New Features in EMAS Editor --------------------------- A new version of the EMAS Editor (invoked by the Command EDIT) will be introduced in October or when the 2988 hardware problems currently affecting editors have been resolved. The most important of the new features is that the Editor will save any editing when the process is closed down during an edit session. The output will be written into a file E#EHA where it can be inspected and copied to the required destination. Editing will no longer be lost for communications breaks or user inactivity. The feature cannot guarantee to save editing over system failures. Obviously at least one OCP, one disc controller and the relevant file system disc must be operational before editing can be saved. A report is left in the RECALL file whenever editing has been saved. Other commands changed are: A,M (etc) All text searching commands are now based on case independent text matching. Thus "M/Fred/" will move to "FRED" or "fred" as well as "Fred". The previous mode of case dependent matching can be restored by using the Z command (qv). W This command does not now move the current text position. The editing is Written out but the text pointer is not touched. Also the last used pieces of text, as referenced by the ' (single quote) operator, also survive a W command. H The H (Help) command has been redefined. It not only restores the text pointer to the position at the start of the previous command string but also undoes any editing done by that string. It is strongly advised that H is used as a single command. Predicting the effects of combining the undoing effects of H with further repeated editing commands is likely to tax the intellectual powers of the most expert EMAS user! Three new commands have been added: An unsigned integer typed as a command will repeat the previous command string - considered to be enclosed in parentheses - the specified nuber of times. Thus if "D4" is followed by "5" The effect is of "(D4)5" and a further 20 lines are deleted. Z This parameterless command changes the text matching rules between case independent (default) and case dependent. A second Z reverts to the original state. L This Layout command adjusts a paragraph of text to the margins specified in the numeric parameter that follows it. It is intended as a simple aid to preparation of minor documents such as MAIL messages and replies. The paragraph affected is that containing the text pointer and delineated by a blank line (strictly 2 consecutive NL characters) for start and finish; alternatively the markers *T*, *B* and *S* can be used to start or finish paragraphs. The command lays out the paragraph as defined using a best fit algorithm. It does not attempt to right justify the lines; a more sophisticated documentation aid is neccessary for this. The numeric parameter is 100000*P1+1000*Pp+Pe where P1 is the first position on a line to be used, Pp is the position of the first character of the paragraph (to allow additional indenting of the first line) and Pe is the last allowable position. Thus "L0106080" will lay out a paragraph using printing positions 1-80 with the first line additionally indented to position 6. The parameter can be typed with embedded space t0 1mprove readabiltiy thus "L 01 06 080". The command "L0" will use the previously given parameter to save retyping. The text pointer is left after the double newline terminating the paragraph thus "(L0106080)6" will format 6 consecutive paragraphs. It should be noted that documents typed in different formats can often be made suitable for L by a single repeated command. A double spaced paragraph can be reduced to single spacing by removing the first of each pair of newlines and after adjustment can be retored to double spacing by duplicating each newline. P.STEPHENS.