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Programming Aids & Other Features (continued)

On-screen, hyperlinked source view

You can call up the source for any word by typing LOCATE <name> or by double-clicking any Forth word that appears on the screen (in any context). This displays the line in the source on which the word appears, with several lines before and after it. You may view neighboring regions in the source file by pressing Alt-PageUp or Alt-PageDown.

Linked editor access

You may invoke your linked editor for your most recently viewed word by typing EDIT or by selecting Edit from the menu obtained by a right mouse click. You can also summon your linked editor for a specific file using the Edit option on the File menu.

Status line display

The "status line" at the bottom of the SwiftForth window shows a number of useful pieces of information, including the number base and current stack contents.

Configurable system warnings and error messages

A system warning scheme provides optional warnings of potentially serious errors. These include redefinitions of Forth words and possible attempts to compile or store absolute addresses, which is inappropriate (see the SwiftForth Reference Manual). Warnings are optional: you may configure SwiftForth to report only certain classes of warnings, or disable warnings altogether. In addition, you may configure where both warnings and error messages (from THROW) are displayed: either in the command window, a separate dialog box, or both. Even if warnings are disabled, error messages will always be displayed.

Command history buffer

Commands you've typed may be recalled from a 4Kb buffer, using the up- and down-arrow keys. The command line itself may be edited via the left- and right-arrow keys on the keypad, with insert and delete supported. You can launch a separate window showing the command history buffer, and you can type in it, edit it, and copy/paste from it to the Command window. You can also save it as a file, to replay as a "script."

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