no syntax highlighting: Using a basic text editor such as notepad or 'editpad' on windows platform

[Brandon Blackmoor]

On Sun, 27 Jul 2003 17:23:14 +0000 (UTC), "ChronicFatigue"
<NOSPAMsimon@chronic-fatigue.co.uk> wrote:

>
> Would I be making it too hard on myself if I didnt even use a programmers
> text editor which features syntax highlighting?

I use TextPad, which offers syntax highlighting, and I don't have a
problem with it.

[David Walker]

> Would I be making it too hard on myself if I didnt even use a programmers

> text editor which features syntax highlighting?

Its entirely personal preference. I personally just use plain and simple
notepad - it just works! Won't mess with your code trying to be helpful or
anything - its a What You Type Is What You Get editor!
On the other hand, a lot of people like things to be done automatically,
although theres not much of that with PHP, but enven syntax highlighting
some couldn't cope without, others aren't too fussed (me included). It will
make obvious errors easy to spot immediately, but generally if you develop
with PHP warnings on full then that'll tell you the problem line number and
you can go straight there and the problem is usually pretty obvious.

David

[Joshua Ghiloni]

David Walker wrote:

>>Would I be making it too hard on myself if I didnt even use a programmers
>>text editor which features syntax highlighting?

>
>
> Its entirely personal preference. I personally just use plain and simple
> notepad - it just works! Won't mess with your code trying to be helpful or
> anything - its a What You Type Is What You Get editor!
> On the other hand, a lot of people like things to be done automatically,
> although theres not much of that with PHP, but enven syntax highlighting
> some couldn't cope without, others aren't too fussed (me included). It will
> make obvious errors easy to spot immediately, but generally if you develop
> with PHP warnings on full then that'll tell you the problem line number and
> you can go straight there and the problem is usually pretty obvious.
>
> David
>
>

Notepad is missing two key features in my opinion:
- Multiple open documents (as was mentioned before)
- It doesn't keep your current indent level (God how that irritates me.)

I stick with GVim. There's even a decent windows port.

[s a n j a y]

anybody tried EditPlus?


"ChronicFatigue" <NOSPAMsimon@chronic-fatigue.co.uk> wrote in message
news:bg11q2$p70$1@titan.btinternet.com...

> Have been using WYSIWYG software for a while know (DM MX and Homesite 5)

for

> mainly html work... am now learning php.
>
> Am coming round to just using a simple text editor such as notepad or
> editpad as I figure in the long run I will learn the code more....
>
> also was thinking that syntax highlighting whilst making the code easier

to

> read could slow things down if you are reading code in print or viewing
> source in black and white as the eye could be used to viewing the code
> color..
>
> Would I be making it too hard on myself if I didnt even use a programmers
> text editor which features syntax highlighting?
>
>
>
>
>

[Andreas Paasch]

ChronicFatigue wrote:

> Have been using WYSIWYG software for a while know (DM MX and Homesite 5)
> for mainly html work... am now learning php.
>
> Am coming round to just using a simple text editor such as notepad or
> editpad as I figure in the long run I will learn the code more....
>
> also was thinking that syntax highlighting whilst making the code easier
> to read could slow things down if you are reading code in print or viewing
> source in black and white as the eye could be used to viewing the code
> color..
>
> Would I be making it too hard on myself if I didnt even use a programmers
> text editor which features syntax highlighting?

Back in those days ... on windows I was using HTMLkit, wonderful tool. Could
automate things, but that could even be disabled.
On Linux, I'm sworn on kate with syntax highlighting.

/Andreas

--
Registeret Linux user #292411

[JJordan]

I started with notepad, but after going to a PHP users group and picking the
brains of the "old-timers" who have been coding PHP for many years, here is
the list of tools I found out about:

* HTMLKit (chami.com ) (this one was popular with many coders)
* Vim (.org)
* VI (.org) (the real old times liked this and VIM, especially those use to
Unix command line editing)
* DreamWeaver MX (cost prohibitive for many)
* Homesite (4.5 or 5)
* textpad (.com)
* emax
* zend (.com)
* tidy (was highly recommended for code cleanup)

I believe Eclipse has a plug-in for PHP code recognition as well.

Of course each coder had their own favorite for different reasons.
I found notepad was good in the beginning for simple coding and for forcing
me to learn the language and proper syntax. However, I had problems when
opening files created by other coders I was working with, as they were using
more sophisticated tools (like Dreamweaver MX and Homesite 5). When I
opened their files in notepad I had extra characters (carriage returns I am
guessing) that appeared as garbage, and the formatting was a mess.

I have just recently started using Homesite 5 myself and find the code
highlighting helpful. I don't use any of the automated features, just type
in the code as I did in notepad.

JMHO
JJordan

"ChronicFatigue" <NOSPAMsimon@chronic-fatigue.co.uk> wrote in message
news:bg11q2$p70$1@titan.btinternet.com...

> Have been using WYSIWYG software for a while know (DM MX and Homesite 5)

for

> mainly html work... am now learning php.
>
> Am coming round to just using a simple text editor such as notepad or
> editpad as I figure in the long run I will learn the code more....
>
> also was thinking that syntax highlighting whilst making the code easier

to

> read could slow things down if you are reading code in print or viewing
> source in black and white as the eye could be used to viewing the code
> color..
>
> Would I be making it too hard on myself if I didnt even use a programmers
> text editor which features syntax highlighting?
>
>
>
>
>

[David Walker]

> Notepad is missing two key features in my opinion:

> - Multiple open documents (as was mentioned before)

Well, I can open a new document in a new instance of notepad! Not really
much difference whether I get a new icon in the taskbar from another
instance of the program running or one artificially added for an additional
document opened in the same program. Notepad is so small that it doesn't
make any difference. Works perfectly for what I want, I really don't see
what advantage multiple documents within a single instance of the same
program would give me.

> - It doesn't keep your current indent level (God how that irritates me.)

Yeah - can be slightly annoying that one! Then again, I don't always like
html to be properly indented for various reasons, in which case it would
annoy me to have it keep trying to do it for me. I can cope without.

> I stick with GVim. There's even a decent windows port.

Never heard of it. I'm happy with notepd - could be improved, but I don't
really see the need - its done me fine for all the years i've been doing web
development, from simple html to javascript to asp and php, and finally css
and the other new bits, and everything inbetween.

Maybe i'm just stuck in my ways, but then, "if it ain't broke, don't fix
it!" :o)

David

[David Walker]

> > I really don't see what advantage multiple documents within

> > a single instance of the same program would give me.

> Searching within multiple files.
> Comparing two files.

Hmmm - never have the need to do either of those...

> > I'm happy with notepad

> No doubt. I imagine that people who never leave home are happy to live
> without shoes.

Well, since I also develop "real" applications (ie standalone C++ type) and
use Visual Studio for that I do know what having syntax highlighting and
everything else is like. In that situation I really don't use the syntax
highlighting either - its there, don't pay much attention really. The
auto-indent is useful for C++ since that is generally much much more
complex, and also as it compiles it doesn't make any difference if you have
thousands of spaces everywhere (which I don't like in html). I occasionally
use searches through multiple files, but again thats because the programs
are so much longer and with so many parts its the only way to do it. I
can't imagine there are many web pages with over a hundred pages of code
split across dosens of individual files.
Anyway, point is it has its place, but I personally don't see html as an
environment where it is really required. Good for people just starting to
learn though when they may not be able to fully understand the error
messages and can't track down the problems quickly. For example often PHP
will give an error on one line, but that is caused by a fault many lines up
(like a missed } or something - I can spot these, many can't and so the
syntax highlighting is more helpful to them while they learn).

David

[Bruno Desthuilliers]

JJordan wrote:

> I started with notepad, but after going to a PHP users group and picking the
> brains of the "old-timers" who have been coding PHP for many years, here is
> the list of tools I found out about:
>

(snip)

> * emax

That's 'emacs' (or it's twin XEmacs)

Bruno

[JJordan]

> (snip)

>

> > * emax

> That's 'emacs' (or it's twin XEmacs)

Thanks for clarifying. No wonder I had trouble finding it.
JJordan

[Davenport]

In article <yTVUa.26478$BM.8731357@newssrv26.news.prodigy.com >,
[email]someone@somewhere.com[/email] says...

> anybody tried EditPlus?

I've been using EditPlus for years. I use it for all my HTML, PHP, and
CSS. I could never list all the things I love about it, but I have my
dislikes down to 2.

1) It can't collapse pieces of code. Minor issue, but it would be nice.

2) It doesn't come with HTML Tidy pre-configured. Yes, you can add it
as a customized User Tool, but I've never been able to get it to work
right. :/

Andy