NE.EXE Version 3.00b (NO EDLIN !!) Copyright GDSOFT June 1995 INTRODUCTION ------------ This small, fast editor is based on the IDE editor from BORLAND. It has MANY features including wordwrap and spell checking. It IS a copyrighted work, but I here by declare it to BE FREEWARE (defined as FREE FROM EDLIN FOREVER !!!), and do NOT request that any money be sent for its use. This limited documentation is provided to help you get started. Please use the help feature of the program (F1) and read about the various features. Many of the commands are WORDSTAR, and if you are familiar with this very popular editor, you'll catch on fast. The rest of this document deals with the some of the features of the editor editor, and may help you to work through any problems that you have. I think you'll find this editor to be one of the better ones around. SPELL CHECKING -------------- This editor provides for what has got to be one of the most important functions of any word processor, at least for me, and that is spell checking. Without it, I'm afraid that I'd be lost. Starting with version 3.0 of the program, the spell checking is BUILT-IN to NE. This permits VERY fast and efficient checking of any text document, with suggestions of close or sound alike words. You'll find that this feature is as fast as any spell checking on the market. Words not found can be added to your own auxiliary dictionary. ONE IMPORTANT NOTE: The dictionary files *.SPL MUST be somewhere on your path statement. To check your path, type "PATH" at the DOS prompt and all of the current paths will be displayed. If the spell dictionary files ARE NOT in one of these paths, then place it there or at its path, the current PATH statement. If you don't, the editor will not find them, and spell checking will return an error indicating that it can not find one of the dictionary files. After all this is done, Spell checking can be accessed from the editor by pressing the keys "ALT E" (Edit Menu) and then pressing the "S" key or you can simply use the F4 key. PRINTING THE DOCUMENT --------------------- Choose PRINT from the menu (ALT P) and you are given the option to print the current document, set the top print margin, the left print margin or to select the type of printer that you are using. The printer choices are common ones, and hopefully you will be able to find one that suits your printer. Text will be printed in NEAR LETTER QUALITY mode, and the choice tells the program what control codes to send to your printer. The margin settings and printer choice are saved for future use of the program, and will be in effect until the next time you change them. The WORDSTAR command ^KP is available for document printing, and the document will be printed with the current settings. As printing occurs, the line and cursor indicator will be updated. Pressing ESCAPE will STOP the printing operation at any time. 43/50 LINE VIDEO ---------------- You will have the capability of using 43/50 line screens if you have EGA or better. The option can be found in the DESKTOP menu. It is automatically disabled if the user doesn't have the capability. Note that Load/Store remembers what video mode you were in and resets the program to that mode when the desktop is automatically loaded. AUTOINDENT ---------- The AutoIndent command is ^QI. This makes the editor conform to WordStar. CENTERING TEXT -------------- A line of text may be centered by using ^OC. Centering is based on the setting of the Right_Margin. If a line is blank, or the length of the line exceeds the Right_Margin value, nothing will happen. Spaces at the beginning of lines are not used when calculating the line length. The cursor will be moved to the end of the line after it has been centered. COLORS ------ To be quite honest, the whole business of allowing users to change colors is quite a problem. It adds a lot of code to the program, and more often than not, it is used only once by the user. I like the colors and I hope you do too. They can't be changed. CTRL-BACKSPACE -------------- This feature will allow two options for deleting text from the cursor to the left margin. You can use ^BackSpace or ^QH. CTRL-HOME AND CTRL-END ---------------------- You have the ability to jump to the top and bottom of a page. [Ctrl]-[Home] will take the cursor to the top of a page and [Ctrl]-[End] will take the cursor to the bottom of a page. Note that the cursor does NOT go to the first position in the line. The actual position it ends up at is based on the current position of the cursor on the current line when one of these key sequences are pressed, and the length of the new line it ends up on. PARAGRAPH REFORMAT ------------------ This feature is available to the user via the ^B key. It works regardless of whether or not wordwrap is active. Reformatting is based on the current right margin position. As with wordwrap, reformatting is not possible if the cursor is beyond the right margin position. An error dialogue will appear if the cursor is too far right. Paragraph reformat also works with the AutoIndent feature. However, it is important to note that the reformat process is based on the current line the cursor happens to be sitting on when ^B is pressed. Therefore, if you use hanging paragraphs (a paragraph where the first line sticks out further to the left margin than the rest of the paragraph) you need to be careful. If the cursor is on the first line of the paragraph, the reformatting takes place according to that line's left margin setting. This is a feature, not a bug. Try the same thing with MicroStar or SideKick and you'll see what I mean. If AutoIndent is on, and the paragraph is so indented that reformatting encounters a word that will not fit on the line according to the left and right margin settings, an error dialogue will appear. However, any reformatting accomplished prior to this situation will have taken effect. The cursor should stop on the word it couldn't wrap. This should keep the reformatting process from locking up the system just because it can't wrap a word that is too long. The cursor will end up at the first blank line after the paragraph when you press ^B. Therefore, you can reformat paragraphs in quick succession. Note that unlike some other editors, this implementation of paragraph reformatting will retain double spaces after periods, exclamation points, question marks, and colons. If you are in the habit of only using one space, it's not syntactically correct. Two spaces will be inserted instead, providing the cursor was sitting on one of these punctuation marks when the reformatting process was doing its thing. Otherwise, no change will be made to your original text. DOCUMENT REFORMAT ----------------- Pressing ^QU will allow you to reformat a document from either the current line, or the beginning of a document, to the end of the document. A dialogue box appears with radio buttons asking you where you want to start reformatting. You must be VERY careful when using this option. It is based on the paragraph reformat feature. You will note in that section that reformatting is based on the indentation of the first line in a paragraph, and whether or not the AutoIndent feature is toggled on. Your screen will scroll to follow the reformat process. This allows the user to know something is happening, instead of just having the system lock up while text is reformatted. PARAGRAPH JUSTIFY ----------------- Pressing ^OJ will allow you to RIGHT JUSTIFY the current paragraph. The entire paragraph EXCLUDING the last line will be lined up with the right margin setting. END OF LINE SPACES ------------------ Spaces at the end of lines are automatically removed. This was required to make the wordwrap and reformat feature work properly. Spaces on blank lines are also removed. Only the CR/LF is kept. Spaces are NOT removed until the cursor has traveled over or onto a line. Therefore, if you load a file created by another ASCII editor that does not strip spaces, they will remain in the document until you move through the document with the cursor keys. INDICATOR LINE -------------- The Edit Indicator line appears at the bottom of the edit window. If the text has been modified, an "M" appears. Also, an "I" appears when AutoIndent is active, and a "W" pops up when wordwrap is on. Additionally, the current line and column is indicated (line:col); INSERT NEW LINE --------------- Pressing ^N will insert a CR/LF pair at the current cursor position. All characters AT the cursor and to the end of the line will be moved down to the next line. The difference between pressing ^N and [Enter] is that with ^N the cursor stays at its current position and does NOT move down to the next line. The only exception to this would be if the cursor was at the end of a line that has its spaces removed when ^N is pressed. In that case, the cursor goes to the new end of line. JUMP TO LINE NUMBER ------------------- Pressing ^JL will allow the user to jump to a particular line number. A dialogue box will appear that requests the user to input a line number to jump to. Valid entries range from 1 to 9999. LOAD/STORE OPERATIONS --------------------- The editor keeps track of the LAST files that were edited, and saves a file to disk ending in ".DSK". The next time into the editor, the previous files will be loaded. However, if you start the editor with a NEW command line, this file WILL NOT BE LOADED. This editor is a MULTIPLE file editor, and up to 16 files can be loaded at once. See the SYNTAX section for more information. MEMORY ------ Only files of 64K or less can be edited with this editor. Maybe one of these days, I'll get around to creating a "VIRTUAL" editor, but this one isn't it. PLACE MARKERS ------------- This editor allows the user to set place markers within the document. ^K#, where # is a value between 1 and 0 on the keyboard, allows the user to set up to 10 place markers. The user can jump to a place marker by pressing ^Q#, where # is a value between 1 and 0 on the keyboard. Place markers are not visible, but they are still there, just hidden. Place markers are constantly updated as the user inserts and deletes text. If a place marker is contained within text that is deleted, it is set back to zero. The cursor key goes nowhere if it encounters a place marker with a zero value as a result of a ^Q# request. Of course, this also means you can not set a place marker in column 1 of line 1, for it is the 0th position in the document. Use [Ctrl]-[PgUp] instead! PRESET TABS ----------- The preset tab feature allows the user to define up to 74 tab stops. The ^OI keys will bring up a tab stop dialogue box. The box has a ruler across the top and an input line beneath the ruler. To set tabs, the user should place a character in the input line directly beneath the ruler setting where a tab is wanted. Note that if the input line is filled with spaces the user will not be able to enter any data. Tab Settings is automatically initialized to increments of 7. Pressing [Esc] or the OK dialogue button will keep the current Tab Settings. RIGHT MARGIN ------------ The user can set the right margin of the document. This is done by pressing the ^OR sequence. A dialogue box will appear asking the user to enter a right margin value. The current value will be shown each time the dialogue comes up. The default value is 76. The user has only three options; enter the value, press the OK button, or press [Esc]. Pressing OK or [Esc] will keep the current value. Valid entries are 10 through 255. If the user enters a value that is not within this range, the current value is maintained. No error message will be given! SAVE FEATURES ------------- The most important WordStar commands that apply to saving the document have been implemented. [F2] or ^KS - Save text to current file and resume editing. ^KF - Save text to another file. ^KD or ^KX - Save text to current file and exit editor. Save and Quit. SCROLL DOWN ----------- Pressing ^Z provides the function of scrolling the screen up while maintaining the cursor position. If the original cursor position scrolls off the screen, the cursor scrolls down a line. This forces the cursor to stay in the upper left corner of the screen should the original cursor position scroll away. SCROLL UP --------- Pressing ^W provides the function of scrolling the screen down while maintaining the cursor position. If the original cursor position scrolls off the screen, the cursor scrolls up a line. This forces the cursor to stay in the lower left corner of the screen should the original cursor position scroll away. SELECT WORD ----------- Pressing ^KT will highlight the current word the cursor is sitting on. The word is marked from the current cursor position to the next space or end of line, whichever comes first. The marked word is put into the clipboard without further effort on the users part. Marking works in the normal manner, i.e., it disappears the moment you move the cursor. Note that NOTHING will happen if you try to use this command when the cursor is sitting on a space or the end of a line. TABS ---- When in INSERT mode, the cursor will attempt to go to the next tab stop, happily INSERTING SPACES as it looks for that next stopping point. If it is at the last tab stop, it stops inserting spaces and takes a big jump to the first character of the next line. Try to keep tab use to a minimum when the cursor is in insert mode. You can eat up valuable buffer space quickly! When in OVERSTRIKE mode, the cursor will attempt to go to the next tab stop, happily skipping over characters as it looks for that next stopping point. If it is at the last tab stop, OR the line is too short to allow it to reach the next tab stop, it takes a big jump to the first character of the next line. UNDO ---- ^U is the normal UNDO sequence. However you can get the same thing with ^QL. The line is restored to its condition BEFORE any carriage return. WORDWRAP -------- Wordwrap is toggled on/off via the ^OW sequence. When wordwrap is on, a "W" appears on the status line. Wordwrap is fast, and should keep up with the most fluid typist. There should be no "jerkiness" in the wrap effect. Wordwrap is based on the "push the line out to the right until the cursor reaches the current right margin setting" principle. Therefore, if you are on a line and inserting text, the text will be pushed beyond the right margin until the cursor gets there, at which point the text beyond the cursor is wrapped. The right margin is considered to be the current right margin value + 1. For example, if your right margin is set to 69, then the cursor CAN go to column 70. Trying to go past column 70 will cause wordwrap to occur. Wordwrap will not work if the cursor is beyond the current right margin setting. In this event, an error dialogue box will appear. Wordwrap will also work with the AutoIndent mode turned on. In this case, the cursor goes to the same first character position on the new line as the line it was on when wrap occurred. If you try to type a blank line of spaces to the right margin, wordwrap will remove the spaces and insert just a CR/LF pair. Wordwrap will also bring up an error message if you try to type in an entire line out to the right margin without spaces. COMMAND SUMMARY --------------- The following list contains all the commands available in the editor : Command Description -------------------- ------------------------------------------------ [Ctrl]-[A] - Move cursor left to previous word. [Ctrl]-[B] - Reformat paragraph to current margins. [Ctrl]-[C] - Page down one screen. [Ctrl]-[D] - Move cursor right one character. [Ctrl]-[E] - Move cursor up one line. [Ctrl]-[F] - Move cursor right to next word. [Ctrl]-[G] - Delete character cursor is on. [Ctrl]-[H] - Delete character to left of cursor. [Ctrl]-[I] - Move right to next tab position. [Ctrl]-[J]-[L] - Jump to a line number. [Ctrl]-[K]-[#] - Set place marker (0 to 9). [Ctrl]-[K]-[B] - Begin selecting text. [Ctrl]-[K]-[C] - Copy text from clipboard into document. [Ctrl]-[K]-[D] - Save document and EXIT editor immediately. [Ctrl]-[K]-[F] - Save current document to another file. [Ctrl]-[K]-[K] - Copy text from document into clipboard. [Ctrl]-[K]-[P] - Print current document using current settings. [Ctrl]-[K]-[S] - Save document and continue editing. [Ctrl]-[K]-[T] - Select current word cursor is on. [Ctrl]-[K]-[Y] - Remove text from document into clipboard. [Ctrl]-[K]-[X] - Save document and exit editor immediately. [Ctrl]-[L] - Continue searching for specified text. [Ctrl]-[M] - Enter CR/LF pair. [Ctrl]-[N] - Add CR/LF pair AT cursor and keep cursor position. [Ctrl]-[O]-[C] - Center Current text line. [Ctrl]-[O]-[D] - Output current DATE into text. [Ctrl]-[O]-[I] - Set tab positions. [Ctrl]-[O]-[J] - Right Justify Paragraph. [Ctrl]-[O]-[R] - Set right margin position of line. [Ctrl]-[O]-[T] - Output current TIME into text. [Ctrl]-[O]-[W] - Toggle word wrap mode on or off. [Ctrl]-[Q]-[#] - Move cursor to specified place marker (0 to 9). [Ctrl]-[Q]-[A] - Search for text and replace it. [Ctrl]-[Q]-[C] - Move cursor to end of document. [Ctrl]-[Q]-[D] - Move cursor to end of line. [Ctrl]-[Q]-[F] - Find specified text. [Ctrl]-[Q]-[H] - Delete text from cursor to start of line. [Ctrl]-[Q]-[I] - Toggle IndentMode on and off. [Ctrl]-[Q]-[L] - UNDO. Same as [Ctrl]-[U] [Ctrl]-[Q]-[R] - Move cursor to beginning of document. [Ctrl]-[Q]-[S] - Move cursor to beginning of line [Ctrl]-[Q]-[U] - Reformat the document text. [Ctrl]-[Q]-[Y] - Delete text from cursor to end of line. [Ctrl]-[R] - Page up one screen. [Ctrl]-[S] - Move cursor left one character. [Ctrl]-[T] - Delete text from current cursor to next word. [Ctrl]-[U] - UNDO. Restore text to previous state. [Ctrl]-[V] - Toggle cursor between insert and overstrike mode. [Ctrl]-[W] - Scroll screen up one line keeping cursor position. [Ctrl]-[X] - Move cursor down one line. [Ctrl]-[Y] - Delete line of text cursor is on. [Ctrl]-[Z] - Scroll screen down one line keeping cursor position. [Backspace] - Delete character to left of cursor. [Left Arrow] - Move cursor left one character. [Right Arrow] - Move cursor right one character. [Ctrl]-[Left Arrow] - Move cursor left to previous word. [Ctrl]-[Right Arrow] - Move cursor right to next word. [Home] - Move cursor to start of line. [End] - Move cursor to end of line. [Ctrl]-[Home] - Move cursor to top of current page. [Ctrl]-[End] - Move cursor to bottom of current page. [Up Arrow] - Move cursor up one line. [Down Arrow] - Move cursor down one line. [PgUp] - Page up one screen. [PgDn] - Page down one screen. [Ctrl]-[PgUp] - Move cursor to beginning of document. [Ctrl]-[PgDn] - Move cursor to end of document. [Ins] - Toggle cursor between insert and overstrike mode. [Del] - Delete character cursor is on or selected text. [Ctrl]-[BackSpace] - Delete text from cursor to start of line. [Shift]-[Ins] - Copy text from clipboard into document. [Shift]-[Del] - Remove text from document into clipboard. [Ctrl]-[Ins] - Copy text from document into clipboard. [Ctrl]-[Del] - Clear out and dispose of clipboard contents. CREDITS ------- This editor was written in Borland Pascal 7.0, and is based on the BORLAND IDE editor. The original modifications to the editor kernel itself to allow word wrap and the like were done by Al Andersen PO BOX 2436 Sierra Vista, AZ 85636 and he deserves MUCH credit for his work. The rest of the changes are mine, and are based on what I LIKE in an editor. Remember, it is FREE, so don't write me nasty letters and complain about how it works !! SUPPORT ------- For the newest version of all the GDSOFT files, call my support BBS at (219) 875-8133. Open from 5pm - 5am daily (EST). Courier HST 14400,8,N,1. OTHER SOFTWARE BY GDSOFT DISTRIBUTED AS SHAREWARE ------------------------------------------------- ARCTOOL Current Version 8.0 An archive manager/shell handles EVERY popular archiver including ZIP, ARJ, ARC, PAK, ZOO, and even recognizes "EXE" archives. Best of ALL, it handles archives INSIDE of other archives up to 5 layers. View, Print, Extract and Convert archives to ANY format, view ANSI files, ASSOCIATE exts with ANY DOS program. Graphical user interface. VERY FAST !!! ARCPLUS Current Version 6.0A A complete MULTI window virtual file mananger that can create archives in ANY format from ALL disks and paths on your system. Designed to make creating archives EASY !!!!! The file manager allows copy, rename, attrib and MANY more features !!! VERY FAST !! Evaluation copies of GDSOFT software can be obtained from the following BBS sources : (FREE SUPPORT to registered users PLUS latest GDSOFT stuff !!) ( ONLINE from 5pm - 5am daily WORTH THE CALL ) GDSOFT BBS .................................... 1-219-875-8133 Beta Connection BBS ........................... 1-219-293-6465 The DOCK BBS .................................. 1-219-848-7200 EXEC-PC ....................................... 1-414-789-4352 Canada Remote Systems ......................... 1-416-629-7000 Telecomm BBS .................................. 1-404-975-1040 CompuServe .................................... GO IBMSYS GENIE ......................................... IBM Conference Search for : ARCTOOL or ARCPLUS