VEDIT E-mail Newsletter - Sept. 15, 2000 ---------------------------------------- Table of Contents: * New VEDIT PLUS 5.20 !! * How to update to 5.20 * VEDIT+ 5.2 Manuals available as Adobe Acrobat .pdf * New Serial-Registration Numbers * Enhanced EBCDIC conversion packages * Upcoming Features in 5.2x and 6.0 * Software Subscription Plan (SSP) * Please use the Ad links on www.vedit.com * User Conference on Website * From the President (This is our first e-mail newsletter in a year, and I apologize for its length. Ted Green) New VEDIT PLUS 5.20! -------------------- VEDIT PLUS 5.20, one of our biggest updates ever, has something for everyone. Obviously, it has powerful new features; however, it is also easier to use and faster than ever. Here are just some of the enhancements since version 5.16: Powerful new features * Unlimited line length (columns) supported. Great for data, Postscript and other files with extremely long lines. Also for text files saved as one line per paragraph. * "ANSI/OEM" display mode translates characters between the ANSI (Windows) and OEM (IBM-PC, DOS) character sets as they are displayed on the screen and typed on the keyboard. The ANSI/OEM translation table is now built-in and is in addition to the EBCDIC/ASCII translation table. * Unique "Bit-wise" display mode for viewing/editing each bit of each byte in a file, e.g. a bitmap file. * Keyboard "input redirection" file automates running macros. E.g. the WILDFILE or CTAGS macros can be run from a batch file. * Many new macro language commands for the power-user. * 40% faster macro execution. Convenient new features * Word-wrap display option allows long lines to be word wrapped on the screen without altering the file. Great for editing text files stored as one line per paragraph. * Quickly compare all files in two directories with improved COMPDIR macro. (Many thanks to Christian Ziemski.) * "VEDIT Ansi" screen font supplied in four sizes. * Supplied and user-written macros are now stored in separate sub-directories, e.g. /vedit/macros and /vedit/user-mac. * {MISC, Save and run programs} menu makes it easy to run frequent programs from within VEDIT. Easier to use * Optional rulers for line and column numbers. * Configurable toolbar. * Enable cursor line/column highlighting and other display options in the {VIEW} and new {VIEW, Options} menus. * Optionally disable persistent blocks for compatibility with other editors. * Extensive hands-on tutorial topics are always available in the {HELP, Tutorial} menu. * Completely up-to-date and expanded on-line help. * Optimized for Windows 95/98 and Windows NT/2000. (In the unlikely event there are any problems with the new Windows ME, we will correct them immediately.) VEDIT PLUS 5.20 is available now as a 32-bit Windows version for Win95/98/ME/NT/2000 and as a DOS version. All updates include both versions. VEDIT PLUS 5.20 (and later) no longer support Windows 3.1; the final VEDIT PLUS for 16-bit Windows 3.1 was version 5.16. For more information, please visit our web-site. The file WHATS500.TXT is a short description of all enhancements since 5.00. The file VEDITLOG.TXT is a summary of all recent enhancements, changes and bug fixes. http://www.vedit.com ftp://ftp.vedit.com/pub/whats500.txt ftp://ftp.vedit.com/pub/veditlog.txt How to Update to 5.20 --------------------- Registered users of VEDIT PLUS 5.0 thru 5.15 can update to 5.20 for only $25 (download) or $40 with disks and printed manuals. Users of older versions of VEDIT or VEDIT PLUS can update for $59 (download) or $69 with disks and printed manuals. The update price includes the Windows and DOS version of VEDIT PLUS, 3 months of support, and additional updates which are released during the 3 months. Alternatively, you can purchase the update and the Software Subscription Plan (SSP) for an additional $30. The SSP includes: * 32-bit Windows 95/98/ME/NT/2000 and DOS versions. * A minimum of 15 months of support and updates. * VEDIT PLUS 6.0. You can order your update (with or without SSP) in several ways: * Our Website includes secure on-line ordering and immediate downloading. To order an update from 5.0/5.1 to 5.20, go to: http://www.vedit.com/u5xto52.htm To order an update from pre-5.0 to 5.20, go to: http://www.vedit.com/u4xto52.htm ==> You can order on-line at any time, immediately download and install the update. The order confirmation page will give you instructions and a serial-registration number. You can have VEDIT+ 5.20 running in just 5 minutes from now! * Complete this order form and fax it to (734) 996-1308. * Call us at 1-800-458-3348 or (734) 996-1300. * Complete this order form and e-mail it to sales@vedit.com. If desired, you can protect your credit card number by including only half of it in one e-mail message. Then send a second e-mail message with the 2nd half and the expiration date. ------------------------- ORDER FORM --------------------------- [ ] Update 5.0/5.1 to VEDIT PLUS 5.2 (download) $25 Includes 3 months of support and updates (No shipping charges.) [ ] Update 5.0/5.1 to VEDIT PLUS 5.2 (with manuals) $40 Includes disks and printed manuals (Shipping: US $6, Canada $12, Overseas $28) [ ] Update 5.0/5.1 to VEDIT PLUS 5.2 with SSP (download) $55 SSP includes (minimum) 15 months of support and updates. (All updates thru at least 6.0.) (No shipping charges.) [ ] Update 5.0/5.1 to VEDIT PLUS 5.2 with SSP (w manuals) $69 Includes disks and printed 5.2 manuals SSP includes (minimum) 15 months of support and updates. (Including 6.0.) (Shipping: US $6, Canada $12, Overseas $28) [ ] Update pre-5.0 to VEDIT PLUS 5.2 (download) $59 Includes 3 months of support and updates (No shipping charges.) [ ] Update pre-5.0 to VEDIT PLUS 5.2 (with manuals) $69 Includes disks and printed manuals (Shipping: US $6, Canada $12, Overseas $28) [ ] Update pre-5.0 to VEDIT PLUS 5.2 with SSP (download) $89 SSP includes (minimum) 15 months of support and updates. (All updates thru at least 6.0.) (No shipping charges.) [ ] Update pre-5.0 to VEDIT PLUS 5.2 with SSP (w manuals) $99 Includes disks and printed 5.2 manuals SSP includes (minimum) 15 months of support and updates. (Including 6.0.) (Shipping: US $6, Canada $12, Overseas $28) Subtotal ______ Michigan residents please add 6% sales tax ______ Shipping (Shipping costs listed above) ______ Total ______ Please enter your address and payment info: Name: ______________________________________________________ Company: ___________________________________________________ Address: ___________________________________________________ Address: ___________________________________________________ City,State,Zip: ____________________________________________ Telephone: _________________________________________________ E-mail: ____________________________________________________ Credit card #: _____________________________________________ (Visa, MC, Amex, Discover) Expiration date: ________________ Name on card: ______________________________________________ Notes: We will e-mail you the new serial-registration-number as soon as we receive your order. (This is automatic for on-line orders.) VEDIT+ 5.2 Manuals available as Adobe Acrobat .pdf -------------------------------------------------- The VEDIT PLUS 5.2 manuals can be downloaded from our web-site as .PDF files. (They are also "zipped".) No password needed. VEDIT User's Manual: ftp://ftp.vedit.com/pub/vm-pdf.zip VEDIT+ Macro Language: ftp://ftp.vedit.com/pub/vpm-pdf.zip These manuals are actually only up-to-date through version 5.16, but are a big improvement over the 5.1 manuals and a huge improvement over the 5.0 manuals. New Serial-Registration Numbers ------------------------------- VEDIT PLUS 5.20 for Windows uses a new serial-registration-number to activate the software. This is similar to the number you must enter to install many Microsoft products. One reason for this new scheme is that it allows trial version users to purchase the product and "activate" it without having to download again and re-install. It also simplifies downloading updates because a password is no longer needed. Embedded within the new registration number is the time period for support and free updates. For example, with the Software Subscription Plan, your support might be good thru Dec. 2001. You can then simply download any update which was released thru Dec. 31, 2001 and immediately install it. (An auto-update function is also planned.) The same files, e.g. vpw-prod.exe and vpw-prod.zip, are now used for the trial version, purchased products and updates. (The .exe file is an easy-to-install, self-extracting "zip" file.) Our new on-line ordering system includes credit card authorization and is more automated. The order confirmation page includes download instructions and a temporary serial-registration-number so that you can immediately install the new version. After we confirm your order, we will e-mail you the final serial number. The length of the support period is now listed in the {HELP, About} box. This also lets you know when the Subscription Plan expires. NOTE: Based on user feedback this week, the DOS version will soon use the same serial-registration-number. Until then you need a password to unzip the DOS version. The on-line order confirmation page also includes this password. Enhanced EBCDIC conversion software ----------------------------------- Our EBCDIC (mainframe to PC) conversion packages can translate packed-decimal (signed), packed-binary, zoned, packed-no-zone and other types of fields. Fixed-length, variable length and intermixed record types are all supported. About half of our business now involves EBCDIC data conversion software and services. For more information about this, go to: http://www.vedit.com/ebcdic.htm We recently made many enhancements to our EBCDIC conversion software. They are described at: http://www.vedit.com/news.htm Upcoming Features in 5.2x and 6.0 --------------------------------- The priority list (within next 2 months) includes: * Improved file-type specific configuration. Separate c.cfg, txt.cfg, htm.cfg, etc. config files will automatically load when a .C, .TXT, .HTM file is opened. {CONFIG, File-type specific, Save config} will save current settings in the .cfg files. * Support for multiple syntax highlighting files. Useful when editing C, HTML and other types of files at the same time. * Improved left margin, indenting and paragraph formatting will simplify editing text documents with VEDIT. * More configurable toolbar buttons, including custom keystroke macros. Planned enhancements for later 5.2x versions include: * Ability to directly copy/move blocks between files without using a text register. Blocks can be of any size. * Improved huge file editing performance. Larger portions of huge files will be held in memory. Jumps to any part of the file will be instantaneous. * Support for much larger text registers, perhaps even of unlimited size. * Macro language "pre-processing" for faster execution. (It is already partly implemented, but not yet ready for release.) * Improved file comparison with better re-synchronization. WILDFILE and other macros will use Windows style dialog boxes. * Much faster sorting of multi-megabyte files. (This also is already partly implemented.) * Built-in "ftp" support so that you can directly edit any file on the Internet that you have read/write access to. * Telnet version of VEDIT for Windows NT Internet servers. This way you can edit even huge remote files without having to transfer them over the Internet. (Our QNX versions of VEDIT can already do this.) Planned enhancement for VEDIT PLUS 6.0 (late 2001?) include: Note: Purchasing the Software Subscription Plan now includes 6.0, even if it takes longer than 15 months. * Enhanced macro language with symbolic names for numeric and string variables, arrays, and much more. (Don't worry, we are not radically changing the macro language; 5.x macros will still work.) * Complete custom menu: The current {USER} menu will be greatly expanded so that you can determine the entire menu system. Delete any unused function and add as many new functions and sub-menus as desired. * Programmable Dialog boxes: Additional macro language commands for displaying full featured dialog boxes with "list boxes" (point and shoot), radio buttons and check boxes. This will allow writing entire Windows "programs" in the macro language. * Full integration with our Web site for automatic updates, access to FAQ, macro libraries, additional on-line help and more. Software Subscription Plan -------------------------- The least expensive way to benefit from our continuous VEDIT PLUS development is by purchasing the Software Subscription Plan (SSP). It includes an additional 12 months of support and updates. (When purchased with your 5.20 update, you receive a minimum of 15 months of support and updates.) The SSP benefits currently include: * All updates for a minimum of 12 (additional) months. You can download and install updates at any time, without having to contact us. Our email newsletters will notify you of significant new versions, or check our web-site. * VEDIT PLUS 6.0 is included. Therefore, your SSP runs for 12 months or thru 6.0, whichever is longer. * We expect that you will download all updates. However, we will mail you new disks (soon CD-ROM) at any time if you send us $2. Cash is fine. :-) The upcoming version 6.0 printed manuals will be available for $19 (plus shipping). * Upon request, we will include you in our beta-test program. This is the best way to influence the final product. * Free technical support during the SSP period. We have always been very generous with our SSP since we started it back in 1982. (We may have even invented the idea.) For example, all SSPs purchased in 1998 were extended by one year due to our delay in releasing 5.2. About half of our customers are on the SSP and we greatly appreciate their support. Please use the Ad links on www.vedit.com ---------------------------------------- You can support us and future VEDIT development by accessing popular web-sites such as Amazon.com, Buy.com, PCMall.com and IBM.com from our home page. When you click on these links and then purchase on-line from these companies, we receive a percentage of your purchase as a commission; it is typically 4% for books and 1% for IBM hardware. We currently have links to 10 companies, but plan on adding many, many more. (As always, our web-site does not track or collect any information about you.) We hope that instead of going directly to e.g. amazon.com, that you first go to vedit.com and then click on Amazon's logo link. The price to you will be the same, but your favorite editor company will receive a 4% commission. (The sole purpose of some companies and their web-sites is not to sell anything, but only to link you to these major e-stores.) We will let you know how it works for us. Thank you! User Conference on Website -------------------------- The User Conference has been running on our Website for over a year now and includes useful application notes and many macros submitted by other users. We encourage all users to join; it is a great way to interact, share ideas, download useful macros and get help during off-hours. Topics include tech support, suggestions, applications, macro library and classified ads. You can directly access it at: http://webboard.dundee.net:8080/~vedit The conference uses the popular WebBoard software with its easy-to-use Explorer-like interface. One great feature is that you can participate in any desired topics via e-mail. (We don't share your e-mail address with anyone!) Some of our enthusiastic users are eagerly waiting to answer your questions on the User Conference. :-) Scott Lambert even has his own web-site of VEDIT macros: http://www.pinc.com/~slambert From the President ------------------ This is our first e-mail newsletter since May 1999 and it has been a wild and busy 16 months. VEDIT PLUS 5.20 is (finally) done, business is doing well and the oldest daughter is off to college. The good news is that 1999 was Greenview's best year ever financially. This means that VEDIT development will continue for the foreseeable future and will increase to a higher pace. (A new programmer George Christman joined several months ago and already handles much of the tech support.) Most of 1999 was spent developing, marketing and enhancing our new EBCDIC (mainframe to PC) conversion software and providing related contract services. This has turned into a very successful new market niche for us. The only downside of 1999 was a slower pace of VEDIT development. However, by early this year our EBCDIC conversion software was in good shape and we (Tom Burt and I) have been working primarily on VEDIT development. The release of version 5.20 got delayed by several factors. I originally was going to release 5.16 as "5.20" late last summer. Unexpected turnover in office staff detoured this. (I had to hire and train three new people.) Overwhelmed by all the details involved in a major release, I just called it "5.16" and continued with development. Another time-consuming task (about two full months) was to update the printed manuals for version 5.2. In particular, the Macro Language Reference manual had not been updated in 3 years. The support for "unlimited line lengths" required almost a total rewrite of VEDIT! Instead of subroutines passing pointers to memory locations, they now pass file-positions. Hundreds of routines needed extensive changes. A single text line can now be longer than the memory allocated to an edit buffer. Best of all, the new code is faster in most situations. Following extensive in-house and beta testing, 5.20 is already a very solid version. Many of you have requested a Linux version and I expect to resume work on it next month. Assuming we can resolve incompatibilities with Intel/Linux object formats, I don't anticipate any major problems since we already have SCO UNIX and QNX versions. I have already broken too many promised completion dates for the Linux version, so I won't make another promise. :-)) Well, that pretty much brings you up-to-date with things here. I hope that the new millennium is treating you well too. Thank you again for your support. Sincerely, Ted Green