Syntax


PTYPE

[ line-control-range ]  

[ X | NX ]

[ U | NU ]


Operands


line-control-range

The range of lines which are to be processed by the PTYPE command. Line control ranges provide a powerful tool to customize the range of lines to be processed. The full syntax and allowable operands which make up a line control range are discussed in "Line Control Range Specification". Refer to that section of the documentation for details. 


A line range can also be specified by a C/CC block. Additionally, for the PTYPE command, a M/MM block will be treated as equivalent to a C/CC block; that is, if you begin power-type using lines marked by a M/MM block, the data will be modified as usual, rather than being deleted afterwards, which is usually done in a M/MM block.


If a line range is omitted from PTYPE, you must use an X|NX option and/or define a line range with a C/CC block. If you issue a PTYPE command with neither the line range or an X|NX option, it will not work, but you will get a Pending line range message instead.


To Power Type over the entire edit file, you can issue a RESET to unexclude all the lines and then say PTYPE  NX, or you can put explicit line labels such as PTYPE .ZFIRST .ZLAST, which can be abbreviated to PT .ZF .ZL, or you could place the line command C/ on line 1 of the file.

X | NX

Specifies a subset of the line range to be processed. X requests only excluded lines are to be processed by Power Type, and NX requests only non-excluded lines are to be processed. If neither X or NX are specified, all lines specified in the range are to be processed.


If the first line being modified by PTYPE is excluded, the first thing PTYPE will do is unexclude that line. (If that were not done, you would not be able to see the line you were modifying, which would be confusing and hard to work with.)

U | NU

Specifies a subset of the line range to be processed. U requests only User lines are to be processed, NU requests only non-User lines are to be processed. If neither U or NU are specified, all lines in the range will be processed.

 

Abbreviations and Aliases

 

PTYPE can also be spelled as PT

 

Description


The PTYPE command begins a Power Typing session using the lines you specify in the line-range operand or C/CC block, which can be limited to just excluded (X) or just non-excluded (NX) lines if you wish. You can also limit PTYPE to User lines (U) or non-User lines (NU).


Power Typing means that for each character you type, or each keyboard primitive function you use, the action is applied to every line in the Power Typing line range, in parallel, at the same time. 


Some editors refer to this capability as “column-mode editing” because the same action is applied at the same column position of every line at the same time, in parallel. You will generally find the editing capabilities of SPFLite's Power Typing to be more powerful than the “column mode” features of other editors, because the line range, X|NX and U|NU options allow for the selection of non-contiguous lines, and because of the wide range of keyboard functions you can use while within Power Typing mode. 


Once Power Typing mode begins, the edit display moves to the first line of the selected line range, in the same way a LOCATE command would do. You will see the message, Entering Power Type mode, Press Enter to exit, and the status line will show .PowerType.


The cursor is then moved to column 1 of that first line, which then acts as a ‘prototype' or ‘model line'. As you enter characters keys or invoke keyboard functions, you will see the effects reflected on the model line, and on every other line that is included in the Power Typing line range.


Power Typing mode remains in effect until you press Enter. Once that is done, the message Entering Power Type mode, Press Enter to exit will disappear, and the status line indicator showing .PowerType. will be removed as well.


Note: Power Typing mode is allowed while within a multi-edit session.


See the article Working with Power Typing Mode for more information.

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