[comp.editors] Editor design, information sources?

simon@snake.cs.uidaho.edu (Mike Simon) (01/19/91)

I'm about to begin the process of designing a new editor.  Has anyone reading
this group read any good design texts or (more likely) published papers on the
subject of editor design?  References to code examples and the like are NOT
what I'm interested in.  I'm interested in issues related to the design of
extensible editors.

My ultimate goal of course is to start up a whole new thread of "Mike's Most 
Wonderful and Graciously Provided Editor From Northern Idaho" is MUCH better
than vi or emacs, because it's _name_ is much longer and...

Really folks, if you've seen what I'm looking for, send me e-mail and I'll compile
a bib and post it here.

Mike Simon
University of Idaho
Moscow, ID			simon@ted.cs.uidaho.edu
(208) 885-6238

bob@ns.UUCP (Bob Mathias) (01/22/91)

In article <1991Jan18.174115.14954@groucho> simon@snake.cs.uidaho.edu (Mike Simon) writes:
>I'm about to begin the process of designing a new editor.  Has anyone reading
>this group read any good design texts or (more likely) published papers on the
>subject of editor design?  References to code examples and the like are NOT
>what I'm interested in.  I'm interested in issues related to the design of
>extensible editors.

Back in my CP/M days, I used an editor based upon EMACS.  One of the things
that came with the editor was the paper Richard Stallman wrote for what I think
was his PHD (I could be wrong).  The paper was on designing editors and since
RS was the author of EMACS, it probably reflects the design of EMACS.  The paper
covered buffering, windowing, binding of functions, etc.    No matter what
one thinks of EMACS as an editor, I think it should be a MUST to read this paperon editors if you are planning on writting an editor.  I believe that he
wrote it at MIT and its highly likely that someone on the Internet might have
it in machine readable form. I'm not sure I still have a copy of it. 

-- 
Bob Mathias                          uucp: ...!uunet!ccicpg!uis-oc!ns.UUCP!bob
Unisys Corporation                   voice: (714) 727-0323
A and V Series Systems Engineering   fax: (714) 727-0350
Irvine, California                  

fin@norge.unet.umn.edu (Craig A. Finseth) (01/24/91)

In article <57@ns.UUCP> bob@ns.UUCP (Bob Mathias) writes:
>Back in my CP/M days, I used an editor based upon EMACS.  One of the things
>that came with the editor was the paper Richard Stallman wrote for what I think
>was his PHD (I could be wrong).  The paper was on designing editors and since
>RS was the author of EMACS, it probably reflects the design of EMACS.  The paper
	...

Actually, I wrote that paper (in particular: Richard Stallman wrote
many other things).  It was included in the Mince manual (that is the
CP/M editor).  It is available from:

	Laboratory for Computer Science Reading Room
	Massachusetts Institute of Technology
	77 Massachusetts Ave
	Cambridge MA  02139
	USA

	+1 617 253 1000 (MIT information: I don't have the LCS RR number)

It is Technical Memo 165.  I don't know whether they charge.

I am also in the process of turning that paper into a book (actually,
almost done: final copy is due in mid-February).  We are shooting for
a September publication date.  Consult the usual sources for details.

Craig A. Finseth			fin@unet.umn.edu [CAF13]
University Networking Services		+1 612 624 3375 desk
University of Minnesota			+1 612 625 0006 problems
130 Lind Hall, 207 Church St SE		+1 612 626 1002 FAX
Minneapolis MN 55455-0134, U.S.A.

bob@ns.UUCP (Bob Mathias) (01/27/91)

In article <3375@uc.msc.umn.edu> fin@norge.unet.umn.edu (Craig A. Finseth) writes:
>In article <57@ns.UUCP> bob@ns.UUCP (Bob Mathias) writes:
>>Back in my CP/M days, I used an editor based upon EMACS.  One of the things
>>that came with the editor was the paper Richard Stallman wrote for what I think
>
>Actually, I wrote that paper (in particular: Richard Stallman wrote
>many other things).  It was included in the Mince manual (that is the
>CP/M editor).  
>
Please forgive me for giving the wrong person credit.  I just found my
old Mince manual and sure enough the acknowledgement at the the start
of the chapter, you thanked Richard Stallman for his work.  I didn't know
who wrote the Mince manual since the author of the work signed his name
as Mark of the Unicorn.

>I am also in the process of turning that paper into a book (actually,
>almost done: final copy is due in mid-February).  We are shooting for
>a September publication date.  Consult the usual sources for details.

I'm sure it will be a book worth buying.  You can tell that I was 
impressed with your paper by the fact that I still have my old Mince
manual, yet no longer have the ability to run any CP/M program.  I kept
it explicitly due to your thesis.

-- 
Bob Mathias                          uucp: ...!uunet!ccicpg!uis-oc!ns.UUCP!bob
Unisys Corporation                   voice: (714) 727-0323
A and V Series Systems Engineering   fax: (714) 727-0350
Irvine, California