UltraEdit, UltraCompare, UEStudio forums

I make heavy use of column blocks. Having to turn on the column mode, then use the Shift key, then copy it to a clipboard, then not be able to see it and guage where it will fit - it's like loading an antique gun one bullet at a time, then shooting in the dark, and then turning on the light to see ...

This is not a casual request. I use this functionality constantly in my programming and most other editors have this or something close to it. What I have described here is what TSE Pro has and I've gotten spoiled. Hi Clayton, I emailed IDM support with this feature request a while back. I like you...

I know TSE very well. We worked with it for many years til Windows 95/98 get default OS on all of our PCs. We also tried the first "windows" version of TSE, but that was a really bad one because of DOS engine with Windows GUI - horrible. Hi Mofi, I'm not sure what you mean by "DOS engine." TSE Pro ...

All, I am happy to report that UltraEdit 12.20 now supports word-based undo. (It's not quite the same as grouped undo, but IMHO, better than character-by-character undo and is a step in the right direction.) Bill

Everyone, I am happy to report that UltraEdit 12.20 now supports multi-key (chord) keystrokes. They don't work for macros (yet), but it will definitely make me more productive. Edit: Chords for macros are supported since UE v13.10. Bill

My long-time favorite editor is The SemWare Editor, aka TSE ( http://www.semware.com/ ). It looks a bit odd (the GUI version looks like a text-based program), but it has a built-in programming language called SAL and a macro compiler. It supports multi-keystroke chords, sensible and consistent group...

Hi Mofi, I appreciate your input, but there are just too many limitations in the UE macro "language" to be very useful. IMHO, the macro system needs to be based on a programming language that supports programming features such as variables, conditionals, loops, etc. In any case, maybe you don't unde...

Hi mrainey56, Well done. This is closer to my desired behavior, but it has at least one undesirable side-effect: The most recent "find string" is the string specified in the macro. Is there any way to perform a find/replace in a macro without causing the find/replace MRU list to be updated? Also, it...

Hi mrainey56, It looks like your macro will only work with "hard" tabs and will delete all leading tabs in the selected text. Nice try, though. I'd like to keep the editor's native Shift-Tab command if text is selected; otherwise, do a "back tab". It looks like UE's macro language isn't sophisticate...

It's been over 30 days and there are no replies, so I guess it's just not possible with UE's macro feature. (Does anyone else think that it's bizarre that Shift-Tab tabs forward?) I've written to IDM to request this seemingly simple feature. I guess we'll have to wait and see. Bill

Here's some macro pseudo-code I'm trying to assign to the Shift-Tab key: IfSel [do what Shift-Tab normally does if text is selected] Else [backspace twice] EndIf My goal is to prevent Shift-Tab from tabbing forward (which I find bizarre) but backspace twice, but only if text is not selected (i.e., I...

Hi rickcr, Yes, particularly since I couldn't find this limitation documented in the manual. Bill

Hi Koko_McCracken, I think the fact that macros undo character-by-character is symptomatic of the program's design. It's quite bizarre to me that IDM actually prefers character-by-character undo, because it makes undoing lots of steps very tedious. IMHO, they really need to rethink this one. Bill

Hi rickcr, UE has several functions like this that you can't undo. (Sort is another one.) Until this is fixed, I always recommend saving a file before applying these types of changes (i.e., a menu command or toolbar button that makes large changes, because undo might not work afterwards). Unfortunat...

Hi runbei, Sorry for the misinterpretation. However, I stand by my statement that it's mystifying that a modern text editor can't do simple multi-keystroke bindings. I contend that UE will not be taken seriously by many programmers until this happens. Regards, Bill