Document revision date: 19 July 1999
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Extensible Versatile Editor Reference Manual


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Appendix A
Using Command Line Qualifiers

This appendix describes qualifiers that you can use to invoke EVE. EVE processes some of the qualifiers differently from other DECTPU applications. For information about how other DECTPU applications use these qualifiers, see the DEC Text Processing Utility Reference Manual.

Table A-1 lists the OpenVMS qualifiers that you can use with the EDIT/TPU command to invoke EVE.

Table A-1 EDIT/TPU Command Line Qualifiers
Qualifier OpenVMS Default
Command file /COMMAND=TPU$COMMAND.TPU
File creation /CREATE
Debugging package /NODEBUG
Specifying display mode /DISPLAY=CHARACTER_CELL
Initialization file /INITIALIZATION=EVE$INIT.EVE
Journaling /JOURNAL
Modifying main buffer /MODIFY
Specifying output /OUTPUT=output-file
Read-only access /NOREAD_ONLY
Recovery /NORECOVER
Section files /SECTION=TPU$SECTION
Start position /START_POSITION=(1,1)
Work file /WORK=SYS$SCRATCH:
TPU$WORK.TPU$WORK

Using the character cell screen updater, the default insert or overstrike mode is determined by your terminal setting.

A.1 Command File

Command file qualifiers determine the command file that DECTPU compiles and executes. Command files contain procedures and statements to extend or modify the editor. For example, you can use a command file to create additional EVE commands, define keys, or set attributes. You can also use a command file to set up a special text-processing environment for creating your own DECTPU application or for batch editing.

You cannot use wildcards to specify the command file. You can specify only one command file at a time.

If the command file you specify is not found, the editing session is aborted, returning you to the system prompt. If you do not explicitly specify a file, DECTPU looks for a command procedure but does not exit if no command procedure is found.

At startup, DECTPU compiles and executes a command file after loading a section file (if any) and before EVE executes an initialization file (if any). Thus, procedures, settings, and key definitions in a command file override those in the section file.

Use the following syntax for the command qualifiers:


$ EDIT/TPU /COMMAND[=command-file] (default)
$ EDIT/TPU /NOCOMMAND

There are three ways to specify the command file you want to use:

For more information about DECTPU command files, see the DEC Text Processing Utility Reference Manual.

A.2 File Creation

File creation qualifiers determine whether DECTPU creates a buffer when it does not find the input file. The processing results of using these qualifiers depends on the DECTPU application you are using.

In EVE, files are created by default. If the input file does not exist, EVE uses the input file name and file type to create the buffer name. If you do not specify an input file, EVE creates a buffer named MAIN.

Use the following syntax for the file creation qualifiers:


$ EDIT/TPU /CREATE (default)
$ EDIT/TPU /NOCREATE

Use the /NOCREATE qualifier to avoid invoking the editor in case you mistype the input file specification or to edit an existing file.

If EVE does not find an input file you have specified, it terminates the editing session and returns you to the system level, as in the following example:


$ EDIT/TPU NEW.DAT /NOCREATE
Input file does not exist: NEW.DAT;

A.3 Debugging Package

Debug qualifiers determine whether DECTPU runs a debug file. A debug file is useful to test procedures for an application you are creating. DECTPU compiles and executes the debug file before executing TPU$INIT_PROCEDURE.

To start editing the code in the file you are debugging, use the GO command. You cannot use wildcards to specify the debug file. Use only one debug file at a time.

The debugger that is supplied with DECTPU is in SYS$SHARE:TPU$DEBUG.TPU. This file provides commands to manipulate variables and to control program execution.

Use the following syntax for the debug qualifier:


$ EDIT/TPU /DEBUG[=debug-file]
$ EDIT/TPU /NODEBUG (default)

There are two ways to specify a debug file of your own:

For more information about the debugger, refer to the source file or see the DEC Text Processing Utility Reference Manual.

A.4 Specifying Display Mode

You can specify a display mode by using following syntax:


$ EDIT/TPU /DISPLAY={MOTIF, CHARACTER_CELL (default), DECWINDOWS}
$ EDIT/TPU /INTERFACE={MOTIF, CHARACTER_CELL (default) , DECWINDOWS}
$ EDIT/TPU /NODISPLAY
$ EDIT/TPU /NOINTERFACE

If you use /DISPLAY=DECWINDOWS and DECwindows is available, DECTPU displays the editing session in a separate window on your workstation screen and enables DECwindows features; for example, the EVE screen layout includes a menu bar and scroll bars. If DECwindows is not available, DECTPU works as if on a character-cell terminal.

Display Mode with Batch Jobs

Typically you turn off the display for batch jobs or when you are using an unsupported terminal. For batch jobs, use a DECTPU command file or EVE initialization file. For example, the following command uses a command file named BATCH.TPU to invoke DECTPU for batch editing:


$ EDIT/TPU /NODISPLAY /COMMAND=BATCH

This startup file contains commands you want EVE to perform in batch and should end with EXIT or QUIT. Some EVE commands cannot be used in batch because they prompt for a keypress or other interactive response.

A.5 Initialization File

Initialization file qualifiers determine whether an application executes an initialization file. Processing methods with these qualifiers depend on the DECTPU application you are using. EVE initialization files contain commands to set attributes or define keys that you do not otherwise save in a section file. You cannot use wildcards to specify the initialization file. You can specify one initialization file at a time.

Settings and key definitions in an initialization file override those in a section file or in command file. When you invoke EVE, commands in an initialization file for buffer attributes, such as margins and tab stops, apply to all buffers specified on the command line and to an EVE system buffer named $DEFAULTS$. Buffers created during the session will have the same settings as $DEFAULTS$.

You can also execute an initialization file during an EVE session by using the @ command. This is useful when you want to set or change attributes or define keys for particular kinds of editing or to execute a series of related commands. EVE can create a buffer other than MAIN at startup.

Use the following syntax for the initialization qualifiers:


$ EDIT/TPU /INITIALIZATION[=init-file] (default)
$ EDIT/TPU /NOINITIALIZATION

There are three ways to specify the EVE initialization file you want to use:

Use /NOINITIALIZATION if you have defined the logical name EVE$INIT or created an EVE$INIT.EVE file and do not want the initialization file executed for a particular editing session. Also, using /NOINITIALIZATION makes startup faster because EVE does not search for an EVE$INIT.EVE file and does not parse commands at startup.

A.6 Journaling

Journaling qualifiers determine the type of journaling, if any. Journal files record your edits so that if a system failure interrupts your editing session, you can recover your work. Processing results with journaling qualifiers depends on the DECTPU application you are using.

There are two types of journaling, as follows:

For information about recovering your edits, see Section A.11.

A.7 Disabling Journaling

Use the following syntax for the journaling qualifiers:


$ EDIT/TPU /JOURNAL[=journal-file] (default)
$ EDIT/TPU /NOJOURNAL

To disable journaling use /NOJOURNAL, which disables both keystroke journaling and buffer-change journaling. Using /NOJOURNAL makes startup faster but you risk losing your work if there is a system failure during the editing session. If you invoke EVE with /NOJOURNAL, you can enable buffer-change journaling by using SET JOURNALING commands during your editing session.

For more information about journaling and recovery, see the DEC Text Processing Utility Reference Manual.

A.8 Modifying the Main Buffer

Modyifing qualifiers determines whether you can modify the buffers specified on the command line. Modifications do not affect other buffers you create during the editing session.

By default, you can modify the buffer by editing text in it. When you exit, EVE writes out the buffer to a file if the buffer has been modified.

Use /NOMODIFY to examine a file without making any changes. You can then use cursor-movement commands but you cannot change the text.

If you specify neither /MODIFY nor /NOMODIFY, your application determines if you can modify the buffer. EVE's default behavior is to modify the buffer.

Use the following syntax for the modify qualifiers:


$ EDIT/TPU /MODIFY (default)
$ EDIT/TPU /NOMODIFY

Use /MODIFY to override the effect of /READ_ONLY or /NOWRITE. Use /MODIFY with /READ_ONLY or /NOWRITE to practice editing operations without writing a file on exiting. For example, the following command invokes EVE, making the buffer you specified on the command line read-only (or no-write) and making it modifiable:


$ EDIT/TPU /READ_ONLY /MODIFY

In EVE, you can set or change the modification attribute of the buffer by using SET BUFFER commands.

A.9 Determining the Output File Specification

You can use the output file qualifiers to:

Using these qualifiers also determines whether EVE writes out the buffer specified on the command line when you exit. This does not affect other buffers you create during the editing session.

You cannot use wildcards to specify the output file. If you omit parts of the output file specification, DECTPU uses the corresponding parts of the input file specification if there is one.

With EVE, using the /NOOUTPUT qualifier also sets the buffer specified on the command line to read-only. When you do this, exiting from EVE does not write that buffer to a file. This is useful to examine a file without making any changes. If you change your mind and want to save your edits, you can write out the buffer before exiting by using the WRITE FILE command. Also, you can set or change the read/write status of the buffer by using SET BUFFER commands during your editing session.

Use the following syntax for the output qualifiers:


$ EDIT/TPT /OUTPUT[=output-file] (default)
$ EDIT/TPU /NOOUTPUT

By default the output file has the same specifications as the input file with a version number one higher than the highest version of the input file. If you are creating a new file, it is Version 1.

For example, the following command edits a file named ROUGH.LIS in your current directory and writes the output file to FINAL.TXT in your top-level login directory:


$ EDIT/TPU ROUGH.LIS /OUTPUT=SYS$LOGIN:FINAL.TXT

A.10 Read-Only Access

Specifying read-only access determines the read/write status of the buffer specified on the command line---that is, whether you can modify the text and whether exiting creates an output file from that buffer. This does not affect other buffers you create during the editing session.

In EVE, the status line indicates that the buffer is read-only or write. Also, you can set or change the read/write and modification attributes of the buffer by using SET BUFFER commands.

Use the following syntax for the read and write qualifiers:


$ EDIT/TPU /READ_ONLY
$ EDIT/TPU /NOREAD_ONLY (default)
$ EDIT/TPU /WRITE (default)
$ EDIT/TPU /NOWRITE

The /READ_ONLY qualifier is the same as the /NOWRITE qualifier. The buffer specified on the command line is set to no-write (sometimes called write-locked) and also to unmodifiable, unless you also use /MODIFY. Use /READ_ONLY to examine a file without making any edits. For example, the following command invokes DECTPU to view a file named STAFFMEMO.TXT, setting the buffer to read-only and unmodifiable so you can use cursor-movement commands but cannot change the text:


$ EDIT/TPU STATFFMEMO.TXT /READ_ONLY

The /NOREAD_ONLY qualifier is the same as /WRITE. On exiting, EVE writes out the buffer specified on the command line to a file if the buffer has been modified. If necessary, EVE prompts you for the output file name.

A.11 Recovery

Use of recover qualifiers determines whether DECTPU recovers your edits after a system failure by reading the journal file from the interrupted session.

Use the following syntax for the recover qualifiers:


$ EDIT/TPU /RECOVER
$ EDIT/TPU /NORECOVER (default)

There are two methods of recovering your edits, depending on whether you use buffer-change journaling or keystroke journaling.

These methods are described in the sections that follow.


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