[Info-vax] Editors, was: Re: VT keyboard replacement

[alanfe...@gmail.com]

On Friday, November 19, 2021 at 7:04:42 PM UTC-5, Arne Vajhøj wrote:
> On 11/19/2021 3:38 PM, alanfe... at gmail.com wrote: 
> > On Friday, November 19, 2021 at 9:56:41 AM UTC-5, Arne Vajhøj wrote: 
> >> On 11/19/2021 7:11 AM, alanfe... at gmail.com wrote: 
[...]
> > Perhaps not. But isn't customization important?
> It is. 
> 
> But note that EVE got 3 levels of customization: 
> 1) EVE init file 
> 2) TPU command file 
> 3) TPU section file 
> 
> The first is equivalent to EDT init file. 
> 
> But only the last 2 compiles.

As I've said before: EVE is a blow torch, but I only need a match. 
Also, I'm not so sure I could translate many of my EDT key definitions into EVE. I'd have to check. 

> >> Second EVE has been the default editor on VMS for a couple of decades 
> >> and I suspect that over 50% of VMS editing is done using EVE 
> >> And we have not been swamped with reports of EVE not working or being 
> >> difficult to get working. So I will assume that in most contexts then 
> >> EVE just work out of the box. 
> > 
> > Well, my experience with EVE is mostly from the late 1980s in 
> > graduate school. It was a continual PITA. Default or not, EDT worked 
> > at remote labs and to get EVE to work AT ALL was a royal PITA. Maybe 
> > 30-some years things are better.
> Weird. 
> 
> With standard VMS and standard section file and a suitable 
> VT terminal then it should work. Even a botched init or 
> command file should just result in it not being run. 

Well, I worked on an Alpha from 2015-2018 (maybe 2015-2017). I don't think I tried EVE there. I didn't really need it. Remember: I am a lowly ex-physicist who used to write a lot of DCL and Fortran. I haven't done Fortran since maybe 1993. No original Fortran since 1991. And on that Alpha from 2015 to 2018 I did some DCL and zero Fortran. Mostly I just moved automated file transfer data (company names, file names, addresses, etc. -- oh, metadata, I guess!) from there to a Unix box.

I'm working on EISNER:: now, and EVE comes up fine. I use it only when I need overstrike mode or box cut, copy and paste. I see no point in starting all over again just to update TO.COM and perhaps a few very small DCL command procedures for the Freeware page. I really don't want to redo my several dozen EDT key definitions. For what? OK, might be nice to have split screen, but still not worth converting my EDT command file.

Oh, I have a 13-line Fortran program that writes your current command to a tmp file. Saves re-typing!

> 
> Arne