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1995-01-01
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First ADE SoftWear
Allen D. Evans
Box 107
Frankfort, Ohio 45628
U.S.A.
(049) 06371-43384
Foreword
════════
I decided to write my own word processor/text editor in late 1993. A
computational program I use daily produces files averaging 50,000 to 200,000
bytes (i.e., characters) in size. These files can exceed 500,000 bytes and,
on occasion, grow to 2 or 3 megabytes (2,000,000 to 3,000,000 characters).
Creating and proofing a document so large requires creating and proofing
numerous subunits and then using the
"COPY file1 + file2 + file3 + file4 enddoc.txt"
technique to produce the end product. This is cumbersome, time consuming,
and error prone.
Making matters worse, high-end word processors capable of handling
these large programs have the bad habit of corrupting the formatting.
Microsoft's Edit, which is otherwise perfect, dies after approximately
128,000 bytes, and Edlin, which handles large files surprisingly well by
swapping pages into and out of memory, just isn't friendly enough.
So, necessity being the mother of invention, First ADE Edit was born.
Version 1.0 , a 64kB editor, is more complete than Microsoft's Edit included
in MSDOS version 5/6.xx. First ADE Edit version 1.0 can't read 3 megabyte
files (yet) but it can open multiple files at once (approximately seven
50,000 byte files at a time) and write out to 256 columns. If requested,
First ADE Edit can be produced to write out to 1024 or more columns. See
the table below for a comprehensive list of First ADE Edit's abilities.
Options First ADE Edit │ MS Edit
───────────────────────────────────────────────────────────┼────────────────
Read files larger than 1 megabyte No │ No
│
Work with numerous files at once Yes │ No
│
Ability to Zoom, Size, Tile, and Cascade windows Yes │ No
│
Max number of columns 256 │ 256
│
Print Yes - limited │ Yes
│
Ability to shell to DOS Yes │ No
│
Undo command to remove mistakes Yes │ No
│
Editable Clipboard - make changes to items │
before pasting into your document Yes │ No
│
Search ability, once or multiple times Yes │ Yes
│
Search and Replace Yes │ Yes
│
Tools such as: (courtesy Borland, Inc.) │
ASCII Table Yes │ No
Four Function Calculator Yes │ No
Monthly Calendar (1776 'til 3000, at least) Yes │ No
Sliding Block Puzzle (just for fun) Yes │ No
Clock Yes │ No
│
Working Hot Keys on status line Yes │ No
│
Multi-lingual editions (all in one program) Yes │ No
│
Works on ANY computer with ANY version of DOS Yes │ No
Several major, and a few minor, improvements are planned to Edit.
Toggle-able word wrap is planned for the near term.
Edit will remain an ASCII only text editor. The next task at hand
is Word. Word will be a superset of Edit, with text formatting capabilities,
e.g., left/center/right justification, headers and footers, underline, bold,
single and double spaced text, etc.
If Edit and Word prove successful Works will follow. Works will
contain a word processor, database, spreadsheet, and maybe graphics and
communications. In short, it will be a complete integrated environment.
I plan to include similar features as those currently found in other "Works"
programs. Works may debut in 1996 - plenty of things will keep me busy 'til
then.
Getting Started
═══════════════
Installation
────────────
Installation can be accomplished manually or with the included program,
INSTALL.BAT.
Manual Installation
───────────────────
Decide where to store Edit, perhaps in C:\EDIT
─> For example, to create C:\EDIT type: MD C:\EDIT and copy the
contents to that directory.
─> Or copy the diskette's contents to an existing directory of your
choice, like C:\DOS.
Update your PATH, if necessary. PATH, found in the AUTOEXEC.BAT file
enables your computer to execute First ADE Edit easily.
Automated Installation
──────────────────────
Decide where to store Edit. Like the above example, perhaps in C:\EDIT.
To install Edit type: INSTALL C:\EDIT.
─> The program will create the directory, copy Edit into it, and,
optionally, update your path, which the computer searches to find Edit.
─> The install file makes a grand attempt to update the PATH. In case
things don't work, which they may not if you load Microsoft Windows or
a DOS Shell from the AUTOEXEC.BAT, you can update the PATH yourself.
With First ADE's Edit (of course) add a semi-colon and the new
directory name (e.g., C:\EDIT) to the end of the PATH statement.
For example: PATH=C:\;C:\DOS;C:\WINDOWS;C:\Edit
^^^^^^^^
CHARACTERS ADDED
After Edit is installed per the instructions, simply type: FAE
(First Aid Edit) anywhere in the computer to enjoy your new text editor.
Starting First ADE Edit
═══════════════════════
DOS is not case sensitive. To DOS edit looks the same as EDIT, the
same applies to c:\windows\win.ini and C:\WINDOWS\WIN.INI. Typing any
combination of these upper and lower case characters will obtain the desired
results. Edit is started by typing the command FAE plus any command-line
parameters.
─> An example would be: FAE autoexec.bat config.sys.
Files from anywhere on the computer can be started by adding the
file's complete path. For example, if you are in the C:\UTILITY directory
and the PATH contained the directory where Edit is located, then:
─> FAE c:\windows\win.ini c:\windows\system\sys.ini c:\ndos.ini
would start Edit and open those three files. The last file, in this case
C:\NDOS.INI, is left on top to show how many files Edit was able to load
into memory.
Keyboard and Mouse Conventions
══════════════════════════════
─> Alt─1, means to press and hold down the Alt key and then press the 1
key. After doing this a window with that number (see the upper right
hand corner of the window containing this text for an example), if it
exists, will be brought to the front for editing.
─> Alt─F, is similar to the Alt─1 explained above. Alt─letter
combinations in Edit act on menus. Typing Alt─F in the English menu
system opens the File menu, typing N would then open a blank screen to
start a new document. The same command can be written as: Alt─F, N.
─> F2, and Shift─ and Alt─ variations of the function keys (often called
Hotkeys), perform actions on a global basis in Edit. These options are
listed in the menus beside other commands. Pressing F2 will
immediately start the File Open dialog. Alt─F2 will save the current
document, etc. See the menu to find out which function keys/Hotkeys
are assigned to which actions.
The function keys/Hotkeys in Edit are more logically arranged than any
other word processor I've yet seen. Per computer standards, F1, and
its variations, are assigned to the Help function. Except for the
Options Menu, each menu is assigned its own function key, they are
overviewed below:
Associated Function Key
Menu │ or Hot Key
─────────┼─────────────────────────
File │ F2
Edit │ F3
Search │ F4
Format* │ F5
Options**│ F6
Window │ F7
Help │ F1
* Menu not implemented in Edit, function key is reserved for upcoming
release of Word.
** Function key not applicable to types of commands available, function
key is reserved to maintain consistency.
─> Alt─X, (eXit) is a global command which will exit from Edit, prompting
you to save documents, if necessary.
─> Clicking with the mouse is accomplished by positioning the mouse cursor
over an item and pressing the left mouse button once.
─> Dragging with the mouse is accomplished by positioning the mouse cursor
over an object; pressing and holding the left mouse button down, moving
the mouse to the new position; and releasing the left mouse button.
First ADE's Pieces and Parts
════════════════════════════
Edit's screen has more operationally active surfaces than you might
initially realize.
Three areas are most obvious.
─> The Menu Line
═════════════
The Menu Line sits at the top of the screen. It holds the Menu Items
which access Edit's many options.
You select the Menu Items by clicking on them with a mouse or using
the Alt─letter combination described above.
─> The Desktop
═══════════
The Desktop occupies the middle of the screen. The windows holding the
documents occupy this space. Numerous surfaces are available here. If
selectable, the surfaces here are available only with a mouse.
However, the same effects are possible with the keyboard.
(LEGEND: Button Name; Menu Combination; Hotkey)
[_] Close Window Button; Alt─F, C; F─2
──────────────────────────────────────
Pressing this button closes the window. If the document has been
modified you are prompted to save it.
Title
─────
You can not modify the Title unless you save the document with a
different name. A new document's Title states Untitled. To move a
document's window, click on the title and drag the window to its new
position.
Window Number; Alt─W, N; F7
───────────────────────────
The Window Number is the number used with the Alt─number combination
described above.
[Double Arrow] Zoom Button; Alt─W, Z; Alt─F7
────────────────────────────────────────────
This button will toggle between a maximized and reduced window size.
Each window in Edit starts maximized, you would need to resize the
window before this button is active, because the maximized and reduced
size are initially equal.
Vertical and Horizontal Scroll Bars; Page Up, Page Down, Home, End
──────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────
The Scroll Bars move you quickly through the document and show your
position in the document relative to the entire document. Clicking and
dragging the button found between the two arrows will speed you through
the entire document. The same overall actions are possible with the
four keyboard keys listed above.
Modification Indicator (Snowflake)
──────────────────────────────────
This symbol, found in the lower left corner, indicates if a document
has been modified in any way since being opened. Saving the document
will remove the Snowflake symbol.
X:Y Position Indicator
──────────────────────
The current cursor position is reflected in these two coordinates. The
origin is the document's uppermost top left corner.
─┘ Sizing Handle; Alt─W, S; Ctrl─F7
───────────────────────────────────
Clicking on and dragging this symbol will resize the window in two
dimensions. After resizing a window, Zooming it by any method becomes
possible.
─> The Status Line
═══════════════
The Status Line sits at the bottom of the screen. It holds the Status
Line Items listing a few of Edit's options and provides Hints to Menu
Line Items.
You select the Status Line Items by clicking on them with a mouse, or
using the Hotkey combinations listed.
Navigating in First ADE Edit
════════════════════════════
From the example in "Starting First ADE Edit" above, you can switch
to WIN.INI by typing Alt─1. This brings the first window opened to the front
of the screen. SYS.INI is accessed by typing Alt─2, and NDOS.INI is brought
back to the front by typing Alt─3. Repeatedly pressing F7 accomplishes the
task, too. Window Menu options allow you to resize and move the windows to
have multiple documents visible simultaneously. If two or more windows are
visible you can also click on the one you want to make it the active window.
Registering First ADE Edit
══════════════════════════
First ADE Edit is being distributed as Shareware. It is not a free
program. If you use Edit for more than 30 days, you should register it by
sending $5, or an equivalent amount in your local currency, to register the
product. A good indicator if you should register a program is this rule of
thumb: If you need to accomplish a task and you immediately think of
Shareware product, then you should register the product.
$5 isn't expensive. Edit is priced to encourage registration.
The money goes to purchase manuals and compilers to increase my abilities to
produce better software. Also, I'm curious to know how widely distributed
Edit is.
If you want an updated edition of the Edit, the price is $15.
The price covers the updated software registration, the diskette and mailer,
and postage.
Use this form when registering or ordering First ADE Edit.
Name:____________________________________________
Address:_________________________________________
Address:_________________________________________
Address:_________________________________________
Address:_________________________________________
Action:
═══════
Partial Registeration __ $5.00 (or equivalent)
──> Registers current copy of First ADE Edit. Also, places you on mailing
list for new versions.
Full Registration: __ $15.00 (or equivalent)
──> Provides a copy of the current registered version of Edit via diskette
and a printed copy of the User's Manual, entitles you to a free update
software when available, places you on the mailing list for other 'breaking'
information.
Diskette Size:
══════════════
Diskette Size Desired: __ 5.25"
__ 3.5"
Misc. Information (if known):
═════════════════════════════
(type VER at command line)
DOS Version: _____ __ Huh?
Windows: __ Y __ N __ Huh? Version: _____
(use CPU-NDP.COM utility provided)
CPU Type: _____ (8088, 8086, 286, 386, 486, or 586)
FPU: __ Y __ N __ Huh?
(try typing MEM at command line)
Extended Memory: __ Y __ N __ Huh? Amount: _____
Expanded Memory: __ Y __ N __ Huh? Amount: _____