forums.silverfrost.com Forum Index forums.silverfrost.com
Welcome to the Silverfrost forums
 
 FAQFAQ   SearchSearch   MemberlistMemberlist   UsergroupsUsergroups   RegisterRegister 
 ProfileProfile   Log in to check your private messagesLog in to check your private messages   Log inLog in 

plato global search and compare capabilities

 
Post new topic   Reply to topic    forums.silverfrost.com Forum Index -> Plato
View previous topic :: View next topic  
Author Message
JohnCampbell



Joined: 16 Feb 2006
Posts: 2554
Location: Sydney

PostPosted: Wed Dec 21, 2011 6:16 am    Post subject: plato global search and compare capabilities Reply with quote

Paul,

Since moving to Windows x64, I no longer have access to my favourite editor: ED4W Ver 3.8. This 16-bit program has two capabilities that I can not find in Plato:
Global search : I can search a tree (including c:\), searching all fortran files (ext=.for,.f95,.ins), listing only the file names of files containing the text and the lines which contain a string. I think I can optionally exclude comments from the search.
Compare 2 files : This compares two files for text differences, shading those groups of lines that are different. Both files are displayed in a split screen and you can step through each group of changes in either file.

I find these two facilities very useful, for example:
locating all code which refers to a subroutine or variable and
auditing the change between different versions of the same program.

Is there an equivalent in Plato ?

John
Back to top
View user's profile Send private message
PaulLaidler
Site Admin


Joined: 21 Feb 2005
Posts: 7916
Location: Salford, UK

PostPosted: Wed Dec 21, 2011 9:54 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

Plato has a global search but cannot exclude comments.
Plato can compare two files but there is no shading of groups of lines.
Back to top
View user's profile Send private message AIM Address
JohnCampbell



Joined: 16 Feb 2006
Posts: 2554
Location: Sydney

PostPosted: Thu Jun 28, 2012 3:54 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

Paul,

I have been using Plato recently, but still can not use the 2 file comparison tool.
I do not know if you have seen ED4W V3.8, but it has (had as win_16 programs do not run on Win7) a very good file comparison utility.
It highlighted changes by shading the differences and allowed stepping up or down the file between identified differences.
I could certainly priovide a screen shot of ED's implementation.

This works very well when auditing changes to code, which I find an essential part of code development.

Are you able to provide either of these capabilities, or explain how they are already available in Plato, as I was not able to find an explaination in the documentation.

John
Back to top
View user's profile Send private message
PaulLaidler
Site Admin


Joined: 21 Feb 2005
Posts: 7916
Location: Salford, UK

PostPosted: Thu Jun 28, 2012 7:53 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

At the moment Plato only points to lines that differ. It does not shade the differences nor does it provide automatic merging. For that purpose I currently use WinMerge.exe.

I can add this to the wish list. It would be an interesting exercise.
Back to top
View user's profile Send private message AIM Address
JohnCampbell



Joined: 16 Feb 2006
Posts: 2554
Location: Sydney

PostPosted: Sun Sep 16, 2012 10:06 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

Paul,

I have not yet been able to use Plato's file comparison utility effectively to step through changes.
As also discussed as an auditing tool, comparing changes to code typically involves only small changes to the code structure. For this, changing the background colour is very effective to identify where changes have been made.
I've now forgotten the stepping control ( alt up_arrow and alt down_arrow ?) for steping to the start or end of the next change, in either selected file window. This provides a quick and easy review.
I'd recommend this functionality for a future release of Plato.

John

ps: an option of ignoring leading spaces for line comparisons (changing the indent in code) can also help.
Back to top
View user's profile Send private message
PaulLaidler
Site Admin


Joined: 21 Feb 2005
Posts: 7916
Location: Salford, UK

PostPosted: Sat Sep 22, 2012 4:34 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

OK
Back to top
View user's profile Send private message AIM Address
Display posts from previous:   
Post new topic   Reply to topic    forums.silverfrost.com Forum Index -> Plato All times are GMT + 1 Hour
Page 1 of 1

 
Jump to:  
You cannot post new topics in this forum
You cannot reply to topics in this forum
You cannot edit your posts in this forum
You cannot delete your posts in this forum
You cannot vote in polls in this forum


Powered by phpBB © 2001, 2005 phpBB Group