Re: Simple Unix Text Editor

->To: informix-list@rmy.emory.edu ->From: mac.avid.com!tlahey@avid.com (Tom Lahey) ->Organization: Avid Technology, Inc. ->Date: Wed, 01 Dec 1993 17:23:23 EST ->Subject: Simple Unix Text Editor -> ->I am looking for a simple text editor that I can call from a 4gl program ->that will ->allow users to edit text documents. The only requirement is that it have ->word wrap, and be available as a "C" source module so that I can compile it ->for my host. -> ->Currently, I use EMACS but that's a little cryptic for my non-computer ->literate users and it's LARGE. -> ->This program doesn't have to run from within Informix, I'll spawn a shell ->and pass the editor a file name, let the user edit it and then process the ->resulting text file back into my program. -> ->Any suggestions would be appreciated. -> ->------------------------------------------------------------------------------ -> % | -> %/% | Tom Lahey E-mail: tlahey@avid.com -> %/%/% | Systems Analyst Voice : 508.640.3036 -> %/%/%/% | Avid Technology, Inc. FAX : 508.640.1505 -> =/===/=/= | One Park West -> %%%%%%%%%%% | Tewksbury, MA 01876 (Standard Disclaimers ->Apply) -> A - V - I - D | Caveat lector. ->------------------------------------------------------------------------------ This reply is NOT intended to restart the one-true-editor holy wars!! However, since you asked, I would recommend at least considering using vi. Like most things, vi has both good and bad features relative to your projected usage. Advantages: 1. vi is available on virtually all Unix systems. 2. You can start vi in a separate window. At least on our Sun systems, vi is "aware" of the size of the window on start-up, tho' it does NOT notice if you resize the window. For your purposes, this may be a GOOD THING. 3. You can use an .exrc file to specify wordwrap. Wordwrap is relative to the window size, which your program can specify, which in turn keeps your users from using the wrong wrap margin. Some guru may know how to specify wordwrap as an option to vi, thus eliminating the need for the .exrc file. 4. For light editing, vi is "sort of" mnemonic: i for insert, a for append, etc. 5. vi supports all your standard functions: search, replace, etc. Disadvantages: 1. While new input lines are word wrapped, insertions/deletions in existing text do NOT result in the rest of the paragraph being rewrapped. 2. vi is a "moded" editor (insert vs. command), which some users find confusing. 3. vi does not support mouse-selection of text, etc., which a lot of users expect these days. Regards, Alan ___________________________ ______________________| R. Alan Popiel |__________________________ \\ Internet: | Martin Marietta, SLS | / \\ alan@den.mmc.com | P.O. Box 179, M/S 3810 | Std disclaimers apply. / )Voice: | Denver, CO 80201-0179 USA | ( / 303-977-9998 |___________________________| (But you knew that!) \\ /________________________) (____________________________\\