Suggestion for correcting the IDE's script editor

[Jon]

Chipp:

See comments embedded below

Chipp Walters wrote:

> Hi Bob,
>
> Thanks for your thoughts. As one who used to use the VBscript editor, 
> I can offer these observations:
>
> 1) Ever since HyperCard first was released, the script editor 
> 'auto-formatted' the scripts. Users are used to this. In fact, when I 
> first started using VBscript, I saw where the code editor didn't do 
> this. I know one can manually do it, but it's a lot easier for most of 
> us to be able to check our repeat/if then/switch statement by just 
> looking to see if they are properly indented. Removing auto-formatting 
> is probably something neither RR nor most of the users want. Though it 
> may be possible to 'turn it off.'


I would LOVE it if the editor auto-formatted, but it does not.  It makes 
horrid mistakes, all of the time.  Try to copy a line, and you 
automatically get part of the next line.  You have to manually reformat 
any time you do an edit.  Unless you are using a different editor than I 
am, I can see NO WAY you would be satisfied with the current auto-indent 
behavior.

> 2) I agree, there are some 'issues' with the way things are 'live 
> formatted', but a quick touch of the 'tab' key should autoformat the 
> code you're working on. Most of us use the tabkey religiously to help 
> formatting.


Ahah!  The Tab key.  Who would have thought of trying that?!?  
ARRRggggh.  Too bad you've not used the VB and Delphi editors: You can 
have the best of both worlds if the editor behaved better in manual 
mode, and still allowed you to auto-format at the push of a key.

> 3) Jerry Daniels script editor 'Constellation' www.daniels-mara.com 
> has many of the features you may be looking for. You may contact him 
> directly to find out.


While we're editor bashing, I sure wish there was a way to do searches 
using function keys.  Using the mouse all of the time is hugely slower 
than using other program development editors under Windows