smol/nano.texi

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@c %**start of header
@setfilename nano.info
@settitle nano Command Manual
@c %**end of header

@c This file has the new style title page commands.
@c Run `makeinfo' rather than `texinfo-format-buffer'.
@smallbook
@set EDITION 0.1
@set VERSION 0.9.99pre3
@set UPDATED 12 Feb 2001


@c tex
@c \overfullrule=0pt
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@titlepage
@title GNU @code{nano}
@subtitle a small and friendly text editor.
@subtitle version 0.9.99pre3

@author Chris Allegretta
@page

This manual documents GNU @code{nano}, a small and friendly text
editor.

This manual is part of the GNU @code{nano} distribution.@*
@sp4
Copyright (C) 1999, 2000, 2001 Chris Allegretta.

Permission is granted to make and distribute verbatim copies of
this manual provided the copyright notice and this permission notice
are preserved on all copies.

@iftex
Permission is granted to process this file through TeX and print the
results, provided the printed document carries copying permission
notice identical to this one except for the removal of this paragraph
(this paragraph not being relevant to the printed manual).
@end iftex

Permission is granted to copy and distribute modified versions of this
manual under the conditions for verbatim copying, provided that the entire
resulting derived work is distributed under the terms of a permission
notice identical to this one.

Permission is granted to copy and distribute translations of this manual
into another language, under the above conditions for modified versions,
except that this permission notice may be stated in a translation approved
by the Foundation.

You may contact the author by:
e-mail: @email{chrisa@@asty.org}@*
@end titlepage

@node Top, Introduction, (dir), (dir)

This manual documents GNU nano, a small and friendly text editor.

@menu
* Introduction::
* Editor Basics::
* Online Help::
* Feature Toggles::
* The File Browser::
* Pico Compatibility::
* Building and Configure Options::
@end menu

@node Introduction, Editor Basics, Top, Top
@chapter Introduction

GNU @code{nano} is a small and friendly text editor.  Besides basic
text editing, @code{nano} offers many extra features like an
interactive search and replace, goto line number, auto-indentation,
feature toggles, internationalization support, and filename tab
completion.

@menu
* Overview::
* Command Line Options::
@end menu

@node Overview, Command Line Options, Introduction, Introduction
@section Overview

@code{nano} [GNU long option] [option] +LINE [ @var{ file ...} ]

The original goal for @code{nano} was a complete bug-for-bug compatible
emulation of Pico, but consistency is now a slightly higher priority.
There is a flag to implement (nearly) complete Pico emulation, (option -p
or GNU long option --pico).  This can also be toggled from within
@code{nano} by typing Meta-P.  @xref{Pico Compatibility}, for more
info.

Email bug reports to @email{nano@@nano-editor.org}. 

@node Command Line Options, , Overview, Introduction
@section Command Line Options

@code{nano} takes the following options from the command line:
@table @code

@item -T [num, --tabsize=[num]
Set the displayed tab length to [num] columns.

@item -R, --regexp
Turns on regular expression search and search/replace.

@item -V, --version 
Print the version number and copyright and quit.

@item -c, --const
Constantly display the cursor posititon and line number on the statusbar.

@item -h, --help
Print the usage and exit.

@item -i, --autoindent
Automatically indent new lines to the same number of spaces and tabs as
the previous line.

@item -k, --cut
Makes ^K cut from the current cursor position to the end of the current
line.

@item -l, --nofollow
When writing files, if the given file is a symbolic link it is removed
and a new file is created.

@item -m, --mouse
Enables the use of the mouse to select text (currently only useful for
running under the X window system).

@item -p, --pico
Emulate Pico as closely as possible, sacrificing consistency for correct
emulation.  @xref{Pico Compatibility}, for more info.

@item -r [#cols], --fill=[#cols].
Wrap lines at column #cols.  By default this is the width of the screen,
less eight.

@item -s [prog], --speller=[prog]
Invoke [prog] as the spell checker.  By default, @code{nano} uses its
own interactive spell checker that requires the @code{spell} program be
installed on your system.

@item -t, --tempfile
Do not ask whether or not to save the current contents of the file when
exiting, assume yes.  This is most useful when using @code{nano} as the
composer of a mailer program.

@anchor{Expert Mode}
@item -x, --nohelp
In Expert Mode, the Shortcut Lists will not appear at the bottom of the 
screen.  This affects the location of the statusbar as well, as in Expert
Mode it is located at the very bottom of the editor.

Note: When accesing the help system, Expert Mode is temporarily disabled
to display the help system navigation keys.

@item -v, --view
Do not allow the contents of the file to be altered.  Note that this
flag should NOT be used in place of correct file permissions to implement
a read-only file.

@item -w, --nowrap
Do not wrap long lines at any length. This option overrides any value for
-r.

@item -z, --suspend
Enable suspend ability of @code{nano} using the system's suspend
keystroke (usually ^Z).

@item +LINE
Start at line number LINE instead of the default of line 1.
@end table

@node Editor Basics, Online Help, Introduction, Top
@chapter Editor Basics
@menu
* Entering Text::
* Special Functions::
* The Titlebar::
* The Statusbar::
* Shortcut Lists::
@end menu

@node Entering Text, Special Functions, Editor Basics, Editor Basics
@section Entering Text

All key sequences in @code{nano} are entered using the keyboard.
@code{nano} is a "modeless" editor, all keys with the exception of
Control and Meta key sequences will enter text into the file being
edited.  

@node Special Functions, The Titlebar, Entering Text, Editor Basics
@section Special Functions

Special functions use the Control key (displayed in the help and
shotcut lists as ^) or the Meta key (displayed as M).
     
@itemize @bullet
     
@item
Control key sequences are entered by holding down the Control key and
pressing the desired letter.  
@item
Meta key sequences can be entered in a number of
possible ways: Pressing the Escape key, then releasing it and pressing
the desired key, or holding down the Alt key while pressing the desired 
key.  This varies from keyboard to keyboard, and certain commercial
operating systems "swallow" the Alt key so that it never reaches the
application. If your operating system does this, you should use the
Escape key to generate Meta key sequences.
@end itemize

@node The Titlebar, The Statusbar, Special Functions, Editor Basics
@section The Titlebar

The titlebar is the line displayed at the top of the editor.  There are
three sections: left, center and right. The section on the left displays
the version of @code{nano} being used.  The center section displays the
current file name, or "New Buffer" if the file has not yet been named.
The section on the right will display "Modified" if the file has been
modified since it ws last saved or opened.

Special modes: When nano is in "File browser" mode, the center section
will display the current directory instead of the filename. 
@xref{The File Browser}.

@node The Statusbar, Shortcut Lists, The Titlebar, Editor Basics
@section The Statusbar

The statusbar is located three lines from the bottom of the screen (or the
bottom line in Expert Mode.  @xref{Expert Mode}, for more info.  

The Statusbar shows important and informational messages.  Any error
messages that occur from using the editor will appear on the statusbar.
Any questions that are asked of the user will be asked on the statusbar,
and any user input (serch strings, file names, etc) will be input on the
statusbar.

@node Shortcut Lists, , The Statusbar, Editor Basics
@section Shortcut Lists

The Shorcut Lists are the two lines at the bottom of the screen which show
some of the more commonly used functions in the editor. The exact
functions which are displayed depend on whether Pico Compatibility Mode mode
is enabled. @xref{Pico Compatibility}, for more info.

@node Online Help, Feature Toggles, Editor Basics, Top
@chapter Online Help

The online help system in @code{nano} is available by pressing ^G.
It is fairly self explanatory, documenting the various parts of the 
editor and available keystrokes.  Navigation is via the ^Y (Page Up)
and ^V (Page Down) keys.  ^X exits the help system.


@node Feature Toggles, The File Browser, Online Help, Top
@chapter Feature Toggles

Toggles allow you to change certain aspects of the editor that
would normally be done via command line flags. They are invoked via
certain Meta key sequenced. @xref{Special Functions}, for more info.
The following toggles are available:

@table @code

@item Constant Update Toggle (Meta-C)
toggles the -c (--const) command line flag.

@item Regular Expressions Toggle (Meta-E)
toggles the -R (--regexp) command line flag.

@item AutoIndent Toggle (Meta-I)
toggles the -i (--autoindent) command line flag.

@item Cut To End Toggle (Meta-K)
toggles the -k (--cut) command line flag.

@item Cut To End Toggle (Meta-M)
toggles the -m (--mouse) command line flag.

@item Pico Mode Toggle (Meta-P)
toggles the -p (--pico) command line flag.
@xref{Pico Compatibility}, for more info.

@item AutoWrap Toggle (Meta-W)
toggles the -w (--nowrap) command line flag.

@item Expert/Nohelp Toggle (Meta-X)
toggles the -x (--nohelp) command line flag.

@item Suspend Toggle (Meta-Z)
toggles the -z (--suspend) command line flag.

@end table

@node The File Browser, Pico Compatibility, Feature Toggles, Top
@chapter The File Browser

When reading or writilg files, pressing ^T will invoke the file browser.
Here, one can navigate directories in a graphical manner in order to find
the desired file.

Basic movement in the file browser is accomplished with he arrow keys
and page up/down.  The behavior of the enter (or 's') key varies by what 
is currently selected.  If the currently selected object is a directory, 
the file browser will enter and display the contects of the directory.  If
the object is a file, this filename and path are copied to the statusbar
and the file browser is exited.

@node Pico Compatibility, Building and Configure Options, The File Browser, Top
@chapter Pico Compatibility

Nano does not completely emulate Pico by default.  The following differences
apply to the default mode and Pico Compatibility mode:

@table @code
@item Displayed Shortcuts
By default, the following shortcuts are displayed in the Shortcut Lists:

^G ^O ^\ ^Y ^K ^C@*
^X ^R ^W ^V ^U ^T

Related functions are listed above or below each other by default.  The
Justify function is not listed, instead the "Replace" function is
displayed. Also, he "Read File" and "WriteOut" functions are aligned for
consistency.

In Pico Compatibility mode, the default Pico shortcuts are displayed:

^G ^O ^R ^Y ^K ^C@*
^X ^J ^W ^V ^U ^T   

@item Previous String Text
By default, previously entered string for a function (search string,
file name) will be placed on the statusbar, and is editable.  This is
done so there is consistency across all functions.  For example: even if
there is a previous replace string, it can always be deleted if one
wishes to perform an empty string replace.

In Pico Compatibility Mode, the previously entered text in a search or
replace will appear in brackets, and is not editable.  It is not a
simple matter to do an empty string replace when a previous replace
string exists, for example.  When writing a file, the previous filename
will be displayed in the editable text portion of the editor.

@item Interactive Replace and Spell Checker
It is worth noting that the @code{nano} replace function is interactive,
i.e. it does not stop after one search string is found and automatically 
replace it.  The @code{nano} implementation will stop at each search
string found and query whether to replace this instance or not.  The 
internal spell checker operates similarly.  Note that these is no way 
to force these functions to behave in the Pico fashion.
@end table

@node Building and Configure Options, , Pico Compatibility, Top
@chapter Building and Configure Options

Building nano from source is fairly straightforward if you are familiar
with compiling programs with autoconf support:

tar xvfz nano-x.y.z.tar.gz (where x.y.z is the version of nano)
cd nano-x.y.z/
./configure
make
make install

if you are looking to optimize nano for size, you may want to consider
the following command line options:


@table @code

@item --disable-tabcomp
Disable the tab completion code when reading or writing files.

@item --disable-justify
Disable the justify (^J)/unjustify (^U) functions in the editor.

@item --disable-speller
Disables spell checker abillity.

@item --disable-help
Disables the help function (^G).  Disabling this option maks the
binary much smaller, but makes it difficult for new users
to learn more than very basic things about using the editor.

@item --disable-browser
Disables the mini file browser (^O) when reading or writing files.

@item --enable-tiny
This options disables all the above.  It also disables some of
the larger internals of the editor, like the marker code (^^) and
the cut to line (-k) option which it depends on to work properly.
It also disables the function toggles and mouse support.
@end table

@contents
@bye