Programmer's File Editor
                               Beta 1 Release

ABSTRACT
--------

This is the first beta test release of Programmer's File Editor, a
programming-oriented editor for Windows 3.1

PFE includes the following features:

- The size of file it can handle is limited only by the total amount of
  virtual memory available
- Essentially no limit on the number of lines a file can contain
- It can edit multiple files, the number being limited only by the
  available system resources
- Files can be edited in multiple windows simultaneously
- Line numbers can be shown in any edit window if required
- DOS commands, such as compilers, can be run with the output captured
  in an edit window
- An application being developed can be quickly launched from a configurable
  dialog
- Commonly-used text can be inserted in a simple operation from a
  template library
- Keys can be mapped to functions as required; two-key operation similar
  to MicroEMACS is supported
- Multiple sets of key mappings can be stored and selected as required
- Commonly-used program development tools can be configured into a list
  and started simply from a dialog
- The most frequent operations can be performed from buttons on a tear-off
  toolbar
- Files can be printed either in total, by line range, or selected text only
- Automatic line indenting and removal of trailing spaces
- Automatic configuration of edit options depending on file type
- Automatic Configuration of tab sizes depending on file type
- Automatic brace alignment when editing C source
- Uses standard MDI methods to be fully-compatible with other Windows apps

Additionally, the editor can be controlled by another application across a
DDE client-server link.

Full C source (Microsoft C) and technical documentation will be included
with the first full release of the editor.


NOTES FROM THE AUTHOR
---------------------

This beta version of PFE represents the first release to be made generally
available. I have been using PFE as my sole editor for nearly six months,
and I do all the PFE development with it. At the University of Lancaster
Computer Centre it is used by several other programmers, and is being
prepared as the editor for a major teaching course. It seems to be rugged
and reliable; it has successfully edited files of 12 megabytes in size
comprising over 300 000 lines.

I began to write PFE for several reasons. Writing an editor is an interesting
challenge (and rather harder than anyone who hasn't ever done one would think).
I had long used MicroEMACS on a variety of platforms and needed a Windows
version: at the time MicroEMACS-for-Windows was not available. This had a large
effect on the general design, and PFE can be configured to work as MicroEMACS
might if it were a standard sort of Windows app.

Co-incidentally, a colleague happened to be searching for an editor which
could act as a DDE server, and this spurred both the general development and
the DDE interfaces in particular.

As with MicroEMACS, I intend to release the full source of PFE. I will not
do so until the first public release 1.00.000 as major changes are still
going on, and having vastly different sources in circulation would cause
un-necessary confusion. (I also need to make sure it compiles under Microsoft
C 7, and so far Microsoft UK seem to have no interest in sending out my
upgrade...).

Again, as with MicroEMACS, I very much want to encourage anyone who's interested
to help with the development: I would love to receive ideas, suggestions, bug
reports and - especially - new code from anyone who wants to contribute. The
first main release will include technical documentation so you can see how
the internal design works.


At this beta release not all the features planned are implemented. Some
that will definitely get into the first main release are:

- Ability to undo the last edit change
- Ability to remap cursor movement keys
- Text wrapping

The DDE interfaces will also be extended.

Others that I would definitely like to have ready, but may not have time
for, are:

- Automatic positioning on compiler errors

Some that are most unlikely to be ready for 1.00.000, but are definitely
on the list for work, are:

- A full script language

I also intend to produce a 32-bit version for Windows/NT.


I would very much like to have comments from anyone who tries out PFE -
tell me how much you like it, how much you hate it, what you'd like
to see done differently, what features you can't live without that are
missing, and what makes it blow up on your machine. I do the developement
and testing on a very large 486 system: tell me how it performs on other
sorts of machines.

I plan to produce probably three beta test releases a month or so apart
(although I'll ship intermediate releases to you if you want to help me
chase bugs) with the first main release with full source towards the end
of 1992. I'm willing to consider even quite large changes at this stage
to provide what people want to see, so let me have your ideas.

You can contact me by e-mail at

    alan@uk.ac.lancaster    if you're on the UK JANET network
    alan@lancaster.ac.uk    if you're on the Internet


Alan Phillips
July 1992