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diff --git a/miralib/manual/31/5 b/miralib/manual/31/5 new file mode 100644 index 0000000..546724d --- /dev/null +++ b/miralib/manual/31/5 @@ -0,0 +1,105 @@ +_H_o_w_ _t_o_ _c_h_a_n_g_e_ _t_h_e_ _d_e_f_a_u_l_t_ _e_d_i_t_o_r + +The Miranda /edit or /e command (see manual page on Miranda command +interpreter) invokes an editor. By default this is the screen editor +"vi", but if you wish to use another editor, this is easily changed. + +The Miranda command + /editor + +reports the editor currently in use by the Miranda system. To change it +to (for example) pico, say + /editor pico + +Alternatively, when next invoking the miranda system from UNIX you can +supply it with a flag requesting a specific editor by name, as follows: + mira -editor pico + +In either case it is only necessary to do this once since the Miranda +system stores this and other information in a file called ".mirarc" in +your home directory - you should not remove or try to edit this file. + +You can select any editor that is installed on your system. If you are +unfamiliar with vi and haven't an editor in mind, the editor pico (if +installed) is particularly easy to use - it has instructions on screen. +Similar are nano (an open source clone of pico) and joe. Other editors +include emacs and gvim - these both open a separate editor window. + +The editor you select will be used by both the /e command and by + ??identifier +which opens the relevant source file at the definition of identifier. + +_M_o_r_e_ _a_d_v_a_n_c_e_d_ _i_n_f_o_r_m_a_t_i_o_n + +The Miranda system is designed to work with an editor which can open a +file at a specified line number. For example to make the editor `vi' +open `file' at line 13, the UNIX command is + vi +13 file +the Miranda system has built in knowledge of this, so if the installed +editor is `vi' and the compiler has found a syntax error in the script, +the `/e' command will open the script at the line containing the error. + +To retain this ability when substituting another editor, the `/editor' +command requires a template for invoking the chosen editor at a given +line number. In this template the line number is represented by the +character `!' and the filename by `%'. For example the full template +for `vi' would be supplied as follows + /editor vi +! % + +If the `%' character does not occur in the template, Miranda will add +the name of the file at the end of the command. So the template for +`vi' could equally well be given as + /editor vi +! +The same formula works for pico, nano, joe. If the editor is one that +starts up its own window, separate from the Miranda session window (gvim +and emacs do this), you will want to make the editor run as a concurrent +process by putting "&" at the end of the command, thus + /editor emacs +! % & +Note that in this case you must include % where the filename goes, +because adding it after the "&" would not make sense. + +In fact Miranda has built in knowledge of vi, pico, nano, joe, emacs and +gvim, so just giving the name of the editor will generate the correct +template in these cases. + +If you install an editor without the capability to be opened at a +specified line number (i.e. you cannot give a template for it +containing the `!' character), the /e command loses its ability to go to +the right place after an error, and the `??' command will be disabled. + +The Miranda system will work without either of these features, but there +is a significant loss of power in the user interface. + +If the installed editor lacks the `open at line number' feature, you may +find it convenient to have the script listed to the screen during +compilation (this feature of the compiler can be switched on and off by +the commands `/list', `/nolist'). As an assistance to naive users, the +Miranda system turns on `/list' for you if the `/editor' command is used +to install an editor without the `open at line number' feature. + +[Pathological case: if the editor command you wish to install contains a +literal `!' or `%' that you don't want replaced, place a backslash +before the relevant ! or %. This protects it from being expanded.] + +_C_h_e_c_k_i_n_g_ _f_o_r_ _s_o_u_r_c_e_ _u_p_d_a_t_e_s + +If during a session changes have been made to any relevant source file, +the Miranda system automatically recompiles the current script and any +other scripts which it directly or indirectly `%includes' and which have +been changed. At a minimum this check is performed after each /edit +command and after each shell escape. + +A mode of operation possible on a windowing system is to keep an editor +window and Miranda session window both open. In this case more frequent +checking is appropriate and you should say /recheck (see 6 "Summary of +remaining commands"). This sets a flag which tells the Miranda +interpreter to check for source file updates before each evaluation, +instead of only after /e and ! commands. But remember that you will +need to save any edits to file before the `mira' session can see them. + +As an assistance to naive users /recheck is automatically turned on if +/editor is used to install an editor template which includes "&", the +symbol used in UNIX shell commands to start a concurrent process. + +Say /norecheck to revert to the default behaviour. + |