I have updated idl.el to version 1.8.  idl.el is a emacs
editing/formatting mode for IDL ".pro" files.  The new version can be
obtained by anonymous FTP from esrg.ucsb.edu, file pub/idl/idl.el -
(the site of the Frequently Asked Question file). Or I can email it
directly to anyone who contacts me.

Changes from version 1.6 (nothing big):

Changed many of the defaults: electic commands (padding with spaces,
automatic capitalization of keywords, etc.) are off by default.  Now
use "C-j" for return and indent (now RET just inserts a carriage
return).  When enabled, padding with spaces (=,<,>, etc.) inserts a
_minimum_ (the default) of spaces.

Added menus (for emacs v19): Main menu bar IDL menu (requires
easymenu.el); pop-up list of program units in the file (requires
imenu.el).  No effect in emacs v18.

Fixed some bugs.

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For those who use Emacs and IDL but are unfamiliar with idl.el here is
a list of idl-mode features:

* custom key map.
* movement commands up/down/across blocks and units.
* indentation of blocks, continuation statements.
* insertion of templates for standard control blocks.
* comment paragraph filling, region (un)commenting.
* header and history modification insertion.
* "electric actions" - abbrev expansion (e.g., macros), capitalization
  of keywords, padding of operators (=, <, etc).
* automatic line splitting and continuation.
* menus - pop up a list of procedures/functions in the file for quick
  movement.  Main menu bar IDL menu with general commands.
* all features are customizable.

Read the installation instructions toward the beginning of the file.

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Please let me know about bugs/features/criticisms that I can use to
improve idl.el.

Chris Chase

P.S. At the archive site is available idl-shell.el which runs idl
inside an emacs buffer instead of a terminal window - very useful for
command history and output manipulation. Plus it contains rudimentary
features for IDL code debugging such as setting breakpoints in sources
and stepping through the source file.  It is based on comint.el which
is used in many Emacs subprocess modes such as shell-mode.

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The Applied Physics Laboratory
The Johns Hopkins University
(301)953-6000 x8529
chris_chase@jhuapl.edu