The habit of S before W is unnecessary as a W always does a save first and
then loads from the saved file. The executed sentence in the ijx window
makes this clear. Some care must be taken with temp (numbered) files as you
may be given the option to delete and may do so by mistake. If you don't
explicity delete a numbered file it will still be in your temp directory (in
a crash nothing in a script that has been run is lost). As soon as a temp
ijs file becomes vaguely important it is best to do a quick save as with a
better name.
If you have edited several scripts at the same time and a run of one of them
is dangerous (might crash) then an S of each before the first W would be
wise. The simple habit of always running after editing largely removes this
concern.
As you point out it is easy to save the ijx file by a manual step. One could
easily provide a function key shortcut that did this. We could, if pressed,
provide an option that automatically did a save on every entry, but I would
initially be against this.
Some IDE users develop a strong habit that non-transient stuff is put in
scripts and view the ijx window as a completely transient scratchpad. At
least for some styles of work and development this works well and is what
the IDE caters to. Options and extensions can be added fairly easily, but
should be carefully considered. In particular where a change can be
implemented as a private customization a user should live with it for a
while themselves before proposing it for others.
And perhaps the IDE could be used for a while as intended. Who knows, maybe
it works a bit better when used that way than one might think at first
blush.
Joey: I have little sympathy for your general dislike of the IDE editor on
the Mac. However, I do agree that the shortcuts should support the Mac
convention with the command key in addition to our standard of the ctrl key.
I think cut/copy/paste already do and we'll take a look at command+W etc.
----- Original Message -----
From: "Oleg Kobchenko" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]>
To: "Beta forum" <[email protected]>
Sent: Wednesday, May 31, 2006 2:54 PM
Subject: Re: [Jbeta] J IDE
Yes, when J crashes you may lose unsaved code,
this is why intead of Ctrl+W, I use Ctrl+S Ctrl+W
all the time, esp. with things like DLL calls.
To salvage ijx you can save it periodically too,
it will then just increment file name/number in temp
for the next ijx session.
TextPad used to be my favorite too. Though it has nice
features like numbered replace, it's too slow on open.
Intead, now I use EditPlus. Their "IDE" features is
like invoking a compiler. But that's a one time thing,
I don't think they can maintain a terminal session, can they?
Also it's not the right direction: if you use J,
you need to use J tools. If you see something lacking,
it's better to improve the J tools.
For example, there are issues with find dialog box
and the script window. Use cases:
Find new word.
- Open find: Ctrl+F
- Type word
- Press enter to find
Issue: default button is "Find from Top",
I believe it should be "Find Next"
Found word. Now want to find next word.
Issue: expect to press the same key
(in many viewers it's F3 for initial find
and all the Next, and Shift+F3 or F7 is find new)
or an "adjesent" key, like Ctrl+G.
Instead need to use mouse (horrible) or press
Ctrl+F just to return to the dialog box.
Now want to dismiss the dialog.
Press Escape -- instead the script
window closes -- this is a major setback.
So need to press Ctrl+F Escape, or
use mouse.
BTW, autoclosing scripts on Escape is an annoyance
rather than convenience.
--- greg heil <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> wrote:
On 5/31/06, Eric Iverson <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> wrote:
> I think it is a good thing that we provide the J IDE in addtion to the
> old tried and true
tools.
Certainly:) However i too have been limiting my use of it. Primarily
for one reason: When J crashes it takes the ijs windows with it:( If i
use another editor then i can use its autobackup and, in any case, be
independent of J's stability.
i would like to figure out how to get TextPad's IDE capability to mesh
with J's ... if anyone has explored that particular route. Or maybe
someday i should beak down and learn eMacs. i have used TextPad for
years so it is comfortable to me, but i am sure there are alternatives
which are also easy to switch to and may be even more easily meshable
with J.
Perhaps if the J windows had a more robust autobackup mechanism of
some kind that could be switched on... Along with an easier mechanism
to access recently used directories in the file finders. i don't know
what the best extension is, i just know it is pretty rickety to put
ones thoughts on papers which are so hard to secure. Maybe when i
figure out how to hack the system files, and stick my user directory
in place of the TEMP defaults etc i can use the save key more
freely/frequently: this mostly applies to the ijx window.
But the main desired improvement, for me, would be to insulate J's IDE
from the runtime environment.
The ijs editor is quirky/different, but hey the source is open, so it
can be hacked. i would like to use it, if it were secure.
~greg
----------------------------------------------------------------------
For information about J forums see http://www.jsoftware.com/forums.htm
__________________________________________________
Do You Yahoo!?
Tired of spam? Yahoo! Mail has the best spam protection around
http://mail.yahoo.com
----------------------------------------------------------------------
For information about J forums see http://www.jsoftware.com/forums.htm
----------------------------------------------------------------------
For information about J forums see http://www.jsoftware.com/forums.htm
