Installing Andys Editor

The usual supplied ae.zip file should be expanded using unzip ae on a UNIX machine, or unzip -a ae on a PC. If you got your package from Hobbes, it probably only has the PC executables.

You get a selection of executables, and the one to pick depends upon which operating systems you wish to run :-

ae_dos.exe
Runs on 16 bit DOS, and in DOS boxes. Not brilliant for massive files, as hampered by the 16 bit DOS 640KB limit.
ae_dos32.exe
Runs on 32 bit DOS, via a DOS extender. Can handle much bigger files, but obviously no good on a 286 or lower system, or a system with only 640KB of RAM.
ae_o16.exe
Runs on 16 bit OS/2, 32 bit OS/2, and Windows.
ae_os2.exe
Runs on 32 bit OS/2. Is faster than ae_o16.exe but only runs on 32 bit OS/2.
ae_win.exe
Runs on Windows. Is better than running ae_dos.exe, ae_dos32.exe or ae_o16.exe as it is a native Win32 Console API application, and so is faster. Also, NTs emulation of DOS and 16 bit OS/2 is not very flexible when it comes to screen modes.
ae.nlm
Runs on NetWare.
ae.efi
Runs on IA-32 EFI.
ae_aix4
Runs on RS/6000, compiled on an AIX 4.1 system.
ae_linux
Runs on Intel Linux, compiled on RedHat 6.1.
ae_hpux
Runs on HP/UX systems supporting PA 2.0 binaries.
ae_sun
Runs on SunOS, compiled on a 2.6 system.

Installing AE for DOS

  1. Copy ae_dos.exe or ae_dos32.exe to ae.exe, somewhere on the path.
  2. Copy ae.ini to the same directory as ae.exe so it can be found.
  3. Optionally copy ae.txt to wherever you keep documentation.
  4. Print the file ae.ini, and use it as a quick reference card.
  5. Check that COMSPEC in config.sys points to command.com or some other command processor. This ensures 'shelling' out will work, as AE uses system to call up other programs.
  6. Check that files=10 or above in your config.sys.

Installing AE for OS/2

  1. Copy ae_os2.exe, ae_o16.exe or ae_dos.exe to ae.exe, somewhere on the path.
  2. Copy ae.ini to the same directory as ae.exe so it can be found.
  3. Optionally copy ae.txt to wherever you keep documentation.
  4. Print the file ae.ini, and use it as a quick reference card.
  5. Optionally copy ae.ico to the same directory as ae.exe. This allows AE to have a cute icon when running in the Workplace shell.
  6. Optionally create a Workplace Shell Program Object(s) that references the AE executable. The working directory should be the directory where ae.ini can be found.

Installing AE for Windows

  1. Copy ae_win.exe, ae_o16.exe or ae_dos.exe to ae.exe, somewhere on the path.
  2. Copy ae.ini to the same directory as ae.exe so it can be found.
  3. Optionally copy ae.txt to wherever you keep documentation.
  4. Print the file ae.ini, and use it as a quick reference card.

Installing AE for NetWare

  1. Copy ae.nlm to somewhere on the path.
  2. Copy ae.ini to the same directory as ae.nlm so it can be found.
  3. Optionally copy ae.txt to wherever you keep documentation.
  4. Print the file ae.ini, and use it as a quick reference card.

Installing AE for EFI

  1. Copy ae.efi to a suitable directory.
  2. Copy ae.ini to the same directory as ae.efi so it can be found.
  3. Optionally copy ae.txt to wherever you keep documentation.
  4. Print the file ae.ini, and use it as a quick reference card.

Installing AE for UNIX

AE for AIX is currently compiled on a 4.1.5 system.

AE for Linux is currently an Intel binary, compiled ELF, on a RedHat 6.1 system.

AE for HP/UX is a PA 2.0 binary.

AE for SunOS is compiled on version 2.6.

  1. Copy the ae_aix4, ae_linux ae_hpux or ae_sun executable to a file called ae in a directory like /usr/bin, /usr/local/bin, ~/bin, or wherever on the path you consider appropriate.
  2. Copy the ae.ini file to wherever you put ae. If you have a ~/.aerc file, then this is used in preference to the default ae.ini.
  3. Optionally copy ae.txt to wherever you keep documentation.
  4. Print the file ae.ini, and use it as a quick reference card.

If you wish to improve your terminal support, perhaps to add colour, see the TERMINFO package on my home page.

Testing the installation

All you need to know to start using AE is the following :-

  ^X  Means Ctrl+X
  ~X  Means Shift+X
  @X  Means Alt+X

And when the unmodified configuration is used :-

A test which is as good as any, is to go to the directory with ae.txt in it and type :-

  ae ae.txt

On NetWare 4 and earlier, you have to type :-

  load ae ae.txt