Re: Modes

[Peter Evans peterev@xxxxxxxx]

>How do you prefer to use the modes? I mean good ol' mdul, mdbo, etc.

Just as XyQuest first suggested: Ctrl-3 for underline, Ctrl-4 for italics
(used to be "reverse"), etc. Actually I virtually never use underline,
often use bold italics, and am too slothful to fiddle further with my
keyboard file; so, as I'm writing, I underline everything that will be
boldly italicked, and when I've finished change all instances of MDUL to
MDBI. I so seldom want to add or subtract modes that I don't mind putting
in the occasional MD+BO and the like "by hand", while in expanded mode.

>Is there some advantage to having to DeFine the damn thing? Doing that
>requires at least one extra keystroke (the one for XD--cancel define).

Well, at a very banal level, if I've typed any phrase longer than "sub
rosa" and then decide it would benefit from italics, it's quicker to mark
it as a block, italicize it, and then unmark it than it is either to retype
it with italics or to go back and add MD commands at the command line.
Secondly, defining is necessary in an XPL program that reformats what I've
already written.

But perhaps I misunderstand your question.
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Peter Evans