
                                  EZQuote  4.0

                           Frequently Asked Questions



         Q.  Word wrap doesn't work.

         A.  EZQuote has two windows - Quote Mode and Edit Mode.
             Normal word wrap is enabled in the Edit Mode window.


         Q.  What's the point in having the two windows?  It feels
             awkward to me.

         A.  It lets you select which sections of the original message
             you want to include in your reply.  The other parts just
             go away when you exit the program, so you don't have to
             spend time deleting them.  In summary, it's faster and
             easier, and tends to produce more concise, better looking
             messages, with less excess quoting.

             You can configure EZQuote to operate in one window, but I
             would encourage you to give the two-window approach a
             fair try.  Most users get used to it pretty quickly, and
             never look back.


         Q.  I would like to do that, but the opening screen delay in
             earlier versions was really long, and I got tired of
             waiting.  Why don't you just do away with the delay?

         A.  The opening screen is there to provide a reminder for
             users to register.  Most of us need some kind of
             incentive to register shareware.  The only effective
             alternative was to cripple some of EZQuote's features for
             unregistered users, and I just didn't want to do that.

             Version 4.0 now has a variable delay which is a good bit
             shorter, on average, than earlier versions.


         Q.  Why not provide for a 30-day evaluation period during
             which there is no delay?  After that, make the delay as
             long as you want.

         A.  Because that method is easily defeated by reinstalling
             the program from the distribution archive every 30 days.
             If you know an effective way around that problem, I would
             be happy to use that method.


         Q.  I'm confused.  Does EZQuote "quote" the original message?
             In other words, does it add the writer's initials and the
             ">" mark to each line of the original message?

         A.  No.  That must be done by your message reader software
             before sending the message to EZQuote.  EZQuote then lets
             you reformat and "quote" sections of that message in your
             reply. While there is a "Quote" function in EZQuote, it
             adds only the ">" mark to each line of a block of text,
             not the initials.  EZQuote is a text editor.


         Q.  I'm using the two window configuration, so I basically
             have no use for the Wrap function in Edit Mode.  Is there
             some way I can assign f3 to some other function in Edit
             Mode, while leaving it assigned to Wrap in Quote Mode.

         A.  Wrap is a "common-mode" function, which means it operates
             in both windows and must be invoked by the same key in
             both.  However, you can get where you want to go by using
             one level of indirection.

             First, change the key assigned to the Wrap function to
             some key you would never actually use, like maybe @j, or
             even a wierd two-key assignment.  Then define a Quote
             Mode macro, assigned to f3, which calls Wrap:

             macrodef Q Newwrap f3
             Wonderwrap

             This leaves the f3 key available for some other
             assignment in Edit Mode - either an Edit Mode function or
             an Edit Mode macro.


         Q.  When I Exit, EZQuote gives me the opportunity to change
             the filename.  While I can just hit enter to confirm the
             current filename, I would rather not have to do even
             that.  Can I make it just go ahead and Exit?

         A.  Yes. Using the same method as in the previous answer,
             assign some off-the-wall key to the Exit function, then
             define a new common-mode macro which confirms the
             filename automatically:

             macrodef B Exitnowdammit f7
             Exit enter

             Remember, however, that if you call up EZQuote with no
             filename on the command line, you will have to use the
             off-the-wall key to Exit.


         Q.  In your macro examples, I notice that some functions in
             the sequence begin with uppercase letters, while others
             do not. Why?

         A.  Functions names, as well as macro names, always begin
             with an uppercase letter.  Keynames do not.  So "Up" is a
             function, while "up" is the name of the cursor-up key.
             Normally, the "up" key is assigned to invoke the "Up"
             function, but you can change that.


         Q.  How do you copy a block of text?

         A.  Cut it, then Paste it back before moving the cursor.
             Then move the cursor to the new location(s) and Paste
             again, as many times as you like.  That also works with
             the Del-Line and Undel functions.


         Q.  When I re-edit a message I've written, it comes up in the
             Quote Mode window.  I have to Mark the whole thing and
             Xfer it to Edit Mode before I can edit it.

         A.  Yes, but it might be a bit easier to just Escape into
             Edit Mode and Reload, or define a macro to do either
             sequence for you.  In either case, you will also need to
             use the Soft function on the paragraph you want to change
             so that word wrap will work properly.  (The original soft
             CRs which EZQuote inserted as you typed will have been
             converted to hard CRLFs.)


         Q.  Why didn't you just enable normal word wrap in Quote
             Mode?

         A.  Normal word wrap uses a fairly aggressive algorithm which
             tries to reflow the current line each time a character is
             inserted, deleted or changed, whether you want it to or
             not.  I wanted one window where absolutely nothing
             happens unless you make it happen, and that's the Quote
             Mode window.


         Q.  Is there a way to set up a left margin, or "smart"
             indenting?

         A.  No.


         Q.  My current editor, MonsterEd, does global-search-and-
             replace, has a 400-operation undo buffer, and will
             calculate my GPS geodetic coordinates to within 1 meter.
             Do you plan to add such features to EZQuote over time, so
             that it gradually becomes bigger and more complex?

         A.  No.  EZQuote was intended to be used for composing email
             messages.  It is not a general purpose editor.  If you
             have frequent need for global-search-and-replace when
             writing messages, then you would probably be happier with
             another editor.  Of course then you wouldn't have
             WonderWrap.  Life is full of choices.


         Q.  EZQuote is so small that at first I wasn't sure I should
             take it seriously.  How did you get so much into such a
             small package?

         A.  By writing it in assembly language.  It would be four to
             five times larger if I had used a high-level language.


         Q.  My CONFIG.EZQ file, containing my total restructuring of
             the key assignments and 98 truly amazing macros, was
             accidentally erased, and I don't have a backup.  Can I
             recreate that file from the information installed in the
             EZQUOTE.COM file?

         A.  No.


         Q.  Using the startup macro, can EZQuote automatically
             WonderWrap the entire file, then Exit?

         A.  Yes, provided the file isn't too big.  But remember that
             WonderWrap's aggressive reformatting may destroy the
             structure of certain kinds of text, such as columnar
             material and listings.  Perhaps you should consider
             having the macro save both the original and WonderWrapped
             versions, or append the WonderWrapped version to the
             original file.


         Q.  Can I still register version 2.0 for $10?

         A.  No.  A valid name/number registration key which works for
             one version will also work for all later versions, so I
             have no way to register you for just one version.  The
             amount you pay is the current registration fee at the
             time you register, now $15, which I reserve the right to
             change in the future.

             However, once registered, you never have to pay more to
             use any future version which may be released, even if the
             price goes up later for new registrants.


         Q.  What about Windows and OS/2 versions?

         A.  I have no current plans for either.



         George Hug
         Tulsa, Oklahoma
         June 15, 1994
