.help edit Apr87 language
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NAME
edit -- edit a text file
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USAGE
edit files [files...]
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PARAMETERS
.ls files
The file or files to be edited.
.le
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DESCRIPTION
The \fIedit\fR task invokes a host system editor to edit the named file or
files.  The editor to be used is determined by the value of the CL environment
variable \fIeditor\fR.  Filename mapping is applied to the \fIfiles\fR
argument strings to convert virtual filenames into host system filenames.
File templates are not supported, unless the host system editor supports them.

The EDT, EMACS, and VI editors are currently supported.  Each editor interface
is controlled by an \fIedcap\fR table file in the logical directory "dev$";
these files are also used by the \fIehistory\fR and \fIeparam\fR screen
editors.  For example, the file "dev$edt.ed" is required to run the EDT
editor.  The EDITOR_CMD field of the \fIedcap\fR file defines the command
to be send to the host system to run the editor; this is not necessarily the
same as the name of the editor.  Support for additional editors is easily added
by adding new \fIedcap\fR files.
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EXAMPLES
1. Edit the login.cl file.

	cl> edit home$login.cl

2. Edit the file "temp" in the current directory.

	cl> edit temp

3. On a UNIX system, edit all the ".x" files in the current directory.
Filename templates cannot be used with the editor unless the editor itself,
or the host system, expands the filename template.

	cl> edit *.x
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BUGS
The EOF control character is set in the edcap file for the editor language in
use, e.g., "dev$vi.ed" for the VI editor.  The value in this file may differ
from that used on the local system; if this is the case, the system installer
should edit the file and change the value of the parameter EXIT_UPDATE.

The control sequences for the keyboard arrow keys are also defined in the
".ed" edcap file; TERMCAP should be used instead.
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SEE ALSO
ehistory, eparam
