Entering Block Commands

Using Line Commands › Entering Block Commands

Entering Block Commands

What to Consider

You can use line commands to modify a block of definition lines at one time. The following considerations apply when you use line commands for a block of lines:

You use block commands to perform an operation on two or more consecutive lines. For example, you can move three consecutive lines by using the block move command, as follows:

Sample input:

 %mb(space)This is the beginning of the text block
     This is the middle of the text block
 %me(space)This is the end of the text block
  %a(space)This is the line after which you move text

Sample results:

   This is the line after which you move text
   This is the beginning of the text block
   This is the middle of the text block
   This is the end of the text block

You can enter line commands in any order. For example, you can specify the target line (%A or %B) either before or after indicating the line or block of lines. After you have entered all the line commands for the specified operation, you perform the operation by pressing Enter.
The editor displays the literal BLK (block) in the message area of the screen after you have entered a block command. The editor continues to display this literal as a reminder until you either complete or cancel the current copy, delete, move, or replace operation.

Common Text Editing Errors

The text editor assumes that you made an error when you enter conflicting commands. In this case, the editor nullifies all the line commands that you entered. The following table demonstrates text editing errors:

Type of error	Example
Mixing block commands	%CB(space) (copy begin) . . . %ME(space) (move end)
Specifying a target line inside a block	%CB(space) . . %A(space)◄ This is a target inside a block to be copied %CE(space)
Specifying the start of the block after the end of the block	%CE(space)◄ This is the end of a block . . . %CB(space)◄ This is the beginning of the block

Type of error

Example

Mixing block commands

%CB(space) (copy begin)

%ME(space) (move end)

Specifying a target line inside a block

%CB(space)

%A(space)◄ This is a target inside a block to be copied

%CE(space)

Specifying the start of the block after the end of the block

%CE(space)◄ This is the end of a block

%CB(space)◄ This is the beginning of the block