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** ——— **
***** Why Dot-Commands *****
While ProTERM is not formally a word processing application, the ProTERM editor is extremely robust, can open most any document, and has basic formatting commands called dot-commands. Dot-commands allow a powerful mode of basic page layout, such as left and right margins, paragraph margins (indent and hanging), justification and line spacing. All of the documents in the ProTERM Help files are formatted with dot-commands. When the documents are opened directly from the ProTERM Help folder or the PTMM Help folder using the Open command from the File menu, you will see the documents in their “raw” unformatted form, and with the dot-commands visible. Look through some of them (including this one) for example formatting.
***** Formatting of =This= Document *****
Parts of this document are preformatted, (some actual dot-commands are not used in this document). The reason is because this document is in the ProTERM Help menu, and the Help menu folder has special properties that cause a file to be automatically formatted as set by any embedded commands (which is what this file is all about. So we had to use some license in how to format this document. Many examples of dot-command formatting are shown with a TILDE character instead of the normal ORDMASCULINE character, because we wanted to show which command is causing what you see. More details follow below. See “Faux Commands”
ProTERM's dot-commands provide a unique method of easily performing sophisticated, and even complex ASCII text formatting.
~LM3~~PM-2~~RM-10~
ºLM3ººPM-2ººRM-10º
o Just as an artist can successfully paint using just one color, ProTERM is perfectly capable of printing and uploading text without the use of dot-commands.
o However, like an artist's palette, dot-commands give depth, character, and style to a "flat-white" document.
o These extraordinary power tools give the user additional levels of command over transferred or printed text, and text to be read on the screen. In addition, any file containing dot-commands that is placed in a ProTERM Help folder automatically shows the special formatting, when the file is opened from a ProTERM Help menu. In addition, the files in a Help folder can even show an Index of the file.
o Placing a dot-command on a page (referred to as "embedding" the command) allows formatting of left and right margins, center justification, indented or 'hanging' paragraphs, page numbering, forced form feeds and much more.
ºLMººPMººRM+10º
~LM~~PM~~RM+10~
**** Overview ****
Dot-commands are created by placing special instructions between sets of special characters named the ordmasculine character. This character is created with the OPTION+ZERO keys. An ordmasculine looks like a little underlined ohh, or “degree” mark. These characters are unique and likely different from anything else normally found in a text document.
Dot-command instructions are simple two-letter commands and some commands can also include numbers. Dot-commands are recognized as special instructions when the ordmasculine and dot-command instructions are presented in a special format. The combination creates dot-commands that are recognized by ProTERM as formatting instructions.
The commands are mnemonic (intended to assist the memory), because they look like what they do) and are easy to remember. Commands such as LM=Left Margin, RM=Right Margin, PM=Paragraph Margin, or -RM5 as well as +RM5 which can subtract and add to the current setting of the command, are magically converted into special text handling and formatting instructions as their characters imply.
Dot-commands are not case sensitive, and can be in UPPERcase, lowercase, or mixed. The actual dot-command instructions in this text are shown as uppercase because its easier to distinguish certain characters when viewed in uppercase.
**** Faux Commands ****
(faux adj. false or imitation)
SPECIAL NOTE ON USE OF “FAUX” COMMANDS:
Where dot-commands examples are used as example, and in discussion here, some the dot-commands in those examples are substituted with false or “faux” TILDE character (~), because some of the needed commands within the text and out of context cause the formatting of the document to go out of control. Wherever you see a command with a TILDE, understand that the TILDE is an implied ordmasculine “dot-command” (OPTION+ZERO) character.
EXAMPLE: This next, and many other example paragraphs are set up with both, the faux and real ordmasculine characters. If you open this file directly from the ProTERM Help menu, you can select the example sets of dot-commands in this document, such as the following sample text, then choose Format Test from the Edit menu to see the results:
~LM10~ ~RM70~ ~CJ~
ºLM10º ºRM70º ºCJº
These three commands, respectively set the left margin to 10, the right margin to 70, and center justify (center) the text on the page.
ºLM0ººRM80ººLJº
~LM0~~RM80~~LJ~ ~REM “These commands counter the above commands”~
~REM “resetting the values back to normal.”~
~REM “(The REM command allows hidden comments.)”~
Rules:
o While dot-commands can be embedded in text, desired results are not
guaranteed unless the dot-commands occupy a clear line.
o The commands can be placed anywhere on the line they occupy, that is, they
do not need to touch the left margin.
o They can be adjacent to each other or separated.
o Dot-commands must be enclosed within its own pair of ordmasculine
characters. When using commands in combination, one after the other,
be sure each command is enclosed within its own set of ordmasculines.
o One command can be added to, or subtracted from by a following command. That
is, a command that set the left margin to 10 ~LM10~ would be cancelled if a
following command set ~LM0~ or set to left margin 20 if the ~LM10~ command
were entered a second time.
After applying the commands, select the text to be affected, and chose Format Test from the Edit menu to check your work.
EXAMPLE: Select the following dot-commands and the text from the following
two paragraphs, and choose Format Test from the Edit menu to see
the results of the following dot-commands:
~LM7~~PM-4~
ºLM7ººPM-4º
The text following the dot-commands is automatically formatted as shown in this example. This command tells ProTERM to use a Left Margin of 7 (LM7) for the following text and a Paragraph Margin of minus 4 (PM-4) This sets the left margin to 7 but whenever a new paragraph begins, the first line of the new paragraph “hangs” out four columns into the left margin because of PM-4 dot-command sets the beginning of the paragraph to minus four columns left of the set paragraph margin.
~RM70~
ºRM70º
Note that the dot-commands from the above paragraph also effect this paragraph. Also note that a right margin control is added to this paragraph, so this paragraph is set in from the left margin. ~RM-10~ would set the same margin, because that would subtract 10 columns from the afore set 80 column right margin. The right margin can be reset by using ~+RM10~ or ~RM80~, both would cause the same effect. The dot-commands following this paragraphs counteracts their leading counterpart commands, and sets the changed margins back to zero and 80. They are the same as if LM0 and PM0 (the “0” is zero — not uppercase ohhs). The right margin is also set back to 80. As you may note, ~LM~ and ~LM0~ are the same command.
ºLMººRM80ººPMº
~LM~~RM80~~PM~
***** Dot Command Types *****
**** Reply Format ****
__________
|>...... | Reply Commnt On ~RE(" > ")~
|>...... | Reply Commnt Off ~RE~
|>.......|
|________|
EXAMPLE: Select the following dot-commands and text, and choose
Format Test from the Edit menu to see the results:
~RE(“ > ”)~
ºRE(“ > ”)º
The above command begins a Reply Format using a “>” for a reply character.
A couple of often used and valuable dot-commands, the “reply commands” are set up for use as Function keys F-1 and F-2. This set loads from the default macro set when ProTERM is launched. If you do not have an extended keyboard with “F-Keys,” choose the Function key palette from the Tools menu and try F-1 before a paragraph, and F-2 following the paragraph.
The command just below, turns the Reply Format command off.
ºREº
~RE~
**** Justification Control ****
__________
| ... | Cent Justify ~CJ~
|....... |
| ..... |
|________|
__________
| ...... | Left Justify ~LJ~
| .... |
| ...... |
|________|
__________
| .... | Right Justify ~RJ~
| ...... |
| ...... |
|________|
~CJ~ Center Justify all subsequent text.
~RJ~ Right Justify all subsequent text.
~LJ~ Left Justify all subsequent text.
**** Margin Control ****
It is often convenient to set a margin by subtracting a number from the set value being used and then adding a offsetting number back using a plus value. Example: Assuming the set value is 80 and the margin is to be reset at to 75. The two choices available are:
ºlm4ººpm-4º
1- ~RM75~ and then ~RM80~ to reset to the original value.
2- The alternative method is to use ~RM-5~ and then ~RM+5~ to reset the original margin.
ºlmººpmº
Either achieves the same result. They could of course be used in combination e.g., ~RM75~ and then to reset use ~RM+5~ which achieves the same result mentioned above.
*** Left Margin Control ***
~LM~ Set Left Margin to normal (default).
~LMxxx~ Number of characters from the left edge of the page to the start
of the text (the default is 0).
~LM-xxx~ Decrease Left Margin minus xxx chars.
~LM+xxx~ Increase Left Margin xxx chars.
*** Right Margin Control ***
~RM~ Set Right Margin to normal (default).
~RMxxx~ Number of characters from the left edge of the page to the end
of the text. The default is the page width, minus the Left and
Right Margin value as specified in the Print Parameters window.
The normal screen width of 80 columns is usually the default.
~RM+xxx~ Set Right Margin plus xxx characters.
~RM-xxx~ Decrease Right Margin minus xxx chars.
*** Paragraph Margin Control ***
~LM10~~PM-10~
ºLM10ººPM-10º
~PM~ Set Paragraph Margin to normal (default).
~PMxxx~ Number of characters (positive or negative) from the left margin to the start of the text on the first line of a paragraph; this parameter can be used to create either indented or hanging paragraphs (the default is 0 or just ~PM~ with no value).
~PM-xxx~ Increase Paragraph Margin left xxx chars.
~PM+xxx~ Increase Paragraph Margin right xxx chars.
ºLM-10ººPM-10º
~LM-10~~PM-10~
**** New Page (Page Form Feed) ****
The Control-L character creates a form feed, or page feed. This command MUST be on a line by itself. Form feeds are created by pressing and holding the CONTROL key down while pressing the L key. Control-L characters can be viewed two ways by clicking the Paragraph show icon in the lower left corner of the ProTERM document window. Control-L characters can be anywhere in a document, but the effect is, that at the point of the CONTROL+L, a new page is started. When a CONTROL+L is sent to the printer, the printer ”form-feeds+ that page, and starts a new page.
**** Controls That Hide Text ****
~HIDE~ Hide all subsequent text.
~SHOW~ Show all subsequent text.
~DISABLE~ Disable printer for all subsequent text.
~ENABLE~ Enable printer for all subsequent text.
~REM “TEXT”~ Hide up to about 240 characters. The text must be between
quotes and is followed by an ordmasculine.
Invisible REM statements hide next 240 characters in a paragraph. REM statements are used as “reminder” statements and are hidden when text is printed, uploaded or when shown using the Format Command.
Reminder Command ~REM “Place text to be hidden here.”~
~REM “The text must be between quotes.”~
**** Hanging Paragraph ****
~lm9~~pm-9~
ºlm9ººpm-9º
EXAMPLE: The following dot-commands and text, show a whole different set of formatting, and just one of many ways to handle hanging paragraphs. First the text is shown with faux commands in place, and then the formatted set is shown as an example.
ºlmººpmº
~lm~~pm~
~LM7~~PM-4~~RM75~
(a) A critic is a person that never goes to the battle, but arrives later to shoot the wounded.
(b) ASCII - Ancient god of Telecommunications. Rumored to give vast amounts of data to believers. Hence, the phrase ASCII and you shall receive.
(c) Everybody gotta do something. I ended up doin a whole lot of different things. But I enjoy what I am doin now ... and I'm goin to stay doin it ... as long as I can stay doin it. If you dig it, do it, and if you really dig, do it twice! —Jim Croce 1943-1973
~LM~~PM~
When the above dot-commands are invoked, the above text looks like this:
(a) A critic is a person that never goes to the battle, but arrives
later to shoot the wounded.
(b) ASCII - Ancient god of Telecommunications. Rumored to give vast
amounts of data to believers. Hence, the phrase ASCII and you shall
receive.
(c) Everybody gotta do something. I ended up doin a whole lot of
different things. But I enjoy what I am doin now ... and I'm goin
to stay doin it ... as long as I can stay doin it. If you dig it,
do it, and if you really dig, do it twice! —Jim Croce 1943-1973
ProTERM actually does this magic formatting on the fly. Whether printing or sending ASCII text, or just using the Format Test command from the Edit menu, ProTERM formats the text automatically. The Format Test command does not need to be used before sending the text to the printer, as an ASCII upload, ProTERM interprets the commands during processing.
Try it yourself. Select the unformatted paragraph above, and choose Format Test from the Edit menu.
***** In Case of Difficulty *****
If you try using a dot-command and the reformatted lines all stagger and the text seems to be a jagged mess, the problem is that there is a hard return character on the end of each line, so every line is an individual paragraph. This formatting is called “line-format” and all text from online service visits will be made up of line-formatted text. This is easy to deal with after converting the text to paragraph format.
Change from Line Format to Paragraph Format -
Select the text and choose Paragraph Format from the Edit > Convert menu.
***** Shortcut Tip *****
Instead of creating one ordmasculine, typing the dot-command and then creating another ordmasculine, create two ordmasculines, and then insert the command between the pair of characters - its just quicker.
***** Dot Command Summary *****
~LM6~~RM70~~RM70~
ºLM7ººPM-6ººRM70º
NOTE: Ordmasculine not used in this example because of their effect on uploaded text. Replace tilde with ordmasculine (Cmd+Opt+Zero) (zero on keyboard keys not number keypad keys.)
