Edit (MS-DOS)
Encyclopedia
MS-DOS Editor commonly just called edit, is a character-based text editor
that comes with MS-DOS
(since version 5) and 32-bit
versions of Microsoft Windows
. It superseded edlin
, the standard editor in earlier versions.
Until MS-DOS 6.22 it was actually QBasic
running in editor mode, but from DOS 7 (Windows 95
) QBasic was removed and MS-DOS Editor became a standalone program.
Editor is sometimes used as a substitute for Notepad on Windows 9x
, where Notepad is limited to small files only. Editor can edit files that are up to 65,279 lines and up to approximately 5 MB
in size. MS-DOS versions are limited to approximately 300 KB
, depending on how much conventional memory
is free. Editor can be launched by typing it into the Run command dialog
on Windows, and by typing
. Edit is still included in later versions of Windows such as Windows XP
, Windows Vista
32 bit, and Windows 7 32 bit. Being a 16-bit DOS application, it won't directly run on 64-bit Windows versions.
Edit version 1.1 appeared in MS-DOS 6.0. No new features were added to the editor: the main difference is that the QBasic 1.1 is used to show the MS-DOS 6.0 help. This version is available also on all versions of Windows 9x, although the files are unchanged from 6.22. Renaming help.hlp to edit.hlp allows one to access the DOS 6 help system inside the editor, including cut and paste between the help system and the open file.
PC-DOS 6 does not include the edit command. Instead, it has the DOS E Editor
. This was upgraded to support mouse and menus in version of 7.0.
Edit version 2.0 appeared with Windows 95, and appears in Windows 2000 and later. As it is still a 16-bit DOS program, it is not included in any 64-bit version of Windows, nor will it directly work on one. This version of Edit will run on DOS 3.30 and higher.
and its color scheme can be adjusted. It has a multiple document interface
in which its version 2.0 (as included in DOS 7 or Windows 9x) can open up to 9 files at a time while earlier versions (included in DOS 5 and 6) are limited to only one file. The screen can be split vertically into two panes which can be used to view two files simultaneously or different parts of the same file. It can also open files in binary
mode, where a fixed number of characters are displayed per line, and newline
s are treated as any other character, this shows characters as Hexadecimal
characters (0-9 and A-F). Editor converts Unix
newlines to DOS
newlines and has mouse
support. Some of these features were added only in 1995 (version 2.0), with the release of Windows 95
.
Text editor
A text editor is a type of program used for editing plain text files.Text editors are often provided with operating systems or software development packages, and can be used to change configuration files and programming language source code....
that comes with MS-DOS
MS-DOS
MS-DOS is an operating system for x86-based personal computers. It was the most commonly used member of the DOS family of operating systems, and was the main operating system for IBM PC compatible personal computers during the 1980s to the mid 1990s, until it was gradually superseded by operating...
(since version 5) and 32-bit
32-bit
The range of integer values that can be stored in 32 bits is 0 through 4,294,967,295. Hence, a processor with 32-bit memory addresses can directly access 4 GB of byte-addressable memory....
versions of Microsoft Windows
Microsoft Windows
Microsoft Windows is a series of operating systems produced by Microsoft.Microsoft introduced an operating environment named Windows on November 20, 1985 as an add-on to MS-DOS in response to the growing interest in graphical user interfaces . Microsoft Windows came to dominate the world's personal...
. It superseded edlin
Edlin
Edlin is a line editor included with MS-DOS and later Microsoft operating systems. It provides rudimentary capabilities for editing plain text files through a command-driven interface. Line numbers are specified using numerals, and operations are specified using single-character alphabetic...
, the standard editor in earlier versions.
Until MS-DOS 6.22 it was actually QBasic
QBasic
QBasic is an IDE and interpreter for a variant of the BASIC programming language which is based on QuickBASIC. Code entered into the IDE is compiled to an intermediate form, and this intermediate form is immediately interpreted on demand within the IDE. It can run under nearly all versions of DOS...
running in editor mode, but from DOS 7 (Windows 95
Windows 95
Windows 95 is a consumer-oriented graphical user interface-based operating system. It was released on August 24, 1995 by Microsoft, and was a significant progression from the company's previous Windows products...
) QBasic was removed and MS-DOS Editor became a standalone program.
Editor is sometimes used as a substitute for Notepad on Windows 9x
Windows 9x
Windows 9x is a generic term referring to a series of Microsoft Windows computer operating systems produced since 1995, which were based on the original and later modified Windows 95 kernel...
, where Notepad is limited to small files only. Editor can edit files that are up to 65,279 lines and up to approximately 5 MB
Megabyte
The megabyte is a multiple of the unit byte for digital information storage or transmission with two different values depending on context: bytes generally for computer memory; and one million bytes generally for computer storage. The IEEE Standards Board has decided that "Mega will mean 1 000...
in size. MS-DOS versions are limited to approximately 300 KB
Kilobyte
The kilobyte is a multiple of the unit byte for digital information. Although the prefix kilo- means 1000, the term kilobyte and symbol KB have historically been used to refer to either 1024 bytes or 1000 bytes, dependent upon context, in the fields of computer science and information...
, depending on how much conventional memory
Conventional memory
In DOS memory management, conventional memory, also called base memory, is the first 640 kilobytes of the memory on IBM PC or compatible systems. It is the read-write memory usable by the operating system and application programs...
is free. Editor can be launched by typing it into the Run command dialog
Run command
On the Microsoft Windows operating system, the Run command is used to directly open an application or document whose path is known. It functions more or less like a single-line command line interface....
on Windows, and by typing
edit into the command-line interfaceCommand-line interface
A command-line interface is a mechanism for interacting with a computer operating system or software by typing commands to perform specific tasks...
. Edit is still included in later versions of Windows such as Windows XP
Windows XP
Windows XP is an operating system produced by Microsoft for use on personal computers, including home and business desktops, laptops and media centers. First released to computer manufacturers on August 24, 2001, it is the second most popular version of Windows, based on installed user base...
, Windows Vista
Windows Vista
Windows Vista is an operating system released in several variations developed by Microsoft for use on personal computers, including home and business desktops, laptops, tablet PCs, and media center PCs...
32 bit, and Windows 7 32 bit. Being a 16-bit DOS application, it won't directly run on 64-bit Windows versions.
Versions
Edit version 1.0 appeared in MS-DOS / PC-DOS 5.00, OS/2, and Windows NT to 4.0. Early Chicago betas included this version too. These editors rely on QBasic 1.0. This version can only open one file, to the limit of DOS memory. Although this editor can open one file, it can also open the quick help help file in a split window.Edit version 1.1 appeared in MS-DOS 6.0. No new features were added to the editor: the main difference is that the QBasic 1.1 is used to show the MS-DOS 6.0 help. This version is available also on all versions of Windows 9x, although the files are unchanged from 6.22. Renaming help.hlp to edit.hlp allows one to access the DOS 6 help system inside the editor, including cut and paste between the help system and the open file.
PC-DOS 6 does not include the edit command. Instead, it has the DOS E Editor
E (PC-DOS)
E is the text editor which was made part of PC DOS with version 6.1 in June 1993, and later with version 7 and PC DOS 2000. In version 6.1, IBM dropped QBASIC, which, in its edit mode, was also the system text editor...
. This was upgraded to support mouse and menus in version of 7.0.
Edit version 2.0 appeared with Windows 95, and appears in Windows 2000 and later. As it is still a 16-bit DOS program, it is not included in any 64-bit version of Windows, nor will it directly work on one. This version of Edit will run on DOS 3.30 and higher.
Features
MS-DOS Editor uses a text user interfaceText user interface
TUI short for: Text User Interface or Textual User Interface , is a retronym that was coined sometime after the invention of graphical user interfaces, to distinguish them from text-based user interfaces...
and its color scheme can be adjusted. It has a multiple document interface
Multiple document interface
Graphical computer applications with a multiple document interface are those whose windows reside under a single parent window , as opposed to all windows being separate from each other . Such systems often allow child windows to embed other windows inside them as well, creating complex nested...
in which its version 2.0 (as included in DOS 7 or Windows 9x) can open up to 9 files at a time while earlier versions (included in DOS 5 and 6) are limited to only one file. The screen can be split vertically into two panes which can be used to view two files simultaneously or different parts of the same file. It can also open files in binary
Binary file
A binary file is a computer file which may contain any type of data, encoded in binary form for computer storage and processing purposes; for example, computer document files containing formatted text...
mode, where a fixed number of characters are displayed per line, and newline
Newline
In computing, a newline, also known as a line break or end-of-line marker, is a special character or sequence of characters signifying the end of a line of text. The name comes from the fact that the next character after the newline will appear on a new line—that is, on the next line below the...
s are treated as any other character, this shows characters as Hexadecimal
Hexadecimal
In mathematics and computer science, hexadecimal is a positional numeral system with a radix, or base, of 16. It uses sixteen distinct symbols, most often the symbols 0–9 to represent values zero to nine, and A, B, C, D, E, F to represent values ten to fifteen...
characters (0-9 and A-F). Editor converts Unix
Unix
Unix is a multitasking, multi-user computer operating system originally developed in 1969 by a group of AT&T employees at Bell Labs, including Ken Thompson, Dennis Ritchie, Brian Kernighan, Douglas McIlroy, and Joe Ossanna...
newlines to DOS
DOS
DOS, short for "Disk Operating System", is an acronym for several closely related operating systems that dominated the IBM PC compatible market between 1981 and 1995, or until about 2000 if one includes the partially DOS-based Microsoft Windows versions 95, 98, and Millennium Edition.Related...
newlines and has mouse
Mouse
A mouse is a small mammal belonging to the order of rodents. The best known mouse species is the common house mouse . It is also a popular pet. In some places, certain kinds of field mice are also common. This rodent is eaten by large birds such as hawks and eagles...
support. Some of these features were added only in 1995 (version 2.0), with the release of Windows 95
Windows 95
Windows 95 is a consumer-oriented graphical user interface-based operating system. It was released on August 24, 1995 by Microsoft, and was a significant progression from the company's previous Windows products...
.