The EDT Editor, Rebuilt for Modern Systems

Faithful DEC OpenVMS EDT for Linux and macOS: drop-in commands, ncurses screen mode, GOLD keypad, and extensions – migrated apps keep running without retraining.

Browse Commands

Screen Mode Keys

edit source.cob

$ edit source.cob

EDIT/EDT source.cob

1 IDENTIFICATION DIVISION.

* FIND "PROCEDURE"

4 PROCEDURE DIVISION.

* SUBSTITUTE/GLOBAL "SECTION" "BLOCK"

3 substitutions

* DEFINE MACRO TIDY AS "TOP; FIND TODO; SUBSTITUTE DONE"

* TIDY

Substituted

* EXIT

source.cob written – 312 lines

Capabilities

Everything EDT, and more

VX/EDT implements the full OpenVMS EDT command set plus modern extensions for case-insensitive search, global substitution, redo, paragraph fill, and direct printer output.

🖥️

Line & Screen Modes

Starts in EDT line mode with the familiar * prompt. CHANGE enters full ncurses screen mode with GOLD-key keypad emulation. Ctrl/Z returns to line mode at any time.

🔍

Stateful Search

FIND sets the active search string. FNDNXT repeats in the current direction. ADVANCE and BACKUP control direction. Case-sensitive or general search via SET SEARCH.

♻️

Unlimited Undo & Redo

100-level undo stack captures complete editor state – buffers, cursor, direction, selection, and delete buffers. Full redo stack is built on every undo; cleared on any new mutating command.

📋

Named Buffers

The PASTE buffer provides clipboard functionality. User-named buffers (FIND =TEMP) hold arbitrary text. COPY, MOVE, and CLEAR manage content between buffers.

⌨️

Key & Macro Definitions

Redefine any PF key, GOLD+key, or Ctrl key combination with DEFINE KEY. Chain commands into named macros with DEFINE MACRO. Loaded automatically from EDT.INI.

🛠️

Modern Extensions

Global substitute with /GLOBAL, per-match confirmation with /QUERY, paragraph reformat with FILL, line printer output with PRINT, overstrike mode, and horizontal scroll.

Reference

Line-Mode Command Reference

All commands are case-insensitive. Qualifiers may be appended to any command.

Display TYPE

Command	Description
`TYPE`	Display current line
`TYPE n`	Display line n
`TYPE a THRU b`	Display lines a through b
`TYPE REST`	Display from cursor to end of buffer
`TYPE WHOLE`	Display entire buffer

Navigation

Command	Description
`n`	Move cursor to line n
`TOP`	Move to first line
`BOTTOM`	Move to last line
`ADVANCE`	Set direction forward
`BACKUP`	Set direction backward

Search

Command	Description
`FIND text`	Search for text
`FNDNXT`	Repeat last search
`SET SEARCH EXACT`	Case-sensitive
`SET SEARCH GENERAL`	Case-insensitive

Substitute

Command	Description
`SUBSTITUTE repl`	Replace next match
`SUBSTITUTE/GLOBAL repl`	Replace all occurrences
`SUBSTITUTE/QUERY repl`	Confirm each replacement

Insert & Fill

Command	Description
`INSERT text`	Insert text at cursor
`FILL`	Reformat paragraph to terminal width

Delete

Command	Description
`DELETE`	Delete current line
`DEL W`	Delete word forward
`DEL C`	Delete character at cursor
`DEL EOL`	Delete to end of line

Clipboard

Command	Description
`SELECT`	Anchor select range
`CUT`	Move to PASTE buffer
`PASTE`	Insert PASTE buffer at cursor

Undo & Redo

Command	Description
`UNDO`	Restore to before last command (100 levels)
`REDO`	Re-apply last undone change

Buffer Management

Command	Description
`FIND =NAME`	Switch to named buffer
`COPY range TO =NAME`	Copy lines to named buffer
`MOVE range TO =NAME`	Move lines to named buffer

File I/O

Command	Description
`INCLUDE filename`	Insert file at cursor
`WRITE filename`	Write buffer to file
`PRINT`	Send buffer to printer

Settings

Command	Description
`SET NUMBERS`	Enable line numbers
`SET OVERSTRIKE`	Overwrite mode
`SET INSERT`	Insert mode (default)

Macros & Keys

Command	Description
`DEFINE KEY key AS "cmd"`	Bind key to command
`DEFINE MACRO NAME AS "cmds"`	Define named macro
`SHOW MACROS`	List all macros

Exit

Command	Description
`EXIT`	Save and exit
`QUIT`	Exit without saving
`CHANGE`	Enter screen mode

Qualifiers

Command Qualifiers

Qualifiers may be placed anywhere in a command and multiple qualifiers can be combined.

/QUERY

Prompt Y/N before each SUBSTITUTE replacement

/GLOBAL

Apply SUBSTITUTE to all occurrences

/NOTYPE

Suppress all output

/BRIEF

Terse output format

/SAVE

Auto-save after command

Screen Mode

Keypad & Screen Mode Reference

Enter with CHANGE. Return to line mode with Ctrl/Z. GOLD key is F1/PF1.

🔑 PF Keys

Key	Action
`F1`/`PF1`	GOLD prefix
`F2`/`PF2`	HELP screen
`F3`/`PF3`	FNDNXT
`F4`/`PF4`	Delete line
`GOLD`+`F3`	FIND prompt
`GOLD`+`F4`	Undelete line

↑↓ Cursor

Key	Action
Arrow keys	Move one position
`Home`	Beginning of line
`End`	End of line
`GOLD`+`↑`	TOP
`GOLD`+`↓`	BOTTOM

⌨️ Ctrl Keys

Key	Action
`Ctrl/A`	Toggle insert/overstrike
`Ctrl/E`	End of line
`Ctrl/F`	FNDNXT
`Ctrl/K`	Delete to EOL
`Ctrl/Z`	Return to line mode

🔢 Numeric Keypad

Key	Action
`Kp 0`	LINE move
`Kp 1`	WORD move
`Kp 6`	CUT to PASTE
`Kp .`	SELECT anchor
`Kp -`	DEL W

Configuration

Startup & Configuration

VX/EDT reads EDT.INI at startup and accepts a command file for batch use.

Invocation

Syntax	Description
`edit file.txt`	Open file interactively
`edit file -command cmds.edt`	Run command file then interactive

EDT.INI Example

~/EDT.INI

SET SEARCH GENERAL
SET NUMBERS
DEFINE KEY GOLD Q AS "QUIT"
DEFINE KEY GOLD E AS "EXIT"
DEFINE MACRO TIDY AS "SET NUMBERS; TYPE WHOLE"

Build

Building VX/EDT

Single-file C++17 source. Requires ncurses.

macOS / Clang

clang++ -std=c++17 -Wall -O2 edt.cpp -lncurses -o edt

Linux / GCC

g++ -std=c++17 -Wall -O2 edt.cpp -lncurses -o edt

✅

Requirements

C++17 or later
ncurses or ncursesw
POSIX – macOS 12+, Linux glibc 2.17+
No external runtime dependencies

Frequently Asked Questions

Curious about how Sector7 can facilitate your application migration? Explore our FAQs for expert insights.

Free Code Assessment

What is VX/EDT and when would I use it?

VX/EDT is Sector7’s faithful reimplementation of the DEC OpenVMS EDT editor for Linux and macOS. It preserves familiar line-mode commands, ncurses screen mode, GOLD-key keypad behaviour, and common qualifiers so teams moving off OpenVMS can keep the same editing workflow on POSIX systems.

For the broader platform picture – languages, runtimes, and production cutover – see Sector7’s overview of OpenVMS to Linux and UNIX migration and the technical tools directory.

Do OpenVMS EDT line-mode commands work the same way in VX/EDT?

Yes. VX/EDT is built around a drop-in compatible command set: navigation, FIND / FNDNXT, SUBSTITUTE with qualifiers such as /GLOBAL and /QUERY, buffer operations, INCLUDE / WRITE, and the usual range syntax (THRU, WHOLE, REST, and so on). Commands remain case-insensitive, matching OpenVMS EDT expectations.

Enter full-screen editing with CHANGE or C; return to the asterisk prompt with Ctrl/Z. The on-page command reference summarises behaviour for quick lookup.

How do undo and redo work in VX/EDT?

UNDO (U) restores the editor to the state before the last text-changing command, with up to 100 levels of history. Each undo pushes the current state onto a redo stack so REDO can re-apply the last undone change.

Captured state includes buffer contents, named buffers, cursor position, direction, selection anchor, active search string, and delete buffers – mirroring the depth teams expect from OpenVMS EDT-style editing.

Can VX/EDT run from a command file or non-interactive workflow?

Yes. Launch with edit <file> -command <script> (or the -command=<script> form) to execute a sequence of EDT commands – useful for scripted edits, repeatable migration steps, or CI-style checks alongside other tooling.

For larger automation and assessment across a codebase, many teams pair editor workflows with LegacyScan and Sector7’s broader toolset bundles.

What is required to build VX/EDT from source?

VX/EDT ships as a single-file C++17 source module linked against ncurses (available by default on macOS and typical Linux distributions). A POSIX toolchain – clang++ or g++ – is sufficient; there are no additional runtime dependencies beyond the OS curses library.

The optional PRINT command expects a working lpr or lp line-printer interface when used. Exact compiler examples appear in the Building VX/EDT section on this page.

Where can I get help with a larger OpenVMS migration beyond the editor?

VX/EDT removes a common friction point – keeping the EDT editing experience on modern platforms – but most production moves also involve languages, system services, databases, and operational cutover. Sector7 has delivered large-scale OpenVMS migrations since the 1980s using proprietary converters and proven methodology.

Explore migration services (including the assessment process and zero code freeze approach), browse the VX/TOOLS technical catalog, and contact us to discuss scope, timelines, and tooling fit.

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