler line" to it:
^OT or {Set:rUler}
The ruler indicates margins, tab stops, and the current cursor column, facil-
itating alignment of text. (See HEADER, RULER.)
The screen can be split to offer separate "windows" into two different
portions of text at once. This is a very powerful tool for comparison,
revision, and other purposes (see WINDOWS). There are two commands to
produce such a divided screen:
^OW or {View:Split}
and AltW or {View:Dual}
The first allows you to examine two areas of the SAME file at once; the
second shows you two DIFFERENT files. In either case, once you have two
windows on screen, the command:
AltF or {View:other Window}
is used to move the cursor back and forth from one window to the other. (An
steady "cursor" remains in the inactive window to mark your place.) Like
many other VDE commands, the window commands are "toggles": if you want to
get rid of the split window, use the same command a second time to remove it.
-------------------------- G. TEXT FORMATTING -----------------------------
VDE can format text in a document, partially or wholly automatically,
while you write. In addition, existing text can be instantly reformatted in
a variety of ways. (For full details see MARGINS, SPACING, JUSTIFICATION,
REFORMAT, AUTO FORMAT.)
The fundamental thing, of course, is to keep the text within the desired
margins. The left and right margin columns can be set with the commands:
^OL, ^OR or {Set:L,R margin}
Typical margins are 1;66 for pica type, or 1;78 for elite; you can vary them
as desired, however, and mix different formats in a single file.
This left margin command is ordinarily used only for indenting portions
of a text. To specify the physical margin that should always be left at the
edge of the paper when printing (which does not appear on screen), see the
left margin setting in PRINTER INSTALLATION.
Once margins are set, WORDWRAP occurs automatically. If you type past
the right margin, the word will be moved to the next line; if you type
outside the left margin, the cursor will advance to it. If you need to type
outside the current margins, you can release them with the command:
^OX or {Set:Marg rel}
If AUTO FORMAT is also enabled [as it normally is by default], you will
see the "AF" flag in the header; this further insures that when you alter
existing text, or change margins, the current paragraph will be instantly
reformatted as needed. The first line of a paragraph may be indented in any
way desired, and reformatting will preserve this.
With auto format, you need to be a bit careful about mixing different
formats, since as you edit text will be reformatted to the CURRENTLY set
margins and spacing, which may differ from those in effect when it was
written. (If you accidentally allow this to happen, just reset to the
original settings to restore the format before continuing.)
Auto format can also be turned off; in this case modifying existing text
may often leave ragged paragraphs with overly short or long lines, until the
manual reformat command is issued.
A different feature makes it easy to write neatly formatted lists or
outlines with VDE, without constantly having to change the left margin. Auto
Indent mode is entered with the command:
^OA or {formaT:autoIndent}
You will see the "AI" flag in the header, and the behavior of wordwrap (and
the [Enter] key) will be changed in order to preserve the indentation and
structure of existing text. Each time the cursor wraps over to the next
line, it will indent automatically to match the previous line of text.
(Auto indent does work in nondocuments as well; see AUTO INDENT.)
You may find it useful to know a little about how VDE manages text
reformatting. Many word processors store special hidden codes in a file to
indicate paragraph boundaries or changes of format, and calculate the result
each time the text is to be displayed or printed. VDE, however, uses no such
codes; it just formats the text according to your request at the time, and
stores it that way as a simple text file.
Therefore, VDE's ability to REformat text in a document depends upon a
subtle distinction: when wordwrap occurs, a space is left at the end of the
line, which indicates that the CR (Carriage Return) is "SOFT", introduced
(and later removable) for formatting purposes. On the other hand, when you
actually hit [Enter] to end a paragraph, you get a CR with no preceding
space, which means it is "HARD", a permanent boundary for formatting the
paragraph. (A little arrow appears on screen to indicate this.) Exercise
care when typing at the end of a line: you can change a hard CR into a soft
one, or vice versa, by deleting or adding a space at the end of the line.
(Note: this means that [Enter] is NOT a key to use simply to move
downward through the file. It will do that, but will also harden all the
CRs, obstructing future reformatting. It is possible to reformat such "hard"
text, which you may also encounter from other sources, but with a different
command; see REFORMAT.)
--------------------- H. SEARCHING AND REPLACING --------------------------
One of the simplest, but most powerful, features of an editor is the
ability to find a given string of text in the file, and perhaps to replace it
with another. To find the next occurrence of a particular character or
phrase, use:
^QF or {sEarch:Find}
You will be asked for the string to find (and then, any options -- see
below); the cursor will move to its next occurrence in the file, or an error
message will display if the string is not found. You will find yourself
using this command constantly, for example to look up information, or to move
to a desired location in the file.
Automatic replacement is also very convenient. One simple command can
replace a string with an alternative string, in certain instances or
throughout the entire file:
^QA or {sEarch:Replace}
You will be asked for the string to find, then one to replace it with, then
various options (see below). The cursor is placed in succession on each
occurrence of the string, starting at the cursor location. (You will see the
prompt "Chg?" in the header.) To change an instance, press "Y"; pressing
"N" skips to the next with no change. To change all remaining instances at
once, press "*" instead. [Esc] cancels at any time.
There are several options for find and replace; after you enter the text
string(s), you will be prompted to select them. Just press [Enter] again to
skip the options for now -- or, if you want to experiment, try one of these:
"B" = search Backward through the file, instead of forward.
"C" = ignores upper/lower Case distinctions.
For further details, see FIND/REPLACE.
If you want to continue the last find or replace operation without typing
the strings or options in all over again, you can use the simpler command:
^L or {sEarch:rePeat}
This can be used, for example, repeatedly to find the particular occurrence
of a string that you want.
-------------------------- I. BLOCK OPERATIONS ----------------------------
Editing often requires you to move or eliminate an entire "block" of
text, and VDE has a set of commands to allow you to do this easily. First,
of course, you have to "mark" the block, by defining its beginning and end.
The easiest method for marking a small block is to place the cursor at one
end of it, and then hold down Shift while pressing the arrow keys to move to
the other end, or press the main (left) button while moving with the mouse.
Alternatively, you can use (in any order) a pair of commands:
^KB, ^KK or {Block:Begin, End}
When the first marker is placed, you will see it as a bracket "{}" in the
text. When both are in place, the block is properly marked, and its text
will be shown in a contrasting color. You are now ready to operate on the
block with a wide variety of commands (see BLOCK COMMANDS, AUTO NUMBER,
PRINTING, UPPER/LOWERCASE). Actually, most of these will work even if you've
only marked one end of the block, by assuming the current cursor position as
the other end -- so you can often skip the closing mark command.
Normally, a block is a continuous stream of characters in the file, but
you can also operate on rectangular segments containing only parts of several
lines (see COLUMN BLOCK MODE).
The most common operations are to copy, move, or delete the block.
Copying or moving a block can be initiated with:
AltC or {Block:Cut}
A copy of the text within the block is now in an internal buffer. You can
now place this text anywhere else you like, any number of times, in any file
being edited, by moving the cursor there and using:
AltP or {Block:Paste}
If you want to delete a marked block, you can use the command:
^KY or {Delete:Block} or {Block:Delete}
You can move a block by cutting it, deleting it [if Cut is not configured to
do so itself], then pasting it somewhere else. Alternatively, you can copy
and move blocks within a single file a little more efficiently using the
WordStar-style "immediate" block copy/move commands, ^KC and ^KV.
------------------------- J. GETTING A PRINTOUT ---------------------------
The first thing to know about printouts is how to avoid unnecessary ones.
Computers were supposed to reduce the use of paper in offices, by storing
information electronically; instead they have enormously increased paper
consumption. VDE is designed to minimize the need for printing drafts of
your work; you can move around the file and make corrections so quickly that
it is easier to edit at the keyboard in the first place than to mark up
printed copy by hand, then type in the corrections. It also offers a simple
command to check the alignment and pagination of text on screen before
printing, to avoid mistakes:
^OD or {Print:preView}
In preview mode, you can scroll through the file, examining it as it will
print: printer codes are hidden to show the actual alignment of text columns,
and pagebreaks are shown as dotted lines. (See PRINT PREVIEW.)
Printing is potentially a very complex matter: different printers work in
different ways; page layout has to be chosen; various effects can be used to
emphasize portions of the text; and so on. But for your first attempt, after
turning your printer on, simply use the print command:
^KP or {Print:File}
There are many options available to select header text, number location, the
portion of the file to print, and so on (see PRINTING). You can print on any
size paper or label, or address an envelope (see ENVELOPES). But for now,
just ignore all this, press [Enter] at the options prompt, and see what
happens! (If you don't like the results, or if it's a long file and will
take forever, simply press [Esc] to interrupt and cancel.)
The default "printer driver" is called "SIMPLE"; it should work on
virtually any printer, but is not capable of many special effects. [VINST
can be used to change to a driver which will support the full capabilities of
your particular printer, or to customize any driver to your preferences; see
PRINTER DRIVERS and INSTALLATION.]
There are various "printer codes" that you can place in your file to
produce different effects. One that's particularly useful is:
^PL or {Print:pg Break} - causes a pagebreak at that location.
(Watch the page/line counts in the header as you do this; you will see that a
new page now begins there.)
In addition, two of the printer "toggles" will work with any printer
driver, including SIMPLE:
^PS or {stYle:Underline} - underline.
^PX - strikeout.
These toggles must be inserted pairwise, to mark the beginning and end of the
affected text; for example,
you type: This is how you get ^PSunderlined^PS text.
and you see: This is how you get SunderlinedS text.
The toggle displays onscreen as a highlighted letter "S"; in the printout,
the word will actually be underlined. Similarly, further effects such as
boldface, italic, and super/subscripts are possible with more specialized
printer drivers. (See PRINTER CODES.)
---------------------- K. EDITING ADDITIONAL FILES ------------------------
Another very powerful feature of VDE is its ability to edit several files
at once. This makes it easy to compare files, make consistent changes, move
text from one to another, and so on. (See MULTIPLE FILES and WINDOWS.)
You can specify a list of filenames (up to 8) on the original command
line, or once you are editing with VDE, an additional file can be loaded with
the command:
AltL or {File:Open}
After doing this you will see the flag "+" in the header, to remind you that
more than one file is being edited. Think of these files as waiting in line
(really, in a circular chain) for your attention; to bring a different file
onto the screen (or current window), use:
AltN, AltB or {File:Next, Prev}
to move back and forth one at a time through the sequence, or:
AltK or {Misc:file Info}
to display all files currently being edited, along with some useful resource
information. The arrow keys and Enter can then be used to move to any file.
VDE has a variety of commands that take advantage of its ability to edit
more than one file at once. For example, you can divide the screen into two
windows to show two different files, compare the text in the two files, or
conduct find and replace operations across all files (see WINDOWS, MATCHING
FILES, FIND/REPLACE). There is also a convenient "file browser" that allows
you to select files from a directory listing (see FILES).
-------------------------- L. WHAT IS A MACRO? ----------------------------
"Macros" are a sophisticated and powerful tool for automating repetitive
tasks -- but don't think of them as a toy for computer-programmer types only.
Any VDE user can find something practical to do with them. Suppose you're
writing a document that will have different sets of margins in it -- say, 1
to 66 for ordinary text, and 10 to 58 for indented quotations. You're going
to wind up using the left and right margin set commands every time the
margins have to change (and trying to remember each time whether it was 58
and 66, or 56 and 68). Sounds pretty tedious... which is a hint that there's
a better way to do it, with a macro.
Each margin change would require you to type something like:
(using commands) ^O L 1 0 [Enter] ^O R 5 8 [Enter]
(using MenuBars) ^[Esc] S L 1 0 [Enter] ^[Esc] S R 5 8 [Enter]
But you can define a macro that does exactly that, and then store it to a key
for use whenever you need it! So try out the Macro Record command:
Esc " or {Misc:Record}
You will see a quote-mark flag (") appear in the header. Now type exactly
the sequence of margin commands above, using either control-key commands or
MenuBars, while VDE is recording. (Be careful not to make any typos; if you
do, quit and start over.) When finished, issue the Macro Record command a
second time to end recording.
VDE asks "Use now or Store to key?" and you reply:
"S" (since you want to "Store" this macro for later use)
VDE asks "Make Quiet, No-repeat, Both?" and you reply:
"B" ("Both" sounds nice, doesn't it? See MACROS to learn why)
VDE asks "Store to key:" and you press:
[F2] (for example)
VDE asks "Esc key:" and you just press:
[Enter] (we don't need this feature here)
VDE asks "Label:" and you reply:
"10-58" (optional; identifies the purpose of the macro)
You just defined a macro and stored it to a function key! If label
display is on, you will see "10-58" on the bottom line of the screen. Now,
each time you press [F2] the margins will be instantly reset to 10, 58.
Obviously you could do the same thing for margins 1, 66, and store that on
another key; and you'd be all set to change from one set to the other with a
single keystroke. If you were going to be writing this sort of document all
the time, you would eventually want to use VINST to define those keys
permanently in your copy of VDE.EXE.
VDE macros can get a lot more complicated than this, but those most often
used are of exactly this simple sort. Now that the concept has been
demystified, here is some further explanation:
A "macro" is a string of VDE commands and/or text that you can type in
once and then have repeated automatically. The "macro definition" command
Esc[ lets you type in such a string quickly and directly; the "macro record"
command Esc" memorizes the string while you use it as you normally would in
editing. A "function key" is a macro stored to one of the [F1]...[F12]
function keys; these can be defined temporarily while editing, or permanently
with VINST. Macros can contain not only ordinary editing commands but also
special programming commands which perform such operations as loops, tests,
and jumps, much like a programming language. (See MACRO PROGRAMMING)
You can use virtually any commands in macros, though for a start you
could experiment with text phrases or simple formatting changes (try creating
a personalized letterhead on a function key).
VDE's 48 user-definable keys allow you to customize it for any task, such
as the formatting requirements of specialized professional writing, or many
programming languages. (See FUNCTION KEYS)
============================= 3. DOS SYNTAX ==============================
Now it is time for the complete details of using VDE, starting with DOS
command line syntax. Each item in braces "{}" is optional:
> VDE {NAME1{[_]}{/M}} {{,}NAME2...} {;NAME.VD_ {;...}}
"NAME1","NAME2" - files to edit. If no filename is given, you begin
a new (untitled) work area [or you may be prompted for a filename]. Each
name may include a drive or directory. Multiple names can be separated by
spaces or commas; the previous item's directory carries over to the next
item, unless this begins with a new drive or root "\". If a name is a
drive or directory alone, or contains wildcards (*,?), the File Browser is
invoked to select the files you want to edit from that group.
"[_]" - optional number or string, in square brackets, to position
the cursor once the file is loaded. Must not be separated from filename.
If a number, the cursor goes to that line (for nondocuments) or page
(for documents), as if the ^QI command had been invoked; the maximum
value, 65535, generally works to position to the end of the file.
If a text string, the cursor goes to the first instance of that
string, as if the ^QF command had been used; ^L will find further
instances. (If the desired string contains control codes, you must
substitute the VDE wildcard ^_ instead. If the string consists of digits,
like "123", you must add a wildcard, or it will appear to be a line/page
number instead.)
"/M" - optional choice of FILE MODES, any one of:
N = Nondocument D = Document P,F = wordPerFect v.4,5
C = C lang. source U = Unformatted document M = Microsoft word
A = ASCII document W,S = WordStar v.3-4,5-7 X = Xywrite/nota bene
You can also use "/R" (either alone or combined with a file mode) to
load a file in PROTECTED MODE.
";NAME.VD_" - optional VDE data file(s) to load; must have file type
.VDF, .VDP, .VDC, .VDG, or .VDI. Files must reside in the specified,
current, or VDE directory. See DATA FILES.
EXAMPLES
> VDE
Begin editing new file, as yet "untitled" [or VDE may prompt you for a
filename to edit, if so installed].
> VDE SAMPLE.FIL
Edit file SAMPLE.FIL in the current directory, using the default
file mode (normally /D), or create the file if it doesn't already exist.
> VDE *.TXT
Bring up a listing of all files *.TXT in the current directory, to
select some for editing.
> VDE MY.DOC[12]/W ;WS4.VDF
Edit file MY.DOC as a WordStar v.3-4 document, starting out on page
12; and load function key file WS4.VDF.
> VDE B:\ACCTS\MYFILE[KEYWORD], INDEX
Edit files MYFILE and INDEX, both(!) in B:\ACCTS, starting off in
MYFILE at the first instance of "KEYWORD".
========================== 4. COMMAND SUMMARY =============================
Explanation of Keys: special PC keys are indicated in [brackets],
including arrows [^,v,<,>] for the cursor keys. [+],[-],[5] refer to the
keypad (separate) "+,-,5" keys only. "Esc" indicates pressing the [Esc] key;
"Esc1" means [Esc], then [1]. "Alt" indicates holding down the [Alt] key:
"AltD" means [Alt]+[D]. "^" indicates holding down the [Ctrl] key: "^K"
means [Ctrl]+[K]. Many commands use two-key sequences, like ^QR = [Ctrl]+Q,
then R. A prefix (like ^Q) can be canceled with [Esc] or [Space].
With some foreign keyboard layouts, a few obscure control-keys are in
different locations: you must press ^6 for ^^, or ^< for ^\.
If you have an "enhanced" or nonstandard keyboard, you may want to remap
the functions of the [Ctrl] and [CapsLock] keys; see CONTROL KEY (CTRLCAPS).
SPECIAL KEYS
[Enter] = End of input line. In documents, marks a paragraph end.
[Tab] = Hard tab mode: enter Tab. Variable tab mode: move to next stop.
Shft[Tab] = backward tab (move to previous tab position).
^[Tabl = tab to next column of above line.
Alt[Tab] = variable tab in hard tab mode, or vice versa.
[BkSp] = Delete previous character. ^[BkSp] = delete word to left.
[Del] = Delete current character. ^[Del] = delete entire current word.
[Ins] = toggle Insert/overstrike. ^[Ins] = toggle Word Insert.
[^], [v], [>], [<] (arrow keys) = move cursor.
^[<],^[>] = move to start of previous (left), next (right) word.
^[^],^[v] = go to top, bottom of screen.
Alt[<],[>] = scroll screen horizontally 32 columns.
Alt[^],[v] = scroll screen vertically 1/3 screen.
[5] = make current line center of screen. \ Keypad keys,
[-],[+] = scroll back, forward one line. / NumLock off
[Home],[End] = go to beginning, end of line. Repeat: prev/next line.
^[Home],^[End] = go to top, end of file.
[PgUp],[PgDn] = page back, forward one screen.
^[PgUp],^[PgDn] = page both windows of split screen back, forward.
Shft[^],[v],[>],[<] \ mark (shifted arrow
Shft[Home,End,PgUp,PgDn] / block or keypad keys)
MENUBAR CHOICES
Press ^[Esc] or [F10] to call up the main menu bar; select a sub-menu by
typing the capitalized, highlighted letter, then select a command from it.
The [Esc] key can be used to return to the main menu, or from there, to
return to editing. For explanation of any selection, look up its command
equivalent.
___MENUBAR_____________COMMAND___ _____MENUBAR____________COMMAND___
{File: neW} ^KD {Block: Begin} ^KB
Open} AltL End} ^KK
Import} ^KR Cut} AltC
Dir} ^KF Paste} AltP
Next file} AltN Zoom} ^KZ
Prev file} AltB Write} ^KW
Rename} ^KE Unmark} ^KH
Save} ^KS Delete} ^KY
Quit} ^KQ
Exit} ^KX
{Delete: Line} ^Y {sEarch: Find} ^QF
to ln Start} ^Q[Del] Replace} ^QA
to ln End} ^QY rePeat} ^L
to Char} ^QT place Set} ^KM
Block} ^KY place Go} ^QM
Undelete} ^U Overview} AltO
Match} AltM
spellCheck} AltJ
{formaT: Center} ^OC {stYle: Underline} ^PS
Flush} ^OF Bold} ^PB
Double spc} ^OS Doublestrike} ^PD
Prop spc} ^OK Italic} ^PY
Justify} ^OJ Subscript} ^PV
Reform} ^B suPerscript} ^PT
Auto fmt} ^OM
autoIndent} ^OA
{Set: L margin} ^OL {View: Dual window} AltW
R margin} ^OR Split window} ^OW
Marg rel} ^OX other Window} AltF
rUler} ^OT Header} ^OQ
tab Set} ^OI F-labels} ^OU
tab Clr} ^ON Lines} AltE
Varitab} ^OV Cols} AltA
Hyphens} ^OH Blank} ^OZ
Pg length} ^OP
{Print: overstrike Char} ^PH {Misc: Time} AltT
overstrike Line} ^PM Date} AltD
pg Break} ^PL Record} Esc"
Graphic} AltG Shell} AltR
Driver} AltV spLit} AltS
preView} ^OD Use datafile} AltU
print File} ^KP file Info} AltK
about VDE} AltI
COMMAND KEYS
A concise HELP MENU is available in Command mode by pressing ^J or [F1].
Page through it with the [PgUp/Dn] or [^/v] keys, or press A,E,K,O,P,Q for
Alt, Esc, ^K, ^O, ^P, and ^Q commands, or F for a listing of File modes.
I. CONTROL KEYS: single keystroke commands.
WordStar arrow-key diamond:
^E = up. ^D = right. ^F,^A = move to word right, left.
^X = down. ^S = left.
^W,^Z = scroll back, forward one line. ^B = reformat paragraph.
^R,^C = page back, forward one screen.
^G = delete character at cursor. ^Y = delete current line.
^T = delete word to right.
^U = undo last deletion (character, word, line, or block).
^V = toggle Insert mode on/off. ^N = insert CR (break line).
^_ = insert a space.
^P = insert special code: ^PG = print pause
^P- = soft hyphen ^PI,H,M,L = tab,backspace,return,formfeed
^PB,D,S,Y,T,V,A,N,Q,W,E,R = print toggles and switches.
^^ = toggle upper/lowercase character. ^L = repeat last find/replace.
^\ = copy character above. ^H = repeat in other direction.
II. FILE AND BLOCK COMMANDS: first press ^K, then the key shown.
^KF = disk File browser. ^KR = Read a file into text.
^KL = Load replacement file(s). ^KJ = delete a disk file.
^KP = Print.
^KE = rEname current work. ^KS = Save to disk, and continue.
^KD = Done: save & load new file. ^KX = eXit: save & quit to DOS.
^KA = set Autosave interval. ^KQ = Quit to DOS, abandoning file.
^KO = prOtected mode (Read/Only).
^KM = insert place Mark in text. ^KU = Undo all place marks.
^KB = mark start of a Block. ^KK = mark end of a block.
^KH = unmark the block. ^KY = Delete the marked block.
^KC = Copy block at cursor location. ^KV = moVe block to cursor location.
^KZ = Zoom into the marked block. ^KW = Write block to a disk file.
^KN,I = column block mode.
^K# = automatically number items in the block.
^K",',^ = uppercase ("), lowercase ('), or switch case (^) of block text.
III. QUICK COMMANDS: first press ^Q, then the key shown.
^QS,^QD = go to beginning, end of line.
^QE,^QX = go to top, bottom of screen.
^QR,^QC = go to top, end of file.
^QB,^QK = go to beginning, end of block.
^QL,^QN = go to last, next page. ^QI = go to specified page or line.
^QM = go to next place Marker.
^QP = go to Previous position in file (before last sizable move).
^QF = find a string. ^QA = find and replace a string.
^QY = delete from cursor to end of current line.
^Q[BkSp] = delete from cursor to beginning of current line.
^QT = delete up to specified character.
IV. ONSCREEN COMMANDS: first press ^O, then the key shown.
^OR,^OL = set Right, Left margin. ^OX = toggle Margin Release on/off.
^OC = Center text on line. ^OF = make line Flush right.
^OA = Auto indent on/off. ^OM = auto forMat on/off.
^OG = paraGraph indent. ^OY = hard reformat on/off.
^OK = proportional spacing on/off. ^OS = double Spacing on/off.
^OV = tab mode Variable/hard. ^OH = Hyphenation on/off.
^OI,^ON = set, clear tab stop(s).
^OP = set Page length (0 turns off pagination).
^OQ = header display on/off. ^OU = function key labels on/off.
^OT = ruler line display on/off. ^OB = hard CR/TAB display on/off.
^OD = print preview (control codes hidden, pagebreaks displayed)
^OE = make current line top of screen.
^OW = split Window to show two different portions of the file.
^OZ = temporarily blank the entire screen.
V. ALT-KEY COMMANDS: hold [Alt] and press the key shown.
AltK = file/memory Information. AltI = VDE version Information.
AltL = Load an additional file. AltB = move Back to previous file.
AltW = split Window with 2 files. AltN = move forward to Next file.
AltF = move to other File window.
AltC,P = Cut and Paste a block from one place or file to another.
AltM = Match up the two files on screen, showing differences.
AltX = eXit (^KX) from all files. AltQ = Quit (^KQ) from all files.
AltR = Run DOS command (or shell). AltS = Split up a large file.
AltT,D = enter the current system Time or Date in the file.
AltG = enter a PC Graphics character into text.
AltE,A = EGA/VGA screen (43/50 lines), wide screen (132 columns).
AltO = move with Overview bar. AltV = change printer driVers.
AltU = Use (Load or Save) data file (key definitions, etc).
VI. ESC-KEY COMMANDS: first press [Esc], then the key shown.
Esc[ = define a macro by entering a key sequence at the prompt.
Esc" = record a macro from keys pressed as you work.
Esc0...Z = labels, used in macro programming.
Esc!,$ = jumps, used in macro programming.
Esc=,~,<,> = character tests, used in macro programming.
Esc* = toggle control for macro programming.
Esc(),+,- = counter, used in macro programming.
Esc; = brief pause, during macro execution only.
Esc:,? = accept user input at prompt, or while editing
Esc&,&& = chain to, or call another macro.
^[Esc] = call up MenuBar. (LeftShift-Esc may also be used)
========================= 5. GENERAL INFORMATION ==========================
ACCESSORY PROGRAMS - It is possible to use spelling checker/thesaurus
software other than VDE's own integrated speller; programs known to work
with VDE include Webster's Professional, American Heritage Dictionary,
Turbo Lightning (Borland), MicroSpell (Trigram), and Wordfinder
(Microlytics), as well as shareware programs such as ShareSpell
(Acropolis). Those that operate as TSRs will probably require some
configuration for VDE's keyboard or screen parameters, and older ones
(like Turbo Lightning) may not work with VDE unless you use VINST to
install VDE for "XT" keyboard type; if they have a "check screen"
function, you may want to use ^OD and/or ^OQ first so that VDE's header,
codes, or markers aren't flagged as spelling errors. Those that run as
standalone programs will require you to save your file (in the format
expected by your program) and then use AltR to run the program; it is easy
to automate this process with a function key definition containing ^F for
the current filename (see PROMPTS).
The "macro compiler" VDE-MC, by Evan Slawson, is a free utility for
function key definition files (*.VDF) that translates them from the binary
format used by VDE and VINST, to an easily read and edited text file. A
variety of other programs can be used along with VDE to enhance its
usefulness for particular applications. If they were not included on your
registered VDE disk, they can be downloaded from Glendale Litera BBS,
where you can also find macros and helpful hints from other VDE users.
For academic and technical writing, the author has a shareware
footnote-endnote formatting utility called "wsNOTE" for WordStar files,
that can also be used with VDE in /W mode.
COMPATIBILITY - VDE is compatible, to varying degrees, with a variety of word
processors, including WordStar, WordPerfect, XyWrite, NotaBene, and
Microsoft Word, and can be a handy accessory for users of these programs.
VDE also produces standard DOS text files, which can be read by virtually
all software.
"DOS" OR "ASCII" TEXT - This generally means pure text without the
proprietary binary codes of word processors. DOS text files from a
variety of sources can be edited by VDE in modes /D,A,U,N,C (see FILE
MODES for the differences between these). Documents not created with VDE
are likely to be full of hard CRs, so reformatting may require the hard
reformat command ^OY.
Note that these file modes do NOT restrict the contents to the
"printable" range of ASCII values (20-7Eh). If any control codes or
graphics (00-1F or 80-FF) are present in such a file, and would be
unacceptable for some application, you can easily filter them out with a
macro program. (This is one of the macro definitions in EXAMPLES.VDF,
described under MACRO PROGRAMMING.)
WORDSTAR - Highly compatible. /W mode supports WS v.3-4 file format;
these files can be exchanged freely between VDE and WS. /S mode supports
WS v.5-7; it removes additional embedded codes (printer ID, fonts, notes,
etc) not supported in VDE, including some formatting data in v.6-7 files,
but is otherwise compatible.
VDE's operation will seem very familiar to a WordStar user, since
many commands are identical. Some WS commands are lacking; VDE has some
new ones of its own; and there are minor differences in operation. VDE's
macro commands are completely different, since they were developed before
WS (3.3) had macros.
Note that VDE does not obey WS "dot commands" in text, though in /W
or /S mode it will avoid printing them. (The Page Preview (^OD) feature,
unfortunately, does not presently take this into account.)
WORDPERFECT - Limited compatibility. /P mode reads files created by
WP v.4, and writes files that can be read by it as native text; /F mode,
similarly, reads v.5-6 files, and writes v.5 format (which can also be
read by v.6). Both modes recognize some formatting and print codes for
bold, underline, and super/subscript; /F also supports italics and
strikeout. When reading files, features not supported by VDE are removed.
You can also edit in VDE using a command set much like WordPerfect's,
by using the WP.VDF key definition file. It causes the [F]-keys to call
up the MenuBar in a manner similar to WP's command structure.
XYWRITE/NOTABENE - Limited compatibility. /X mode reads files
created by XW/NB; it recognizes margin changes, and print codes for bold,
underline, and italics. Features not supported by VDE will be removed.
/X mode writes files that can be read by XW as native text. (Note: /U
mode can also be used to read XW/NB files without processing or filtering
out formatting codes.)
MICROSOFT WORD - Limited compatibility. /M mode reads files created
by MS Word (DOS) v.3-6 or Word for Windows v.2-6; it does not support any
print effects or formatting features. /M mode writes text in Word DOS v.5
format. /U mode can also be used to exchange files with MS Word in "DOS
text format".
NOTE: VDE's word processor compatibility file modes are
merely intended to offer simple exchange of reformattable
text with a limited set of print effects. Users with more
demanding requirements for file compatibility or transla-
tion should use more specialized software designed for such
purposes.
CONTROL KEY (CTRLCAPS) - As with other programs that make extensive use of
the [Ctrl] key, VDE's commands may be awkward for users with "enhanced" or
nonstandard keyboards which put it in a less accessible location, and
[CapsLock] in the home row instead. Some keyboards can be physically
reconfigured; if yours cannot, the included CTRLCAPS utility can be used
to swap the functions of these two keys.
With CTRLCAPS active, the key labeled [CapsLock] is used to form
Ctrl-combinations, making VDE's WordStar-style commands easy to type once
again; if you need to toggle CapsLock, press the key labeled [Ctrl]. When
CTRLCAPS is inactive, the keys revert to their labeled functions.
To use CTRLCAPS (version 1.2), you can type:
CTRLCAPS for status report (and help if not installed)
CTRLCAPS ON to install (or reenable) Ctrl/Caps swapping
CTRLCAPS OFF to temporarily disable it
CTRLCAPS is a tiny memory-resident utility (TSR), and remains
installed until you reboot; do not load it from within another program or
shell. Once installed, you may change its status at any time.
DIRECTORIES - At any VDE filename prompt, you can always specify a directory
as well. Otherwise, the default directory assumed by the file commands
(^KL,^KR,^KE,^KF,^KJ; AltL) is that of the current file; when editing
multiple files, this can differ from one to the next. The directory does
not display in the header, but is shown by the AltK and ^KF commands.
The current DOS directory remains unchanged, and is shown by the AltR
command, for which it is the default directory. (It can be changed at the
AltR prompt.) You will return to this directory upon exiting VDE.
THE "VDE DIRECTORY": Sometimes other files associated with VDE need
to be located in order to perform certain functions:
.VDx files (see DATA FILES) must be found to be accessed
via AltU (or ";" on the command line);
the speller overlay and dictionary must be found in
order to use the speller commands AltH, AltJ.
Normally, all you need to do to enable VDE to find these files is to keep
them in the "VDE directory", the same one from which VDE.EXE itself will
be run. But here are the additional details:
1. If you do specify a directory along with the .VDx filename, the
file will be sought or put there (only).
2. Under DOS 2, VDE can't tell where it was run from; the "VDE
directory" defaults instead to the root directory of the current drive.
3. Under any DOS version, you can use the "SET" command to define an
environment variable "VDE" designating a different VDE directory instead.
For example: C:\>SET VDE=C:\UTIL
(This command can be put in your AUTOEXEC.BAT.)
4. If the file is not found in the VDE directory, it will finally be
sought in the current DOS directory.
5. If you use AltU to SAVE a file without specifying a directory, the
first file by that name found in the above search will be overwritten; if
no such file is found, a new file will be written to the VDE directory.
ERROR MESSAGES - These display briefly below the header:
"Error" - invalid data entered, or inappropriate command.
"Invalid Key" - an illegal command key sequence was pressed.
"Not Available" - the required hardware or software is not present.
"Invalid Filespec" - bad directory, duplicate filename, or excluded type.
"No File" - requested file does not exist.
"I/O Error" - read or write error, disk full, invalid drive, etc.
"Format Error" - word too long, or margins invalid.
"Not Found" - the object of a search was not found.
"Block Error" - there is no marked block (or the cursor is in it).
"Macro Error" - programming command misused, or recording overflow.
"Graphics Overflow" - too many graphics codes in file, table full.
"File Near Full" - this file has less than 1K memory free for editing.
"Out of Memory" - file, block, or string won't fit in available memory.
IMPORTANT NOTE: On DOS 2.x systems, an attempt to access an empty
disk drive or to print when the printer is not online can produce a
critical error message directly from DOS, something like:
"Device not ready; Ignore, Retry, or Abort?"
If this happens, correct the situation and press "R" for Retry. DO NOT
PRESS "A"; this will exit from VDE back to DOS, losing all text in memory!
If, after recovering from such an error, the message is still on
screen, you can press ^OZ,Esc to correct the display.
FILE MODES - VDE has many "file modes", each designated by a different
letter, for editing documents in various word-processor formats, simple
DOS text, and nondocuments. For a list, press ^JF. Your choice of modes
determines how files are read from or written to disk, and in some cases,
how they display on screen or what default settings apply. [VDE normally
uses /D mode by default, but this can be changed, or exceptions declared
by filetype, with VINST.] In general, the document modes support word-
processing features like wordwrap, pagination, variable tabs, and print
styles; nondocument modes do not.
The file mode can be specified with a slash after the filename on the
command line or at any VDE disk file prompt (such as "Read in file:"),
allowing you to read, write, or combine text in any of the format(s)
offered. To convert a file to a different format (subject to VDE's
limited support for word processor features), just use ^KE to change to
the appropriate mode before saving.
Many VDE users will need only the /D mode for documents, and /N mode
for Nondocuments. But there are other variants for special needs:
/U mode is for Unformatted ASCII documents, which are
written to disk with carriage returns only at the ends of
paragraphs, a format used by many different kinds of
software, including dBASE. When you edit such a file, its
paragraphs are (temporarily) formatted to your own margin
settings.
/A mode is for ASCII documents, differing from /D only
in that control codes in the text are not interpreted as
printer toggles and switches, so it can be used to view and
print files that use codes 00-1Fh as PC graphics.
/C mode is for nondocuments, differing from /N only by
initially establishing variable tab stops and auto-
indentation suitable for structured programming languages
like C or Pascal.
All these modes (/D,A,U,N,C) use a simple DOS file format which is
compatible with virtually all software (compilers, databases, telecom,
etc). The remaining word processor file modes /W,S,P,F,X,M allow VDE to
read and write WordStar, WordPerfect, XyWrite/NotaBene, and Microsoft Word
files (see COMPATIBILITY).
KEYBOARD VARIANTS - Some non-US keyboards differ somewhat in the arrangement
of special symbols that they offer. If the following keystrokes do not
work as VDE commands (or parts thereof), check your keyboard instructions
to find which key (or combination) produces that ASCII code instead.
KEY DEC HEX KEY DEC HEX KEY DEC HEX
^\ 28 1C " 34 22 & 38 26
^^ (^6) 30 1E # 35 23 ^ 94 5E
^_ (^-) 31 1F $ 36 24 ~ 126 7E
MEMORY - VDE allocates memory for each file as needed, up to a maximum of
64k. (1k = 1024 bytes.) Due to the use of a compression technique, the
largest file that can be edited with VDE is actually about 80k.
VDE requires a minimum of about 128k free RAM; the number and size of
files you can edit depends on the amount of additional memory you have
free. (VDE does not use extended memory.) Running a DOS command (AltR)
requires enough memory to load COMMAND.COM and any program you intend to
run under it. If you are running short of memory while editing, try
exiting files you no longer need, or cutting (AltC) an empty block to
empty the cut buffer. Your available memory may be limited if you are
already running VDE in a shell from another program, or are editing many
files with VDE, or have lots of memory-resident software (TSRs).
MULTITASKING ENVIRONMENTS - VDE should be compatible with multitasking
operating systems, although you may need to identify it as a "program that
writes directly to the screen". No such precautions are needed to run VDE
under DESQview, however, because VDE is "DESQview-aware". Its window can
be resized, and it will run in the background. To get the best perform-
ance from VDE under DESQview, just leave both "Writes directly to screen"
and "Virtualize text/graphics" set to NO.
VDE can be run in an MSDOS session under Windows. Use LeftShift-Esc
to call up the MenuBar, instead of Ctrl-Esc. If running within a partial
window, do not move the mouse cursor onto the VDE screen.
PROMPTS - First, VDE has several simple prompts requiring you to confirm an
action by typing "Y" or "N". These warning messages appear on line 1
(though they are NOT given when a macro is running):
"Abandon changes?" - a file you want to quit has been changed.
"Unchanged; save?" - a file you want saved hasn't been changed.
"File exists; overwrite?" - such a file already exists and will be lost.
These confirmation prompts appear at the right edge of the header:
"Chg?(Y/N/*)" - change this instance of a string? (yes/no/global)
"Print Pause" - ready, press a key to continue printing (Esc quits).
There are a number of standard prompts for either numeric or string input,
like "Column:" or "Find string:". The following control keys operate:
Correct error: [BkSp]
Finish entry: [Enter] or ^[Enter]
Abort operation: ^[Break]
Replay last entry: ^R (only at beginning of input line)
Enter current filename: ^F \
Erase entire entry: ^Y > (except at "Macro:" prompt)
Escape from prompt: [Esc] /
Note that to get any of these codes into the string itself, you must
precede it with ^P (this includes ^P itself). Graphics can also be
entered into strings using Alt-G.
================================[end VDE.DOC]=================================
