Panix Help System: Pico

Help for Pico

This is the text of the help that is available online with the Pico editor (npico):

New Pico (npico) Help Text

Pico is designed to be a simple, easy-to-use text editor with a layout very similar to the pine mailer. The status line at the top of the display shows pico's version, the current file being edited and whether or not there are outstanding modifications that have not been saved. The third line from the bottom is used to report informational messages and for additional command input. The bottom two lines list the available editing commands.

Each character typed is automatically inserted into the buffer at the current cursor position. Editing commands and cursor movement (besides arrow keys) are given to pico by typing special control-key sequences. A caret, '^', is used to denote the control key, sometimes marked "CTRL", so the CTRL-q key combination is written as ^Q.

The following functions are available in pico (where applicable, corresponding function key commands are in parentheses).

^G (F1) - Display this help text.

^F - move Forward a character.
^B - move Backward a character.
^P - move to the Previous line.
^N - move to the Next line.
^A - move to the beginning of the current line.
^E - move to the End of the current line.
^V (F8) - move forward a page of text.
^Y (F7) - move backward a page of text.

^W (F6) - Search for (where is) text, neglecting case.
^L - Refresh the display.

^D - Delete the character at the cursor position.
^^ - Mark cursor position as beginning of selected text.
^D - Delete the character at the cursor position.
^^ - Mark cursor position as beginning of selected text. Note: Setting mark when already set unselects text.
^K (F9) - Cut selected text (displayed in inverse characters). Note: The selected text's boundary on the cursor side ends at the left edge of the cursor. So, with selected text to the left of the cursor, the character under the cursor is not selected.
^U (F10) - Uncut (paste) last cut text inserting it at the current cursor position.
^I - Insert a tab at the current cursor position.
^J (F4) - Format (justify) the current paragraph. Note: paragraphs delimited by blank lines or indentation.
^T (F12) - To invoke the spelling checker
^C (F11) - Report current cursor position

^R (F5) - Insert an external file at the current cursor position.
^O (F3) - Output the current buffer to a file, saving it.

^R (F5) - Insert an external file at the current cursor position.
^O (F3) - Output the current buffer to a file, saving it.
^X (F2) - Exit pico, saving buffer.

Pine and Pico are trademarks of the University of Washington. No commercial use of these trademarks may be made without prior written permission of the University of Washington.