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Looking for the Perfect Editor

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Omar

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Sep 7, 2006, 4:18:22 PM9/7/06
to
I'd love the perfect editor that would be:

a) free

b) enable me to drag and drop code snippets from a sort of browser into
the code

c) can run programs right from within

d) can edit
- PYTHON
- Javascript
- HTML
- actionscript (since I'm also learning flash)

e) easy to learn

suggestions?

Claudio Grondi

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Sep 7, 2006, 5:04:58 PM9/7/06
to
Welcome to the group of users of UliPad :)

http://wiki.woodpecker.org.cn/moin/UliPad

a) ok
b) by double click (code snippets)
c) ok
e) maybe not that easy because of lack of full documentation, but sure
worth to try, anyway.

Claudio Grondi

Doug Stell

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Sep 8, 2006, 4:10:38 PM9/8/06
to
Try www.TextPad.com. I've used it for years and love it. It
understands many programming language constructs and can be taught to
understand python so that things show up in color.

On 7 Sep 2006 13:18:22 -0700, "Omar" <outstre...@hotmail.com>
wrote:

Omar

unread,
Sep 8, 2006, 7:23:25 PM9/8/06
to
thanks for the suggestions, fellas

Omar

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Sep 8, 2006, 7:28:48 PM9/8/06
to
thanks for the suggestions, fellas

mystilleef

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Sep 9, 2006, 8:18:30 AM9/9/06
to

Claudio Grondi

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Sep 9, 2006, 1:53:14 PM9/9/06
to
Omar wrote:
> thanks for the suggestions, fellas
>
Would be kind of you to tell us which one you have decided to use and why?

Claudio Grondi
P.S. If you don't like any of already mentioned you can give SciTe a try.

Omar

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Sep 9, 2006, 7:16:51 PM9/9/06
to
I've been using scite the last few days, and have also been
experimenting with ulipad.

thanks, again

Dick Moores

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Sep 9, 2006, 10:44:08 PM9/9/06
to celi...@mchsi.com, pytho...@python.org
At 01:10 PM 9/8/2006, Doug Stell wrote:
>Try www.TextPad.com. I've used it for years and love it. It
>understands many programming language constructs and can be taught to
>understand python so that things show up in color.

Any tips on how to teach TextPad to understand python?

Thanks,

Dick Moores

urielka

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Sep 10, 2006, 8:44:24 AM9/10/06
to
use Eclipse!!!
it is not a editor but it is the best free IDE out there.
for python use Pydev(pydev.sf.net) plugin:it got
EVERYTHING:completteion,debuging(with thread support)you can`t work
without a debugger for serious projects.
for Web Develop use Aptana(aptana.com) another plugin for eclipse,in
eairly stages but it is very amazing support most of open source
javascript library with auto-complete and outline of code.
Scribes look very nice for a editor i will try it for lightweight
editing.

Morten Juhl Johansen

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Sep 10, 2006, 10:52:34 AM9/10/06
to
mystilleef wrote:
> I recommend Scribes.
>
> http://scribes.sf.net

Scribes looks good. Does it need any Gnome components except what is
mentioned @ http://scribes.sourceforge.net/documentation.html#requirements ?

Yours,
Morten

John Bokma

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Sep 10, 2006, 12:20:56 PM9/10/06
to
"urielka" <uriel...@gmail.com> wrote:

> use Eclipse!!!

Q: how can I do x with A
A: use B!!! OMG LOLLZZ111!!!11eleven


--
John MexIT: http://johnbokma.com/mexit/
personal page: http://johnbokma.com/
Experienced programmer available: http://castleamber.com/
Happy Customers: http://castleamber.com/testimonials.html

Kent Johnson

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Sep 10, 2006, 5:15:44 PM9/10/06
to

Download and install the Python syntax highlighting definition from the
TextPad website.

I make a tool to run the front window in Python. Here are the values
from the preferences window for the tool:

Command: C:\Python24\python.exe
Parameters: -u $File
Init fldr: $FileDir

regex to match output:
^.*"([^"]+)", *line ([0-9]+)

with File: 1, Line: 2

Kent

Dick Moores

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Sep 10, 2006, 7:53:26 PM9/10/06
to pytho...@python.org
At 02:15 PM 9/10/2006, Kent Johnson wrote:
>Dick Moores wrote:
> > At 01:10 PM 9/8/2006, Doug Stell wrote:
> >> Try www.TextPad.com. I've used it for years and love it. It
> >> understands many programming language constructs and can be taught to
> >> understand python so that things show up in color.
> >
> > Any tips on how to teach TextPad to understand python?
>Download and install the Python syntax highlighting definition from the
>TextPad website.

Thanks very much, Kent. I've been using TextPad for 10 years and
never considered using it for Python.

I downloaded Python (7) from
http://www.textpad.com/add-ons/synn2t.html and put the file
PythonV2.4.syn in C:\Program Files\TextPad 4\system .

>I make a tool to run the front window in Python. Here are the values
>from the preferences window for the tool:
>
>Command: C:\Python24\python.exe
>Parameters: -u $File
>Init fldr: $FileDir
>
>regex to match output:
>^.*"([^"]+)", *line ([0-9]+)
>
>with File: 1, Line: 2

After fumbling around, I believe I've made the tool, using your
values, except I used E:\Python24\python.exe instead of
C:\Python24\python.exe .

I also associated .py with TextPad. I'm now able to open a Python
script with TextPad, and execute it with Ctrl+4.

However, no syntax highlighting is showing up. so I must have done
something wrong. Do I have to do something other than put
PythonV2.4.syn in C:\Program Files\TextPad 4\system ?

Also, why do you use TextPad instead of IDLE?

Thanks,

Dick Moores


Kent Johnson

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Sep 10, 2006, 9:30:17 PM9/10/06
to
Dick Moores wrote:

> I downloaded Python (7) from
> http://www.textpad.com/add-ons/synn2t.html and put the file
> PythonV2.4.syn in C:\Program Files\TextPad 4\system .
>

> However, no syntax highlighting is showing up. so I must have done
> something wrong. Do I have to do something other than put
> PythonV2.4.syn in C:\Program Files\TextPad 4\system ?

One more step - make a new Document Class for Python (in the prefs).
Associate it with *.py, turn on syntax highlighting and select the
syntax file you downloaded.

>
> Also, why do you use TextPad instead of IDLE?

You're kidding, right?

Kent

Steve Holden

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Sep 10, 2006, 10:29:37 PM9/10/06
to pytho...@python.org
Dick Moores wrote:
> At 01:10 PM 9/8/2006, Doug Stell wrote:
>
>>Try www.TextPad.com. I've used it for years and love it. It
>>understands many programming language constructs and can be taught to
>>understand python so that things show up in color.
>
>
> Any tips on how to teach TextPad to understand python?
>
The procedure is explained in "How do I create a new document class to
do syntax highlighting?" on page

http://www.textpad.com/support/faq/config.html

You can download an appropriate .syn file from

http://www.textpad.com/add-ons/synn2t.html

regards
Steve
--
Steve Holden +44 150 684 7255 +1 800 494 3119
Holden Web LLC/Ltd http://www.holdenweb.com
Skype: holdenweb http://holdenweb.blogspot.com
Recent Ramblings http://del.icio.us/steve.holden

Dick Moores

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Sep 11, 2006, 12:08:34 AM9/11/06
to pytho...@python.org
At 06:30 PM 9/10/2006, Kent Johnson wrote:
>Dick Moores wrote:
>
> > I downloaded Python (7) from
> > http://www.textpad.com/add-ons/synn2t.html and put the file
> > PythonV2.4.syn in C:\Program Files\TextPad 4\system .
> >
> > However, no syntax highlighting is showing up. so I must have done
> > something wrong. Do I have to do something other than put
> > PythonV2.4.syn in C:\Program Files\TextPad 4\system ?
>
>One more step - make a new Document Class for Python (in the prefs).
>Associate it with *.py, turn on syntax highlighting and select the
>syntax file you downloaded.

OK. Done.

> > Also, why do you use TextPad instead of IDLE?
>
>You're kidding, right?

No. Tell me, please. Macros? Comparing files? What else?

Dick

Kent Johnson

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Sep 11, 2006, 7:48:39 AM9/11/06
to

OK...please, no one interpret this as IDLE bashing or attempt to show me
a better way. I'm happy with TextPad and just writing this because I was
asked...

In my opinion:

- Most of my Python work is actually in Jython. I can run a Jython
program with a tool in TP. Actually I have separate tools for each
active project that set the correct working directory and invoke a batch
file with the right jars. Can't do that in IDLE.

- TextPad is a good general-purpose editor, not just for Python. All the
following reasons really come under this heading. I have an editor I
like, it works great for Python, there is really no reason to use IDLE.

- Fast and powerful multi-file search (easily specify the directory and
file types to search)

- Syntax highlighting for XML, HTML, Velocity templates, Ruby, Java,
JavaScript, R, SQL, CSS...all file types I use more or less frequently.

- Word wrap

- Show invisibles

- Customizable with macros and external tools

- Open as binary

etc...

Kent

mystilleef

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Sep 11, 2006, 9:22:17 AM9/11/06
to
If you have those requirements installed, it does not need anything
else.

Jorgen Grahn

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Sep 11, 2006, 4:04:40 PM9/11/06
to
On 10 Sep 2006 16:20:56 GMT, John Bokma <jo...@castleamber.com> wrote:
> "urielka" <uriel...@gmail.com> wrote:
>
>> use Eclipse!!!
>
> Q: how can I do x with A
> A: use B!!! OMG LOLLZZ111!!!11eleven

No, it was a perfectly reasonable answer.

(And I say that even though I (a) hate sloppy writing and (b) dislike IDEs
in general and Eclipse in particular.)

/Jorgen

--
// Jorgen Grahn <grahn@ Ph'nglui mglw'nafh Cthulhu
\X/ snipabacken.dyndns.org> R'lyeh wgah'nagl fhtagn!

John Bokma

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Sep 11, 2006, 5:54:13 PM9/11/06
to
Jorgen Grahn <grahn...@snipabacken.dyndns.org> wrote:

> On 10 Sep 2006 16:20:56 GMT, John Bokma <jo...@castleamber.com> wrote:
>> "urielka" <uriel...@gmail.com> wrote:
>>
>>> use Eclipse!!!
>>
>> Q: how can I do x with A
>> A: use B!!! OMG LOLLZZ111!!!11eleven
>
> No, it was a perfectly reasonable answer.

Q: Any tips on how to teach TextPad to understand python?
A: use Eclipse!!!

A reasonable answer would have been to download the syntax file for python
from the textpad website.

jus...@zeusedit.com

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Sep 11, 2006, 6:54:08 PM9/11/06
to
Omar wrote:
> I'd love the perfect editor that would be:

Zeus for Windows understands Python, Java Script, HTML
an many other languages:

http://www.zeusedit.com/features.html
Note: Zeus is shareware (45 day trial).

It will do Python syntax highlighting, code folding, class
browsing, smart indenting, project/workspace management etc
etc.

You can even write Zeus macros in Python or Java Script:)

Jussi Jumppanen
Author: Zeus for Windows

Omar

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Sep 12, 2006, 11:12:02 AM9/12/06
to
thanks for all the responses...

I'm liking the way ulipad and scite work

I'd switch to ulipad entirely if I canget to recognize the python
interpreter in the preferences menu. I can't seem to figure that out.

Also, I'm highly interested in getting the snippets manager working.

any ideas?

Claudio Grondi

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Sep 12, 2006, 12:37:46 PM9/12/06
to
Omar wrote:
> thanks for all the responses...
>
> I'm liking the way ulipad and scite work
>
> I'd switch to ulipad entirely if I canget to recognize the python
> interpreter in the preferences menu. I can't seem to figure that out.
It is usually correctly set.
Just start Preferences, go to Python tab and push the button [Setup
Python interpreter]. You should see the default interpreter setting and
modify it if necessary (button [modify]).
What is the problem with it exactly?

>
> Also, I'm highly interested in getting the snippets manager working.
What is your problem with it?
>
> any ideas?
I suggest you play a bit around with the menu items dedicated to
Snippets. Don't forget to click on the visible entries to get the other
content related to them visible (maybe this is your problem - you expect
to see more, but have to select first - not very intuitive in case you
have generated only one entry and wonder why its details are not visible
in the other text boxes). If there are no any entries just [Add] some.
And to see how to work with them go to menu 'Windows' and 'Open Snippets
Window') to get the available ones displayed (I have got them working
knowing nothing about them before while I was writing my first response
here, so it can't be that hard ;)
>
If the above does not help, best email directly the author of UliPad
(and greet him from me :) and describe your problem in a very easy to
understand and as simple English as possible.
Usually you will get a very fast and a very informative response (but
please don't care much about correct English). Also bug reports (or best
directly the patches) are very welcome. Best if you were able to provide
your own notes from what you have learned as a kind of contribution to a
better future documentation.
If nothing suddenly changed, I can assure you, that you can't get
anywhere else better support directly from the author as it is currently
available for UliPad. And as it is all Python, so you are free to learn
from it or try out your own ideas for extensions.

Claudio Grondi

Omar

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Sep 13, 2006, 12:08:53 PM9/13/06
to
thank you claudio for your comprehensive answer. I will work on it.

stu

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Sep 13, 2006, 1:14:17 PM9/13/06
to
jedit

http://www.jedit.org/

much better than textpad by a longshot.

but whatever you choose...

-stu

Wildemar Wildenburger

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Sep 13, 2006, 3:18:04 PM9/13/06
to pytho...@python.org
stu wrote:
> jedit
>
> http://www.jedit.org/

Finally! I usually try to stay out of these discussions; yet I'm always
disappointed at how few people seem to be using jEdit and how long it
takes them to come out of their holes.

So let me enforce that:

jEdit
www.jedit.org

wildemar

stu

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Sep 13, 2006, 5:36:32 PM9/13/06
to

Wildemar Wildenburger wrote:
>
> Finally! I usually try to stay out of these discussions; yet I'm always
> disappointed at how few people seem to be using jEdit and how long it
> takes them to come out of their holes.

well when people start reccomending things like textpad which is crap.
textpad requires payment, and if someone is gonna pay for it
they might as well buy ultraedit instead..

but they need to atleast checkout jedit first :)

with its plugins for jython + jpydebug...

-stu

David J. Braden

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Sep 13, 2006, 11:39:36 PM9/13/06
to

Hi Stu und "Willie",

I'm a total newbie to Python, and what(for me) are appropriate tools. I
will be running it under (sigh) Windows. I'm using IDLE for the time
being, aided by Notepad++. I don't yet know what jython is about, or
for, but I'm up for trying jedit for python. Which plugins give me a
good start for scientific stuff? I am not interested in Web/html apps.
And is there an IDE out there that lets us create GUI dialogs along the
lines of what MS provides with Excel and, I assume, VB?

Thanks.
DaveB

Jay

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Sep 13, 2006, 11:54:17 PM9/13/06
to
I, too, am a hardcore fan of jEdit. It's nice to finally see some user
support on this forum. :-)

Wildemar Wildenburger

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Sep 14, 2006, 5:30:02 AM9/14/06
to pytho...@python.org
> Hi Stu und "Willie",
>
"Willie"?
Thats new. ;)

> I will be running it under (sigh) Windows.

So? Apart from Microsoft being evil and spying on you all the time, I
find much satisfaction in the fact that Windows Just Works(tm). Linux on
the other hand Just Barely Works(tm). Hello flamewar :).


> I don't yet know what jython is about, or for, but I'm up for trying
> jedit for python.

jython is an implementation of python in java (hence the name ;)). That
means it's a python interpreter inside a java virtual machine (groan).
It basically lets you write java apps in python syntax. It's currently
at python 2.1 I believe.
jEdit is extensible though java, and with the jython plugin also through
python.


> Which plugins give me a good start for scientific stuff?

Er ... I don't know. What do you mean by 'scientific stuff'?
You might want to look at python packages such as scipy (?) or numpy
(for numerical calculations) or whatever those are called. I think you
can hook up python to Matlab, Scilab or Mathematica, but don't take my
word for it. I don't use any of this, so I cannot really tell you more.
None of this is jEdit specific though. Can you clarify?

> I am not interested in Web/html apps.

Too bad, that's the future ;).

> And is there an IDE out there that lets us create GUI dialogs along the
> lines of what MS provides with Excel and, I assume, VB?

Stani's Python Editor (SPE) and Boa Constructor, I think. I've tried SPE
a few years back and liked it a lot.
If you only ever write python code you might want to forget about jEdit
and use one of the two above. jEdit is dubbed 'Programmer's Text
Editor', and as such provides a 'unified' framework for many languages
(so you don't have to learn a new editor for every damn language you
write in once in a blue moon). It is for that reason a /tad/ less
specialized (though highly configurable). If you still want to use
jEdit, there is wxGlade for wxPython out there and Glade (not wxGlade!)
works for pyGTK, I believe.
Hope that helps you deciding.


"Willie" ;)

gne...@gmail.com

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Sep 14, 2006, 5:41:29 AM9/14/06
to
What about IDLE? I really apreciate it but a big broblem is that it
doesn't support tabs: for every source you edit you have to open a new
IDLE window. :-\

Steve Holden

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Sep 14, 2006, 7:16:51 AM9/14/06
to pytho...@python.org
Wildemar Wildenburger wrote:
>>Hi Stu und "Willie",
[...]

>
>>Which plugins give me a good start for scientific stuff?
>
> Er ... I don't know. What do you mean by 'scientific stuff'?

You know, stitching body parts together from different corpses and
trying to animate them with lightning, inventing potions that completely
cjange the personailty, that kind of thing. People have been doing it
for hundreds of years ...

Ant

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Sep 14, 2006, 8:00:32 AM9/14/06
to

Jay wrote:
> I, too, am a hardcore fan of jEdit. It's nice to finally see some user
> support on this forum. :-)

I quite often throw in jEdits name in these discussions. It's the most
powerful and extensible editor I know of outside of the emacs/vi world
(and far more accessible than those).

Franz Steinhaeusler

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Sep 14, 2006, 8:25:13 AM9/14/06
to
On 7 Sep 2006 13:18:22 -0700, "Omar" <outstre...@hotmail.com>
wrote:

>I'd love the perfect editor that would be:
>

>a) free

DrPython and spe; both written in Python and wxPython using SciTe's
control scintilla) and SciTE.

DrPython on:
http://sourceforge.net/projects/drpython/ (Projectpage)
http://drpython.sourceforge.net/ (Homepage)

>
>b) enable me to drag and drop code snippets from a sort of browser into
>the code

DrPython Codemarks plugin.

>
>c) can run programs right from within

DrPython => Program => Run (default F5)

>
>d) can edit
> - PYTHON

DrPython, spe, SciTE.

> - Javascript
no definite support.

> - HTML
DrPython (the others, I don't know)

> - actionscript (since I'm also learning flash)

Sepy on Sourceforge (also written in Python with wxPython)
http://sourceforge.net/projects/sepy/

>
>e) easy to learn
>

SciTE especially.

>suggestions?

limodou

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Sep 14, 2006, 8:45:11 AM9/14/06
to pytho...@python.org
These things UliPad also can do. And it also support html, javascript,
css, java, etc syntax highlight. UliPad also support Input Assistant,
even include custom calltips and auto-complete, and many features, you
can find in http://wiki.woodpecker.org.cn/moin/UliPad

It also has a directory browser, wizard, plugins-system, code snippets
manage. Just using it, you'll find out what it's.


--
I like python!
My Blog: http://www.donews.net/limodou
UliPad Site: http://wiki.woodpecker.org.cn/moin/UliPad
UliPad Maillist: http://groups.google.com/group/ulipad

Franz Steinhaeusler

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Sep 14, 2006, 9:03:57 AM9/14/06
to
On Thu, 14 Sep 2006 20:45:11 +0800, limodou <lim...@gmail.com> wrote:

>>
>These things UliPad also can do. And it also support html, javascript,
>css, java, etc syntax highlight. UliPad also support Input Assistant,
>even include custom calltips and auto-complete, and many features, you
>can find in http://wiki.woodpecker.org.cn/moin/UliPad
>
>It also has a directory browser, wizard, plugins-system, code snippets
>manage. Just using it, you'll find out what it's.


Of course, I took only randomly three programs for easier comparing.

Dick Moores

unread,
Sep 14, 2006, 9:51:47 AM9/14/06
to Jay, pytho...@python.org
At 08:54 PM 9/13/2006, Jay wrote:
>I, too, am a hardcore fan of jEdit. It's nice to finally see some user
>support on this forum. :-)

I'm trying out jEdit and UliPad. I got UliPad going right away and
I'm very pleased with it, but could I jump in here with a basic jEdit
question? How do you run a script?

And one more. On the menus, the font is clear and large, but the
equivalent key combinations are written so small they are very
difficult for me to read. Is there a way to configure them to be
slightly larger? (I'd ask on the jEdit support forum, but it doesn't
seem to be very active.)

Thanks,

Dick Moores


stu

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Sep 14, 2006, 11:51:34 AM9/14/06
to

Dick Moores wrote:
> I'm trying out jEdit and UliPad. I got UliPad going right away and
> I'm very pleased with it, but could I jump in here with a basic jEdit
> question? How do you run a script?
>
> And one more. On the menus, the font is clear and large, but the
> equivalent key combinations are written so small they are very
> difficult for me to read. Is there a way to configure them to be
> slightly larger? (I'd ask on the jEdit support forum, but it doesn't
> seem to be very active.)
>

to change jedits fonts, under utilities menu choose global options

select appearance, this has font options for menus + other fields
text area has the editing text font (I use dialogeinput for menus and
such and
andale mono for the text area...)

to run a script.. you can 'dock' jython in the sides of the editor or
bottom, and import from the buffer or load it.. or fire jython up from
the plugin menu

there is also a colour scheme plugin that gives you colour defaults if
you want it to look lke emacs or jbuilder or idea etc etc etc

jedit is pretty rich with its plugins.

-stu

Dick Moores

unread,
Sep 14, 2006, 12:31:00 PM9/14/06
to stu, pytho...@python.org
At 08:51 AM 9/14/2006, stu wrote:

>Dick Moores wrote:
> > I'm trying out jEdit and UliPad. I got UliPad going right away and
> > I'm very pleased with it, but could I jump in here with a basic jEdit
> > question? How do you run a script?
> >
> > And one more. On the menus, the font is clear and large, but the
> > equivalent key combinations are written so small they are very
> > difficult for me to read. Is there a way to configure them to be
> > slightly larger? (I'd ask on the jEdit support forum, but it doesn't
> > seem to be very active.)
> >
>
>to change jedits fonts, under utilities menu choose global options
>
>select appearance, this has font options for menus + other fields
>text area has the editing text font (I use dialogeinput for menus and
>such and
>andale mono for the text area...)

I afraid I still don't see how to use larger fonts for the problem I
mentioned. I mean the tiny fonts used, for example, to the right of
File | New, where it says, I'm guessing, "C+n".

>to run a script.. you can 'dock' jython in the sides of the editor or
>bottom, and import from the buffer or load it.. or fire jython up from
>the plugin menu

Doesn't sound easy. With UliPad (or IDLE, for that matter) just hit F5.

>there is also a colour scheme plugin that gives you colour defaults if
>you want it to look lke emacs or jbuilder or idea etc etc etc
>
>jedit is pretty rich with its plugins.

Thanks,

Dick

Wildemar Wildenburger

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Sep 14, 2006, 1:12:33 PM9/14/06
to pytho...@python.org
Dick Moores wrote:
>> to run a script.. you can 'dock' jython in the sides of the editor or
>> bottom, and import from the buffer or load it.. or fire jython up from
>> the plugin menu
>
> Doesn't sound easy. With UliPad (or IDLE, for that matter) just hit F5.

Which you can do with jEdit just as well. It takes just a bit of reading
first. jEdit is by no means a lightweight editor, and its power comes at
the price of some getting involved on the user's part. Same dilemma with
vi/emacs, but just not as tough, as I found.

Roger

unread,
Sep 14, 2006, 4:43:08 PM9/14/06
to
Jay wrote:
> I, too, am a hardcore fan of jEdit. It's nice to finally see some user
> support on this forum. :-)


The biggest problem I have with anything written in Java is the long
startup time. The editor may be great but the platform is mediocre.

I am a SciTE bigot. I have recently tried SPE and UliPad. UliPad would
be my second choice and is still installed, but SPE was quickly removed.
One feature I like about SciTE is being able to position the cursor
anywhere on a word and hit CTL-F to find the NEXT occurrence.

With UliPad, you have to select the entire word you want to search for,
and then when you hit CTL-F -- it first finds the same occurrence you
selected -- you have to hit F3 to find the next.

I think SciTE is better engineered. Still, much of your choice is
personal preference. I have noticed that any two people using the same
editor will use different keystroke and mouse sequences when presented
with similar editing problems.

Good discussion - I thank the originator of the thread.

Roger

Ramon Diaz-Uriarte

unread,
Sep 14, 2006, 5:19:05 PM9/14/06
to Omar, pytho...@python.org
Sorry, I could not resist, since almost every editor under the sun has
been suggested as the solution, but (X)Emacs only got a minor mention.

On 7 Sep 2006 13:18:22 -0700, Omar <outstre...@hotmail.com> wrote:
> I'd love the perfect editor that would be:
>
> a) free

Emacs does of course qualify here.

>
> b) enable me to drag and drop code snippets from a sort of browser into
> the code

piece of cake; either using shortcuts (wich you can configure) or from
the "Python" menu

>
> c) can run programs right from within

But of course. And, contrary to some others (e.g., JEdit, which I
think forces you to use Jython, so you are stuck with Python 2.1 for
now) you use the current python interpreter you have installed.

And you can run Python, but also many, many, many other things as
well. (For instance, for me it is of great importance that I use an
almost identical way of working when editing/executing Python as when
working with R, and very similar to what I do with LaTeX, C, etc).

>
> d) can edit

Emacs can edit (almost) anything. With syntax highlight and bells and whistles:


> - PYTHON

Yes, of course

> - Javascript

I think so (but I stay away from JS)

> - HTML

Yes

> - actionscript (since I'm also learning flash)

No idea

>
> e) easy to learn

Well ...that depends on what you mean and on so many other factors (I
mean, why should it be "Ctrl-O" for open instead of "Ctrl-X Ctrl-F"?)

... but honestly, Emacs is probably harder to learn (at the beggining)
than JEdit, or SPE, or UliPad, or Scite, or Eclipse. I've tried all
these others, always to return back to Emacs. Because Emacs is a
general purpose editor, and then some: I find it a lot more flexible
and powerful than any of the alternatives suggested so far. However,
the initial barrier might be too high (keybindings are sometimes an
issue, but there is CUA mode, though I've never used it), and Emacs is
so huge that you never really learn it all (and that might lead to
feeling overwhelmed). And needing emacs lisp for
extending/configuring, well, many people (including myself) do not
find ideal.


However, as has been mentioned here before, choosing an editor is a
very personal thing, where idiosincratic issues can (and should) play
a role. I'd suggest you play with a few, then go for one or two, and
make a point of learning it well: if you spend a lot of time editing
code, learning your main tool is of paramount importance and will
definitely increase your productivity. I think many of the ones
mentioned here (including, but not limited to, SPE, JEdit, UliPad) are
very fine editors.

Best,

R.

P.D: Another very nice editor, which can be extended using Python, is
vim. (But I have little experience with it.)
>
> suggestions?
>
> --
> http://mail.python.org/mailman/listinfo/python-list
>


--
Ramon Diaz-Uriarte
Bioinformatics Unit
Spanish National Cancer Centre (CNIO)
http://ligarto.org/rdiaz

Wildemar Wildenburger

unread,
Sep 14, 2006, 6:08:36 PM9/14/06
to pytho...@python.org
Ramon Diaz-Uriarte wrote:
>> c) can run programs right from within
>
> But of course. And, contrary to some others (e.g., JEdit, which I
> think forces you to use Jython, so you are stuck with Python 2.1 for
> now) you use the current python interpreter you have installed.

Wrong. But so terribly wrong ;). Jython is not at all needed to use
python with jEdit. I think the only reason to actually use Jython in
jEdit is for writing plugins in python syntax. No wait, you also get
code completion and a code browser, but thats besides the ppoint here.
The console plugin (probably THE most useful of the pack) gives you a
system shell and means to start compilers/interpreters based on your
current edit mode. So you can use whatever python version you have
installed.

I wonder if this thread will ever stop :)

Ant

unread,
Sep 14, 2006, 6:20:52 PM9/14/06
to

Roger wrote:
...

> The biggest problem I have with anything written in Java is the long
> startup time. The editor may be great but the platform is mediocre.

The startup time is one of the main reasons I have started to use vim
more than jEdit. That and the fact that I currently have to work on
headless linux servers over ssh, and I'm fed up with constanty hitting
escape for no apparent reason, or typing :w at the end of a line...

Vi is a seriously steep learning curve though, and I wouldn't recommend
it for ease of use. I've been using it on and off for two years now,
and have only just started to use some of the more advanced features...

jEdit however, if you keep it in memory (it can be started in server
mode, where new instances connect to the running instance) it's not too
slow to start up, and is very powerful very quickly. As others have
said, the console plugin is very good, (an equivalent I haven't found
for vim yet - anyone?) jython is only required if you want to write
macros or plugins in python.

limodou

unread,
Sep 14, 2006, 8:44:11 PM9/14/06
to Roger, pytho...@python.org
On 9/15/06, Roger <crosseye...@cox.net> wrote:
> Jay wrote:
> > I, too, am a hardcore fan of jEdit. It's nice to finally see some user
> > support on this forum. :-)
>
>
> The biggest problem I have with anything written in Java is the long
> startup time. The editor may be great but the platform is mediocre.
>
> I am a SciTE bigot. I have recently tried SPE and UliPad. UliPad would
> be my second choice and is still installed, but SPE was quickly removed.
> One feature I like about SciTE is being able to position the cursor
> anywhere on a word and hit CTL-F to find the NEXT occurrence.
>
> With UliPad, you have to select the entire word you want to search for,
> and then when you hit CTL-F -- it first finds the same occurrence you
> selected -- you have to hit F3 to find the next.
>
No, in UliPad you can first select the word(double-click the word),
then press F4 to locate the next position.

And if you install the newest source version of UliPad, it also
suplied an enhanced Input Assistant feature, as type some character in
blank place, it'll popup a list which will match what you type,
including identifiers, class names, function names, parameters names,
etc. And there is also a vim-like shortkey, Ctrl+P, Ctrl+Shift+P,
Ctrl+L, Ctrl+Shift+L(which are in Duplicate menu), they'll match the
word backward or forward to
current position, you can try it.


> I think SciTE is better engineered. Still, much of your choice is
> personal preference. I have noticed that any two people using the same
> editor will use different keystroke and mouse sequences when presented
> with similar editing problems.
>
> Good discussion - I thank the originator of the thread.
>
> Roger
>
>
>

> --
> http://mail.python.org/mailman/listinfo/python-list

OKB (not okblacke)

unread,
Sep 14, 2006, 9:39:04 PM9/14/06
to
What I'm interested in knowing is whether anyone has found any
editor other than TextPad and UltraEdit which allows soft word-wrap (no
line breaks stored in the file) which do NOT wrap the text to the left
edge of the screen but instead wrap it back only as far as the
indentation level of the beginning of the line. So that if I start out
on a line indented halfway across the screen, and the line wraps, I get
a block of text, all of which is indented halfway across the screen --
but then it's saved in the file as one long line. In other words, an
editor that separates how the text is DISPLAYED from how it's SAVED.

--
--OKB (not okblacke)
Brendan Barnwell
"Do not follow where the path may lead. Go, instead, where there is
no path, and leave a trail."
--author unknown

Jorge Godoy

unread,
Sep 14, 2006, 9:42:48 PM9/14/06
to
"OKB (not okblacke)" <brenNOS...@NObrenSPAMbarn.net> writes:

> What I'm interested in knowing is whether anyone has found any
> editor other than TextPad and UltraEdit which allows soft word-wrap (no
> line breaks stored in the file) which do NOT wrap the text to the left
> edge of the screen but instead wrap it back only as far as the
> indentation level of the beginning of the line. So that if I start out
> on a line indented halfway across the screen, and the line wraps, I get
> a block of text, all of which is indented halfway across the screen --
> but then it's saved in the file as one long line. In other words, an
> editor that separates how the text is DISPLAYED from how it's SAVED.

WYSINWYG -> What You See Is Not What You Get...

It doesn't make much sense to me, though. With Emacs I get the wrapping the
way you want, but it really breaks the lines.

--
Jorge Godoy <jgo...@gmail.com>

stu

unread,
Sep 14, 2006, 10:36:16 PM9/14/06
to

OKB (not okblacke) wrote:
> What I'm interested in knowing is whether anyone has found any
> editor other than TextPad and UltraEdit which allows soft word-wrap (no
> line breaks stored in the file) which do NOT wrap the text to the left
> edge of the screen but instead wrap it back only as far as the
> indentation level of the beginning of the line. So that if I start out
> on a line indented halfway across the screen, and the line wraps, I get
> a block of text, all of which is indented halfway across the screen --
> but then it's saved in the file as one long line. In other words, an
> editor that separates how the text is DISPLAYED from how it's SAVED.
>

jEdit.. cough.. does this just fine... sticky indent without adding
linebreaks...
or you can have sticky indent with linebreaks... its up to you

-stu

David J. Braden

unread,
Sep 14, 2006, 11:33:18 PM9/14/06
to
Wildemar Wildenburger wrote:
>> Hi Stu und "Willie",
>>
<<snip>>

>
>> I don't yet know what jython is about, or for, but I'm up for trying
> > jedit for python.
> jython is an implementation of python in java (hence the name ;)). That
> means it's a python interpreter inside a java virtual machine (groan).
> It basically lets you write java apps in python syntax. It's currently
> at python 2.1 I believe.
> jEdit is extensible though java, and with the jython plugin also through
> python.

Thanks. That helps me get a sense of the landscape.


>
>> Which plugins give me a good start for scientific stuff?
> Er ... I don't know. What do you mean by 'scientific stuff'?

I've come to sense, in the last (many) threads and topics brought up
that I have read in the last 3 weeks, that this NG attracts folks who
are very much into the web-app interface potential and usefulness of
Python, as you yourself seem to be (see following), and others, such as
I, who appreciate its power for technical apps, such as hard-core stats,
optimization, and integration with even more sophisticated off-the-shelf
apps, as well as home-brewed stuff, hopefully even original algorithms.
I have seen, several times in this NG, references to "scientific
stuff". I take it to mean apps meant for, or used by, folks in
engineering, physics, applied mathematics, exploratory theoretical stats
and practical applied stats (at a very high level) --- these users have
PhDs in areas dealing with "scientific stuff". What's *your* view take
on this?

> You might want to look at python packages such as scipy (?) or numpy
> (for numerical calculations) or whatever those are called.

"Whatever those ..." ?!? Maybe this clarifies my response.

I think you
> can hook up python to Matlab, Scilab or Mathematica, but don't take my
> word for it. I don't use any of this, so I cannot really tell you more.
> None of this is jEdit specific though. Can you clarify?

Thanks. I hope to very soon. Potential interactions with other APIs are
keeping me up nights. I could use your help on one of these in the near
future.


>
>> I am not interested in Web/html apps.
> Too bad, that's the future ;).

For whom?!? When? Been to a so-called 3rd-world country for an extended
period yet? Think Angola, Chad, ...


>
>> And is there an IDE out there that lets us create GUI dialogs along
>> the lines of what MS provides with Excel and, I assume, VB?
> Stani's Python Editor (SPE) and Boa Constructor, I think. I've tried SPE
> a few years back and liked it a lot.

Great! I'll give it a try.

> If you only ever write python code you might want to forget about jEdit
> and use one of the two above. jEdit is dubbed 'Programmer's Text
> Editor', and as such provides a 'unified' framework for many languages
> (so you don't have to learn a new editor for every damn language you
> write in once in a blue moon). It is for that reason a /tad/ less
> specialized (though highly configurable). If you still want to use
> jEdit, there is wxGlade for wxPython out there and Glade (not wxGlade!)
> works for pyGTK, I believe.
> Hope that helps you deciding.

Very much so, and many thanks. My only languages are C and VBA, and the
environments of R and Mathematica (hey, I'm ancient).

> "Willie" ;)

lol

DaveB

Ramon Diaz-Uriarte

unread,
Sep 15, 2006, 3:47:30 AM9/15/06
to Wildemar Wildenburger, pytho...@python.org
On 9/15/06, Wildemar Wildenburger <wild...@freakmail.de> wrote:
> Ramon Diaz-Uriarte wrote:
> >> c) can run programs right from within
> >
> > But of course. And, contrary to some others (e.g., JEdit, which I
> > think forces you to use Jython, so you are stuck with Python 2.1 for
> > now) you use the current python interpreter you have installed.
>
> Wrong. But so terribly wrong ;). Jython is not at all needed to use
> python with jEdit. I think the only reason to actually use Jython in

OK, so I stand corrected. However:

- I did not want to imply that you need Jython for editing Python with
JEdit. JEdit can eidt Python files without Jython, of course.

- I was referring to executing arbitrary sections of a Python file in
a Python interpreter in an "integrated way". When I tried JEdit, I
think that Jython was the way to go. (And I think this was also the
case for a while, at least to judge from D. Metrz's review
http://www-128.ibm.com/developerworks/library/l-cpyide/


> The console plugin (probably THE most useful of the pack) gives you a
> system shell and means to start compilers/interpreters based on your

But isn't this a "generic console": you go to the console, and then
type "python2.3" or "python2.4" or whatever? How do you send arbitrary
selections of Python code from the file you are editing to this shell?
Is there a way to mark a section of code and have it evaluated by the
python interpreter? Or a function definition?


R.

Ramon Diaz-Uriarte

unread,
Sep 15, 2006, 3:56:52 AM9/15/06
to David J. Braden, pytho...@python.org
On 9/15/06, David J. Braden <dbr...@invalid.add> wrote:
> Wildemar Wildenburger wrote:

(...)


> > jEdit is extensible though java, and with the jython plugin also through
> > python.
>
> Thanks. That helps me get a sense of the landscape.

As an emacs user, this is a clear plus for JEdit (and for vim, for that matter).

>
> Very much so, and many thanks. My only languages are C and VBA, and the
> environments of R and Mathematica (hey, I'm ancient).

If the "R" you refer is the statistical environment, "GNU S", then you
probably want to check Emacs (with ESS): you get an integrated
environment where you can edit code, submit code pieces (lines,
regions, buffers, functions, etc) to a running R process (which looks
like another Emacs buffer), opening R help in another buffer (with
the possibility of executing the example in the R process), clean up a
transcript of an R session to keep only the code, etc, etc, etc.
Moeover, you get a "smart" edition of Sweave (noweb literate
programming), where emacs knows when you are in a LaTeX part and when
you are in an R code chunck.

Alternatively, in the Windoze world, you might want to check Tinn-R,
which, regarding R, provides some similar functionality, and I think
it is also very nice for Python, LaTeX, etc.

HTH,

R.

Wildemar Wildenburger

unread,
Sep 15, 2006, 6:54:34 AM9/15/06
to pytho...@python.org
David J. Braden wrote:
> I've come to sense, in the last (many) threads and topics brought up
> that I have read in the last 3 weeks, that this NG attracts folks who
> are very much into the web-app interface potential and usefulness of
> Python, as you yourself seem to be (see following), and others, such as
> I, who appreciate its power for technical apps, such as hard-core stats,
> optimization, and integration with even more sophisticated off-the-shelf
> apps, as well as home-brewed stuff, hopefully even original algorithms.
> I have seen, several times in this NG, references to "scientific
> stuff". I take it to mean apps meant for, or used by, folks in
> engineering, physics, applied mathematics, exploratory theoretical stats
> and practical applied stats (at a very high level) --- these users have
> PhDs in areas dealing with "scientific stuff". What's *your* view take
> on this?
>
I use python purely for personal coding, so I cannot give you much
advice on scientific use of python. I understand however that it is very
much used for what you describe. I still don't know what you're asking
exactly, so I hope that's what you wanted to hear.


>> You might want to look at python packages such as scipy (?) or numpy
>> (for numerical calculations) or whatever those are called.
>
> "Whatever those ..." ?!? Maybe this clarifies my response.

Scipy: http://www.scipy.org/
Numpy: http://numpy.scipy.org/ (maybe that explains my confusion ;))
Scientific Python: http://sourcesup.cru.fr/projects/scientific-py/

Better?

> Thanks. I hope to very soon. Potential interactions with other APIs are
> keeping me up nights. I could use your help on one of these in the near
> future.

By 'you' you certainly mean the newsgroup, right? 'Cause I know nothing
of that.

>>> I am not interested in Web/html apps.
>> Too bad, that's the future ;).
>
> For whom?!? When? Been to a so-called 3rd-world country for an extended
> period yet? Think Angola, Chad, ...

I. Was. Kidding.
Sort of ... :)
Seriously: Many people use it for the web, because python is just so
darn good at it. An there is a trend towards web-based apps. There's n
denying that.
Are you telling me that in, say, Angola they only use python for their
hardcore scientific calculations? I don't quite get that argument.
Though I understand your angle.

I'm out
wildemar

Wildemar Wildenburger

unread,
Sep 15, 2006, 7:02:05 AM9/15/06
to pytho...@python.org
Ramon Diaz-Uriarte wrote:
> - I was referring to executing arbitrary sections of a Python file in
> a Python interpreter in an "integrated way". When I tried JEdit, I
> think that Jython was the way to go. (And I think this was also the
> case for a while, at least to judge from D. Metrz's review
> http://www-128.ibm.com/developerworks/library/l-cpyide/
>
>
>> The console plugin (probably THE most useful of the pack) gives you a
>> system shell and means to start compilers/interpreters based on your
>
> But isn't this a "generic console": you go to the console, and then
> type "python2.3" or "python2.4" or whatever? How do you send arbitrary
> selections of Python code from the file you are editing to this shell?
> Is there a way to mark a section of code and have it evaluated by the
> python interpreter? Or a function definition?

Ahh, I see. Well, you're right, that is not that easily possible. But
you know what? I've never missed such functionality; the "if __name__
..." trick always sufficed for me. Buts thats taste of course, lets not
debate that.
So OK, jEdit is not that 'integrated' after all. Oh well ...

:)
wildemar

Ramon Diaz-Uriarte

unread,
Sep 15, 2006, 9:43:26 AM9/15/06
to Wildemar Wildenburger, pytho...@python.org
On 9/15/06, Wildemar Wildenburger <wild...@freakmail.de> wrote:

Thanks for the clarification. (And no, I won't debate that: the choice
of editor is (and should be) very much a matter of personal taste, and
JEdit is certainly a very fine and interesting editor).


Best,

R.

Patrick Thomson

unread,
Sep 15, 2006, 8:20:42 PM9/15/06
to
Personally, I use the non-free but absolutely phenomenal TextMate
(http://macromates.com/), but I've enjoyed my work with jEdit
(http://www.jedit.org/) and, of course, (X)Emacs.

BartlebyScrivener

unread,
Sep 15, 2006, 11:02:21 PM9/15/06
to
>> which allows soft word-wrap (no
>> line breaks stored in the file)

gvim 7.0

if you set wrap and linebreak

:set wrap

:set lbr

The lines will softwrap only at whitespace and various punctuation
marks.

For the indentation issue, use autoindent.

rd

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