DOS/Win3.X Text Editors

From: Mzthompson_at_aol.com <(Mzthompson_at_aol.com)>
Date: Fri Feb 4 22:55:19 2005

On Sat, 5 Feb 2005 <river_at_zip.com.au> wrote:

> My xasm programs are all DOS based, so I can move them to the Win3.x
machine.
> I use the Context Text Editor (which I find to be very good), but it's for
> Win9.x systems. So, I am looking for a good programmers text editor for
> Win3.1/DOS. I can dig up my old SPFPC disks and run that, but I am
wondering
> if anyone here knows of a good, powerful, mouse-driven editor that will run
> on Win3.x/DOS.

I would suggest PFE (Programmer's File Editor). From its readme.txt file:

PFE includes the following features: (I edited the list down)

- The size of file it can handle is limited only by the total amount of
  virtual memory available
- No arbitrary limit on the number of lines a file can contain
- It can edit multiple files, the number being limited only by the
  available system resources
- Allows multiple edit windows showing the same file
- Can read and write files in UNIX format using LF as line terminator, with
  automatic format detection
- Line numbers can be shown in any edit window if required
- Text can be copied and moved by dragging and dropping
- Tabs can be inserted as TAB characters or spaces
- DOS commands, such as compilers, can be run with the output captured
  in an edit window
- Commonly-used text can be inserted in a simple operation from template
  libraries
- Commonly-used program development tools can be configured into a list
  and started simply from a dialog
- Automatic line indenting and removal of trailing spaces
- Automatic configuration of edit options depending on file type
- Automatic configuration of tab sizes depending on file type
- Automatic brace alignment when editing C source
- Optional automatic text wrapping at configurable margin

PFE may be used in any way, for any purpose, at no cost. In may be
distributed
by any means, provided that the original files as supplied by the author
remain
intact and no charge is made other than for reasonable distribution costs.
You do not need to register to use PFE or buy a licence.

PFE is distributed in three ZIP files. The names they have when they
leave me are

   pfe0601.zip The 16-bit edition for Windows 3.1x
   pfe0601i.zip The 32-bit edition for Windows 95 and Windows NT
                       on Intel platforms
   pfe0601p.zip The 32-bit edition for Windows NT on PowerPC
                       platforms

[Note that the characters after 'pfe' are digits zero-six-zero-one]

---------- END OF readme.txt excerpts ----------

The pfe0601i.zip file is 855 kb. Version 6.01 is fairly old, circa 1995.

I've been using it since about 1997 and it is practically the first thing
I load on a machine after installing Windoze. I especially like the template
feature, great for boilerplate text and common code fragments.

HTH,
Mike Thompson
Received on Fri Feb 04 2005 - 22:55:19 GMT

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