WinFBE Editor and FreeBASIC Compiler (All-in-One Package) (V3.1.0 June 4, 2023)

[paul doe]

Paul: brace matching is working perfectly! Well, except for square brackets that don't work as expected (they do get correctly matched as long as there isn't anything between them).

A (minor) QoL improvement could also be made to the code auto-completion tool: while it is indeed useful (unlike the one of FbEdit which has to be turned off if you don't want to pull your hair off), the auto completed code does not respect the casing the user has selected (in my case, 'Original Casing').

So glad you took the trouble to implement it. Thank you very much. So I'm now switching to WinFBE for my FreeBasic coding =D

[BasicCoder2]

@PaulSquires
From another thread I didn't want to hijack to the topic of IDEs.
Edited from what PaulSquires wrote in that thread:

Instructions for WinFBE Editor:
...
[snip]

Basically, trying to show BasicCoder2(and others in his same situation) how to manipulate your code using an IDE because he indicated in the thread that he is not comfortable with the command prompt.

From my point of view it is ok for you to "advertise" your editor as an option to FBIDE.
The reason I am using FBIDE is because it was the first one available and came with FreeBASIC attached. Since then I simply unzip newer versions of FB into the same folder and it all works perfectly. Over 10 years ago when learning ASM I used the command prompt all the time but it does require remembering all the cryptic commands and I have trouble remembering or finding out how things are done. Much nicer to just press compile/run.

I use Geany on my Raspberry Pi.

[PaulSquires]

Thanks BasicCoder2 I appreciate you taking the time to reply. FBIde was also the first editor I used when I found FB. I've been meaning to pickup a Raspberry Pi for a couple of years now to play with. I will get it one of these days. Hope you're well and staying safe during these unprecedented times with COVID-19.

[denise_amiga]

hello paul.
could you add background color to the "Brace Highlight..." ?
because with a dark theme, it's barely visible

Thx

[PaulSquires]

hello paul.
could you add background color to the "Brace Highlight..." ?
because with a dark theme, it's barely visible

Thx

Hi, if you are using the latest WinFBE 2.1.3 you'll see two entries in the "Colors an Fonts" list (under "Environment Options") called "Brace Highlight Match" and "Brace Highlight No Match". Those should allow you to change the color. Since version 2.1.2 the selected colors should be better visible regardless of the selected theme. Hope this helps.

[denise_amiga]

hi paul.
I am using the latest version (2.1.3)
Yes, I know that you can change the "Color" of the braces, but what I mean is,
for example, with the "LineNumbers", I can change the "Color" but also the "Background",
while with the "Brace HighLight..." I can only change the "Color"

sorry but my language is not english :D

[PaulSquires]

Hi, sorry but with the Scintilla editing control there is only one color that you can use for an "indicator". The only way to adjust the color is to vary the alpha transparency of the fill color of the indicator box. I have that set at 50%.

[deltarho[1859]]

Paul, I updated to WinFBE 2.1.3 which was published quickly after 2.1.2. I was not looking forward to 'installing' six user tools again. So I made cup of tea and did some thinking.

When we add a tool to the 'User Tools' form and click OK then the [UserTools] section in WinFBE.ini is written to accordingly. Conversely, when we open the 'User Tools' form the [UserTools] section of WinFBE.ini is read, at least that is what I assume is happening.

It occurred to me, when updating to 2.1.3, all I had to do was to copy the contents of [UserTools] from my last WinFBE version to 2.1.3. I then got six user tools 'installed' in a matter of seconds.

Now, since WinFBE and user tools employ relative paths then not only will the above work for me, my [UserTools] contents will work for anyone.

So, if someone added

USERTOOL_04=Set compiler switches|-|.\Tools\SetCompilerSwitchesII.exe|-||-|5|-||-|1|-|0|-|0|-|0|-|0|-|0|-|1|-|3

to their [UserTools] then SetCompilerSwitchesII.exe would be 'installed' without needing to open the 'User Tools' form.

My original Help file is now deprecated and points to a new thread: drWinFBE_Tools

Available there are the latest versions of my user tools - WinFBE is currently shipping with old versions.

@paul doe

Being a recent WinFBE convert, Paul, you should check out SetCompilerSwitchesII at the above link. Goodness knows how much time that has saved me by avoiding the 'Compiler Setup' 'Additional compiler option switches (optional)' section in the 'Environment Options' form.

[Jonge]

Hi, there was a change recently in WinFBE which makes WinFBE only add a new WinFBE.ini if the file is missing. So now you can just unzip the new version over the old one and still keep all settings as before. I had the same problem as you, but with themes and some settings that I had to change after each install, now its much easier =)

[paul doe]

...
@paul doe

Being a recent WinFBE convert, Paul, you should check out SetCompilerSwitchesII at the above link. Goodness knows how much time that has saved me by avoiding the 'Compiler Setup' 'Additional compiler option switches (optional)' section in the 'Environment Options' form.

Indeed, I was looking precisely at that. Will download and install them, thanks.

Hi, there was a change recently in WinFBE which makes WinFBE only add a new WinFBE.ini if the file is missing. So now you can just unzip the new version over the old one and still keep all settings as before. I had the same problem as you, but with themes and some settings that I had to change after each install, now its much easier =)

Ah, this is something I've noticed, too. And of course it's pretty convenient since WinFBE is under fast and furious development so tools like David's above also help.

[deltarho[1859]]

So now you can just unzip the new version over the old one and still keep all settings as before.

That may be so but anyone downloading WinFBE for the first time will have an empty [UserTools] section in WinFBE.ini and may find it a struggle to 'install' the available user tools; if they knew where they were. My latest Help file shows folk how to 'install' some, if not all, of the available user tools without opening the 'User Tools' form. Of course this is also true for those that have 'installed' some user tools and want to install some more.

The only time, for the most part, anyone needs to use the 'User Tools' form is when they are developing a user tool, to create an entry in the [UserTools] section of WinFBE.ini. Once that is done the developer only needs to publish their entry in [UserTools], so their users can 'install' easily, and by users I mean me as well.

[PaulSquires]

Version 2.1.4 (April 26, 2020)
Editor:
- Changed: Updated David Robert's User Tools for SetCompilerPathsII, SetCompilerSwitchsII, and ArchSettings to the latest version.
- Fixed: WinFBE would not correctly save its startup size/position if the editor had been "Aero snapped" via a Windows docking action such as docking it to the left hand side of the screen via a Winkey+LeftArrow keypress.
- Fixed: Duplicate controls would result if reloading a Form file modified by an external program.

Visual Designer:
- Added: Keyboard shortcuts for cut/copy/paste now works for visual designer controls.
- Added: FormReady event for Forms that fires when the Form is ready for user interaction.
- Changed: Control ID identifiers for all controls on a Form now start at 9000 and increment +1 for each added control.
- Fixed: Controls with Image properties would not correctly show the actual image when the form is loaded into the editor.
- Fixed: Corrected regression whereby duplicate definition errors for Form file if it is also the MAIN code file.
- Fixed: Statusbar control identifier was hardcoded as 100 potentially causing conflict with CreateWindowEX controls that may be added by the user.
- Fixed: Statusbar Editor initially set colors needed a mouseover in order for the correct colors to display.

https://github.com/PaulSquires/WinFBE/releases

[deltarho[1859]]

Thanks, Paul.

If anyone downloads WinFBE for the first time then they will find that no User Tools have been installed and won't even know where they are. If you find them then you may think that you have to use 'Tools>User Tools...' in WinFBE's menu to install them - you don't. If you navigate to WinFBE's Tools folder you will find drWinFBE_Tools.chm. Work through that Help file and 'install' whatever tools you want. The Help file mentions that ini files exist in the Tools folder but that is no longer true - don't worry about that because the Help file covers everything that you need to know.

When you are done you will see them in WinFBE's Tools menu and if you click on 'User Tools...' you will see how they have been configured in the 'User Tools' form. You don't need to get involved with the 'User Tools' form unless you write a User Tool.

The above Help file also tells you where you can get gcc 8.3 and gcc 9.2 if you want to venture beyond gcc 5.2, my default is gcc 8.3.

[PaulSquires]

If anyone downloads WinFBE for the first time then they will find that no User Tools have been installed and won't even know where they are.

That's a good point. I will adjust the code for creating the new/default WinFBE.ini configuration file to add the basic tools that exist in the distribution (including your tools). Thanks for providing the additional help information for users.

Sure would be good if WinFBE had an extensive help manual that covered things like User Tools, wouldn't it? Lol :) someday...someday...

[paul doe]

Hey Paul. It's me again XD

I've noticed some more 'weirdness' on the code editor. Namely:

• On a comment block, the control still tries to parse input. Try this (with the comment block already in place):

  Code: Select all

  type _
    Bunny
    
    as integer _
      x, y
  end type
  
  dim as Bunny _
    bunnies( 0 to 10 )
  
  /'
    while true <-- If you press enter here, the editor auto-completes the block, unless you encase the predicate in parens
    
    I like bunnies <-- If you write a dot here, it triggers code completion suggestions
  '/
  

• While the above behavior is correct outside of a comment block, it does not work:

  Code: Select all

  type _
    Bunny
    
    as integer _
      age
  end type
  
  dim as Bunny _
    b
  
  b. <-- Does not trigger suggestions
  
  with b
    . <-- Neither does this
  end with
  

• The code completion does not respect the casing the user selected on the options dialog. Neither for symbols nor keywords.

Admittedly minor nuissances, but I had to turn block and code auto-completion off, since it gets in the way when I'm writing comments and does not work as expected when I need it to. The block completion does seem to be working as expected, it just works too well ;)

Not to worry, though. I'm already accustomed to work in FreeBasic without those (since they're buggy in almost all FreeBasic-specific editors I've tested)