leichter@venus.ycc.yale.EDU ("Jerry Leichter") (10/20/87)
Well, the original question hasn't been answered yet: >How would one define MAIL$EDIT so that the whatever/EDIT commands >would work? You didn't read the messages - mine in particular - closely enough. Let's try again, answering your question EXACTLY as you asked it: YOU CAN'T. OK? CLEAR ENOUGH? (When you understand the NO answer, you can go back and under- stand the "...unless you do <such-and-so>" stuff in my original note.) That is, how to send AND read mail using the same editor interface, not just the same editor. E.g. my MAIL$EDIT points to a EDTINI.EDT file in a group's common directory, which defines a number of additional keys and such. Now, of a sudden, you have completely changed the question. Up until now, you have talked about using "some other editor". Now you are talking about using EDT, but with a different initialization file. These are VERY different questions. BTW, I hope your MAIL$EDIT file doesn't point to your EDTINI.EDT file - you'll end up with DCL trying to interpred EDT line-mode commands! I realise that an EDTINI.EDT file in my current directory would be read by a CALLABLE_EDT, but I'm not always in my SYS$LOGIN when I read mail. The EDT manual, Section 1.6 (Startup Command Files), says: "...Generally, EDT reads a system-wide startup command file at the beginning of your editing session. If no system-wide startup command file exists on your system, EDT looks for a file named EDTINI.EDT in your default directory and processes the commands in that file." The system-wide initialization file is SYS$LIBRARY:EDTSYS.EDT. If your system provides one - I have no idea how many do; probably only a few - there is an easy work-around: In keeping with usual VMS practice, EDT doesn't REALLY open the file SYS$LIBRARY:EDTSYS.EDT; rather, it opens the file EDTSYS with SYS$LIBRARY:.EDT as the default string. Hence, you can easily over-ride the system definition by doing: ASSIGN SYS$LOGIN:myini.edt EDTSYS Similarly, when EDT goes to open your private initialization file, it actually uses a specification of EDTINI with just .EDT as the default. Doing: ASSIGN SYS$LOGIN:myini.edt EDTINI allows EDT to find your private initialization file from anywhere. (If your has no system-wide initialization file, either one of these definitions will work - it's your choice.) And now, once more with feeling, a message to all who would ask questions on the net: Please, please, DON'T assume you understand exactly where or what your problem "really" is. If you did, you would most likely already know the answer. Don't ask "How can I change my editor" when what you are trying to do is change your initialization file! Describe the PROBLEM you are having, NOT what you think the solution is, or ought to be. You are more likely to get a useful response. Also, READ THE RESPONSES YOU GET. What you want to do may be impossible! If your responses tend in that direction, don't assume everyone is out to get you or is just ignoring your question. Maybe you haven't phrased your question in way that can be answered. Maybe you haven't provided all the information needed for someone to provide you with an answer. Try again if you think you can provide more information - and take it as a lesson in question phrasing for the next time. -- Jerry ------