Short.Stop's Mostly VDE Page 27 Sep 2005 The VDE Editor & Add-ons Other (Mostly DOS) Programs Links / More Sources Contact Short.Stop About This Page Go to Short.Stop's Page One Australia -- Estonia 1 -- Estonia 2 -- India -- UK -- US vdelink.zip How about linking to us from your page? Click this button, made for us by Mike's Software, to download it, along with HTML links, ready to plug into your code. 1.1K download. The VDE Editor, etc. Introduction The VDE Program Utilities Macros Screenwriting Tools Go back to: Main Menu Introduction to VDE Eric Meyer's VDE is a small, fast text editor and word processor that is surprisingly powerful and customizable. It runs under DOS 2+ and DOS shells, including DesqVIEW (which it recognizes) and Windows 3.x/9x/Me/NT/2000/XP. It can read and edit files in a variety of formats: ASCII, ANSI, Wordstar, WordPerfect, XYWrite, Word and others. VDE runs even on older PCs, including XTs, and supports the HP LX series palmtops. VDE is not an orphan, as many fine DOS programs unfortunately are, but is still being maintained by its original author. In addition to several versions of the VDE program itself - each packaged with installation utility, sample macros, and documentation - you will find here a number of add-ons, by Eric Meyer and others, that perform specialized tasks. With the release on 4 Dec 2002 of version 1.93D, VDE is no longer a shareware program, but is now freeware. It remains copyrighted by its author, but users no longer need pay any registration / licensing fees. The spelling checker, and direct support provided by the author in return for payment of fees, also pass from the scene. But note that other support is available through the VDE email discussion list - See Links / More Sources, below, for signup details. Go back to: VDE Menu Main Menu The VDE Program See About VDE for info on the program in general, its author, and the versions listed here. Read it now in your browser, or download (plain text, zipped, 22K). Screenshot 1 | Screenshot 2 | Screenshot 3 VDE 1.94. The latest version. 164K download. Also see VMC 1.8 Patch. VDE 1.94 Patch 2 (31 Aug 2005). VDE 1.94 has two bugs: 1) "...if you begin printing partway through a file (with option "@") while using a left margin ('L') and a header or top page number, the left margin is not applied to the first page's header/number as it should be." 2) Untranslatable graphics that are supposed to be rendered as code 07h (^G) are sometimes rendered as 00h in WordPerfect files. Solution to both: Apply a patch. The file 194PAT2.TXT has a DEBUG script and complete instructions, which you can read now in your browser, as well as download (plain text, zipped, 1.2K). The next version of VDE will have the patches built in. VDE 1.73A. Still popular, this version is small and efficient. 144K download. VDE 1.65C runs fast even on 8088 or 8086 machines, including the HP95LX palmtop. This is the last version that uses ANSI.SYS to support screen output on "generic" machines, -- later releases use direct video output, supporting only IBM compatibles and a few near-compatibles. 150K download. VDE 1.73 in Finnish, with macros (in Finnish & English), spell checker, docs, and a nice freestanding file manager that can be used anywhere. 299K download. SUE, the Small Unix Editor from Point to Point Communications, Inc., is the successor to UDE (Unix Display Editor), and is partly based on VDE. Like VDE, it is small, efficient and fast. While it does not have all the features of current VDE, it performs essential editing functions nicely. In addition to the obvious Unix file mode, it has DOS and Mac modes. Try running it under Linux. 137K download. Go back to: VDE Menu Main Menu Utilities VDE2RTF 1.31, by Pavel Zampach, converts a text file with VDE printer codes (bold, italic, etc.) to a Rich Text Format file. It also does code page translations, based on a user-configurable table of correspondences. Package includes executable, other working files, source code & docs. 10K download. RTF2VDE 1.01, by Pavel Zampach, converts a Rich Text Format file to a text file with VDE printer codes (bold, italic, etc.). It also does code page translations, based on a user-configurable table of correspondences. Package includes executable, other working files, source code & docs. 14K download. VMC (VDE Macro Compiler), by Evan Slawson, converts VDE's F-key definition files to editable text files and vice versa. Use it as an aid in analyzing macros or writing new ones. Also, older macros which are not compatible with current VDE can be converted to compatible form, with some rewriting and then recompiling with appropriate versions of this utility (see documentation for details). Click the version for your working VDE and macros: You need > VMC 1.8 (36K) VMC 1.73 (34K) VMC 1.2 (23K) For VDE > 1.8x-1.9x 1.7x 1.53-1.65C VMC 1.8 Patch. VDE/VINST 1.94 allows function key definition (.VDF) files to be up to 4K in size, but v.1.8 of VMC (see above) allows only 2K. The good news is that the VMC executable can be patched to allow the processing of larger .VDF files: The file VMCPATCH.TXT has the DEBUG script and complete instructions, which you can read now, as well as download (zipped, 760K). VPC (VDE Printer Driver Definition [PDD] Compiler), by Manfred Jainz, is to VDE's PDD files what the VDE Macro Compiler is to macros: It converts PDD files to easily editable text for analysis, customizing, and recompilation. Version 1.86, for VDE 1.86-1.9x. 25K download. VDE Diary, by Pavel Zampach, creates a yearly diary and feeds it to VDE for filling in. For daily use, the package also includes a small utility that opens the diary in VDE to the current date's line. 4K download. VXT&VDF, by Keith Phillips, is a macro analyzer and editor for VDE 1.8x-1.9x. Its real power lies in its ability to work with VDE's installation utility to build macros that verge into large, complex utilities. 74K download. VDE-EXM, by Mark Scardina, loads VDE from a hotkey on any HP-LX palmtop computer, while other programs are running. 2K download. Go back to: VDE Menu Main Menu Macros The Macro Viewer Page links to browser-viewable HTM versions of the latest macros. You can look them over right now, and see what they do, before downloading, unzipping, etc. For VDE 1.8x-1.9x: Unless otherwise noted, these consist of VTF source files that require compiling with VMC 1.8. If a macro is supplied in the ready-to-run VDF format only, it can be decompiled into VTF format, also with VMC 1.8. With or without the decompilation stage, VTF files can be modified before they are compiled (e.g., you might want to change key assignments, or gather a bunch of loose macros into just a few large sets). Temporarily unavailable. New version coming. Watch this space! HTML Tools. Automated HTML writing programs produce bloated code. Doing tight coding by hand is time consuming. What to do? Try HTML Tools, eight sets of F-key macros that write and manipulate HTML tags and character codes, in any VDE-editable document: Lists, tables and links can be easily assembled and tagged; Font properties can be inserted with a single keystroke for each one; Tags and text can be commented out and then uncommented, etc., etc. There are also macros that strip tags, reducing an HTML document to plain text for quick review of content. Package includes ready-to-run *.VDF files, along with *.VTF files. vfxFind, by John Woodruff, is a miniature search engine that uses an index list to find topics in VDE 1.94's VDE.DOC. It can also be adapted to work with any other reference file that the user selects and sets up. Text file (zipped), contains the macro, its documentation, and an index for VDE.DOC. 7.8K download. MARGINS, by John Woodruff, changes ruler settings on-the-fly. 1.3K download. VDK, by John Woodruff, is a macro and batch files for compiling and decompiling *.VDK keyboard macros. 1.6K download. WPM by Donald Campbell, is an expansive set of F-key macros, providing the most complete WordPerfect emulation yet for VDE. A Help utility, updated from the old WP-LITE, is also included. 8.6K download. RULERLN2, by Evan Slawson, is a pair of macros in ready-to-run VDF form: Ruler From Line allows you to store the tab and margin settings for a given file as a line of text in that file. Line From Ruler allows you to grab your current ruler and express it in text form for easy modification. 4.7K download. digs02e, by digs, is a collection of macros that use VDE commands and/or external utilities to print envelopes, date stamp a file, justify a file or segment, and perform a variety of block actions: Encrypt/decrypt, write or strip HTML tags, change case of HTML tags, extract Internet URLs, sort lines, and compress. 1.9K download. Macros for LaTeX, by Ronald Michaels, assign LaTeX codes to VDE's F-Keys. 2.4K download. Macro Menu is a set of F-key macros that each call another macro or set of macros. Some of the macro sets listed here are already on the menu. Ready-to-run *.VDF file included, along with the VTF file. 1.5K download. Navigation Tricks is an assortment of combinations of scrolling and switching, for full screen comparison of multiple open files. Ready-to-run VDF file is included, along with the VTF file. 3.2K download. Big Characters, by Ed Keefe, writes large alphanumeric characters and fancy borders, using ASCII graphics characters. Ready-to-run *.VDF files included, along with the *.VTF files. Updated for VDE 1.92+ from an earlier version. 9.6K download. For VDE 1.7x: Unless otherwise noted, these are ready-to-run *.VDF files. To convert for use in current VDE, you will need to decompile with VMC 1.73, make some revisions, and then recompile with VMC 1.8. RULERLN, by Evan Slawson, lets you save, modify and restore tab and margin settings (Don't try to adapt this one for current VDE -- use RULERLN2, above). 4.4K download. ABRV, by Mark Saliers, consists of macros and a customizable table of abbreviations and expanded text. When it's running, you just type abbreviations to get full text. 5.7K download. Merge Text automates merging of multiple text blocks between two document windows. 1.5K download. Note Taker, by Mark Saliers, lets you collect, organize, and quickly access notes taken in VDE. 5.0K download. For VDE 1.53-1.65C: To convert for use in later VDE, you will need to decompile with VMC 1.2, then make some revisions and recompile with VMC 1.73 or VMC 1.8. Big Characters, by Ed Keefe, writes large alphanumeric characters and fancy borders, using ASCII graphics characters. Ready-to-run VDF and VDK files. This is the original package -- see VDE 1.8x-1.9 section, above, for the update for current VDE. 7.1K download. Go back to: VDE Menu Main Menu Screenwriting Tools Two main items are offered here, VDE-SP and PageBreak. While they have some functions in common, each also has some that the other lacks. Think of them as one big suite for the serious screenwriter. VDE-SP, by Fred Haines, is a set of macros and function key definitions that enable VDE to write, format, paginate, and print screenplays in a standard Hollywood format. The three versions listed here are each packaged with a compatible version of VMC for customizing. Click the version for your working VDE: You need > VDE18SP (50K) VDE17SP (47K) VDE165SP (38K) For VDE > 1.8x-1.9x 1.7x 1.65 or earlier PageBreak, by Joel Wilf, is a set of four DOS command-line utilities that paginate, print, edit, and unpaginate a screenplay, after it has been written and formatted with VDE-SP. Designed to work with VDE, but also works with other ASCII editors. 128K download. Go back to: VDE Menu Main Menu Other (Mostly DOS) Programs Standalone VBX 3.05 (31 Aug 2005), by Manfred Jainz, draws lines and boxes using any ASCII characters, and can move, resize, and fill objects it creates or imports. It also has basic text editing capability, and does binary and hex editing. VBX runs under DOS, DOS shells, and Win3.x/9x/etc. While VBX does not require the presence of any particular other text editor, it is designed to be highly compatible with VDE, which it can call up for major text editing work on a whole file or a marked block. Development is ongoing, and the author welcomes comments. 304K download. Read About VBX in your browser now, for more on features, commands and what's new. Download About VBX as plain text. Zipped, 6.5K download. Screenshot 1 Screenshot 2 MFD 1.2 -- Meyer File/Directory Utilities for, by Eric Meyer, are six small, powerful, DOS command-line programs that locate, select, display, compare, change, copy, move, rename, delete, and backup files and/or directories. The programs have options and features not found in the standard DOS commands. While any of them may be used separately from the others, they have similar interfaces and there is a single utility in the package that can set user defaults for all of them. Require DOS 3.3+ or equivalent under Win9x. Compatible with Windows Long File Names. See a more detailed description in Free Software for DOS, or read the entire documentation right now. 55K download. ZIP 2.21, by Eric Meyer, is a DOS program that transfers files between two computers via direct cable connection. It can be operated in an interactive menu mode, or from the command-line, to compare directories, back up files or entire directory trees, and more. Default values of parameters can be set by the user. While ZIP remains a 16-bit program, it preserves Win9x Long File Names.. Requirements: Any two machines, from palmtop to laptop to desktop, running DOS 3.x or a later DOS, or Windows; Serial (null modem) or parallel cable. Screenshot. 50K download. EuQueuer, by Pete Maclean, is a Win32 command line utility that imports a plain text file (created in VDE or any other editor) into the Eudora emailer as an outgoing message, ready to send. Get more info at the EuQueuer page. 69K download. wsNOTE, by Eric Meyer, is an automatic postprocessor for text files that will be printed from WordStar, or VDE in WordStar mode. It produces numbered footnotes or endnotes, and has some additional formatting features as well. wsNOTE works on text files created with WordStar 3.3/4.0, or compatible programs, including of course VDE. Runs on any DOS, and requires only 128K RAM. Try it on that old XT in your closet. 30K download. BLRMU -- Bud L. Rasmussen's Mini Utilities change screen colors, control the cursor, print, display memory usage, insert beeps into a batch file, play tunes, and more. Total of 41 programs, with source code (ASM) and docs. 92K download. RGB, by digs, is a chart of color swatches with their HTML codes. Two forms of it are included in this package: A DOS EXE that displays the chart (and works fine when called from VDE by a macro), and a PCX file that can be viewed through a separate graphics utility. 35K download. HEXTAB, by digs, is a DOS .COM file that displays, on one 80X25 screen, a character translation table, 7 bit ASCII<-->Hex. Works nicely when called from VDE by a macro. 5K download. DOS TSRs - Memory resident utilities EKB 1.1 (EuroKeyBoard), by Eric Meyer, gives instant access to the upper half (128-255 or 80-FFh) of the standard PC character set (code page 437), including letters that do not appear on the US keyboard, and some other useful symbols as well. 4.6K download. EKB 1.02 might be needed on some old machines: "EKB [v1.1] now intercepts the keyboard interrupt by the recommended method (int 15h) for PC/AT keyboards. This probably won't work on an old PC or XT, where you should use the older version 1.02 instead (which hooks int 9 and accesses the BIOS key buffer)." 3.6K download. CTRLCAPS 1.3, by Eric Meyer, gives the Caps Lock key a dual function: When pressed together with Shift, it actually toggles Caps Lock; Otherwise, it acts as an extra Ctrl key, making Ctrl-letter combinations easier to type than they are with the standard AT keyboard configuration. Note: This utility is built into VDE 1.91 and later. 2.9K download. FIXCAPS 1.2, by Eric Meyer. On the IBM PC keyboard, when Caps Lock is on, the Shift key temporarily cancels it, turning uppercase letters back into lowercase. FIXCAPS provides two alternatives, so you may never again inadvertently type tEXT tHAT lOOKS lIKE tHIS. There are two options: (1) Use of Shift with a letter cancels Caps Lock (as on a typewriter); (2) The Shift key has no effect on typing letters while Caps Lock is on. 3K download. Shift Toggle, by Vik Oliver, is a pair of TSRs that turn the shift keys separately into Caps Lock toggles. When LSHIFTGL is loaded, a press of the Left-Shift key keeps upper case characters on, typewriter style, as if Caps Lock had been pressed. Pressing Left-Shift a second time restores the original state. RSHIFTGL works the same way, but on Right-Shift only. (Yes, it's possible to load both programs simultaneously, but don't - trust us, don't). 1.5K download. AsciiBox, by Pawel Boguslawski, is a TSR that displays a table of the 256 ASCII characters, and writes at the cursor any character the user selects. There is also a one-key write-repeat function. Works at the command-line and in programs. Readme files in Polish and English. 4.9K download. Go back to: Top of More DOS Programs Main Menu Go back to: Main Menu Links / More Sources VDE The Glendale Litera BBS and the 20-20 BBS, referred to in the notes for some programs, are offline. But read on, there are still places to go to for good stuff. Subscribe to the VDE email discussion list, hosted since 1999 at Topica.com. Correspondents are a mix of longtime and new users, ready to help each other with the use of VDE, and related matters. To join, click the link, and when your email screen comes up, send the open message with no additions. If clicking the link does not work, then open your emailer another way and send an empty message to VDE-subscribe@topica.com. The VDE Page at Punky.com has software and documentation. DOS Horst Schaeffer's Software Pages, available in English or/oder auf Deutsch, is an amazing collection of fast, compact and useful programs for DOS and Windows that you should not pass by. Of particular interest to VDE users is WCLIP, which easily and reliably sends piped and redirected text between DOS and the Windows Clipboard. Free Software for DOS. To find the location nearest you, go back up to this page's Main Menu and select a Page One. HP95/100/200LX and other little machines Web sites The Palmtop Network is an excellent starting point for HP LX enthusiasts, with, information, links to more services and products, and software at S.U.P.E.R. - Simply Unbeatable Palmtop Essentials Repository. Pavel Zampach's HP200LX site (and not for the LX only - see VDE2RTF, RTF2VDE and VDEDIARY on this page) has original utilities that handle system monitoring, printing, text format conversion, communication with PCs. Also, VDE2RTF tricks, how to build cable connectors that link the LX to a cell phone, compiler libraries, and other goodies. Not an archive - this site is under active maintenance. Stefan Peichl's DOS Palmtop Freeware has software for standard PCs as well as for HP95/100/200LX Palmtops. Check out LxPic, a multi-format graphics viewer that runs in 64KB of memory, supports screen modes from CGA to 2048 X 1536 True Color VESA, and works nicely when opened from VDE. The Eddie /hp95lx/ files at Technoir, has a large part of the HP95LX Archive originally hosted at MIT. Also see the HPLX site, below. Vector Design of Japan has a large collection (in Japanese but usable on any language base) of utilities, games, graphics and docs. ftp sites The Palmtop archive hosted by Monash University, Australia, has programs & other materials for the 100LX & 200LX. Also mirrored at the HPLX site, below. The HPLX directory hosted by the Technical University of Berlin, Germany, has four subdirectories (including the Palmtop and eddie archives) devoted to the 95 / 100 / 200. Internet Ipswitch, Inc. at its ftp site and its Web site has software and documentation that will be of interest to users of WS_FTP and other comm programs. Free Software for DOS. The File Viewers and More Sources pages have links to DOS Internet software and info. To find the location nearest you, go back up to this page's Main Menu and select a Page One. Short.Stop's Pegasus Mail Page has information on, and links to, Pegasus Mail and other mail-related programs for DOS. Go back to: Top of Links / More Sources Main Menu Contact Click here to send us a message. Don't forget to remove the NOSPAM that you will see in our address, in your emailer's To: header. Go back to: Main Menu About This Page The name and original contents of Short.Stop's Mostly VDE Page are ©1999-2005 by Short.Stop's Software Pages. All software available here is legally distributable shareware or freeware. For ownership and copyright information, and exact terms and conditions of use, see each package's documentation. At posting time of this edition, programs are in their latest available forms. Since a new version of something can come at any time, we suggest that you not stay away from here for long periods. VDE, VBX, and Pegasus Mail (to name a few) are still in development, and new stuff gets added. You don't want to be the last one to get the newest toy, do you? Most of the files listed here are compressed in a standard .zip format that can be expanded with any current unzipper. Some files are self-extracting executables. A few text files are in uncompressed, browser-viewable HTML. In all cases, noted size refers to file as actually transmitted, regardless of format or contents. This page was written in VDE and uploaded with WS_FTP. It is designed to be readable in 16-bit browsers and on small 640X480 monitors displaying 16 colors (Fancier equipment will show more thrilling design details, but is still not absolutely necessary). Go back to: Main Menu Top of page