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R.O.I. Syngineering is pleased to introduce you to Tweditor, a side-by-side, two-record editor. This product provides the software developer a unique and indispensable set of tools. You can perform all standard editor features (move, copy, delete, locate) plus import from a second visible window. Tweditor was originally developed for our own internal use. We develop and maintain multiple versions of several complex products. As we do so we must replicate similar modifications in each version, and even across applications. The standard editors and compare utilities available can be used, but require you to quit one and get into another then back again. When you are trying to ship a new release of commercial software on time, you don't need that kind of hassle. We have, on occasion, performed in one afternoon what would normally have taken two or three days. Tweditor enables you to load a target and a source record into memory simultaneously, and to display them side by side (in 80 or 132 character mode). You can position each window independently by line number. You can perform string locates to realign them automatically. Tweditor compares the two windows and highlights lines that are not identical, or you can toggle off the reverse video highlighting feature. Other than its ability to view and compare two records simultaneously, the most significant feature of Tweditor is its import function. You can set a block (starting and ending line numbers) in the source window, then import that block to a specified location in the target window. We know how much Tweditor has increased our own productivity, and are sure that you will find it to be a valuable tool for your shop as well. R.O.I. Syngineering does not work in a vacuum; we have dozens of customers across the country who we support through our applications and utilities. Just like you, we try to think of everything but never do. However, we are extremely receptive to customers' feedback, and have never denied a request to improve one of our products. If you purchase Tweditor and see some way that it can better serve all of our customers, we will be extremely pleased to make that enhancement (and provide it to you at no charge). The next pages include an example of the Tweditor screen in use and the help screen. Please review these and call us with any questions. We are offering Tweditor at a price of $795 until June 30, 1999 - $995 after then. Terms are 2%/10, net 30. A 5% discount may be taken on all orders accompanied by payment. Sales tax will be charged on all orders shipped to California locations.
INSTALLATION Tweditor consists of only one program. There are no external subroutines, no work files to create, and no dictionary items to add. Just follow this simple procedure to install Tweditor: 1) Choose a BP file in which to load the Tweditor program code. If you have a separate BP file for your utility programs, we recommend that you load Tweditor there. 2) Mount the tape (or cartridge or diskette), log in and assign the drive. Execute a rewind command, both to make sure the drive is responding and to position the tape to the first logical file. T-ATT nn (where nn is the drive number) 3) Load the program code: T-LOAD bp-name (bp-name is the one you chose in step 1) 4) One program is loaded. Now compile it. BASIC bp-name TWEDITOR 5) Now catalog it. CATALOG bp-name TWEDITOR Tweditor is now ready to use. Invoke it as you would any cataloged program, i.e., just issue the command TWEDITOR. NOTE: If you have multiple accounts that will need access to Tweditor, you will have to catalog it in each account. In order to be able to do this, the BP file you loaded it into must be defined by a Q-pointer in each of those accounts. If you are unsure as to how to do this, refer to your system documentation.
STARTUP After Tweditor is invoked, the following screen appears:
Enter the file name and record name (item-id) for the first record. This is the target (or dynamic) record; that is, this is the one that will be updated if you make changes. Enter the file name and record name for the second record. This is the source (or static) record; that is, you can move around in the record and copy from it, but you can't update it. If you just press Return (Enter) for either or both of these prompts, Tweditor will assume that you want to work with the same file or record (or both) that you originally specified. If Tweditor cannot find either of the two files, or cannot read either of the two records, you will be asked again for their names. Enter "QUIT" (or NULL) at any of these four prompts to abort Tweditor and return to TCL.
The records you request will be displayed side-by-side in windows that can be controlled independently. Tweditor starts in compare mode (lines which are different are highlighted), and in 80-column display. In order to limit the confusion that might occur if both windows were dynamic, only the left side can be modified. Exception: If you are working with the same record on the same file, there is a command that will synchronize the two windows (i.e., copy the left side to the right).
Below each window is a command prompt (CMND =). These allow you to control each window separately. The next screen demonstrates the automatic highlighting of lines that are different between the windows. Note that the line numbers in each window are different, demonstrating that they are independently controlled.
The next two screens illustrate Tweditor's ability to set blocks for copying, deleting and importing. Notice that a block of lines has been set for the right-hand (static or source) window.
The screen below shows the results of an IMPORT command being executed in the left-hand (dynamic or target) window.
Tweditor is primarily intended to enable you to compare and manipulate source code quickly and effectively, and does a good job at that. But there are several other applications for this tool. At R.O.I. Syngineering we use it to compare test results of modified programs against the results of earlier versions. It's easy to determine if the things that were supposed to change did, and (perhaps more importantly) if the things that were working properly still do so. Note: Tweditor can work with a saved item list. To do so, instead of entering an item-id at the REC-1 prompt, enter "GET " and the list name. This is extremely handy when you are comparing a large number of programs or test output. If you are a professional software developer you probably have more to do than you can hope to get done in a lifetime. We are in the same position you are. But we specialize in constructing tools and utilities that we can apply to our own development efforts and also to yours. We make a living at doing that sort of thing and you get the benefit of the feedback we get from our customers. Tweditor costs about the same as one day's support by a consultant. And you get to use it forever. There aren't too many deals like that around - you'd better take advantage of this opportunity before we come to our senses.
Tweditor Commands The following is the command set for Tweditor (available on-line - just type "H"). The portion of each command that is highlighted is an abbreviation for the command. If no part of the command is highlighted there is no abbreviation. If no command is entered, the respective window is scrolled down to the next page of that record.
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