To: vim-dev@vim.org
Subject: Vim version 5.2d ALPHA available
Date: Tue, 02 Jun 98 09:36:54 +0200
From: Bram Moolenaar <mool@oce.nl>
Message-Id: <9806020730.AA16011@smtp02.oce.nl>

Hello Developers,

Another alpha release.  This is really work in progress, some things are only
half finished.

There is a new mode: Select mode.  It is like Visual mode in that text is
selected, but when typing any printable character the selected text is deleted
and Insert mode is entered.  This resembles how selection works in MS-Windows.
The uppercase flags in 'mouse' are used to start Select mode.  CTRL-G can be
used to toggle between Visual and Select mode.  The 'select' option is used to
enable entering Select mode by using shift-cursor keys.

The 'mousemodel' option is used to select the mouse behaviour.  This replaces
the 'M' flag in 'mouse'.  Also allows for a "mac" behaviour.  Anyone who knows
how the mouse should behave on a Macintosh?

The 'mousefocus' option replaces the 'f' flag in 'mouse'.

Hopefully the new options will make it more easy to chose your personal
preferred behaviour.

There should also be a Select mode on the command line, but that isn't there
yet.  There are other things that still need to be implemented.  Before you
make remarks, take a look at the start of the todo list.

If you don't like the new Select mode, or how it works, let's hear it.

Note that there are quite a few new options and functions in this release.
Have a look at the list below!


The result is still an UNSTABLE version, ready for more changes.  It is
supposed to be used to make new patches against.  You can use it for normal
work (like me) but it's a more risky than a normal release.

The files are in the "unreleased" directory, just like version 5.2c.

This is a source-only release!


WHERE TO GET IT
---------------

You can find Vim 5.2d here:

        ftp://ftp.nl.vim.org/pub/vim/unreleased/

See this file for Mirrors:

        ftp://ftp.nl.vim.org/pub/vim/MIRRORS

unix/vim-5.2d-src.tar.gz           source files for Unix
unix/vim-5.2c-5.2d-src.diff.gz     diff with version 5.2c
unix/vim-5.2d-rt.tar.gz            runtime files for Unix
unix/vim-5.2c-5.2d-rt.diff.gz      diff with version 5.2c

extra/vim-5.2d-extra.tar.gz        extra files
extra/vim-5.2c-5.2d-extra.diff.gz  diff with version 5.2c

pc/vim52dsrc.zip                   source files for PC
pc/vim52drt.zip                    runtime files for PC


WHAT IS NEW
-----------

This is the complete list of changes since version 5.2c.  For a list of
changes since version 5.1, see ":help version-5.2".

Changed:

The short name for 'matchpairs' should be 'mps', not 'map'.  The documentation
was correct.

":*" means ":@" when '*' is in 'cpoptions', otherwise it means ":'<,'>".

has("browse") now only returns non-zero when ":browse" and browse() really
work.  Previously this would also happen for the GUI-enabled version which is
running in an xterm.

Default for 'guioptions' now includes the 't' flag.  When included, tearoff
menu items are used.

Default and Syntax menus now include priority for items.  Allows inserting
menu items in between the default ones.

The windows-selection mode is changed into the "Select mode", which is like
Visual mode, but typing a printable character replaces the selection.
CTRL-G can be used to toggle between Visual mode and Select mode.
CTRL-O can be used to switch from Select mode to Visual mode for one command.
The xterm-like selection is now called Clipboard mode.
Added 'select' option: use Shift-<movement key> to start Select mode.
Added 'mousemodel' option: replaces the 'M' flag in 'mouse'.  Allows for
extension with a "mac" mouse model.

Backspace in Visual mode and Select mode deletes the selected area.

Removed 'f' flag from 'mouse'.  Added 'mousefocus' option to replace it.  It's
more logical to have this as a separate option, like 'mousehide', so that it
can be easily switched on/off.

Default for 'winaltkeys' is on.  Best for Windows users.  Experienced Vim
users will find out how to switch it off.


Added:

When the 'number' option is on, highlight line numbers with the LineNr group.

Added "extends:c" to 'listchars': displayed if a line doesn't fit when
'nowrap' is set.

Included exuberant ctags version 2.0.4. (Hiebert)

":unlet" accepts a "!", to ignore non-existing variables, and accepts more
than one argument. (Roemer)

New functions:
browse() puts up a file requester when available. (Negri)
escape() escapes characters in a string with a backslash.
fnamemodify() modifies a file name.

When 't' option is added to or removed from 'guioptions', the tearoffs are
automatically deleted or created. (Negri)
For Motif the tearoff items can now be disabled.

Allow windows to become zero-height.  Scrollbar is removed for zero-height
windows. (Negri)

Win32 GUI: tearoff menu with submenus is indicated with a ">>". (Negri)

New file name modifiers:
":.": reduce file name to be relative to current dir.
":~": reduce file name to be relative to home dir.
":s?pat?sub?": substitute "pat" with "sub" once.
":gs?pat?sub?": substitute "pat" with "sub" globally.

'wildmode' option.  Can be used to set the type of expansion for 'wildchar'.
Replaces the CTRL-T command for command line completion.  Don't beep when
listing all matches.

New configure arguments: --enable-min-features and --enable-max-features.
Easy way to switch to minimum or maximum features.

New compile-time feature: modify_fname.  For file name modifiers, e.g,
"%:p:h".  Can be disabled to save some code (16 bit DOS).


Fixed:

Crash in Win32 GUI version, when using an Ex "@" command, because
LinePointers[] was used while not initialized.

Win32 GUI: ":aunmenu IDE" now completely removes the IDE menu, even when
tooltips exist for it. (Negri)

Win32 GUI: Title of teared-off menu contained '&' characters.
Win32 GUI: tear-offed PopUp menu missed first item. (Negri)

Win32 GUI: allow mapping of Alt-Space.

"make shadow" didn't make links for the *.xbm files.

Output from "vim -h" was sent to stderr.  Sending it to stdout is better, so
one can use "vim -h | more".

Included various fixes for VMS, including file name completion. (Hunsaker)

When 'nowrap' set, tabs at start of line were not displayed correctly.

When using 'f' flag in 'mouse', for focus-follows-mouse, and editing a command
line, moving the mouse moved the cursor to the start of the line.

"dib" didn't work in (c).  Same for other single-character objects.

"ci(" didn't work in func("asdfasdf"), because of the quotes.

In command-line mode, ":vi[!]" should reload the file, just like ":e[!]".
In Ex mode, ":vi" stops Ex mode, but doesn't reload the file.  This is Vi
compatible.

Win32 GUI: when using focus-follows-mouse, splitting a window moved mouse
pointer correctly, but focus could go to wrong window.

Using ":browse" in an xterm caused a crash.  Now it's ignored.

When using a ":set ls=1" in the .gvimrc file, would get a status line for a
single window.  (Robinson)

Didn't give an error message for ":set ai,xx". (Roemer)

Non-Unix systems: That a file exists but is unreadable is recognized as "new
file".  Now check for existence when file can't be opened (like Unix).

Cscope interface didn't deal with absolute path names properly. (Marley)

Unix: osdef.sh didn't handle declarations where the function name is at the
first column of the line.

DJGPP: Shortening of file names didn't work properly, because get_cwd()
returned a path with backslashes. (Negri)

When using a 'comments' part where a space is required after the middle part,
always insert a space when starting a new line.  Helps for C comments, below a
line with "/****".

Replacing path of home directory with "~/" could be wrong for file names
with embedded spaces or commas.

Starting non-Win32 GUI with a "amenu PopUp.Cut x" caused a crash, because the
top menu was not added but the item was.

GUI: When Vim doesn't have keyboard focus, don't do focus-follow-mouse.
GUI: When moving the mouse over the scrollbar, do focus-follow-mouse.

Makefile.bor: Changed $(DEFINES) into a list of "-D" options, so that it can
also be used for the resource compiler. (not tested!)

Didn't give an error message for ":set ai?xx", ":set ai&xx", ":set ai!xx".

When CTRL-L completion (find longest match) results in a shorter string, no
completion is done (happens with ":help").

- Bram