PBEditor loading a bunch of files

[Pedro Ramirez]

I´m used to the way PB7 loaded BAS files. It always remembered which files I had opened in the previous session and if I called the editor, it will automatically load of the BAS, INC, RC files I was working on. So far, so good.

I have lots of BAS files which I use dayly and they are not related at all. So when I click on the file, it opens the editor and gets loaded. Only that one file. No other previous or concurrent files are loaded.
The editor automatically erased all the other files I was working on previously. Moreover, if I needed to open another BAS file using yet another instance of the editor, it was loaded alone. No other files loaded.

In PB9 things are quite different. The editor ALLWAYS loads all the files I was or am working on. In no time I end up with a lot files files loaded in the editor, even so I don´t want them up. It does not matter if I load the file by clicking on it or if I load it using a new instance of the editor.

For me this is really annoying and it makes my work harder.

I´ve tried changing the options for the editor to no avail.

If there some configuration am I missing?.

And if not, could this be put as an option in the next update?

--------------------------------

Is there an option to close the output window? It is great to have an option that sends the output to a msgbox, but it is the same information that shows in the output window. It would be great to close it. It gives more space for the code.

[Richard Angell]

Ms

Did you try un-checking the Options\File\Reload previous file set at start?

[Mike Doty]

Thanks for asking the question and thanks for the answer.
That was hard to get used to.

[Richard Angell]

Also folks, check out the project feature in the IDE. You can load and unload a project using it.

Load the files you want loaded in your project, save as a project.
If you add more files, save project.

Use Close All Files to close the project, before you load another.

[Pedro Ramirez]

Did you try un-checking the Options\File\Reload previous file set at start?

Yes I did. But then it does not load any files.

[Cliff Nichols]

If you recheck, do they come back?

Do you have multiple versions of PB on the same machine?

I have found that if running more than one, that until the system is satisfied as what is to be used, then you can find weird situations like this

[Pedro Ramirez]

Do you have multiple versions of PB on the same machine?

Yes, I have PB7, PB8 and PB9 installed.
Both PB7 and PB8 editors works as expected when set as default. PB9 does not.

If I register PB8 to be the default app to open BAS files, it works OK.
Making PB9 the default BAS app and having all its option set as those in PB8 makes it work but with the added behaviour of loading all previously loaded files along with the one just opened by clicking on it. PB7 an PB8 only open that one file and forget about any previously or currently opened files.

[Pedro Ramirez]

After comparing the PBWin.ini files of PB8 and PB9 I have come to the conclusion that the difference between the Editors is that when clicking on a BAS file so that it is opened in a new instance of the editor, PB8 chooses to ignore the files set stored in the ini file, discarding them, whereas PB9 chooses to read it, load the whole set and then load the BAS file we want to edit, adding this file to set of files stored in the ini. So we end up with up to 8 more files loaded into the editor which we don´t want loaded in the first place.

Moreover (and this is the worst part) if a .bas file has been chosen to be the Primary Source file during the previous session, it remains Primary when loading another BAS file as described above, forcing the programmer to repeatedly check / uncheck the Primary Sorce file when loading BAS files directly from the explorer or else you would compile the unintended program!.

There is no option to change this. I think it would be great to include an option that allows the programmer to choose which way the PBEditor should go.

I think this new way of loading files may qualify as a BUG.

[Kev Peel]

PB changed this behaviour to keep the IDE compatible with PB/FORMS. It's not a bug.

No, I don't like it either, so.. NFS?

One workaround could be to disable the "load file set" option and use the new "project" files to load a file set?

[Michael Mattias]

PB changed this behaviour to keep the IDE compatible with PB/FORMS. It's not a bug

.

IF ISTRUE (PBFORMS_INSTALLED) THEN 
    UseNewBehavior
ELSE
   UseBehaviorExpectedByHundredsOfLongtimeLoyalCustomers
END IF

[Pedro Ramirez]

.

IF ISTRUE (PBFORMS_INSTALLED) THEN 
    UseNewBehavior
ELSE
   UseBehaviorExpectedByHundredsOfLongtimeLoyalCustomers
END IF

I don´t think so

[Michael Mattias]

If one will dream, one should dream large.

[Pedro Ramirez]

I have installed PB7, PB8 8.04, PB9 9.00 an NOT PBForms.

The behaviour is the same as described above.

Check first that you are right before betting.

BTW, Keep dreaming.

[Pedro Ramirez]

I just learned that this new ways of loading files was implemented in PB9 by default due to numerous requests.

Nothing to do with PBForms.

[Michael Mattias]

Until I read this thread a few days, I did not know this option (reload last files) was available.

Gee whiz, is that handy or what?

Considering I tend to work on "large" projects which can take a week or two, I am often "opening" the same five or six source code files each day for days on end. "Recent Files" on file menu was OK for this, but this "reload last at startup" is WAAAAY better.


MCM

[Guest]

Having a smarter output window is possible

Hi Pedro,

over the years i developped some extensions for the pb ide
for my private use - among other things a smarter output window.
If you are interested send me a mail, maybe i can help.

I setup a mail address for this: pb_plugin(at)web.de

hope to hear from you,

guenther

[Richard Angell]

Maybe this way

Pedro,

Kev is correct. The IDE was definitely improved for interactive design use use with PB-Forms. In fact, it is much more improved and prevents interactive duplications or file list overrides. This does not mean that the IDE is changed to always load all the files one was working on if the Reload previous file set a start is unchecked.

If the option is unchecked, then you can click on a .bas source file in Windows explorer or a shortcut, and it will be loaded in its own instance of the editor. Because that is exactly how it is working here with the Reload previous file set a start option off. So consider projec files and another option combination.

First, one should manually associate the new PB project files extension, .pbp, with the PB Win IDE in Windows Explorer. Then you can use the new project option to extend the behavior for instance loading. That is, namely, to click a .pbp file and have a group of files loaded in their own IDE instance.

In this sense the project file is nothing more than a list of the files you want loaded, their is no intelligence that says they need to be "related". You can load multiple projects into an IDE instance, with only files not already loaded being added. In one sense, if you have a group of files you always want loaded, you can save these as a sort of master set of files project file (group) separately. Then create a shortcut for them on the desktop if you want.

But there is another possibility here also, when the option is off. In the IDE shortcut setup, specify a .pbp file as the file to load. Now if you click the IDE shortcut, that project's files will be loaded. Example line:
C:\PBWin90\bin\Pbedit.exe C:\PBWin90\MyLoadList.pbp

Click a .bas file (shortcut or explorer entry) and it will be loaded in its own instance. You can add or remove files from the IDE clicked load project and re-save the project, an added step ... yes, but hen there will be the .bas file individual instance load still intact as well.

The project file feature coupled with IDE options should give you multiple degrees of freedom here.

Adding an option to the IDE might be an NFS topic. That, IMO, would require an instance exit prompt before overwriting the latest load list or for sure you would clobber the list. This is why the current improvements are better for interactive PB Forms design, but maybe not for some former modes of user operation. Currently, PB Forms does not without specific action start a new instance, so you have to work at clobbering a last loaded section in the IDE. The again, unless one has a couple of the newer wide format LCD displays ... just how many instances of the IDE would one really want open in the first place {Smile}

[Pedro Ramirez]

Thanks Richard for your explanation. I agree with you. The new .pbp file extension, intended to improve the loading of projects, is a GREAT addition. I even wonder why PB didn´t thought of it before. I certainly be using it a lot.

But nonetheless I feel I´m suddenly using the editor the wrong way. That all I said and might argue is wrong because the new way IS THE WAY. It is an impossition instead of an option or even an improvement.

In view of all that has been said in this thread I wonder if it is too much to ask for just a tiny little option:

Ignore File set when loading files from explorer.

It is really that hard to do?. The code is already written and has been in use for years.

And what about all of us that do not have and use PBForms?.

All I ask is to include an option so the user can choose which way to load files. This will make the editor better and will suit everybody's needs.

Only then will be an inmprovement instead of an impossition.

[Richard Angell]

The former mode supposes that it worked as you described because of existing code that would not conflict with PB Forms. I do not remember using that mode of operations. I do know that it some really undesirable scenarios could be experienced doing interactive design with PB-Forms. Also, one could easily clobber the last load list and that for a large project was absolutely no fun to re-construct!

Adding an option is PB's call. I do know that the interactivity scenarios would want to be considered, IMO, so as to prevent losing the work that made them possible from being lost. It is not likely to be trivial anymore, especially if the project features move toward more sophistication in the future. But hey, do the NFS ... see what happens.