.TH XTX 1 "UKC local 19/10/85"
.UC
.SH NAME
xtx \- execute embedded text commands
.SH SYNOPSIS
.B xtx
[
.B \-a
] [
.B \-c
letter
|
.B \+ "letter"
] [
.B -e
] files ....
.SH DESCRIPTION
.I Xtx
looks for a magic string in a file and then takes the characters which follow
up to the next newline character as a command to be executed by 
.I sh (1).
The default magic string is
.TP
<\-xtx\-*>.
.PP
Any tabs and spaces which immediately follow the magic string are removed
before the remainder of the line is sent to
.I sh
for execution.
.PP
Several commands can be embedded in the file and selected independently by
the use of selector characters.
If the character * in the xtx command string
is replaced by another (printing) character; then
the line is only executed if the character is specified to 
.I xtx 
using the 
.B -c
letter
or 
.B + letter
switches.
For instance, a string of the form <\-xtx\-l> will only be recognised and
executed if
.I xtx
is called with the argument of `+l'; for Unix purists the form `-c l' may
also be specified with the same effect.
.PP
The arguments to the program are:-
.TP
.B -a
Print all the xtx lines which can be found in the file with their selector
letter.
.TP
.B -e
Echo the command which would be executed by this call to
.I xtx.
.TP
.B -c
is followed by a letter, use this letter as the selector character for the
.I xtx
run.
.B + <letter>
same as -c but allows the selector letter to be specified in the same argument.
.PP
All other arguments are files which are searched for matching command lines;
a `-' on the input causes data to be taken from the standard input for
searching.
.SH "SEE ALSO"
sh(1)
.SH AUTHOR
Peter Collinson UKC.
.PP
The basic idea is not new and exists in several editors (David Tilbrook's)
.I qed
and the infamous
.I vi .
However, the idea of making a tool for it seemed like the right thing to
do.
.PP
By the way,
xtx is pronounced `extex' and is a verb.
It is possible therefore to `extex' a file in order to execute something
on it in whatever way seems reasonable.