TOPS-20 Commands Reference Manual
EDIT
Invokes your defined editor to modify a file.
Format
@EDIT (FILE) /switch(es) input filespec (OUTPUT AS) output filespec
where:
| switches | are keywords, chosen from the list below, indicating your choice of
EDIT command options.
Defaults are shown in the list of switches | ||
| input filespec | is the specification of the file you want to edit.
| ||
| output filespec | is the specification with which you want to name the edited file.
|
Summary of EDIT Command Switches (Defaults in boldface)
| /BAK | |
| /C128 | |
| /C64 | |
| /DECIDE | |
| /DPY | |
| /EXPERT | |
| /INCREMENT:n | Default n - 100 |
| /ISAVE:n | |
| /LOWER | |
| /M33 | |
| /M37 | |
| /NOBAK | |
| /NODECIDE | |
| /NONSEPARATORS | |
| /NONUMBER | |
| /NOVICE | |
| /NUMBER | |
| /OLD | |
| /OPTION:name | |
| /PLINES:n | Default n - 16 |
| /R | |
| /READONLY | |
| /RONLY | |
| /RUN:filespec | Default file type - .EXE |
| /SAVE:n | |
| /SEPARATORS | |
| /SEQUENCE | |
| /START:n | Default n - argument of INCREMENT switch |
| /STEP:n | Default n - 100 |
| /UNSEQUENCE | |
| /UPPER | |
| /WINDOW:n | Default n - 10 |
EDIT Command Switches
| /BAK | causes an unedited copy of the file to be saved at the end of an
editing session under the specification name.Qyp, where name.typ is the
file's original specification.
Default |
| /C128 | specifies a 128-character alphabet, allowing insertion of control characters in an alternate format. See the TOPS-20 EDIT Reference Manual for details. |
| /C64 | specifies a 64-character alphabet, disallowing use of an alternate
format for insertion of control characters.
Default |
| /DECIDE | lets you decide whether to accept or reject each change caused by the operation of the S (substitute) command of the EDIT program. |
| /DPY | has no effect in the current monitor. |
| /EXPERT | tells the EDIT program that you need only abbreviated error messages, and fewer warnings and reminders. |
| /INCREMENT:n | specifies the value that will be added to each line number of the file
to obtain the next line number.
Default n - 100 |
| /ISAVE:n | instructs the EDIT program to update the backup file of specification name.Qyp after every n lines you insert, instead of only at the end of the EDIT session. |
| /LOWER | specifies that all alphabetic characters you type should be considered lowercase characters; give uppercase characters by preceding the corresponding lowercase character with a single quotation mark ('). |
| /M33 | has no effect in the current monitor. |
| /M37 | has no effect in the current monitor. |
| /NOBAK | prevents an unedited copy of the file from being saved at the end of an editing session under specification name.Qyp, where name.typ is the file's original specification. |
| /NODECIDE | ensures the automatic operation of the S (substitute) command of the EDIT program. Default |
| /NONSEPARATORS | notifies the EDIT program that the characters . (period), $ (dollar sign), and % (percent sign) are to be regarded as ordinary textual characters and not as field delimiters (separators) in the file being edited. Default |
| /NONUMBER | suppresses the printing of line numbers with each line of a file. |
| /NOVICE | tells the EDIT program that you want to see complete error messages and
all appropriate warnings and reminders; opposite of /EXPERT switch.
Default |
| /NUMBER | prints a line number for each line of the file.
Default |
| /OLD | causes the first backup file to be saved under the specification name.Zyp, where name.typ is the file's original specification. |
| /OPTION:name | sets any EDIT switches contained in lines of your SWITCH.INI file labeled with name (of six or fewer characters). The system expects this file to be in your log-in directory. |
| /PLINES:n | specifies how many lines to print in response to each P (print) command
of the EDIT program.
Default n - 16 |
| /R | same as /READONLY. |
| /READONLY | prevents any changes to the file during the current session of the EDIT program, that is, makes it a read-only session. This switch cannot be given in the SWITCH.INI file. |
| /RONLY | same as /READONLY. |
| /RUN:filespec | specifies the program to be run when you end the current session of the
EDIT program with the G command.
Default file type - .EXE |
| /SAVE:n | instructs the EDIT program to update the backup file of specification name.Qyp after every n EDIT program commands that modify the file. |
| /SEPARATORS | notifies the EDIT program that the characters . (period), $ (dollar sign), and % (percent sign) are not ordinary textual characters but are field separators in the accompanying file. |
| /SEQUENCE | tells the EDIT program not to strip the line numbers from the file when the EDIT session ends. Default |
| /START:n | specifies the first line number for the EDIT program to use when numbering the file. Default n - argument of /INCREMENT switch |
| /STEP:n | same as /INCREMENT. |
| /UNSEQUENCE | tells the EDIT program to strip the line numbers from the file when the EDIT session ends. |
| /UPPER | specifies that all alphabetic characters you type should be considered
uppercase characters; give lowercase characters by preceding the
corresponding lowercase character with a single quotation mark (').
Default |
| /WINDOW:n | specifies the number n (between 10 and 99) of pages to be held in
memory during the EDIT session.
Default n - 10 |
Characteristics
Edit Mode or Input Mode
The EDIT command runs the EDIT system program in Edit mode, which uses an asterisk prompt (*). (However, see also Special Cases - Using an Editor Other than EDIT, below.) In Edit mode you can use any EDIT program commands to modify the specified file. If the EDIT program starts by printing the word Input instead of Edit, the specified file does not yet exist. You are then in Input mode, just as if you had used the CREATE command instead of EDIT. See the CREATE command description for details.
Saving Backup Files Periodically
Whenever you use EDIT, be sure to keep an extra copy of the file you are modifying, in case of a system failure. By default the system renames the unedited copy of your file to name.Qyp at the end of an editing session. By using the /SAVE:n switch you can have this backup file updated periodically during the editing session to reflect your edits.
SWITCH.INI File
If there is a group of EDIT command switches that you always or often use with EDIT or CREATE commands, put them into a file named SWITCH.INI in your log-in directory, in a line of that file beginning with "EDIT:abc", where abc is any set of characters you choose to identify the line. Then if you include the single switch /OPTION:abc when you give an EDIT or CREATE command, all these switches will be in effect.
Hints
Debugging Your Programs and Editing the Sources
You can use EDIT to modify files containing source programs written in a programming language. The DDT and DEBUG commands run system programs that offer more efficient and powerful techniques for testing temporary corrections to your programs, but you should use the EDIT command to make final changes to the source files.
Further Information
For more information about the EDIT program, see the TOPS-20 EDIT Reference Manual.
Special Cases
Using an Editor Other than EDIT
The CREATE, EDIT, and PERUSE command descriptions in this manual assume that these commands call on the EDIT program for their action. If your job uses another editing program, for example EDT, the switches and examples shown here will not be applicable.
The editor used by CREATE, EDIT, and PERUSE is specified by logical name EDITOR:, so you can find out the name of this program by giving the command, INFORMATION LOGICAL-NAMES EDITOR:. The job-wide definition (if any) will be given first, followed by the system-wide definition; the job-wide definition prevails if both exist. If the definition of EDITOR: is SYS:EDIT.EXE, the CREATE and EDIT commands will function as described in this manual. Otherwise, you must consult the appropriate manual (for example, the EDT-20 Reference Manual) for information.
You can use the DEFINE command to define logical name EDITOR: to be any editing program available at your installation. Then this program will be in effect when you give the CREATE or EDIT command.
Attempting to Edit Archived Files
If you attempt to edit an on-line archived file, the system will let you produce an edited version of the archived file, but will retain the original (archived) file unchanged under the specification name.Qyp (or name.Zyp if you included the /OLD switch in the EDIT command), where name.typ is the file's original specification. See also Hints - Editing Files of Type .Qyp, below.
Editing Files of Type .Qyp
If you edit a file of type .Qyp (any file whose type begins with the letter Q), the EDIT program does not save the unedited copy as a backup file. In such cases, give the /OLD switch to retain the unedited copy under file type .Zyp. If the file of type .Qyp is an archived file, you will not be allowed to produce an altered version using the EDIT command unless you include the /OLD switch.
Effect on Memory
The EDIT command clears any unkept forks from memory, then loads the editor program defined by the logical name EDITOR:.
Related Commands
| CREATE | for creating new files |
| DIRECTORY-class commands | for getting lists of existing files |
| PERUSE | for editing files in read-only mode |
Examples
@EDIT FILE.FOR Edit: FILE.FOR.1 *
@EDIT /SAVE:3/OLD FILE.FOR Edit: FILE.FOR.1 *
@EDIT /EXPERT/DECIDE/PLINES:50/WINDOW:99 REMARK.TXT REVISION.TXT Edit: REMARK.TXT.18 *
@CREATE SWITCH.INI Input: SWITCH.INI.1 00100 EDIT:ABC/SAVE:3/OLD 00200 EDIT:DEF/EXPERT/DECIDE/PLINES:50/WINDOW:99 00300 *E [SWITCH.INI.1] @EDIT /OPTION:DEF REMARK.TXT REVISION.TXT Edit: REMARK.TXT.18 *