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15-Aug-2023
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MicroEMAC 3.9e Editor (DEC EDT Version)

Introduction & Background

Changes & Enhancements

Mapping the PC/AT Keypad to the VT100 Keypad

Files & Directories

My .emacsrc File

(Also see the original MicroEMACS 3.9e documents in the help directory; emacs-doc.txt is the full reference manual.)

Download (uemacs-2021.tgz, 738K  -  uemacs-2021.zip, 814K)

Last Update: Thu Nov 23 21:38:04 2023

Introduction & Background

This was MicroEMACS 3.9, written by Dave G. Conroy and substantially modified by Daniel M. Lawrence (with contributions from others). The last entry in the change log is dated November 4, 1987. The software was frozen for the version 3.9e USENET release according to the last log entry.

In September 1987, I moved from 5 years of heavy VAX/VMS experience to a small prototype project using an early Sun M68K Unix workstation. One person used the workstation, two others used their PCs connected via serial lines, and I naturally gravitated to a DEC VT220 terminal (also connected via a serial line).

I initially configured vi(1) to work like DEC's EDT editor (Wikipedia), mapping the VT220 keypad escape sequences to commands that would take VI out of insert mode if necessary and perform the commands equivalent to EDT's keypad functions. This made VI workable for me, but it still was just not the same as my heavily customized EDT (and then TPU in the last couple of VMS years).

Note: I originally included the following paragraph here, but I just happened upon a comment dated January 4, 1988 about a change I made in estruct.h, so I must have downloaded MicroEMACS before getting a short-lived copy of UniPress EMACS. My memory is playing tricks on me!

"As a subcontractor, I somehow convinced our contractor manager to buy a copy of UniPress EMACS. However, he was only willing to buy the binary for $300 and wouldn't splurge on the source code for $600 total. I went to town with EMACS Lisp and soon had my beloved editing environment once again. And then we got the first Sun SPARC workstation — Goodbye, M68K EMACS!"

Somehow I heard of MicroEMACS and downloaded the source code from Quantum Link's CP/M archive for the Commodore 128 or from GEnie (General Electric Network for Information Exchange).

Quantum Link eventually became AOL. Speaking of the old pre-internet days, should I call EMACS by its original moniker, EMACS, or should I follow the not-so-new fad of calling it Emacs? UNIX Unix? FORTRAN Fortran? SNOBOL Spitbol? You tell me!

I figure it cost me over $40 to obtain MicroEMACS. Both Q-Link and GEnie were run on corporate computers and hourly rates went up after 7:00 or 8:00 in the morning. My 1200 baud download took longer than expected and I got socked with that $40 charge!

Anyway, with some tweaking, I built MicroEMACS on our SPARCstation and I was back in business. As a result I've been using a heavily customized EDT editor since 1982, beginning with the EDIT/EDT editor itself and, since 1987, continuing with MicroEMACS!

Customized how? I have included my EDT initialization file, edtini.edt, and my TPU file, eveini.tpu. The files have December 1993 dates because, in 1992-1993, I worked on a project for which we ported our SunOS software to VAX/VMS and I got to use EDT and TPU again.

When I moved from EDT to TPU (in 1985?), I found DEC's TPU version of EDT too limited, so I instead used TPU's EVE editor with my own EDT-inspired customizations.

When recently checking my MicroEMACS version of EDT against the DEC EDT reference manual (downloaded from the internet), I was struck by how incredibly awkward EDT's keypad method of substitution using "GOLD ENTER" was. Early on, I must have implemented my "GOLD s" method (possibly learned from another more experienced developer).

HTML/PDF versions of the EDT, TPU, and EVE reference manuals can be found at https://www.digiater.nl/openvms/doc/alpha-v8.3/ (EDT's is PDF only).

If you're reading this and using GNU Emacs, you might be interested in GNU's "Emacs EDT emulation" and/or tpu-edt.el. These seem to postdate my need for MicroEMACS (and would not have been easily accessible at the time in any case).


Changes & Enhancements

I added the following new macro commands:

    alx-center-line
    edt-delete-char
    edt-undelete-char
    edt-delete-bol
    edt-delete-eol
    edt-delete-line
    edt-undelete-line
    edt-delete-word
    edt-undelete-word
    edt-next-word

I added the following function:

&DRS wildcardFileSpec index

Returns the I-th (1..N) file name that matches the wildcard file specification. Wildcards can only appear in the file name and not in the preceding directory names, if any. A blank string, "", is returned if no file names are matched or if the index is out of range.

The result is stored locally in alx_drs() (found in alex.c), so it is a good idea to not use &DRS more than once in an expression. The result is stored as a dynamically allocated string, so there is no length limit as seen with the built-in ampersand string functions (see "Warnings About the Macro Language" below).

(I originally modified the various file input functions in MicroEMACS's file.c to perform the wildcard matching internally. Circa 2001, I added the same functionality to JASSPA MicroEMACS for Windows by implementing the &DRS function. In June 2023, I figured I might as well use the same technique in this MicroEMACS.)

I modified the following function:

&CHR number

Returns the character whose code is the specified number. This modification allows numbers to be specified in decimal, hexadecimal ("0x..."), and octal ("0...").

I added the following macro environment variable:

$curoff

Byte offset (0..N-1) in the line of the current cursor position. Note that this is different than "$curcol", which takes into account tab settings and returns the cursor column as rendered on a virtual screen. For example, if the cursor is positioned on "a" in a line beginning with "^Iabc...", $curcol of "a" is 9 (its column on the screen) and $curoff is 1 (the offset in the line of "a" following the tab character). [READ ONLY]

Additional software changes included bug fixes, expansion of predefined size limits, use of the termios(3) subsystem instead of the obsolete termio(7) subsystem, clean-up of some of the code, ...

Warnings About the Macro Language

My efforts debugging a somewhat complex "!if" expression revealed two implementation details of the MicroEMACS ampersand string functions that the user should be aware of:

  1. The ampersand string functions that manipulate and return strings store their results in the same, statically allocated buffer, result, in eval.c's gtfun() function. If more than one function using the result buffer appears in an expression, then the buffer will be unwittingly overwritten by intermediate values. The functions in question are:

    &CAT    &CHR    &GTK    &IND    &LEFT    &MID    &RIGHT

    To avoid conflicts, break the expression into smaller pieces and store intermediate values in user variables ("%name"). MicroEMACS stores the value of user variables in dynamically allocated strings. (The storage will be freed and allocated anew the next time the expression is evaluated.)

  2. The result buffer in gtfun() is of a fixed size, 2048 (2*NSTRING, where NSTRING is defined in estruct.h). Consequently, the results of the ampersand string functions are limited to 2047 characters. Exceeding this limit is entirely possible; for example, when manipulating a long line of text. (I have modified the functions to truncate results and not write past the end of the buffer.)

Debug Output

I added the ability to generate debug output to a file. First, the following global variables were added to edef.h:

    int  dbgIsOn ;	- 0 = debug off, ~0 = debug on
    FILE  *dbgFile ;	- Debug file, opened in mesetup() in "main.c"

Second, the following command-line option was added to main.c:

    -dfile		- Enable debug and open "file" for debug output

Debug output can then be generated wherever desired with:

    if (dbgIsOn)  fprintf (dbgFile, ...) ;

Mapping the IBM PC/AT Keypad to the DEC VT100 Keypad

My MicroEMACS configuration file, .emacsrc, currently depends on DEC VT1xx/VT2xx application mode keypad escape sequences. Ways to get these escape sequences from an IBM PC/AT keypad include:

With either of the two methods above, the VT keypad PF2 key is dropped and the PC keypad is mapped to the VT keypad as follows:

    Num Lock	->	PF1 (the GOLD key!)
    /		->	PF3
    *		->	PF4
    -		->	Keypad "-"
    +		->	Keypad ","
    Enter	->	Keypad Enter
    .		->	Keypad "."
    0 .. 9	->	Keypad digits

(PF2 in the EDT editor was the "help" key, which I never used.)

Visually, the VT keypad keys are laid out on the PC keypad like this:

        .=====.=====.=====.=====.
        | PF1 | PF3 | PF4 |  -  |
        +=====+=====+=====+=====+
        |  7  |  8  |  9  |     |
        +=====+=====+=====+     |
        |  4  |  5  |  6  |  ,  |
        +=====+=====+=====+=====+
        |  1  |  2  |  3  |     |
        +=====+=====+=====+     |
        |  0        |  .  | Ent |
        `===========^=====^=====+

In years long past, I did use other non-PC/AT keyboards on PCs and Unix computers and I successfully managed to mimic VT-style keypad use, even when there was no keypad! (You can see remnants of the handling of these keyboards in my .emacsrc file; I should probably clean that up someday.)


Files & Directories

README.txt

.emacsrc		- My MicroEMACS configuration file, which depends on ...

			- ...  (See keypad section above)
VT-ibm-keypad-mintty-autohotkey.txt
VT-ibm-keypad-teraterm-AlexEdt-CNF.txt
VT-ibm-keypad-xterm-xmodmaprc.txt

VT-edtini-edt.txt	- My EDT initialization file ("edtini.edt").
VT-eveini-tpu.txt	- My TPU initialization file ("eveini.tpu").

Makefiles ("Using on ..." as of June 2023)

Makefile.bsd		- Using on FreeBSD 13.2
Makefile.cygwin		- Using on Cygwin64 (Windows 10)
Makefile.linux		- Using on Linux Mint 20

Files I Added to MicroEMACS Proper

alex.c			- Original, c. 1988 EDT functions.

eprotos.h		- ANSI C prototypes for all MicroEMACS C functions.

Directory:	orig	- Original source for modified MicroEMACS files.
Directory:	ots	- on-the-shelf MicroEMACS code; i.e., not used.

Files from My CSOFT LIBGPL Library

These files are largely used to support my &drs function. Circa 1990, this functionality was implemented using only a few files, but this changed over the years as I reworked the code to be more generalized and more robust. Not to mention the fact that I ported MicroEMACS, again over the years, to UNIX (SunOS, HP/UX, Solaris, etc.), Linux, BSD, and Cygwin platforms. The LIBGPL code itself is portable to various systems including VAX/VMS and Windows Visual Studio 2022.

pragmatics.h		- The hand-crafted equivalent of an autoconfig file.
iel_util.h		- Simple debug logging and error reporting.
aperror.c
aperror.h

drs_util.c		- Directory scanning package, which requires the
drs_util.h		  source files below, including the REX parser
get_util.c		  down through the UTF package.
get_util.h
meo_util.c
meo_util.h
nnl_util.c
nnl_util.h

rex_util_y.bison	- Regular expression parser and lexer for reference.
rex_util_y.c		- Bisonized C code for the parser.
rex_internals.c
rex_internals.h
rex_tokens.h
rex_util.c		- Actual matching/sustitution code.
rex_util.h

sdx_util.c		- Handles dynamically growing strings in sustitution.
sdx_util.h

sto_util.c		- Length-limited S-to-N functions for the parser.
sto_util.h
sto_util_template.h

str_util.c		- String manipulation functions.
str_util.h
utf_util.c		- UTF-8, -16, and -32 conversion functoins.
utf_util.h

MicroEMACS 3.9e Source Files (some have been modified)

These files were part of the original MicroEMACS 3.9e distribution.

Directory:	cmd	- command stuff.
Directory:	help	- help information.

basic.c
bind.c
buffer.c
crypt.c
display.c
ebind.h
edef.h
efunc.h
epath.h
estruct.h
eval.c
evar.h
exec.c
file.c
fileio.c
input.c
isearch.c
line.c
main.c
random.c
region.c
search.c
spawn.c
tcap.c
termio.c
window.c
word.c

My .emacsrc File

Variables

    %edt-advance-forward	- Direction of EDT "next" movements:
				  forward (TRUE) or reverse (FALSE).
    %edt-mark-is-active		- Is EDT's mark active?  (This is independent
				  of the always active MicroEMACS mark.)
    %edt-paste-was-appended	- Set to FALSE by EDT cut; set to TRUE by
				  subsequent EDT replace(s).  Affects deletion
				  of previous characters in append and paste.

    %edt-search-mode		- Cursor position after successful, forward
				  EDT FIND/FNDNXT commands.  The default for
				  MicroEMACS is to place the cursor after the
				  last character in the match.  By setting
				  this variable to "BEGIN", the cursor will
				  be backed up to the beginning of the match.
				  (The cursor will be advanced one character
				  before searching for the next match.)

    %edt-name-buffer		- Names of various buffers.
    %my-name[-number]-buffer
    ...

Named Buffers

    EDT-PASTE	- EDT cut text is copied here for subsequent EDT pasting.
    EDT-DELETE	- Replaced text is copied here during EDT replace.

    ALTERNATE	- Temporary buffers for whatever use by typist ...
    ALTERNATE/4
    ALTERNATE/5
    ALTERNATE/6
    ALTERNATE/7
    ALTERNATE/8
    ALTERNATE/9

PC Keypad Key Bindings

For completeness, in 2023, I added EDT functions RESET (GOLD DOT), APPEND (KP9), REPLACE (GOLD KP9), CTRL/U (delete to BOL), DEL EOL (GOLD KP2), LINE (KP0), and OPEN LINE (GOLD KP0). Since I have no memory of using these functions before, I implemented and tested them based solely on the descriptions in the EDT Reference Manual. I suggest you check them out to be sure they behave as you expect. I have not implemented SUBST (GOLD ENTER). (Yet, maybe?)

Naming convention:

    GOLD	- PC NumLock, VT PF1 key
    PF3		- PC keypad "/"
    PF4		- PC keypad "*"
    MINUS	- PC keypad "-"
    COMMA	- PC keypad "+"
    ENTER	- PC keypad "Enter"
    DOT		- PC keypad "."
    KP0..KP9	- PC keypad digits

Actions (ordered by top row, right column, digits 7-9, 4-6, 1-3, and 0). Actions tagged with "[DIRECTION]" work forwards or backwards depending on the %advance-forward setting, which is set/reset with KP4/KP5:

    GOLD PF3	- EDT prompt and search (FIND)
    PF3		- EDT search next (FNDNXT)

    PF4		- EDT delete line (DEL L)
    GOLD PF4	- EDT undelete line (UND L)

    MINUS	- EDT delete word (DEL W)
    GOLD MINUS	- EDT undelete word (UND W)

    COMMA	- EDT delete character (DEL C)
    GOLD COMMA	- EDT undelete character (UND C)

    ENTER	- (Unimplemented: EDT ENTER)  Use keyboard's regular
		  "Enter"/"Return" key to finish EDT FNDNXT and
		  COMMAND (GOLD KP7) prompts.
    GOLD ENTER	- (Unimplemented: EDT SUBST)  I use "GOLD s",
		  described below, to invoke MicroEMACS's own
		  query-replace-string command.

    DOT		- EDT begin/cancel selection of text (SELECT)
		  (Selected text is NOT highlighted.)
    GOLD DOT	- EDT reset selection and direction (RESET)

    KP7		- EDT next page (next form feed) (PAGE) [DIRECTION]
    GOLD KP7	- Prompt for and execute MicroEMACS named command.

    KP8		- EDT next section (scroll) (SECT) [DIRECTION]
    GOLD KP8	- EDT fill paragraph (FILL)

    KP9		- EDT append selection to paste buffer (APPEND)
    GOLD KP9	- EDT replace selection with paste buffer (REPLACE)

    KP4		- EDT set forward direction (ADVANCE)
    GOLD KP4	- EDT move to bottom of file (BOTTOM)

    KP5		- EDT set backward direction (BACKUP)
    GOLD KP5	- EDT move to top of file (TOP)

    KP6		- EDT cut selected text to PASTE buffer (CUT)
    GOLD KP6	- EDT paste text from PASTE buffer (PASTE)

    KP1		- EDT next word (but always move forward) (WORD)
		  My variant.  Explanation by example:
		  Given "while ((i > 0) && ...", the next word
		  after "while" is the first left parenthesis,
		  not "i".  And the next word after that is "i",
		  not the second left parenthesis.
    GOLD KP1	- (Unimplemented: EDT change case in region)

    KP2		- EDT next line (but always move forward) (EOL)
    GOLD KP2	- EDT delete to end-of-line (DEL EOL)

    KP3		- EDT next character (but always move forward) (CHAR)
    GOLD KP3	- EDT insert special character (SPECINS)

    KP0		- EDT next beginning of line (LINE) [DIRECTION]
    GOLD KP0	- EDT open line (OPEN LINE)

Non-Keypad Key Bindings

    GOLD k	- Begin keyboard macro
    ^K		- End keyboard macro
    ^E		- Execute keyboard macro

    ^A		- Insert line of asterisks

    ^I		- Insert 4 spaces (NOT a tab)
    GOLD t	- Insert genuine tab character

    ^L		- EDT insert form feed (CTRL/L)
    ^N		- Insert number line (useful for positioning text)
    ^R		- EDT refresh editor screen (CTRL/R)

    ^U		- Use "GOLD u" for EDT CTRL/U (delete from beginning-of-line)

    GOLD m	- Switch to main buffer
    GOLD p	- Switch to EDT CUT's "PASTE" buffer
    GOLD D	- Switch to EDT REPLACE's "DELETE" buffer.
    GOLD a	- Switch to "ALTERNATE" buffer
    GOLD 4	- Switch to "ALTERNATE/4" buffer
    GOLD 5	- Switch to "ALTERNATE/5" buffer
    GOLD 6	- Switch to "ALTERNATE/6" buffer
    GOLD 7	- Switch to "ALTERNATE/7" buffer
    GOLD 8	- Switch to "ALTERNATE/8" buffer
    GOLD 9	- Switch to "ALTERNATE/9" buffer

    GOLD 1	- Return to one window in editor
    GOLD 2	- Split current window vertically
    GOLD `	- Switch cursor to next window

    GOLD "	- Convert smart quotes, etc. to ASCII characters
    GOLD M	- Convert CR/LF to LF (CR=^M)

    GOLD b	- Bottom of buffer
    GOLD B	- Prompt for and switch to another buffer

    GOLD c	- Prompt for and insert control (A-Z) character
    GOLD C	- Center current line

    GOLD d	- Delete (not cut) current selection
    GOLD D	- Generate directory listing

    GOLD e	- Save file and exit MicroEMACS
    GOLD q	- Quit MicroEMACS without saving

    GOLD f	- Go to matching fence (e.g., braces, brackets, etc.)
    GOLD F	- Prompt for and set fill paragraph width

    GOLD g	- Prompt for and go to line in file
    GOLD G	- Get (open) another file for editing

    GOLD i	- Prompt for and insert contents of a file
    GOLD I	- Toggle insert mode

    GOLD j	- Join paragraph (multi-line to single-line)

    GOLD l	- Display current line number
    GOLD L	- Prompt for and execute MicroEMACS command file

    GOLD r	- Prompt/interactive substitution (with regular expression)
    GOLD s	- Prompt/interactive substitution (without regular expression)

    GOLD T	- Trim trailing blanks from all lines in buffer

    GOLD u	- EDT delete from beginning-of-line (CTRL/U)

    GOLD U	- Expand tabs to 4 spaces

    GOLD w	- Prompt for and write current buffer to file

    GOLD x	- Prompt for and edit one or more shell commands.
		  When the commands are ready, press "GOLD x" again
		  to execute the shell commands and then switch to
		  the shell output buffer.

    GOLD X	- Creates and drops you into a shell subprocess.
		  This is NOT in an editor window.  Enter shell
		  command "exit" to return back to the editor.

    GOLD z	- Insert 3-byte UTF-8 BOM
    GOLD Z	- Remove 3-byte UTF-8 BOM

Alex Measday  /  E-mail