Category : Word Processors
Archive   : VDE173.ZIP
Filename : VDE173.UPD

VDE173.UPD
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VDE 1.73 Update Information
E. Meyer - 17 Aug 1994


See UPDATE GUIDE below for new features and changes in this version.

================================ RECENT NEWS =================================

REGISTRATION FEES

Registration and site license fees for VDE (including the new spelling
checker) increased in June 1993; see VDE.DOC. For information on updating
existing registrations, see ORDER.FRM.

VDE 2.0 IN DEVELOPMENT

Work is in progress on VDE 2.0, which will be able to edit larger
individual files (up to the size of available memory). The projected release
date is fall 1994.

GENERIC (ANSI.SYS) SUPPORT DROPPED IN VDE 1.7

VDE no longer offers a Generic installation (for DOS screen output via
ANSI.SYS) on non-PC compatibles. Limited support will continue for some time
for VDE 1.65 as the last version to run on non-compatibles. If you are unable
to run the current version of VDE, you can order a copy of VDE 1.65C.

FOREIGN LANGUAGE VERSIONS

Several foreign language versions of VDE are under consideration or
development; one, Finnish, is now available. Please write if you need a
specific foreign version, or are interested in collaborating to produce one.

DEDICATED HP95/100LX VERSION: "fastWRITE"

Although "PC compatible", the Hewlett-Packard 95/100LX palmtops are still
different enough from ordinary PCs that extensive customization (beyond a
level that would be reasonable for VDE, as general purpose PC software) is
necessary for an editor to work optimally on them. As of June 1993, such a
version of VDE, called "fastWRITE", is offered as a retail product by ACE
Technologies. Like most PC software, VDE can still be used on LXs, but those
whose primary need is for an editor for the LX should consider fastWRITE,
which offers in addition:
* special HP LX-style command menus invoked by MENU key
* custom 40-column messages, no horizontal scrolling required
* full multitasking (popup/hotkey) ability under SWITCH! 2.0 API
* awareness of HP LX serial port power and light sleep features
* support for all 100LX video modes and "hotkey zoom"
Registered VDE users will be eligible for a discount toward purchase of
fastWRITE. Contact ACE Technologies at 2880 Zanker Rd. #103, San Jose, CA
95134, tel. (408)428-9722, (800)825-9977. Purchasers of fastWRITE will also
be entitled to a discount on an individual registration of VDE.


================================ UPDATE GUIDE ================================


The following is a quick guide, for users of previous versions of VDE, to
noticeable changes in operation. Please check VDE.REF and VINST.REF for full
details.

NEW IN VDE 1.73

* A new command, ^[Del], deletes the entire current word, regardless of
the position of the cursor within it. (Actually introduced in ver. 1.72B)

* The "[]" command-line option can now be used with text, as well as a
line number. VDE FILENAME[string] loads FILENAME, and positions the cursor on
the first occurrence of "string". See SYNTAX.

* Text read in by ^KR or {File:Import} is now automatically marked as a
block, to aid in distinguishing it from the surrounding material.

* When defining a macro with the Esc[ command, PC keys are now accepted.
Several have their own symbols, displaying as highlighted arrows or triangles:
arrow keys [^,v,<,>], [De]], ^[Del], and ^[BkSp]. The rest all display as a
highlighted asterisk "*".

* There is no longer a special command Esc] to store the previously
defined macro to a key. Instead, use Esc[ and press ^R to replay the last
macro. (The little-used macro commands ^O=, ^Q-, Esc^R, Esc^C have also been
eliminated, since they served as synonyms for [5], Shft[Tab], ^[PgUp],
^[PgDn], all of which can now be entered in macros directly.)

* The search path for accessory (.VDx) and speller files has been changed
for ease of use. Most users will no longer need to SET a VDE environment
variable; under DOS 3 and above, you can simply keep these files in the same
directory as VDE.EXE. The same search method is also used when running
VINST.COM or VUDIC.COM. It now applies also to writing .VDx files, when no
directory is specified. See DIRECTORIES.

* The instructions for use of macros have been expanded, and are now
located in a new file, VMACRO.REF.

------------------------------------------------------------------------------

VDE 1.72 UPDATE SUMMARY (Jan 1994)

* The PC up/down arrow keys now restore the original cursor column (when
possible) after moving across shorter lines. The ^E/^X keys do not do this,
retaining their WordStar behavior instead.
* WordPerfect file compatibility has been improved. /F mode can now
recognize and read WP version 6.0 files, as well as 5.0/5.1. It now writes WP
5.0 format, which can be read directly by WP 5.1 or 6.0 as well.
* Unformatted /U mode no longer interprets control codes as print effects
(it now behaves like /A mode in this respect, instead of /D).
* Soft hyphens (^P-) are now saved to disk in /D mode as well as the
WordStar and WordPerfect filemodes.
* Find (^QF) can now be used more easily to find hard returns in
documents: a string BEGINNING with a return (^M) matches only HARD returns.
* The MenuBar now displays the main keyword in the header when a submenu
is selected.
* Hard tabs in documents now display as a bidirectional arrow, instead of
the control code "I". (They do not display if CR/tab display (^OB) is off.)

------------------------------------------------------------------------------

VDE 1.71 UPDATE SUMMARY (Oct 1993)

* The VDE program is now in .EXE format (rather than .COM), and there is
no longer a separate VDEOPT.DAT file required for the AltE command.
* Two new macro commands, Esc? and Esc:, accept input directly from the
keyboard during macro execution. See MACRO PAUSE/INPUT.
* The macro chain command Esc& now has a variant Esc&& which calls
another macro definition, then returns. See MACRO PROGRAMMING.
* The old style "Esc key" macros, which some users felt had mnemonic
value, have been reinstated as aliases for function keys. See FUNCTION KEYS.
* There are now 16 variable tab stops, rather than 8. Also, the Esc-Tab
command (for variable tab in hard tab mode) has been replaced with Alt-Tab.
* The screen shift commands, formerly Esc-arrow key, are now Alt-arrow
key, and work only with the grey arrows of the AT keyboard.
* The MenuBar {sCreen:} selection has been renamed to {View:}.

VINST 1.71

* In addition to the new "Esc key" aliases, function key definitions now
offer twice as much available space. VINST can read and convert .VDF files
from previous versions.
* There is a new video installation for the Diamond Speedstar VGA board,
and a new printer driver for the HP Laserjet 4P printer.

------------------------------------------------------------------------------

VDE 1.7 UPDATE SUMMARY (Jun 1993)

* VDE now offers an integrated spelling checker for registered users.
AltH checks one word, AltJ checks the rest of a document.
* A new command ^OU toggles display of function key labels on the bottom
line of the screen.
* There is no more "MenuBar MODE", determining how the [Esc] key
functions. Instead, the menus are always available, invoked by ^[Esc] or
L.Shift-Esc.
* The "Macro keys" Esc0-Z, which existed to support non-PC compatibles,
have been removed, along with ".VDK files". The autoexec macro Esc0 has been
replaced by the ability to designate any one of the function keys as autoexec.
The Esc& command now requires a function keyname, for example "Esc&^F7" to
chain to Ctrl-F7.
* The Esc$ command has a new argument, "$" (Esc$$), to cancel special
error handling in macros, returning to halting on any error.
* The print command ^KP now reads an empty init string ('' alone) as a
request not to send the init string built into the driver. If desired, this
can be followed (after a space) by another non-empty init string '...', to use
as a substitute.
* The find/replace functions ^QF/^QA now use option "I" for Ignore-case
(instead of "U"ppercase as before). Also, ^QA no longer has an "A"lign
option; realignment simply depends on whether AutoFormat is on.
* The menubar selection {File:neW} now performs the ^KD function, not ^KL
(it saves the current file, instead of abandoning it).
* Several minor changes in key usage have been made, including ^[Break]
(instead of ^U as before) to abort command input.
* A new version 1.2 of the CTRLCAPS utility provides a complete swap of
functions between the [Ctrl] and [CapsLock] keys. Many users requested this
change from the previous dual function of the [CapsLock] key.

VINST 1.7

* The "Generic ANSI.SYS" installation is no longer available. As of VDE
1.7B, the HP95LX and 100LX palmtops are no longer automatically detected; they
must be selected as "not-quite-compatibles" in VINST.
* There are three new User Options: to prompt for a filename to edit if
none was specified on the command line; to choose the character to use for the
strikeout effect (^PX); and to determine whether Cut (AltC) also deletes the
block. There is no longer a choice for the function of the ^[BkSp] key.
* VINST offers new printer drivers for Canon Bubblejet and LBP laser
printers, and the C.Itoh 8510/NEC 8023 dot matrix printer.
* VINST 1.7 can, as usual, read and convert .VDF files from previous
versions. Because their internal structure was identical, you can also rename
any .VDK files to ".VDF" and read them as function key definitions.
VINST 1.7A will now allow you to enter a function key definition up to
255 bytes long (not just 127); and when editing definitions, [Enter] alone now
works as it does elsewhere, leaving the existing definition (or label, or Q/N
option) unchanged. To blank (remove) the definition, use ^[Enter]. To blank
the label or Q/N status, use [Space].

------------------------------------------------------------------------------

VDE 1.65 UPDATE SUMMARY (Feb 1993)

* There is a new "Protected mode", toggled by the command ^KO, that
engages automatically if you load a file with the DOS R/O attribute.
* In the File Browser, the plus key "+" acts to tag or untag files, and
you can invoke the Browser from the command line by entering VDE with a
command like VDE *.DOC.
* You can add a page/line number in square brackets "[]" after a filename
to go to (^QI) that position immediately upon loading the file.

VINST 1.65

* The quote key used by VINST for alphanumeric data entry in hex strings
is now ['], which most people think of as the "single-quote", instead of [`]
as before. Also, the double-quote ["] can now be used to duplicate the pre-
existing value.


============================== VERSION HISTORY ===============================

1984-1987: Development of "Video Display Editor" for CP/M computers.
VDE 1.0 (Dec87): First MSDOS release, for IBM PC compatibles only.
1.01 (Dec87): Faster; several bug fixes; minor changes to VINST.
1.1 (Jan88): Edit 2 files; AltE; AltT,D; DOS shell; ANSI installation.
1.2 (Mar88): AltW; AltM; AltS; ^OQ; ^QT,^QI; AltG; [F]-keys; word count.
1.21 (May88): Auto indent; enhanced ^OI; ^PL is pagebreak.
1.22 (Aug88): AltO; AltA; AltI; append to files; enhanced ^KP, display.
1.3 (Jan89): Edit 6 files; AltC,P; AltV; improved ^QA, ^U; /5 mode.
1.31 (Mar89): ^K#; ^KZ; macro keys A-Z; AltU; ^OD.
1.4 (Jul89): MenuBar mode; Esc"; proportional format/print mode.
1.5 (Dec89): 8 files; ^KA; enhanced ^KF, ^OW/AltF, ^QF; use less memory.
1.51 (Mar90): /P, /X file modes; ^]; ^K^; improved proportional mode.
1.52 (Apr90): Various small improvements and fixes.
1.53 (May90): ^QL,N; /M mode; ^PG; foreign language/KEYBxx compatibility.
1.54 (Sep90): Small improvements; supports enhanced keyboard, F11/F12.
1.6 (Dec90): Auto format; Justify; ^OG; {User}; /U; improved ^U, ^OD.
1.61 (Mar91): Envelope printer; /C mode; enhanced AltE, block marking.
1.62 (Oct91): Supports UltraVision, HP95LX palmtop, Tandy keyboard.
1.63 (Jun92): Autoexec macro; ^\; enhanced ^QF,^OI,^KF,^KA,AltG, etc.
1.64 (Aug92): Whole-word find; dual /D,A modes; DESQview aware.
1.65 (Feb93): Protected mode ^KO; File tagging; [goto#] option.
1.7 (Jun93): Spelling checker; ^OU; HP100LX. Now PC compatibles only.
1.71 (Oct93): Esc?, Esc: for macro input; small improvements.
1.72 (Jan94): Reads WordPerfect 6 files; small improvements.
1.73 (Aug94): ^[Del]; [gotostring] option; small improvements.

----- Eric Meyer, 3541 Smuggler Way, Boulder, CO 80303 USA -----