1 10/11/83  read_mail (forward) request:  qedx, qx
 2 
 3 Syntax:  qx {-control_args}
 4 
 5 
 6 Function:  invokes the Multics qedx editor to edit the comment text.
 7 
 8 
 9 Control arguments:
10 -auto_write
11    specifies that this request will automatically update the comment
12    when the user quits the editor.
13 -no_auto_write
14    specifies that this request will require the user to use the write
15    request to update the comment before quitting the editor.  Any
16    attempt to exit without writing will result in a query.
17 -fill, -fi
18    specifies that the comment text should be reformatted after editing.
19 -no_fill, -nfi
20    specifies that the comment text should not be reformatted.
21 
22 
23 -line_length N, -ll N
24    specifies the line length to use when reformatting the comment text.
25    If this control argument is not given, the line length specified on
26    the forward request line will be used; if, however, no line length
27    was specified on the forward request line, a line length of 72
28    will be used.
29 
30 
31 Notes:
32 The default for reformatting the comment after editing is dependent on
33 the original source of the comment text.  If terminal input was used,
34 the default is to reformat the comment; if file input was used, the
35 default is to not reformat the comment.  This default may be changed by
36 use of the -fill and -no_fill control arguments on the forward request
37 line.  Additionally, whatever default is specified may be overriden for
38 one invocation of the qedx request by use of the control arguments
39 described above.
40 
41 
42 For compatibility with the qedx command, the behavior described above
43 for -no_auto_write is the default mode of operation for this request.
44 This default may be changed by use of the -auto_write and
45 -no_auto_write control arguments on the forward request line.
46 Additionally, whatever default is specified may be overidden for one
47 invocation of the qedx request by the use of these control arguments on
48 the qedx request line.
49 
50 The comment is placed in buffer 0.  If -auto_write is in effect, the
51 quit (q) request will automatically reflect any changes made to the
52 comment back to the forward request.  When -no_auto_write is in effect,
53 the write (w) request must be used to reflect any changes back to the
54 forward request.  In either case, the write request may be used as
55 often as desired to checkpoint the editing process.
56 
57 
58 If the quit (q) request is issued with -no_auto_write in effect and the
59 comment has been modified since it was last written, qedx will query
60 for permission to exit.  If permission is given, any changes made to
61 the comment since the last write request (if any) will be lost.  The
62 quit-force (qf) request may be used to abort unwanted editing of the
63 comment without being queried.
64 
65 The read (r) and write (w) requests will accept pathnames when used in
66 buffer 0 (the comment) but they will never change the default pathname
67 of the buffer.  Thus, when used without a pathname, read and write will
68 always refer to forward's copy of the comment.  When used with a
69 pathname, the read request will insert a segment into the comment and
70 the write request will make a copy of the comment in a segment for
71 later use.
72 
73 
74 If issued before use of the write request, the request line
75      1,$dr
76 will restore the original comment text to the buffer.  If given after a
77 write request, this request line will restore the comment text as saved
78 by the last write request given in the buffer.