[INFO] PSpad: text editor

[Martin Seibert]

I've tried MANY freeware Text Editors, but PSpad is the one I'm stuck with.
It has tons of features, some of the ones I like most are:

- project management
- ftp support
- configurable syntax highlighting
- code explorer
- tabbed editing
- excellent file diff
- search in files
- built in hex editor
- md5 calculator
- spell checker
- unix support
- colored printing
etc. etc.

Sure, there are some features missing (like code folding), but from all
I tested, PSpad is the one with the most features and it does all I need
pretty well (but I admit, at the moment it has some problems with soft
word wrap... but I don't need that often, so I don't care much).

Here's the link : http://www.pspad.com/

and here's a description from the website:

PSPad editor. The universal freeware editor, is for you if you need to:

- work with plain text - it has a wealth of formatting functions,
including a spell checker

- create web pages - as web authoring editor PSPad contains many unique
tools to save you time

- use a good IDE for you compiler - catch and parse compiler output,
integrate external help files, compare versions, and much more.....

There is no complex install process, the program is ready to work
immediately, without requiring customization. PSPad supports many file
types and languages, with syntax highlighting. There are macros, clip files
and templates to automate repetitive activities. An integrated HEX Editor,
Project support, FTP Client, Macro Recorder, File Search/Replace, Code
Explorer, code page conversion, are just some of the many possibilities
that PSPad can offer you.

 

[xtort]

The best thing about this app, for web page designers is the html
preview tool: there are numerous preview features such as outlining
CSS div's, html tables, etc. Really, really cool stuff. A lot of folks
fuss over the word wrap, but myself, I have no use for this in a
programmer's editor anyways, really.

best,
xtort
[http://xtort.net]

 

[Atomhrt]

I've tried MANY freeware Text Editors, but PSpad is the one I'm stuck with.
It has tons of features, some of the ones I like most are:

Did the developer finally fix the problem with line wrapping and the
search list? It would get messed up if you had line numbering turned on
with line wrapping and performed a search. The search list would have
the wrong line numbers listed and if you clicked on them, it would take
you to the wrong line. This has been a problem for a *long* time and the
developer said that it was a hard problem to fix.

 

[Martin Seibert]

Did the developer finally fix the problem with line wrapping and the
search list? It would get messed up if you had line numbering turned on
with line wrapping and performed a search. The search list would have
the wrong line numbers listed and if you clicked on them, it would take
you to the wrong line. This has been a problem for a *long* time and the
developer said that it was a hard problem to fix.

Can't say, but word wrap is still buggy in some cases, but I don't use it
much, so I don't care much. Sure, it would be great if it would get fixed
soon, but for me it has no high priority, because there are other features
I rank higher.

 

[Atomhrt]

Can't say, but word wrap is still buggy in some cases, but I don't use it
much, so I don't care much. Sure, it would be great if it would get fixed
soon, but for me it has no high priority, because there are other features
I rank higher.

How nice for you. For me it's a must, so no pspad for me.

 

[Roger Johansson]

How nice for you. For me it's a must, so no pspad for me.

Pspad also lacks support for proportional fonts.

There are only a few ugly fonts to choose from in it, that is why I
cannot use it.

The kids today have learned to read on computers and have never even
opened a book with a nice readable font, so they have no problem with
Courir New. They have never seen anything better.

 

[Martin Seibert]

Pspad also lacks support for proportional fonts.

There are only a few ugly fonts to choose from in it, that is why I
cannot use it.

The kids today have learned to read on computers and have never even
opened a book with a nice readable font, so they have no problem with
Courir New. They have never seen anything better.

Can it be you confuse 'text editor' with 'word processor'? I don't need
any prop. fonts in a text editor. I hope you know that you can't align
text with prop. fonts? BTW, who do you call kid? Don't blame the wrong
audience, Mister. Well, there is NO audience you could blame ;-).

 

[Roger Johansson]

Can it be you confuse 'text editor' with 'word processor'? I don't need
any prop. fonts in a text editor.

Well, I need it anywhere where I am going to look at text and read text,
simply because I am used to nice fonts like Times New Roman from books
and other printed material.

Courier New is not used to print text on paper, because it looks very
bad, and is hard to read.
Have you ever read a book printed in Courier New?

I hope you know that you can't align text with prop. fonts?

I often use align to the left, to the right, or align centralized with
proportional fonts.

You probably mean that you cannot align text into vertical columns if you
use proportional fonts.

Well, you shouldn't. The only kind of text that sometimes needs to be
vertically aligned is numbers, and then you should use numerical fields
for the numbers, like in a spreadsheet.

HTML is a very good invention, if used right, because it separates
information and layout, so the reader can decide for himself how he wants
the information to be presented, which is a blessing when lots of people
are totally senseless and use fixed fonts for text on the web. With good
settings in the web browser we can correct many stupid choices of fonts,
colors and backgrounds which are made by web designers who do not know
what they are doing.

 

[Martin Seibert]

Well, I need it anywhere where I am going to look at text and read text,
simply because I am used to nice fonts like Times New Roman from books
and other printed material.

But we're talking about software, not books.

[..]

I often use align to the left, to the right, or align centralized with
proportional fonts.

Yes, in word processing. We're talking about text editing. It's nothing
about things you want to 'read' later on like a(n) (e)book.

You probably mean that you cannot align text into vertical columns if you
use proportional fonts.

Well, you shouldn't.

Why not?

The only kind of text that sometimes needs to be
vertically aligned is numbers, and then you should use numerical fields
for the numbers, like in a spreadsheet.

You're obviously no programmer, nor HTML writer, nor CSS writer, etc.pp.

HTML is a very good invention, if used right, because it separates
information and layout, so the reader can decide for himself how he wants
the information to be presented, which is a blessing when lots of people
are totally senseless and use fixed fonts for text on the web. With good
settings in the web browser we can correct many stupid choices of fonts,
colors and backgrounds which are made by web designers who do not know
what they are doing.

Well, that comes if people 'write HTML' with M$ Frontpage (or similar).

Do you know HTML? Or C/C++/C#? It has NOTHING to with WYSIWYG or 'readable'
text. Nobody who serously writes in such 'languages' cares about TTFonts
or if you can read it 'better'. It's all about alignment, intention, etc.
that makes code more 'readable'.

And no serious programmer (I'm sure) uses M$ Word to write the source code
for a program, just because it can use Times New Roman Font.

 

[Roger Johansson]

But we're talking about software, not books.

No, I am talking about reading in general. I just use books as an example
of large amounts of reading.

People who read a lot, like in reading books, need optimally designed
fonts because bad fonts in large amounts makes it even more obvious that
they are bad fonts.

That is the reason why they print books and newspapers in nice
proportional fonts like Times New Roman.

Yes, in word processing. We're talking about text editing. It's nothing
about things you want to 'read' later on like a(n) (e)book.

You need to READ it while you write it, and it will be read again by
yourself or somebody else, so we are still talking about reading in
general.

Why not?

Because vertically columnized text is very ugly and hard to read.

You're obviously no programmer, nor HTML writer, nor CSS writer,
etc.pp.

It doesn't matter what I am, the fact that I read and write a lot is the
only fact of importance here.

I work with text, and I want good and usable tools when I do.
A text editor with only fixed fonts is not a usable tool for work with
text.

 

[Martin Seibert]

[..]

You need to READ it while you write it, and it will be read again by
yourself or somebody else, so we are still talking about reading in
general.



Because vertically columnized text is very ugly and hard to read.



It doesn't matter what I am, the fact that I read and write a lot is the
only fact of importance here.

It DOES matter what you are, because we are talking about tools. If a tool
is not made for your needs, it's not a bad tool, because it's not for you.

I know what I'm talking about in terms of programming and similar tasks,
so I know what I need and what IS important. This is different than things
a 'text reader' is looking for.

I hope you see the big difference NOW?

I work with text, and I want good and usable tools when I do.

Go and use Word and stuff. Developer tools are just not made for you.

A text editor with only fixed fonts is not a usable tool for work with
text.

text != text

 

[Roger Johansson]

I know what I'm talking about in terms of programming and similar
tasks, so I know what I need and what IS important. This is different
than things a 'text reader' is looking for.

Okay, let's talk about programming and development environments.

When is it a disadvantage to have a readable proportional font to work
with? When do you need the text aligned into vertically aligned columns?

I have seen many programmers editors and program development environments
and most of the ones I have seen can use proportional fonts with no
detrimental effects for the practical work.

 

[rir3760]

It was a dark and stormy night when Roger Johansson

[Snip]

But we're talking about software, not books.

No, I am talking about reading in general. I just use books as an
example of large amounts of reading.

Sorry but you were complaining about PSPad's lack of support for
proportional fonts, something that is not a hight priority to
implement on a *programmer* text editor.

People who read a lot, like in reading books, need optimally
designed fonts because bad fonts in large amounts makes it even
more obvious that they are bad fonts.

That is the reason why they print books and newspapers in nice
proportional fonts like Times New Roman.

But source code is a totally different thing.

[Snip]

It doesn't matter what I am, the fact that I read and write a lot
is the only fact of importance here.

The only fact of importance for PSPad developer(s) is how their
targeted audience works. PSPad is a programmer text editor meant to
be used by programmers and most of time they don't work with
proportional fonts, nor care about.

I work with text, and I want good and usable tools when I do.
A text editor with only fixed fonts is not a usable tool for work
with text.

What you need is a word processor and not a programmers text editor.

Regards

 

[Atomhrt]

Sorry but you were complaining about PSPad's lack of support for
proportional fonts, something that is not a hight priority to
implement on a *programmer* text editor.

Hold on there Tonto!

From the pspad web site:
"The universal freeware editor, is for you if you need to:
* work with plain text - it has a wealth of formatting functions,
including a spell checker"

Yes, it's a programmers editor with syntax highlighting, but that's not
all it's for, so please back off a bit.

 

[Martin Seibert]

Hold on there Tonto!

From the pspad web site:
"The universal freeware editor, is for you if you need to:
* work with plain text - it has a wealth of formatting functions,
including a spell checker"

Yes, it's a programmers editor with syntax highlighting, but that's not
all it's for, so please back off a bit.

And where does it mention proportional fonts? And who says you can not work
with plain text? From a developers point of few, PSpad is one of the best
freeware editors available. For word processing I would use OpenOffice.

 

[Atomhrt]

And where does it mention proportional fonts? And who says you can not work
with plain text? From a developers point of few, PSpad is one of the best
freeware editors available. For word processing I would use OpenOffice.

Huh??? What are you smoking? Did I say it had proportional fonts
anywhere?? The answer is no.

I use GVim for programming.