Suggestion for correcting the IDE's script editor

[J. Landman Gay]

On 6/28/05 3:27 PM, Bob Warren wrote:

> I think
> that what is involved here is the old story that those who have used Rev for
> a long time have unconsciously learned to avoid its potholes. Less
> experienced users suffer more. Why shouldn't I be able to do an "if-then" as
> I described above? I didn't have any trouble at all doing it in the very
> editor I am using to write this e-mail! You say, "...but a quick touch of
> the 'tab' key should autoformat the code you're working on". I agree that it
> should, but the fact is that it often doesn't, or at least not correctly.

I suppose I'm one of those old hands who takes things for granted, but I 
don't know any xtalk editor that formats scripts differently than Rev, 
and actually, Rev does more auto-formatting than the others.

I am very used to unaligned scripts until I hit the tab key; that's been 
the standard in all xtalks for almost 20 years. Of course, I know that 
doesn't help newcomers who aren't used to it and I am not brushing off 
your comments, nor am I saying the current behavior is ideal; if Runtime 
can improve the editor to accomodate more users, of course they should. 
On the other hand, if RR were to change the current behavior very much 
I'd be lost. I have permanent muscle memory for the way it acts now.

I did just want to say, though, that I have never seen a problem once 
the tab key is hit. In the if/then example you gave, typing the tab key 
formatted the structure correctly (I just tried it.) My standard 
(ingrained) behavior is to do this:

Type: if myvar = 99 then
Type: two carriage returns
Type: end if
Type: up arrow (to get to the blank line
Type: tab

All formatted. Then I enter the middle section of the handler.

I have been looking at Constellation and I find it quite remarkable. I 
think it is a good alternative for those who want a change from the 
standard Rev editor. At least we have options. ;)

-- 
Jacqueline Landman Gay         |     jacque at hyperactivesw.com
HyperActive Software           |     http://www.hyperactivesw.com