BIM-EDIT/XP differs from BIM-EDIT in the operation of the command line in the following ways:
A command string can be up to 256 characters in length. The view of the command line will shift left and right as needed to accomodate typing or viewing.
If the question mark (?) or slash (/) is entered in column 1 of the command line, the previous command string from the command log will be inserted in the command line. This occurs as soon as the question mark or slash is entered.
BIM-EDIT does not provide a command log -- it maintains only the last command string. As such, entering the question mark always causes the last command string entered to be inserted into the command line.
Note also that BIM-EDIT/XP requires only the entry of the question mark or slash whereas BIM-EDIT requires entry of the question mark followed by the Enter key.
The equals character (=) functions the same in BIM-EDIT/XP as in BIM-EDIT except that the additional Enter key is not needed.
BIM-EDIT/XP never processes the contents of the command line until the BufferExecute command is invoked (this command is assigned to the Enter key). As such, it is possible to invoke other commands before the command being typed. For example, you can page up or down within an active session by pressing the PageUp or PageDown keys even though you are in the middle of typing a command on the command line.
BIM-EDIT processes the command line anytime data is transmitted to the host. Therefore, paging up or down via PF keys is not possible while entering data on the command line since pressing a PF key causes a transmission to the host.
If the active cursor is in the session text area, you can jump to the command line at any time by pressing and releasing the right Ctrl key. You can then return to the same location in the session text area by pressing and releasing the right Alt key.
With BIM-EDIT, you jump to the command line by pressing the Home key. The only way of returning to the same location in the session text area is by using cursor or tab commands to move the cursor to the original location.
A useful feature in BIM-EDIT/XP which has no counterpart in BIM-EDIT is the command line "pass through" facility. If a key combination is not relevant for command line processing but is relevant for session text processing, the key combination can be used even while entering a command on the command line. For example, the DownArrow key has no relevance to command line processing. As such, it can be used to move the session cursor down even while the active cursor is on the command line. BIM-EDIT/XP implements this facility by availing itself of the C and N key assignment environments (see &.APPL vs. &.HSTBI - Key Assignments and Key Assignment Table).
As an example of its utility, consider the case of a FileLibrary display. By maintaining the active cursor on the command line, you can immediately enter a command such as:
=> ed file1
On the other hand, if the file that you wish to edit is described in the display, you can use the UpArrow and DownArrow keys to position the session cursor on the line describing the file. The ContextEdit command is then invoked by pressing F12.
The same operation in BIM-EDIT requires you to jump back and forth between the command line and the session text.