XyWrite is a large book of over 400 pages. It includes a comprehensive index
and four detailed appendices related to commands, error messages, defaults
and status variables, and ascii contents of all embedded functions. There
are seven chapters: Customization basics: Keyboard file programming: XyWrite
Programming Language: Help Files: Printer and Display files: XPL programs:
Tips and Hints such as debugging tools and also what Herb Tyson refers to as
tools of the trade.
It is unlike any computer book because it is not dry and instead
reads like
a classical book on intrique and detection. The author handles the
intricacies of XyWrite in a masterly and logical way. He has a wonderful
command of the English language so much that you will be delighted by some
of his expressions as he encouragingly reveals the XPL programming language
for all to try their hand at writing some code.
His book so excited me that I copied virtually every one of his
programs.
To write clear, streamlined and elegant code is what one should aim for and
as Herb says, "it mirrors the way we think."
Although I have migrated somewhat to Xy4, it is still a wonderful
grounding
to appreciate this upgrade of XY3. Many of the programs that Tyson included
works just as efficiently in XY4, Xywin and Notabene. I have found nothing
to replace such programs as Pfunc (allows you to embed functions into any
program you write), funcc executes any function just by pressing the two
keys related to that function, extend enables you to change the size of a
selected block, home moves the line the cursor is on to the top of the
screen for those who like this mode of writing and editing, his save command
maintains the command line as well as enabling you to save a file even if
there is a section that has been defined (selected), his capital program
enables you to write without the need to capitalize the first letter of a
sentence or paragraph. These are just a few of the many programs that he
wrote.
Before I learnt of Xywwweb.u2 and many of its wonderful programs,
building
on Herb Tyson's logic, I was able to write programs such as Callnext (my
version I referred to as Calchnge), and the coding of plain text into
embedded functions and xpl commands and the reverse by taking programs and
converting them to plain text. They of course are not as sophisticated or as
professionally written as the u2 files, but by delving fairly deeply into
XyWrite Revealed, it opened doors to its endless future possibilites merely
by manipulating the genius of its simple structure, function and commands.
For instance I have written a program that enables me to write in shorthand,
without the need to put a space after a punctuation mark or capitalize the
first letter of a sentence and at the same time it can check the spelling.
By pressing the assigned key, it expands the shortforms, enters the spaces
and does the rest.
The amazing thing of all the intelligence you learn by mastering
something
so amazing as XPL spills over into other facets of your life as it helps to
build grooves of association, classification, abbreviation, archiving, and
deletion in the mind's myriad nerves and fine filaments - the brain's
micro-chips that has retained every life's experience in its memory
storehouse. Above all it helps you to understand the power and capabilities
of our own mind to design and create from the ethers of life and so
consciously create circumstances. In fact it makes life alive.