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PICO
A SIMPLE TEXT EDITOR
Pico (pronounced pee´ - ko ) is designed to be a simple, easy-to-use text editor. Each character typed is automatically inserted into the buffer at the current cursor position. Editing commands and cursor movement (besides arrow keys) are given by ty ping special control-key sequences. The bottom two lines of the screen list the available editing commands. A caret, ^, is used to denote the control key, sometimes marked CTRL; so the CTRL-q key combination is written as ^Q. There is also a status line at the top of the display.
The editor has five basic features: paragraph justification, case-insensitive searching, block cut/paste, spell checking, and file browsing.
Paragraph justification takes place in the paragraph that contains the cursor, or if the cursor is between lines, in the paragraph immediately below. Paragraphs are delimited by blank lines or by lines beginning with a space or tab. Unjustification c an be done immediately after justification using the ^U key combination.
String searches are not sensitive to case. A search begins at the current cursor position and wraps around the end of the text. The most recent search string is offered as the default in subsequent searches.
Blocks of text can be moved, copied, or deleted with creative use of the command for mark (^^), delete (^k), and undelete (^u).
The spell checker examines all words in the text. It then offers, in turn, each misspelled word for correction while simultaneously highlighting it in the text. Spell checking can be cancelled at any time. Pico can substitute a routine defined by th e SPELL environment variable for the default spell checking routine. The replacement routine should read standard input and write standard output.
The file browser is offered as an option in the "Read File" and "Write Out" command prompts. It is intended to help in searching for specific files and navigating directory hierarchies. Filenames with sizes and names of
directories in the current working directory are presented for selection. The current working directory is displayed on the top line of the display while the list of available commands takes up the bottom two. Several basic file manipulation function s are supported: file renaming, copying, and deletion.
If Pico disconnects abruptly (e. g. the main computer crashes), it will save the current work before exiting. Work is saved under the current filename with .save appended. If the current work is unnamed, it is saved under the filename pico. save.
Options can be used in the form of pico -o filename, where -o is the option and filename is the file you wish to edit.
-f Use function keys for commands. This option supported only when using
UW Enhanced NCSA Telnet.
+n Causes Pico to be started with the cursor located n lines into the file.
(Note: There is no space between + and the number.)
-nn The -nn option turns on notification for arrival of new mail. The second n
argument is optional, and specifies how often, in seconds, your mailbox is
checked for new mail. For example, -n60 causes pico to check for new
mail once every minute. The default interval is 180 seconds, while the
minimum allowed is 30. (Note: There is no space between - and the
number.)
-t Enable "tool" mode. This is intended for when Pico is used as the editor
within other tools (e.g., Elm). Pico will not prompt to save on exit and
will not rename the buffer during the "Write Out" command.
-v View the file only, disallowing any editing.
-w Disable word wrap (thus, allow editing of long lines).
-z Enable ^Z suspension of Pico.
The following commands are located at the bottom of the display when Pico is first started by typing pico filename (where filename is the name of the file you want to edit) followed by a return:
^G Get Help ^O Write Out ^R Read File ^Y Prev Pg ^K Cut Text ^C Cur Pos
^X Exit ^J Justify ^W Where is ^V Next Pg ^U UnCut Text ^T To Spell
(Function keys are listed where applicable.)
^G (F1) Display this help text.
^F Move Forward a character.
^B Move Backward a character.
^P Move to the Previous line.
^N Move to the Next line.
^A Move to the beginning of the current line.
^E Move to the End of the current line.
^V (F8) Move forward a page of text.
^Y (F7) Move backward a page of text.
^W (F6) Search for (where is?) text, neglecting case.
^L Refresh the display.
^D Delete the character at the cursor position.
^^ Mark cursor position as beginning of selected text. NOTE: Setting mark
when already set unmarks text.
^K (F9) Cut selected text (displayed in inverse characters). NOTE: The selected
text’s boundary on the cursor side ends at the left edge of the cursor. So,
with selected text to the left of the cursor, the character under the cursor is
not selected.
^U (F10) Uncut (paste) last cut text inserting it at the current cursor position.
^I Insert a tab at the current cursor position.
^J (F4) Format (justify) the current paragraph. NOTE: Paragraphs delimited by
blank lines or indentation.
^T (F12) Invoke the spelling checker.
^C (F11) Report current cursor position.
^R (F5) Insert an external file at the current cursor position.
^O (F3) Output the current buffer to a file, saving it.
^X (F2) Exit pico, saving buffer.