Tiko Editor (with full FreeBasic Compiler) (v1.0.3 Updated 2025.06.16)

[Josep Roca]

You don't have to switch if you don't want/need it. You can also use Tiko with Afx instead of Afx2. I have written CDialog to replicate the PowerBasic DDT dialog engine, and DDT.inc is a thin wrapper to allow to use CDialog in a procedural way with a DDT-like syntax. Could help DDTer's to transition to FreeBasic, although they don't seem interested, at least for now. For me it has been a challenge to prove myself that I could replicate DDT and improve it. I have tried to combine the best of dialogs with the best of SDK windows. Some things like setting colors and anchor resizing are much easier with this new class, since it is done automatically without having to process WIndows messages. It gives me the opportunity to try new techniques without breaking existing code. But if you're happy with Afx, you won't have a compelling reason to switch. New users can choose what they prefer.

[deltarho[1859]]

Thanks, José.

WinFBE may be nine years old but was recently updated to 3.2.0 and satisfies my needs.

However, more to the point, I cannot face not having access to SCS.

[PaulSquires]

I can help you to get SCS to work as a User Tool under Tiko if you wish. Just let me know what you need in order to interface to the editor in the same manner that you did with WinFBE.

[adeyblue]

Why should I switch from [1] to [2]? So far, I cannot see a reason to switch.

It's like a remix, innit.
If you like Paul Hardcastle's original version of 19, nobody's forcing you to listen to his more modern smooth jazz remix or his funky-dunky one (or any of his other 25 versions (no, seriously, there's tons of them))

Anyway, aside over, good work Paul. You too Mr Squires.

[deltarho[1859]]

Thanks, Paul.

I am not an SDK coder but WnFBE + WinFBX is the next best thing.

I'll stay with WinFBE unless Tiko gets some amazing features which WinFBE will never see, and then I may change my mind.

The active membership at PowerBASIC is now down to 131 - 250 when I joined the FreeBASIC forum in Jan 2017. The 131 are a die hard lot and I cannot see any of them considering transitioning to FreeBASIC. Of course Tiko should interest the FreeBASIC forum but getting them to look at something new is a formidable task; except for a hand full with a few fingers missing.

Yes Roca and Squires make a good team and both are expert FB coders.

[Josep Roca]

There is an even more powerful reason why I have switched to dialogs and it is DPI awareness. Microsoft has added a bunch of new DPI functions and has updated the dialog manager to make it easier to program for high resolution monitors.

The dialog manager in Windows handles how dialog boxes respond to changes in Dots Per Inch (DPI) settings. When DPI changes, the dialog manager automatically resizes and repositions child controls within the dialog, updates their fonts, and resizes the dialog itself. This ensures that dialogs remain usable and readable on different displays with varying DPI settings.

Automatic Scaling:

The dialog manager is designed to automatically adjust dialogs when the DPI changes, ensuring they scale appropriately for the new DPI setting.

Per Monitor DPI Awareness:

In "Per Monitor v2" contexts (introduced in Windows 10, version 1703), the dialog manager re-layouts dialogs and their controls on DPI changes, updating fonts and sizes as needed.

Example:

If a dialog is displayed on a monitor with a higher DPI setting, the dialog manager will automatically increase the size of the dialog and its controls, making the text and other elements larger and easier to read.

[deltarho[1859]]

I couldn't resist looking at SCS to see how much work would be involved in knocking out a Tiko version.

I figured that not much would be required, since the entry in Tiko's settings.ini to change is the same as the entry in WinFBE's WinFBE.ini.

What surprised me was how often the term WinFBE crops up in WinFBE's SCS, so I was faced with a lot of editing.

I managed to get a Tiko version of SCS to display, but it immediately vanished. I spent ages on this issue.

As with WinFBE's SCS, SCS_Tiko monitors Tiko. SCS_Tiko is not a child of Tiko, but an exe in its on right. If Tiko closes SCS_Tiko closes. If Tiko is minimized SCS_Tiko gets minimized; and so on.

We need Tiko's window handle. WinFBE's class name is WinFBE_Class. I assumed that Tiko's class name was Tiko_Class.

That was my howler of the week. As a last resort I dusted down WinSpy64, and it told me that Tiko's class name is tiko_editor_class. [Mr Squires!]

With that correction I was 'home and dry' and get this:

Outwardly it is the same as WinFBE's SCS except for the title. Inwardly, we have 39 references to Tiko as opposed to 39 references to WinFBE.

So am I going to play with Tiko now? Aye alright.

[PaulSquires]

Excellent! Happy to hear that you got your tool converted and working to your liking.

You could have saved excessive hair pulling by posting a message here asking what the Tiko window class name is, or you could have seen it directly in the main tiko.bas source code file (around line 40).
...but, that would have been the easy way out and it's nice to see that you put your sleuthing skills to the test and broke out WinSpy64.

[PaulSquires]

Version 1.0.3 (June 16, 2025)

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

Compiled editor exe with full FreeBasic Compiler toolchain is attached to therelease post as "tiko_suite.zip"

- Added a "Build and Execute" icon to the left side Panel.
- Fixed Bookmark artifacts remaining in Bookmarks list after project closed and new file opened (caused GPF).
- Fixed Lexilla (LexTiko.cxx) that prevented the Tiko [ ] brace matching from working correctly.
- Fixed TAB character is now eaten after it is used to select an item in autocomplete popup.
- Fixed Compile AutoSave now bypasses Save of New File with unmodified buffer.
- Removed designating file types and remove from project from the popup right click editor window menu.
- Fixed code for detecting when document deleted or modified externally and editor regains application focus.
- Changed: brace highlight indicators to be less visually intrusive by using underlines (yellow and red).
- Changed: If FunctionList or BookmarkList are visible then invoking their shortcuts will toggle back to Explorer.

...Lots more on my to do list so keep checking back to this forum thread for more version update.

You can also ask questions and get additional support over on my forum: https://www.planetsquires.com/protect/forum/index.php

[fxm]

Your last release does not work with my Windows 10.

Already works with just the only modified Scintilla64.dll.

And this modified Scintilla64.dll is mandatory.

[PaulSquires]

Your last release does not work with my Windows 10.

You would need to install the latest VC redistributable in order for the dll to work. The old dll's work because you have an older version of the VC redistributable package installed.

Download and install it from this Microsoft page: https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/cpp/w ... w=msvc-170 Here is the direct link to the file: https://aka.ms/vs/17/release/vc_redist.x64.exe

Hope that helps.

[fxm]

All of this installation information for Windows 10 (and perhaps even the old DLLs as a workaround) should at least be included in the text of the release.

[PaulSquires]

Thanks. This information is displayed just above the screenshots on the github page. I agree though that I should also post it within the "release" download page for each release just so people do not miss it. Also, using the editor and if the new dll's should fail to load, there is a pop up messagebox indicating the download link to the VC redistributable package.

I will update the 'release' text right now to add the information.

[deltarho[1859]]

I have installed the latest VC redistributable and back to using the latest Scintilla64.dll.

Nobody has asked how to include SCS_Tiko in Tiko. I should imagine that not everyone used SCS in WinFBE.

If nobody asks then fair enough, but until somebody does, I will do nothing.

[srvaldez]

Hi deltarho[1859]
I was waiting for you to release SCS, so I am asking