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ANARKEY 3.00 Update Information
-------------------------------
Welcome to ANARKEY Version 3.00.
This document is to inform current ANARKEY users of the new features and
enhancements in version 3.00. With this information, upgrading to the new
release will be a quick and easy experience.
All of the features explained here are also included in the various
manuals contained in the ANARKEY distribution package. New ANARKEY users
are encouraged to read the FASTART.DOC file and the other manuals so that
they will be able to use all the powerful ANARKEY features to their fullest
capabilities.
ANARKEY 3.00
------------
Support for Expanded Memory
---------------------------
ANARKEY now supports the Lotus-Intel-Microsoft Expanded Memory
Specification commonly referred to as LIM EMS. All versions of the LIM spec
are supported, including versions 3.2 and 4.0.
When using expanded memory, ANARKEY will store its history buffer, AKA
definitions and most of its code in expanded memory. ANARKEY uses less than
1000 bytes of conventional memory, i.e. memory below 640K, when using
expanded memory and there is no noticeable degradation in response time,
even on original 4.77 MHz PC's.
To have ANARKEY use expanded memory, simply add a -E option to your
normal installation line.
In conjunction with expanded memory support, the -M option which displays
ANARKEY memory usage without actually installing the program has been
enhanced to include expanded memory information. This can be used to
optimize your memory consumption when configuring history and AKA buffer
sizes.
The "Installation Options" section of the "ANARKEY User Manual" describes
the -E and enhanced -M options.
The Mega-Key, All-in-One Completion
-----------------------------------
ANARKEY provides a function which combines the operations of the
following functions in a single key:
Find-History-Buffer-Match-and-Edit <F5>, <Ctrl-K>
Complete-Directory-Name <F7>, <Ctrl-D>
Complete-File-or-Program-Name <F8>, <Ctrl-F>
Retrieve-Environment-Variable <F9>, <Ctrl-E>
The name of this combined function is Mega-Completion because it performs
all of the above completions in a single function. Mega-Completion analyzes
your command line, determines the type of completion you are most-likely
attempting and performs it for you automatically. You do not need to tell
ANARKEY what to complete. Whether it's a file name, environment variable,
directory name or a line retrieved from the history buffer, ANARKEY will
figure that out itself and do it!
The keystroke assigned to the Mega-Completion function is referred to as
the "Mega-Key."
Among its advantages, the Mega-Key will save you from having to remember
all the keys associated with each of the individual functions. Simply hit
the Mega-Key no matter what you want to do and ANARKEY will do the rest.
By default, the Mega-Completion function is mapped to the <Tab> key. Of
course, it can be reassigned with ANARKED.
<Tab> -- Mega-Completion
Mega-Completion analyzes the current input line and determines which
of the following completion operations would be most appropriate:
Find-History-Buffer-Match-and-Edit
Complete-Directory-Name
Complete-File-or-Program-Name
Retrieve-Environment-Variable
It then executes the operation it evaluates to be the most likely.
Mega-Completion can be invoked repeatedly to have it work down its
list of likely operations. For example, Mega-Completion may
determine that a directory name completion is most called for. In
this case it will first cycle through all matching directory names,
just as if you had repeatedly invoked Complete-Directory-Name.
After finishing that cycle, its analysis may conclude that the next
most likely operation is a line completion. Thus, subsequent
invocations will search the history buffer for matching line
completions, as though you were calling the Find-History-Buffer-
Match-and-Edit function. This kind of mega-cycling, "mega" because
it is cycling through multiple functions rather than within a single
function, can be continued until the desired completion is made.
Mega-Completion will analyze the input line and perform the correct
completion operation an amazingly high percentage of the time. But, of
course, nothing is perfect and you may occasionally have to cycle through a
few undesired completions before the Mega-Key retrieves the one you want.
You can give the Mega-Key a clue about how you want the line completed by
prefacing the Mega-Completion call with one of the four functions it
performs. For example, say you have entered one or two characters on the
input line and you would like to complete the line from one of the stored
lines in the history buffer. You would like to use the Mega-Completion
function, but you are also, of course, in a hurry and want the Mega-Key to
make the correct completion as soon as possible. Simply invoke the Find-
History-Buffer-Match-and-Edit function to retrieve the first matching
history buffer line. Then press the Mega-Key. Mega-Completion will take
the preceding line-completion operation as an instruction to perform line
completions over any other type of completion operation it may otherwise
determine to be appropriate. It will pick up the history-buffer search from
the point where the last line-completion operation left off and continue
from there down its list of most-likely completions. The Mega-Key will
operate in this manner whenever preceded by one of the four function
operations listed above.
The Mega-Completion function is one more giant step toward a state of
total Anarkey, a state without keystrokes.
Mega-Completion documentation can be found in the "ANARKEY User Manual"
in the section titled "The Mega-Key, All-in-One Completion."
Name Completion
---------------
In the continuing quest to find the perfect name completion operation,
version 3.00 further tweaks the completing of file, program and directory
names.
When a file, program or directory name (referred to simply as "name" in
the future) is completed by either the Mega-Key or one of the respective
completion functions, the cursor position will remain unchanged. The list
of matching name completions can then be cycled through just as in previous
versions.
During the cycling process, if you realize that there are many matching
completions to cycle through, you can give the matching operation additional
characters to use in its matching string by simply entering them at the
current cursor position. For example, say you have entered the following
command:
>edit a_
The underscore character represents the current cursor position. You now
begin a filename completion operation and ANARKEY begins cycling through all
the files that begin with the letter "a". The input line may now look like
this:
>edit anarkey.doc
-
Notice that the cursor position remains unchanged, immediately following
the "a" character. After one or two matches, you suddenly remember there
are 56 files that begin with the letter "a" and you don't want to cycle
through all of them. You can give the completion operation a further clue
about the file you desire by simply entering additional characters of its
name. Say the specific file you want is called "ABACUS.TXT". Since you
have already entered the beginning "a", enter the "b" now. The input line
will look like:
>edit abnarkey.doc
-
if you are in insert mode. If you are in overwrite mode, the "b" will
replace the "n". In either case the cursor position is updated as shown
above. Now you may either continue the completion operation or enter more
characters of the name. If you continue completion, all the matching names
will now start with the characters "ab". For example:
>edit abacus.txt
-
This method of name completion can be used to narrow the list of matching
names during the cycling operation.
In many cases, additional arguments must be entered on the input line
following a completed name. For these arguments to be entered in the
correct location on the line, the cursor position must be moved so it is
after the name. ANARKEY supports this cursor positioning automatically.
The cursor will move automatically to the end of the completed name when
any of the following characters are entered:
<SPACE> " * + , / : ; < = > ? \ |
If the UNIX switchar character translations are active (via the -U
installation option explained later), entering a dash(-) character will also
move the cursor to the end of the completed name. After moving to the end
of the name, the pressed keystroke will be entered into the line.
This enhancement to the name completion operation should make it easier
than ever to complete file, program and directory names.
The completion operation is explained in detail in the "ANARKEY User
Manual" under the heading "Name Completion Functions."
Environment Variable Completion
-------------------------------
In previous versions, it was necessary to enter the entire environment
variable name before ANARKEY would retrieve its value and enter it on the
input line. With version 3.00, environment variable names may be completed
and cycled through in the same manner as file and directory names.
To have ANARKEY complete an environment variable name, simply enter the
SET command followed by zero(!) or more characters of the variable's name.
Then invoke the Retrieve-Environment-Variable function (<F9> or <Ctrl-E> or
the Mega-Key, <Tab>). ANARKEY will search the list of environment variables
for a matching completion. If it finds one, the rest of the variable's name
is entered on the input line followed by an equal sign and the variable's
current value. The cursor will be placed immediately after the equal sign.
You may then edit the variable's name and value or, if the retrieved
variable is not the one you wanted, you can invoke the function again and
have it cycle through all the existing matching variables.
Notes: At least one space must follow the SET command. Also, name
completion cannot be done on the PATH or PROMPT variables unless they are
preceded on the input line by a SET command. The current values of PATH and
PROMPT can be retrieved without a SET command by specifying their entire
name on the input line.
The operation associated with the Retrieve-Environment-Variable function
is also done as part of the Mega-Completion operation. Thus, it is not
necessary to explicitly tell ANARKEY it is dealing with environment
variables; simply press the Mega-Key and ANARKEY will figure that out by
itself!
The Retrieve-Environment-Variable function is documented in the "ANARKEY
User Manual" under "Editing Environment Variables."
Display of History Buffer Contents
----------------------------------
The contents of the history buffer may be displayed from the bottom of
the buffer to the top by invoking the Display-History-Buffer-from-Bottom
function. The default key assignment for this function is <Ctrl-F4>. The
contents of the history buffer will be displayed onscreen starting with the
last line in the buffer and backtracking to the first line. Thus, the most
recently-entered lines will be displayed before older lines. This is
particularly helpful when a large history buffer is utilized.
The history buffer can still be displayed from the top to the bottom by
invoking the Display-History-Buffer-Contents function <F4>.
The Display-History-Buffer-from-Bottom function is documented in the
"ANARKEY User Manual" under "History Buffer Functions."
UNIX Switchar Conventions
-------------------------
The -U installation option which provides UNIX switchar conventions (i.e.
slashes(/) in path specifications and dashes(-) as switch designators) has
been significantly enhanced. It now provides a complete environment where
ALL programs can be invoked using the UNIX conventions.
As in version 2.00, the -U option specified at installation time will
cause ANARKEY to translate all slash characters to backslashes(\) and all
dashes to slashes. The 'S' modifier can be used to convert only slashes and
leave dashes alone.
What was lacking in v2.00 was a reasonable method of invoking programs
that already supported the UNIX conventions. For example, if a program
already recognized the dash as the beginning of an option (or switch), it
was necessary in v2.00 to specify two consecutive dashes, which would then
be converted to a single dash by ANARKEY.
Version 3.00 provides a method to indicate to ANARKEY those programs
which already support the UNIX switchar conventions. Afterward, whenever
one of the programs is invoked, ANARKEY will suppress the switchar character
translations for that command. This will prevent you from having to enter
the consecutive characters described above.
ANARKEY stores the names of programs which use the UNIX conventions in an
area of memory that is allocated at installation time. Along with the -U or
-US options, you may specify the size of the buffer. The size must be
immediately after the 'U' or 'S' with no spaces between them. For example,
>anarkey -u100
>anarkey -us75
If a buffer size is not specified, ANARKEY will allocate a buffer large
enough to hold 25 characters. If the -U or -US options are not specified on
the installation line, no space is allocated for the buffer.
You tell ANARKEY which programs use UNIX conventions by entering the
program name on the command line prefaced with an exclamation point (!).
For example, to inform ANARKEY that the program "ANARKED" already recognizes
UNIX conventions and therefore do not perform the related conversions on its
command line, enter:
>!anarked
If there is not enough room to store the program name in the buffer,
ANARKEY will beep. Otherwise, the name is saved and subsequent invocations
of ANARKED will not have their characters translated.
Rather than specifying program names on the DOS command line, they may be
read in by LOAD. For example, it will probably be most convenient to
accumulate a list of UNIX-style programs and save their names in a disk
file. This file can then be loaded during system start-up using LOAD.
Remember, each of the lines in the disk file must begin with an exclamation
point.
A list of the currently defined UNIX-style programs can be displayed by
invoking the Display-Switchar-Programs function. This function is assigned
to the <Shift-F4> key by default. ANARKED, the ANARKEY Keystroke Editor,
can be used to change this assignment if you wish.
A program can be removed from the UNIX buffer by specifying its name on
the command line preceded by two (2) exclamation points. For example, to
remove the "ANARKED" program from the buffer, enter:
>!!anarked
Instructions to ANARKEY to add or remove program names from the UNIX
buffer can also be specified in multiple-command lines and AKAs.
This enhanced switchar system makes it possible to consistently use UNIX
conventions on any program you run. It is much more comprehensive than the
SWITCHAR-type programs available that rely on an undocumented DOS function
to support UNIX conventions on internal DOS commands only. Also, this
undocumented operating system function is not included in DOS 4.xx or the
DOS compatibility box of OS/2. Thus, the ANARKEY method is not only the
most powerful method, but, in certain environments, it's the only way to go.
Sign-on Procedure for Unregistered Users
----------------------------------------
The ANARKEY software package is now distributed in two forms: a
registered version and an unregistered version.
Unregistered versions of ANARKEY require the user to go through a sign-on
procedure during installation. This procedure displays a message informing
the user that the version of ANARKEY she or he is running is unregistered
and lists instructions on how to receive a registered version. At the end
of the message, the user is prompted to enter an 8-digit number. This
number must be entered correctly in order for ANARKEY to continue its
installation.
All registered users receive a registered version of ANARKEY that does
not require this sign-on procedure. A registered version of ANARKEY is sent
immediately to all people who send in their paid registration form.
THE REGISTERED VERSION OF ANARKEY IS LICENSED TO THE SINGLE PERSON WHO
REGISTERED THE PROGRAM AND MAY NOT BE DISTRIBUTED IN ANY MANNER. It is
unlawful to distribute the registered version of ANARKEY in any form. Do
not, repeat, do NOT distribute the registered version anywhere.
Please respect this distribution restriction as it protects your
interests in the software as well. People who do not register the software
discourage the release of future updates.
The unregistered sign-on procedure is also discussed in the "ANARKEY User
Manual" in the section "Getting Started."
New Signature Installation Procedure under DOS 2.x, 3.0
-------------------------------------------------------
Of interest to software-internals fanatics: ANARKEY now installs its
program "signature" in the INT 2Fh (multiplex) interrupt for all versions of
DOS. The signature is used to prevent multiple copies of ANARKEY from being
installed at the same time.
Previous versions of ANARKEY when run under DOS 2.x or 3.0 would
appropriate an unused interrupt vector between 60h and 67h, inclusive, to
install the program signature. When running under DOS 3.1 and later,
ANARKEY has always used INT 2Fh.
The -P (ANARKEY Process Number) installation option is now available at
all times and is not ignored under DOS 2.x and 3.0.
ANARKEY's internal installation procedure is documented in the "ANARKEY
Internals" section of the "ANARKEY User Manual." (This information is only
provided for those interested in such matters; it is not necessary to read
or understand this area to effectively use ANARKEY.) The -P option is
detailed in the "ANARKEY User Manual" under "Installation Options."
ANARKMD 3.00
------------
ANARKMD (pronounced "anar-command") is a new support program that will
invoke ANARKEY functions from the command line. ANARKMD can be executed
from an AKA or batch file to execute ANARKEY functions without having to
press the necessary keystrokes yourself.
ANARKMD also supports two features the regular ANARKEY program does not:
-- specification of a file name and location to which to write the
history buffer contents. ANARKEY will always write the history
buffer to a file called "ANARKEY.LOG" in the root directory of the
current drive. If the Write-History-Buffer-Contents function is
invoked through ANARKMD, the name and location of the file can be
specified to any valid file specification.
-- suspending and restoring ANARKEY processing. By using ANARKMD,
ANARKEY can be suspended indefinitely. ANARKEY remains in memory,
however, none of its features are available. ANARKMD can then be
used to restore ANARKEY processing. These capabilities are not
available in ANARKEY itself and are only possible through ANARKMD.
In addition to these new capabilities, ANARKMD can be used to toggle the
input mode, clear or display the history buffer or defined AKAs and display
the list of switchar programs.
ANARKMD is really two programs in one; in addition to executing an
ANARKEY function from the command line, ANARKMD can be used to execute an
AKA or multiple-command input line from within a batch file. Since ANARKEY
is not active when processing a batch file, it was not possible to utilize
its features from batch files in previous versions. ANARKMD now provides
this capability.
Complete documentation on the use of ANARKMD can be found in the "ANARKMD
User Manual."
ANARKED 3.00
------------
Carrying Over Key Assignments from an Earlier Version of ANARKEY
----------------------------------------------------------------
The registered version of the ANARKEY software package includes a version
of ANARKED that makes upgrading from a previous version very easy. The
registered ANARKED will allow you to carry over the key assignments of a
previous version (2.00 or later) of ANARKEY to the new release. This will
save you from having to go through the entire key assignment operation when
you upgrade to a new version of ANARKEY. Unregistered versions do not have
this capability so each function must be reassigned individually. (If you
have been using ANARKEY for more than 30 days, it is time for you to
register the program. You will be sent a registered version with the key-
carryover capability immediately upon receipt of your paid registration.)
When upgrading, specify the -U option on the ANARKED command line.
ANARKED will prompt you for two input files:
(1) the original ANARKEY file whose key assignments you wish to
carry over and
(2) the new release ANARKEY file to which you are upgrading.
If both files are valid ANARKEY program files, the key assignments of the
old version will be transferred to the new version.
If the new release includes new functions not supported in the earlier
version, ANARKED will remove any default key assignment to these new
functions so as to prevent any occurrence of a key being assigned to more
than one function. ANARKED will display a list of these new functions in a
window when it begins execution. The new functions can be assigned to a key
during your ANARKED session.
The following new functions have been added to ANARKEY 3.00 and will
therefore be unassigned when transferring key assignments from version 2.00:
Function Name Default Key Assignments
------------- -----------------------
Mega-Completion <Tab>
Display-History-Buffer-from-Bottom <Ctrl-F4>
Display-Switchar-Programs <Shift-F4>
After transferring the key assignments to the new version, the normal
ANARKED operation continues and you may modify the configuration of the new
release further. Be sure to save your changes when exiting ANARKED if you
are transferring key assignments from a previous release.
The -U option is documented in the "Getting Started" section of the
"ANARKED User Manual."
Assigning an Already-Assigned Key to the Active Keystroke Field
---------------------------------------------------------------
In previous versions, ANARKED would assign to the active keystroke field
a key which was already assigned to another ANARKEY function. ANARKED would
automatically remove the original key assignment before assigning it to the
active field and would then emit a beep informing the user of what it had
done.
When this occurs in version 3.00, ANARKED displays a window stating the
function name to which the key is currently assigned and asks the user if it
should remove the assignment. Responding with a 'Y' (upper or lowercase) or
<Enter> key will remove the key from its current assignment and assign it to
the active keystroke field. Pressing any other key will leave the key
assignment and the active keystroke field unchanged.
LOAD 3.00
---------
Support for UNIX Switchar Programs
----------------------------------
As mentioned in the section on the new support for "UNIX Switchar
Conventions," LOAD will recognize and process commands which begin with an
exclamation point(!) as UNIX switchar program definitions. The -M option
which calculates the amount of storage required for AKA definitions has been
enhanced to include support for UNIX program definitions.
LOAD support for UNIX program definitions is described in the "LOAD User
Manual."
Suppress Processing of AKA and UNIX Definitions
-----------------------------------------------
A new command-line option (-D) has been added to LOAD which instructs
LOAD to not process any AKA or UNIX definitions it encounters in the loaded
text file(s). When -D is specified, AKA and UNIX definitions will not be
stored in the AKA, UNIX or history buffers.
This suppression is useful when loading files which may contain some AKA
or UNIX definitions that were temporarily defined, but are no longer
desired. Such instances may occur when loading a saved history-buffer log
file.
The -D option is also explained in the "LOAD User Manual" in the section
on "Command-Line Options."
Please fill out the registration form and send it with your comments and
suggestions to:
Steven Calwas
Moderne Software
P.O. Box 3638
Santa Clara, CA 95055-3638
_______
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