Info:

The following is a copy of the current Zabkat.com's Editor2.txt, slightly formatted and edited for readability.

2021-03-12


////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////
// Editor² project
//
// The Quadratic replacement for Notepad and 2xEditor
// By Nikos Bozinis @ 4 May 2004


This small update adds handling of UTF8 and OEM text files. UTF8 files
may be detected automatically but for the case of OEM you must tell
editor² using the "Files of type" combo box in the standard File | Open
dialog, or using the new /C:n command line option (see below).

Once loaded the text type can be seen in the rightmost status bar pane.
When saving you can convert the text to any of the supported formats,
again using the "Save as type" combo box in the File | Save As dialog.

To force the text encoding from the command line use the /C switch with
a number as such:

    0 windows (default)
    1 OEM
    2 UTF8
    3 UNICODE-16
 nnn explicit code page number e.g. /C:1253 for greek

For example the command line:

    editor2 /C:1 file.txt

will load "file.txt" assuming it is OEM encoded. Note that if there is a
valid BOM (for utf8 or unicode) it will override whatever forced
encoding was specified using the /C switch.

NOTE: if a loaded file had a "byte-order-mask" (BOM) identifying the
encoding then editor² will use a BOM when saving, too. If the loaded
file had no BOM then it will be saved without a BOM.

Overall the command line arguments now are (all optional):

> Editor2 /S:<name> /M /V /E /L:nn /P /C:n /I:settings.INI <filename> <fn2> ...

/M ensures that the window will open and be visible (not minimized in taskbar)

You get 10 more autotexts too. Similar to the existing system that uses
<Ctrl+NUMBER> to use and <Ctrl+Shift+NUMBER> to define, you get 10 more
using <Alt> in place of <Ctrl>. All the menus and dialogs are updated
accordingly. Note that the keyboard shortcuts for fixed/proportional
font had to change to accommodate the new autotexts.

By default all settings are stored in the registry but you can use the
/I: command line switch with a INI file path to store the program
settings.

The default settings filename is ED2.INI, if you have one in
the installation folder then you don't need to use /I, this file will be
used automatically, but be careful to ensure you have write permissions
in the installation folder, otherwise provide some other save location.

///// VERSION 2.5

It's been some time since the last release of Editor² -- a couple of
years to be exact. This latest version isn't a major makeover; it mainly
brings the editor in close integration with xplorer² the sequel to
2xExplorer. The major advantage is that its search functions are
synchronized with those of xplorer². If you search for some text in
xplorer² the same search options are transferred to Editor² and vice-
versa. This is a sweet usability feature for integrating the 2 programs
while keeping them separate.

So what else is in it for the standalone user?

* MULTITHREADED SDI. This technicality means that multiple instances
  of the editor can be open at the same time with minimum impact on your
  system resources. You can open new windows or clone the same file in
  multiple windows. By default Editor² runs in a single instance mode
  too, unless the new /P command line option is specified (see below).

* SEARCH AND REPLACE WITH BINARY CHARACTERS. The search and replace
  dialogs can now accept "binary" characters like tabs and linefeeds.
  You either select them from those predefined or type them in yourself
  in the format $xx, where xx is the hexadecimal byte number you want
  inserted (e.g. return = $0D). If you want a single $ just escape it
  with $$.

* NEW COMMAND LINE ARGUMENTS. /L:nn will load a document and jump
  directly to line # nn. /P forces a separate process — by default
  Editor² runs in single instance mode. You don't really have any
  incentive to force non-single instance since the memory usage gets
  worse with each new window. But it is there nevertheless. So the
  overall command line is (all arguments optional): Editor2 /S:<name> /V
  /E /L:nn /P <filename>

* DUAL BOOKMARK. The single bookmark with <Ctrl+F8> was good but not
  good enough for jumping between 2 spots. Now the store bookmark
  command will remember the 2 latest bookmarked positions and <F8> will
  cycle among them. Very neat. <Shift+F8> will extend the selection.

* FIND ALL. The find dialog has an option to find all occurences of
  the searched string. These are hilighted in one stroke for all the
  text. There's a command to cancel the hilighting too.

* CHARACTER CASE CHANGE. Changes the selection to uppercase or
  lowercase, see Edit menu.

* EXTERNAL VIEWER. This is configurable from the options dialog.
  Hitting <F12> saves the document and opens it in the specified
  external viewer (e.g. for previewing the HTML you are typing). Note
  that in general you need the full path to the external viewer and if
  it contains spaces you should enclose it in "quotation marks".

You will have noticed that all these new features and some others
(escapable I/O, autocompleting combo boxes and other subtle usability
improvements) have increased the pork in Editor² whose size leapt to
just under the 100KB barrier. But it's pounds well spent, I say! Enjoy!


///////////////////////// W H A T   W A S   N E W //////////////////////////

Walking on the same land that Aristotle developed all his foundations
for science and logic, one cannot help oneself pondering on the law of
excluded middle (A or not-A) that the great master formulated first of
all mankind.

Locked into such a logical-positivistic frame of mind, it doesn't take
much to realize that 300K+ is a bit too large for a basic editor that
was 2xEditor.

So one has to take the logical step and remove all the excess fat of
MFC, that 10-year old dinosaur of a class library, and replace it with a
nifty WTL-based implementation.

(
WTL or Windows Template Library is a "new" set of lightweight
templates/classes which wrap most of the user interface aspects of
modern windows programming. It was developed within mikros~1 as an
extension of ATL, and although not "officially" supported it kicks plain
ass. If only there was some docking toolbar functionality it would
become the defacto tool for all UI programming aspects. But we're
working on that...
)

2xEditor == 323,584 bytes; Editor² == 83,968 bytes (build# 2.0.0.7).

Talking about weight loss! No diet should be without WTL, now available
without prescription (girlfriends beware). Still it's fat down yet meat
up. The new version packs more functionality than the original 2xEditor,
while maintaining all the original aspects. Here's a short list of
improvements:

* RICHEDIT v2.0. Editor² uses the newer version of the common windows
  rich edit control which is a better all-rounder (as mini$o~1 claim
  it's now written in C++ as opposed to the Cobol-based old
  implementation :). Coming with tricks like multi-level undo, better
  Asian-language support, etc. On the down side it requires RICHED20.DLL
  to run, which may be missing from some early win95 platforms. But this
  is the third millenium after all, time to move on.

* UNICODE SUPPORT. Perhaps the strongest argument for moving to the
  latest version of rich-edit is the native support for Unicode. Editor²
  automatically reads and writes in I-dont-know-which-endian Unicode
  text files. That is automatic in reading; for writing just make sure
  you select "Unicode text" in the "Save as type" box (Save As dialog),
  or keep an eye on the new "UC" indicator on the status bar.

  NOTE: If you regularly use Unicode text files, I recommend downloading
  the pure Unicode version of the program from the website. See the
  Unicode section below for more details.

* UNIX CR/LF CONVERSION. Similar to the unicode capability, Editor²
  will auto-detect when a Unix text file is loaded (no carriage return
  CR characters at the end of line) and light an "LF" indicator on the
  status bar. By default all such Unix files are saved with just
  newlines, but you may change that by selecting another type for the
  "Save as type" box (Save As dialog). Conversions from DOS CR/LF texts
  to Unix LF can also be achieved in a similar fashion.

* DUAL FONTS. Editor² maintains two fonts, one "fixed-pitch" and one
  "proportional". You are free to substitute your own definitions for
  these terms. A simple switch mechanism (<Alt+1> and <Alt+2> shortcuts)
  and a smart new property page ensure the maximum enjoyment of this
  feature. Now coming with distinct color scheme selection for the read-
  only and normal editing modes.

* PRODUCTIVE SEARCH. The search functions in 2xEditor were no
  straight-to-video calamity, but the new stuff in Editor² are even
  better. My personal favorite is SearchSelection <Ctrl+F3> command
  which now supports searching for the word under the cursor without
  having to select it first, a real boost for productivity. Both this
  and the FindNext <F3> command now have <Shift-> equivalents that
  search in the backward direction. Finally, the case-sensitivity and
  word-search options are now conveniently located on the toolbar.

* DOCUMENT STATISTICS. The new Help | Statistics command displays
  basic document information like word/line count. Now you have the
  evidence to impress your boss on your code writing proliferation.

* AUTOMATIC URL DETECTION. Now visiting links shown on the document is
  just a click away. On by default, but there's a registry value which
  controls it.

* MORE REGISTRY OPTIONS. The key
  "HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\ZabaraKatranemia Plc\Editor2" has many
  things that you can control once you quit Editor², like "bFlatToolbar"
  (I couldn't tell you what this does without compromising national
  security :). A bit trickier are the format strings for the
  InsertDateTime command, held in the szCustomDateFormat and
  szCustomTimeFormat strings. For example, to get the date string "Wed,
  Aug 31 94" use the following format string: "ddd',' MMM dd yy". Or
  just leave them empty to get your short date format as specified in
  the Control Panel.

* INTERNATIONALIZATION-READY. All the messages etc in Editor² are
  stored in the program resources, so it should be a breeze to translate
  everything to other languages. Entusiastic volunteers of non-English
  nationalities please let me know who you are! There are already plenty
  translations, check for your own language at:
  http://www.netez.com/2xExplorer/international.html

So there you have it. Using advanced non-linear technology (TM) Editor²
squashed 2xEditor like a blood-filled mosquito (darn things!). Its low
fat WTL diet should ensure longevity, and raise a true challenge for the
prize of highest feature-to-size (power-to-weight) ratio in the Notepad
replacement arena (i.e. the GSXR-1000 equivalent). And this is a sign of
things to come. Explorer² could be just round the corner. Why stay
linear when you can go quadratic?


///////////////////// ORIGINAL RELEASE ANNOUNCEMENT //////////////////

Just another Notepad replacement? Not so!

Editor² begun its life as an embedded thread in 2xExplorer (dual pane
win32 file manager, check it out) dealing with all things
viewing/editing.

By popular demand it is now transformed into a stand- alone application,
after undergoing some tweaks and improvements at the same time (e.g.
printing support).

Although it won't substitute your main editor (say for writing your
source code), it is nevertheless a very compact quick'n'dirty
editor/viewer thingme to be appreciated by programmers and lay users
alike. The key objective is efficient everyday use, facilitated by the
following main features:

  * Keyboard shortcuts for most commands
  * Persistence of all program state/properties (registry)
  * Powerful search and replace, including command history
  * Font selection, color and tab settings
  * Hexadecimal viewer for the hacker within oneself
  * RTF viewer (read only mode)
  * Autotext for easing the insertion of opening/closing HTML tags and
    other text.

Naturally you get all the standard gimmicks like toolbars, drag/drop
editing, word wrapping, printing, unlimited size editing and all.
Especially for programmers of all shapes and languages, the following
added items will surely prove handy:

  * Indentation control
  * Brace matching (including HTML angle brackets <>)
  * Goto line # command
  * Line/Column indicator
  * Insertion caret bookmark

Editor² is aware of command line arguments, too. The syntax is as follows:

> Editor2 /S:<name> /V /E <filename>

All arguments are optional.

The <filename> is, as you'd expect, the file
to start editing/viewing.

The "/S:" option on the other hand is a fidgety little thing that
controls the registry key name where all the persistent properties are
kept (window size and the rest).

By default, Editor² will store everything in
"HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\ZabaraKatranemia Plc\Editor2"; using the
(for example) /S:OTHER argument will force properties to be stored/read
from the "HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\ZabaraKatranemia Plc\Editor2OTHER"
key instead.

Not actually earth-moving but it can be quite handy for keeping distinct
settings depending on context (e.g. for keeping various shortcuts to
Editor² on your desktop).

Finally, the /V and /E options force the editor to open in View or Edit
mode, respectively, regardless of the mode that was kept in the registry
(i.e. the last time you used it).


///////////////////// U N I C O D E   V E R S I O N ////////////////////

Although all versions of Editor² will read and handle unicode text
files, the ANSI version of the program (which runs on all windows
platforms, including 95/98) cannot handle text searches within unicode
sessions properly.

If you are using windows NT or 2000, I would recommend downloading the
special unicode build of the program from the website
(http://www.netez.com/2xExplorer). This will properly handle searches
with international characters, and it is more efficient throughout,
since NT-based platforms use Unicode internally.

Note that in general, if you have mixed-language characters in a single
file, the only way to preserve them is to save the file in Unicode
format (choose the appropriate "Save as type" in the SaveAs dialog).
This is a "feature" of the new version of the richedit control, which I
cannot change.


////////////////////////// KEYBOARD SHORTCUTS ////////////////////////

Except for the keyboard accelerators for the Editor² commands (shown
next to menu items and in tooltips), there exist shortcuts for moving
the insertion caret around within the text buffer.

I wouldn't bother reminding you of the arrow keys, PgUp/PgDn, Home/End
and the like, but there are several maybe-not-so-well-known commands
using the <Control> key:

  ACCELERATOR    DESCRIPTION OF COMMAND
  Ctrl+Left      Move one word to the left
  Ctrl+Right     Move one word to the right
  Ctrl+PageUp    Jump to the top of the window
  Ctrl+PageDn    Jump to the bottom of the window
  Ctrl+Home      Goto the beginning of the document
  Ctrl+End       Goto the end of the document
  Ctrl+Delete    Delete the word to the right of the caret

All these commands can be combined with the <Shift> key for extending
the selection to the final caret location.

Mouse-wise, you can double-click on a word to select it automatically; a
triple click will select the whole line. Note here that the regular copy
<Ctrl+C> shortcut will also copy a whole line if there's no other
selection.

Finally for the search commands, <Shift+F3> will search for the "next"
occurrence in the backward direction, and <Ctrl+Shift+F3> will back-
search for the selected word or word under the cursor.


/////// HOW TO PERMANENTLY ASSOCIATE EDITOR2 WITH TEXT DOCUMENTS ///////

You can associate Editor² to handle all text (*.txt etc) files on your
computer, if you don't want to Notepad ruining your day no more. All you
have to do is edit the 'open' verb for Text documents. From the windows
explorer select View|FolderOptions and go to the FileTypes tab. Find the
entry for Text Document and click on the Edit button. Then double-click
on the 'open' verb and type:

     c:\WhereYouHaveIt_Path\Editor2.exe "%1"

It is very IMPORTANT to include the "%1" argument so that Editor² will
read properly filenames with spaces. This must be the top "problem"
people tell me about.


//////////////////////////// L I C E N C E /////////////////////////////

Editor² is free, gratis and fer nowt. But don't send me summons for
court if you don't like it either (or if by some cosmic coincidence it
so happens to erase your hard-drive contents). Don't even consider
selling it for profit other than reasonable distribution costs. How's
that for an informal licence agreement?

Princes, princesses and other royalty, lottery-winners, top-flight
executives and related rich folk are expected to make a donation if
found addicted to Editor². Small contributions from less-fortunate warm-
hearted folk won't be turned down either. Details can be found in the
website.

(http://www.netez.com/2xExplorer/donate.html)


//////////////////////////// C R E D I T S /////////////////////////////

Editor² (the program formerly known as 2xEditor) was developed using
Visual C++ v6.0 (ATL/WTL classes) by Nikos Bozinis in 1999-2002.

Should you want to contact the author for any comments, suggestions, bug
reports or just for a pat on the back, the details follow:

e-mail: mailto:[email protected]?SUBJECT=Editor2
WWW:    http://www.netez.com/2xExplorer
Forum:  http://www.netez.com/bbs/
Edit
Pub: 12 Mar 2021 17:12 UTC
Views: 690