SPF/PC
{{short description|PC-based text editor imitating mainframe ISPF}}
{{use MDY dates|date=September 2020}}
{{use American English|date=September 2020}}
SPF/PC is an MS-DOS-based text editor and file manager designed to have an interface that was familiar to those using mainframe SPF and ISPF.{{cite news |newspaper=Computerworld
|title=Editing with SPF/PC
|quote=SPC/PC uses .. extended or expanded memory
|date=September 19, 1988}}
Later Microsoft Windows-based versions were named SPF/SE and SPF/SE 365.{{cite web
|title=SPF/SE 365 |url=https://www.commandtechnology.com|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180410040057/http://www.commandtechnology.com/|archive-date=2018-04-10|access-date=2022-11-02}} A version for OS/2 named SPF/2 was also offered.{{cite web|url=http://www.edm2.com/index.php/SPF/2|title=SPF/2|date=2022-05-26|website=edm2.com|access-date=2022-11-02}} SPF/SE and SPF/SE 365 were released as freeware in 2022 after the death of Tim Tetiva, the author of SPF/PC and SPF/SE.{{cite web|url=https://github.com/michaelknigge/spf-editor|title=SPF-Editor (formerly known as SPF/SE)|author=Michael Knigge|date=2022-11-02|access-date=2022-11-02|website=github.com}}
Overview
SPF/PC{{cite magazine |magazine=PC Magazine
|date=February 5, 1985 |page=270
|title=SPF/PC can use Extended Memory}} was introduced by and successors sold by Command Technology Corporation. Similar to IBM's mainframe based ISPF and is able to edit ASCII and EBCDIC text file as a complete integrated applications development environment (IDE). Typically used for editing source code, invoking compilers, linkers, and debuggers, in a variety of programming languages, such as COBOL, Fortran, and C++.
64-bit Windows can't run SPF/PC (Will run under DOSBox), but it can still be used on 32-bit Windows (e.g. Windows XP or Windows 7 in XP Mode).{{cite web
|date=July 16, 2020 |url=https://kc.mcafee.com/corporate/index?page=content&id=KB75366
|quote=Background information: ntvdm.exe NTVDM can run at startup. SPF-PC A 16-bit DOS application based on the mainframe editor ISPF editor.
|title=SPF-PC1 DOS application started through the Windows ntvdm}}
Features
{{columns-list|colwidth=31em|
- Auto source code backup
- Auto save during edit
- Background/Foreground compiler and utility support
- Edit small or large files (up to 1Gig)
- Edit ASCII and EBCDIC text files
- Command Line Interface (CLI)
- File browser with keyword colorization
- File manager
- File conversion utilities
- COBOL source code support
- Hex editor
- IBM (3270) and PC command keys
- IBM ISPF Style Panels
- Keyboard equivalents provided for all mouse operations
- Language line numbering support
- Language profile support
- Line, column and bounds oriented copy, cut, data shift, find, paste, sort with picture strings
- Line lengths (records) up to 64,000 characters in fixed or variable formats
- Line exclude, change, find, flip, locate, not-exclude
- Merge error files created by compilers into source code as notes (type of comment)
- Multilevel Undo and Redo
- Multiple sequential complex command execution - repeatable with exclude and not-exclude abilities
- Print file, screen or highlighted text
- Simple and advanced text/file find/replace (search through thousands of files for text)
- Sort file lists and text/data
- Sort A-Z, Z-A, bounding by columns, line labels etc.
- Split screen (horizontal and vertical)
- File and Directory comparison
- Support for DOS/Windows/Linux/Unix EOL and EOF markers
- User enhancements - add, create, modify dialogs, functions, menus and screens
- User definable fonts
- User definable editor color schemes including several 3270 schemes
- User definable file profiles including EOL, EOF, Line Length etc.
- User definable cursor, half page and page scrolling
- User switchable editor line numbers or not
- User definable keyboard and keyboard macros
- User modifiable help system
}}
Macro/Scripting Language
SPF/SE 365 uses a C like macro/scripting language.
All versions of SPF have the ability to call any interpreter (PHP, BASIC, Powershell, etc.) from within the editor allowing text processing and OS command calls. SPF/SE does not have the REXX interface that SPF/PC had.
References
{{Reflist}}
External links
- [https://github.com/michaelknigge/spf-editor SPF-Editor project on Github]
- [https://web.archive.org/web/20180410040057/http://www.commandtechnology.com/ Command Technology Corporation web-site (archived)]
- [http://www.planetmvs.com/spfeditor/ List of ISPF-style PC editors.]