Welcome to Unicorn Editor, my styled text editor based on the WASTE text engine. It is a small, easy to use program which fill the gap between SimpleText and a full featured word processor. For oriental people, it fills a void for a stand alone styled text editor for double byte language with built-in font and input method support. Unicorn Editor v1.0 is a ShareWare ($10). If you like the program, please support shareware concept by paying the registration fee.
This WorldScript compatible style text editor for both 68K and PPC Macintosh is back engineered based on the features of the popular Tex-Edit Plus. Because both Tex-Edit Plus and Unicorn Editor use WASTE text engine, one should find that the two programs share a lot of similarities in the text editing features. While this program is not exactly the Tex-Edit Plus yet, especially in sound and picture handling, the text handling is further enhanced with various oriental language code set translation, input method support and custom bitmap fonts support. The program was writen in C and compiled with CodeWarrior 8.
In a word, the position of the Unicorn Editor, just as the popular Tex-Edit Plus, is somewhere between a full featured word processor and the SimpleText editor. It is a very good text editor for 2-byte language with built-in font and input method support.
1) Built-in Various Double-Byte Oriental Language Input Methods Support:
Unicorn Editor implements the double byte oriental language input method found in MacBlue Telnet, including traditional Chinese, simplified Chinese, Japanese, Korean. Basically, one can use the same input method modules for these language code set which is available from internet for free. To see what is available, please check
<URL:ftp://cnd.org/pub/software/mac/input>
Other input methods can also be added from the CXterm counter-part by using MacBlue's hzBuilt application which is distributed with the MacBlue Telnet.
The input method support is meant for those who wants alternative input methods besides the Apple supported OS, such as CLK or Chinese Talk, etc. For those who have a Roman script system, the Unicorn Editor is a perfect input environment. For those who does not want the Chinese OS at all, Unicorn Editor can still input double byte languages and allow styled editing.
2) Common Oriental Language Code Set Support:
Support for inter-conversion between different Chinese code set, such as HZ, GB, Big5. In the File menu, there are two items: import and export which deal with the code set conversion. For example, if you choose to export HZ (from simplified Chinese), the current document (assume it is all simplified Chinese) will be translated into HZ. The char/line of the translated HZ coded Chinese is controlled by the preference dialog under special popup. With the inter-conversion of various code, a Macintosh with only one Chinese script system can also input and read different coded Chinese. For example, if your Mac has only GB system, this program will allow you to import to view or to export a Big5 file via code conversion after viewing and editing the original file in GB. The addition of other language coding support such as Japenese (EUC) is feasible if someone can give me a pointer.
3) Worldscipt support:
In a system with Worldscript II installed, 2-byte languages such as Chinese, Japanese, Korean can be handled perfectly. If you have a Chinese system active now, you can paste the date from the edit menu, the date is pasted in the current cursor position with the right script and font. You can also mix all different languages in a single document as long as the corresponding language script is available in the system resource.
4) QuickDraw GX aware:
In a system with QuickDraw GX installed, the program utilizes some GX functionality for printing, although this is not the full GX printing support, i.e., the support for custom page setup, print one copy is still missing from the menu bar. Anyway, for a simple text editor, I did not see the use of a custom page setup for each pages, the print one copy functionality is already implemented and used in the destop drag and drop printing even though missing from the file menu. (The GX printing with the custom Chinese, Korean, Japanese fonts is possible but not recommended. Because GX printing has a fixed resolution (72bpi) with regardless of printer resolution, I strongly suggest to turn the GX printing off if user wants to print with custom bitmap font. )
5) PowerPC support:
This is a FAT binary distribution, i.e., it provides native speed on both the old 68K Macintosh and the PPC Power Macintosh.
6) Beyond 32k document support:
Capable of opening document of size larger than 32k as long as your RAM allows. Unlike the SimpleText and the TeachText which can not handle >32k files, Unicorn Editor can support any size as long as your RAM allows.
7) Drag and Drop support:
If your Macintosh has Drag and Drop extension installed, you can use the drag and drop feature in your editing.
8) Internet Configuration Support:
If your system has the IC support, by command-click any URL, the Unicorn Editor will automatically launch the corresponding application and make the internet link. try to command-click following if you have internet connection:
<URL:ftp://cnd.org/pub/software/mac/>
Internet Config 1.1 can be obtained from most Mac archieve ftp sites. It must be configured first because this program can use the features. Currently the applications which support Internet Config include Anarchie 1.6, YA-NewsWatcher 2.0, Fetch 3.0, etc.
The internet configuration support made Unicorn Editor a perfect viewer for WWW. For any URL link, a command click on the URL will take you back to the internet client.
9) Built-in Bitmap Font Support for Simple Editing and Viewing:
if you do not have any Chinese system support, but still want to edit or view Chinese, Unicorn Editor also provide styled editing capability. To activate this feacture, one has to go to the special popup in the preference dialog and check the "use custom HanZi font" checkbox. Any new document created or opened after this action will be able to use HanZi bitmap font in the styled text. (The document created or opened earlier will have the wrong hook and remain Hanzi bitmap font incompatible. To correct this, close them and re-open. )
10) Balloon Help:
Most of the menu item and dialog have balloon help support. For any questions, user can turn on the balloon help for learn more about the Editor's functionality.
