EDIT.com / Notepad for MSX-DOS

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By SKiLLa

Expert (118)

SKiLLa's picture

29-12-2022, 20:32

Hi guys,

I've been away from MSX for a while but just got myself a SX1MINI+ and whilst 'installing' my system with all the software, etc, I found myself using TED and MED, but continuously using the 'Windows'-style block-selection keys like CTRL+A, CTRL+X/C/V or page-scrolling with CTRL+cursor keys (for a lack of Page Up/Down).

I also found that I don't like TED or MED for quick file-editing as much since the don't restore the MSX console screen afterwards.

Are there any simple editors that use either classic Windows style or Nano-like (no VIM please, sorry but not sorry) text-editors for MSX-DOS ... or might you guys be interested in it ? As I'm contemplating writing an ultra-light one myself instead (I already wrote something like this 20 years ago, before my HDD died one day oO )

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By edoz

Prophet (2482)

edoz's picture

29-12-2022, 23:03

Maybe you should try SymbOS Wink

By NYYRIKKI

Enlighted (6067)

NYYRIKKI's picture

29-12-2022, 23:21

Yes, Notepad for SymbOS is great, but I would also still like to have a such mouse supported editor program for MSX-DOS as well as swapping OS just to edit a text file is not what you want to do... Unfortunately I think text editor coding has not been dream of many, so TED is still likely the best one out there... The setup program lets you to customize the CTRL-shortcuts, but it is still not Notepad after that.

By sdsnatcher73

Prophet (3951)

sdsnatcher73's picture

30-12-2022, 04:22

AKID.COM (from MSX-DOS2 tools IIRC) works well enough for me.

By gdx

Enlighted (6210)

gdx's picture

30-12-2022, 10:16

I'm interested if you can do it, and even more so if you make one that supports multiple languages (JIS, well, ect). It's not practical to have to go under SymbOS just to edit a text. It would be nice if it was also a viewer by default (with the language switch possibility with the Select key for example). I'd be happy to see that on MSX.

By jbikker

Rookie (31)

jbikker's picture

30-12-2022, 15:55

Hey, I've been working on exactly that! It's not perfect yet but it is exactly what you described: just like notepad, blazing fast, with support (mostly) for CTRL-C, CTRL-V and so on. It's written in C, using MSXgl, so if you wish to collaborate on the project I am more than happy to share the sources.

Here's a link to zip:
https://drive.google.com/file/d/1-VVrQnoE1Ump92-rr8Us-WUJoLr...

Current limitations:

- loads a default file, but I think it already gets a filename from the commandline.
- MSX2 only, WIDTH40 only. Can be alleviated but will make it slower.
- Block copy on a line, or multi-line, so not partial line + multi-line.
- Big restriction: file lines cannot be wider than 40.
- Only supports euro keyboard layout.

But, almost all editing happens at peak frame rate. And, it has custom keyboard handling, with very fast key repeat, which types like a dream. :)

- Jacco.

By SKiLLa

Expert (118)

SKiLLa's picture

30-12-2022, 16:16

Thanks for the feedback & tips guys, much appreciated.
I'll checkout akid, but I'll probably start creating my own to get my rusty assembly skills back on track.
My MVP looks like this:

v0.1 - Getting the basics up & running, but already be useful (sad face: I also already exactly made this 25 years back)
* Cmdline driven fast viewer only; alternative for: type /p
* Scroll up/down per line and per page and to beginning/end using cursor-keys and ctrl+cursor keys
* Optionally restores the original console-prompt after usage (nor choose to leave the text on-screen).

v0.2 - Initial basic editing
* Full screen UI: 4 color mode width 80
* Controls: Modern / PC-like keyboard controls for selections, scrolling and copy/paste.
* Operations: Select all, invert selection, cut, copy, paste, delete, find and find & replace.
* MSX-DOS1 compatibiliy and memory model; no support for streaming larger files (let's say 48KB).
* On-demand basic MSX-DOS2 support for handling subdirs and files with 'complex' paths.
* Restores the original console-prompt after usage.

v0.3 - Complete MVP for my goals
* Full mouse-support, including right-click for context-specific operations
* Modern / PC-Like File Dialogs for Open and Close
* MSX-DOS2 only: Large file support (using the MSX-DOS2 memory manager)
* I'll probably Open Source it on GitHub if I get this far.

@gdx: Concerning the JIS use-case, it definitely sounds useful, but since I have zero experience with that, I haven't put it on my MVP list. Would JIS x201 support do (i.e. one-on-one mapping to basic ASCII charset like ) or would it really require multi-byte char support and/or the KMODE ?

EDIT: @jbikker: I missed your reply in my initial reply; sounds really cool. I am looking for a mode 80 solution mainly; but I'll have a look nevertheheless !

By ducasp

Paladin (680)

ducasp's picture

30-12-2022, 17:00

SKiLLa wrote:

Thanks for the feedback & tips guys, much appreciated.
I'll checkout akid, but I'll probably start creating my own to get my rusty assembly skills back on track.
My MVP looks like this:

v0.1 - Getting the basics up & running, but already be useful (sad face: I also already exactly made this 25 years back)
* Cmdline driven fast viewer only; alternative for: type /p
* Scroll up/down per line and per page and to beginning/end using cursor-keys and ctrl+cursor keys
* Optionally restores the original console-prompt after usage (nor choose to leave the text on-screen).

v0.2 - Initial basic editing
* Full screen UI: 4 color mode width 80
* Controls: Modern / PC-like keyboard controls for selections, scrolling and copy/paste.
* Operations: Select all, invert selection, cut, copy, paste, delete, find and find & replace.
* MSX-DOS1 compatibiliy and memory model; no support for streaming larger files (let's say 48KB).
* On-demand basic MSX-DOS2 support for handling subdirs and files with 'complex' paths.
* Restores the original console-prompt after usage.

v0.3 - Complete MVP for my goals
* Full mouse-support, including right-click for context-specific operations
* Modern / PC-Like File Dialogs for Open and Close
* MSX-DOS2 only: Large file support (using the MSX-DOS2 memory manager)
* I'll probably Open Source it on GitHub if I get this far.

@gdx: Concerning the JIS use-case, it definitely sounds useful, but since I have zero experience with that, I haven't put it on my MVP list. Would JIS x201 support do (i.e. one-on-one mapping to basic ASCII charset like ) or would it really require multi-byte char support and/or the KMODE ?

EDIT: @jbikker: I missed your reply in my initial reply; sounds really cool. I am looking for a mode 80 solution mainly; but I'll have a look nevertheheless !

If you ever think about a full color support, msx2ansi is quite as fast as it can get (can get a tad faster if you replace the sprite cursor with a character one so sprites are always disabled, perhaps) for 80 columns / 16 colors, you probably could use it and ditch the ansi parser for something lighter and easier for your application.... Though, I've gotta be honest, it won't hold a candle to real text mode in terms of speed, so if you plan a full color / syntax highlight mode, that code (original from Toby/ Sonic A.K.A. T and reworked and improved by me) is a quite nice base well tested on real vdps / machines, feel free to use it, the original engine code by Toby with small updates is in my github as well ( https://github.com/ducasp/MSX-Development/tree/master/ANSI-DRV ) , all ASM code, the lib that has the up to date ansi parser and a few more features is sdasm unfortunately as that is what is needed to make a sdcc library :P

By NYYRIKKI

Enlighted (6067)

NYYRIKKI's picture

30-12-2022, 23:15

Personally I think that SKiLLa's plan is very good. We don't need full color support. We need fast text editor that responds now and not after some screen draw delay.

BTW SKiLLa: If you want ready made, documented, well designed 480x192 accurate mouse routine in assembly, that that is especially designed for (SCREEN 0) 80x24 character text mode, just send me mail... I love your idea.

By NYYRIKKI

Enlighted (6067)

NYYRIKKI's picture

31-12-2022, 00:01

Actually... I am not here selling my own code, but code from my main teacher that unfortunately died almost 30-years ago. He (Harri Meriruoko / Bulldogs / Finland) was a person, who always wanted to share his knowledge and programming examples forward, and therefore I feel that here is perfect opportunity to continue his wisdom to new generations.

I made a little video about the routine

By Manuel

Ascended (19462)

Manuel's picture

31-12-2022, 00:14

Wow, how does that work??

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