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VDE131.DOC
----------
Instructions for Video Display Editor:
MSDOS Version
VDE 1.31 (03/89)
(c)1989, E. Meyer
==============================================================================
VDE is a small, fast, powerful text editor with many standard features:
* multiple files, windows * block operations * subdirectory support
* wordwrap and reformat * find and replace * full DOS utilities
* margins, tabs, spacing * undo deletions * WordStar compatibility
* many print features * keystroke macros * configurable options
In addition, VDE has some unique features that you might not expect, including
* automatic location of differences between versions of a file
* automatic sequential numbering * word count
* full macro programming ability
VDE is versatile: its small size and pure ASCII mode make it the ideal
programmer's editor, or companion to telecom, database, and other application
software; yet its full formatting and printing features also make it an
efficient word processor.
VDE is fast: it is written in 8086 assembler; on IBM PCs, it writes
directly to video RAM; it operates entirely in memory, with no disk access
during editing. Speed is a factor that more cumbersome ("full-featured?")
programs overlook. Example: finding a string near the end of a 60K
nondocument file takes WordStar 4 about 20 seconds [8 MHz 8088]; VDE does it
in half a second. This is like moving through air instead of molasses: you
will find that you can do more of your work on screen, and less on paper.
VDE is small: about 34k, with no overlays or additional files. It can be
configured not to make backup files. It can work with as little as 256K RAM.
This is ideal for portable computers with limited space.
VDE requires MS/PCDOS version 2.x or higher, and a minimum of 256K RAM.
It can be installed either to optimize performance on IBM PC compatibles, or
to allow operation on any computer running MSDOS with an ANSI.SYS driver. It
has many user configurable options. [See VINSTALL.DOC for details. Comments
below in brackets "[]" point out various uses of VINSTALL.]
Primary distribution points for VDE, as of October 1988, are:
(1) Glendale Littera QBBS - Glendale, CA (818)956-6164.
(2) On CompuServe, in the download libraries of the IBMAPP forum.
Users with access to a modem can always find the most recent release of VDE on
these systems. In addition, VDE is available on a wide variety of other
remote systems, and also on disk through several software libraries, including:
The Public Software Library, P.O. Box 35705, Houston TX 77235.
=============================== USAGE POLICY ===============================
1. VDE is FREE software: no fee is required for its use,
copying, or NONprofit distribution. (Voluntary contri-
butions are welcome.) For arrangements concerning sale
for profit, contact the author.
2. Please do NOT write to request disks or manuals for VDE
directly from the author. VDExxx.ARC can be obtained from
many sources including those mentioned above.
****************************************************************
***** The VDE editor and its documentation are *****
***** (c)1989 E. Meyer, all rights reserved. *****
***** They may not be circulated in any incomplete or *****
***** modified form, nor sold for profit, without *****
***** written permission of the author. *****
****************************************************************
DISCLAIMER: You undertake to use VDE at your own risk. The author
accepts no liability for any damages resulting from its use or misuse.
Eric Meyer
401 12th Ave SE, #139
Norman, OK 73071 USA
CompuServe [74415,1305]
Note: "WordStar" is a trademark of MicroPro International, who have no
connection with the VDE editor or its author.
================================ CONTENTS ==================================
1. INTRODUCTION: Using this manual; Installation; Command line syntax,
examples; The VDE command set.
2. COMMAND SUMMARY: a complete brief listing of all commands:
Ctrl, ^K (Block), ^Q (Quick), ^O (Onscreen), Alt, Esc.
3. EDITING COMMANDS, alphabetically by category:
Auto indent, Auto number, Block commands, Deleting, Disk operations,
File commands, Find/replace, Graphics, Header, Hyphenation, Information,
Insertion, Line spacing, Margins, Matching up files, Moving around,
Multiple files, Pagination, Place markers, Printer codes, Printer drivers,
Printing, Ruler line, Run command/shell, Screen controls, Splitting files,
Tabs, Time/date, Undelete, Upper/lower case, Windows, Wordwrap & reformat.
4. MACRO AND FUNCTION KEYS: Explanation, with examples:
Function keys, Key definition files, Macros, Macro keys,
Macro programming.
5. GENERAL INFORMATION, alphabetically by category:
Directories, Disk space, Error messages, File modes, Memory, Prompts,
Wordstar compatibility.
6. TIPS ON USING VDE, alphabetically by topic:
Editing same file twice, Format conversion, Programming, Transposing
text.
7. VDE development history.
============================= 1. INTRODUCTION ==============================
If you want to get a quick start with VDE, and are already familiar with
the popular WordStar command set, you should be able to wade right in and edit
files. But at some point you should read the whole manual through, to make
sure you're not missing anything -- especially the power of VDE's own extra
features. (Read carefully; many things below are explained only once.)
Hint: If you need more on-line help than the menus (^J) provide while
learning to use VDE, it's an excellent idea to load VDE.DOC as a second file
while you work. Then just switch to it and search (^QF) for the help you
need (for example, the word "margin").
TO INSTALL VDE, use the VINSTALL configuration program; see the
accompanying file VINST.DOC. Most of the installation consists of options;
you will discover how you want everything set in the course of using VDE, so
don't worry about all the details at first. The one important thing is the
computer installation: you must specify whether you have a fully IBM
compatible PC. In fact, an uninstalled copy of VDE will ask you this question
each time you run it -- reminding you to use VINSTALL.
TO RUN VDE, you can just type "VDE"; or, you may specify a filename; or
up to six filenames, separated by commas. Any filename may include a DOS
subdirectory, and/or be followed by a mode option.
SYNTAX: note "{}" = optional
C>vde {filename} {/m} {, filename2 {/m}} {,...} {;name.VDK} {;name.VDF}
EXAMPLES: C>vde
C>vde sample.fil C>vde myfile,myfile.bak
C>vde my.doc/w;ws4.vdf C>vde prog.doc/a, prog.asm/n
C>vde a:work\letter /5 C>vde ch1,ch2,ch3,index/n
"filename" - file to edit. Drive and directory may be specified. If
no name is given, you begin a new (untitled) file. If multiple names (up
to 6) are given, they must have commas between them.
"/m" or " m" - optional choice of file modes: "m" can be "W"ordstar
document, WordStar "5" document, "A"SCII document, or "N"ondocument.
Normally defaults to "A". Must be separated from filename by a space
and/or a slash. For further information see FILE MODES.
";name.VDK (or VDF)" - optional macro and/or function key definition
file to load. Must appear after a semicolon, at the end of the command
line. For further information see KEY DEFINITION FILES.
VDE can edit different types of files: nondocuments, such as program
source code, or documents with formatted text. Further, for documents you can
choose either pure ASCII or WordStar (3.3/4.0, or 5.0) format. If an existing
file is too large to edit with VDE, divide it up (see SPLITTING FILES).
VDE gives you a certain amount of information at the top of the screen
(for details see HEADER, RULER). If you type ^J, you can get a series of help
menus for the various VDE commands. The menus, like all command prompts and
error messages, appear temporarily in the top portion of the screen; press
Esc, Space, or ^U to remove them.
The VDE command set uses simple one- or two-key combinations, easily
found by the touch typist without distraction. Most commands are the same as
in WordStar, the single most widely used word processor; if you have questions
that this file can't answer, a WordStar manual may be a useful reference.
But VDE is its own program, not a WordStar "clone"; there are significant
differences. Most important, VDE has a number of extra Alt-key and Esc-key
commands to invoke its additional functions, such as multi-file editing.
=========================== 2. COMMAND SUMMARY =============================
Explanation of Keys: IBM PC special keys are indicated in [brackets],
including arrows "^,v,<,>" for the cursor keys. "Esc" means the Escape key,
[Esc]. "Alt-" indicates holding down the [Alt] key: "Alt-D" means [Alt]+D.
The "^" character indicates holding down the [Ctrl] key: "^K" means [Ctrl]+K.
Many commands require two-key sequences, eg ^QR = [Ctrl]+Q,R; whether you hold
down [Ctrl] on the second key as well doesn't matter. The prefix (^Q)
displays in the header, and can be canceled by pressing Esc or Space.
Synonyms: If your keyboard lacks the IBM PC keys, synonyms are always
available (eg, ^R for [PgUp]). If you have no [Alt] key, you can still access
the Alt-commands with a double-Esc prefix: Esc,Esc,X = Alt-X.
Many VDE commands are identical to those in WordStar. Equal signs ("=")
flag those that differ from their WordStar equivalents. (See COMPATIBILITY,
below.) Asterisks ("*") mark additional commands unique to VDE.
I. WORDSTAR CONTROL KEYS: single keystroke commands.
^J = Display Help menu.
CR [ENTER] = Carriage Return (^M). In documents, marks a paragraph end.
BS [<--] = BackSpace (^H). [May also delete.]
TAB = Hard Tab mode: Tab (^I). Variable Tab mode: move to next stop.
Arrow keys: [^], [v], [>], [<] (IBM cursor keys).
Or, WordStar: ^E up, ^X down, ^D right, ^S left.
^F or [^>] = move to start of next word right.
^A or [^<] = move to start of previous word (left).
^W or [-] = scroll back one line.
^Z or [+] = scroll forward one line.
^R or [PgUp] = scroll back one screen.
^C or [PgDn] = scroll forward one screen.
* [^PgUp] = scroll both files back a screen (in split screen mode).
* [^PgDn] = scroll both files forward (").
^G = delete character to the right of the cursor.
[Del] = delete character to the left. [May instead delete right.]
^T = delete word to right of cursor.
^Y = delete current line.
^U = undo last deletion (character, word, line, or block).
^V or [Ins] = toggle INSERT mode on and off.
^N = insert a carriage return (break line) at present position.
* ^_ = insert a space to the right of the cursor.
* ^^ = toggle case (upper/lower) of character at cursor.
^P = insert following control code in text. Special cases:
^PH = overstrike; ^PI = hard tab; ^PL = page break (formfeed).
* ^P# = insert automatic numbering marker.
^B = reformat current paragraph.
^L = repeat find/replace (Repeats last ^QF or ^QA command.)
II. WORDSTAR FILE AND BLOCK COMMANDS: first hit ^K, then the key shown.
* ^K I = display file/memory Information message.
^K F = list Files on disk.
= ^K E = Erase a disk file.
* ^K L = Load a new file to begin editing.
* ^K N = change the current file Name (affects Save, eXit).
^K S = Save the current file to disk, and continue editing.
^K D = Done. Save the file, then load a new one.
^K X = eXit. Save the file, then Quit to DOS.
^K Q = Quit to DOS, abandoning current file.
^K R = Read a disk file into text at cursor position.
^K P = Print the text (whole file or block).
^K B = mark the start of a Block.
^K K = mark the end of a block.
* ^K U = Unmark the block.
^K Y = Delete the marked block.
^K C = Copy the marked block at present cursor position.
^K V = moVe the text in the block to present position.
^K W = Write the marked block to a disk file.
* ^K Z = Zoom into the marked block.
^K ",' = uppercase (") or lowercase (') text in the block.
* ^K # = automatically number items in the block.
III. WORDSTAR QUICK COMMANDS: first hit ^Q, then the key shown.
^Q S or ^Q[<] = go to start of line.
^Q D or ^Q[>] = go to end of line.
^Q E or [Home] = go to top of screen. [Home, End keys can also be set
^Q X or [End] = go to bottom of screen. to ^QS,^QD instead.]
^Q R or [^Home] = move to top of file.
^Q C or [^End] = move to end of file.
^Q B = move to block start marker.
^Q K = move to block end marker.
= ^Q Z = move to next place marker.
^Q I = move to specified page (document) or line (nondocument).
^Q P = move to previous position in file (before last command).
^Q F = find next occurrence of a string.
^Q A = find and replace a string.
^Q Y = delete from cursor to end of current line.
^Q [Del] = delete from cursor to beginning of current line.
^Q T = delete up to specified character.
IV. WORDSTAR ONSCREEN COMMANDS: first hit ^O, then the key shown.
* ^O E or ^O[^] = make current line top of screen.
^O R = set right margin (column 1 turns off wordwrap/formatting).
^O L = set left margin.
^O X = toggle Margin Release on/off.
^O C = center current line.
* ^O F = align current line flush with the right margin.
* ^O Q = toggle display of header.
^O T = toggle display of ruler line.
^O B = toggle display of hard CRs.
^O D = preview text with no control codes or hard CRs.
^O A = toggle Auto Indent on/off.
^O S = toggle Double Spacing on/off.
^O H = toggle hyphenation on/off.
^O V = toggle tab mode Hard/Variable.
^O I = set variable tab stop(s).
^O N = clear variable tab stop(s).
* ^O P = set page length (0 turns off pagination).
* ^O W = toggle single-file text windowing on/off.
* ^O Z = temporarily blank the entire screen.
V. VDE ALT-KEY COMMANDS: press Alt and the key shown.
(These commands also work with an Esc,Esc prefix instead)
* Alt-L = Load an additional file to edit.
* Alt-K = change memory allocation for current file.
* Alt-B = move Back to the previous file being edited.
* Alt-N = move to the Next file being edited.
* Alt-W = split Window between two files.
* Alt-F = move to the File in the other window.
* Alt-C,P = Cut and Paste a block from one place or file to another.
* Alt-M = Match up the two files on screen, showing differences.
* Alt-X = eXit (^KX) from all files, saving changes.
* Alt-Q = Quit (^KQ) from all files.
* Alt-R = Run an MSDOS command (or SHELL).
* Alt-S = Split a huge file into pieces for editing.
* Alt-T = enter the current system Time in the file.
* Alt-D = enter the current system Date in the file.
* Alt-G = enter an IBM Graphics character into text.
* Alt-E = EGA screen mode. Toggles between 25 and 43/50 lines.
* Alt-A = ATI screen mode. Toggles between 80 and 132 columns.
* Alt-O = move through file with Overview bar.
* Alt-V = change Printer drivers.
* Alt-U = Use another set of macro/function key definitions.
* Alt-I = display VDE Information message.
VI. VDE ESC-KEY COMMANDS: first hit Esc, then the key shown.
* Esc TAB = backwards (leftward) tab.
* Esc [<],[>] = shift screen horizontally 32 columns.
* Esc [^],[v] = shift screen vertically 1/4 screen.
* Esc [ = execute a Macro string of commands.
* Esc ] = store macro on numeric key for later recall.
* Esc 0..Z = use stored key. (In macro mode: jump label.)
* Esc !,=,~ = jumps and loops, used in Macro programming (see MACROS).
* Esc (),+,- = counter, used in Macro programming.
* Esc ; = brief pause, during Macro execution only.
* Esc & = chain to another Macro.
========================== 3. EDITING COMMANDS =============================
AUTO INDENT MODE (^OA) - The ^OA command toggles Auto Indent mode. When ON,
wordwrap or the RETURN key will cause the cursor to advance to:
Any existing indentation on the line (if INSERT is OFF); or,
The same indentation as the previous line (if INSERT is ON).
Thus, once you set the indentation level (with Space, BS, etc), VDE will
automatically maintain it. This can be used as a paragraph indent in
documents, or for typing outlines, structured program source code, etc.
AUTO NUMBER (^P#,^K#) - The ^P# command inserts a marker (a highlighted "#")
in the text to stand for a sequential number in a list, for example:
#. First item.
#. Second item...
You can then mark the list off as a block (see BLOCK COMMANDS), and use
the ^K# command: VDE will insert the numbers (1, 2, etc) in place of the
markers. You will be asked for the starting number; the default is of
course 1. (Once this is done the markers disappear. For frequently
revised lists, leave the "#" markers in the file on disk. Run ^K# just
before printing, and do not save afterward.)
BLOCK COMMANDS (^K-B,K,U,Z,Y,C,V,W,PB; ^QB,K) - A Block of text is delimited
by two markers, which remain in memory until reset or deleted. ^KB marks
the beginning of the block; ^KK marks the end. On IBM PCs, text in a
marked block is displayed in a contrasting color.
^KU unmarks the block, removing any marker(s) set. (Block markers
can also be deleted individually like ordinary characters.) Markers are
automatically removed as appropriate when ^KB/K are used again.
The Block operation commands all require a block to be marked:
^KZ "zooms into" a block: the rest of the text is hidden, and the
block is temporarily treated as the entire file. This can serve a number
of purposes, from simply concentrating attention on one portion of a text,
to limiting the scope of many VDE commands (^QA, ^B, ^KI, etc). Use ^KZ
again to zoom back out. Commands that cannot be used when ^KZ is in
effect include: Alt-K, ^OP. (You can use block operations within the
block, though any markers will disappear when zooming back out.) If you
save (^KS), VDE will automatically zoom back out of the block.
^KY goes to and deletes the block (including markers).
^KV moves the marked block text to the present cursor location; ^KC
simply copies it, leaving the original marked. Any place markers present
are not transferred. The cursor cannot be IN the block.
^KW writes the block text to a disk file; you will be asked for the
filename (and optional mode). Normally this will overwrite any pre-
existing file; however, you can choose instead to append the text at the
end of the file, by typing a "+" before the filename:
Write to file: GORT overwrites
+GORT appends
^KPB (^KP with B option) prints the block text only. (See PRINTING
for further details.)
The ^QB command, from wherever you are in the file, moves the cursor
to the block start; ^QK moves to the block end.
DELETING (^G,Del,^T,^Y; ^Q-Y,Del,T) - You can delete text one CHARACTER
at a time: ^G deletes to the right of the cursor, and [Del] to the left.
Note that the ordinary BS (^H) does not normally delete. [BS/DEL behavior
can be changed with VINSTALL.]
^T deletes an entire WORD to the right (up to 255 characters).
^Y deletes the entire current LINE. ^QY deletes the part of the
line to the right of the cursor; ^Q-Del deletes the part to the left.
^QT deletes UP TO the next occurrence of a specified character.
Example: "^QT." deletes to the end of the sentence. Special case: ^QT^M
deletes to the next HARD CR, the end of the paragraph.
Accidentally deleted text can be recovered (see UNDELETE).
DISK OPERATIONS (^K-R,F,E) - ^KR READS in the contents of a disk file,
inserting the text after the current cursor position. You will be asked
for the name (and, optionally, mode) of the file.
^KF lists disk FILES: you may specify a directory and/or filename
mask, and the files will be alphabetically listed. (The default is the
directory specified with the current file, and all files *.*.) Files
display in uppercase; directories in lowercase. If there is not enough
room to fit all the items on the screen, you will see "..." at the end to
indicate that there were still more. Press Esc or Space to continue.
^KE will ERASE a single disk file, if you need more room on the disk.
(No wildcards allowed.)
If you need more complex file utilities than the ^KF/E commands
provide, you can run any DOS command with Alt-R.
FILE COMMANDS (^K-N,S,X,D,Q,L) - ^KN NAMES your work. This allows you to
change the filename in the header before saving. (Accepts mode option;
you can also specify a mode alone, eg "/W", to change the current mode.)
^KS SAVES your work: what's in memory is written to disk under the
file name in the header. (You must have a file name; one will be
requested if necessary.) If that file already existed, a backup (BAK)
file may be preserved. If the file has not been modified, you will be
prompted to confirm that you want to resave it anyway.
There are several different commands for finishing up:
^KX saves your work and then EXITS to DOS.
^KQ just QUITS. If the file has been modified, you will be prompted
to confirm that you want to abandon the changes.
^KD (DONE) saves your work, then loads a new file to edit.
^KL quits the current file and LOADS a new one to begin editing.
FIND/REPLACE (^Q-F,A; ^L) - ^QF is the command to FIND a string. The
search normally proceeds from the cursor position forward, and is case
(upper/lower) sensitive. The character "_" [this can be reconfigured],
unless at the start of the string, functions as a wildcard: it will match
any single character. Control codes, like ^M for newline, can be included
(with the ^P prefix where needed). Examples:
Find: ^MLABEL matches "LABEL" at start of line only;
Find: 4__01 matches "42201", "47401", etc;
Find: _ matches "_".
^QA is the REPLACE command. It asks for a string to find, then what
to change it to. The cursor will be placed in succession on each
occurrence of the string, starting at the cursor location. (You will see
the prompt "Chg?" in the header.) To change this instance, press "Y";
anything else skips to the next. To change all further instances without
being asked, press "*". Esc cancels at any time.
There are several OPTIONS for find/replace. After you enter the text
string(s), you will be prompted to enter any of the following:
"B" = search Backward through the file
"U" = ignore Upper/lower case distinctions
"G" = search Globally (from start or end of file)
and further, for replacing:
"A" = Align paragraphs again after each replacement
"N" = No query: replace all instances without asking
If you don't wish to be prompted for options, finish entry of the find
string (for ^QF) or replace string (for ^QA) by typing ^J instead of
RETURN. (This is also ^RETURN on most keyboards.)
Notes: The "N" option is automatically assumed whenever ^QA is used
in a Macro. [Uppercase can be set as your default; if so, specifying
"U" reverts to case sensitive search.]
^L repeats the last ^QF or ^QA command. For ^QA, you will be asked
whether you want to replace the found string. In both cases, the "B",
"U", and "A" options remain as last specified.
GRAPHICS (Alt-G) - You can enter an IBM graphic character into a VDE file
with the Alt-G command. You will be presented with a menu of up to 32
characters (A-Z,1-6) to choose from; the default set contains some nice
box parts and other useful things, and has some room free for other
characters that might be loaded. [The default set can be modified using
VINSTALL.]
If you type "=", you can change a menu entry. Type the code (A-5) to
change, then type the extended character directly using the numeric keypad.
(Example: a Greek alpha is 224; press and hold Alt, type 2-2-4, release
Alt.)
You can also type "-" to clear the whole set, if you need room to
load a file with other graphics.
VDE is limited to this displayed set of 32 of the possible 127
characters (ASCII 80-FE) at a time. There is no way to enter a character
outside of this set from the keyboard. If you load a file containing
other graphics characters, VDE will automatically try to add them to the
current set. CAUTION: If there is no room, they will be replaced by a
grey blob (graphic #6)! If you wish to leave the graphics set completely
empty, or clear them with Alt-G-"-", they will simply adapt as a file is
loaded.
Graphics are sent to the screen as extended ASCII codes 80-FE. If
you don't have an IBM compatible PC, they may not be distinguishable from
ordinary characters. They are stored in disk files directly as extended
ASCII codes. (Exception: in "W" or "5" mode, IBM graphics in disk files
are handled compatibly with WordStar 4 and 5.)
Printing of graphics depends on whether your printer is installed as
an IBM graphics printer [see VINSTALL]. If so, they will print directly.
If not, VDE will "emulate" them, choosing standard ASCII character
combinations that come as close as possible. This usually works really
well, especially for all the foreign characters -- try it out!
It is also possible for a file to contain graphics in the ASCII 00-1F
range, but many of these codes are used by VDE for other purposes, and
cannot be interpreted as graphics. If a code has no reserved use, and is
not installed as a print toggle or switch, it will function as a graphic.
HEADER (^OQ) - Normally VDE gives you a "header", or status line, at the top
of the screen. If you like, you can toggle this display on and off with
the ^OQ (Quiet) command. [It can also be suppressed by default.] Turning
the header off lets you see more text, and can improve speed on slow
terminals.
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
*C:VDE.DOC /A Pg 7 Ln 55 Cl 48 INS vt hy AI DS MR ^K_
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
"*" = Multi-file flag. If present, other file(s) are being edited.
"C:VDE.DOC /A" = Current file name and mode. Any directory that was
specified is the active default, although it does not display.
"Pg 7, etc" = Current position in file by page (in document modes),
line, column. If pagination (^OP) is off, you will see "Pg 0" (in
document modes), "OP" (in "N" mode), or "BZ" if ^KZ is in effect.
"INS" = Insert mode on. (^V)
"vt" = Variable Tab mode on. (^OV)
"hy" = Hyphenation enabled. (^OH) Doesn't display in "N" mode.
"AI" = Auto Indent mode on. (^OA)
"DS" = Double spacing. (^OS)
"MR" = Margins released. (^OX) Doesn't display in "N" mode.
"^K"... Key prefixes (and some prompts) display here.
HYPHENATION (^OH) - VDE can't introduce hyphens, but it does recognize them
in the text, treating them as a legitimate place to break a line. (So if
you have a long word close to the margin, you can insert a hyphen where
you'd like the word to be broken.)
Similarly, VDE can't dehyphenate. If it is trying to reformat and
finds a hyphen at the end of a line, it will pause to ask you what to do
with it. You will see the prompt "Remove?" in the header, and can:
Press "Y" to remove the hyphen and space, joining the word;
"N" to leave the hyphen but still join the word;
"Esc" to leave both the hyphen and space alone.
Typically you would choose "Y" for "soft" hyphens that you introduced to
break up a word ("intro-duction"); "N" for hard hyphens that are part of a
word ("vis-a-vis"); and "Esc" for punctuation (dashes -- etc). After your
choice, reformatting will proceed automatically.
You can toggle hyphenation on and off with ^OH. If off, hyphens are
not treated differently from any other text character. [The ^OH default
can be changed with VINSTALL.]
INFORMATION (^KI; Alt-I) - ^KI displays an Information message telling you:
* whether (Y/N) the file has been changed since last saved;
* a word count for documents (useful for professional writing);
* the current size of the file in K (1K = 1024 bytes);
* the approximate size of the text memory in K;
* the number of bytes of text memory used and free.
For large files, all this may take a moment to calculate. Note that
words are not counted in nondocuments. For further explanation, see
MEMORY.
Alt-I displays the VDE version, date, and usage policy. (An unin-
stalled copy of VDE does this automatically on startup.)
INSERTION (^V,^_,^N) - ^V (or [Ins]) toggles insertion on and off. If INSERT
is OFF, any text to the right of the cursor is overwritten as you type.
If INSERT is ON, what you type is inserted, and existing text moves to the
right. (When INSERT is OFF, you can still insert a space with ^_, or a
carriage return with ^N.)
LINE SPACING (^OS) - The ^OS command toggles between single and double line
spacing. In double space mode, the following functions generate double
carriage returns: CR (^M), Insert CR (^N), Reform (^B), Wordwrap. You
can easily mix single and double spacing; the ^B command can convert
between the two.
Note: if you prefer to keep your actual file single spaced, you can
still get a double-spaced printout by using the "D" option of the ^KP
command (see PRINTING).
MARGINS (^O-R,L,X,C,F) - ^OR sets the RIGHT margin, and enables wordwrap,
reformatting, and centering. At the prompt "Column:" enter the column
number (2-255), or just hit CR for the current cursor column. If the
value entered conflicts with the current left margin, the left margin will
be removed. There are two special values for the right margin:
1 = all formatting is disabled (as in "N"ondocument mode files).
0 = unlimited right margin: every paragraph becomes one line.
^OL sets the LEFT margin in an identical fashion; of course, the
value must always be less than the current right margin, meaning it's best
to set the right margin first.
^OX temporarily RELEASES the margins (resets them to 1), allowing you
to type outside them. Use ^OX again to restore the margins.
^OC CENTERS the current line with respect to the margins, if set.
^OF sets the current line FLUSH right, if the right margin is set.
See also RULER LINE.
MATCHING UP FILES (Alt-M) - The Alt-M command is used to Match up two files:
starting from the current cursor lines, VDE searches for any difference
between the files. If there is a difference, VDE will stop on those
lines, showing the disagreeing passages side by side! This is ideal for
locating revisions by comparison with an earlier draft. If the files
match completely, VDE will report "Not Found".
(Note: before using Alt-M you must split the screen window (Alt-W)
between the two files to be matched, and position the cursor on
corresponding lines in both files.)
MOVING AROUND (Arrow keys; ^F,^A; ^Q-R,C,I,P; Alt-O) - VDE supports two sets
of Arrow keys, which function interchangeably. The first is the actual
IBM cursor keypad (the four arrow keys); the second is the WordStar "arrow
key diamond" ^E,^X,^D,^S. These keys move the cursor up, down, right, and
left respectively.
Preceded by ^Q-, any arrow key moves more quickly: to the top or
bottom of the screen, to the left or right end of the line.
There are also two word movement commands: ^F moves right, to the
start of the next word; ^A moves left, to the start of the last (or
current) word. Both have a maximum movement of 255 characters.
For quickly covering large distances, the commands ^QR and ^QC move
all the way to the beginning and end of the file, respectively; ^QI moves
directly to a given page (for documents) or line (for non-documents). The
^QP command returns the cursor to its previous position -- before the last
command causing a large movement was executed. (^QP can be used again to
cycle between the two positions in the file.)
Finally, the Alt-O command displays an "overview bar" at the top of
the screen. Its extent shows the file size, and the current position is
marked so you can see where you are in the file:
C:MODERATE.FIL /A Pg 5 Ln 12 Cl 1 INS
ooooooooo*ooooooooooooooooo
You can move to any position in the file by moving the marker left or
right, then hitting RETURN. (Press Esc instead to cancel.) If the file
is too small, Alt-O does nothing.
MULTIPLE FILES (Alt-L,B,N,K,X,Q,C,P) - VDE allows you to edit up to six diff-
erent files simultaneously, if you have enough memory. This can be done
from the command line, by giving the filenames separated by commas.
Otherwise, to Load an additional file, you press Alt-L. Note the
flag "*" appearing in column 1 of the header, by the name: this means that
a second edit is in progress. (This command may fail if you run out of
memory, or are already editing six files.)
Once multiple files are in use, the Alt-B and Alt-N commands can be
used to cycle back and forth through the files being edited. If you Quit
or Exit (^KQ,^KX) from one file, you will be returned to another one,
rather than to DOS.
The Alt-K command can be used to adjust the amount of memory
allocated by VDE to edit the file (normally 64k). Decreasing this for
small files will allow you to edit more files on systems with limited
amounts of memory.
The Alt-X command exits ALL files immediately, saving any changes.
The Alt-Q command quits ALL files immediately. Unlike ^KS/^KQ, neither
one ever prompts for any confirmation.
The Alt-C command Cuts a marked block of text, placing it in a buffer
for later use with the Paste command. (The original remains, unless you
delete it with ^KY.)
The Alt-P command Pastes in previously cut text at the cursor
position. The text in the buffer remains available for further pasting.
(Cut and Paste thus allow block copying and moving between files.)
PAGINATION (^OP; ^PL) - The ^OP command sets the page length. Enter a value
from 0 to 255, or just hit CR to restore the default value. [Normally 56.]
When the value is nonzero, it determines the page and line shown in
the document header ("Pg xx Ln xx"), and all page functions in the Print
routine (pagination, headers, start/stop at page) are enabled. A formfeed
will be sent after printing. (VDE does not send a formfeed before
printing; install one in your printer initialization if you want.)
When the value is zero, pagination is off. The header will say "Pg 0
Ln xxxx", showing you the absolute line number in the file. Also,
printing occurs with no page breaks. (This is useful for printing small
things right after each other on the same sheet; or, in conjunction with
the "*" option, can print out multiple copies of index cards, labels, etc.)
The ^PL command embeds a formfeed (^L) in the text. This code
functions as a page break: you can type ^PL at the start of a line to
begin a new page. In document ("A,W,5") file modes, this will be
reflected in the header page/line count, use of ^QI and other page-related
commands, etc; it does not affect line count in "N"on-documents, or when
pagination is off (^OP 0).
Moving around in a large file is a little quicker in "N" mode, or
with pagination off (^OP 0), as pagebreaks don't need to be recalculated.
This is so for this file (VDE.DOC), which contains several formfeeds.
PLACE MARKERS (^PZ; ^QZ) - You can set any number of temporary place markers
in the text with ^PZ (they will appear as ^Z). The ^QZ command moves the
cursor to the next place marker in the file, cycling back to the top of
the file as needed. (Place markers are NOT saved to disk.)
PRINTER CODES (^P) - Control codes for special effects in printing can be
entered in the text with the ^P prefix. Thus pressing ^P^H (or ^PH)
embeds a ^H, etc. Several standard codes are:
^H - backspace - overstrike previous character
^I - hard (ASCII) tab - printers respond variously to this
^L - formfeed (page break)
(^Z is reserved for use as a place marker.) Control codes display on
screen as capital letters, highlighted if possible. VDE assumes they are
not characters, so they are not counted when reformatting text.
You can only embed certain standard ASCII codes with ^P. (IBM
extended characters 80-FF must be entered with Alt-G; see GRAPHICS.)
You could try to enter the actual Esc-commands your printer requires,
each time they were needed. (If you do take this approach, be sure that
none of the bytes involved is installed as one of the 12 VDE printer
features described below, which invoke a defined string rather than
printing out directly themselves.)
But the recommended (and more convenient) approach arranges to have a
single ^P-code produce an entire string of bytes for commonly used
effects. VDE supports a subset of WordStar's printer installation, up to
12 definable codes: six toggles, six switches. The Printer Installation
in VINSTALL allows you to install the actual control sequences your
printer needs. The conventional WordStar assignments are:
Toggles: ^B boldface Switches: ^Q (user 1)
^D doublestrike ^W (user 2)
^S underline ^E (user 3)
^Y italic ("ribbon") ^R (user 4)
^T superscript ^A alternate pitch
^V subscript ^N standard pitch
but you can make them do anything you like. "Toggles" are good for
features like underline that are turned on and off. "Switches" are better
for multi-valued parameters like character pitch.
Example: your printer uses Esc-U-01 (and 00) to turn underlining on
(and off). Rather than trying to embed those actual codes in your file,
you can just type ^PS wherever you want
^PSunderlined text^PS,
and install the ^S toggle for the appropriate codes [see VINSTALL.DOC].
PRINTER DRIVERS (Alt-V) - Since many people use more than one kind of
printer, VDE accomodates two different printer drivers, a primary and an
alternate. Before printing a file, you can select which one is active
using the Alt-V command. [You can set up the code definitions for each
one with VINSTALL.]
PRINTING (^KP) - The ^KP command Prints the file from memory. You will be
asked for a set of "Options:", at which point you may enter one or more of
the following, in any order:
D DOUBLESPACES the printout.
P PAUSES for your keystroke before each page (sheet feed).
B prints only the currently marked BLOCK.
Tnn sets the TOP MARGIN to nn lines. [The default margins can
Lnn sets the LEFT MARGIN to nn columns. be set with VINSTALL.]
^ FILTERS control characters ^X to text "^X".
*nn prints the job out nn TIMES (nn=1..255).
@nn begins printing AT page nn.
#nn prints only (up to) a TOTAL of nn pages.
=nn begins page NUMBERING at nn.
"..." uses the quoted string as a HEADER. The string, followed
immediately by the page number, will print at the top right of
each page near the margin. (Maximum length is 50 characters;
an empty string, "", gives numbered pages with no header text.)
Note: you can include the current Time or Date in the header
simply by pressing ^T or ^D, respectively.
The last four options (@,#,=,"") are NOT allowed if the page length
(^OP) is set to 0, or if "B"lock print was chosen.
Example 1: Options: L12P
will print the file with a left margin of 12, pausing before each page
until you press a key (other than Esc).
Example 2: Options: @6#2=21"(^T) Instructions, page "
will print the 6th and 7th pages, numbering them 21 and 22, with a header
like this: (03:41 PM) Instructions, page 21
Example 3: Options: BD^*2
will print out the current marked Block, double spaced, with control
filtering, twice.
NOTE: If you are in "W" or "5" file mode, any dot commands in the
file (lines beginning with ".") will not be printed.
You can abort printing at any time by pressing Esc.
It is also possible to redirect printer output to a disk file. All
print control codes will go into the file just as they would have been
sent to your printer; the file can be examined, or printed out later using
COPY to PRN.
At the "Options:" prompt, just type the filename, in (parentheses).
Any pre-existing file will be overwritten; if you want to append to an
existing file, type a "+" before the filename.
Example 3: Options: B(+SCRATCH.FIL)
will append the printer output from the current marked Block, to the disk
file SCRATCH.FIL.
RULER LINE (^OT) - To help you align text properly, ^OT displays a "ruler
line" above the text. Type ^OT again to remove it. A moving pointer
indicates the current column.
In each column you will see one of several symbols: "v" is the cursor
column; "[]" designate the current margins; "." indicates areas outside
the current margins, "-" within them. Also, tab stops are marked by
either "T" (Variable) or "I" (Hard). Examples:
("A" mode) [-----T-----T--------v--T--------------]........
("N" mode) I.......I.......I....v..I.......I.......I.......
RUN COMMAND/SHELL (Alt-R) - Typing Alt-R gives you a prompt "DOS>", from
which you can run any command or program just as you would under MSDOS.
You can copy and rename files, or run any other program you like, and
afterwards return to your undisturbed VDE editing session by pressing Esc
or Space. This is especially useful for programming: you can run your
compiler without ever leaving the edit of the source file. VDE leaves no
disk files open, so you can do anything you like with an Alt-R command.
(Exception: don't load new memory-resident utilities.)
In addition to standard DOS commands and programs, there is a
special VDE command that can be typed at the "DOS>" prompt: SHELL. This
lets you out into a full DOS Shell. You will see the actual MSDOS prompt,
and can use any number of commands, and generally move around in DOS as
you like; to return to your undisturbed VDE editing session, type EXIT.
Note: For the Alt-R command to work, VDE must be able to find your
command interpreter (usually COMMAND.COM), and there must be enough free
memory to load it and run the chosen program. VDE checks the COMSPEC
environment variable. If your CONFIG.SYS file doesn't include a line like
SET COMSPEC=C:\COMMAND.COM
you should add one. (This can improve performance of other programs too.)
SCREEN CONTROLS (^W,^Z; Esc-[^,v,<,>]; ^O-E,D,Z; Alt-E,A) - VDE provides a
number of commands affecting the screen display:
The ^W and ^Z commands (or the [-] and [+] keys) scroll the screen up
and down a line at a time, without moving the cursor (unless necessary).
Preceded by Esc-, any arrow key shifts the SCREEN, leaving the cursor
in place: the text as a whole moves up/down 1/4 screen, or right/left 32
columns. (The cursor must be past column 32 to allow horizontal shifts.)
Preceded by ^O-, either UP arrow key (eg, ^OE) makes the current text
line the top of the screen.
The ^OD command shows you a preview of the screen with all non-
printing codes (markers, ^P codes, etc) hidden. This is handy for making
sure that text is aligned properly. Press ESC to continue editing.
The ^OZ command temporarily "zaps" (blanks) the entire screen; good
for avoiding CRT burn-in, or just protecting work from prying eyes or
fingers. Restore the screen by pressing Esc. This is also useful if some
other software (like resident utilities) has messed up the screen: type
^OZ,Esc and VDE will completely restore it. (Note: on non-IBM computers,
windows may not be restored.)
The Alt-E command lets you see more lines of text on screen, if you
have an enhanced graphics adapter. It toggles between normal 25-line
mode and a compressed mode of 43 (EGA) or 50 (VGA) lines. This command
has no effect on systems without EGA/VGA. [Note: compressed fonts can be
hard to read. You can choose a thin or fat font with VINSTALL.]
The Alt-A command works ONLY with the ATI EGA Wonder video card; do
not use it otherwise. (Many Kaypro PCs come with this card.) This
toggles between normal 80-column mode and ATI 132-column mode. It can be
used alone, or in combination with Alt-E to provide a 43x132 screen.
SPLITTING FILES (Alt-S) - The upper size limit on files that VDE can edit is
about 80K; if you try to edit a much larger file VDE will be unable to
load it. However, if you encounter a larger file that you need to work
with, VDE makes it easy to divide a file into manageable chunks with the
Split command. Suppose you have a big file HUGE.DOC. Type Alt-S, then
answer at the prompt:
Split file, output name (w/#): HUGE.DOC, PIECE.#
VDE will go through the file HUGE.DOC and write out a series of smaller
files PIECE.1, PIECE.2 etc, which can then be edited. (You can tidy up
the transitions between them with block moves, if you like.)
Note that the output name must be separated from the input by a
comma, and must contain one # sign, which will be replaced by a 1, 2, etc
in order. (The above example could have used HUGE#.DOC, HUGE.#, etc.)
Make sure you have enough disk space for the output files.
TABS (TAB,Esc-TAB; ^O-V,I,N) - There are two Tab modes, Variable and Hard;
the ^OV command toggles between them. In Hard Tab mode the Tab key
produces an actual ^I (ASCII TAB); whether this overwrites any existing
text depends on the INSERT toggle. Hard Tabs display at fixed intervals
of 8 screen columns.
In Variable Tab mode, the Tab key moves the cursor to the next
variable tab stop. Existing text is not overwritten; spaces are added at
the end of a line as needed. Up to eight tab stops may be set with ^OI
and cleared with ^ON; the defaults are in columns 5, 15, 35, and 55.
[These are reconfigurable.] You can always get a Hard Tab by typing ^PI.
The set/clear commands prompt for a column number, or you can hit
RETURN for the cursor column. In addition, the Set command ^OI accepts
two further options, both of which replace all earlier tab settings:
@nn Set tabs every "nn" columns
#n1,n2,... Set tabs to columns "n1,n2,..."
You can simply clear all variable tabs by typing "@" or "#" alone.
The Esc-TAB command is a backwards (left) tab, moving to the previous
tab setting. This is useful for moving around in tables, etc.
See also RULER LINE.
TIME/DATE (Alt-T,D) - If your MSDOS system maintains the system clock
properly, VDE can read it and insert the current time and date in your
file automatically. Just press Alt-T for the Time, or Alt-D for the Date.
The string will appear at the current cursor location, as though you had
typed it in yourself: for example,
1:21 PM [or 13:21 -- see VINSTALL]
January 15, 1988 [or 1/15/88, 15 January 1988, 15.1.8]
UNDELETING (^U) - The undelete function can be used to recover any text lost
by the last deletion operation (whether character, word, line, or block).
This includes an overstruck character. The text will be replaced at the
current cursor location. ^U works only once.
UPPER/LOWER CASE (^^; ^K",') - The command ^^ (Ctrl-caret or Ctrl-6) changes
the case of the character at the cursor, if it was a letter, and moves to
the next. Useful for changing case of a few characters.
The ^K" command changes all text in a block to uppercase; ^K' changes
it all to lowercase. (Requires a block to be marked; see BLOCK COMMANDS.)
WINDOWS (^OW; Alt-W,F) - VDE can split the screen into two windows, showing
you either two parts of the same file or two different files.
The ^OW command creates a Window in the bottom half of the screen,
which retains a copy of the file text starting at the current line;
editing continues normally in the top half of the screen. This lets you
keep a passage in view while you do something else. Typing ^OW again
removes the Window.
The Alt-W command splits the screen Window between two DIFFERENT
files; the Alt-F command allows you to move back and forth between them.
Type Alt-W again to restore fullscreen editing. When the window is split,
a pair of special commands can scroll through BOTH files at once: [^PgUp]
and [^PgDn]. (You can distinguish this split screen from a single-file
(^OW) Window by the presence of full header information below.)
WORDWRAP & REFORMAT (^B, ^OB) - WORDWRAP is automatic in Document modes
("A,W,5") whenever the right margin is set. Any text entered will be
formatted while you type, to the current margin settings. The end of a
paragraph is marked by a "HARD CR", which occurs when you press the RETURN
key. (This is a CR immediately following a character of text.) In
contrast, when wordwrap occurs you get a "SOFT CR" (which is actually a CR
with a space before it). You can change a hard CR into a soft one, or
vice versa, by deleting or adding a space at the end of the line. Hitting
RETURN also hardens a soft CR. The distinction between hard and soft CRs
is only important when reformatting.
^B REFORMATS from the line the cursor is on, to the end of the para-
graph, according to the current margin settings and line spacing. (Thus
^B is used not only to reshape a paragraph after editing, but also to
change its margins and line spacing.) Indentation can be tricky if you
have a left margin set: if the current line is indented relative to the
next one, VDE assumes that amount as your paragraph indentation.
^OB toggles DISPLAY OF HARD CRs. Hard CRs, otherwise invisible, are
normally displayed as a left-arrow character in Document files. [You can
select dim video for these with VINSTALL.] Some may find these
distracting, so they can be turned off.
======================== 4. MACRO AND FUNCTION KEYS ========================
A "macro" is a string of VDE commands and/or text that you can type in
once and then have repeated automatically. A "function key" is a macro
assigned to one of the [F1]..[F40] keys, while a "macro key" is a macro
assigned to a key Esc0..9 or EscA..Z; these can all be redefined from within
VDE. "Macro programming" involves the use of special commands allowing a VDE
macro to perform more complex operations including loops and conditional
execution, much like a programming language.
VDE's 76 user-definable macros allow you to customize it for any task,
such as the formatting requirements of specialized professional writing, or
many programming languages.
FUNCTION KEYS ([F1]..[F40]) - Up to 40 Macros can be assigned to function
keys; they can then be recalled and used with one keystroke. Each of the
10 function keys can be used with Shift, Ctrl, or Alt, to produce:
Shift-[F1]...[F10] = [F11]...[F20]
Ctrl-[F1]...[F10] = [F21]...[F30]
Alt-[F1]...[F10] = [F31]...[F40]
(Extended keyboards actually have keys labeled [F11] and [F12]. VDE will
not recognize these keys.)
Otherwise, function keys are defined (with the Esc] command, or with
VINSTALL) and used exactly like macro keys. See MACRO KEYS.
KEY DEFINITION FILES (Alt-U) - VINSTALL can create disk files of macro or
function key definitions. [For further details see VINST.DOC under
FUNCTION KEYS.] These should be given file types of ".VDK" and ".VDF",
respectively, and can be loaded while using VDE in two ways: first, on the
command line, with the use of a semicolon after the filename (see SYNTAX,
above). Second, the Alt-U command lets you load any of these while
editing with VDE, to change from one entire set of definitions to another.
You will be prompted for the filename (the type MUST be ".VDK" or ".VDF").
MACROS (Esc[) - When you are in the middle of doing something in VDE, and
find that you need to do something many times, it may be less tedious to
have it repeated automatically. If you type Esc[ you will be asked for
the string to execute, then a "Repeat count". Usually you will simply
type a number for the repeat count (0-254, or "*" for indefinite). You
will see the results as the macro executes, and you can abort it at any
time by pressing Esc.
(You can speed up Macro execution by specifying "Quiet" mode: type
"^Q" before the repeat count. Only the header will be updated as the
Macro runs. Don't do this if the macro requires user input -- the
necessary prompts may not display!)
Macros also stop any time an error occurs; the error message will be
visible, and can be cleared by pressing Esc. Many commands (like Find or
Reformat) are designed to generate errors at the end of the file so that
an indefinite ("*") Macro containing them will halt there. Other indef-
inite Macros may need to be aborted manually.
VDE turns INSERT OFF before running a macro, so that the same
sequence will always have the same effect. The INSERT status is restored
when the macro terminates. (To insert text with a macro, use ^V!)
In order to include any input line editing characters (BS, CR etc) in
a macro, you must prefix them with ^P. (NOTE: To make them easier to
read and understand, Macro listings will be given here as they function,
not as they are typed in. ^P prefixes as needed are NOT shown. Key-
strokes are separated by dashes or commas for clarity, and "_" means a
space or blank.) Here are some sample macros:
1. Reformat an entire file (Wordstar ^QQB): after Esc[, just enter
^B
Specify quiet and indefinite repeat as options ("Q*").
2. View a file by scrolling slowly through it:
Esc;,^C
This will pause, then scroll down. (Use a repeat count of "*".)
3. Enter a long graphics border for a box. (This can get tedious by
hand.) Assuming graphic "Y" is the horizontal bar,
Alt-G,Y
will enter one character. You can get a line 40 characters long by giving
a repeat count of "^Q40" (the "^Q"uiet option avoids unnecessarily
displaying the menu).
4. Can you figure out what this one does? (Answer: .elif eht fo
dne eht ta meht fo tsil a gnikam elif a fo tuo sesehtnerap ni stnemmoc
ekat lliw tI)
^QR,^QF,(,^J,^G,^KB,^QF,),^J,^G,^KK,^QC,CR,^KV
VDE Macros are very powerful tools, particularly given their program
ability and storage on macro Keys.
MACRO KEYS (Esc],0..Z) - Up to 36 Macros can be stored (0..9,A..Z), by
entering them with the Esc[ command, then using Esc] to save them. They
can then be recalled and used with two keystrokes. Example: typing Esc]3
will store the last Macro used as key 3, and it can be recalled and reused
at any future time simply by typing Esc3. (40 more macros can also be
stored; see FUNCTION KEYS.)
Ordinarily, macro keys operate just like the original Macro: they
will ask for a "Repeat count" when executed. In many cases, you will want
a key to execute only once when invoked; you can make a key "No-repeat" by
typing ^N before the keycode. Example: Esc]^N3 stores a macro to key 3 as
a non-repeating sequence. If you want the key to run in Quiet mode as
well (to increase speed and minimize display activity), you can instead
type ^Q: Esc]^Q3 stores a quiet, non-repeating sequence.
Using a defined key brings its definition into the Macro buffer
(whence it can be stored again, if desired). Trying to use an undefined
key results in an error. You can delete a key definition by entering an
empty Macro string (Esc[, return) and storing it to the key.
There is a total of 982 bytes available for all 36 keys, and a 128
byte limit for any one key. (VDE's own input line will only accept 65
bytes, but VINSTALL can handle up to the full 128.)
Besides simply storing any Macro, these Keys are useful for storing a
frequently repeated phrase; "Esc6" is much more convenient than "World Wide
Widgets Ltd. (N.A.)". You might also define one as a common command like
^PS, for underlining; or a set of margins, like ^OL5,CR,^OR60,CR. A key
defined as ^QR,^N,Alt-D,^OF would place the current date at the top right
of a letter.
Keys defined with Esc] are of course temporary. [VINSTALL allows you
to install a permanent default set of Keys as well.]
MACRO PROGRAMMING (Esc-0..Z,!,=,~,(),+,-,&,;) - VDE has several commands that
operate only in a Macro string, and give you conditional control over the
execution of a macro, allowing real programming.
Esc0..Z, when in a Macro, function simply as "labels" 0..Z. They
have no effect, but can be "jumped" to by other commands.
Esc! followed by 0..Z is a simple "jump" instruction, causing macro
execution to resume with the command following the label Esc0..Z.
Example: Esc!2 jumps to label 2. As two epecial cases, Esc![ jumps to
the beginning of the Macro, and Esc!] jumps to the end (aborts).
Esc= and Esc~, followed by a character and then a label 0..Z (or
"[","]"), are conditional jumps: they jump to that label IF the character
at the cursor position does (or for "~", doesn't) match that specified.
Example: Esc~^M2 jumps to label 2 if the current character is NOT a CR.
Esc= and Esc~, followed by a character and then ">" or "<", are
search loops. They will continue to move the cursor right (or for "<",
left) as long as the character at the cursor does (or for "~", doesn't)
match, or until the beginning or end of the file. Example: Esc=_> moves
right as long as the current character is a space.
Several commands allow the use of a counter variable. Esc() sets
the value: for example, Esc(0) initializes it to zero. The Esc+ command
simply increments the value; Esc- decrements the value, then jumps if it
is zero to a specified label. (In addition to a number, you may use "["
or "]" for the start or end of the macro, or "@" to avoid jumping
entirely.) Example: Esc-] decrements the counter, jumping to the end
(exiting) if it reaches zero.
Esc&, followed by 0..Z, is used to "chain" to another macro key. In
this way you can build up strings longer than the 65/128-byte limit on any
one key. It does not "call" the key; there is no returning. Example:
Esc&M chains to key M.
Esc; (semicolon) gives a brief pause before execution continues,
presumably so the user can see what's happening on screen.
Macro programs are stored just like any other macro string (usually
as No-repeat). If you program in an endless loop, you will at some point
have to abort by pressing Esc. Don't make macro programs Quiet until
you're sure they work.
EXAMPLE 1: here is a good macro program (best stored as a Quiet key)
to move the cursor to the start of the current sentence:
Esc~.1, ^S, Esc1, Esc~.<, Esc2, ^D, Esc=_2, Esc=^M2
You could write this out in programmer's pseudo-code as:
If not "." goto label1
Move left ;move left if already on period
label1: While not "." move left ;move left to previous period
label2: Move right ;now move back right
If " " goto label2 ; as long as you see a space
If "^M" goto label2 ; or a Return
(all done)
EXAMPLE 2: a macro to move to the start of the current paragraph:
^QS, ^S,^S, Esc=_[, ^D,^D
EXAMPLE 3: a macro to delete a word to the LEFT of the cursor:
^S,Esc~_2, Esc1, ^G,^S,Esc=_1, Esc2, ^G,^S,Esc~_2, ^D
EXAMPLE 4: a macro to match parentheses. Many programming languages
use nested sets of parentheses, for example "{}" in C. This program, when
the cursor is placed on an open bracket, will move ahead to find the
closed bracket that matches it:
Esc~{],Esc(0), Esc1,Esc~{2,Esc+,Esc!3
Esc2,Esc~}3,Esc-], Esc3,^D,Esc!1
EXERCISE: suppose you have a file captured from an online session
with ProComm. You corrected a lot of "misteaks" as you typed, using the
Backspace key -- and now that's all in the file:
I hardly ever make misteak^H^H^Hakes!
Write a macro program to go through the file and neaten those all up,
deleting the erased characters along with the ^H's.
========================= 5. GENERAL INFORMATION ===========================
DIRECTORIES - It is important to recognize that if (via ^KN, ^KL, or the DOS
command line) you specify a directory as part of the current filename,
that directory acts as the default for all VDE file I/O commands,
extending or overriding the actual current DOS directory. The directory
does not display in the header, but you can see it at the prompt for the
^KF file directory command. (If you are editing multiple files, each has
its own local directory.)
If, for example, you enter VDE as follows:
C:\WORK>vde gort\myfil
the file being edited is C:\WORK\GORT\MYFIL, and all VDE file operations
are going to assume the default directory C:\WORK\GORT. So if you then
want to edit MYFIL2, in the same directory, just type ^KL,"MYFIL2"; DON'T
specify a directory again, unless you want a different one.
None of this affects DOS in any way; if you use the Alt-R command,
the current DOS directory is still C:\WORK, or whatever you change it to
with CHDIR.
If you try to load a file in an invalid directory, you will find that
you can edit the (empty!) file but will be unable to save it. Use ^KN to
change to some valid directory and name.
DISK SPACE - If you run out of disk space when writing a file, you can just
insert another disk. (Always keep a blank FORMATTED disk around -- though
you can run FORMAT with Alt-R, if necessary.) Alternatively, you can use
the ^KF and ^KE commands to purge unneeded files. [If you have small
disks, you can also install VDE not to preserve BAK files.]
Let VDE's filesize limits encourage you to break work up into files
of 64K or so; larger files make inefficient use of floppy disks, too.
ERROR MESSAGES - Press Esc or Space to continue. "Error" alone means the
command used just won't work in this situation. (Example: a block command
was used with no block marked.) More specific errors are:
"Out of Memory" - the file, block, or key string won't fit in RAM.
"Invalid Key" - an illegal command key sequence was pressed.
"I/O Error" - file not found, disk full, invalid drive, etc.
"Cannot Reformat" - word too long, or margins invalid.
"Not Found" - the object of a search was not found.
"Syntax Error" - a macro programming command was misused.
NOTE: On DOS 2.x systems, an attempt to access an empty disk drive or
to print when the printer is not online can produce a critical error
message directly from DOS, something like:
"Device not ready; Ignore, Retry, or Abort?"
If this should happen, correct the situation and press "R" for Retry.
Pressing "I" usually has no effect. DO NOT PRESS "A", as this will exit
from VDE, losing any text in memory.
If after recovering from such an error, the message is still on
screen, you can press ^OZ,Esc to redisplay your text.
FILE MODES - VDE has four "file modes": "A"SCII document, "W"ordStar
document, WordStar "5" document, and "N"on-document. The basic difference
is in the format of the disk files:
In "W" mode, VDE reads and writes WordStar 3.3/4.0 compatible
document files. NOTE: this compatibility is limited. Any right justifi-
cation in a WordStar document will be LOST when the file is read into VDE.
In "5" mode, VDE reads and writes WordStar 5.0 compatible document
files. NOTE: this compatibility is very limited. Features specific to
WordStar 5.0 (fonts, etc), as well as any right justification, will be
LOST when the file is read into VDE.
In "A" or "N" mode, VDE reads and writes text as standard ASCII
characters, a universal format accepted by virtually all software. These
two modes differ only in providing different sets of default options. "A"
mode (like "W") is designed for word processing; "N" mode is for program-
ming and other special applications.
DEFAULTS FOR: Margins TABS HARD CR DISP.
documents ("A","W","5") ACTIVE variable [on]
"N"on-document DISABLED hard off
The file mode option can be specified along with the filename at any
VDE file function prompt, allowing you to mix WordStar and ASCII disk
files as needed. You can also change the current mode with the ^KN
command by entering a new mode (eg, "/W") with or without a filename.
NOTE: all WordStar/ASCII translation is in the disk I/O
routines. Changing modes with ^KN has NO effect on text in
memory; it merely affects how it will be read or written to
disk. Example: if you are in ASCII mode, and want to read in a
WordStar file, you must specify "/W" when you READ IN the file
(^KR). Otherwise it will be read as an ASCII file with lots of
funny graphics in it.
[The default mode (used when none is specified) is "A", but this can
be changed. In addition, you can specify automatic filetype defaults to
declare exceptions (for example, all ".ASM" files as "N" mode). See
VINSTALL.]
NOTE ON FOREIGN ASCII FILES - If you edit an ASCII file created by
other software, you may find the format different from what VDE expects.
1. HARD CRs. The file may be properly formatted but full of hard
CRs, making it impossible to REformat. There are two easy ways to solve
this problem: first, you can use ^QA to find "^M"s and selectively replace
them with " ^M". Alternatively, the following Macro (best stored as a
Quiet macro Key) does a good job of "softening up" a paragraph:
^QS,^X,Esc=_],Esc=^M],^S,^V_^V,^D,Esc![
2. NO CRs. Some software stores every paragraph as one long line,
with CRs only at the end. To read such files in VDE you may want to
reformat (^B) to your usual margins. If you want to produce such a file
yourself, set the right margin (^OR) to "0" and reformat (^B) before
saving to disk. (See MARGINS.)
MEMORY - VDE edits each file in a 64k memory segment, unless resized (with
Alt-K). (1k = 1024 bytes.) If you check the usage of memory (^KI) you
will find that VDE compresses text: a file typically occupies 20-25% less
memory than its actual size. Thus the maximum file size is roughly 80K.
VDE runs well with anywhere from 256K to 640K RAM; the number and
size of files you can edit depends on the amount of memory you have.
Running a DOS command requires enough free memory (beyond VDE's usage)
to load a copy of COMMAND.COM and any programs you intend to run under it.
You may not have enough memory to do this if (1) you are editing many
files with VDE, or (2) you have lots of memory-resident software.
PROMPTS - First, VDE has several simple prompts requiring you to confirm an
action by typing "Y" or "N":
"Abandon changes?" - warns the file you want to Quit has been changed.
"Unchanged! save anyway?" - reminds the file you want saved isn't changed.
"Delete original?" - do you want to delete block copied from 2nd file.
"Chg?" - do you want to change this instance of a string?
"Join?" - do you want to join this hyphenated word?
Then, there are a few special purpose prompts:
"Repeat count:" - enter (optional "^Q" and) repeat count for Macro.
"Key number:" - enter (optional "^N/Q" and) key number for Key.
"Rdy" - press any key to print next page (Esc quits).
Finally, there are a variety of prompts for either numeric or string
input, like "Column:" or "Find string:". You are expected to type in a
string (up to 65 characters). The following control keys operate:
Correct mistake: BS (^H)
Erase entire entry: ^X
Finish entry: CR (^M) or LF (^J)
Abort operation: ^U
Note that to get any of these codes into the string itself, you must
precede it with ^P (this includes ^P).
Examples: to find a line beginning with a "*" (find "^M,*") type
^QF,^P-CR,*,CR.
WORDSTAR COMPATIBILITY - Depending on your needs, you can use VDE as either
an accessory to WordStar, or a substitute for it. (For example, I
generally do all my writing in VDE, using its speed and extra features,
but often want to take advantage of WordStar's more sophisticated printing
abilities -- dot commands, etc -- to print out the result.)
In most respects VDE operates much like WordStar; one big difference
is the absence of a "No-File" menu. You are always in edit mode; use ^KL
to select a new file, or Alt-R to run DOS commands COPY, REN, etc.
VDE lacks some WordStar commands, and has some of its own. (These
may overlap: for example, VDE macros can do anything that WordStar's ^QQ
can, and more.) Aside from these, there are the following differences in
common commands:
COMMON USE WORDSTAR 4 VDE 1.3 VDE NOTES
Hide block ^KH ^KU Actually unmarks block.
Erase disk file ^KJ ^KE
Set Place Mark ^K0..9 ^PZ Not individually numbered.
Go to Place Mark ^Q0..9 ^QZ Cyclic.
Time, Date stamp Esc!,@ Alt-T,D
COMMON COMMAND WORDSTAR 4 USE VDE USE
^^ (^6) Soften hard CR Transpose upper/lowercase
^KN Column block mode Rename current work
^OB Display soft spaces Display hard CRs
^OF Ruler from text Flush right
^OP Preview mode Set page length
Note also that VDE does not recognize WordStar "dot commands" in text,
though in "W" or "5" mode it will avoid printing them. You can get a page
break (WordStar .PA) in VDE with the ^PL command.
=========================== 6. TIPS ON USING VDE ===========================
EDITING SAME FILE TWICE. In your use of Alt-L, try to avoid editing two files
with the same name at the same time. VDE will let you do this, but it can
be visually confusing, and upon saving, one might overwrite the other.
If for any reason you want to edit two copies of the same file (for
example, to use Alt-M to see what changes you have made since your last
save), use the ^KN command promptly to rename the second copy (to "COPY",
perhaps, or "FILE.BAK") before proceeding.
FORMAT CONVERSION. Since VDE can read files in several formats (ASCII,
WordStar 3/4, WordStar 5), you can easily use it to convert files from one
of these formats to another. Simply load the file with the appropriate
mode, use ^KN to specify a new name and a different mode, and save.
PROGRAMMING. VDE (in "N"ondocument mode) makes a fine programmer's editor.
The auto-indent (^OA) function is convenient for many structured
programming languages including C and Pascal.
A growing number of languages today include their own "integrated"
editor, that guides you straight to errors detected during compilation.
You can use VDE in a very similar manner, if you have a compiler or
assembler that generates typical error messages (such as "Line 1091: Type
of operands must match"). After saving your source file to disk, just use
the Alt-R command to run the compiler, with the MSDOS ">" option to
redirect output to a disk file; for example,
C:\WORK>compile prog.c >listing
Then use Alt-L to load the error reports in LISTING. You can go back and
forth between LISTING and PROG.C (windowing both if desired), using the
^QI command to move to each line where an error was detected.
TRANSPOSING TEXT. Often you may need to switch the order of letters, words,
or lines erroneously typed. The "undelete" feature can be exploited to
move text, rather like a quick-and-dirty block move. For example, if the
cursor is at the start of a word, the sequence of commands ^T^F^U (which
of course can be assigned to a macro key) will swap that word with the one
following it. Similarly ^G^D^U will swap a pair of letters, and ^Y^X^U
will swap two lines.
=============================== 7. HISTORY =================================
1984-1987: Development of CP/M VDE through version 2.62.
VDE 1.0 (12/87): First MSDOS release. IBM PC compatible version only.
1.01 (12/87): Faster; several bug fixes; minor changes to VINSTALL.
1.1 (01/88): Generic MSDOS ANSI.SYS support; EGA 43-line support;
Dual-file editing; DOS Shell; Time/date stamps.
1.2 (03/88): Window, copy, match between files; Run a command; Split
large file; ^KD,^OQ,^QT,^QI; Graphics; [F]unction keys;
backward find; word count; new print options.
1.21 (05/88): Auto indent; tab set enhancements; ^PL starts new page.
1.22 (08/88): Append to existing file; Print to file; Printer top, left
margin; Alt-O,I,A; enhanced speed & appearance; VGA support.
1.3 (01/89): Edit up to 6 files; dual printer drivers; improved replace,
undelete; WordStar 5 file mode; many small improvements.
1.31 (03/89): Auto numbering; block zoom; macro keys A-Z; Alt-U; ^OD.
See the accompanying file VDExxx.UPD for a more detailed account of
changes in the most recent release.
==============================================================================
