Re: Is XY-Write a word-processor or a text editor?

[cld@xxxxxxxx (Carl Distefano)]

Reply to note from jr_fox@xxxxxxxx Thu, 14 Dec 2000 19:37:20 -
0800

-> I resisted v. 4 for a couple years after it came out, but once
-> I made the changeover and got used to it, I've never looked
-> back.

I resisted Signature for a couple of years, because it was
unbearably slow (constantly churned the disk). But when Xy4 solved
these problems and more -- poof! -- 3 was history. To get started,
you'll want to load a copy of the keyboard file you're using now.
But first, make a couple of simple modifications. Change all
BC...XC pairs to BX...Q2 -- that's *pairs*, not lone BC's or XC's.
You don't absolutely need to do this, but why not starting enjoying
one of the great benefits of 4 right away? Also, add the Help
function to F1, with 59=Q1,NO,H@, and assign the menu function to
your Alt keys, with 56=GT,SH and 98=GT,SH. Eventually, you'll want
to incorporate other new features -- and, of course, to add a
Helpkey for the Jumbo U2.

Also, at the start, establish the following values in SETTINGS.DFL:

; UH sets horizontal unit of measure
df uh=di,di
;
; UV sets vertical unit of measure
df uv=li,li
;
; SM=1 keeps the menu bar displayed
df sm=0
;
; XT=1 turns on messages for embedded commands (IP becomes "Indent
paragraph (IP)")
df xt=0
;
; NW=3 is automatic windows (NW=0 for manual windows)
df nw=3
;
; XD=1 sets directory to read-only
df xd=0
;
; EP is error prompt (erase, print sel, print dir, abort, func SA,
del formatting triagle, font mismatch)
df ep=1,1,1,0,0,0,1
;
;ES defines the scope of formatting commands.
df es=0
;
;WF 1 wraps text to fit window borders in draft and expanded views
df wf=1
;
; Error WAit (18=1 sec.)
df wa=0
;
; Use Microlytics spell-checker
df om=31
;
; Enable case-sensitivity in AutoExpand (func AZ)
df zc=1
;

-> You may or may not like the menu system ... you can avoid using
-> most of it if you wish.

You don't even have to load it (just disable the relevant lines in
STARTUP.INT), though I don't recommend doing so in the beginning,
since the native Help facility and the menus provide "common user
access" to useful information and functions.

-> Other than that, the differences that come to mind are things
-> like the Units of Measurement (having to specify, for example,
-> ≪10di≫ for deci-inches, so that you don't inadvertently get
-> 10 inches

That's a myth. You don't need to specify units of measurement on
the command line! Just set the appropriate UH and UV defaults in
SETTINGS.DFL (see above), and issue formatting commands as in Xy3.
The only exception that comes to mind is the (unavailable-in-Xy3) SZ
command, to set the typeface size. There you'll need to specify
points as the unit of measurement -- for example, SZ 10PT --
otherwise the default vertical unit of lines will be assumed.

-> I used to consult the Color Table chart from time to time in v.
-> 3 Help. Danged if I can find it in the v. 4 Help.

It's in Help, Index, Color Choices. However, the Jumbo U2 provides
a better color chart. Command HELP COLORS.

Another thing you'll want to do early on is to carry over your color
settings; work between your Xy3 printer file and SETTINGS.DFL.
Also, set defaults L0-L4, which control the colors of various parts
of the command header, as well as the display of embedded functions
and LaBels.

These mechanical changes take a little time and attention, but
they're easy. The hard part of making the transition from 3 is to
unlearn the fear and trembling with which you now approach files of
more than a couple of hundred kilobytes. It takes a while for the
realization to sink in that you can edit heavily-formatted files of
4 Megabytes, and issue DIR commands on directories with thousands of
files, without crashing. But take heart. Eventually, the sweaty
palms and shallow breathing subside, and you begin to wonder how
(and why) you've lived with those limitations for the last 10 years.
That's when you turn around and "never look back".

--
Carl Distefano
cld@xxxxxxxx
http://users.datarealm.com/xywwweb/