+JMJ

A Bit About EVE

EVE — Extensible Versatile (originally VAX) Editor — is the default text editor for the OpenVMS operating system. Other editors are available (EDT, TECO), but EVE supports editing of multiple files, multiple windows, and other features.

Invocation

Start an EVE editing session by entering the following command:

	$ EDIT/TPU [filename]

Keypad

A characteristic of DEC text editors was the use of the terminal's numeric keypad keys for frequently-used editor operations. Familiarity with EVE's keypad operations is essential for efficient use of the editor. The author does not recommend using EVE on a terminal without a keypad.

The mapping of functions to your physical keyboard depends on your terminal emulator. This document assumes the use of PuTTY ssh/telnet client.

Key Insert Home PageUp NumLock / * -
Cmd INSERT FIND PREV SCR   FIND HELP KEY CH DIR DO
Gold RESTORE WILD FIND PREV WIN  
Delete End PageDown   7 8 9 +
REMOVE SELECT NEXT SCR   SELECT REMOVE INSERT ERASE WORD
STORE RESET NEXT WIN  
  4 5 6
  M UP
 
↑   1 2 3 Enter
M UP   M LEFT M DOWN M RIGHT CH MODE
TOP  
← ↓ →   0 .
M LEFT M DOWN M RIGHT   NEXT SCR PREV SCR
START BOTTOM END  

GOLD KEY: The GOLD key was a prefix key similar to Shift or Ctrl that was a feature of many models of DEC's VT terminal series. Several useful operations are assigned to Gold key combinations, but EVE's default configuration doesn't define a mapping for the GOLD key inself, so the user must define a Gold key mapping to make the GOLD key combinations available. Execute the following EVE command to map Gold to the F1 key:

	  SET GOLD KEY F1

Function and control keys

Exit editor
F10, Ctrl-ZEXIT (Save edits and end editing session)
Text editing
Ctrl-JERASE WORD
Ctrl-U, Ctrl-XERASE START OF LINE (Erase from the beginning of the current line to the cursor position)
Ctrl-VQUOTE (Insert a control character)
  • RESTORE undeletes text removed with an ERASE... command.
  • STORE, REMOVE, and INSERT commands respectively copy, cut, and paste text between the SELECTed point and the current cursor position to or from the EVE clipboard.
Cursor movement
F11FORWARD REVERSE (Toggle direction for MOVE BY LINE and FIND)
F12MOVE BY LINE (Move cursor to next/previous line depending on current direction)
Ctrl-EEND OF LINE
Ctrl-HSTART OF LINE
Other
Ctrl-AINSERT OVERSTRIKE (Toggle insert/overstrike mode)
Ctrl-BRECALL (Recall previous EVE command)
Ctrl-KLEARN (Start recording macro keystroke sequence)
Ctrl-RREMEMBER (End recording macro keystroke sequence)

Commands

All of EVE's functionality can be accessed through commands. Open the EVE command line with DO (keypad - in PuTTY; common mappings in other emulators are F4, Shift-F6, Ctrl-F6). On the command line, you can scroll through command history with the up and down arrow keys. Some commands have multiple keywords, but each keyword can be shortened to its unique prefix.

Most frequently-used commands have been mapped to keypad keys, but here are some useful commands that are not mapped to keys in the default configuration.

QUITDiscard edits and end editing session
GET FILEOpen file in a new edit buffer
NEXT BUFFER
PREVIOUS BUFFER		Activates the next/previous edit buffer when multiple files are open
TWO WINDOWSplit screen into two windows
ONE WINDOWClose all windows other than the current
HELPActivate EVE online help system

Customization

EVE is highly customizable. EVE commands for user customization can be saved in the file EVE$INIT.EVE in your log-in directory and will be executed each time you start EVE. The following is the contents of the author's EVE$INIT.EVE file at the time of writing. 

	  SET GOLD KEY F1
	  DEFINE KEY=F2 HELP
	  DEFINE KEY=F3 GET FILE
	  DEFINE KEY=F4 NEXT BUFFER
	  DEFINE KEY=F7 TWO WINDOWS
	  !          Shift-F7 ...
	  DEFINE KEY=F17 ONE WINDOW
	  !          Shift-F10 ...
	  DEFINE KEY=F20  QUIT
	  DEFINE KEY=CTRL/D ERASE CHARACTER

References