The Original Shareware 1.1/The Original Shareware (WeMake CDs)(Volume 1.1)(CDs, Inc)(1993).iso/16/edit345a.zip/HELP

Text File | 1987-01-26 | 26KB | 656 lines

HELP:    documentation for EDIT.COM  09/23/86  --ver 3.45--

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introduction ..

    Read this HELP file using the editor program -- EDIT.COM.
    If the current drive is A: and EDIT.COM and HELP are there,
    this can be done as shown ..

A>EDIT HELP

    From here on its assumed that you are using EDIT.COM to read
    this HELP file ..

    To move around in this file, just use the arrow keys !!

    To quit this edit ..
    hit the Escape (or Ctrl Break) key.
    then use the arrow keys to select Quit, then Exit.

note:    Don't select Save unless you want to alter this HELP file !!

    In general ..
    hit the Escape key to bring up or leave the menu.

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notes ..

    EDIT.COM is an assembly language program that edits ascii text
    files or data files (lines ending with CR LF).

    The editor is suitable for ..

    (1)  Programs (assembler, fortran, C, ascii Basic)
         The editor accomodates assembler programs since it
         can read and write tabs, and it displays the line number
         of each line at the left of the screen.

    (2)  Data files
         The editor has horizontal scrolling and can handle column
         widths of up to 248 cols.
         File size is limited only to the amount of free memory
         available after DOS loads the program.

    (3)  Memos and Short Reports
         The editor accomodates word processing by implementing
         line split and join, and optional word wrap.


    This release is made available with the understanding that ..

  1.    The program is still under development.

  2.    Sufficient testing has already been done to eliminate the
    major bugs - but there may be others - I would appreciate
    reports on repeatable errors.


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program design ..

    EDIT.COM works by loading the entire text file from disk
    into a memory area called the text area.

     Then 23 lines (if possible) are displayed from the text area
    to the screen.

    Next, the text line corresponding to the cursor location is
    loaded from the text area to a small area called the work area.

    All editing is done in the work area.
    When the cursor is moved to the next line, or new page,
    or the menu is brought up, the work area is moved back
    to the text area before continuing.

    This means that the editor is really a single line editor
    in a full screen display context.  Full screen display and
    paging functions are provided, however, so that the illusion
    of a full screen editor is accomplished.

    Use of the work area for editing, allows restoring a line
    from the text area back to the work area, in case of an error
    while editing a line.  Note the function of the F10 key below.

tab support ..

    A tab is an ascii char (9) that causes the cursor to advance
    to the next tab stop.  Proper display of a tab is called expan-
    ding the tab, because it causes one or more blanks to appear
    between the character that preceeds the tab, and the character
    that follows the tab, which is displayed on a tab stop.
    (Tab stops are set at offsets 8,16,24,.. [cols 9,17,25,.. )
    Tabs in a file serve the dual purpose of conserving file space
    and forcing column alignment upon display of the file.

    The tab and backtab keys while editing, serve the purpose
    of rapid cursor movement.

    -- reading tabs --
    The editor expands tabs from the text area to the screen for
    a properly aligned display.  When using the Print option, tabs
    from the text area are correctly expanded to blanks for the
    printer.

    -- the tab and backtab keys --
    Pressing the tab key while editing, moves the cursor to the
    next tab stop, but does not write a tab to the work area --
    while pressing the space key does write a space.  Thus the
    tab key is only a passive movement key like the right arrow.

    The backtab key moves the cursor to the previous tab stop,
    and is a passive movement key like the left arrow.
    The backtab key is obtained by holding the shift key down ..
    and pressing the tab key.


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limits ..

    The maximum editable file is equal to the size of free memory
    after the program and work areas are allocated.  The program
    and work areas require about 20k, so if CHKDSK shows 320k free,
    then a text file of about 300k could be handled.

    CAUTION !! - if you expand beyond the memory limit when editing
    a large text file, which could happen when moving or copying a
    block of text, the editor will beep and the text area may be
    incorrectly ordered.  You can monitor the text area size, free
    area, and percent useage selecting 'Options' then 'Area' in the
    menu.

    The line number limit is 65535.

    From an already existing file ..
    the max editable line size is 254 chars (excluding CR and LF),

    For a line created from scratch ..
    the max creatable line size is 239 chars in lin number
    display mode and 247 chars in full screen mode.

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users guide ..

 -->    Please read thru this text, moving the cursor as you go,
    and DO the actions it says - so that you
    can gain familiarity with this editor.

terms:    current line = line where the cursor is
    current col  = column where the cursor is

The F1 key controls the baseline.  There are 3 baseline states ..
      (1) No baseline at all (default).
    (2) Baseline showing current Lin, Col, and End lin.
        (is updated each time the cursor moves).
    (3) Baseline showing summary of the fuction keys.

..press the F1 key to see the current Lin, Col, and End line.
  (press F1 now !!)
..press the F1 key again to see a summary of the function keys.

If you have a color monitor,
..press ALT F1 to change the color of the baseline.

..press F2 to view the text tabs and end of line !!
    <- this is how a tab appears under F2
..press F2 again to return to normal viewing mode

If you have a color monitor,
..press ALT F2 to change the color of the text.

..press F3 to get to the end (or start) of a line
  (Put the cursor on this line and hit F3 several times.)

..press ALT F3 to insert a line in front of where the cursor is
  (Put the cursor on this line and hit ALT F3).

At this point the F10 key needs introducing ..
Pressing the F10 key restores the work area from the text area,
and redisplays the work area line to the screen.  The restore works
only if the cursor has stayed on the current line during the editing,
and the Escape, Break, and F2 keys have not been pushed.

ALT F4 does the opposite of ALT F3, by deleting the current line.
If you accidentally delete a line with ALT F4, you can get it back if
the first thing you do after deleting the line is to hit the F10 key.

..press ALT F4 to delete this line 1 here
..press ALT F4 to delete then F10 to restore this line 1

F4 is used to truncate a line from cursor to end.  The F10 key will
recover the original line as long as the cursor has remained on the
current line and the Escape, Break, and F2 keys have not been pushed.

..press F4 to truncate this line here then F10 to restore
..press F4 to truncate this line here then F10 to restore

F5 copies the line above the current line to the current line.
This is a full line ditto.

  this is the line above the current line
..put the cursor on this line and press the F5 key.

If you want to ditto just a part of the line above the current line
(with the rest of the current line unchanged) use the CTL F5 key.
First use the ALT F7 mark to set the column range start on the source
line, and ALT F8 to mark the column range end.  Then hit CTL F5 on the
current line to ditto the column range to your current line.

If you want to copy the column range defined by the ALT F7 and ALT F8
keys to anywhere in the text file, put your cursor where you want the
column range to go, then hit the CTL F7 key.

The partial line ditto and column range copy described in the above
two paragraphs are admittedly ackward, but perhaps workable.

..ALT F5 splits a line into two parts to allow inserting characters
  into a line.  Then the ALT F6 key can be used to rejoin the line.
  (If the insert key were used for inserting chars, the line length
   could grow beyond the 72 or 80 col screen boundary.)
  Place the cursor on the column where you want to split the line,
  then press ALT F5, type the new characters, then ALT F6.

..the F6 key (lock) has two functions ..
  the primary function is to toggle between normal mode, where
  hitting the down arrow moves the cursor down while the screen
  remains stationary, and lock mode, where hitting the down arrow
  moves the screen up one line so that the cursor is 'locked' at
  a fixed vertical position on the screen.
  the secondary function is to set the column to which the return
  key will go when hit.  This column is set only when the F6 key sets
  lock mode and not when lock mode is reset.

..there is a way to lock the cursor onto a line and move the line
  up and down the screen.  You may need to do this if you are near the
  bottom of the screen and want to move your context up to the middle
  of the screen while retaining your place in the current line.
  To do this, hit CTL F6, then use the up/dn arrow to move the line.
  Hit CTL F6 again or <enter> to return to normal.

..ALT F6 joins the current line (where the cursor is) with the next
  line and automatically moves the cursor to the next line if the
  current line becomes filled with words from the next line.
  The cursor must not be on the bottom line of the screen when the
  join is preformed, else the editor will beep and not do the join.

  note - ALT F6 left justifies the line below the current line to the
  column set by the F6 key (initially column 1). You can check the
  column that is set by the F6 key by hitting <enter>.

..press ALT F7 to mark the current line number.  Then you can return
  to this line number at any time by simply pressing F7, so long as
  that line number still exists (hasn't been wiped out by deletion).
  Deleting or inserting lines in front of the marked line will change
  the actual line that corresponds to the marked line number.

.. the above notes apply to the F8 and F9 keys as well.

-- interesting note --

  The following symbols can be used to refer to line numbers, instead
  of typing in the actual line numbers ..
   # - refers to the last line number in the text file.
   $ - refers to the line after the last line in the text file.
  f7 - refers to the line number marked by the ALT F7 key.
  f8 - refers to the line number marked by the ALT F8 key.
  f9 - refers to the line number marked by the ALT F9 key.

  These symbols can be used in the Copy, Move, Del, and Print options
  in the menu section.

  This means that you don't need to use or remember actual line numbers
  when using this editor - if you set the ALT F7, ALT F8, and ALT F9
  line numbers correctly before entering the menu.
  Also, entering f7 (f8,f9) can be done automatically by hitting the
  F7 (F8,F9) key when entering the line numbers.

-- end of interesting note --

..once again .. The F10 key restores the current line in case of error.
  This works only if the cursor has stayed on the current line during
  the edit, and the Escape, Break, and F2 keys have not been pushed.


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        keys ..

Home     put cursor on top line, col 1, on screen
End    put cursor on bottom line, col 1, on screen

Ctrl Home    move to line 1, col 1, of text
Ctrl End    move to last line, col 1, of text

Pg Up    page backwards 23 lines in text file
Pg Dn    page forwards  23 lines in text file

Right    move right one column (or to next tab stop if tab found)
Left    move left one column (or back from tab stop if tab found)

Ctrl Right    move cursor to next word to the right
Ctrl Left    move cursor to next word to the left

Up    move cursor up one line (backwards one line in text file)
Dn    move cursor down one line (forwards one line in text file)

backspace    move cursor left one column (or back from tab stop)
        and erase character at that position

return    initially, mov cursor down to col 1 of next line.  The F6
    key can be used to set this point to any column.

tab        move right to next tab stop
backtab        move left to previous tab stop
        (hold down the shift key and press the tab key)

del    single character (including tab) delete

ins    single character insert MODE
    Subsequent characters (including tab) are inserted into line.
    Insert mode is automatically turned off by hitting return or
    an arrow key.  If insert is desired to stay on when moving from
    line to line, then select the 'Options' 'Insert' menu to toggle
    between 'normal' and 'sticky' insert mode. In 'sticky' mode, to
    to turn off the insert mode - hit the insert key again, or hit
    the Escape key twice (insert mode is turned off automatically
    upon return from the menu).

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menu ..

    Hit the Escape key to bring up the menu.
    When the menu is seen - the cursor disappears and
    menu items are selected using the left and right arrow keys
    and the <enter> key, or the 1st char of the item name.

    In general the Escape key undoes a menu selection.

    Ranges of lines are specified in the menu by giving the
    line numbers of the start and end lines inclusive.

    Ranges of line numbers (such as in Copy or Move)
    or sets of numbers (such as in Print Codes) can
    be separated by commas, blanks, periods, or hyphens.
    (A hyphen is a minus sign.)
    The numbers are always decimal integers (base 10).

    Also, as mentioned above, a special symbol (#,$,f7,f8,f9)
    may be used in place of any actual decimal line number. Just
    be sure ALT F7 (F8,F9) has been defined before it is used
    used in the menu.  The '#' (last line) and '$' (lin after last)
    are automatically defined on entry to the menu.


Copy    s1,s2,dd
    copy source line s1 thru source line s2
    in front of destination line dd.

    After the copy - the file will be correctly renumbered
    and the cursor will be on the copied s1 line.

    examples..

    copy 1,2,4
    Copy lines 1 thru 2 in front of line 4.

    --before--    --after--     --renumbered as--
        1              1        1
        2          2        2
        3          3        3
        4          --> 1        4
        5          2        5
       ...          4        6
              5        7
             ...           ...

    After the copy, the original line 4 will be line 6,
    original line 5 will be line 7, and so on thru the end of file.

    copy 1,2,#
    Copy lines 1 thru 2 in front of the last line in the file.

    copy 1,4,3
    Illegal - you can't split the source range during the copy.

    Legal ranges for destination dd for ..
    copy s1,s2,dd    are dd = 1..s1  and  dd = s2+1..#+1

    For example in a file with 5 lines, you can have ..
      copy 2,4,1    copy 2,4,2    for copies in front of source
      copy 2,4,5    copy 2,4,6    for copies below the source.
    The last option copies lines 2 thru 4 after the last line
    in the text.
      copy 2,4,3    copy 2,4,4    are both illegal.

    --note--
    Single lines can be copied to the line below (while in single
    line edit mode) by putting the cursor on the line below,
    hitting ALT F3 to insert a new line, then hitting the F5 key
    to copy the line from above to the current line.


Mov    s1,s2,dd
    move source line s1 thru source line s2
    in front of destination line dd.

    After the move, the file will be correctly renumbered
    and the cursor will be where line s1 was moved to.

    The same notes regarding legal ranges for the copy option
    apply for the move option.


Del    s1 [,s2]
    Delete source line s1 thru source line s2.

    After the delete, the file will be correctly renumbered
    and the cursor will be where on the 1st line after the
    delete source block (original line no s2+1).

    examples ..

    del 4,#
    Delete line 4 thru end of text file.
    After the delete, lines 1 thru 3 will remain, and
    the cursor will be under the last line in the file.

    del 5
    Delete line 5.  If you are deleting one line then the
    second source line number need not be given.

    --note--
    Lines can also be deleted while in single line edit mode by
    placing the cursor on the first line to be deleted and hitting
    the ALT F4 key.


GoTo    line no.
    Go to the given line number,
    and display this line in the center of the screen if possible.


Find    -- find a string --

    After typing in the string - a highlighted area will appear on
    the lower right with options -- " c  m  a / up  dn  / Esc ".

    Press "c" on the keyboard to select a case independent search.
    Press "c" again to return to normal case dependent mode.

    Press "m" to force the found string to appear in the middle
    of the screen (if at all possible).  If the string appears in
    the first 11 lines of the text file then it can't be displayed
    at the middle line of the screen, but otherwise it will be.
    The normal mode is to put the first occurence of the string
    in the middle of the screen and then retain the current screen
    as long as  possible before changing screens.

    Press "a" to specify a col range for the item to find.  If it
    is a single column, then only one number need be typed.

    The "dn" means a forward search beginning at the large cursor.
    Three equivalent keys (for variety) may be used for the search,
    -- Enter (or Return) key, right arrow, or down arrow.
    The "up" means a backward search beginning at the cursor.
    -- Backspace, left arrow, or up arrow may be used for this.

    To end the search - hit the Escape key.
    The next time the find is entered - the previous string is
    remembered and displayed.  To select it, hit return immediately
    and proceed with the find.  Otherwise just type in the new
    string to find.  As with all the options, you can hit Escape
    to get back to the main menu - to abend the find function.


Replace    ..
    Works like find.  Hit return (or backspace) whenever the
    target string is found to make the replace, or else hit
    an arrow key to skip to the next target string without
    making the replace.

Print    ..
    Print the given range of lines, and/or send print codes
    to the printer.     Works only for parallel printer port 1 (LPT1).

    The print codes are decimal integers separated by spaces, or
    commas such as "28 27 56 27 53", which can set the printer
    to letter quality or special data processing modes.

    The print range is a set of two numbers - the first and the
    last line number to print as "1 415" or "1,#" or "1 #".
    Recall that "#" is a symbol for the last line in the text file.
    The line numbers may optionally be followed by two colums.
    "1 415 20 40" would print cols 20 thru 40 of lines 1 thru 415.

    After selecting go - the task can be aborted by hitting
    the Escape key.


Options -- brings up secondary menu ..

    Area .. shows file size, free size, and percent use

      The filesize is the size of the text area in k (1024 chars).

      The free area is the amount of memory above the text area
      and below the maximum memory location in k (1024 chars).

      The percent use is the ratio of the text area to the total
      area (text area + free area).  Percent use increases from
      its initial value to a maximum of 100% as the text area
      increases.

      Take care when you have large percent use, so as not to
      overflow the available memory.  The amount of memory that
      is required for a copy (or move) is the text area plus the
      size of the block that is being copied (or moved).

    Line .. change between showing line numbers on the screen, with
      72 cols for each lin, and full screen mode with 80 cols.

    Tabs .. option to enable or disable writing tabs

      Change modes between writing tabs and not.

    -- writing tabs --
    Whether tabs area written is controlled by the write tabs
    option.  If a new file is being created by the editor, the
    default option is not to write tabs.  If an existing file is
    being edited, the editor scans the text area after loading the
    file and checks for a tab (9).  If a tab is found, the default
    option is set to write tabs, else the default is set to not
    write tabs.  In any case, this option can be changed from the
    menu by selecting Options then Tabs. (Hit the Escape key to
    bring up the menu).

    Tabs are written -- if the write tabs option is enabled --
    only when a new line is being created, or an old line is being
    extended in length.  Any movement key can be used to get to
    the desired tab stop location, then when typing begins at that
    location, the editor program automatically back fills the
    originally empty work area with tabs.  If the start position
    of the new character was not on a tab stop, then the leftover
    positions are filled with blanks.

    If the write tabs option is disabled, then the tab and backtab
    keys can still be used for cursor movement, but the editor will
    back fill an originally empty work area entirely with blanks.
    Thus the economy of tabs will not be obtained, but correct
    column alignment will be obtained.  In some cases it is nec-
    essary to disable tabs in a file, such as in a Fortran data
    file where each data item requires the same number of spaces,
    and where a tab would be counted only as one character - thus
    destoying alignment of the subsequent data on the line.

    Insert .. switch between normal insert mode, where insert mode
      turns off automatically when <enter> or an arrow key is pressed,
      and sticky mode, where insert mode turns off by hitting <ins>.

    File .. a way to look at the file name (in case you forgot it)
      and/or to rename the edited file.

      If you just want to look at the file name, then hit Escape
      or return immediately after veiwing the file name.
      Otherwise type in the desired file name.
      Then when the file is saved - the old file name on the disk
      will remain the same and the edited file will be written
      to disk with the given file name.

 -->    Note --  If the edited file is not renamed using this option,
    the editor will automatically rename the old disk file with
    an extension of ".BAK" before saving the edited file.
    If there is a file on disk that already has the old disk file
    name with ".BAK" extension - it will be deleted before renaming
    the disk file with the ".BAK" extension.  The edited file will
    then be written to disk with the old disk file name.

    This brings up the ability to save the edited file with the
    same file name as the old disk file name - without creating
    an annoying ".BAK" file if not wanted - by selecting the
    filename to be the same as the old disk file name.  The program
    will recognize that you typed in a file name for the edited
    file and will use it to save the edited file - bypassing the
    normal ".BAK" procedure which is done when no filename is
    given.

    Safe .. saves the current text file in memory to disk
    using the filename - or ".bak" convention if not renamed
    and returns back to single line edit mode if the save was
    successfull, or beeps and gives an error message otherwise.
    An error could occur if the disk drive were not ready or
    you ran out of space while writing to disk.


Save    --  saves the current text file in memory to disk
    using the filename - or ".bak" convention if not renamed
    and then immediately exits to DOS if the save was sucessfull,
    or beeps and gives an error message otherwise.


Quit    -- brings up secondary menu ..

    Return .. return to single line text edit mode

    Exit .. immediately exit the program without saving any edited
            changes to the text file.


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command line options ..

    w - wide screen mode .. bring up the editor in full display
      mode with a base status line.  Default is the line number
      display mode with no base line status.

    s - save short .. save the edited file to disk without
      the final "0d 0a 1a" (CR,LF,EOF) sequence.
      (CR = carriage return, LF = linefeed, EOF = end of file char)

      This is used when writing a BATCH file (extension ".BAT")
      to avoid DOS giving that annoying extra prompt after com-
      pleting the batch file.

    n - no ".BAK" created .. insures that no ".BAK" file will be
      created when saving the file.  This bypasses the way to avoid
      getting the ".BAK" file mentioned in menu Options File note
      above.

    l - force acceptance of a long line(s) .. forces the editor to
      accept lines longer than 256 chars (including CR and LF).
      Usually the 'line length error' message indicates a non-text
      file, which should'nt be edited !!

    r - word wrap .. causes the editor to move the current word to
      the next line if the right screen boundary is reached while
      typing the word.

e.g. the following edits MYFILE in wide screen mode with no ".BAK" ..
A>edit MYFILE nw

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    Hope you enjoy the editor --  ed. (H. Wauchope  ph 214-670-3211)

    Trailing Edge Technology   1500 Marilla #4AS   Dallas, Tx 75201

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