New York State Agricultural Experiment Station Geneva, New York Computer Centre: 288/ 17-Mar-94

Pico

Name
     pico - simple text editor in the style of the Pine Composer

Syntax
     pico [-f] [+n] [-nn] [-t] [-v] [-w] [-z] [file]

Description
     Pico is a simple, display-oriented text editor based on  the
     Pine  mail  system  composer.   As  with  Pine, commands are
     displayed at the bottom of the screen, and context-sensitive
     help  is provided.  As characters are typed they are immedi-
     ately inserted into the text.  Editing commands are  entered
     using control-key combinations.

     The editor has five basic features: paragraph justification,
     case-insensitive  searching,  block  cut/paste,  a  spelling
     checker, and a file browser.

     Paragraph justification takes place in  the  paragraph  that
     contains  the cursor, or, if the cursor is between lines, in
     the paragraph immediately below.  Paragraphs  are  delimited
     by  blank  lines, or by lines beginning with a space or tab.
     Unjustification can be done immediately after  justification
     using the control-U key combination.

     String searches are not sensitive to case.  A search  begins
     at  the  current cursor position and wraps around the end of
     the text.  The most recent search string is offered  as  the
     default in subsequent searches.

     Blocks of text can be moved, copied or deleted with creative
     use  of  the  command  for  mark  (ctrl-underscore),  delete
     (ctrl-k) and undelete (ctrl-u).

     The spell checker examines all words in the text.   It  then
     offers,  in  turn, each misspelled word for correction while
     simultaneously highlighting it in the text.  Spell  checking
     can  be cancelled at any time. Alternatively, pico will sub-
     stitute for the default spell  checking  routine  a  routine
     defined  by the SPELL environment variable.  The replacement
     routine should read standard input and write  standard  out-
     put.

     The file browser is offered as an option in the "Read  File"
     and  "Write Out" command prompts.  It is intended to help in
     searching  for  specific  files  and  navigating   directory
     hierarchies.   Filenames with sizes and names of directories
     in the current working directory are  presented  for  selec-
     tion.  The current working directory is displayed on the top
     line of the display while the  list  of  available  commands
     takes  up  the  bottom two.  Several basic file manipulation
     functions  are  supported:   file  renaming,  copying,   and
     deletion.

     More specific help is available in pico's online help.

Options
     -f   Use function keys for commands.  This option  supported
          only in conjunction with UW Enhanced NCSA telnet.

     +n   Causes pico to be started with  the  cursor  located  n
          lines  into  the file. (Note: no space between "+" sign
          and number)

     -nn  The -nn option enables new mail  notification.   The  n
          argument  is  optional,  and  specifies  how  often, in
          seconds, your mailbox is checked  for  new  mail.   For
          example,  -n60  causes  pico to check for new mail once
          every minute.  The default  interval  is  180  seconds,
          while  the  minimum  allowed  is  30.  (Note:  no space
          between "+" sign and number)

     -t   Enable "tool" mode.  Intended for when pico is used  as
          the editor within other tools (e.g., Elm, Pnews).  Pico
          will not prompt for save on exit, and will  not  rename
          the buffer during the "Write Out" command.

     -v   View the file only, disallowing any editing.

     -w   Disable word wrap (thus allow editing of long lines).

     -z   Enable ^Z suspension of pico.

     Lastly, when a running pico is disconnected  (i.e.,  receipt
     of  a  SIGHUP),  pico  will  save the current work if needed
     before exiting.  Work is saved under  the  current  filename
     with  ".save"  appended.  If the current work is unnamed, it
     is saved under the filename "pico.save".

Bugs
     The manner in which lines longer than the display width  are
     dealt  is  not  immediately  obvious.   Lines  that continue
     beyond the edge of the display are indicated by a '$'  char-
     acter  at the end of the line.  Long lines are scrolled hor-
     izontally as the cursor moves through them.

Files
     pico.save        Unnamed interrupted work saved here
     *.save           Interrupted work is saved here

Authors
     Michael Seibel, mikes@cac.washington.edu
     Laurence Lundblade, lgl@cac.washington.edu
     pico is originally derived from MicroEmacs 3.6