Author Topic: Boxer Text Editor (Read 48199 times)

Boxer Software · « **Reply #25 on:** June 27, 2007, 11:19 AM »

I'm almost tempted to download boxer and give it a try again ...
-f0dder (June 27, 2007, 07:26 AM)

Well, "no pain, no gain." Not that switching to Boxer would be especially painful... Allen seems to be enjoying himself.

But it could be one of those things where a small investment in time returns larger dividends in productivity going forward.

(And I'll try to make sure your investment is as small as possible by answering questions.)

Best,

David

http://www.boxersoftware.com

OGroeger · « **Reply #26 on:** July 03, 2007, 01:32 AM »

Hm, i downloaded the trial version and it looks like Boxer doesn't support UTF.

UTF-8 files are displayed incorrectly (ANSI i suppose) and UTF-16 files are handled as binaries.

Boxer Software · « **Reply #27 on:** July 03, 2007, 10:10 AM »

i downloaded the trial version and it looks like Boxer doesn't support UTF.
UTF-8 files are displayed incorrectly (ANSI i suppose) and UTF-16 files are handled as binaries.
-OGroeger

Right... there's no UTF/Unicode support in Boxer at this time. Sorry.

David.

http://www.boxersoftware.com

kovi2 · « **Reply #28 on:** January 07, 2008, 07:45 AM »

Right... there's no UTF/Unicode support in Boxer at this time. Sorry.
-Boxer Software (July 03, 2007, 10:10 AM)

This thread seems to be abandoned. Hope you read it yet, David. I'm looking around to get a new text editor (I've been a big XEmacs-user... maybe not that big since I admit that for some purposes it's better to have some more 'regular' editor). Even commercial editors can enter the scene and I evaluated Boxer (too), and it seems quite useful for me. However that UTF/Unicode support... Well, do you plan to add that?

Thanks,
Szabolcs

tranglos · « **Reply #29 on:** January 07, 2008, 11:57 AM »

However that UTF/Unicode support... Well, do you plan to add that?
-kovi2 (January 07, 2008, 07:45 AM)

Please count me in as another highly interested party.

Generally, it seems to me that many (if not most) shareware text editors are geared towards coding. (Although dedicated IDEs seem to be gaining popularity.) This may account for lack of Unicode/UTF8 support in many otherwise very powerful editors. But coding is only one of many tasks one needs a text editor for, and these other tasks increasingly often require at least UTF-8. Without it, you can't do serious work with XML files, just to mention one example.

In my translation work I've been working exclusively in Unicode for two or three years now, so I can't escape it, even though I think it's pretty evil

Well, UTF-8 is a tolerable necessary evil, but UTF-16 is, IMtotallyHO, true unmitigated concentrated essence of hell-bound evilness, aka the spawn of satan (and I'm being generouos too!)

And yes, I realize that some compilers/interpreters support UTF8 source code files now, but that's primarily Visual Studio, which is already an IDE. Python does as well though, doesn't it?

Boxer Software · « **Reply #30 on:** January 07, 2008, 12:10 PM »

Yes, I certainly do have UTF-8 support on the to-do list. And because I've been seeing more people request this, it's pretty high on the list. So it's coming, but it's not "imminent."

Best,

David

http://www.boxersoftware.com

kovi2 · « **Reply #31 on:** January 07, 2008, 12:20 PM »

Python does as well though, doesn't it?
-tranglos (January 07, 2008, 11:57 AM)

Yes, it does support (but does not require, of course).

And yes, UTF/Unicode support is necessary for many text-based work, not only for programming. To be honest for that alone I wouldn't require that (since I code in English exclusively. Indeed, even for some computer-related work one needs that too, as you just mentioned XML for instance). But if I wish to write text in my native language than it's unavoidable nowadays. (e.g. ő,ű,Ő,Ű, etc.)

kovi2 · « **Reply #32 on:** January 07, 2008, 12:22 PM »

So it's coming, but it's not "imminent."
-Boxer Software (January 07, 2008, 12:10 PM)

Cannot you tell us an estimate, can you? Weeks, months?....

tranglos · « **Reply #33 on:** January 07, 2008, 12:30 PM »

Cannot you tell us an estimate, can you? Weeks, months?....
-kovi2 (January 07, 2008, 12:22 PM)

Never...ask...a...programmer...that...question

Or if you're a programmer, never answer it!

(I know, I've answered that question too many times. Never truthfully.)

ed: Check out this chapter from the Tao of Programming:
http://www.canonical...ogramming.html#book5
(third item in this book)

kovi2 · « **Reply #34 on:** January 07, 2008, 12:37 PM »

Never...ask...a...programmer...that...question
-tranglos (January 07, 2008, 12:30 PM)

I know I know...

But I'm asked that, too all the times. Even worse I have to issue a timeplan sometimes.

I also have to admit that sometimes it is useful... $:-\$

So we will see!

Considering everything it's enough to know that it's gonna be there soon.

Boxer Software · « **Reply #35 on:** January 07, 2008, 04:00 PM »

I've been served well for many years by maintaining a policy of not giving promises or time estimates for new features. To do otherwise can only lead to disappointment. Rather, I encourage people to make a purchase decision based on the product they see, and not on the hope of what it might become.

Best,

David

http://www.boxersoftware.com

kovi2 · « **Reply #36 on:** January 07, 2008, 04:08 PM »

Obviously, I hope you didn't get me wrong.
Furthermore it's better not to have some functionality than to have one suffering from several errors. And especially Unicode support is quite sensitive... There are a big bunch of soft on the field who claim support for that but in real they do not.

2. I saw there's project handling in Boxer. Is it possible (even through macro script) to jump to the definition of a function from the place of its call?

f0dder · « **Reply #37 on:** January 07, 2008, 06:37 PM »

In my translation work I've been working exclusively in Unicode for two or three years now, so I can't escape it, even though I think it's pretty evil Well, UTF-8 is a tolerable necessary evil, but UTF-16 is, IMtotallyHO, true unmitigated concentrated essence of hell-bound evilness, aka the spawn of satan (and I'm being generouos too!)
-tranglos (January 07, 2008, 11:57 AM)

I more or less agree with that. UTF-16 (or rather, UCS-16) is a decent enough internal format (and using UTF-8 for internal is pretty insane and bad). But for exchange, I certainly prefer UTF-8 instead of the other formats (no BOM hell, endian purgatory, etc.)

And yes, I realize that some compilers/interpreters support UTF8 source code files now, but that's primarily Visual Studio, which is already an IDE. Python does as well though, doesn't it?
-tranglos (January 07, 2008, 11:57 AM)

Programming languages should only accept US-ASCII for variable names etc., and imho shouldn't support any of UTF/UCS even for literal strings. It's plain evil. If you want internationalization, do the proper thing and use external files.

jgpaiva · « **Reply #38 on:** January 07, 2008, 07:07 PM »

f0dder: While i agree that it doesn't make much sense for variable names, i think that localized strings make sense for parts of the user interface and possibly for comments, thus, it's interesting to have an editor/compiler that supports it.

I've used utf-8 in java, though, and found it to be quite a mess. (i didn't know how to change the encoding in emacs, and that resulted in uglyness both in the editor and then in the compiled code).

kovi2 · « **Reply #39 on:** January 08, 2008, 12:56 AM »

Programming languages should only accept US-ASCII for variable names etc., and imho shouldn't support any of UTF/UCS even for literal strings. It's plain evil. If you want internationalization, do the proper thing and use external files.
-f0dder (January 07, 2008, 06:37 PM)

Consider that the so-called 'internationalization' is interesting if your native/target language does not need any extra characters and to support other languages is an extra. But for those who develop software primarily not for English area (and for them to support e.g. English is an extra if they add it at all) then they do need UTF/Unicode. Of course, not for variables (even for me it seems useless) but for strings for sure. If you write some special stuff for a local company where everybody prefers one language only (and if it's not English) then you maybe don't want to be bothered by external resources.

f0dder · « **Reply #40 on:** January 08, 2008, 07:20 AM »

jgpaiva: of course localized UI strings are useful for non-english people, my point was just that those strings shouldn't go in source files but instead in external resources. Non-ASCII has no place in source files.

Sure, it's slightly more work than embedding strings directly, but it pays off in the end. Especially once that little in-house tool has grown enough to be useful for other people, or your little local company merges/hires abroad... and it teaches you better habits as well.

Boxer Software · « **Reply #41 on:** January 08, 2008, 08:54 AM »

2. I saw there's project handling in Boxer. Is it possible (even through macro script) to jump to the definition of a function from the place of its call?

Now this is one I am willing to comment on. It's not related to the Project handling (in my mind), but I have already coded a "Jump to Declaration" command that allows for quick movement from a function reference (at the text cursor) to the point at which the function is declared. This command will also be accessible via the macro language.

Since it's already done, I don't mind "promising" that one.

Best,

David

http://www.boxersoftware.com

tranglos · « **Reply #42 on:** March 19, 2008, 06:05 PM »

Boxer is now at version 13 and it now speaks UTF-8 / 16, yay! Will definitely try this release.
Here's part of an email that came today:

PORTABLE/USB EDITING - install Boxer to a USB memory stick for
portable, on-the-go editing. All of Boxer's configuration files
are maintained on the removable medium, and no traces are left on
the host machine.

HEX/BINARY EDITING - Boxer can now be used to edit hex files in a
custom hex editing mode. Edit using two-digit hex codes, or by
entering ASCII characters directly.

UNICODE EDITING - edit UTF-8 and UTF-16 Unicode files, or convert
among ASCII/Unicode formats. Edit XML files, log files, registry
files etc, and any other Unicode files whose multi-byte content
can be mapped onto the current code page.

VISTA COMPATIBLE - Boxer is now fully compatible with Windows
Vista. Boxer maintains its configuration files in a separate
"AppData" folder, apart from its installation location in
"Program Files," in accordance with Vista's User Account Control
(UAC) feature.

... and many, many more. See the full list here:

http://www.boxersoft...re.com/changes13.htm

kovi2 · « **Reply #43 on:** March 20, 2008, 01:59 AM »

Yes, I certainly do have UTF-8 support on the to-do list.
-Boxer Software (January 07, 2008, 12:10 PM)

Hahaa, it's there, really. Will give another try.

AbteriX · « **Reply #44 on:** March 20, 2008, 12:43 PM »

PORTABLE/USB EDITING - install Boxer to a USB memory stick
... ...
http://www.boxersoft...re.com/changes13.htm
-tranglos (March 19, 2008, 06:05 PM)

Very welcome, thank you David