path: root/erts/doc/src/werl.xml

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  <header>
    <copyright>
      <year>1998</year><year>2016</year>
      <holder>Ericsson AB. All Rights Reserved.</holder>
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      Licensed under the Apache License, Version 2.0 (the "License");
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    <title>werl</title>
    <prepared>Bj&ouml;rn Gustavsson</prepared>
    <responsible>Bjarne D&auml;cker</responsible>
    <docno>1</docno>
    <approved>Bjarne D&auml;cker</approved>
    <checked></checked>
    <date>98-01-26</date>
    <rev>A</rev>
    <file>werl.xml</file>
  </header>
  <com>werl</com>
  <comsummary>The Erlang Emulator</comsummary>
  <description>
    <p>On Windows, the preferred way to start the Erlang system for interactive use is:</p>
    <p><c><![CDATA[werl <arguments>]]></c></p>

    <p>This will start Erlang in its own window, with fully
      functioning command-line editing and scrollbars.  All flags
      except <c><![CDATA[-oldshell]]></c> work as they do for
      the <seealso marker="erl">erl</seealso> command.</p>

    <p>Ctrl-C is reserved for copying text to the clipboard (Ctrl-V to paste).
      To interrupt the runtime system or the shell process (depending on what
      has been specified with the +B system flag), you should use Ctrl-Break.</p>
    <p>In cases where you want to redirect standard input and/or
      standard output or use Erlang in a pipeline, the <c>werl</c> is
      not suitable, and the <c>erl</c> program should be used instead.</p>
    
    <p>The <c>werl</c> window is in many ways modelled after the <c>xterm</c> 
      window present on other platforms, as the <c>xterm</c> model
      fits well with line oriented command based interaction. This
      means that selecting text is line oriented rather than rectangle
      oriented.</p>

    <p>To select text in the <c>werl</c> window , simply press and hold
      the left mouse button and drag the mouse over the text you want
      to select. If the selection crosses line boundaries, the
      selected text will consist of complete lines where applicable
      (just like in a word processor). To select more text than fits
      in the window, start by selecting a small portion in the
      beginning of the text you want, then use the scrollbar
      to view the end of the desired selection, point to it and press
      the <em>right</em> mouse-button. The whole area between your
      first selection and the point where you right-clicked will be
      included in the selection.</p>

    <p>The selected text is copied to the clipboard by either
      pressing <c>Ctrl-C</c>, using the menu or pressing the copy 
      button in the toolbar.</p>

    <p>Pasted text is always inserted at the current prompt position
      and will be interpreted by Erlang as usual keyboard input.</p>

    <p>Previous command lines can be retrieved by pressing the <c>Up
      arrow</c> or by pressing <c>Ctrl-P</c>. There is also a drop
      down box in the toolbar containing the command
      history. Selecting a command in the drop down box will insert it
      at the prompt, just as if you used the keyboard to retrieve the
      command.</p>
   
    <p>Closing the <c>werl</c> window will stop the Erlang emulator.</p>

  </description>
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