MAINEDIT User's Guide, Chapter 5

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5. Overstriking

5.1. Overstrike Mode

When MAINED is in overstrike mode, text input from the keyboard is written over the text currently in the buffer. With each keystroke, the character under the cursor is replaced with the new character typed, and the cursor is moved one column to the right. If a character is overstruck beyond the last character on the current line, tab characters are inserted out to the current character position.

To enter overstrike mode from command mode, type O. To return from overstrike mode to command mode, type <ecm>.

5.2. Special Keys in Overstrike Mode

The commands shown in Table 5–1 can be used in overstrike mode to move the cursor; the <tab> key also replaces the text it moves over with tab characters. All of these commands leave you in overstrike mode.

Table 5–1. Effect of Special Keys in Overstrike Mode
Command Action
<bs>, <del> Move cursor left 1 column, except if at left margin, do nothing
<tab> Overstrike tabs to next tab stop
<lf> Move cursor down 1 row
<eol> Move cursor to left margin of next line

5.3. Overstriking a Sequence of Characters

When modified by a count or emphasis, the O command overstrikes a string of characters with a specified character. In Table 5–2, x is any character.

Table 5–2. Commands to Overstrike Text
Command Overstrike:
nOCx n x's (n required)
QOCx x's to right margin

After each command in Table 5–2 is executed, the mode remains command mode and the cursor is positioned one column to the right of the last overstruck character. For example, to overstrike eight characters at and to the right of the cursor with the character -, type 8OC-.

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MAINEDIT User's Guide, Chapter 5