Chapter 8. Controlling Windows and Refreshing the Screen

This chapter discusses how to create additional windows, remove windows, alternate two files in a window, and refresh the screen.

The top and bottom lines of the editor screen display the status of the window that contains the cursor. The bottom line displays the file name and the line number of the cursor window.

You can create additional windows, which can contain either the file you are editing or a different file. This means that you can edit one file while you view another file, view several files on the same screen, or move text from one file window to another.

When you specify a new file, the current file becomes the alternate file. You can switch between these two files by pressing the Ctrl-A, U key sequence (the Use function). The editor keeps the cursor position of both files. If you specify the current file as the alternate file, you can switch between two places in the same file without losing your cursor position. You can continue to specify more current files, but you can only alternate between the last two files you specify.

You can use additional windows to do the following:

• View and edit two or more files at the same time.
• View and edit the same file in two or more file locations.
• Use the same pick-up stack buffers for each of the files. For example, using the block functions, you can move or copy text from one file to another file.
• Use the delete buffer to delete text from one file and restore it in another file.
• Use the search buffers and replace buffers to search and replace the same text in more than one file.

For information on the procedures, refer to the following:

• How to Create and Remove Windows with the INed Editor
• How to Access Different Windows with the INed Editor
• How to Alternate Files and Refresh the Screen with the INed Editor

How to Create and Remove Windows with the INed Editor

Use the following procedures:

• To Create a Window Containing the Current File
• To Create a Window Containing a Specified File
• To Remove All Windows except the Window Containing the Cursor

To Create a Window Containing the Current File

Move the cursor to the new window position.

To create a vertical window, place the cursor on the top line of the current window, but not in the first column, and press the Ctrl-A, W key sequence (the Window function).

To create a horizontal window, place the cursor elsewhere within the window, and press the Ctrl-A, W key sequence (the Window function).

To Create a Window Containing a Specified File

1. Move the cursor to the new window position.

   To create a vertical window, place the cursor on the top line of the current window, and press the Ctrl-A, Enter key sequence (the Enter function).

   To create a horizontal window, place the cursor elsewhere within the window, and press the Ctrl-A, Enter key sequence (the Enter function).

   The editor displays the ENTER box.

2. Type the name of a file to be edited, and press the Ctrl-A, W key sequence (the Window function).

   The information above and below the window changes to reflect the status of the window containing the cursor. For example, the full path name contains the name of the file that you selected.

To Remove All Windows Except the Window Containing the Cursor

Move the cursor to the window you want to keep, press the Ctrl-A, Enter key sequence (the Enter function), and then press the Ctrl-A, W key sequence (the Window function).

How to Access Different Windows with the Editor

To move to the window that was created immediately after the current window, press the Ctrl-A, N key sequence (the Next Window function).

To move to the window that was created immediately before the current window, press the Ctrl-A, Enter key sequence (the Enter function), and then press the Ctrl-A, N key sequence (the Next Window function).

You can move to another window in either of the following ways:

• Press the Ctrl-A, N key sequence (the Next Window function) repeatedly to cycle among the windows.
• Use the cursor movement keys to move the cursor into the desired window.

How to Alternate Files and Refresh the Screen with the INed Editor

Use the following procedures:

• To Specify a New File in the Editor Window
• To Alternate the Current File with the Alternate File
• To Clear and Redraw the Screen

To Specify a New File in the Editor Window

1. Press the Ctrl-A, Enter key sequence (the Enter function).

2. Type the file name you want to edit in the ENTER box, and press the Ctrl-A, U key sequence (the Use function).

   The editor window changes to the specified file name.

To Alternate the Current File with the Alternate File

Press the Ctrl-A, U key sequence (the Use function).

The editor window changes to the other file.

To Clear and Redraw the Screen

Press the Ctrl-A, Z key sequence (the Refresh function).

If a system message is displayed on the screen or if the display has become garbled, the Ctrl-A, Z key sequence clears the screen and redraws the display as it was before the message or problem occurred. It does not erase or delete any text in the window.

Related Information

INed Editor Overview introduces general concepts about the INed editor, lists the INed editing functions and describes the system guidelines for using the INed editor.

INed Editor Functions for the Standard Keyboard is a table that shows the INed editor command keys on a standard keyboard.

INed Editor Files in AIX Version 4.3 Files Reference contains reference information about the files used by the INed editor.