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Which text editor do you use for dos programming? (Developers)

posted by Brian_extended, 28.10.2013, 22:56
(edited by Brian_extended on 28.10.2013, 23:12)

> > I prefer WordStar version 6, non-document mode. WordStar is sensitive to
> > file extensions for setting tab stops, and inserting spaces rather than
> an
> > Ascii Tab character. Column editing mode, two windows, cut and paste
> > between them- and use something since 1980 -CP/m days-, you just get
> "fast"
> > with it.
>
> There is ws-mode.el in GNU Emacs, but I don't know how well it works. Of
> course, you're entitled to use whatever text editor you want. There are
> many, including those
> that support column editing, multiple windows, cut and paste, etc.
>
> > Older WordStar 4 uses very little memory, and I've called it from inside
> my
> > DOS programs using the "EXEC" function call for editing data, exiting,
> and
> > having my code read in the changes.
>
> Well, yes, if you're low on RAM, maybe full Emacs isn't for you. I suggest
> "COPY CON" instead. ;-)
>
> > Utility programs that come with WS6 allow it to be set up for larger
> > screens, more columns and more rows. Save the changed "exe" off to disk
> and
> > use when you want to.
>
> Not sure how well big resolutions are supported by most text editors. I
> currently use 80x43 for this particular desktop. Even that has to sometimes
> be directly invoked to work correctly (e.g. FED).
>
> > "Vetusware" has a full version of WordStar 6 available for download, it
> has
> > long been abandoned.
>
> Well ... that's probably not legal in most countries (including U.S.).
> Heck, it might even be illegal to link to such sites in some places. Sad
> but true, even if long discontinued, modern copyright forbids public use.
>
> But, as mentioned, there are so many alternatives that it almost doesn't
> matter. Most hackers seem to prefer VIM (easily 2:1 vs. Emacs). I
> personally prefer TDE, even with its weaknesses, or maybe VILE or JED or
> MINED. But it really depends on what you're trying to do, what cpu/OS, and
> what features you can't live without.
WordStar is no longer available commercially, WordStar for Windows V2- bought that for $5 on a CD almost 20 years ago. If a copyright owner comes forward, Vetusware will remove it from download. The owner can ask for a Royalty, or a portion of the profits made. At least that is what I am reading. Fortunately, I've got at least a dozen licenses collected. The law is "ever-evolving", but I don't see anyone behind bars for downloading 25 year-old software from a company that ceased supporting the product 20 years ago.

WS4 can run in ~75K of memory, so it was well-suited for "exec" calls from within programs running under DOS. I wrote a graphics package that called WS4 to edit data point, and read the edited data back in once you exited WordStar. I've used "Copy Con filename.ext" and PIP before that. The exec call to WS4 was much nicer.

I even have it for CP/m-80 and CP/m-86.

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