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POSIX revision 1.1
      1 This version of ed is not strictly POSIX compliant, as described in the
      2 POSIX 1003.2 Draft 11.2 document.  BSD commands have been implemented
      3 wherever they do not conflict with the POSIX standard.  For backwards
      4 compatibility, the POSIX rule that says a range of addresses cannot be
      5 used where only a single address is expected has been relaxed.
      6 
      7 The BSD commands included are:
      8 	1) the `s' command (i.e., s[rgp]*) to repeat a previous substitution,
      9 	2) the `W' command for appending text to an existing file,
     10 	3) the `wq' command for exiting after a write, and
     11 	4) the `z' command for scrolling through the buffer.
     12 BSD line addressing syntax (i.e., `^' and `%').  is also recognized.
     13 
     14 The POSIX interactive global commands `G' and `V' are extended to support
     15 multiple commands, including `a', `i' and `c'.  The command format is the
     16 same as for the global commands `g' and `v', i.e., one command per line
     17 with each line, except for the last, ending in a backslash (\).
     18 
     19 If crypt is available, files can be read and written using DES encryption.
     20 The `x' command prompts the user to enter a key used for encrypting/
     21 decrypting subsequent reads and writes.  If only a newline is entered as
     22 the key, then encryption is disabled.  Otherwise, a key is read in the
     23 same manner as a password entry.  The key remains in effect until
     24 encryption is disabled.  For more information on the encryption algorithm,
     25 see the bdes(1) man page.  Encryption/decryption should be fully compatible
     26 with SunOS DES.
     27 
     28 An extension to the POSIX file commands `E', `e', `r', `W' and `w' is that
     29 <file> arguments are processed for backslash escapes, i.e.,  any character
     30 preceded by a backslash is interpreted literally.  A trailing backslash
     31 is ignored.  If the first unescaped character of a <file> argument is a
     32 bang (!), then the rest of the line is interpreted as a shell command,
     33 and no escape processing is performed by ed.  This rule does not apply to
     34 the 'f' command (described below).
     35 
     36 While the default file name cannot be set to a shell command (i.e.,
     37 !<shell-cmd>) via any of the `r', `w', and `e' commands, POSIX evidently
     38 does not preclude using the `f' command for this purpose.  Upon reading
     39 or writing the default file when its name begins with a bang, ed
     40 interprets the rest of the line as a shell command and attempts to execute
     41 it.  Escape processing is not performed in this case.
     42 
     43 If ed is invoked with a name argument prefixed by a bang, then the
     44 remainder of the argument is interpreted as a shell command.  To invoke
     45 ed on a file whose name starts with bang, prefix the name with a backslash.
     46 --
     47 The following commands are neither part of POSIX 1003.2 D11/2 nor are
     48 they supported in this version of ed.
     49 
     50 The vi command: (addr1,addr2) !<shell-cmd> which replaces a range of
     51 lines with the output of a shell command is not supported.
     52 
     53 The vi command: [rwe] !!, where !! is replaced by the previous
     54 !<shell-cmd> is not supported.
     55