TUTORIAL ON USING PICO
Pico is a text editor used to create text files. This editor can be used on its own by typing:pico <filename>
where <filename> is the name of a file you want to create or an existing file you want to edit. Pico is also used within other programs such as pine.
--------------------------------------------------------- | UW PICO(tm) 2.3 New Buffer Modified | | | |This is a test. | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | Messsge information Bar | | | | Common Commands | ---------------------------------------------------------
At the top middle of the screen is displayed the file you are working on. Either a new file as the example shows or the name of an existing file. At the top right of the screen is an indicator as to the status of the file. If you have modified the file it will show “Modified”. If the file has not been modified than no message will be displayed.
At the bottom of the screen, above the list of common commands, is an information bar that will display information regarding your last command, if applicable.
The set of available commands in Pico are:
NOTE – in the following commands the ^ symbol represents the CONTROL key. For example, <^X> = <CONTROL><X>
- <^G> – will call up the help menu with a list of these commands
- <^F> – moves forward one character
- <^B> – moves backward one character
- <^P> – move to previous line
- <^N> – move to next line
- <^A> – move to beginning of current line
- <^E> – move to end of current line
- <^V> – move forward one page of text
- <^Y> – move backward one page of text
- <^W> – search for text, ignoring case. You will be asked to enter a character string to search for. <^C> will cancel
- <^D> – delete the character at the cursor position
- <^K> – cut the current line of text
- <^U> – uncut text, paste, and insert at cursor position
- <^I> – insert tab at cursor position
- <^J> – justify text
- <^T> – invoke spell checker. Will only detect errors, will not offer correct spelling. <^C> will cancel
- <^C> – shows current cursor position, line number and character position, Only available while editing
- <^R> – insert text of an external file at cursor position. Enter file name or press <^T> to go to your directory and select a file. <^C> will cancel
- <^O> – output current buffer to a file saving it, save without exiting. Enter file name or press <^T> to go to your directory and select a file. <^C> will cancel
- <^X> – exit Pico with option to save text
NOTE – case is not important. All capital characters can be replaced by lower case characters.
