TOPS-20 User Wiki

EDIT is usually started with the EDIT command. However, if you have customized your default editor, the EDIT command may invoke a different editor. To run EDIT without disturbing your default editor setting, use the command SYS:EDIT or R EDIT.

As a line-oriented editor, all editing tasks are accomplished in EDIT by entering commands at the EDIT command prompt (*). If you wish to make changes to the current command line before submitting it (by pressing Enter), you may use the following keys:

• Delete (usually mapped to the Back Space key) – Delete one character to the left of the cursor.
• Ctrl-U – Delete the entire command line without submitting it.

• Da[:b] – Delete line a (through line b).
• E – Save file and return to EXEC.
• EQ – Discard unsaved changes and return to EXEC.
• Ia – Insert mode after line a. End with Esc key.
• Pa[:b] – Print line a (through line b) on terminal.
• Ra – Replace line a
• St1Esct2Esca – Substitute text t2 for text t1 on line a.

• TOPS-20 User's Guide
• (EDIT User's Guide and EDIT Reference Manual were published by DEC as part of the TOPS-20 Software Notebook series, but the author has been unable to locate any printed or electronic copies of either manual.)