Messages

1

General Software Discussion / Re: The Best Of: text editors

« on: April 30, 2009, 03:36 PM »

Hello tranglos,

thanks for suggestion I understand this is DC forum, but please leave them also on Hippoedit forum, then request would be easier to track

I do hope you can enable the visual guidance features for XML, too, since this is a very common file format. (Note that some of the related options are still enabled for XML under Tools -> Syntax settings, even though they are not currently supported).

Yes I realize that, just did not have time to work on XML outlining yet. The settings are available because: indent guides are available in XML , outlining can still work because collapsing of comments works (also outlining feature that does not need tag pairs). I am trying to disable features which are not supported in syntax definition, so probably they are supported partially, if enabled.

A word about scripting, if I may.

Yes I am planning to use MS Active Scripting (same that EmEditor use). There is already discussion about what should be inside on HippoEDIT forum. You can add you comments there, but most already there.

I don't have a lot of new suggestions right now, except maybe to steal a few useful little features from other editors. When editing any tagged format, I like the single-key commands to select (a) the whole tag; (b) the whole contents between a matching pair of tags; (c) a matching pair of tags including the content in between. That's very useful when restructuring a document.

Hm.. On of the rules in Hippoedit development I am trying to keep: no specialization of the engine for any specific language. If something is needed - it should be done in generic way and available for all languages (syntaxes). If something is not possible in generic way - it should be done as plug-in or script. Otherwise you get such monster program as UltraEdit
a), b), c) can be fullfiled partially using ExpandSelection command (Alt+Down)

For HTML and XML editing, the ability to automatically insert a closing tag would help a lot;

See comments about specialization before, but also something possible You can use code templates (at least for HTML). Do not know about special sync edit for XML tags, but generic synchronized editing in plans. Sync edit for column mode already exist. So, maybe, I would think about special XML edit plug-in in the future.

I see HE uses the 0-9 bookmark scheme, but do you think it would be possible in the future to have either unlimited bookmarks

they are already supported - see More bookmarks section in menu.

, or a different implementation that would allow users to perform editing operations on bookmarks lines (or on all lines containing a search term)?

Already added in latest betas (check forum): you can search/replace in bookmarked lines, copy/copy append/cut them, delete or invert

Best regards,
Alex.

2

General Software Discussion / Re: The Best Of: text editors

« on: April 28, 2009, 05:47 PM »

Hi tranglos,

thanks for comparison and thread It gives some ideas what people need more.

Some comments about the Hippoedit review:

• Name - too late to change I had some reasons for such selection. There is already a forum thread (Hippoedit forum) about this
• The hierarchy bar, indentation guides, nesting indicators etc. - really, does not work for xml. Reason is HippoEDIT nature All syntax highlighting, outlining, autocomletion etc based on generic syntax schemes. Nothing is hardcoded for special language (as in all Scintilla based editors or editors where you have something like C++ or HTML style in definitions). And till now I have not invent way to describe rules for outlining XML (it does not have predefined start/end tags). So there s not outlining for XML, and Hierarchy Bar and nesting levels working based on outlining results (better to say not working in case of XML). But this is on to-do and would come. Then Hierarchy Bar etc would work automatically.
• Many toggles in the menu (e.g. options to show/hide a particular element of the interface) are not shown checked or unchecked according to whether an option is enabled. - please write on HippoEDIT forum or to support was exactly is missing. I would fix this. I think indication for bars was already added (last betas).
• No support for macros or scripting at all. - this would be added in next major version - 1.50

Also HE can have several shortcuts for same command and can show unclosed tags or braces in code and on Overview Bar .

Just registered to write a response
If you see some problems in HippoEDIT ask on forum or write me personally. Would try as fast as I can

And at the end:
As reviewer you can get a free hippoedit license (details here), if you do not have one already Write me if you need it and do not have yet.

Best regards,
Alex.