elsewhere...




Tips and Miscellaneous Things that don't fit



















'fillRegion' on the text.

'fillColumn' to a very large number and executing

can be mapped back to paragraph mode by setting

file, it asks the user whether or not to remap it. Files

Therefore, when Alpha detects reads a paragraph-mode



paragraph formatted file while not in paragraph mode.

there are valid reasons why someone might want to edit a

transparently convert to and from this format because

format' in the rest of the help text. Alpha does not

the fly. This is what is referred to as 'paragraph

of paragraphs, so that they can wrap  the paragraphs on

Word and MacWrite only put carriage returns at the end

ordinary mac format. Word processors such as Microsoft

The fourth file format is just a modification of the



through the 'Format' button.

you to specify the format that a file is written in

use different formats, but the 'SaveAs...' dialog allows

these formats. You don't have to do anything special to

Alpha will transparently read and write all three of



return and linefeed. Typical, isn't it?).

linefeed), and IBM pc (lines end with both carriage

(lines end with a carriage return), unix (lines end with

four) different formats. The three main formats are mac

Alpha reads and writes files stored in three (or maybe






File Formats













your desktop in order to see them.

Alpha 3.6 has new color icons. You may need to rebuild



advantage of temporary memory.

system in Alpha's heap, and therefore cannot take

Note, however, that the clipboard is allocated by the



through 'useTempMem'.

the memory in your system. You can turn this feature off

across WaitNextEvent calls and may eventually use all

admonishments, Alpha does not unlock temporary memory

unavailable to other applications. Contrary to all

using temporary memory makes that much memory

if the system has that much memory available. Note that

files even when Alpha's partition is set only at 512k,

large files. This allows you to open multi-megabyte

Under 7.0, Alpha uses temporary memory to accommodate



eventually will.

yet supports "error" apple events, as I hope they

don't own it, but my understanding is that they do not

they publish them. I am unable to work with MPW as I

editors. If so, I'll accommodate their events as soon as

that Symantec will open up their system to third-party

In addition, there is always the (faint) possibility



for example.

events, such as those having to do with spell checking,

mythical Apple Events Registry I intend to support other

PrintDoc, and QuitApp. If I ever get hold of this

"required" high-level events: OpenApp, OpenDoc,

However, Alpha currently only supports only the four

Alpha is 32-bit clean and high-level event aware.






System Software 7.0 and Alpha



















the old mac template uses the option key.

the 'control' key for emacs command combinations, while

not necessary. The default MacII template is set up w/

Macs have both an escape and a command key, so this is

and use the option key for the emacs command key. Newer

To do this, we map the escape key to the backquote key



key as the 'control key'.

for menu equivalents, so old macs have to use the option

key and a control key.  The Apple command key is used

emulation of emacs key bindings. Emacs uses an escape

other mac application. Problems arise in ALPHA's

ALPHA's default setup uses the command key like any






The Dreaded Option Key



  LF's and CR's.

• zapInvisibles - removes chars < ascii 32, except for

  together.

  than 1k. Consecutive deletes are concatenated.

• yank - insert the last piece of deleted text of less

• winSearch - brings up search and replace dialog

  uppercase in the current word

• upcaseWord - convert all lowercase letters to

  uppercase in the current region

• upcaseRegion - convert all lowercase letters to

• undo - undo the last action that has not been undone

• tileVert - tile the windows vertically

  set horizontal and vertical amount

• tileOrder - offset each window from the previous by a

• tileHor - tile the windows horizontally

• tileFull - make all windows "full screen"

• tabsToSpaces - convert tabs in selection to spaces.

• startKeyboardMacro - start recording keyboard macro

  shift key in the next keystroke

  keystroke combination, in the same manner as using the

• startEscape - used to further modify the next

• spacesToTabs - convert spaces in selection to tabs

  tab

• shiftRegionRight - shift the current region right a

• shiftRegionLeft - shifts the current region left a tab

  in macros

• setNamedMark - set a named mark in a file, use 'mark'

• setMark - set the current mark to the insertion point

• set - macro-only func to set var values, see examples

  next occurrence

• searchRfa - replace the current selection and find

• searchReplace - replace the current selection

  current file

• searchRall - replace all further occurrences in the

  searches

• searchEnter - use current selection for future

  the up arrow in the vertical scrollbar is selected

• scrollUpLine - same action as that which occurs when

  selected

  the right arrow in the horizontal scrollbar is

• scrollRightCol - same action as that which occurs when

  the left arrow in the horizontal scrollbar is selected

• scrollLeftCol - same action as that which occurs when

  the down arrow in the vertical scrollbar is selected

• scrollDownLine - same action as that which occurs when

• saveVars - save variable state, see 'restoreVars'

• revert - revert the file to it's last saved version

  see 'saveVars'

• restoreVars - restore variables to saved state,

• repeatSearchForward - repeat search forward

• repeatSearchBackward - repeat search backward

  all selected lines.

• removeSuffix - remove the suffix string before

  all selected lines.

• removePrefix - remove the prefix string before

• removeMark - allows marks to be removed.

  not redone

• redo - redo the next action that has been undone but

  between the mark and the insertion point.

• rectMarkHilite - creates a rectangular selection

  fileset to file specified by variable 'protoFile'.

• protoFileSet - Send prototypes of all files in current

  routines to file specified by variable 'protoFile'.

all

• protoFile - Prompt for file, and send prototypes of

  line

• previousLine - move insertion point to the previous

• prevWindow - select previous window

• prevLineSelect - extend selection to the previous line

  in the next keystroke

  combination, in the same manner as using the shift key

• prefixChar - used to further modify the next keystroke

• pasteClip - paste to named clipboard

  or 'copy'

• paste - insert the last chunk of text created by 'cut'

  insertion point if 'moveInsertion' enabled

• pageForward - display next screenful, move the

  insertion point if 'moveInsertion' enabled

• pageBack - display prev screenful, move the

  one and move the insertion point to it

• openLine - insert a new line following the current

  into a single space.

• oneSpace - converts whitespace surrounding insertion

• nextWindow - select next window

• nextLine - move insertion point to next line

• nextLineSelect - extend selection to the next line

  first line displayed

• moveInsertionHere - move the insertion point to the

  insertion point

  character that matches the character after the current

• matchBrace - moves the insertion point to the

  point and the mark is selected.

  is not a selection, the region between the insertion

  insertion point around the old selection. If there

  selection is unhilited, leaving the mark and the

  menu. If there is a currently hilited selection, the

• markHilite - This is the 'Hilite' from the 'Edit'

  loaded text take effect

  bindings or macro definitions are present in the

  nothing is hilited. 'load'ing means that whatever

• loadFile - loads hilited text, or entire window if

• killWindow - kill current window

  and move succeeding lines up one.

  of the line. If the line has no text, delete the line

• killLine - kill text from insertion point to the end

  Can be used to create bindings in 'Alphabits'.

  representing and modifiers into the current window.

• keyCode - insert the key code along w/ a string

  necessary.

  of the keydown event, plus a modifier string, if

• keyAscii - insert ascii representation (in decimal)

  macro (including the keyboard macro) many times.

  window. Also can be used to execute any function or

  times. "option-u 44 =" inserts 44 '='s into current

• iterationCount - allows actions to be repeated many

  line number along w/ the total number of lines in file

  is on the first line shown, and display the current

• insertToTop - make the line that the insertion point

  all selected lines.

• insertSuffix - insert the suffix string before

  all selected lines.

• insertPrefix - insert the prefix string before

  undoable.

  corresponding file into the current window. Not

• insertFile - prompts for a file name and inserts the

  into text.

• insertAscii - prompts for an ASCII code and inserts

  of the non-white space text

  indented and the selection is placed at the start

  before first non-white space of line, the line is

• indentLine - semi-intelligent indent. If cursor is

  find the include file.

  the suffix and use the var 'includePath' to try to

• includeFile - expand the current selection to include

• gotoMark - goto named mark, use 'mark' in macros.

• gotoLine - go to a line number

  into the current window

  and paste the complete path-name of the chosen file

• getPathName - present the user w/ a SFGetFIle dialog

• getHelp - display help dialog

  current insertion point

• getAscii - displays the ASCII code for character at

  memory reserves of ALPHA

• freeMem - give a rough approximation of the current

• forwardWord - move insertion one word forward

• forwardChar - move insertion one character forward

  forward

• forwardCharSelect - extend selection one character

• foreColor - set foreground (text) color

• findFile - open a new file

  definition

  to use the file 'cTAGS' to locate the function's

• findTag - prompt user for a function name and attempt

  'fillColumn'.

  and the selection to the column specified by

• fillRegion - wrap the region specified by the 'mark'

  and 'paraEnd' (see the regular expression section).

  paragraph are specified by the variables 'paraBegin'

  selection to the 'fillColumn'. The limits of the

• fillParagraph - wrap the paragraph around the

• fileRemove - prompts for a file, and removes it

  modification time, and creation time

  creator, sizes of both data and resource forks, last

• fileInfo - prompts for a file, and displays type,

  macro

• executeKeyboardMacro - execute the current keyboard

  space and tab keys act as "completion" commands.

• execute - prompt user for a function or macro. The

  w/ the current insertion point

• exchangePointAndmark - exchange the current 'mark'

• endOfLine - move insertion to the end of the line

• endOfBuffer - move insertion to the end of the buffer

• endKeyboardMacro - stop recording keyboard macro

• endLineSelect - extend selection to the end of line

  buffer

• endBufferSelect - extend selection to the end of the

  correct line and open a new line

• electricRightBrace - insert a right brace on the

  line and indent to the "proper" level.

  sure that the brace is on a new line, open a further

• electricLeftBrace - if 'electricLBrace' is set, make

  macro into the current buffer

  keyboard macro and then dumps a definition of the

• dumpMacro - prompts the user to name the current

  format.

  colors into the current buffer in Alpha-readable

• dumpColors - dump current foreground and background

  lowercase in current word

• downcaseWord - changes all uppercase letters to

  lowercase in current region

• downcaseRegion - changes all uppercase letters to

• doZoom - zooms the current window

• doQuit - quits ALPHA

• doTab - insert a tab

  indent the new line

  electricSemi' is set, insert a carriage return and

• doElectricSemi - insert semicolon, and if '

• doSave - saves current window

• doNew - opens an untitled window

• deleteSelection - delete current position, don't save

• deleteWord - delete word after cursor

• deleteChar - delete char AFTER cursor

• cutClip - cut to named clipboard

• cut - deletes and saves region

• currentPosition - displays current and total bytes.

  in a file called 'cTAGS'.

  and saves the locations of any function declarations

• createTagFile - searches all files in current file set

• copyClip - copy to named clipboard

• copy - copy region

• closeAll - close all windows

  the middle.

• centerRedraw - redraw window with current line in

  line if the variable 'indentOnCR' is set to 'on'

• carriageReturn - insert carriage return, indent new

• capitalizeWord - capitalize word

  region

• capitalizeRegion - capitalize all words in selected

  the line

• beginningOfLine - move insertion to the beginning of

  of the buffer

• beginningOfBuffer - move insertion to the beginning

  beginning of the line

• beginningLineSelect - extend selection to the

  beginning of the buffer

• beginningBufferSelect - extend selection to the

  brackets that encloses the current selection

• balance - selects smallest set of parens, braces, or

• backwardWord - moves insertion one char back

• backwardDeleteWord - deletes previous word

• backwardChar - moves insertion one char back

• backwardCharSelect - extends selection one char back

• backColor - set background color

• abortEm - aborts whatever is currently happening



but through pattern-matching the string "^[^

above, 'C' functions are detected not through parsing,

Several functions deal with 'C' functions. As stated



selected.

commands also work on blocks of text that are currently

status line will say 'Mark set'. All of the region

You will always know when the mark is set because the

commands such as 'beginningOfBuffer' or 'endOfBuffer'.

current 'mark' is set by the 'setMark' command, or

between the current 'mark', and the insertion point. The

from emacs and are used to refer to all of the text

Many of the commands manipulate 'regions'. Regions come