When composing batch files and similar files I have used Programmers' File Editor (PFE) for many years. It /will/ work under Vista but has to be run in compatibility mode because it implements user choices by registry changes. The writer of PFE stopped maintaining it some years ago, so a Vista-compatible update is unlikely. I'm therefore looking for a replacement editor, preferably free 8-}. A feature I should like to retain is the ability to execute batch files and view their output in the same editor. What suggestions do LwT readers have for a textfile editor?
Philip Ingram
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A useful feature of PFE for me is that it does not lock the file it is editing. This makes it useful for reading log files of active programs. If this is important to you, check before you buy or download.
It's interesting that user preferences are no longer in the registry in Vista. This is yet another feature pinched from Mac OS X and will address one of the many problems of the Windows registry.
Peter Lancashire, Düsseldorf
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Have you tried Notepad2: http://www.flos-freeware.ch/notepad2.html
Features
Customizable syntax highlighting: HTML, XML, CSS, JavaScript, VBScript, ASP, PHP, CSS, Perl/CGI - C/C++, C#, Java, VB, Pascal, Assembler, SQL, Python, NSIS - INI, REG, INF, BAT, DIFF
Drag & drop text editing inside and outside Notepad2
Basic regular expression search and replace
Useful word, line and block editing shortcuts
Rectangular selection (Alt+Mouse)
Brace matching, auto indent, long line marker, zoom functions
Support for Unicode, UTF-8, Unix and Mac text files
Open shell links
Mostly adjustable
Barry Thompson
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I use NoteTab both at home and now that my company has listened to the users for once, at work too. There's a free and a paid-for version. I like being able to view multiple files in one window.
I gave up with PFE as it locked my NT machine for ages while loading up large files.
Chris Walker
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Have a look at http://www.textpad.com
There's a brief nag screen if you choose not to buy.
Frank Jukes
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Strongly recommend TextPad - not very expensive but good.
Also recommend Broadgun PDFMachine for generating pdf's which can be read under RISC OS !Riscript, thereby providing a link from almost any PC WP program to Draw and from that to Impression, Ovation etc.
John Evans Mijas Winchester
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If you are familiar with the Unix editor vi, I recommend vim. This editor uses keypresses; it is not Windows style and if you have never used such an editor before you will struggle. However, it is far more efficient than a Windows-style mouse-driven editor for editing program text, particularly if you are a touch-typist. Emacs is similar but arguably more Windows-like and so less efficient.
http://www.vim.org/ http://www.gnu.org/software/emacs/
Peter Lancashire, Düsseldorf
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And you could always practise with Vim for RISC OS
http://www.sparse.net/vim.html
Hwyl
Ian
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At work, I use Context (http://www.context.cx/ ) which is freeware and fairly well featured. However, I can't remember if it has support for batch files (it's not a feature I use).
Steve Fryatt - Leeds, England