Features for a *5 stars* Programming editor?

[VLS]

What would be the features you would demand from a top-notch programming editor?

I have used several programming editors and have found many features in some that in my opinion should be standard to have a single 5-stars programming editor.

Mine are:

° Region folding

Reason: Hiding selected pieces of code easily to read the surrounding ones.

° Indentation guides

Reason: Visually helping in keeping track of starts/ends of functions, subroutines, flow-control loops, etc.

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° Alternating line background:

Easy on the eyes to see the lines as they flow.

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Current line highlighting:

Even if you get alternating background, you still need to easily find the caret on current line, this helps.

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°Auto-completion + Auto-indentation:

As much auto-completion as possible is always good.

Typing a bit of an expression and getting the rest of the expression for free is a must

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If you type "if", you will need to type the corresponding "end if"... the editor should offer the ability to do that for you, and position the current with an indentation level.

Completion also goes for "", {}, [] and so on.

° Subroutines and Functions browser:

Reason: you need to simply double-click on function name to go to the line where the code for it starts.

Specially useful on large projects.

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Well, I vouch for finding that perfect programming editor with all of the above.

[VLS]

As a fellow programmer... What would you ask from a programming editor?

[Bayes]

Hi Victor,

If I'm using Euphoria, which I am most of the time, I tend to stick with the standard editor which comes with the language. It's quite minimalistic in lots of ways but has some nice features such auto-indentation and auto-completion of control structures, which is very handy especially if you're deep in indentation. It also has split screens, which can perform the same function as screen folding, and useful for comparing and/or cutting and pasting sections of code in the same program (or different programs). This is better than having tabbed screens, because with tabs you can't see both programs at the same time.

Something you mention which it doesn't have is the function browser. There is a way of jumping to function/procedure but you have to make a note of where it is (line number) and then use "goto", which is a bit clunky.

You can also run OS commands from within the editor, and it has its own built-in "trace" screen for debugging. It's a console mode editor (ascii),  which might seem archaic, but once you learn the keystrokes it's actually a lot more efficient than moving from mouse to keyboard and back again. A lot of pro programmers swear by "vim" which is the classic unix editor (but also available on Windows). Quite a steep learning curve I believe, but highly configurable.

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[VLS]

Dear Bayes, thanks for taking the time to interact.

What mesmerizes me is the features above should be default to every programmer's editor, in an opt-in fashion perhaps, but they should "be there" for those who require it.

Once you get used to a feature from an editor, it is hard to live without it at the others (the sub/function browser being one, also the indentation guides; as useful as they are for assisting in viewing the code, I don't get why even major IDEs lack them!).

...I guess like they say: if you want to do it right, you have to do it yourself!

I wonder how much  programming would be necessary for achieving an IDE like I want...



Have you tried other editors for Euphoria?

I was gladly surprised once I experienced out of the major ones and played with not-so-known editors which have tasty features I liked; the nuisance is having to copy/paste the code form this editor to the program's original one, but it is worth in exchange of an increase in productivity time.



I also wonder what are ThomasGrant's and superman's experiences and wish list

Any fellow programmer can voice an opinion. Esoito, Anima-t3d or any other regardless of language used to code.

It is always interesting to see other people's point of views regarding something so "sacred" (for some) and so subjective (for others) when dealing with the programmer's editor of choice.

[Bayes]

Victor,

I think it's easy to get attached to your favourite editor, even if it's less than optimal. I agree, your list of features should be standard in any programmer's editor. I can probably get away with using a simple editor because I don't do a lot of heavy GUI work, or use an OO language, although I'm planning on learning some Python and Javascript, so I'll be shopping around for an alternative. Back when I was using Windows I used quite a nice editor called "Context".

There's a wiki page on comparison of text editors, might be worth checking out.

[Anima-t3d]

I tried notepad++, dreamweaver, zend,...

I like dreamweaver the most.

The features not mentioned and which I find key too are:
-colors for different part of the code (like: plain text to be printed, variables, functions, ...)
-find and replace
-syntax checker
-auto complete variable names (like while type you get suggestion dropdown and if you hit enter the word gets autocompleted, same for functions)

I don't necessarily need the current line highlighting, I like the numbered lines though.

[superman]

I also wonder what are ThomasGrant's and superman's experiences and wish list

Region folding is something I would find a help, the programme I currently use does not have this.

I have always built by inserting end tags as soon as I add a start tag, so I don't get caught later, it's now default behaviour for me. I suppose until you've had all the bells and whistles, there's not much you miss.

[VLS]

the programme I currently use does not have this.

And which editor would that be?

Thanks for participating!

[superman]

I use the built in editor of Autoit, it's called SciTE

[VLS]

I tried notepad++, dreamweaver, zend,...

Zend is the Rolls-Royce of php editors, no doubt

I currently PhpED by NUsphere is fair for php too.

The features not mentioned and which I find key too are:
-colors for different part of the code (like: plain text to be printed, variables, functions, ...)
-find and replace
-syntax checker
-auto complete variable names (like while type you get suggestion dropdown and if you hit enter the word gets autocompleted, same for functions)

Absolutelly!

Thanks for particpating dear A3D.

[VLS]

I use the built in editor of Autoit, it's called SciTE

Is remember Scintilla the control SciTE is built upon.

The editor is good, and you are right. If I were used to window's notepad I wouldn't miss any feature after I have been exposed to them by other editors

Kind of doing manual clicking again for a numerical list of bets after being exposed to an automated clicker and watching it in action... sure you'll miss it!

[VLS]

Back when I was using Windows I used quite a nice editor called "Context".

The yellow line highlighting capture displayed above is from ConTEXT!