home
***
CD-ROM
|
disk
|
FTP
|
other
***
search
/
Top Ten Mega Games 2
/
TOP_TEN_Mega_Games_2.iso
/
WIN95
/
PFE0601I
/
README.TXT
< prev
Wrap
Text File
|
1995-03-24
|
15KB
|
373 lines
Programmer's File Editor
------------------------
Welcome to Programmer's File Editor. This file is the place to start looking at
the program: if you've not seen PFE before there's a synopsis of its main
features; and if you've used earlier versions there's some essential
information on major changes.
Below you'll find
1. ABSTRACT
A brief list of PFE's main features
2. USING AND DISTRIBUTING PFE
The terms on which you can use it and pass it on
3. CONTACTING THE AUTHOR
How to pass on your criticisms, suggestions, bug reports
and maybe even praise
4. WHERE TO GET PFE
Places to look for PFE on the Internet and elsewhere
5. UPGRADING FROM 0.05.007 AND EARLIER
Important information if you're currently using the previous
release
6. OTHER FILES YOU SHOULD LOOK AT
The other important text files in this release
7. THE FILES YOU SHOULD GET
What should be in your distribution set
8. INSTALLING PFE
How to install everything
9. WHICH VERSION SHOULD YOU USE?
How to pick the most appropriate version
---
Alan Phillips ( A.Phillips@lancaster.ac.uk )
March 1995
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------
1. ABSTRACT
-----------
This is the 0.06.001 release of Programmer's File Editor, a large-capacity
multi-file programming oriented editor for Windows 3.1x, Windows NT on Intel
and PowerPC platforms, and Windows 95
PFE includes the following features:
- The size of file it can handle is limited only by the total amount of
virtual memory available
- No arbitrary limit on the number of lines a file can contain
- It can edit multiple files, the number being limited only by the
available system resources
- Accepts files dropped from File Manager or other drag-drop server
- Allows multiple edit windows showing the same file
- Multi-level undo facility
- Can read and write files in UNIX format using LF as line terminator, with
automatic format detection
- Can run multiple instances if desired
- Backup copies can be maintained of existing files when saving
- Most-recently-used list of files allows easy selection between sessions
- Line numbers can be shown in any edit window if required
- Any installed fixed-pitch screen font, including TrueType, can be used in
edit windows
- The most frequent operations can be performed from active buttons on a
tear-off toolbar
- Active status bar reports settings and allows easy alteration of common ones
- Text can be copied and moved by dragging and dropping
- Tabs can be inserted as TAB characters or spaces
- DOS commands, such as compilers, can be run with the output captured
in an edit window
- An application being developed can be quickly launched from a configurable
dialog
- Commonly-used text can be inserted in a simple operation from template
libraries
- Fully-remappable keyboard, including two-key operation similar to MicroEMACS
and mapping of Alt keys to functions
- Multiple sets of key mappings can be stored, and selected as required from
a dialog or from the command line
- Keystrokes and menu commands can be recorded in a replayable keyboard macro
- Commonly-used program development tools can be configured into a list
and started simply from a dialog
- Files can be printed either in total, by line range, or selected text only
- Automatic line indenting and removal of trailing spaces
- Automatic configuration of edit options depending on file type
- Automatic configuration of tab sizes depending on file type
- Automatic brace alignment when editing C source
- Text indent/undent operations
- Optional automatic text wrapping at configurable margin
- Can mail files to MAPI-compliant mailers like Microsoft Mail
- User-configurable help menu
- Comprehensive help file with help buttons on all dialogs and F1 help
available for system messages
- Mouse help available on screen and menu items
- Double click on right button starts help engine for help on keywords
in edit windows
- Allows Windows to be closed down and the system rebooted from the system menu
- Uses standard MDI methods to be fully compatible with other Windows apps
- All operations are TWI compliant
- Windows can be tiled vertically to maximize width
- Window text, window background, workspace, toolbar and status bar colours
fully configurable
Additionally, the editor can be controlled by another application across a
DDE client-server link.
2. USING AND DISTRIBUTING PFE
-----------------------------
PFE may be used in any way, for any purpose, at no cost. In may be distributed
by any means, provided that the original files as supplied by the author remain
intact and no charge is made other than for reasonable distribution costs.
You do not need to register to use PFE or buy a licence.
PFE may be placed on any archive or BBS system
PFE may not be distributed as an essential component of any commercial product
without a prior license agreement with the author
3. CONTACTING THE AUTHOR
------------------------
I would very much appreciate hearing from you if you use PFE and find problems,
or if you can think of ways it could be improved - and even (or is that
'especially'?) if you just think it's great. Even if the facility you would
like to see appears to be of interest only to you, tell me about it - you'd be
surprised how many ideas in that class have a much wider appeal.
You can contact me by e-mail at
A.Phillips@lancaster.ac.uk
I will try to reply to all the mail I receive, but it may take a week or so if
I'm very busy.
Please DON'T mail me on CompuServe - you may find an account there with my name
on it, but it's owned by my employers and I don't visit it often. I don't
respond to mail I find there not related to work, sorry. If YOU are on
CompuServe it's easy to mail me on the Internet - just address the mail to
>internet:A.Phillips@lancaster.ac.uk
However, this may cost you a little more than mail to other CompuServe users
4. WHERE TO GET PFE
-------------------
PFE is distributed in three ZIP files. The names they have when they
leave me are
pfe0601.zip The 16-bit edition for Windows 3.1x
pfe0601i.zip The 32-bit edition for Windows 95 and Windows NT
on Intel platforms
pfe0601p.zip The 32-bit edition for Windows NT on PowerPC
platforms
[Note that the characters after 'pfe' are digits zero-six-zero-one]
I post PFE to three main archive sites:
- For the UK Higher Education sector, it's available in the HENSA/micros
archive on the micros.hensa.ac.uk system; use Internet ftp, Gopher or
WWW to find it
- On the Internet, I place copies on two archives:
oak.oakland.edu (SimTel)
ftp.cica.indiana.edu
On Usenet, I post an announcement of each release to the
comp.os.ms-windows.announce, comp.os.ms-windows.utilities and comp.editors
groups, and send the distribution set to the moderator of the comp.binaries.ms-windows
group for posting.
Though I do not place it there myself, copies should be available from
CompuServe in the WINSHARE forum within a few days of each release. The
filenames there will be
pfe61.zip The 16-bit edition for Windows 3.1x
pfe61i.zip The 32-bit edition for Windows 95 and Windows NT
on Intel platforms
pfe61p.zip The 32-bit edition for Windows NT on PowerPC
platforms
If you have a favourite BBS or archive that does not yet have a copy, I would
very much appreciate your posting a copy there too.
5. UPGRADING FROM 0.05.007 AND EARLIER
--------------------------------------
The release of PFE prior to this one was 0.05.007. If you are using this,
you'll find that your keymap (.key) files and template (.tpl) files will
continue to work. Keymap files prodiced with earlier releases than 0.05.007
won't be recognised.
However, there have been many changes to the initialisation file (pfe.ini or
pfe32.ini depending on the edition you use).
The first major change is that you no longer ever need to edit it to change
options. Now there's an Options Preferences command that does it all - and
you'll find that there are lots more options to choose from too.
The second major change involves the filters you define for the file open
dialogs. Your existing ones will not be recognised, so please use Options
Preferences to redefine them.
Thirdly, the way the various Windows "managers" (like File Manager and
Print Manager) are handled from the Execute menu has changed, allowing you
to start a full command line with arguments. Your existing definitions will
not be used; again, please use Options Preferences to set up what you want.
Finally, the system of associating file and window modes with file extensions
has been completely redesigned. The modes you can set now include window and
text colours; and instead of mapping a single extension to a set of modes, you
now build "mode groups" containing wildcarded filename patterns, each of which
has a set of modes associated with it. Again your old mode settings won't be
recognised, so you'll need to use Options Preferences to use the new system.
If you wish, you can remove the [fileopen-filters], [modes] and [managers]
sections from your initialisation file.
One other change to note is that the default extension used for making backup
files has changed from ".&&&" to ".$$$". You can also customise it with the
Options Preferences command
6. OTHER FILES YOU SHOULD LOOK AT
---------------------------------
The distribution set contains several other text files of important
information.
For the answers to some of the common questions that users have, see FAQ.TXT.
Looking in here can save you a lot of worry and experimentation, and save you
from posting your question to newsgroups and mailing lists.
The CHANGES.TXT file tells you what's changed from earlier releases. If you
find something unexpected going on, look in here too - it could be a feature
rather than a bug.
The PROBLEMS.TXT file tells you about any major problems that were discovered
too late to be addressed in this release, and what you can do if you hit them.
7. THE FILES YOU SHOULD GET
---------------------------
There are a small number of files in the PFE distribution. You should find the
following items:
16-bit Edition:
pfe.exe The editor itself
pfe.hlp The help file
$pfedos.exe A helper module, needed to run commands and
capture output
$pfedos.pif The PIF file for this module
readme.txt This file
changes.txt Changes from previous releases
faq.txt Frequently Asked Questions
problems.txt Information on late-breaking problems
32-bit Edition (Intel):
pfe32.exe The editor itself
pfe32.dbg Debugging symbols
pfe.hlp The help file
$pfeds32.exe A helper module, needed to run commands and
capture output
readme.txt This file
changes.txt Changes from previous releases
faq.txt Frequently Asked Questions
problems.txt Information on late-breaking problems
32-bit Edition (PowerPC):
pfe32.exe The editor itself
pfe.hlp The help file
$pfeds32.exe A helper module, needed to run commands and
capture output
readme.txt This file
changes.txt Changes from previous releases
faq.txt Frequently Asked Questions
problems.txt Information on late-breaking problems
The help file pfe.hlp is identical for the 16-bit and 32-bit editions.
8. INSTALLING PFE
-----------------
There is no setup program for PFE, as it doesn't really need one. Installation
is done by simply copying the supplied files:
16-bit Edition:
Copy pfe.exe, pfe.hlp, $pfedos.exe and $pfedos.pif to a suitable directory.
This need not be on your path; but it's important that all the files are
in the _same_ directory
32-bit Edition:
Copy pfe32.exe, pfe.hlp, $pfeds32.exe to a suitable directory. This need not
be on your path; but it's important that all the files are in the _same_
directory. If you have the Intel version you might like to copy pfe32.dbg into
this directory also; in the event of a program fault your Dr Watson logs will
contain a symbolic trace, which will make problem diagnosis easier if you're
able to mail the details to me.
It's a good idea to keep the 16-bit and 32-bit editions in the same place; then
you will need only one copy of the help file.
After you've installed PFE, the best thing to do is start it up, then use the
Options Preferences command to explore the customisation options and set it up
to run as you prefer.
9. WHICH VERSION SHOULD YOU USE?
--------------------------------
The Windows, Windows NT and Windows 95 operating systems allow you a lot of
flexibility in what versions of programs you can run. The pros and cons of
the various combinations are these:
System Edition Comments
------ ------- --------
Windows 3.1x 16-bit RECOMMENDED. All facilities will be available,
and this combination is tested in development
32-bit Intel Will run if you have Win32s 1.20. You will not
be able to run commands and capture output, and
you may find the program crashes when you try
to setup your printer. 3D dialog effects are
not available. This combination is not tested in
development
Windows NT 3.1 32-bit Intel Will not run
(Intel) 16-bit Intel Will run (see Windows NT 3.5) but you should
really upgrade to Windows NT 3.5
Windows NT 3.5 32-bit Intel RECOMMENDED. All facilities will be available,
(Intel) and this combination is tested in development
16-bit Will run, but you will not be able to run
commands and capture output. This combination
is not tested in development
Windows NT 3.5 32-bit PowerPC RECOMMENDED. This is the only version that will
(PowerPC) run in this environment; there is no choice. This
combination is not tested in development.
Windows 95 32-bit Intel RECOMMENDED. All facilities are available, but
at this release integration with the Windows 95
look and feel is not complete. This combination
is tested in development on Beta M7
16-bit Intel Should run, but you will not be able to run
commands and capture output. This combination
is not tested in development