WRITE - Version 0.6 A Quick-And-Dirty Text File Creation Program [For IBM-Compatibles] Freeware from Kirk Lawrence WRITE allows you to quickly create a flat-ASCII text file on disk. WRITE is not an "editor," so it can't edit a pre-existing text file. But it's an easy and convenient way to write a fast SUBMIT file, jot a quick note to disk, rapidly scribble a memo, etc., without having to load a full-blown word processor. WRITE is handy anytime you want to create a new text file. WRITE displays in color when used with a color video system, yet is totally compatible with all monochrome video systems. TO RUN THE PROGRAM: type WRITE ...and press the ENTER key. is the name of the file you wish to create. Standard CP/M-86 file-naming conventions apply. You may create the file on a drive other than the default drive by specifying the drive letter before the filename [example: WRITE B:FOO.BAR]. CP/M-86 user area numbers are NOT supported; log into the user area where you wish to create the file before invoking WRITE. When you're through typing your text and are ready to save it to disk and exit, press the ESC key. That's all there is to it. Though WRITE is a "quick-and-dirty" program, its handling of disk I/O is reasonably intelligent. WRITE checks to see if the filename you specified already exists...and if it does, WRITE generates an on-screen error message, then aborts (so you can't accidentally over-write an existing file). Obviously, wildcards are NOT allowed. WRITE will kick you out with an error message if you try to include a wildcard in the file name. If there's a disk problem (disk full, out of directory space, etc.), WRITE will generate an on-screen error message, then abort. HOW WRITE WORKS: As it loads, WRITE allocates a 128-byte buffer in memory, and sends your keystrokes to that buffer. When the buffer is full, WRITE dumps the contents of the buffer to disk (into the filename you specified), clears the buffer, and continues to accept your keyboard input until ESC is pressed. Theoretically, there's no limit to the size of a file you can create using WRITE. If you're writing to a floppy disk, you might notice a slight screen delay when the buffer is dumped to disk, but you won't "lose" any keystrokes; the screen will "catch up." If you're writing to a hard disk, the disk write is virtually instantaneous. Because WRITE automatically saves text to disk every 128 characters, this save-to-disk may occur anywhere within a line of text. To indicate where a "save" has taken place, all text following a save-to-disk turns RED on a color screen. In monochrome, the text becomes high-intensity, and appears "brighter" at the point where the save-to-disk occurred. "WRITE" WILL NOT ALLOW YOU TO BACKSPACE BEYOND THE POINT WHERE A "SAVE-TO- DISK" TOOK PLACE. Once text has been written to disk, it's not possible to "backspace" over it...even though the text may appear on the screen as part of a contiguous line. =-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-= NOTE: Do not use the cursor movement keys (ARROW keys, PGUP, PGDN, HOME, END, INS, DEL). Remember, WRITE is NOT an editor! WRITE handles text strictly on a 128-bytes-at-a-time basis, and does NOT support the kind of screen cursor movement which might be expected from a more sophisticated text editor. =-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-= CAVEATS: * You must press ENTER at the end of EACH line (just as you'd press CARRIAGE RETURN on an electric typewriter). There's NO automatic word-wrap. * WRITE will accept only 78 characters per line. If you try to type beyond this limit, your input will not be accepted. You MUST press ENTER at the end of EACH line. * Once you've pressed ENTER at the end of a line and have moved to the next line, you can NOT go back to a previous line to make alterations. * Make corrections to the line you're currently typing by using the BACK- SPACE key...not the cursor movement keys (see note, above). * WRITE will not allow you to backspace beyond the point where a "save-to- disk" has occurred. * Do not use any of the cursor movement keys (ARROW keys, PGUP, PGDN, HOME, END, INS or DEL) which you might normally be inclined to use with a con- ventional text editor or word processor. WRITE is NOT an editor, and screen cursor movement is not supported. * Only alpha-numeric keyboard characters may be entered. High and low ASCII characters will not be accepted. * If you type more than 21 lines of text, the program's header line will scroll off the top of the screen. This is perfectly okay...just remember to save your text by pressing ESC when you're done typing, even if the instruction line is no longer visible. The source code for WRITE.CMD is not publicly released. WRITE.CMD is free. As is always the case with "freeware," there are no guaran- tees whatsoever. If you use the program, you do so entirely at your own risk and peril. Your use of WRITE.CMD shall be prima facie evidence under law that you understand and accept these terms and conditions.