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command word, e.g. '''Type_Space( )'''.
 
command word, e.g. '''Type_Space( )'''.
  
The ''_" character is optional and is only intended to improve readability. Most commands have a short abbreviation. It is often, but not always, the first
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The '''''_"''' character is optional and is only intended to improve readability. Most commands have a short abbreviation. It is often, but not always, the first
 
letter of each command word.
 
letter of each command word.
  
 
Therefore, the following commands <kbd>Type_Space( )</kbd>, <kbd>typespace( )</kbd>, <kbd>TS( )</kbd>, and <kbd>ts( )</kbd> are all identical.
 
Therefore, the following commands <kbd>Type_Space( )</kbd>, <kbd>typespace( )</kbd>, <kbd>TS( )</kbd>, and <kbd>ts( )</kbd> are all identical.
  
Many commands take one or more arguments which must be enclosed in parentheses "(...)". With a few exceptions, commands that take no arguments can have the empty "( )" left off.
+
Many commands take one or more arguments which must be enclosed in parentheses '''"(...)"'''. With a few exceptions, commands that take no arguments can have the empty '''"( )"''' left off.
 +
 
 +
<div class="callout note">The macros we supply on disk and the examples in this manual usually use the full command name and include empty "( )" for
 +
commands that perform an operation and leave the '''"( )"''' off for the commands (called "internal values") that only return a value. However, we usually abbreviate the command Visual( ) as just V.

Revision as of 20:10, 12 December 2016

vEdit's Command Syntax loosely follows the syntax of the "C" programming language. The format of commands is:

Command( arguments )

Command names can be entered in any combination of upper and lower case letters. To improve readability, we usually capitalize the first letter of each command word, e.g. Type_Space( ).

The _" character is optional and is only intended to improve readability. Most commands have a short abbreviation. It is often, but not always, the first letter of each command word.

Therefore, the following commands Type_Space( ), typespace( ), TS( ), and ts( ) are all identical.

Many commands take one or more arguments which must be enclosed in parentheses "(...)". With a few exceptions, commands that take no arguments can have the empty "( )" left off.

The macros we supply on disk and the examples in this manual usually use the full command name and include empty "( )" for commands that perform an operation and leave the "( )" off for the commands (called "internal values") that only return a value. However, we usually abbreviate the command Visual( ) as just V.