The dtpad utility is a basic editor that supports editing text files in a manner consistent with other common GUI (Graphical User Interface) text manipulation and file access mechanisms (such as Macintosh or MS Windows based text editors). As characters are typed, they are immediately inserted into the text. The editor has five pull-down menus: File, Edit, Format, Options and Help.

To start the dtpad, type dtpad at any UNIX prompt. Or click if you are using the CDE (Common Desktop Environment), click on the text editor icon on the tool bar.

• To move the cursor around, use the arrow keys, Page Up, Page Down, Home, End or the mouse. To move around in the file without moving the cursor, use the scrollbars at the bottom and right side of the window.
• Use Back Space or Delete to delete singled characters.

1. File
• New
  Closes any open files and opens a fresh window.
• Open
  A file browser pops up. Use this window to navigate directories to find the desired file. Double-click on the directory name to change directories. When the file is found, highlight that file in the "Files" list. Click OK to open the file in dtpad, Cancel to cancel the open command, Update to refresh the files list if needed or Help to get some help.
• Include
  Includes a specified file in the currently opened document. A file browser pops up. Use this window to navigate directories to find the desired file. Double-click on the directory name to change directories. When the file is found, highlight that file in the "Files" list. Click OK to include the file, Cancel to cancel the include command, Update to refresh the files list if needed or Help to get some help.
• Save
  Saves the file. If the file is new, Save As will be invoked instead.
• Save As
  Saves the file with a specified filename in a specified directory. To specify the filename, type the filename in the Enter file name: field in the file browser that pops up. To specify the directory, use the file browser to navigate directories; double-click on the directory name to change directories. Click OK to save the file, Cancel to cancel the Save As command, Update to refresh the files list if needed or Help to get some help.
• Print
  When Print is selected, a print window pops up. Specify the print by typing the printerÆs name in the Printer: field. Specify the number of copies to be printed in the Copies: field. Specify a header by typing in the Banner Page Title: field. Select whether or not page numbers are printed by clicking on the box next to Print Page Numbers. Specify any print options in the Print Options: field; note that these are options in the lp command (use man lp for a list of options). Click Print to print the document, Cancel to cancel the Print command or Help to get some help.
• Close
  Exits dtpad. If a file is open and hasnÆt been saved, Save As will be invoked automatically before the program ends.
  
2. Edit
• Undo
  Undoes previous actions.
• Cut
  Use the mouse (or the Shift key + the arrow keys, or Page Up, or Page Down, Home or End) to highlight the text to be cut and stored in the clipboard. Select Cut. The text can be reinserted into the file by placing the cursor at the desired location and using Paste.
• Copy
  Use the mouse (or the Shift key + the arrow keys, or Page Up, or Page Down, Home or End) to highlight the text to be copied to the clipboard. Select Copy. The text can be inserted into the file by placing the cursor at the desired location and using Paste.
• Paste
  Pastes text that has been cut or copied at the current cursor position.
• Clear
  Replaces the highlighted text with spaces. Use the mouse (or the Shift key + the arrow keys, or Page Up, or Page Down, Home or End) to highlight the text to be cleared.
• Delete
  Deletes the highlighted text without copying it to the clipboard. Use the mouse (or the Shift key + the arrow keys, or Page Up, or Page Down, Home or End) to highlight the text to be deleted.
• Select All
  Highlights all of the text in the document.
• Find/Change
  Pops up a find/change window.
• Use the Find: field to specify the search string; note that the search is case-sensitive. Click on the Find button to find the string in the document.
• Use the Change: field to specify a replacement string for the string in the Find: field. Click on the Change button to change the next occurrence of the string in the Find: field or Change All to change all of the occurrences of the string in the document.
• Click on Close to exit Find/Change or click on Help to get some help.
• Check Spelling
  Produces a listing of all the misspelled words in the document. It is up to the user to correct all spelling mistakes as there is no dictionary available. The spell checker just points out misspellings.
• Click on the Find button to find the string in the document.
• Use the Change To: field to specify a replacement string for the highlighted misspelled word. Click on the Change button to change the next occurrence of the word in the Find: field or Change All to change all of the occurrences of the word in the document.
• Click on Close to exit Check Spelling or click on Help to get some help.
  
3. Format
• Settings
  Provides a means to change the text formatting options.
• Use the Left Margin: field to specify the left margin width. Do the same for the right margin using Right Margin:.
• Click on the diamonds to specify the desired alignment.
• Click on Paragraph to format the paragraph where the cursor is with the current format settings. Click on All to format the entire document with the current format settings.
• Click on Close to exit the settings window or Help to get some help.
• Paragraph
  Formats the paragraph where the cursor is positioned with the current format settings.
• All
  Formats the entire document with the current format settings.
  
4. Options
• Overstrike
  If this option is selected, any text at the cursor location is overwritten when new text is added. Otherwise, new text is inserted without deleting any characters.
• Wrap to Fit
  Wraps the text to a new line when the line becomes longer than the right margin specified in the format settings.
• Status Line
  Creates an informational bar at the bottom of the screen which relates the total number of lines in the document and the line number where the cursor is located.
5. Help
   Lists the various help items offered by dtpad. Click on the appropriate option to receive help. Use the mouse to navigate the help windows. To close a help window, click on the word File at the top left of the window and select Close.