RELEASE NOTES This file contains information of interest to users who are upgrading from previous versions of Mister ED. The latest changes are marked with a "|" in the far right column. The features mentioned in this file are described in full detail in the manual (MANUAL.EXE). If you are new to Mister ED, then you need not read this file. Useful Tips ----------- þ When entering data for prompts you can use to initiate the command. This can be very useful for menus with lots of prompts (like the menus associated with Environment, Browse, Search and Replace commands). þ Did you know that you can search for multiple patterns. This is done by delimiting each pattern with the "|" character. For example, to search for the words "this" or "that" you would type "this|that". þ When you invoke Mister ED you can also specify a line number, to go to, after the file name. This works well with the assembler and compiler. þ You can use the SET command to specify a default file name (or file mask) to load. For example, typing "SET ED=TYPES.INT" would cause Mister ED to try to load the file "TYPES.INT" upon invocation of itself (providing no file name was specified). þ Learn to master the concept of file lists. They can be very powerful. Especially on projects with lots of source files. Did you know that? - You can create a file list in "screen mode" by simply typing in the names or masks of the files to be included in the file list and then using "select mode" to select them. - When using the "load" file command you can "load" a file list by putting the "@" character in front of the file name that contains the file list. - You can build a file list via the Browse command. - You can tailor a file list to a be a select group of file names via the "load file" command or the "file select" command (). - You can use (the plus sign on the numeric key pad) and (also on key pad) keys to "load" the next or previous file in the file list. - You can get help describing the capabilities just listed by requesting help when using the commands and modes that are affiliated with file lists. ****************** | * Version 2.5 * | ****************** | | Environment | ----------- | þ Ability to Save and Restore the editor's state. The new prompts are found | on the last screen of the Environment. | | Support Programs | ---------------- | þ The manual now includes an index. | | þ The manual printing program (MANUAL.EXE) now includes an on-line viewer. | This viewer allows you to read the formatted manual without printing out. | | þ Also included is a VIEW.COM utility for viewing text files. It's meant to | be lean and mean. | | Miscellaneous | ------------- | þ The cursor is turned on in compare mode ASAP so that you can see what | character didn't match instead of having to wait for the error message to | quit displaying. It's a small feature but I like it (that's because I | thought of it). | | þ Better display of the Key Legend Line, It would sometimes get messed up in | macros, searching, etc. and forget to clear information. | | þ Better maintenance of previous select area. It used to get messed up if you | did practically anything, now it's far more robust. | | þ Fixed an annoying bug that happened when you'd redirect an OS command to a | read-only window. The prompt would not let you out (or least it seemed that | way) and most people would reboot their computer. | ****************** * Version 2.4 * ****************** Browse ------ þ Multiple file masks. þ If no file is specified "*.*" is assumed. þ New option to pause after each pattern found. þ New option to send the output to the current window. þ The option to send the output to a device has been removed. þ The completion status lines has been modified. Compare Mode ------------ þ The cursor is now positioned on the characters that didn't match. þ The option prompts (ignore white space and case) have been moved to the Environment command. þ The synchronization command () will start scanning backwards if the forward scan was unsuccessful. þ and work in compare-link mode with file lists. þ Windows that are "closed" or "hidden" are excluded from the compare. þ You can now delete a line in Compare Mode. þ You can do a horizontal scroll in Compare-Link mode. þ There must be at least one space between both tokens when ignoring white space. Dos Command Line ---------------- þ ED [FileName [r+] ["Search Pattern" || [Line Number][,Column Number]]] This can be repeated up to nine times. þ Can set up default parameters with the "SET" command (i.e. SET ED= *.PAS "Procedure"). þ "/I" to specify the source file include search path. þ The first file in a "file list" will be loaded. þ If Mister ED knows how to keep the video mode the video card is in, it will. This allows you to use non-standard text modes if you video card supports them and lets the BIOS know. For example my EGA card can do 132x44, and Mister ED can support it too, if I put the video card into 132x44 line mode first. Drawing Mode ------------ þ You can use with the keypad to erase characters. þ You can use with the keypad for cursor movement. Dropping a Window ----------------- þ You can "drop" more than one window by separating the window numbers with commas (i.e. 1,3,7) or by entering a range (i.e. 3-6). þ If no window number is specified when dropping a window the current window will be dropped. þ If the last window is dropped then Mister ED will exit. Environment ----------- þ Option to make and "static" (the cursor isn't moved to the previous line or the next line). þ Option to make Next and Previous word mode to the start of the word only. þ Option to put Mister ED into 43/50 line mode when using a EGA/VGA video card. þ Default search options can now be recorded in the environment. þ Optional pulldown menus. þ Allow the optional use of Enhanced keyboard calls for more compatibility with keyboard enhancers, OS/2, and the use of F11 and F12. þ Enhanced keyboard calls (for F11 and F12) can conflict with some of the TSR programs (i.e. SideKick and SuperKey). File Lists ---------- þ You can now intersperse multiple paths. þ You can use "!" to not a file mask. þ When creating a file list from wildcards, directories are always sorted to the beginning of the file list. þ In "+" and "-" will move to the next and previous file. þ The path must be included with each entry in the file list that references a different directory than the current one. This stems from the ability to search multiple directories. Macros ------ þ Use to bring up the macros menu. þ Use to stop any macro operation (i.e. save a macro). þ You can use to force the data mode to Overlay. This is great for starting a macro in a known state. þ You can use to force an exit of screen mode into command mode. Markers ------- þ The markers are now dynamic. þ Press by itself to assign the cursor position to the next available marker (if an unused one is available). þ When going a line by itself will send you to the last marker used. þ Mister ED remembers the last place you typed and places an automatic marker there. Miscellaneous ------------- þ Some new print options after selecting text, as well as the complete file can be printed from command mode. þ Better on-line help. Also the help in screen-mode has been updated to list all of the new commands. þ Files can be loaded as unmodifiable (no modifications are allowed to the file). þ You can save read only (and hidden) files. You will be warned accordingly. þ Optionally, read-only files can be automatically loaded as unmodifiable. þ "Modifiabilty" can be set after the file is loaded from either the File Menu or Command Mode. This is great if you forget or change your mind about not being able to modify your file. New Commands ------------ þ Use to invoke condensed mode. This mode display all of the lines in the file start in column that are not comments. þ Use to re-execute the last search, replace command. The arrow just to the left of "AI" will tell you what direction the command will travel. þ Use to re-mark the last blocked or selected area. þ Use to move the cursor to the top and the bottom of the screen. þ Press to "enter" a tab. þ The Multi-View feature allows the user to have multiple windows for the same file. Invoke this feature from the command line by pressing . Prompts ------- þ You can now use up and down arrow in menus with multiple prompts. þ You can use "+" and "-" in numeric fields to automatically increment and decrement the numerical value. þ Use at the search and load prompts to select from a list of previous entries. þ You can use F8 and DEL to delete entries from the previous entries list. Search ------ þ Regular Expressions. þ You can use C notation for special control characters (i.e. "\t" for tab). þ Use at the search prompt to display a list of search patterns. Select ------ þ Use when selecting text to go to the beginning and the end of the text that has been selected. þ You can now perform a search and replace within the text that has been selected. þ You can use to recall the last selection. þ All of the menu commands are now "hot". þ "Modify-Fill" allows you to fill a block with any desired character. Search and Replace ------------------ þ You can use a at the beginning or the end of the search and/or replace patterns. þ You can now have multiple replace patterns. þ If verify is turned off then the display won't be updated. þ No error message when the search pattern isn't found if at least one pattern was already found. þ The display will be scrolled horizontally if the pattern found is on the "edge" of the display. þ Faster parsing (only a true hacker will appreciate this). Support Programs ---------------- þ Detab now will untab the full file not just stopping at the first EOF marker found. þ The is a NEW and whizzy manual printing program called of all things "MANUAL". The manual has been expanded to include explanations of error messages. "MANUAL" will now translate line drawing and extended ASCII characters for printing. þ For those of you who are registered users there is a configuration program, that allows you to change the screen colors and other bosso stuff. Token Match ----------- þ A different token match rule is loaded depending on the file extension. þ Now can match "IF=ELSE=ENDIF". þ "COMMENT"s in ".ASM" files are supported. þ If a pattern is not found in the token list the next occurrence of the pattern is searched for. Windows ------- þ Use to select a window to go to; or unhide all windows. þ Use to "hide" a window. þ Use to "zoom" the window display. þ Dirty flag on the status line. þ New improved colors. þ Caps and Num-Lock indicators. ******************* * Version 2.3 * ******************* Improved Performance and Capability ----------------------------------- þ The caching algorithm now applies to all of the windows instead of only the current window (i.e. no irritating disk i/o when you change windows with Ctrl-PgUp or Ctrl-PgDn). þ You can now have up to nine windows. þ Reading a file is about 10% faster. þ You can now edit files that contain up to 64,000 lines. þ The help is now kept in a separate file on disk. þ The maximum line length is now 255 characters instead of 170 characters. New Features ------------ þ Compare Mode - This command is used to compare the files in the various windows. To invoke "compare mode" press . To exit, simply press . After invoking compare mode the "current line" in each window will be highlighted and an instructional message will be displayed on the bottom of the screen. At this point you can use all of the usual cursor and window commands to select the "starting line" in each window. When you are ready to start the compare simply press . If a mismatch is detected then the erroneous lines will be centered and highlighted in each window and an error message will be "flashed" on the bottom of the screen. Note: If the screen is split then only the windows that have at least one line showing will be compared. þ Link Mode - This command is used to "link" the windows together so that some of the cursor commands (page up, page down, left arrow, right arrow, etc.) apply to all of the windows. To enter "link mode" press . To exit, simply press . þ Token Match - This command is used to find the "token" which corresponds to the "token" at the cursor. For example, this command could be used to find the "End" that corresponds to a "Begin". If the word at the cursor is not a "token" then the next occurrence of it will be searched for. This command references a list which indicates which words are tokens and which tokens correspond to each other. This list is maintained in the Environment section where it can be modified. þ Help Index - Whenever you invoke help for a specific command or "mode" you can now invoke a "help index" by pressing . The index will allow you to select help for any of the commands and modes that are documented. þ Modified Files - This command is used to see if the files in the various windows have been modified. It is invoked by pressing . When invoked a window containing the file names (and if necessary the word modified) for all of the windows will be displayed. þ Environment - There are some new configuration parameters in the Environment section. They are as follows. Screen Default - This is default for the screen display for multiple files (F = full screen, H = horizontal split, V = vertical split). Token List - This is the "list of tokens" that is to be used by the find matching token command. Support Path - This is the path for the help and macro files. þ Vertical Split - There are now three states for the full/split screen toggle (). They are, vertical split, horizontal split, and full screen. þ Line Drawing - You can use to invoke a line drawing mode. þ Spell Checking - Providing that the Turbo Lightning Spell Check has been loaded as a resident program, you can now spell check words that have been selected in either "Block Mode" or "Select Mode". þ Block Mode Adjust - After selecting a block of text in "block mode" you can now press "A" so as to "shift" the block of text to the right or left. The block is shifted by using the left and right arrow keys. þ Append Buffer - After selecting text in either "block mode" or "select mode" you can now "append" the selected text to the paste buffer. This is accomplished by selecting the text then pressing "+" in response to the options prompt. After pressing "+" you will be prompted to "copy", "delete", or "kill" the selected text. þ Undo Line Changes - You can now press to restore the contents of the current line. þ Do Last Replace - When you are performing a search and replace you can now press "L" in response to the replace options prompt to replace the pattern and then abort the search and replace. Interface Improvements ---------------------- þ You can now use the scroll keys (, , , ) to scroll the screen display when you are entering data for a series of prompt(s) in a menu (i.e. prompts for the search and replace command). This can be very convenient when the prompts obscure part of the text in a window. þ When you try to exit Mister ED and at least one file has been modified then a "window" containing each file name being edited (and a modifi- cation indicator) will be displayed and you will be prompted to verify if you really want to exit. þ Error messages which require an operator response are now displayed in a dialogue box. Limitations ----------- þ This release has some debug code in it which constantly verifies the correctness of some of the key data structures. To turn this debug code off press (the debug toggle key) while in "screen mode" (a message indicating the state of the debug toggle will appear on the bottom of the screen). þ The "token list" that can be modified in the environment section is not parsed for correct syntax. So if an invalid syntax is entered it could cause the program to crash. This will eventually be fixed. þ The name of the help file "MR_ED.HLP" must not be changed. þ Currently the compare in "compare mode" is case insensitive and it ignores spaces and tabs (i.e. "jon" would match " JOn"). These stipulations will eventually become operator configurable. Bugs Fixed ---------- þ The bug which displayed the infamous message "Oh s--t, you got this error." has been fixed. That bug manifested when there was insufficient disk space for the scratch files that were being dumped out to the disk. þ Replacing a one character search pattern with "nothing" now works correctly. þ Search for multiple one character search patterns now works correctly. ******************* * Version 2.2 * ******************* þ Versions prior to 2.3 were not in the public domain so release notes were not maintained.