home *** CD-ROM | disk | FTP | other *** search
- Full Screen Editor - Documentation Addendum
-
- Several users have requested the ability to set the "default" format
- for the editor. Actually, they simply want to select the format the editor
- will utilize immediately after initial load. Rather than add additional com-
- mands to the editor, I've now included a small utility, SETFSED. This utility
- permits "patching" the format the editor will load in. Instructions for use
- are displayed on the screen. One caution -- the editor being "patched" MUST
- be named FSED.COM and be mounted on the "A" drive. Please "patch" only working
- copies. Do NOT patch the master. Any errors encountered in the process will
- be displayed on the screen.
-
- Other users have rightly complained that the editor "filtered" out
- graphic characters. For no rational reason, I set the original editor up to
- discard characters greater than 7FH. This version not only permits keying
- characters (ALT plus numeric keypad, per DOS manual) in the graphic range, but
- also includes some very limited support for graphics. Using the ALT plus
- numeric keypad is a "pain". First, it's not "typamatic", and second, it's
- awkward. So there now exists an "undocumented" key. Try ALT-"A". You'll
- get an assignment screen that will permit you to assign single characters to
- the shifted/control Function keys. This gives you 20 possible graphics that
- you may key during editing, and the keys are "typamatic". That makes drawing
- boxes, etc., much faster.
-
- Since there is a default "graphic" set, you may choose to get by with
- those pre-selected. If you don't like this set, however, you may choose to
- create your own. To do this, you need a file named FSED.KEY. There is one
- included with the distribution package. This file MUST be at least 20 bytes
- in length. The first 20 bytes of the file are the graphic characters corres-
- ponding to the Shift F1-F10, and then Control F1-F10. Any other data in the
- file will be ignored. This file MUST reside on your default drive when start-
- ing the editor, if it is to be used. If the file cannot be found, the editor
- simply defaults to the "built in" set of graphic characters. How can you
- create such a file. Well you might try using the editor. That works for any
- character value above 20H or blank. If you want characters below this value,
- use DEBUG. The file provided contains all of the graphic characters below
- 20H.
-
- For those of you who don't want this support, simply "ignore". It
- cost you about 700 bytes of memory (mostly the graphic screen), but it won't
- get in your way. I'm a bit reluctant, usually, to add more function to the
- editor. This one seemed justified, so here it is. As one adds function,
- one adds complexity. That's my great gripe about too many products today.
- Seems as though most developers never heard of the KISS philosophy. You
- never either? Well, it's initial slang for:
-
- KEEP IT SIMPLE, STUPID!
-
- Notice that I am not insulting you. Only too many hackers that I have known,
- managed, and lived with, for too many years.
-
- Good luck, and happy editing.
-
- Dan Daetwyler