Can Locoscript create and edit plain text files?

[JonB]

Hi


I have a good sized BASIC program to write, and I'd like to use a text editor rather than BASIC. Can I use Locoscript? So far I can't see a text only mode.


Cheers
JonB

[EDIT: Just spotted RPED but it only handles small files]

[SRS]

Dunno

But you could use SYMBOS -> http://www.symbos.de/appinfo.htm?00002 on PCW, too.

[GeoffB17]

I seem to remember that it IS possible, but I think it was FAR from convenient, and not easy to find in the various menus.   I'll keep looking.


RPED however was provided (as a BASIC prog) to get around the difficulty with Loco.   You have the BASIC code for RPED, so if you need it able to handle larger progs, then the code could be amended.


I always used ED80, a pretty OK text editor that comes with many of the HiSoft utilities.   It's small, and can handle source code up to 50 or so k.   Another alternative is to get a CP/M copy of WordStar, which has non-document mode, which can handle files even bigger than memory.   There are other text editor progs as well.


Geoff

[Sykobee (Briggsy)]

How about Arnor's Protext, it was available on the PCW, and I know that it was popular for assembler programming with Maxam on the CPC, so it must have a plain ASCII mode.

[GeoffB17]

Extra note,


Just found it.


The original version of Locoscript would NOT do plain text files, but later versions WOULD, adding the facility via the F7 - 'Modes' menu  for 'ASCII Text File'.   I have version 1.2 (as well as earlier version), and that has this facility.   I'd assume most later versions also have this.


Note that later versions incl data and mailmerge etc use data files created with Loco that are simple text files and NOT loco docs.


I'm not sure, but maybe this 1.2 was the version supplied free to early buyers of the PCW to 'fix' various problems.   The original boot disks may NOT have 1.2 on?


Geoff

[GeoffB17]

Er, no...


It's a LONG time since I've used Locoscript.


The option referred to above is to CONVERT a Loco doc to plain ASCII.   It does NOT create a new ASCII (plain text) file.


It may well be that there is no such facility, and my memory is playing tricks by suggesting that there was.  If you're desperate, you could create as a Loco file, and then convert to ASCII.


Much easier to use one of the text editors mentioned within CP/M?


Geoff