jed-common 1:0.99.19-2.1 / usr / share / jed / doc / txt / ide-mode.txt

IDE Mode for Jed
-----------------

By Guido Gonzato, <ggonza@tin.it>
Version 1.3.0. 27 February 2001.


Introduction
-------------

IDE mode is a compatibility mode for the editor Jed, specifically designed
for former DOS/Windows users. It aims at making Jed as similar to the
Borland IDE as possible. If you have experience with any of the Borland (now
Imprise) languages (Turbo Pascal, Turbo C++, etc), or DOS/Windows edit, or
even the ancestor WordStar, you will feel immediately at home with Jed. Joe
users accustomed to the Jstar version will like IDE mode, too.

I wrote IDE Mode because many years ago I used WordStar, whose key bindings
are now firmly etched in my DNA. Years of experience with DOS, Turbo Pascal,
and Turbo C++ don't help switching to Emacs...

IDE mode is based on John E. Davis' original wordstar.sl, which IMHO should
be considered obsolete. This version works with Jed B0.99.12 upwards, under
Linux (console, xterms and Xjed) and DOS/Windows; it won't work with Wjed.


Installation
============

To enable IDE mode, include this line in your .jedrc (Linux) or jed.rc
(DOS/Windows):

  () = evalfile ("ide");

Make sure that all references to emacs.sl, brief.sl, and wordstar.sl 
are commented out.

IDE mode has been tested on a wide range of terminals, and should work well
even if you use Jed over a Telnet/SSH session. I tried successfully with
these fine telnet/ssh clients for Windows: TeraTerm
(http://www.zip.com.au/%7Eroca/ttssh.html), Putty
(http://www.chiark.greenend.org.uk/%7Esgtatham/putty.html), and Mindterm
(http://www.mindbright.se/mindterm). Some terminal emulators may cause
problems, though. If you get this error:

  S-Lang Error: Inconsistency in define key.

or if there are problems with colours and/or function keys, then try to
redefine the TERM variable to `xterm-color' or `vt220':

  $ export TERM=xterm-color   # bash
  $ setenv TERM xterm-color   # csh

This may be required for recent rxvts and xterms. Your mileage may vary.


Note for EDT users
-------------------

IDE mode and EDT mode can happily coexist, and I actually use them both. To
try out IDE and EDT mode together, edit your .jedrc so that it reads:

  () = evalfile("edt");         % EDT mode can coexist with IDE mode
  () = evalfile("ide");         % use IDE mode in addition to EDT

That way you can use *both* EDT and IDE keybindings, taking advantage of
some of the features that EDT mode doesn't offer.


Main Features
--------------

Writing ide.sl I tried hard to implement as many of the Borland key bindings
and routines as possible; some ideas were copied from Jstar. To begin with,
most special keys are supported:

  F1:	 	help
  F2:		save current buffer
  F3:		load file in a new buffer
  F4:			(unimplemented)
  F5:		magnify the current window
  F6:		switch to the next buffer
  F7:		ispell
  F8:			(unimplemented)
  F9:		compile
  F10:		invoke the system menu
  ESC-F3:	close the current buffer
  ESC-F1:	help on the function under the cursor

ESC-letter is equivalent to Alt-letter. There are a few inevitable
differences (see below). IDE mode also modifies the standard menus, adding a
few items.

This is the help file for IDE mode:

------------------------------------------------------------------------------
JED IDE mode 1.3.0.  ^ = Ctrl (e.g., ^X = Ctrl-X); M = Alt (M-X = Alt-X)
Press `q' to quit this help screen; F6 or ^KP to switch to the next buffer

CURSOR              GO TO               BLOCK          DELETE       EXIT
^S left  ^D right   ^R  prev. screen    ^KB begin      M-G char     ^KX save
^E up    ^Z down    ^C^C next screen    ^KY cut        ^Y  line     ^KZ shell
^A <word ^F >word   ^QS beg. of line    ^KH copy       ^T  >word    
                    ^QD end of line     ^KC paste      M-BS <word   BUFFER
SEARCH              ^QE screen top      ^KW to file    ^QY >line    ^KE new
^QF find text       ^QX screen end      ^KT word       ^U undo      ^KR insert
^QA replace         ^QR top of file     ^K/ filter                  ^KQ kill
^L  find next       ^QC end of file     ^KG to reg.    MACRO        ^KD save
^QT toggle case     ^Q0-9 bookmark      ^KJ from reg.  ESC-( beg.   ^KS save as
                    ^QI line No.        ^KU up. case   ESC-) end    ^KN next
MISC                ^QP prev.position   ^KL lo. case   M-R run      ^KP prev.
^B reformat
^K0-9 set bookmark  ^KI one window      ^V completion  ^P compose char

Press M-X or ESC-X to issue commands; press ^G to quit the command line
Press F10 to activate the menus. Please read the documentation!
------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Other features you may find handy:

  o after any movement or operation you can go back to the previous location
  with ^QP.

  o additional block operations: ^KT selects a word, ^KL turns the block to
  lowercase, ^KU to uppercase, ^K/ filters the block through an external
  filter (e.g. sort, tr, tac...), ^K; comments out the block according to
  the language (TeX, C, Fortran...), ^K: uncomments the block, ^KG copies
  the block to a "register" (multiple clipboard), ^KJ pastes the contents of
  a register.

  o macros: Alt-( or ESC-( to start defining a macro, Alt-) or ESC-) to end,
  Alt-R or ESC-R to run the macro.
  
  o special characters: press ^P + ASCII code to insert a special character
  (e.g., ^P123 inserts a left curly bracket '{').
  
There could be many more things to say. If you are curious, browse the file
ide.sl for a complete list of available features.


Differences
------------

Some key bindings/actions couldn't be fully implemented. The miss-list
includes:

  o Ctrl-G doesn't act as DELETE key; use Alt-G instead. The original
  wordstar.sl uses ^^, which is a pain to find on non-US keyboards.

  o F3 is bound to File->Open as in Borland IDE, instead of Repeat Search as
  in DOS edit.

  o Alt-F3 doesn't close the current buffer, because this key binding is
  employed to switch to the third virtual console under Linux. Use ESC-F3
  instead.

  o Alt-X doesn't quit Jed. This key binding is reserved for Jed's
  minibuffer.

  o more importantly: blocks are implemented with the usual key bindings,
  but behave differently. In fact, blocks are handled as in Emacs mode to
  provide compatibility with many other .sl files. You don't actually use a
  block, but rather define a region:

    - define the beginning with ^KB
    - there is no need to define the end with ^KK!!!
    - press ^KH to copy the block to the clipboard, or
    - press ^KY to delete ("cut") the block, or
    - press one of the other keybindings to perform an action on the block;
      for instance, ^K/ filters the block to an external filter.

  ^QB and ^QK work as usual.
  
Can you think of any other differences? If so, please let me know and I'll
try and see to it.


Better Windows Compatibility
-----------------------------

I strongly suggest that you put these lines in your .jedrc file:

  () = evalfile ("wmark.sl");    % Windows-like regions
  () = evalfile ("mousex.sl");   % use the mouse in xterm


wmark.sl provides the capability of defining blocks using Shift-arrow, plus
a few other features: Ctrl-Ins to copy the block to the clipboard, Shift-Ins
to paste the clipboard contents, Bs to delete the block, etc. Unfortunately,
it doesn't work in Linux console but only in Xjed. 


Final Remarks
--------------

I use IDE Mode every day and I'm very satisfied with it. I hope I have done
something useful for other people too.

Special thanks to John E. Davis for writing Jed!


Cheers,
	Guido =8-)

--
Dr. Guido Gonzato <ggonza at tin.it> - NT & Linux System Administrator
My public PGP key is at http://ibogeo.df.unibo.it/guido/PGP.asc

"It is a good morning exercise for a research scientist to discard
a pet hypothesis every day before breakfast. It keeps him young."
      		 -- Konrad Lorenz