🚀 go-pugleaf

> I am looking for a version of VI that supports some of the following
> features:
> 	se list, se nu, ai, global substitution commands, ex commands.
> 
> 
> 						Ron Howell
> 						ihlts!howell
> 						IH: 5B-431
> 						x2540

The MKS Toolkit would have what you want.  I have both, PC/VI and
the MKS Toolkit vi and I like the toolkit vi better [it has
the !! (piping) command and doesn't require fansi.sys].  With the
toolkit you also get alot of UNIX like tools.  All this for less
than what you can get PC/VI for.  Look in "Dr. Dobb's Journal of
Software Tools" for discounted prices.

    Publishers of MKS Toolkit:

		 Mortice Kern Systems Inc.
		 43 bridgeport Road East
		 Waterloo, Ontario
		 Canada  N2J 2J4
		 (519) 884-2551

		 $139.00 U.S. + SH

I have no connection with Mortice Kern Systems except as a happy
customer (BTW they are also on the net).

Loran Yourk
AT&T Technologies
2600 Warrenville Rd.
Lisle, Illinois
          60532

(312) 510-6885
ihnp1!ihlpf!lyourk

In article <968@ihlpf.UUCP> lyourk@ihlpf.UUCP (Loran N. Yourk) writes:
>> I am looking for a version of VI that supports some of the following
>> features:
>> 	se list, se nu, ai, global substitution commands, ex commands.
>
>The MKS Toolkit would have what you want.  I have both, PC/VI and
>the MKS Toolkit vi and I like the toolkit vi better [it has
>the !! (piping) command and doesn't require fansi.sys].  With the
>toolkit you also get alot of UNIX like tools.  All this for less
>than what you can get PC/VI for.

I've taken a strong interest in vi implementations for MS DOS,
since my fingers have vi hardwired into them, and I have to use
MS DOS from time to time.  (Especially on a laptop.)  I've used
both the CSS PC/VI and the MKS toolkit vi.  Both are excellent
clones of the real vi, and both will make most UNIX vi users happy.

The MKS vi is slightly more complete than PC/VI: it supports
filtering and it is possible to ^Z out of it.  MKS is also
a bit easier to install, as it doesn't require FANSI CONSOLE
or ANSI.SYS, doesn't need termcap, and doesn't need TERM.
(It does, however, die horribly if there is no /tmp directory.)
Another big benefit to MKS vi is that it's FAST.  It writes
directory to the screen, updating it instantly.  You have to see
this to believe it.  (Unfortunately, a recent version includes
anti-snow code which slows it down considerably.  The anti-snow
provision is pointless, in my opinion, since the snow occurs only
during the instantaneous FLASH and isn't distracting.  Also, many
CGA cards don't snow.  A very recent MKS vi has an option "set snow"
to speed it up, but it's set to the slow mode by default.)

The CSS vi is a bit closer to the UNIX vi.  CSS tracked the real vi
to version 3.9, and in particular supports "set showmode" to show
when you are in input mode.  (Recent MKS vi's alter the cursor, a
nice touch, but different.  MKS only claims compatibility with version
3.5, released from Berkeley around 1981.)  I have found the CSS vi
to be very solid and robust, and the few bugs I did find were fixed
within a week or two - their support was excellent.  Since PC/VI uses
BIOS calls and termcap, it will run on machines that are not quite
fully compatible, and even on the serial port on regular terminals.

I am presently using MKS, because it is small and fast.  But I am
bothered by bugs; in particular, it insists on treating @ as the
insert-mode kill character, even though MS DOS and my fingers both
want to use ^U.  (I can map! ^U to @, but it still eats my real @'s
unless I quote them.)  MKS is making an effort to be responsive and
fix bugs, and are doing a good job.  But I'd have to give the nod to
CSS in the quality/support area, their responsiveness has been super.

By the way, I didn't even consider the Manx Z editor.  Their manual
indicated that it is missing some key features, like ex commands and
being able to recover the last 9 deleted blocks of text.

These are only my opinions, and do not necessarily represent the
opinions of AT&T or anyone else.

	Mark Horton