Using XEDIT to Create FOCEXECS

This introduces you to XEDIT, a text processing facility which easily enables you to create, modify and save your own FOCUS programs, or FOCEXECS as they are called.

Getting Started

Log on to your account and pass through all the usual CPS screens into Native FOCUS. Choose the file month which you want to access and proceed to the point of beginning your FOCUS work (>).

Naming a Focexec

Determine a name for your focexec which is 8 characters or less, using any combination of letters and numbers. The name CPSDATA will be used throughout these instructions as an example. You are now ready to create a focexec.

Creating a Focexec

1. Type CMS X CPSDATA FOCEXEC. Press ENTER. This will change your screen as you move from within Native FOCUS to the XEDIT environment.

2. Type "i" (for input), then press ENTER. You are now in input mode.

3. Type in the lines of your FOCUS program. Press RETURN after typing in each line of the program.

4. When you are finished, press ENTER twice to exit from input mode.

Please note the PF key choices at the bottom of your XEDIT screen. These will enable you to quit, save and store your focexec, proceed through the 'pages' of your program by moving Up or Down or by moving to the Top (beginning) or Bottom (end) of your FOCEXEC.

Saving your Focexec

When you have completed your FOCEXEC, press PF12 in order to file and save your program. Your screen will now return to the Native FOCUS environment.

Running your Focexec

From within the Native FOCUS environment (at the >), type EX CPSDATA in order to execute your program. Your screen will indicate the word "running" in the lower righthand corner until your program is finished.

Modifying an Already-Existing Focexec

1. From within the Native FOCUS environment (at the >), type CMS X CPSDATA FOCEXEC. CPSDATA is a focexec which you have previously created. The screen will change as you again move from within Native FOCUS to the XEDIT environment. Your CPSDATA FOCEXEC will now appear on your screen.

2. Modify your focexec using the XEDIT commands described below. Please note that you may use the add and delete keys on your terminal to add and delete individual characters/letters/numbers in a line.

3. Press Enter when you finish making changes.

4. Press PF12 in order to file and save your completed program and return to Native FOCUS.

Creating a Focexec by Modifying an Already-Existing One

You may create new focexecs by simply making modifications to programs which already exist:

1. Assign a name to this new focexec (for example, CPSDATA2).

2. From within the Native FOCUS environment, type CMS X CPSDATA2 FOCEXEC. The screen will change as you move to the XEDIT environment.

3. Type GET CPSDATA. This will load your already-existing FOCEXEC CPSDATA onto the XEDIT screen.

4. Modify your focexec as desired using the XEDIT commands below.

5. Press ENTER as you finish making changes on one screen.

6. Press PF12 in order to file and save your new FOCEXEC, and return to Native FOCUS. You now have 2 focexecs saved - your original version of CPSDATA and your newly-modified CPSDATA2.

Viewing a List of FOCEXECS

From within Native FOCUS, type CMS L * FOCEXEC. This will result in a list of all of your focexecs.

Deleting a FOCEXEC

You may delete your CPSDATA FOCEXEC by typing CMS ERASE CPSDATA FOCEXEC.

Printing a Copy of a FOCEXEC

You may print a copy of your FOCEXEC on paper by typing CMS PRINT CPSDATA FOCEXEC.

Adding Descriptive Comments to FOCEXECS

You may add descriptive text to the beginning of your focexecs by simply typing -* at the beginning of each line of description. This will be a useful tool when you reach the point of having many focexecs saved, and will serve to remind you of the purpose of each focexec. For example:

-*This program calculates an unduplicated headcount of the
-*CX unit without using a hold file.
TFS
Count Empno
if EUC is CX
End

Basic Xedit Commands

The following commands are simple to remember, and are used to modify already-existing programs. The commands are typed in the prefix area which appears along the left side of the screen. The prefix area is 5 characters in length and contains a combination of zeros and numbers. To execute an Xedit command, simply type the command in the prefix area and press Enter.

Do all of your typing in lower case letters. The text is automatically changed to upper case letter when you press Enter.

If you make a mistake while typing, move the cursor to the incorrect letter and type the correct one over it. Notice that the space bar at the bottom of the keyboard moves the cursor forward a space at a time, just like on a typewriter, but it also erases anything you have typed in that space.

Some of the most frequently used Xedit commands are listed below:

• a=add a line. This will add a blank line below the line where this command is placed. To add two lines, the command is a2. To add 3 lines, type a3, and so on. You can reverse the order of the command, e.g., 2a instead of a2; the results will be the same. Then type in the text for the added lines as desired.
• d=delete a line of text. To delete more than one line of text, type dd in the prefix area of the first line of the block of text you want to delete, and another dd in the prefix area of the last line of the block of text you want to delete. You may also delete lines by typing dn, where n is the number of lines you want deleted. So to delete 3 lines, type d3.
• "=duplicate a line of text. To duplicate a line more than once, the command is "n, where n is the number of times you want the line duplicated. The duplicated line or lines appear immediately after the original line. To duplicate a line in another part of the text, use the copy command (see below).
• m=move a line of text. To move more than one line of text, the command is mn, where n is the number of lines to be moved. For example, m5 will move the line of text on which the command appears plus the next 4 lines of text. Or, to move a block of lines, type mm in the prefix area of the first line of text you want moved and another mm in the prefix area of the last line of test to be moved.
• f=for following. You must always specify a destination when you use the move command, either with an f or p. Used with the move command, f identifies the line after which the line or lines to be moved will appear.
• p=for preceding. You must always specify a destination when you use the move command, either with an f or p. Used with the move command, p identifies the line before which the line or lines to be moved will appear.
• c=copy a line of text. This command is similar to the duplicate command above, except that you can copy the line or lines to some other part of the text by specifying a destination with f or p. To copy a block of lines, type cc in the prefix area of the first line of text you want copied and another cc in the prefix area of the last line of text to be copied. Or, type cn, where n is the number of lines to be copied. As with the move command, you must always specify a copy command destination with f or p. Please note that the copy command duplicates the text without affecting the line or lines being copied. The move command takes the line or lines of text from their original place in the text and moves them to the destination you've selected.

Last updated April 10, 1998