Path: utzoo!mnetor!uunet!husc6!m2c!ulowell!apollo!mishkin
From: mishkin@apollo.uucp (Nathaniel Mishkin)
Newsgroups: comp.sys.apollo
Subject: Re: How to cut and paste a column
Message-ID: <3b107179.13422@apollo.uucp>
Date: 25 Mar 88 13:35:00 GMT
References: <12384916270.13.BEC.SHAPIN@ECLA.USC.EDU>
Reply-To: mishkin@apollo.UUCP (Nathaniel Mishkin)
Organization: Apollo Computer, Chelmsford, MA
Lines: 18

Here's something useful to know about the DM's rectangular feature:  If
you set a mark (DR) and turn on rectangular echoing (ECHO -R), then
commands that take a marked region (e.g. XC) are made to operate on a
rectangular region, even if you don't give them (or they don't even take)
a -R switch.  I define L1S (SHIFT-MARK) to be "DR;ECHO -R".  Thus, if
I want to do a non-rectangular cut, I do "L1 (MARK), move cursor, L1AS
(CUT)" and if I want to do a rectangular cut I do "L1S (SHIFT-MARK),
move cursor, L1AS (CUT)".  I.e. I don't need two CUT key bindings (one
with -R and one without) and two COPY key bindings (similarly).  Also
the S (substitute) command obeys rectangularity established by "DR;ECHO
-R", even though S itself doesn't take a -R switch.

Hey, maybe it's not a *silk* purse from a sow's ear, but what about nylon?
-- 
                    -- Nat Mishkin
                       Apollo Computer Inc.
                       Chelmsford, MA
                       {decvax,mit-eddie,umix}!apollo!mishkin