Feature request: word wrap

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kenknicker
Posts: 21
Last visit: Fri Aug 11, 2023 10:19 am

Feature request: word wrap

Post by kenknicker »

Dear SAPIEN,

The time has come to implement the word wrap feature in PrimalScript 2007.

Yes, I've read the forum article "Line Wrap" (http://www.sapien.com/forums/viewtopic.php?f=11&t=103).

Yes, I've read the Knowledge Base article "Does PrimalScript support word-wrap in the code editor?" (INVALID LINK REMOVED). From that KB article: "...we simply have to prioritize the features we add to the product, and at the current time, we are pursuing features of more widespread interest."

I assume the text above was written a while back. The product is quite mature now, wouldn't you agree? Many, if not most, of the major text editors out there offer the ability to turn word wrap on and off. Quick example: the open source tool Notepad++ (http://notepad-plus.sourceforge.net/uk/about.php)

Just because people don't ask for it over and over doesn't mean they don't want/expect it to be there. I lament the lack of this feature at least once a week but have only, finally, decided to make this post. It's not that I don't want it or need it, it's just that I don't spend much of my limited time writing forum posts.

I personally started using it a couple of years back and our engineering team standardized on it as our primary scripting tool about a year ago. It does have a few quirks as does any product of this complexity but they are far outweighed by its many features. It is clear that SAPIEN has put a lot of work into making it great. It has served us well and we're not going to switch to anything else anytime soon.

That being said, there is simply no excuse for not giving us what we need, let alone what we want. Please, SAPIEN, step up to the plate. I have the utmost confidence that you can find the resources and the commitment to make it happen.
Last edited by J A Reif on Wed May 08, 2013 4:52 pm, edited 1 time in total.
Reason: updated links
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Alexander Riedel
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Feature request: word wrap

Post by Alexander Riedel »

What type of code do you write that requires word wrap? Please understand that I don't want to dismiss your input, I am just curious. Normally code becomes pretty incomprehensible when word wrapped.
Can you post sample code that illustrates where it is useful?

Alex
Alexander Riedel
SAPIEN Technologies, Inc.
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kenknicker
Posts: 21
Last visit: Fri Aug 11, 2023 10:19 am

Feature request: word wrap

Post by kenknicker »

We work primarily with VBScript, a bit of XHTML, and a smattering of others.

Perhaps the most obvious example of when word wrap is useful is editing XHTML pages: Following standard convention, text strings between paragraph, header markers, etc. are kept on a single line. While it is true that HTML ignores most white space, it makes for non-standard code (and is beside the point).

Another example: When creating dialog boxes, forms, etc. in VBScript, we occasional need to insert lengthy text strings. These strings are often written first using a word processor (to take advantage of spell checking/grammar checking) or stored in a spreadsheet as part of a table and then manually copied/pasted into PrimalScript once the verbiage has been finalized/approved.

Once in PrimalScript, we edit the string to follow the "80 character-width column" convention and join the strings like so:

Code: Select all

strDialogField1 = "This is some text " & _
    "which belongs on the same line as this."
When the long strings are pasted into PrimalScript, the lack of word wrap makes the process of breaking them down into multiple joined strings more cumbersome than it should be.

In contrast, with Notepad++, I am able to enable and disable word wrapping at will. The underlying code is not modified and the row numbers are not affected by the wrapping. Blank spaces are displayed for the wrapped row numbers when enabled. For reference, I am linking two graphics of how Notepad++ handles word wrapping.

In the first graphic, I have intentionally not followed the 80 character column VBScript convention and enabled the word wrap feature:

http://tinypic.com/view.php?pic=2w3zu4l&s=4

In this second graphic, word wrap is off:

http://tinypic.com/view.php?pic=v5ztzd&s=4

Responding to something in the first forum post I linked to earlier:
We realize that HTML is one area in which word-wrapping has a legitimate use. However, given our development resources, other features, usage scenarios, and other factors, it is simply a feature which we are not planning to pursue.
Is Don saying that there just aren't that many people who use PrimalScript to edit HTML code to make it worthwhile to SAPIEN?

Really? While I appreciate the honesty, I just can't see that to be true. I'm not asking for FORTRAN or COBOL support here -- it's XHTML. It's everywhere. I recognize that PrimalScript is not being positioned as a high-end web development environment, this is, in the end, code is code.

Word wrap is a feature that any advanced script editing tool should support -- especially a commercial product -- regardless of the code being edited.
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Alexander Riedel
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Feature request: word wrap

Post by Alexander Riedel »

Well, obviously you feel very strongly about this, so I take that as vote for increasing the priority. But I would really need more voices on this.

From our point of view word wrap is counterproductive to coding. Code formats are usually strict and showing a user something that is not really there leads to errors.

As for the text reformating example, you could simple use the reformat function in PrimalScript and that would make this pretty easy.

In regards to XHTML, I am not aware of any standard that would require text between elements to be in a single line. Many WYSIWYG tool generate it that way because they assume you'll edit it in that tool again. As a personal preference I keep my code readable the way I want it, not depending on my current window size ;-)

But again, please, everyone chime in. Let us know how important that is to you. Is Ken by himself or are there others?

Alex
Alexander Riedel
SAPIEN Technologies, Inc.
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majuebv
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Last visit: Tue Sep 01, 2015 2:50 am

Feature request: word wrap

Post by majuebv »

Hi,i would also like to see the word wrap feature in Primalscript, but I get your point, Alex.From our point of view word wrap is counterproductive to coding. Code formats are usually strict and showing a user something that is not really there leads to errors.There are probably more important requests...It would still be cool to have the feature and let the user decide whether to work with or without it.Manuelmajuebv2008-12-04 07:52:46
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djlurch
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Last visit: Tue Oct 29, 2013 11:04 am

Feature request: word wrap

Post by djlurch »

I respectfully request the implementation of this feature.
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mwb1100
Posts: 10
Last visit: Mon Dec 30, 2013 3:13 pm

Feature request: word wrap

Post by mwb1100 »

Word wrap is a tool. If a user finds it counterproductive, they can choose not to use it. But the capability should be in the editor. At least a 'soft wrap' like the one Ken K. showed in the Notepad++ screenshots.
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franky13
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Last visit: Fri Nov 24, 2023 2:41 am

Feature request: word wrap

Post by franky13 »

I second that - word wrap should be implemented.

Regards Frank
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kostask
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Last visit: Thu Jan 15, 2009 12:37 am

Feature request: word wrap

Post by kostask »

This feature it is very important when write long SQL strings inside ASP or any other language.

This request should be implemented.

Regards Kostas
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mlowe
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Last visit: Mon Feb 22, 2010 7:36 am

Feature request: word wrap

Post by mlowe »

There have been many times that I would have appreciated this feature as well. I just usually end up using a different editor (like Notepad++) when I need it.
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