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Definition: XyWrite
Pronounced "zy-write." A venerable text editor and word processing program developed by XyQuest, Inc., Billerica, Massachusetts. Introduced for DOS in 1982, XyWrite was used extensively throughout the 1980s and 1990s in the newspaper and magazine industry as well as by professional writers who needed typographic control over the page layout. It is still used today; in fact, this encyclopedia is written and maintained in XyWrte.
From DOS to Windows to Nota Bene
A Windows version was also created (see XyWrite for Windows). In 1992, XyWrite products were acquired by The Technology Group, Baltimore, MD, which closed its doors in 2001. However, XyWrite lives on in the form of Nota Bene, a technical word processor based on XyWrite code (see Nota Bene).
XyWrite Format Codes
Command Driven Plus Optional Menus
Totally Customizable
From DOS to Windows to Nota Bene
A Windows version was also created (see XyWrite for Windows). In 1992, XyWrite products were acquired by The Technology Group, Baltimore, MD, which closed its doors in 2001. However, XyWrite lives on in the form of Nota Bene, a technical word processor based on XyWrite code (see Nota Bene).
What you are reading is written and maintained in a custom-programmed version of XyWrite. Like HTML and XML, XyWrite embeds tags for formatting; however, they are normally hidden (top) and revealed as needed (bottom). Printer tags were adopted for term name (PT6) and text (PT1). For deployment, conversion programs written in C turn XyWrite files into an XML master from which both Windows and HTML formats are derived. See Windows CDE and HTML.
Although XyWrite is driven by entering codes on the command line, menus can be programmed. The last three lines are some of the programming that created a Search Forward menu. As is quite apparent, the language is downright cryptic; however, for people willing to learn the codes, it adds invaluable functionality to the software.
XyWrite could be customized in every way possible, and this is the "rather well-used" 640-page programming manual.