Author Topic: Looking for a source code editor for Windows (Read 3228 times)

sk89q · « **on:** June 07, 2008, 05:36:19 PM »

I've been using SciTE for a long time now for a lot of reasons:
- Looks nice (it's simple, but it looks nice)
- In-built console, and compile/build/go shortcuts (i.e. I have F5 (go) for PHP files to check syntax, and CTRL-F7 (compile) to execute)
- Small footprint
- Very fast to load

The only downside is that it's not developed and lacks a lot of features. So... I'm looking for another editor.

I've tried Notepad++, but it lacks the console that I've become so fond of, and I find the border around the text editing component (from the tabs) really ugly...

Any suggestions?

Olbaid · « **Reply #1 on:** June 07, 2008, 06:10:06 PM »

http://www.bloodshed.net/devcpp.html

?

IronFist · « **Reply #2 on:** June 07, 2008, 06:48:25 PM »

It sounds like you're bordering on a full-scale IDE (time to buy more memory).

As I understand it, Zend's IDE is the favorite of PHP developers (well, now it's been integrated into Eclipse, and some don't like it as much anymore), much like IDEA is wildly praised by Java coders. However, those both cost money.

I do very little PHP coding, but just use Eclipse for the contextual popups it provides. It may have refactoring and all that, but I don't remember. Either way, Eclipse is pretty popular for its language support.

I use NetBeans for Java and C, which is quite the heavy IDE (like Eclipse), but it's the best free Java IDE available (it's now funded by Sun), and is close to being able to compete with Eclipse for language support.

I've probably not been too helpful for a light source editor. Notepad++ is the only thing I know of for windows, and for that sort of stuff, I usually use gedit/vim on linux (both have bare-bones syntax highlighting for virtually any language).

lekky · « **Reply #3 on:** June 07, 2008, 06:57:32 PM »

Never really got into SciTE tbh, I used Notepad++ for a while, currently I'm enjoying the pleasures of PSPad (I really hate the logo though).

Zorchenhimer · « **Reply #4 on:** June 07, 2008, 09:10:07 PM »

Gedit has (or can have via plugins) a conosle. But as far as Windows, I don't know of any light IDEs. I use Notepad++ for pretty much all of my coding that I do on Windows, which is minimal at best.

sk89q · « **Reply #5 on:** June 08, 2008, 02:43:09 AM »

An IDE is a bit too heavy for me. Maybe the day I get 4+ GB of RAM, I'll consider installing an IDE and keeping it open 24/7. I also use SciTE as a replacement for Notepad too, so an IDE wouldn't work for that situation.

I've tried PSPad, but it doesn't quite load as fast as I would want it to. I used to use it before I discovered SciTE, but it has always frozen for a few seconds every time I start it up, on very computer that I have tried it on. Kind of annoying. I also don't think it has an in-built console, which I say is godsend.

At the moment, I have several editors installed (PSPad and Notepad++, among others), and I switch when I need some plugin/feature. I guess I'll wait until some new editor crops up... or I decide to hack the source of some open source editor.

y00tz · « **Reply #6 on:** June 08, 2008, 11:41:34 AM »

http://about.emeraldeditor.com/

Small footprint, actively developed (latest release was less than a month ago)

sk89q · « **Reply #7 on:** June 08, 2008, 05:06:42 PM »

Looks good. I used to use Crimson Editor. But, I'll hold off until it gets new features. Its syntax highlighting needs some improvement.

jitspoe · « **Reply #8 on:** June 09, 2008, 02:18:10 PM »

Visual Studio Express?

sk89q · « **Reply #9 on:** June 09, 2008, 06:53:58 PM »

That is not fast. :<

Garrett · « **Reply #10 on:** June 20, 2008, 11:58:55 AM »

Whats wrong with 'Microsoft Visual C++ 2008 Express Edition'?

Eiii · « **Reply #11 on:** June 20, 2008, 03:03:01 PM »

Quote from: sk89q on June 09, 2008, 06:53:58 PM

That is not fast. :<

jitspoe · « **Reply #12 on:** June 20, 2008, 04:32:59 PM »

It's not like you have to wait for characters to appear on the screen as you type...

sk89q · « **Reply #13 on:** June 20, 2008, 09:56:26 PM »

Fast to boot. Bit of a bother to open up VS JUST to edit a small bit of a file.

TinMan · « **Reply #14 on:** June 20, 2008, 10:35:09 PM »

I've used "Geany" in the past on both Windows and Linux.
http://geany.uvena.de/Main/HomePage

jitspoe · « **Reply #15 on:** June 23, 2008, 09:45:40 AM »

Textpad is pretty nice, but I don't know if it has a console.

Garrett · « **Reply #16 on:** June 26, 2008, 02:04:00 PM »

Quote from: sk89q on June 09, 2008, 06:53:58 PM

That is not fast. :<

Fast as in compile speed?

y00tz · « **Reply #17 on:** June 26, 2008, 03:45:12 PM »

I'm pretty sure he's referring to the 90 second startup time. Also, it does not have a small footprint.

jitspoe · « **Reply #18 on:** June 26, 2008, 04:42:51 PM »

90 second? o.0 Even the full blown version doesn't take THAT long - 9 seconds, maybe.

y00tz · « **Reply #19 on:** June 26, 2008, 04:44:43 PM »

Fine, so I exaggerated.