Projects archive / vi modes

Code: vimodesBeynon2006 Title: vi modes Author: Meurig Beynon Date: 16-Oct-2006 Type: model Funding: Acad - Academic research Short description: The vi editor model EM Technologies: tkeden, %scout Keywords: simulation, education empublic references: EMpress references: Web site references: Previous locations: Tour: vimodelconstruct.html

This simple and partial model of the unix editor vi was developed
over the course of 5-6 hours in order to demonstrate how the modes in vi operate. It
was intended to serve an educational purpose in teaching basic UNIX programming
skills. The basic functionalities of append, insert and character delete are
implemented, as are the arrow keys and the 'vi' return mode. There is a partial undo
that affects the last primitive operation (e.g. single character insert, append or
delete). The model is incomplete in several respects: the model of the text being
edited is very limited, many keys are missing from the keyboard and several buttons on
the interface are non-functional, including those such as ENTER, 'd' and 'dd' that
introduce and delete lines from the text. The model also serves as a tutorial example
in the use of Scout, illustrating the general approach to development with
specific reference to how Scout TEXT windows can be defined to work with
different default fonts and how Eden pointer variables obviate the need for
generating observables names using execute() or backticks in the implementation
of buttons. See the Tour for details.

empublic system initially created by Ashley Ward with assistance from Chris Roe and Meurig Beynon.