SPF/PC
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.[1]
Later Microsoft Windows-based versions were named SPF/SE and SPF/SE 365.[2] A version for OS/2 named SPF/2 was also offered.[3] 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.[4]
Overview
SPF/PC[5] 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).[6]
Features
- Auto source code backup
- Auto save during edit
- Background/Foreground compiler and utility support[5]
- 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
- ^ "Editing with SPF/PC". Computerworld. September 19, 1988.
SPC/PC uses .. extended or expanded memory
- ^ "SPF/SE 365". Archived from the original on April 10, 2018. Retrieved November 2, 2022.
- ^ "SPF/2". edm2.com. May 26, 2022. Retrieved November 2, 2022.
- ^ Michael Knigge (November 2, 2022). "SPF-Editor (formerly known as SPF/SE)". github.com. Retrieved November 2, 2022.
- ^ a b "SPF/PC can use Extended Memory". PC Magazine. February 5, 1985. p. 270.
- ^ "SPF-PC1 DOS application started through the Windows ntvdm". July 16, 2020.
Background information: ntvdm.exe NTVDM can run at startup. SPF-PC A 16-bit DOS application based on the mainframe editor ISPF editor.
External links
- SPF-Editor project on Github
- Command Technology Corporation web-site (archived)
- List of ISPF-style PC editors.