Editable Macros

[Ryck]

It's the start of a new year. And even with the release of Textpad 5.0.3, looks like I have to repeat my yearly enhancement suggestion again.

Please add editable macros!

Also, if the macros would be programmable - in other words, based on a programming language like VB or C - that would be a big plus. It would give my Textpad automation more intelligent control and power.

Thanks.

.r.

[Cloink]

I second, third, fourth, fifth and sixth that.

[Lerin Sonberg]

YES, this would be great.
Currently, making any mistake during macro recordig makes the whole macro unusable, and one must start it again - this is annoying and uncomfort.

Perhaps a complete programming language built in TP is like cracking nuts with steam hammer, but a human-readable and editable macro file format (text or XML?) would be easy to understand and use instead of the current binary format.
And it is simple to realize with very little effort.

Please do it soon!

[Flash Buddy]

Lets start a fund. . .

Will Pay for Macro Editor

[webmasta]

Simply... when you see these guys spending time to wreck something that has worked well all the years when nobody even suggested this disenhancement just goes to show they have no intention of spending time on something that would really enhance the program.

I asked for a function list years ago ..

If it hasnt dawned on them that these two enhancements alone would make tp more than worthwile then I dont know what will... I bet they use editpad to program tp.

Flash Buddy - How much?

webmasta

[klangenfarben]

"Editable" macros at this point are a necessity. For god's sake just publish the file format and let us kill ourselves, if there's a legal issue just preface the material with a disclaimer of responsibility.

It's time.

[anthony]

I agree, put a protective API around the interface if its a matter of security and let us program/build/debug macros right in textpad.

Tony

[klangenfarben]

It's been over a decade since this deficiency was noted, and yet the powers behind the best text editor around since its inception still has No Macro Editing features.

As the mann said, for gawd's sake just publish the file format & let us kill ourselves. There are many of us out there that would go nuts building whatever tools we needed to manipulate the turkeys.

I guess if this appeals fails to elicit hope in the next few months, it behooves the users to break the file format on our own. I hope it doesn't come to that, I have prototypes to deliver in the real world, but after awhile one has to take matters into one's own hand.

[HerNameWasTextPad]

Though I believe that a macro editor could give TextPad an edge over competing editors, I believe also that, well, we really don't need one.

Here's what I do:

- Open a new text file in a second instance of TextPad
- Notate all of a macro's keystrokes in that text file
- Record the macro using the first instance of TextPad
- While recording, go back and forth between the two instances as necessary, using the mouse
- When the time comes that you want to edit your macro, edit the notation in your text file
- Once you've edited your macro, re-record it in the same way as you recorded it the first time

Approaches such as this may sound ridiculously simple and obvious, but such approaches can often be excellent ways to manage your affairs, because you are more dependent upon your own methods and less dependent upon those of others. If your happiness depends upon others, then you'll never be happy.

I find it very ironic: Many of those who will often be caught praising the flexibility of a low-level programming language, while decrying that of a high-level programming language, will often cry for high-level features in an editor.

Text files themselves are the single, greatest tools we have, mainly because we can read 'em with our own eyes. Hell, we can even read 'em at the command line without a program if we had to.

[NicoleTedesco]

Dear HerNameWasTextPad,

I am sorry, but that was a very unsatisfactory answer. Notate the keystrokes by hand? That wouldn't be bad if TextPad could then import my notation and make a new macro out of it (or overwrite an existing one). Besides, that is a lot of unnecessary work! Here is my suggestion: Helios should start to use XML for the macro file format, or any other text-based format that can be edited directly by TextPad itself. Helios should then publish the file details and allow us users to edit away. What is so hard about that?

You are telling me I don't need a macro editor? Jee, thanks a lot. I can't tell you how many times I have had to retype an entire macro because I accidentally made a keystroke mistake! This reminds me of the days of using typewriters (before word processors) in situations where I was not allowed to use White Out. I knew what I had to type but my fat, little old fingers would always fudge something. The problem is not knowing what to type, but the mechanics of typing itself!

HerNameWasTextPad, your answer seems rather condescending, insulting, dismissive and...well...out of touch of what users really need. Really, truly, yours was a very bad answer.

[HerNameWasTextPad]

- TextPad is the best text editor around
- If Helios didn't put in a macro editor, then it probably had a good reason not to
- We don't need to understand what the reason is, we just need to figure out the best way to use the program as it currently stands
- I'm still pissed off that TextPad doesn't make toast for me in the morning
- I'm not going to yell at Helios simply because TextPad doesn't come with a headband that I can strap onto my head to automatically get my thoughts into a file, instead of actually having to use muscles and press the keys down

[NicoleTedesco]

HerNameWasTextPad,

I understand your point, and it's a good one. I am not suggesting however that Helios prioritize the development of editable macros above all else. My point was that your response was dismissive and condescending. This is not a way to run a railroad!

I suggest that Helios at least acknowledge the need. The majority of TextPad users are probably software development professionals (or related in some way, like analysts) and would understand if an editable macro request just cannot be honored at this time.

TextPad's users may also be able to contribute directly to the continued success of the product in many ways, perhaps with design ideas, or even community-contributed code (the macro system is an obvious jump-off point for this). Helios has already leveraged this kind of dynamic with the syntax and snippet repositories, so why cut users off at the knees when they merely suggest solutions to actual problems they face when using this fantastic product?

[ben_josephs]

The ability to edit macros would, of course, increase the convenience and utility of TextPad. It would make the automation of repeated tasks easier and quicker. However, macros do not add any essential functionality to the editor; they only enable users to record sequences of keyboard and mouse actions. Macros cannot store values (a cursor position, a search expression, a counter, or what have you) in variables; they cannot branch; they cannot loop.

So asking for editable macros misses a crucial point. There is no way that any editor can support all text manipulation tasks directly. There are many text manipulation tasks that TextPad, without the use of an external program, does not support at all. For example, you cannot use TextPad to lay out program text. TextPad is not a fully-powered text editor, that is, a general-purpose text manipulation program, capable of executing any computable editing function. In this respect it differs from many other text editors. In order for TextPad to become general purpose, what is required is support for a general programming/scripting language with access to the editor's low-level commands. The presence of such functionality would not in any way affect users who do not use it. And it is not necessary to create yet another scripting language; users can be provided with their favourite ones via the Windows Script mechanism. JSCript, VBScript, Perl, Python, Tcl, Lisp, at least, are available.

[NicoleTedesco]

I tend use Eclipse or Visual Studio for most development tasks, but use TextPad for finessing large amount of text (e.g., sorting, reformatting) and for its quick-view ability for any text (quick-to-execute from the command line). Its syntax highlight ability for so many file types is also a very big plus for me.

I don't need a fully-powered editor in TextPad. What I do need is its quickly executing macro capabilities. It would be a really, really nice convenience however if I didn't have to retype my more complex macros whenever I make a single mistake. (By the way almost all of my macros are ad hoc and are rarely reusable. Without macro editing capabilities however, setup time for some of my work can take a little bit longer than I would like.)

Regardless, TextPad is still useful and efficient for most of my uses.

[HerNameWasTextPad]

So the solution is clear:

We need full-blown sequence, selection, iteration, and recursion, with low-level access.

Got that, Helios?

You might need to change the name, though, to something like "T++".

Then, I'll change my name to "HerNameWasT++".