3 acme, win, awd \- interactive text windows
43 manages windows of text that may be edited interactively or by external programs.
44 The interactive interface uses the keyboard and mouse; external programs
45 use a set of files served by
47 these are discussed in
59 option, the state of the entire system is loaded
62 which should have been created by a
68 Plain files display as text; directories display as columnated lists of the
69 names of their components, as in
70 .B "ls -p directory|mc
71 except that the names of subdirectories have a slash appended.
76 option sets the main font, usually variable-pitch (alternate, usually fixed-pitch);
78 .B \*9/font/lucsans/euro.8.font
79 .RB ( \&.../lucm/unicode.9.font ).
80 Tab intervals are set to the width of 4 (or the value of
82 numeral zeros in the appropriate font.
96 windows are in two parts: a one-line
100 The body typically contains an image of a file, as in
106 The tag contains a number of
107 blank-separated words, followed by a vertical bar character, followed by anything.
108 The first word is the name of the window, typically the name of the associated
109 file or directory, and the other words are commands available in that window.
110 Any text may be added after the bar; examples are strings to search for or
111 commands to execute in that window.
112 Changes to the text left of the bar will be ignored,
113 unless the result is to change the name of the
116 If a window holds a directory, the name (first word of the tag) will end with
119 Each window has a scroll bar to the left of the body.
120 The scroll bar behaves much as in
124 except that scrolling occurs when the button is pressed, rather than released,
126 as long as the mouse button is held down in the scroll bar.
127 For example, to scroll slowly through a file,
128 hold button 3 down near the top of the scroll bar. Moving the mouse
129 down the scroll bar speeds up the rate of scrolling.
130 (The experimental option
132 reverses the scrolling behavior of buttons 1 and 3, to behave
137 windows are arranged in columns. By default, it creates two columns when starting;
138 this can be overridden with the
141 Placement is automatic but may be adjusted
144 in the upper left corner of each window and column.
145 Pressing and holding any mouse button in the box drags
146 the associated window or column.
148 clicking in the layout box grows the window in place: button 1
149 grows it a little, button 2 grows it as much as it can, still leaving all other
150 tags in that column visible, and button 3 takes over the column completely,
151 temporarily hiding other windows in the column.
154 if any of them needs attention.)
155 The layout box in a window is normally white; when it is black in the center,
156 it records that the file is `dirty':
158 believes it is modified from its original
161 Tags exist at the top of each column and across the whole display.
163 pre-loads them with useful commands.
164 Also, the tag across the top maintains a list of executing long-running commands.
166 The behavior of typed text is similar to that in
168 except that the characters are delivered to the tag or body under the mouse; there is no
170 (The experimental option
172 causes typing to go to the most recently clicked-at or made window.)
173 The usual backspacing conventions apply.
178 the ESC key selects the text typed since the last mouse action,
179 a feature particularly useful when executing commands.
180 A side effect is that typing ESC with text already selected is identical
186 Most text, including the names of windows, may be edited uniformly.
187 The only exception is that the command names to the
188 left of the bar in a tag are maintained automatically; changes to them are repaired
192 When a window is in autoindent mode
195 command below) and a newline character is typed,
196 acme copies leading white space on the current line to the new line.
199 causes each window to start in
201 .SS "Directory context
202 Each window's tag names a directory: explicitly if the window
203 holds a directory; implicitly if it holds a regular file
208 This directory provides a
210 for interpreting file names in that window.
211 For example, the string
217 will be interpreted as the file name
219 The directory is defined purely textually, so it can be a non-existent
220 directory or a real directory associated with a non-existent file
222 .BR /adm/not-a-file ).
223 File names beginning with a slash
224 are assumed to be absolute file names.
226 Windows whose names begin with
230 conventionally hold diagnostics and other data
231 not directly associated with files.
234 receives all diagnostics produced by
237 Diagnostics from commands run by
239 appear in a window named
240 .IB directory /+Errors
243 is identified by the context of the command.
244 These error windows are created when needed.
246 Mouse button 1 selects text just as in
250 including the usual double-clicking conventions.
253 action similar to selecting text with button 1,
254 button 2 indicates text to execute as a command.
255 If the indicated text has multiple white-space-separated words,
256 the first is the command name and the second and subsequent
258 If button 2 is `clicked'\(emindicates a null string\(em\c
261 the indicated text to find a command to run:
262 if the click is within button-1-selected text,
264 takes that selection as the command;
265 otherwise it takes the largest string of valid file name characters containing the click.
266 Valid file name characters are alphanumerics and
272 This behavior is similar to double-clicking with button 1 but,
273 because a null command is meaningless, only a single click is required.
275 Some commands, all by convention starting with a capital letter, are
277 that are executed directly by
281 Delete most recently selected text and place in snarf buffer.
284 Delete window. If window is dirty, instead print a warning; a second
289 Delete column and all its windows, after checking that windows are not dirty.
292 Delete window without checking for dirtiness.
297 to the file name, if specified, or
302 Treat the argument as a text editing command in the style of
306 language is implemented except for the commands
314 command is slightly different: it includes the file name and
315 gives only the line address unless the command is explicitly
317 The `current window' for the command is the body of the window in which the
322 command would be typed in a tag; longer commands may be prepared in a
323 scratch window and executed, with
325 itself in the current window, using the 2-1 chord described below.
330 after checking that windows are not dirty.
333 With no arguments, change the font of the associated window from fixed-spaced to
334 proportional-spaced or
337 Given a file name argument, change the font of the window to that stored in the named file.
338 If the file name argument is prefixed by
341 also set the default proportional-spaced (fixed-spaced) font for future use to that font.
342 Other existing windows are unaffected.
345 Load file into window, replacing previous contents (after checking for dirtiness as in
347 With no argument, use the existing file name of the window.
348 Given an argument, use that file but do not change the window's file name.
351 Print window ID number
355 When opening `include' files
360 searches in directories
365 adds its arguments to a supplementary list of include directories, analogous to
368 option to the compilers.
369 This list is per-window and is inherited when windows are created by actions in that window, so
371 is most usefully applied to a directory containing relevant source.
374 prints the supplementary list.
375 This command is largely superseded by plumbing
380 Set the autoindent mode according to the argument:
384 set the mode for the current window;
388 set the mode for all existing and future windows.
395 commands named as arguments.
401 .BR $home/acme.dump )
409 this prefix causes a command to be run in
411 file name space and environment variable group.
412 On Unix this is impossible.
414 is recognized as a prefix, but has no effect on the command being executed.
417 .\" When prefixed to a command
419 .\" command in the same file name space and environment variable group as
421 .\" The environment of the command
422 .\" is restricted but is sufficient to run
429 .\" and to set environment variables such as
433 Search in body for occurrence of literal text indicated by the argument or,
434 if none is given, by the selected text in the body.
437 Make new window. With arguments, load the named files into windows.
443 Replace most recently selected text with contents of snarf buffer.
446 Write window to the named file.
447 With no argument, write to the file named in the tag of the window.
450 Write all dirty windows whose names indicate existing regular files.
457 Append selected text or snarf buffer to end of body; used mainly with
461 Place selected text in snarf buffer.
464 Arrange the windows in the column from top to bottom in lexicographical
465 order based on their names.
468 Set the width of tab stops for this window to the value of the argument, in units of widths of the zero
470 With no arguments, it prints the current value.
473 Undo last textual change or set of changes.
476 Create a copy of the window containing most recently selected text.
479 If a regular shell command is preceded by a
484 character, the selected text in the body of the window is affected by the
485 I/O from the command.
488 character causes the selection to be replaced by the standard output
491 causes the selection to be sent as standard input to the command; and
493 does both at once, `piping' the selection through the command and
494 replacing it with the output.
496 A common place to store text for commands is in the tag; in fact
498 maintains a set of commands appropriate to the state of the window
499 to the left of the bar in the tag.
501 If the text indicated with button 2 is not a recognized built-in, it is executed as
502 a shell command. For example, indicating
507 and error outputs of commands are sent to the error window associated with
508 the directory from which the command was run, which will be created if
510 For example, in a window
514 will produce the output
516 in a (possibly newly-created) window labeled
518 in a window containing
519 .B /home/rob/sam/sam.c
526 producing output in a window labeled
527 .BR /home/rob/sam/+Errors .
528 The environment of such commands contains the variable
530 with value set to the filename of the window in which the command is run,
533 set to the window's id number
537 Pointing at text with button 3 instructs
539 to locate or acquire the file, string, etc. described by the indicated text and
541 This description follows the actions taken when
542 button 3 is released after sweeping out some text.
545 refers to the text of the original sweep or, if it was null, the result of
546 applying the same expansion rules that apply to button 2 actions.
548 If the text names an existing window,
550 moves the mouse cursor to the selected text in the body of that window.
551 If the text names an existing file with no associated window,
553 loads the file into a new window and moves the mouse there.
554 If the text is a file name contained in angle brackets,
556 loads the indicated include file from the directory appropriate to the
557 suffix of the file name of the window holding the text.
560 command adds directories to the standard list.)
562 If the text begins with a colon, it is taken to be an address, in
565 within the body of the window containing the text.
566 The address is evaluated, the resulting text highlighted, and the mouse moved to it.
577 (There is an easier way to locate literal text; see below.)
579 If the text is a file name followed by a colon and an address,
581 loads the file and evaluates the address. For example, clicking button 3 anywhere
587 27, and put the mouse at the beginning of the line. The rules about Error
588 files, directories, and so on all combine to make this an efficient way to
589 investigate errors from compilers, etc.
591 If the text is not an address or file, it is taken to
592 be literal text, which is then searched for in the body of the window
593 in which button 3 was clicked. If a match is found, it is selected and the mouse is
594 moved there. Thus, to search for occurrences of a word in a file,
595 just click button 3 on the word. Because of the rule of using the
596 selection as the button 3 action, subsequent clicks will find subsequent
597 occurrences without moving the mouse.
599 In all these actions, the mouse motion is not done if the text is a null string
600 within a non-null selected string in the tag, so that (for example) complex regular expressions
601 may be selected and applied repeatedly to the
602 body by just clicking button 3 over them.
603 .SS "Chords of mouse buttons
604 Several operations are bound to multiple-button actions.
605 After selecting text, with button 1 still down, pressing button 2
608 and button 3 executes
610 After clicking one button, the other undoes
611 the first; thus (while holding down button 1) 2 followed by 3 is a
613 that leaves the file undirtied;
614 3 followed by 2 is a no-op.
615 These actions also apply to text selected by double-clicking because
616 the double-click expansion is made when the second
617 click starts, not when it ends.
619 Commands may be given extra arguments by a mouse chord with buttons 2 and 1.
620 While holding down button 2 on text to be executed as a command, clicking button 1
621 appends the text last pointed to by button 1 as a distinct final argument.
622 For example, to search for literal
626 with button 2 or instead point at
628 with button 1 in any window, release button 1,
631 clicking button 1 while 2 is held down.
633 When an external command (e.g.
635 is executed this way, the extra argument is passed as expected and an
638 is created that holds, in the form interpreted by button 3,
639 the fully-qualified address of the extra argument.
640 .SS "Support programs
648 in it, turning the window into something analogous to an
654 2 is similar to using
658 loads the tag line of its window with the directory in which it's running, suffixed
663 intended to be executed by a
667 windows. An example definition is
669 fn cd { builtin cd $1 && awd $sysname }
671 .SS "Applications and guide files
674 live several subdirectories, each corresponding to a program or
675 set of related programs that employ
678 Each subdirectory includes source, binaries, and a
680 file for further information.
683 a text file holding sample commands to invoke the programs.
684 The idea is to find an example in the guide that best matches
685 the job at hand, edit it to suit, and execute it.
687 Whenever a command is executed by
689 the default search path includes the directory of the window containing
690 the command and its subdirectory
692 The program directories in
694 contain appropriately labeled subdirectories of binaries,
696 in the guide files will be found automatically when run.
699 binds the directories
702 .B /acme/bin/$cputype
705 when it starts; this is where
720 also where state is written if
722 dies or is killed unexpectedly, e.g. by deleting its window.
725 template files for applications
728 informal documentation for applications
731 source for applications
734 MIPS-specific binaries for applications
738 .B \*9/src/cmd/9term/win.c
746 Acme: A User Interface for Programmers.
753 the recreation of windows under control of external programs
756 is just to rerun the command; information may be lost.
