Guide to the DEC Text Processing Utility

This guide introduces the DEC Text Processing Utility (DECTPU), a high-performance, programmable text processing utility and language designed for OpenVMS Alpha and VAX systems (version 7.3). Aimed at both experienced and new programmers, DECTPU allows users to develop and customize text manipulation applications, including its default editor, the Extensible Versatile Editor (EVE), which is itself written in DECTPU.

The document details DECTPU's procedural programming language, encompassing an extensive set of data types (e.g., Array, Buffer, Integer, Pattern, String, Widget, Window), operators, declarations, statements, built-in procedures, and user-written procedures, alongside robust error handling.

Users can invoke DECTPU interactively via DCL's EDIT/TPU command, from DCL command procedures, or in batch jobs. It is highly configurable through various command-line qualifiers (e.g., for character sets, command/section files, display, journaling) and different types of startup files. Key features include journaling (keystroke and buffer-change) for work recovery, support for screen-oriented editing on various terminals, and integration with the DECwindows Motif environment for GUI development. The guide also covers DECTPU program development, compilation, execution, and debugging.