Operation of the Screen Editor

When you edit an existing item, you are dealing with two independent versions of that item.

Primary Version

The primary version is the one on the disk. This version remains unchanged until you issue a File command.

Secondary Version

The other version of the item is stored in your process workspace. It is the version you are actually working with. It is the current version that you see on the screen.

Lines and Attributes

Each line (attribute) in the current version of an item is associated with a line number. Line numbers are for reference. You are not limited in editing by a line pointer as you are with the Line Editor.

As lines in the item are changed, inserted, or deleted, the Screen Editor continually updates the current version in your process workspace. Updating can be in any sequence you desire. You are not limited to an ascending line number sequence of operations as you are with the Line Editor.

As with the Line Editor, the only way you can change an item's permanent, or disk, version is to file it using the F command with either the I, S, B, or R option (or the D option that removes it entirely).