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VDE.REF ------- Reference Manual for the VDE Editor: version 1.71 (27 Oct 1993) (c)1987-93, E. Meyer ================================ CONTENTS ================================== (For QUICK START, SYNTAX, GENERAL INFORMATION etc. see the file VDE.DOC) 6. COMMAND REFERENCE, alphabetically by topic: Auto format, Auto indent, Auto number, Auto save, Block commands, Cursor position, Data files, Deleting, Envelopes, Files, Find/replace, Foreign characters, Graphics, Header, Hyphenation, Information, Inserting, Justification, Line spacing, Margins, Matching files, MenuBars, Multiple files, Pagination, Paragraph indent, Place markers, Print preview, Print styles/codes, Printer drivers, Printing, Proportional spacing, Protected mode, Reformat, Ruler line, Run command/shell, Save/exit, Screen controls, Screen size, Spelling check, Splitting files, Tabs, Time/date, Undelete, Upper/lower case, Windows. 7. MACROS. Explanation and examples of: Autoexec macro, Function keys, Function key labels, Key definition files, Macro definition and use, Macro pause/input, Macro program- ming, Toggle control, Recording macros. 8. REVIEWS / ABOUT THE AUTHOR. (For use of the VINST installation utility, see the file VINST.REF.) ========================== 6. COMMAND REFERENCE ============================ AUTO FORMAT (^OM) - Continuously keeps the paragraph of text you are working on properly formatted (margins and spacing), even as you add to or delete from the line; format changes are implemented instantly. (Auto format does NOT affect parts of the file you have not changed.) When off, the manual ^B command can still be used (see REFORMAT). Care must be taken in files with mixed formats, as the CURRENT settings of margins and spacing are always used. Note that with Auto Format on, certain keystrokes may have additional (or no) effects, due to immediate reformatting afterward; and some operations like Find/Replace may be somewhat slower. AUTO INDENT (^OA) - Causes wordwrap or the [Enter] key, upon moving to the next line, to indent to match any existing indentation on that line (with insert OFF) or the previous line (with insert ON). Thus any structured indentation you create is maintained. Useful as a temporary (paragraph) indent, or for outlines, program source code, etc. Works in all modes, including nondocument. Note: Indentation must be done with spaces or variable tabs, NOT with hard tabs. AUTO NUMBER (^K#) - VDE can automatically number items in a list. Just type a "#" character where each number should go: #. First item. #. Second item... You can then mark the list off as a block, and use the ^K# command; VDE will insert the numbers (1, 2, etc) in place of the "#" markers. You will be asked for the starting number; the default is 1. If auto format (^OM) is on, text will be realigned to compensate for varying length numbers. (Once numbering is done, the markers are gone. For frequently revised lists, leave the "#" markers in the file on disk; use ^K# just before printing, and do not save afterward.) AUTO SAVE (^KA) - Saves any changes you have made to disk automatically, at regular intervals. This ensures that you don't lose too much work if you make a mistake, have a power outage, etc. ^KA lets you set the interval (1 to 255 minutes), or turn this feature off entirely (0). Just press [Enter] to restore your default, normally 0 [set with VINST]. When auto save is on, changes you've made to any file may be saved to disk at any moment. If you don't want this to occur for a particular file, engage protected mode (^KO). Notes: Auto save will wait for an interval when the keyboard is not in use. It cannot save "untitled" work. It will make a backup file only if the file had not been saved previously. BLOCK COMMANDS (^KB,^KK,^KH,^KZ,^KY,^KC,^KV,^KW; ^QB,^QK; ^KPB) - A block of text is delimited by two markers, set by ^KB (beginning) and ^KK (end), which remain in place until reset elsewhere or deleted. Alternatively, "shift-blocking" can mark a block by moving the cursor to one end, holding down the Shift key, and using [^,v,<,>], Home, End], or [PgUp,Dn] to move the cursor to the other end, releasing the Shift key when finished. Once marked, the block text displays in a contrasting color. ^KH unmarks the block, removing any marker(s) set. The block move and print commands (^KV,^KPB) require a block to be fully marked before use. To save keystrokes, the other block commands (see also ^K#,^K",AltC), if used when only one block marker is present, will mark the current cursor position as the other end of the block: ^KY goes to and deletes the block. (^QP may be used to return the cursor to its position before the deletion.) ^KV moves the marked block to the present cursor location; ^KC copies it there, leaving the original marked. (^QP may be used to return to the former position of a moved block.) ^KZ "zooms into" a block: the rest of the text is inaccessible, and the block is temporarily treated as the entire file. This isolates one portion of a file for your attention, and also limits the scope of VDE commands like find/replace to that portion (only "save" commands like ^KS continue to affect the entire file). Use ^KZ again to zoom back out. In zoom mode, pagination is off; you can use block operations, though any block markers within will disappear when you zoom back to the whole file. ^KW writes the block text to a disk file; you will be asked for the filename (and optional mode). You can also choose to append the text to an existing file by typing a "+" before the filename, as in: Write to file: +GORT (If you don't specify "+", and the file already exists, VDE will ask whether you want to overwrite or append; press [Esc] or [Space] to cancel.) ^QB moves the cursor to the block start (if marked); ^QK moves to the block end. ^KPB (^KP with B option) prints the block text only. (See PRINTING.) CURSOR POSITION (Arrows; ^F,A,C,R; ^QE,X,S,D; ^QR,C; ^QI,L,N,P; AltO) - VDE supports two sets of arrow keys, which function interchangeably: the four arrow keys [^,v,<,>] on the PC keyboard, and the WordStar "diamond" ^E,^X,^S,^D. These keys move the cursor one unit up, down, left, and right respectively. There are many other movement commands as well: ^F or ^[>] moves right, to the start of the next word; ^A or ^[<] moves left, to the start of the current (and then previous) word. ^C or [PgDn] scrolls forward (down) one screen; ^R or [PgUp] scrolls backward (up) one screen. Preceded by ^Q, any arrow key moves more Quickly: thus ^QE, ^QX go to the top or bottom of the screen; ^QS, ^QD to the left or right end of the line. Similarly, ^QR and ^QC scroll all the way to the beginning or end of the file, respectively. ^QI moves directly to a given page (for documents) or line (for non- documents). In documents, ^QL and ^QN move to the start of the Last or Next page, respectively. ^QP returns the cursor to its Previous position -- before the last large movement occurred. (This means AltM,AltO,^B,^QR,^QC,^QF,^QM, and any block command that moves to the block.) After a block move (^KV), ^QP will return to the previous position of the block. ^QP can be repeated to cycle between two positions in a file. AltO displays an Overview bar at the top of the screen. The length of the bar corresponds to the filesize, and the current position is marked so you can see where you are. You can move the cursor left or right with the arrow keys; the marker remains in the original (current) position. To move to the selected position, press [Enter]; press [Esc] instead to cancel. DATA FILES (AltU) - AltU allows you to change many VDE settings by using (loading or saving) specific types of data files. .VDF files can be Loaded and Saved - see KEY DEFINITION FILES. .VDG files can be Saved - see GRAPHICS (CHARACTERS). .VDP,C,I files can be Loaded - see PRINTER DRIVERS, CHARACTER WIDTHS, USER OPTIONS. Any of these may also be loaded with a semicolon on the command line (see SYNTAX). If no directory is specified, files must be in the current or VDE directory (see DIRECTORIES). Note: .VDG files can be loaded, and .VDP,C,I files saved, by VINST. In the event that VDE cannot load a data file created by an earlier version, VINST can usually convert it by reading the old file and writing it back to disk in the new format. DELETING (^G,[BkSp],[Del],^T,^[BkSp],^Y; ^QY,^Q[Del],^QT) - ^G deletes the character at the cursor. By default, [Del] does the same, while [BkSp] deletes the one to the left. [But instead, [BkSp] may move nondestruc- tively, and [Del] may delete at the cursor.] ^T deletes a word to the right (everything from the cursor to the next word break.) ^[BkSp] deletes a word to the left. ^Y deletes the entire current line. ^QY deletes just the part of the line to the right of the cursor; ^Q[Del] deletes the part to the left. ^QT, followed by a character, deletes everything up until the next occurrence of that character. EXAMPLE: ^QT. (period) deletes to the end of the sentence. Special cases: ^QT[Enter] deletes to the next HARD CR, the end of the paragraph; ^QT^Z deletes to the end of the file. Unintended deletions can be recovered (see UNDELETING). ENVELOPES (^KPA) - VDE provides an easy way to print a single envelope to accompany a letter, via the "A"ddress option of the print command: 1. Begin by moving the cursor to the address of the recipient, and marking this as a block (see BLOCK COMMANDS): {Chester Fludd 193 Lakota St "{}" = block markers Norman, OK 73069} 2. Then use the print command (^KP), and at the options prompt, type "A", followed by "1" or "2" to specify the envelope size: 1 for smaller (letter) size envelopes, about 3.625 x 6.5"; 2 for larger (business) size, 4.25 x 9.5". 3. Optionally, you may include a return address for the upper left corner of the envelope: enter this in "double quotes", using a backslash (\) to mark the beginning of a new line. Example: Options: A2"C. Fludd\193 Lakota St\Norman, OK 73069" (You may find it convenient to set up envelope printing with your usual return address as a FUNCTION KEY, if you will use it often.) 4. Load the envelope correctly in your printer, and press [Enter] to print it. Then you can continue to edit or print the letter itself. NOTES: Different printers handle envelope feeding in various ways. With some dot matrix or wheel printers, you can feed in a single envelope, and manually position it on the platen; with some others, a separate tray is available for envelopes, and you will need to install special codes to select the proper tray. Many laser printers expect to feed envelopes lengthwise, so you will need codes to print in a landscape font. [Any control codes needed to prepare your printer for an envelope can be added with VINST; see PRINTER INSTALLATION.] Vertical positioning of text on the envelope can easily be changed by adding linefeeds to the initialization string. Horizontal positioning can be changed with the "L" print option. Because of the way laser printers operate in landscape mode, VDE prints both envelope sizes with their RIGHT edge in the same place. This means that on other printers, the LEFT edge of the smaller envelope must be placed 3" (30 columns) in from the left margin. If this is inconvenient, it can be overridden by specifying the left margin option (e.g. "L0") AFTER the "A1" option. FILES (^KL,^KR,^KJ,^KF) - ^KL Loads new file(s) to edit, REPLACING the current one. (If the file has been modified, you will be prompted to confirm that you mean to abandon it. To save the file first, use ^KD instead; to load file(s) in ADDITION to the current one, use AltL instead.) You can enter any number of filenames, with optional line/page numbers and modes (see SYNTAX). ^KR Reads in the contents of a single disk file, inserting the text at the current cursor position. ^KJ deletes any disk file you specify. (If you need more complex file utilities, remember that you can run any DOS command with AltR.) All these commands prompt for specific filenames. If you are unsure, and want to pick a name from a directory listing, you can call up the "file browser" display by pressing [Enter] alone for *.*, or typing any filename with wildcards, like *.LTR. (Note: if you mean to load an "untitled" work area, press ^[Enter] (or ^J), instead of [Enter], at the ^KL prompt. See PROMPTS for other control key usage.) Files display alphabetically in uppercase, then directories in lowercase (beginning with the parent directory ".."). If there are more items than will fit on screen, you will see "..." at the top or bottom to indicate this. Hidden or System files will not display and cannot be edited with VDE. [Note: VINST can also specify several filetypes (like unreadable .COM or .EXE files) to exclude; they will not display unless specified explicitly, and cannot be edited.] You can move the cursor through the list with the arrow keys, [PgUp,Dn], or [Home,End]; additionally, a letter "A-Z" may be typed to go to the next file beginning with that letter, or "\" to go to the next subdirectory. When the cursor is on a subdirectory, pressing [Enter] allows you to view its contents in turn; when it is on a file, pressing [Enter] selects that file to complete your command. If you are loading files, you can also press "+" to "tag" files, marking them as a group, and then press [F4] to load them all at once. Pressing "+" again will untag a file, or [Esc] will untag all. You can quit by pressing ^[Break], or clear the display and return to the directory prompt by pressing [Esc] or [Space]. ^KF brings up the full-featured File browser; you may specify a drive, directory, and/or filename mask, and the contents will be alphabetically listed. (The default, if you just press [Enter], is the directory shown at the ">dir" prompt, and all files *.*.) Below you will see, in addition to the cursor motions already described, a full complement of operations to apply to the file the cursor is on: [F1] LOAD an additional file to edit; [F2] replace the current file with a NEW one; [F3] READ a file into the current file; [Del] DELETE the file (be careful, deletion is immediate). If the file you want to load or read requires a different file mode, you can first press "/" and the correct mode letter (D,N, etc). When the cursor is on a directory, you can press [Del] to REMOVE it (if empty), or [Enter] to view its contents. (This returns you to the ">dir" prompt, where you can actually specify any new drive/directory.) You can also press "+" to tag files, marking them as a group, and then press [F4] to load them all at once. (Other operations cannot be performed while tagging.) Pressing "+" again will untag a file, or [Esc] will untag all. You can quit by pressing ^[Break], or clear the display and return to the directory prompt by pressing [Esc] or [Space]. FIND/REPLACE (^QF,^QA; ^L,^\) - ^QF is the command to FIND a string. The search normally proceeds from the cursor position forward, and is case (upper-lower) sensitive. The character ^_ (Ctrl-underline) functions as a wildcard: it will match any single character. The single code ^M (CR, or [Enter]) indicates a "newline" (CR,LF) in VDE. Some control codes can be entered directly; some (like ^M) require the ^P prefix. Graphic characters can be entered using AltG. Examples: Find: ^MLABEL matches "LABEL" at start of line only; Find: p^_^_ce matches "piece", "peice", etc. (Note: because find/replace uses ^M to find ordinary CR,LF pairs, it cannot be used to find line overstrikes, CR without LF, created by ^PM. Use the special code ^^ to find these.) ^QA is the REPLACE command. It asks for a string to find, as above, then what to change it to. Normally, the cursor will move to each occurrence of the string, and you will be asked ("Chg?") whether to change it; answer "Y"es or "N"o, or "*" to change all the rest without asking individually, or press [Esc] to quit. There are several options for find/replace: "B" = search Backward for the specified string; "I" = Ignore upper/lower case (case insensitive search); "W" = whole Word only (skip instances part of a larger word); "G" = search Globally (from start or end of current file); "M" = Multi-file search (continues through all files being edited); "N" = No query: replace all instances without asking. To skip the options prompt, finish entry of the find string (for ^QF) or replace string (for ^QA) by typing ^[Enter] (or ^J) instead of [Enter]. ^L instantly repeats the last find or replace (^QF/^QA) operation once more; the "B,I,W,M" options remain as last specified. ^\ also repeats, but in the reverse direction ("I,W,M" remain unchanged). NOTES: Replacing will cause reformatting if auto format (^OM) is on. (Be careful with this in a file with varying margins.) "N"o query is assumed whenever ^QA is used in a macro. [VINST can set "I"gnore-case as your default, in which case specifying "I" means case sensitive.] FOREIGN CHARACTERS - Characters in the upper ASCII range (80-FF or 128-255), such as foreign letters and accents, can be entered directly into text using either standard DOS method: one of the DOS KEYBxx keyboard map utilities, or the [Alt] key and numeric keypad (hold down [Alt] while pressing keypad 1,5,5 for character 155). VDE treats these characters as "graphics": you are limited to a total of 32 such codes at a time, and any that you have used may be found in the menu brought up by the AltG command. See GRAPHICS. GRAPHICS (AltG) - You can enter a PC graphic (or foreign) character into the file either directly from the keyboard, via [Alt] and the numeric keypad, or with the AltG command. You will be presented with a menu of up to 32 characters (labeled A-Z,1-6) to choose from; the default set contains some useful box drawing parts, and has room free for other characters that might be loaded. [It can also be modified with VINST.] In addition, any individual menu entry can be redefined: type "=", then the code (A-6) to change. (If a graphic definition is present in any file being edited, you cannot change it.) You can then select the desired character from the complete graphics set, by moving the cursor to it and pressing [Enter]. Alternatively, if you press [Tab], you may enter the extended ASCII code in either hex (2 digits 80-FF) or decimal (3 digits 128-255) format. Example: the Greek alpha can either be picked off the menu, or entered as "E0" hex or "224" decimal. Once defined, the graphic can be entered into the file by pressing its menu letter. As a further convenience, you can type "-" to clear all entries not needed for graphics already present in your files. Graphics are stored in disk files in accord with the current file mode. Printing of graphics depends on whether your printer driver is designated [see PRINTER INSTALLATION] as PC graphics (PC8) or Roman8, or neither, in which case VDE will "emulate" them, choosing standard ASCII character overstrikes that come as close as possible. This usually works well, especially for the foreign language characters. NOTE: a few "control codes" in the ASCII range 00-1F,7F, if entered into a file with ^P, will also appear in the graphics table, because of the way VDE represents them internally. CAUTION: If you load a file containing many graphics (or binary data that will be interpreted as graphics), VDE will try to add each in turn to the table. If the graphics table fills up, any further graphics will be replaced by spaces. You will see the "Graphics overflow" error message, and protected mode (R/O) will engage, to guard against saving to disk and corrupting the file. (One common cause of this error is attempting to read a word processor file in the wrong file mode.) HEADER (^OQ) - The "header" at the top of the screen can be toggled on and off with ^OQ. It provides useful information, but can be removed if you prefer a screen showing nothing but your text. It looks like this: ----------------------------------------------------------------------- + VDE.DOC /A P 14 L 11 C 48 Ins vt hy AI DS J+ PS ! ^K_ or (NP,BZ) (WIn,R/O) (AF) (MR) (?,") ----------------------------------------------------------------------- '+' = Multi-file flag indicates other file(s) are also being edited. 'VDE.DOC /A' = Current filename and mode. The full directory information, along with other files being edited, can be displayed with the ^KI command (see INFORMATION). 'P 14...' = Cursor position in file by page (in document modes), line, column. If pagination is off (^OP0), you will see 'NP' instead of a page number; in block zoom mode (^KZ) you will see 'BZ'. 'Ins','WIn' = Insert mode (^V) or Word Insert (^]) on. 'R/O' = Read/Only, protected mode (^KO) on. 'vt' = Variable Tab mode (^OV) on. 'hy' = Hyphenation (^OH) enabled. (Documents only) 'AI' = Auto Indent mode (^OA) on. 'AF' = Auto Format mode (^OM) on. (Documents only) 'DS' = Double spacing (^OS) on. 'J+','J-' = Right Justification mode (^OJ) on. (Documents only) 'MR' = Margins released (^OX). (Documents only) 'PS' = Proportional spacing (^OK) on. '!','?','"' = Macro is executing, awaiting input, or being recorded. '^K_' = Command key prefixes (and some prompts) display here. In 40-column mode, an abbreviated header is shown: ---------------------------------------- + VDE.DOC /A I! P 14 L 11 C 48 "I,W" = Insert, Word Insert or (W,R)(?,") (^K_) "R" = Read/Only ---------------------------------------- HYPHENATION (^OH,^P-) - ^OH toggles hyphenation on and off. If off, midword hyphens are not treated as wordbreaks. [The default can be changed.] VDE can't hyphenate automatically, but it can recognize hyphens that you type in the text, treating them as a legitimate place to break a line. In addition to ordinary hyphens, "-", there are WordStar style "soft hyphens", which you can enter by typing ^P- (^P,hyphen), and which display in a different color. Soft hyphens indicate optional places to break a long word: they print as a hyphen when they fall at the end of the line, but not if they wind up in mid-line. (Note: only /W and /S file modes store soft hyphens as such; when saving to disk in other modes, as in printing, they either become hyphens or disappear, as appropriate.) INFORMATION (^KI,AltI) - ^KI displays an Information message telling you: - The full name (including directory) of the current file; - When it was last saved, and whether (Y/N) it has been changed since; - Any unpaired print toggles (^B,^D,^S etc) in a document; - A word count for document files; - The current size of the file in bytes or k (1k = 1024 bytes); - Bytes of memory used in this text segment, and percentage full; - The amount of memory free to edit further files; - The names of all other files being edited. AltI displays the VDE version, date, and copyright. (An uninstalled copy of VDE does this automatically on startup.) INSERTING (^V,[Ins],^],^[Ins],^_,^N) - ^V or [Ins] toggles Insert mode on/off, and ^] or ^[Ins] toggles Word Insert. When both are OFF, VDE is in Overwrite mode: when you type a character, it replaces the one the cursor is on; when you press [Enter], the cursor advances to the beginning of the next line of text. With Insert (^V) ON, when you type a character, it is inserted into the text, while any characters that were already there are carried to the right; when you press [Enter], a return is inserted into the text, causing the beginning of a new line. Word Insert is a hybrid of the two modes: mostly it behaves like Overwrite mode, so you can replace an existing word; but when the cursor reaches the end of the word, it starts to behave like Insert mode, so you can continue typing without overwriting the next word. This is handy for revising existing text. The ^_ and ^N commands (insert space, insert CR) are most useful in Overwrite mode (avoiding the need to turn Insert on and back off). JUSTIFICATION (^OJ) - ^OJ controls right justification mode, cycling between three states: ADD. ("J+" in header.) Text paragraphs will be formatted with an even right margin, by inserting extra spaces between words as necessary. REMOVE. ("J-" in header.) Formatting will undo justification by removing any extra spaces between words, leaving an uneven right margin again. OFF. Formatting does not change spacing of text; right margin is left uneven. Thus the Reform (^B) command can justify or de-justify text as desired. Right-justified text should not be saved to disk in file mode /U (which has no margin structure) or in modes /X,/M,/P, or /F (because XyWrite, MS Word, and WordPerfect will not recognize VDE's method of justification). Justification does not work with proportional spacing (^OK). LINE SPACING (^OS) - ^OS toggles between single and double line spacing. In double space mode, the following functions generate double carriage returns: [Enter] (^M), Insert CR (^N), Reform (^B), Wordwrap. You can easily mix single and double spacing; ^B can convert between the two. Note: a single-spaced file can also be printed out double-spaced with the "D" option of the ^KP command (see PRINTING). MARGINS (^OR,^OL,^OX,^OC,^OF) - ^OR sets the Right margin, and enables text formatting. At the prompt, enter the column number (up to 255), or just press [Enter] for the current cursor column. (Note: in proportional mode (^OK), the number is interpreted in 1/10" instead of characters.) ^OL similarly sets the Left margin column; the value must be less than the right margin. (^OL is normally used for indenting selected paragraphs. To leave blank space at the left of the page throughout when PRINTING, see the "L" option of the ^KP command, or the left margin setting in PRINTER INSTALLATION.) "Wordwrap" is automatic in all document modes whenever the margins are set: anything typed before the left margin will move up to it; anything typed past the right margin will wrap over to the next line. (See also REFORMAT and AUTO FORMAT.) Wordwrap and formatting are disabled if the right margin is set to 1, or while margins are released (^OX). (NOTES: Margins cannot be set in nondocument modes; a left margin cannot be set in /X, /U, or /M mode. For page top/bottom margins see PRINTING.) ^OX toggles margin release, allowing you to type outside the margins. Use ^OX again to cancel. ^OC Centers the current line with respect to the margins; ^OF sets the line Flush right. Afterward, the cursor advances to the next line. MATCHING FILES (AltM) - This command can locate small differences between two largely similar files (perhaps an earlier and a later revision of your work). You must first load these two files (AltL), then split the screen between them (AltW), and position the cursor in corresponding places in both files (for example, the top). Then press AltM. Starting from these positions, VDE searches for any difference between the files. If there is one, VDE will stop on those lines, showing the disagreeing passages side by side. If you want to continue, press AltM again. (If the difference was significant you may first need to reposition one cursor to match the other.) If the cursor winds up at the end of both files, they match. Note: in document modes, AltM compares word by word, ignoring mere formatting differences (margins, spacing etc). In nondocument modes, it is an exact character by character comparison. MENUBARS (^[Esc]) - ^[Esc] is used to call up the MenuBar. (LeftShift-Esc can also be used.) Press the hilighted letter to select a submenu, then select again to perform a command. You can press [Esc] or [Space] to back up to the main menu, or ^[Break] to abort. The ^[Esc] command can also be used in a macro definition; if entered at the Esc[ prompt, it displays as a hilighted "!", and should be followed by one or two letters for menu selections. (This feature is used in the WordPerfect compatibility macros contained in WP.VDF, to present menu choices; see DEFAULT FUNCTION KEYS.) MULTIPLE FILES (AltL,AltB,AltN,AltX,AltQ,AltC,AltP) - VDE allows you to edit up to 8 files simultaneously, if you have enough memory. This can be done from the command line, by giving a list of several filenames. Otherwise, to Load additional files, press AltL. You can enter any number of filenames, with optional line/page numbers and modes (see SYNTAX); for an "untitled" work area, press ^[Enter] (or ^J). You can also access the file browser with [Enter] or wildcards (see FILES). (You will get an error message if you run out of memory, or are already editing the named file, or 8 files.) Once multiple files are in use, AltB and AltN can be used to cycle back and forth through the files being edited. If you Quit or Exit (^KQ,^KX) from one file, you will be returned to the previous one. For convenience, AltX exits ALL files immediately, saving any changes made. AltQ quits ALL files immediately, without saving; if any of them have been modified, you will be prompted (just once) to confirm this. AltC Cuts a marked block of text, placing it in a buffer for later recovery. [VINST lets you choose whether the block will also be deleted.] AltP Pastes in the previously cut text at the cursor position, allowing block copying and moving between files. It is possible to view two files on screen at once (see WINDOWS). PAGINATION (^OP,^PL) - The ^OP command sets the page length. Enter a value 0 to 255 lines, or just press [Enter] to restore the default. A nonzero value determines the page and line shown in the document header ("P xx L xx"), and all page functions in the Print routine (pagination, headers, start/stop at page) are enabled. A formfeed will be sent to eject each full page. [VDE does not send a formfeed before printing; install one in your printer initialization if you want.] When zero, pagination is off. The header will say "NP L xxxx", showing you the absolute line number in the file; printing occurs with no page breaks, though a formfeed is sent at the end of the file. (To skip even this, use the block print option "B", which allows you to print several small things on the same sheet or, in conjunction with the "*" option, multiple copies of index cards, labels, etc. See PRINTING.) The ^PL command embeds a formfeed (^L) in the text, to begin a new page; the best place to put it is at the beginning of a line. PARAGRAPH INDENT (^OG) - You can indent text simply by changing the left margin (^OL), but there are times when you want only a temporary indent. ^OG gives a "paragraph indent"; each time you use it, the left margin is reset to the next tab stop over (see TABS). The indentation lasts until you type the [Enter] at the end of the paragraph (or use the ^B or ^OL commands), at which time the original left margin is restored. PLACE MARKERS (^KM,^QM) - You can set any number of temporary place markers in the text with ^KM, when you want to return to a spot later. The marker displays as a highlighted "!", and can be deleted if no longer needed. The ^QM command moves the cursor to the next place marker in the file, cycling back to the top of the file as needed. Place markers are NOT saved to disk. PRINT PREVIEW (^OD) - This command shows you a preview of the text as it would print: with all non-printing codes (markers, ^P codes, etc) hidden, and page breaks indicated by a row of dotted lines. This is handy for making sure that text is aligned properly, and will help you avoid wasting time and paper on unacceptable printouts. You can scroll through the file in this mode with [PgUp,Dn] or ^R,^C; or move to the top or bottom, with ^[Home,End]. Press [Esc] to continue editing. PRINT STYLES/CODES (^P) - This command prefix is used to enter various "codes" in the ASCII range 00-1F into the text, usually for purposes of printer control. Most codes are entered in a standard fashion: ^PA embeds ^A, etc. Those with defined functions in VDE documents display as highlighted letters, and always insert; the rest (all, in nondocuments or /A mode) display as graphics, and observe the current INSERT status. (Warning: use ^PZ with caution, since many programs treat ^Z (hex 1A) as an end of file mark.) Several other common control codes produce special effects: ^P^I - hard (ASCII) tab - printers respond variously to this ^L - formfeed - will cause a page break ^H - backspace - overstrike previous character ^M - carriage return - enter a CR without a LF to overstrike line (do NOT hit [Enter] again after this, just continue typing) The further codes below do NOT operate in nondocuments or /A mode. ^P^G causes printing to pause immediately, until you press a key to continue ([Esc] will cancel). This allows you to adjust the platen for printing various forms. (Note: on many dot matrix printers, can only be used at the start of a line.) ^P,Esc or ^P[ can be used to embed the "Escape" code (hex 1B) in a file. But these are most commonly used for printer control, and VDE offers a much easier way of doing this. In place of complex "escape sequences" for print styles (underlining, etc), VDE lets you enter a single marker, which will be translated into the proper codes during printing. VDE supports a set of 13 codes for this purpose: seven toggles, six switches. [See PRINTER INSTALLATION on how to install the proper driver for your printer. Otherwise, only ^PS and ^PX will work.] The conventional WordStar meanings of these codes are: Toggles: ^P^B boldface Switches: ^P^Q (user def 1) ^D ("doublestrike") ^W (user 2) ^S underline ^E (user 3) ^Y italic ("ribbon") ^R (user 4) ^T superscript ^A alternate pitch ^V subscript ^N standard pitch ^X strikeout [with "-", "/", etc -- see USER OPTIONS] But you can use them for anything you like. "Toggles" are good for features like underlining that are turned on and off; enter them in pairs, to mark the beginning and end of the desired text. "Switches" are better for multi-valued parameters like character pitch or print quality. If toggles are not properly paired, you will find print effects continuing throughout the rest of your document. To save time and effort, use the ^KI command to check for this before printing. PRINTER DRIVERS (AltV,AltU) - Since many people use more than one kind of printer, VDE accomodates two different printer drivers, a primary and an alternate. Before printing a file, you can select which one is active using AltV. [You can install different drivers with VINST.] AltU gives you access to an unlimited number of further printer drivers in the form of .VDP disk files; select "L"oad, then type the file name. [See PRINTER INSTALLATION for instructions on how to create such files.] The new driver will replace the previous primary. PRINTING (^KP) - The ^KP command Prints the file you are editing. The page format is determined by several factors: the current page length (^OP) determines the number of lines of text per page. The top and left margins can be varied with options below. Other options produce either a centered page number at the bottom of the page, or a header, consisting of a page number in the corner and/or a string of text; the spacing of these is controlled by settings in the printer driver. Various printers position paper differently, but can typically put at least 60 lines of text on a standard 11-inch page. You will be asked for a set of "Options:", at which point you may enter one or more of the following, in any order: @nn begins printing AT page nn of the document. =nn RENUMBERS the printout so first page is numbered nn. #nn prints only (up to) a TOTAL of nn pages. O,E prints only Odd or Even pages (print one, then run the paper back through and print the other, for double-sided printing). F prints FACING pages (header/number reversed on even pages). *nn prints the entire job out nn TIMES (nn=1...255). N NUMBERS pages sequentially, at top right. C numbers pages at bottom CENTER. "..." uses the quoted string as a HEADER. The string will print at the top right next to the page number unless it begins with a "<" character, in which case it prints at the left edge. Note: you can include the current Filename, Time or Date in the header simply by entering ^F, ^T, or ^D, respectively. To enter a quote mark, double it (""). S SUPPRESSES the header/page number on the first page of output. Tnn sets a TOP MARGIN skip of nn lines. [The default margins can Lnn sets a LEFT MARGIN skip of nn columns. be set with VINST.] B prints only the currently marked BLOCK. Pagination is disabled, and no final formfeed is sent; you may have to eject the page. (FILENAME) redirects printer output to a disk file. All print control codes will go into the file just as they would have been sent to your printer. If you want to append the output to an existing file, type a "+" before the name: (+FILENAME). A ADDRESSES an envelope; see ENVELOPES. P PAUSES for your keystroke before each page prints (sheet feed). ^ FILTERS control codes (like ^X) so they print out as text "^X". D DOUBLESPACES the printout. '...' sends an additional string of printer initialization commands before printing begins. EXAMPLE 1: Options: "<STATUS REPORT: ^D" N F will put a header like "STATUS REPORT: 10/19/90" at the top left of each page, and the page number at the top right (vice versa on even pages). EXAMPLE 2: Options: L12 #1 will print one page only, with an added left margin of 12. (Printing a single page is a good check of page layout before going ahead to print a long file. To continue at page two, use Options: @2.) EXAMPLE 3: Options: BD(+SCRATCH) will append the print output of the current marked Block, double spaced, to the disk file SCRATCH. ABOUT PAGINATION: If you set the page length to 0 (see ^OP) or select the 'B' option to print only a block, the output will NOT be paginated by VDE -- that is, data will be sent to the printer in a continuous stream, and the printer will break pages when it considers them full. No headers or page numbers will be printed; in fact, none of the options @,=,#,O,E,F,N,C,S,T,P,"...", which involve page numbering, are allowed with 'B'. If for some reason you do want paginated printing of a block only, you must cut and paste it to a new file (see AltC,P), and print it as a separate file. ABOUT MARGINS: A left margin that is part of a document's format (via ^OL, etc) affects the file text but not placement of headers or page numbers. Left margin settings external to the text ("Lnn", or printer driver default) shift the entire printout to the right, including headers and page numbers. Because these settings are also in columns, their physical width will vary according to the font in use; you will get more consistent results if you use your printer's absolute left margin setting feature (see PRINTER INSTALLATION). ABOUT INITIALIZATION: Codes '...' must be entered as actual characters or control codes, not digits. If the command is "Esc A" (1B 41 hex), press quote, ^P, [Esc], A, quote. To enter a quote mark (27 hex), double it (''). (Some control codes, including Esc, must be entered with the ^P prefix; see PROMPTS. Codes 00-1F are entered as ^A, ^B, etc. You may find an ASCII table helpful; see VINST.REF.) An empty string ('') can be used to skip the driver's usual initialization, and can be followed (after a space) by another string '...' to use instead. OTHER NOTES: Options 'C' and 'N' cannot be used together. If you are in /W or /S file mode, any WordStar dot commands in the file (lines beginning with ".") will not be printed. You can cancel printing at any time by pressing [Esc], or pause by pressing any other key (press a key again to resume). PROPORTIONAL SPACING (^OK) - Normally VDE assumes a fixed pitch font: one character equals one print column. Yet if your printer has a proportional font, you can get VDE to use it, and to format text so that it will print with more appropriate margins. Use ^OK to toggle proportional mode on and off. When on, you will see "PS" in the header; all wordwrap and reformatting (^B,^OC,^OF) will take advantage of a table of varying character widths, for a better aligned printout, though line lengths may look uneven on screen; and when you print, a proportional font will be selected. In proportional mode, the right margin needs to be interpreted in inches rather than characters, based on a conversion of 10 cpi, so that a right margin (^OR) of 70 means 7.0". (Note: characters may extend well beyond the 70th column.) Mixing proportional and fixed print in the same document is a little tricky. You must install and use a print (^P) toggle or switch to alternate between the two fonts, type or format the fixed pitch parts with ^OK off, the proportional parts with ^OK on (and appropriately altered margins), and then print with ^OK off. [See PRINTER INSTALLATION to install codes for proportional mode on your printer, and CHARACTER WIDTHS to adjust the width table.] PROTECTED MODE (^KO) - When you want to view a file without accidentally modifying it, you can engage protected mode with ^KO: the flag "R/O" (for Read/Only) shows in the header, and any command that would modify the file will be rejected as an "Invalid Key". To disengage, use ^KO again. If you load a file with the DOS R/O attribute, protected mode will engage automatically, and the ^KO command will not be able to disengage it. The text cannot be modified with VDE, unless you first rename it (^KE) to a new filename. REFORMAT ([Enter],^B;^OB) - In documents, pressing [Enter] creates a permanent or "hard" Carriage Return marking the end of a paragraph. (This is a CR without a preceding space; wordwrap creates a removable "soft CR", preceded by a space. See TEXT FORMATTING.) ^B reformats the paragraph the cursor is in according to the current margin settings and line spacing. (Thus ^B is used not only to reshape a paragraph after editing, but also to change its format in various ways: see MARGINS, JUSTIFICATION, LINE SPACING.) If the top line is indented relative to the next one, VDE preserves that as paragraph indentation. To reformat an entire file use the MACRO command (Esc[) to repeat ^B. (See also AUTO FORMAT.) ^OB toggles display of hard CRs, which are normally marked by a left- arrow character in document files, to distinguish them from soft ones. If you find this distracting, it can be turned off. RULER LINE (^OT) - To help you align text properly, ^OT displays a "ruler line" above the text. Type ^OT again to remove it. A moving pointer indicates the current column. In each column you will see one of several symbols: the arrow "v" is the cursor column; "L,R" designate the current margins; "." indicates areas outside the current margins, "-" within them. Also, tab stops are marked by either "!" (Variable) or ":" (Hard). Examples: (/D mode) L-----!---!----------v--!--------------R........ (/N mode) :.......:.......:....v..:.......:.......:....... RUN COMMAND/SHELL (AltR) - AltR lets you run DOS commands without leaving VDE. An imitation DOS prompt is produced (e.g., "C:\WORK>"); you can copy or rename files, or run any other program you like, and afterwards VDE will prompt you to "Press [Esc]", which will return you to your undis- turbed VDE editing session. In addition, you may simply hit [Enter], which lets you out into what is known as a Command Shell: you are actually back IN DOS, and can use any number of commands or move around as you like; when through, you need to type the DOS command EXIT to return to VDE. Caution: don't load new memory-resident utilities from within the AltR command; this fouls up the DOS memory allocation. To use AltR, you must have enough free memory to load and run the chosen program; and VDE must be able to find COMMAND.COM in order to execute it, via the COMSPEC environment variable. Be sure either that your AUTOEXEC.BAT file includes a line like SET COMSPEC=C:\COMMAND.COM or that your CONFIG.SYS file includes a line like SHELL=C:\COMMAND.COM C:\ /P (In either case replace "C:\" with the appropriate directory.) SAVE/EXIT (^KE,^KS,^KX,^KD,^KQ) - ^KE renames your work, allowing you to change the filename (including directory) to which it will be saved, and/or the filemode governing its format. At the prompt you can enter a new filename, a new directory, a new mode, or any combination of these. You can make your work "untitled" by pressing ^[Enter] (or ^J) at the prompt. (See PROMPTS for other control key usage.) ^KS Saves your work so far, writing the file to disk under the filename in the header. (If it's "untitled", a new name will be requested.) If the file has not been modified, you will be prompted to confirm that you meant to save it again anyway. For safety, when you save changes to an existing file, a copy of the previous version is preserved as a BACKUP FILE (with the same name, but extension ".BAK"). If you decide to abandon your latest changes, you can recover the old version from the BAK file. [You can choose not to maintain BAK files, if you prefer; see VINST, OPTIONS.] There are several different commands for finishing up: ^KX eXits, saving your work (if modified). ^KD (Done) saves your work, then loads a new file to edit. ^KQ just Quits, without saving to disk. If the file has been modified, you will be prompted to confirm that you meant to do this! SCREEN CONTROLS (^W,^Z; Alt[^,v,<,>]; ^OE,^OZ) - VDE provides a number of commands to control the display screen: ^W and ^Z scroll the screen up and down a line at a time, without moving the cursor in the text (unless necessary). Used with [Alt], any arrow key also causes the screen to scroll: up/down by 1/3 screen, or right/left 32 columns. Again, the cursor is not moved unless necessary. (The screen cannot shift rightward past the end of the current line.) ^OE makes the current line the top of the screen. ^OZ temporarily blanks the entire screen: for avoiding CRT burn-in, or just protecting work from prying eyes or fingers. Restore the screen by pressing [Esc]. This is also useful if some other software (like a memory-resident utility) has messed up the screen: type ^OZ,Esc and VDE will completely restore it. SCREEN SIZE (AltA,AltE) - VDE automatically adapts to any size text screen currently in use (minimum: 40 columns, 8 lines). This means that VDE supports nonstandard screen sizes (like 96 or 132 columns) provided by some PC video systems; it will run on laptop/palmtop computers with smaller displays; and visually impaired users can use the DOS command MODE 40 to edit with a 40 column large-type screen. When running with fewer than 80 columns, VDE omits most toggle indicators from the header, and truncates the function key labels; also, some menus remain in 80-column format, and can be scrolled horizontally by pressing the [<,>] keys while they are on screen. You can use your own software (like the popular UltraVision program, or any utilities that may have come with your video adapter card) to change the font or screen size (lines,columns) before running VDE, or even while editing (via the AltR command). VDE also offers two internal commands to vary screen size: AltA changes the screen width, toggling between normal (80-column) mode and wide (132-column) mode. It can be used alone, or in combination with AltE. This command works ONLY with certain brands of video cards which offer 132 column displays [see INSTALLATION to specify yours], or if you are running UltraVision with a card that supports its 132 column mode. AltE changes the screen length (number of text lines displayed). In standard 132-column modes it simply toggles between the normal 25-line and 50-line (VGA; 43 for EGA) text. But when possible, it displays a prompt offering a wider range of sizes: Standard VGA - 20,25,28,33,40,50,57 lines (80 cols) EGA - 17,25,29,35,43,50 with UltraVision VGA - 25,34/36,50/53,60/63 lines (80/132 cols) EGA - 25,34,43,60 You can select a letter code A-G, or [Enter] for your default value [which can be changed with VINST]. Larger characters are easy on the eyes; smaller ones can pack more text into one screen. NOTE: Under DESQview, you must use its "Rearrange:Video" menu selection to change text sizes; VDE's own commands will not work. SPELLING CHECK (AltH,AltJ) - For registered users who have the spelling checker, AltH will check spelling of the word at the cursor, and AltJ will go through the document beginning at the word after the cursor. See the VDESPELL.DOC file that comes with the speller for complete instructions. SPLITTING FILES (AltS) - If you encounter a text file that is too large for VDE to load and edit, you can divide it into manageable chunks with the Split command. You will be prompted for the name of the file to split; VDE will divide it in pieces whose names have a number added at the end of the file name. Example: BIG.DOC will split into BIG1.DOC, BIG2.DOC, etc, each of which you can edit separately. After 9, the numbers continue with letters A..Z. (The original file also remains on disk.) If necessary, the files can later be reassembled into one with the DOS COPY command, for example: COPY BIG1.DOC+BIG2.DOC BIG.DOC. TABS ([Tab],Shft[Tab]; ^OV,^OI,^ON; ^PI,Alt[Tab]) - There are two tab modes, Variable and Hard; ^OV toggles between them. In Hard Tab mode (the default for nondocuments), the [Tab] key produces an actual ^I (ASCII TAB) character, which will overwrite the character at the cursor or, if Insert is on, insert before it. Hard Tabs produce indents at fixed intervals [normally 8 columns; optionally 4 or 16], and also display as a highlighted "I" in document modes. In Variable Tab mode (the default for documents), the [Tab] key moves to the next tab stop set. In Overwrite mode, the cursor moves over any existing text; in Insert mode, spaces are inserted into the text. In either case, spaces are added at the end of a line if needed. Up to sixteen tab stops may be set with ^OI, or cleared with ^ON; the defaults are in columns 6, 15, 35, and 55. [These can be changed.] Both commands prompt for a list of column numbers, or you can press [Enter] for the cursor column. The Set command ^OI also accepts two options, both of which replace all previous tab settings: @nn Set tabs every "nn" columns #n1,n2,... Set tabs to columns "n1,n2,..." ONLY You can simply clear all variable tabs by typing ^ON followed by "*". The Shft[Tab] command tabs backwards (left to the previous stop), useful for moving around in tables, etc. You can always get a Hard Tab with ^PI, or a Variable Tab with Alt[Tab], no matter which tab mode you are in. TIME/DATE (AltT,AltD) - VDE can read the DOS system clock and insert the current time and date in your file automatically. Just press AltT for the Time, or AltD for the Date. The string will appear at the current cursor location, as though you had typed it in yourself: for example, 1:21 PM [or 13:21 -- VINST selects the format] January 15, 1988 [or 1/15/88, 15 January 1988, 15.1.88] UNDELETING (^U) - The undelete function can be used to recover accidentally deleted text or overstruck characters. The lost text will be replaced at the current cursor location. ^U may be used repeatedly to undo a sequence of deletions, recovering each character, word, or line in order. (Once all deleted text is restored, ^U does nothing.) Exception: block deletions cannot be recovered sequentially, they must be undeleted immediately (before any other deletion occurs). Undeletion can also be used as a sort of quick-and-dirty block move. For example, if the cursor is at the start of a word, the commands ^T^F^U (which of course can be assigned to a function key) will swap that word with the one following it. Similarly, ^Y^X^U will swap two lines. UPPER/LOWER CASE (^^; ^K",^K',^K^) - ^^ (Ctrl-caret or 6) reverses the case of the character at the cursor, if it was a letter, and moves to the next. The ^K^ (^K-caret) command reverses all text in a marked block (see BLOCK COMMANDS); ^K" makes all text in the block uppercase, ^K' lowercase. WINDOWS (^OW; AltW,AltF; ^[PgUp,PgDn]) - VDE can split the screen into two windows, showing either two parts of the same file or two different files. In either case, AltF moves the cursor back and forth between the two windows. ^[PgUp] and ^[PgDn] scroll BOTH windows in synchronization. ^OW is used within a SINGLE file; it creates a second window (originally a duplicate of the first, of course) in which you can move to and view or edit another location in the file at the same time. (Note: any modifications made to the file will not be reflected in the inactive window until you return to it.) Type ^OW again to undo windowing. AltW splits the screen Window between two DIFFERENT files being edited, showing you both at once (note the different filename in the second window). Type AltW again to undo. ================================ 7. MACROS ================================= AUTOEXEC MACRO - VINST can designate any function key definition you create as "autoexec", meaning a macro that will execute automatically whenever you first enter VDE. This feature can be used for a variety of purposes, including changing defaults not available through VINST options. See also FUNCTION KEYS. Notes: if you load multiple files, remember that for settings which are specific to each file (like margins), only the first file will be affected. You cannot use a utility like KEYSTACK that stuffs input into the DOS keyboard buffer before running VDE, if an autoexec macro exists. FUNCTION KEYS ([F1]...[F12], EscA-Z,0-9) - Up to 48 macros can be assigned to function keys; they can then be recalled and used with one keystroke. Each PC function key can be used alone or with Shift, Ctrl, or Alt, to produce: [F1]...[F10] = F1....F10 in VDE notation Shift-[F1]...[F10] = !F1..!F10 Ctrl-[F1]...[F10] = ^F1..^F10 Alt-[F1]...[F10] = @F1..@F10 And, if you have an Enhanced (101-key) AT keyboard, also: F11, F12, !F11, !F12, ^F11, ^F12, @F11, @F12 VDE comes with [F1] set as a "Help" key (^J), but this can be changed. For those who find function keys difficult to remember, you can also assign a letter or digit to invoke a definition with the [Esc] key; thus, if your Address is on [^F3], you could also call it up with EscA. The Esc[ and Esc] commands (see MACRO DEFINITION) give the option of Storing the macro definition to any function key, so that the macro can later be executed simply by pressing that key. If you choose "Store", VDE asks "Make Quiet, No-repeat, Both:". Reply "Q" for a key that executes in Quiet (fast) mode; "N" for a key that runs once, without asking for a repeat count; or "B" for both of these. Press [Enter] instead for a key that executes just like the "Use macro" option, visibly, asking for a repeat count first. VDE asks "Store to key:". Press the desired function key, from [F1] to [@F12]. VDE asks "Esc key:". If desired, press a letter or digit, which can then also be used with [Esc] to invoke this key. VDE asks "Label?" Enter a label, up to 7 characters, for the key label line (see FUNCTION KEY LABELS). Don't choose "Q"uiet for a key that will request input from you. There is a total of about 2000 bytes available for all 48 keys, and a 125 byte limit [in VDE; VINST can accept 253] for any one key. You can delete a key definition by entering an empty macro string (Esc[, [Enter]) and storing it to the key. Pressing an undefined key gives an error. Keys defined with Esc[ or ] last only during the current editing session (VDE.EXE itself is not modified). [VINST lets you install definitions permanently; see DEFAULT FUNCTION KEYS.] EXAMPLES: Keys are useful for storing a frequently repeated phrase; [F3] is much more convenient than "World Wide Widgets Ltd. (N.A.)". You might also use several for sets of margins, like: ^OL 5 [Enter] ^OR 60 [Enter]. A key defined as ^QR ^N AltD ^OF would place the current date at the top right of a letter. Many VDE users set up a function key to produce a personalized letterhead: for example, the macro ^N John Doe ^OC ^N 123 Main St ^OC ^N City, State ^OC will insert that three-line address, neatly centered. You can add print effects (bold, italic) to suit your taste. For a solid line separating this from the body of the letter, try adding ^N ^PS ^OF ^E ^V ^PS ^V ^X Function keys can be used to create powerful new commands, for example: ^D ^A ^KB ^F ^KK will mark the current word as a block. And, similarly, ^QS ^KB ^X ^KK will mark the current line as a block. FUNCTION KEY LABELS (^OU) - To help you remember the purpose of your function key definitions, the ^OU command toggles the display of a label line at the bottom of the screen. When a key is defined, its number will appear on the label line, followed by the label (if any) entered when the key was stored. The label line is sensitive to keyboard shift status; if you press and hold Shift, Ctrl, or Alt for a moment, the labels will change to show those for the shifted function keys. On 80-column screens, 10 labels are visible; in 40-column mode, 5. Labels for the F11, F12 keys only appear on screens of 96 or more columns. KEY DEFINITION FILES (AltU) - These files save function key definitions and labels, and should be given a file type of ".VDF". You can load such a file, along with your text file(s) to edit, from the command line (see SYNTAX). AltU can be used while editing: it will ask whether you want to "L"oad or "S"ave such a file, then prompt for the name of the file. If you load a .VDF file, those definitions will replace any previous ones. If you save, the current definitions will be written to the file. [.VDF files can also be created or installed as defaults in your copy of VDE, using VINST.] MACRO DEFINITION AND USE (Esc[,Esc]) - To DEFINE a macro, type Esc[. You will be asked for the macro definition; you may want to plan it out first with pen and paper. Many special PC keys are not accepted at VDE input prompts, including here; you must use the WordStar equivalent, like ^R instead of [PgUp]. Those keys can, however, be recorded (see RECORDING MACROS), and can be entered when defining a macro with VINST (see DEFAULT FUNCTION KEYS). Even MenuBar commands (except {User:}) can be used in macros, with the ^[Esc] command (see MENUBARS). Then you will be asked whether you want to Use the definition you entered now, or Store it (on storing, see FUNCTION KEYS). Then you need to decide whether you want the macro to repeat (and if so how many times), and whether you want to watch it happen or not. VDE asks "Make Quiet, No-repeat, Both?" Reply "Q" for Quiet (fast) operation, or press [Enter] for visible (slower) execution. (The "N" option is intended for storing keys, but can also be typed here to skip the next question.) VDE asks "Repeat count?" Type the number of times to execute (0-254), or just [Enter] for 1; or "*" to repeat indefinitely. When a macro executes, the "!" flag appears in the header; normally, you can also see its effects as it executes. You can cancel it at any time by pressing [Esc]. If you choose to speed up macro execution by specifying "Q"uiet mode, only the header will be updated as the macro runs. (Don't do this if the macro concludes by requesting user input -- the necessary prompt would not display!) Macros will stop automatically if an error condition occurs, in which case the error message will display briefly; or if the cursor attempts to move past the top or end of the file, in which case no error displays. (Exception: Esc$ can change error handling. See MACRO PROGRAMMING.) Thus some macros will halt on their own when they reach the end of a file; others will have to be terminated manually, by pressing [Esc]. Once defined, a macro can be re-used with the Esc] command, which again gives you the options to (re)Use or Store the last macro defined or used. [To add a function key permanently to VDE.EXE, use VINST: either enter it again in VINST, or write it to a file and read the file into VINST -- see DATA FILES.] EXAMPLES: For clarity, macro examples will be given here as they function, not as they are typed in; remember that you will need to add ^P prefixes for certain control keys ([BkSp] (^H), [Enter] (^M), ^J, ^Y, ^P). Keystrokes are often separated by spaces for clarity; the "_" symbol is used to represent an actual space character typed. 1. Reformat an entire file: after Esc[, just enter ^B Specify Quiet and indefinite repeat as options ("Q,*"). 2. View a file by scrolling slowly through it: Esc; ^Z or Esc; ^C This pauses, then scrolls down. (Again, repeat with "*".) 3. Re-load the current file, eliminating any changes made since it was last saved: ^KL ^F [Enter] 4. Macros are quite powerful. Can you figure out what this one does, if entered with indefinite repeat "*"? ^QR ^QF(^J ^G ^KB ^QF)^J ^G ^KK ^QC [Enter] ^KV (It takes all phrases in parentheses out of a file, making a list of them at the end of the file.) TECHNICAL NOTE: Ordinarily macros are completely self-contained, and NEVER request input from the keyboard while executing. There is one exception: using AltR to run a program from a macro is tricky. Input while in the program or shell must be typed by you. (VDE resumes control only when the program ends; if the macro continues, its next keystroke must be the [Esc] to return to editing.) MACRO PAUSE/INPUT (Esc;,Esc?,Esc:) - Esc; gives a brief pause before macro execution continues, so the user can see what's happening on screen. Use two or more to get a longer pause. Esc? accepts text or commands from the keyboard during macro execution. The header's "!" flag turns into "?" when user input is expected. Anything except macro and function key commands may be used. [Esc] terminates input, returning control to the macro. ^[Break] aborts. Esc: makes the following command (for example, ^QF) take its input from the keyboard. The macro resumes when that command is completed. Example: Esc:Esc! lets you type in the label to jump to. MACRO PROGRAMMING (^F;Esc0..Z,Esc!,Esc=,~,<,>,Esc$,Esc(),Esc+,-,Esc&,&&) - VDE has several commands that operate only within a macro definition, and give you conditional control over the execution of a macro, allowing real programming. ^F, entered as part of an input string, will be replaced by the current filename when the macro executes. This can be useful to refer to the current file when running compilers and file utilities. Thus, if you define the macro AltR compile ^F /g /r1 [Enter] Esc, the ^F embedded in the string will be expanded, so that the DOS command executed by AltR will actually be something like compile C:\PGM\MYPROG.C /g /r1. Esc0...Z, when placed in a macro, function simply as local "labels" 0...Z. They have no effect, but can be "jumped" to by other commands. Esc! followed by 0..9,A..Z is a "jump" instruction, causing macro execution to resume with the command following that label. Example: Esc!2 jumps to label 2. As two special cases, Esc![ jumps to the beginning of the macro, and Esc!] jumps to the end (exits). Esc= and Esc~ perform tests on the character at the current cursor position. There are two ways to use them: (1) Followed by a character, then a label 0..Z (or "[","]" for start or end), they are conditional jumps: they jump IF the character does (or for "~", does NOT) match the one specified. Example: Esc~^M2 jumps to label 2 if the current character is NOT a CR. (2) Followed by a character, then ">" or "<", they are search loops. They will continue to move the cursor right (or for "<", left) as long as the character at the cursor does (or for "~", doesn't) match, or until the beginning or end of the file. Example: Esc=_> moves right as long as the current character is a space (so it stops on a NONspace). Similarly, Esc< and Esc> test the cursor character's ASCII value and act accordingly: thus Esc<A2 jumps to label 2 if the character is less than ASCII "A" (41 hex), etc. (Note: place and block markers, since they are not part of the file text, will fail any test. If you need to check for their presence, you can use Esc<^@ [00 hex, entered as ^P@] since no actual character could be <0 and fail this test.) Normally, a macro halts when an error occurs. With Esc$ you can instead specify a label where execution should continue. Thus, after the command Esc$E, any command resulting in an error (like "not found") will cause a jump to label E, ignoring the error. You can also use the special characters "[","]" to jump to the beginning or end of the macro, or "@" to continue without taking action, or "$" to return to halting on any error. If you program an endless loop, you will at some point have to halt execution of the macro by pressing Esc. Several commands allow the use of a counter variable. Esc() sets the value: for example, Esc(0) initializes it to zero. The Esc+ command simply increments the value; Esc- (minus) decrements the value, then jumps if it is zero to a specified label. (In addition to a number, you may use "[" or "]" for the start or end, or "@" to avoid jumping entirely.) Example: Esc-] decrements the counter, jumping to the end (exiting) if it reaches zero; Esc-@ simply decrements it. Chaining or calling other macros lets you organize them more efficiently and conserve definition space. Esc&, followed by a key identification like "!F1", is used to "chain" to another function key. Use "!,^,@" for Shift, Ctrl, Alt; and after the "F", a single digit "1"- "9", or "A"-"C" for 10-12. ("0" is also accepted for F10.) Example: "Esc&^FB" chains to Ctrl-F11. Esc&& works similarly but "calls" the other key, returning when it finishes. Calls may be nested 4 deep. The examples below will give some idea of how these commands can be used to construct your own new VDE commands. They will work faster if you store them as Quiet keys, but in general, don't make macro programs Quiet until you're sure they work. EXAMPLES: 1. Here is a good macro program (best stored as a Quiet key) to move the cursor to the start of the current sentence: Esc~.1 ^S Esc1 Esc~.< ^D Esc=_2 Esc=^M2 ^S^S Esc!1 Esc2 ^D Esc=_2 Esc=^M2 You could explain this in programmer's pseudo-code as: If not "." goto label1 ;move left if already on period Move left label1: While not "." move left ;move left to previous period Move right ;move right to following character If " " or ^M goto label2 Move left twice ;skip over a period if it's not Goto label1 ; followed by a space or return label2: Move right ;okay, now move right as long If " " or ^M goto label2 ; as you see a space or return (all done) 2. This macro moves to the start of the current paragraph: ^QS ^S^S Esc=_[ ^D^D 3. If you have some text that you can't reformat because every line ends in HARD CRs, here is a macro that will "soften up" one paragraph's worth, leaving just one HARD CR at the end: ^QS ^X Esc=_] Esc=^M] ^S_^D Esc![ 4. If you want to produce a "pure ASCII" file for software that can't accept control codes (other than CR,LF) or IBM graphics, here is a macro that will filter these out before you save to disk (use filemodes /A,U,N): Esc*f EscB Esc>~X Esc=^MN Esc<_X EscN ^D Esc!B EscX ^G Esc!B 5. This macro moves to the center of the current line; note how the counter variable is used to figure the line length, then move back only halfway: ^QS Esc(0) Esc1 Esc+ ^D Esc~^M1 Esc2 Esc-] Esc-] ^S Esc!2 6. Many programming languages use nested sets of parentheses, for example "{}" in C. This macro, when the cursor is placed on an open bracket "{", will move ahead to find the closed bracket "}" that matches it: Esc~{] Esc(0) Esc1 Esc~{2 Esc+ Esc!3 Esc2 Esc~}3 Esc-] Esc3 ^D Esc!1 TOGGLE CONTROL (Esc*) - "Toggle" commands can create difficulties when used in macro and function keys: ^V, for example, toggles insert mode. But when you plan a function key, you don't necessarily know how Insert will be set when the key is used! So if you use ^V in the macro, you don't know whether you just turned it off or on; you might be overstriking or inserting, and can't tell. The Esc* command provides a solution, by letting a macro specify an exact state for each toggle. Esc* must be followed by a LETTER to identify a toggle, UPPERcase to turn it ON or LOWERcase to turn it OFF. (Insert and Justify each have a third state, as well.) For example, Esc*i will set INSERT OFF, regardless of its previous state. The toggles are: Autoindent (^OA) 'a'=off 'A'=on Doublespace (^OS) 'd'=off 'D'=on auto Format (^OM) 'f'=off 'F'=on Hyphenation (^OH) 'h'=off 'H'=on Insert (^V) 'i'=off 'I'=on 'W'=word Justification (^OJ) 'j'=off 'J'=on 'R'=remove Proportional (^OK) 'p'=off 'P'=on Varitab (^OV) 'v'=off 'V'=on margin release (^OX) 'x'=off 'X'=on RECORDING MACROS (Esc") - As an alternative to composing macros and using the Esc[ command to type them in, you can simply record a macro as you go about a task. Press Esc" to activate recording; type away; then press Esc" again to conclude. You will then be asked whether to use or store it, etc (see MACROS). No confusing ^P prefixes are needed. While recording, a quote mark (") will be visible in the upper right (prefix) area of the header. If you make an error while recording, use Esc" to stop recording, press [Esc] at the prompt to quit, and start over. NOTES: Because macros don't nest, Function key commands themselves (and also the {User:} MenuBar) cannot be used while macro recording is in progress. Any other keystrokes can be recorded, including all other MenuBar selections, and even PC keys like [PgUp] which cannot be entered directly into a macro definition with the Esc[ command. Be careful when creating macros by recording [BkSp], [Del], [Home], [End]; the functions of these keys are VINST options and may differ in someone else's copy of VDE, so you may wish to use commands like ^S, ^G, ^QS, ^QD instead. ===================== 8. REVIEWS / ABOUT THE AUTHOR ======================== A sampling of recent comments about VDE: "VDE is a word-processing program for people who like their programs lean, mean and simple... executes all the standard operations necessary for writing articles, books or screenplays... blazingly fast... Even the loading and storing of files is speedy." - Paul Ciotti, Los Angeles Times Magazine (18 March 1990) "This may be the finest piece of word processing code ever written. I have never been as impressed with anything as I have with VDE 1.5... writing software in 100 percent assembly language still pays off in performance and reduced code size. It's an astonishing product, believe me. It's more than the perfect laptop word processor. Actually, it's something that corporations should consider if they want to save tens of thousands of dollars... I cannot give a higher recommendation for any product that I have seen in ten years than I can for VDE 1.5. Top recommendation." - John Dvorak, PC Magazine (24 April 1990) "What fascinated Dvorak was not just the astonishing functionality achieved with very little programming code, but also the attitude -- and implications -- of the author who circulated it freely asking only for a modest sum for site licenses... VDE is an amazing word- processor, offering almost everything except the layout and document processing features found in far fatter programs... it supports the old WordStar command set... ergonomically the most efficient I've ever learned." - Colin Brace, Language Technology/Electric Word (July/Aug 1990) "I've used various versions of WordStar, WordPerfect, and Wang IWP. I wouldn't trade my copy of VDE for shrink-wrapped sets of the latest versions of all of these. I congratulate you both on the quality of your program and on your policy in making it available..." - K.N., registered VDE user (August 1991) As of Spring 1992, VDE can be found in "Dvorak's Top 30", a boxed collection of shareware applications published by Interplay Productions, available in retail stores. It is also included on-disk with the book "Dvorak's Inside Track to DOS and PC Performance" by John Dvorak and Nick Anis, published by Osborne/McGraw-Hill. ABOUT THE AUTHOR Eric Meyer has also written the shareware ZIP serial file transfer program and a number of free utilities for IBM PC compatibles. He holds an A.B. in physics and a Ph.D. in history and philosophy of science, and has taught at the Universities of Indiana, Oklahoma, and Colorado. A longtime advocate of microcomputers, he has done programming in HP-41, Z80 assembler, BASIC, FORTRAN, LISP, C, and APL; lately he has been working mostly in 8086 assembler. In a period of escalating software complexity and prices, he still believes that useful, inexpensive software should remain available to computer users worldwide. ================================[end VDE.REF]=================================