Bruce, Thanks for the good info from your experience. I have Notepad++ open right now and am starting to play with it. Yes please post the syntax file.
I was not planning on abandoning the AB Formula editor, as it has specific functionality that is tailored to AFL. However, for now I need to manage include files as a group and the basic features of Notepad++ looks like it would get me through some rough patches until Tomasz adds more editor capabilities by one method or another. I hate to suggest specific enhancements before I have become familiar with the problems I need to solve. I also try to solve them in reasonable and simple ways first. I prefer to have more signal than noise in my words. The latest version of Notepad++ also has some scripting now. It also has Regular Expressions which I don't need right now. I usually only invest in learning the features I need to get the job done in any tool. There are a lot of features, but the ones that look useful to me in Notepad++ are: 1. Batch search, open and incremental replace across a set of files inside a folder/subfolders. 2. Syntax highlighting for AFL possible 3. Auto indenting and block highlighting 4. Syntax folding 5. File differences 6. Spell checking (for my comments) I just went through 18 files with 30+ PlotOHLC commands to put the Plot commands back in about half of them after the bug was fixed in Z- order. From not knowing anything anything about the Notepad++ to completing the task took about 30 minutes. That was useful. I have a lot more things like that to do with about 100 plot commands across 23 includes with plot commands. For AFL work, which is all I would use it for, I would like to kill most of the menus and features that just clutter up the interface --if I were going to use it a lot. I like simple interfaces (I'm a Mac guy). Best regards, Dennis On Feb 20, 2009, at 8:55 PM, bruce1r wrote: > Dennis - > > I've gone down these editor paths in the past. I'm not sure that > you'll come to the same conclusion, but I'll tell you what I found and > perhaps it will be of help > > At various times I've tried the following for AFL dev - > > Textpad > EditPad > UltraEdit > Notepad++ > > Textpad is an editor that I still use with another backtest package. > But, I looked at the other three for a while for use with AB. > UltraEdit held the most promise because of its scripting capability > potentially driving AB, but seemed a little costly. Notepad++ is a > good open source alternative, but can be quirky. Lots of add-ins, > though. > > My main motivation was similar to yours - projects with a number of > include files.. I also find code folding VERY useful in seeing the > "big picture", and that was the main reason that I invested time in > trying Notepad++. > > In the end, though, I always seem to come back to the AFL editor for > all but very large tasks. To use a carpentry analogy of something > that I was fixing today, if I just want to make a notch for the strike > plate of a door lockset, I don't need to drag out a precision router - > a hammer and chisel will do. > > I imagine that Tomasz has eventual plans move toward a mini - > integrated dev environment. He probably wants to keep conrol of the > editor. In principle, though, I agree that I'd like to see him open > up AB more to things like that. > > BTW, if you really want the AFL syntax XML file for Notepad++, I'll > post it, but consider that Notepad++ will have a learning time > investment. > > -- Bruce R > > > > --- In [email protected], Dennis Brown <se...@...> wrote: >> >> Thank you all for the quick an helpful suggestions. It will take >> me a >> bit to explore them all. >> >> Only using a virtual PC for AmiBroker, and using a Mac for everything >> else, I was unfamiliar with all the possible good solutions >> suggested, >> and most are free. I looked at the websites of each suggested >> product. Notepad++ is interesting as an open source editor with many >> features I have seen requested for the Formula editor. It would be >> interesting to see something like this directly adapted for use with >> AFL (including all the syntax coloring). Perhaps this has already >> been done? >> >> It seems that it would be far easier to support this editor as a >> standard for advanced users than beg TJ to spend valuable development >> time adding the same features into the Formula editor. Since it is >> open source, perhaps TJ or another C++ wizard could just add the >> specific Formula editor stuff into a custom version of Notepad++ (or >> visa versa for TJ). >> >> Herman you have asked for TJ to open up the formula editor for add- >> ons, and add features like syntax folding, etc. This would be the >> ultimate for add-ons with open source. >> >> Ok, I am off to download and try things out for a while. Suggested >> programs: >> >> Ultraedit >> Textcrawler >> TexRep >> Notepad ++ >> Regular Expressions >> EditPad Pro >> Custom JScript >> >> Thanks again, >> Dennis >> >> >> On Feb 19, 2009, at 11:46 PM, Dennis Brown wrote: >> >>> Hello, >>> >>> I have my system broken into about 30 include files now. Now I must >>> get around a problem that is one of the reasons I resisted using >>> many >>> includes for so long --editing the same content across all includes. >>> >>> Let's say that I decide I want to change the name of a variable to a >>> more descriptive name -- like RibSel to RibSelMenuOpen. If >>> everything >>> is one file, I just search and replace every one. However, if the >>> locations are spread across some unknown number of my include files, >>> how do I manage to do this operation simply? >>> >>> The task is made harder because the formula editor search dialog >>> data >>> does not transfer to another open formula editor file. Currently >>> I am >>> finding myself opening each include and pasting the search name over >>> again, and typing in the changed name again. Very time consuming >>> considering how many variables I change the names of after I get >>> something working. I make something work with short names then >>> clean >>> up the final code with self documenting names when I can think of a >>> better name. >>> >>> How do others solve this problem? >>> >>> Best regards, >>> Dennis >>
