[ANN] - EZFX Editor 0.6.0

ruby-talk
1

Download:
http://www.lithinos.com/ezfxeditor/Install_EZFX_Editor_0_6_0.exe
      ( link exists on site index page as well )

Documentation:
Working on it... it'll eventually be a small CHM file to be packaged
with the installer.

Description:

EZFX Editor is the scratch for an itch that I've had for a while.

I've wanted to be able to:

- supply my own lexer
      ( written in ruby, so you could drop C in for speed if you wanted )

- customize the colors used in sytax highlighting
      ( Choose what ever you want )

- to add my own 'syntax' to an already implemented language
      ( A new module comes out and I want it highlighted)

- to add a custom language with it's associated syntax
      ( YAML, ColdFusion, custom markup )

- easily extend the existing menu with my own menu items
      ( Add functionality to the existing GUI through the menu )

- easily replace the existing methods
      ( Make some custom find/replace dialog )

- have tab support for multiple documents in a single Scintilla widget
      ( I just want to see what i have open and get right to it )

- have a clean, non-bulky, non-cluttered, 'IDE' for Ruby
      ( No auto-completion, no reference panel, no icons up top )

- 'everything written in Ruby'
      ( At least as much as reasonable )

- easier construction and testing of FOX/FXRuby interfaces
      ( No, not a VB-ish environment, but something close )

- integrated bug submission
      ( I wanted to change EXERB's way of handling them )

and last but not least...

- write the 'whole' thing myself
      ( again, everything that would be reasonable )

... Well - that's about it. The EZFX Editor is geared to do all of
that. Mind you, not all the gears are engaged yet or even put into
this release, but they'll be there in the end and they'll be finished
shortly ( month or two ).

I want to admit that I've probably forgotten a few things... I'll make
sure the whole feature list is in the 1.0.0 announcement.

I also want to point out from the beginning - I received specific help
hooking up Scintilla to my event handlers by looking at how FreeRIDE
does it. FreeRIDE is a much superior editor.

-Rich

2

Richard Lyman wrote:

Download:
http://www.lithinos.com/ezfxeditor/Install_EZFX_Editor_0_6_0.exe
      ( link exists on site index page as well )

That sound interesting, I'll give it a try.
Anyway, I wonder why there are so many different projects working on Ruby specific editors (or on editors written in Ruby, if you prefer that way of looking at it)?

Now EZFX_Editor gave me a crash right away (my tester karma kicked in). :wink:

The information from the dialog:

Type:
     Exerb::RuntimeError
Message:
     Win32API Error #126 --- Das angegebene Modul wurde nicht gefunden.

translation: ... The given module could not be found

Backtrace:
     sqlite.rb:27:in `require'
     sqlite.rb:27

Some words about the system: WinXP running the 1-click-installer 1.8.2-14 RC8

Happy rubying (anyway) :slight_smile:

Stephan

···

--
Stephan Kämper/IT-Beratung http://www.stephankaemper.de
Qaulity assurance / Software Test / Data analysis

3

Hi,

I get an exception dialog box with the following message when starting
the program:

SQLite::DatabaseException
no such table: constants
sqlite.rb:36:in `exec'
sqlite.rb:36:in `execute'
main.rb:19

HTH,

···

--
Laurent

4

Richard Lyman wrote:

Download:
http://www.lithinos.com/ezfxeditor/Install_EZFX_Editor_0_6_0.exe
      ( link exists on site index page as well )

Documentation:
Working on it... it'll eventually be a small CHM file to be packaged
with the installer.

As you may have already noticed, I sent some reports about the editor.
That feature (bug reposting) is a Good Thing to have, indeed.
It's so important to allow users (and testers BTW) eay to use ways of product and quality feedback.

An open question: What's the license?

Happy rubying

Stephan

···

--
Stephan Kämper/IT-Beratung http://www.stephankaemper.de
Qaulity assurance / Software Test / Data analysis

5

Richard Lyman ha scritto:

Download:
http://www.lithinos.com/ezfxeditor/Install_EZFX_Editor_0_6_0.exe
      ( link exists on site index page as well )

seems nice, thank you for releasing.
Btw, you should definitely bundle SQLite or write a backend able to use
PStore (available on every platform, I think).
And, it would be nice if the default size/position could fit in a 800x600 screen :wink:

One thing: I still believe you could customize freeride to fit your needs :wink:

6

Download:
http://www.lithinos.com/ezfxeditor/Install_EZFX_Editor_0_6_0.exe
      ( link exists on site index page as well )

Documentation:
Working on it... it'll eventually be a small CHM file to be packaged
with the installer.

Description:

EZFX Editor is the scratch for an itch that I've had for a while.

I've wanted to be able to:

- supply my own lexer
      ( written in ruby, so you could drop C in for speed if you wanted )

- customize the colors used in sytax highlighting
      ( Choose what ever you want )

- to add my own 'syntax' to an already implemented language
      ( A new module comes out and I want it highlighted)

- to add a custom language with it's associated syntax
      ( YAML, ColdFusion, custom markup )

- easily extend the existing menu with my own menu items
      ( Add functionality to the existing GUI through the menu )

- easily replace the existing methods
      ( Make some custom find/replace dialog )

- have tab support for multiple documents in a single Scintilla widget
      ( I just want to see what i have open and get right to it )

- have a clean, non-bulky, non-cluttered, 'IDE' for Ruby
      ( No auto-completion, no reference panel, no icons up top )

- 'everything written in Ruby'
      ( At least as much as reasonable )

- easier construction and testing of FOX/FXRuby interfaces
      ( No, not a VB-ish environment, but something close )

- integrated bug submission
      ( I wanted to change EXERB's way of handling them )

and last but not least...

- write the 'whole' thing myself
      ( again, everything that would be reasonable )

... Well - that's about it. The EZFX Editor is geared to do all of
that. Mind you, not all the gears are engaged yet or even put into
this release, but they'll be there in the end and they'll be finished
shortly ( month or two ).

I want to admit that I've probably forgotten a few things... I'll make
sure the whole feature list is in the 1.0.0 announcement.

I also want to point out from the beginning - I received specific help
hooking up Scintilla to my event handlers by looking at how FreeRIDE
does it. FreeRIDE is a much superior editor.

-Rich

···

On Thursday 02 September 2004 00:51, Richard Lyman wrote:

7

Your project looks interesting.. [btw: sorry for the empty reply].. I am
always curious to lots of things when it comes to editors/IDE's.

1) got any screenshots online?
2) where do I find the source code?
3) is EZFX editor an Editor or an IDE?
4) what direction will EZFX editor go?
5) do you use scintinlla?

Sorry for this numbered list of questions..

Since you distribute it as an .exe file.. it looks like an closed source
project to me.. if so.. what are your reasons not to make it open source?

Thanks in advance

···

On Thursday 02 September 2004 00:51, Richard Lyman wrote:

Download:
http://www.lithinos.com/ezfxeditor/Install_EZFX_Editor_0_6_0.exe
      ( link exists on site index page as well )

--
Simon Strandgaard

8

Stephan Kämper wrote:

Now EZFX_Editor gave me a crash right away (my tester karma kicked in). :wink:

The information from the dialog:

Type:
    Exerb::RuntimeError
Message:
    Win32API Error #126 --- Das angegebene Modul wurde nicht gefunden.

translation: ... The given module could not be found

Backtrace:
    sqlite.rb:27:in `require'
    sqlite.rb:27

BTW, that happened when I chose to start the editor immerdiately from the installer. Now that I started the editor vom the 'start menu' there was no such, er, behaviour.

Happy rubying

Stephan

···

--
Stephan Kämper/IT-Beratung http://www.stephankaemper.de
Qaulity assurance / Software Test / Data analysis

9

I'm really undecided about the whole licensing thing... obviously
there are some restrictions that come with using the modules and
packages that I've used... so I don't really know what license it
would be under...

-Rich

···

On Thu, 2 Sep 2004 18:25:22 +0900, Stephan Kämper <stephan.kaemper@schleswig-holstein.de> wrote:

Richard Lyman wrote:

> Download:
> http://www.lithinos.com/ezfxeditor/Install_EZFX_Editor_0_6_0.exe
> ( link exists on site index page as well )
>
> Documentation:
> Working on it... it'll eventually be a small CHM file to be packaged
> with the installer.
>

As you may have already noticed, I sent some reports about the editor.
That feature (bug reposting) is a Good Thing to have, indeed.
It's so important to allow users (and testers BTW) eay to use ways of
product and quality feedback.

An open question: What's the license?

Happy rubying

Stephan

--
Stephan Kämper/IT-Beratung http://www.stephankaemper.de
Qaulity assurance / Software Test / Data analysis

10

SQLite is 'bundled' with the distribution... atleast the DLL is
installed in the same directory... I don't know enough, but I think
that's what you're asking for.

800x600... good idea. I'll put it on the list.

Customizing FreeRIDE: I've tried to understand FreeRIDE, and it hurts
my head. That's why I constantly say the FreeRIDE is a much superiour
editor. Having said all that... I guess I just wanted something that
_I_ would say is simple...

-Rich

···

On Thu, 2 Sep 2004 19:35:20 +0900, gabriele renzi <rff_rff@remove-yahoo.it> wrote:

Richard Lyman ha scritto:

> Download:
> http://www.lithinos.com/ezfxeditor/Install_EZFX_Editor_0_6_0.exe
> ( link exists on site index page as well )

seems nice, thank you for releasing.
Btw, you should definitely bundle SQLite or write a backend able to use
PStore (available on every platform, I think).
And, it would be nice if the default size/position could fit in a
800x600 screen :wink:

One thing: I still believe you could customize freeride to fit your needs :wink:

11

Screenshots - nope. Maybe in a bit. - there really isn't anything that
needs to be 'shown' in the screenshots, but I always prefer them when
I look at using someone elses product... so I'll probably get some in
a bit.

Sourcecode - it's in the EXE. Just open it in a text editor and keep
searching for 'require'.

An Editor or an IDE... I prefer to call it an Editor - though it might
fall closer to an IDE...

Future direction: I want _one_ program that does everything I do with,
SciTe, EXERB, and NSIS. I also want to make building FXRuby GUI's
easier along with extending/customizing the EZFX Editor for some
personal and currently undefined scripting environment. I'd say I'm
about 75% of the way there.

Scintilla? Yup, and it was a _beast_ to figure out (still is a beast)
- but I like it.

Close source: It's not really closed source, since everything I use is
already available online somewhere else (FXRuby, SQLite, etc.), and
the plain text version of the source can be found in the installers
resulting EXE. I packaged my scripts the way I did so that my target
audience (my mom or dad) could use what I create without hassle.

-Rich

···

On Fri, 3 Sep 2004 06:33:10 +0900, Simon Strandgaard <neoneye@adslhome.dk> wrote:

On Thursday 02 September 2004 00:51, Richard Lyman wrote:
> Download:
> http://www.lithinos.com/ezfxeditor/Install_EZFX_Editor_0_6_0.exe
> ( link exists on site index page as well )

Your project looks interesting.. [btw: sorry for the empty reply].. I am
always curious to lots of things when it comes to editors/IDE's.

1) got any screenshots online?
2) where do I find the source code?
3) is EZFX editor an Editor or an IDE?
4) what direction will EZFX editor go?
5) do you use scintinlla?

Sorry for this numbered list of questions..

Since you distribute it as an .exe file.. it looks like an closed source
project to me.. if so.. what are your reasons not to make it open source?

Thanks in advance

--
Simon Strandgaard

12

Stephan Kämper wrote:

> --
> Stephan Kämper/IT-Beratung http://www.stephankaemper.de
> Qaulity assurance / Software Test / Data analysis

Which should have been "Quality" of course.

It's just so great to find bugs. :smiley:

Happy rubying

Stephan

···

--
Stephan Kämper/IT-Beratung http://www.stephankaemper.de
Quality Assurance / Software Test / Data Analysis

13

Screenshots - nope. Maybe in a bit. - there really isn't anything that
needs to be 'shown' in the screenshots, but I always prefer them when
I look at using someone elses product... so I'll probably get some in
a bit.

Wew.. we like shots :slight_smile:

Sourcecode - it's in the EXE. Just open it in a text editor and keep
searching for 'require'.

Sorry im on linux.. I cannot open exe files.
Please also distribute a zip (or tgz) containing the source code for
non-windows users which want to browse the code.
I would like to browse the code.. maybe I can learn a few things (and
ultimatively get inspiration to solve some of my issues with fox).
Thanks.

An Editor or an IDE... I prefer to call it an Editor - though it might
fall closer to an IDE...

ok.

Future direction: I want _one_ program that does everything I do with,
SciTe, EXERB, and NSIS. I also want to make building FXRuby GUI's
easier along with extending/customizing the EZFX Editor for some
personal and currently undefined scripting environment. I'd say I'm
about 75% of the way there.

this sounds like an editor optimized for fxruby development?
interesting.

what is NSIS?

what does the remaining 25% cover?

Scintilla? Yup, and it was a _beast_ to figure out (still is a beast)
- but I like it.

ok

Close source: It's not really closed source, since everything I use is
already available online somewhere else (FXRuby, SQLite, etc.), and
the plain text version of the source can be found in the installers
resulting EXE. I packaged my scripts the way I did so that my target
audience (my mom or dad) could use what I create without hassle.

to me.. distributing as .exe file seems closed source. Sorry that I had to
ask this unpleasant question if it were closed/open source.

please distribute the source code so that non-windows users can see your
project.

Thanks for the answers

···

On Friday 03 September 2004 00:17, Richard Lyman wrote:

--
Simon Strandgaard

14

Richard Lyman wrote:

SQLite is 'bundled' with the distribution... atleast the DLL is
installed in the same directory... I don't know enough, but I think
that's what you're asking for.

800x600... good idea. I'll put it on the list.

Customizing FreeRIDE: I've tried to understand FreeRIDE, and it hurts
my head. That's why I constantly say the FreeRIDE is a much superior
editor. Having said all that... I guess I just wanted something that
_I_ would say is simple...

Well... there is a learning curve on the internals of FreeRIDE. The
individual pieces and concepts are fairly simple, but the interactions
between components can get complicated. Its one of those things where once
you understand it, it starts to look simple again.

Its probably too late for you, since you've started your own editor already,
but I would encourage anyone whose interested in extending FreeRIDE to be
sure and ask questions when something is not clear. We are very happy to
help out.

For those you don't know, FreeRIDE is extremely modular, in that it is
implemented entirely as a collection of dynamically loaded plugins (except
for the code that loads the plugins). Even the GUI code that renders the
user interface is a plugin! (Currently, the GUI is rendered by an FXRuby
plugin, but we plan to implement a wxRuby GUI plugin at some point.)

This makes it very easy to add features to FreeRIDE by simply writing a
plugin. The RRB (Ruby Refactoring Browser) folks recently did this to add
their refactoring features to FreeRIDE.

For those who really don't want to learn the intricacies of the FreeRIDE
plugin system, I would someday like to implement a simple scripting facility
(with scripts written in Ruby, of course) that would let you implement
certain types of features without having to use or know the plugin system.
(If anyone is interested in working on this, send me a private email).

Curt

15

Richard Lyman wrote:

I'm really undecided about the whole licensing thing... obviously
there are some restrictions that come with using the modules and
packages that I've used... so I don't really know what license it
would be under...

As it seems, the editor currently comes without any license at all...
<nitpicker_mode>
....which _might_ mean that you're not allowed to use it at all, since you don't have a license.
</nitpicker_mode>
Apart form that offering a closed source software where the source is that readable doesn't make a lot of sense to me. But 'source code protection' has been discussed here already.

However the code you use in your software might force you to use one license or another anyway. But IANAL...

I see a point in wrapping en aditor up in an installer, so that any user - whatever their background - could start using it without knowing of Ruby, programming ingeneral or sql (lite).
And for those users who havve little background Windows may in fact be the target OS of choice.

But then, there's a whole lot of well known and well done editors out there. There are even good editors that run on a Windows box (Emacs & vi). :slight_smile:
Plus there's another point to think about: A 0.6.x version isn't something you'd want to give to a user who probably couldn't deal with the problems anyway. (I admit I'm not terribly sure about this one.)

Happy rubying

Stephan

···

--
Stephan Kämper/IT-Beratung http://www.stephankaemper.de
Quality Assurance / Software Test / Data Analysis

16

I would like to browse the code.. maybe I can learn a few things (and
ultimatively get inspiration to solve some of my issues with fox).
Thanks.

I'm hoping to give something back to the community in the form of some
_much_ needed tutorials. I have one up right now ( just an intro to
FXRuby ), and I have more almost started. I should be able to dump
everything I've learned into those tutorials.

what is NSIS?

Nullsoft Scriptable Install System, or something like that. It's a
nice way to package everything into a single file that installs what
you need.

what does the remaining 25% cover?

I don't have a firm outline. The 25% is just a guess. I need to get
EZFXBuilder up to speed, so that I can release it, and then bundle it
with the EZFXEditor. I also need to get some dialogs done that allow
the user to easily modify the environment. Things like that...

-Rich

17

Stephan Kämper <Stephan.Kaemper@Schleswig-Holstein.de> writes:

Richard Lyman wrote:
> I'm really undecided about the whole licensing thing... obviously
> there are some restrictions that come with using the modules and
> packages that I've used... so I don't really know what license it
> would be under...

As it seems, the editor currently comes without any license at all...
<nitpicker_mode>
....which _might_ mean that you're not allowed to use it at all, since
you don't have a license.
</nitpicker_mode>

Without a license, you're free to do mostly anything, but you can't
share it. To share it, you need the permission of the copyright owner.
That's how licenses restrict you. They say ``if you don't shine my
shoes, you can't share my software.'' That doesn't mean you have to
shine their shoes, of course -- but if you don't, you can't share.