Using the file editor
PowerBuilder provides a text editor that is always available.
Using the editor, you can view and modify text files (such as initialization
files and tab-separated files with data) without leaving PowerBuilder.
To open the file editor:
-
Press shift+f6 anywhere
in PowerBuilder.or
Click the Edit button in the PowerBar.
The File Editor displays.
- Open the file you want to edit.
Setting file editing properties
The file editor has font properties and an indentation property
that you can change to make files easier to read. If you don’t
change any properties, files have black text on a white background
and a tab stop setting of 3 for indentation.
To specify File Editor properties:
-
Select Design>Options to display
the property sheet. -
Choose the tab appropriate to the property you
want to specify.
Editor properties apply elsewhere When you set properties for the file editor, the settings
also apply to the Function painter, the Script view, and the Interactive
SQL view in the Database painter and the Debug window.
Editing activities
The file editor provides a full set of basic editing facilities
including:
- Opening, saving, and printing files
- Cutting, copying, pasting, and clearing selected
text - Finding and replacing text
- Undoing changes
- Commenting and uncommenting lines
- Importing and exporting text files
- Dragging and dropping text
Using the file editor’sPainterBar and menu bar
The file editor has a PainterBar that provides a shortcut
for performing frequently used activities. There is also a corresponding
menu item (and often a shortcut key) for each activity.
To see the shortcut keys, select Window>Keyboard
Shortcuts from the menu bar and use the Keyboard Shortcuts dialog
box.
On UNIX On UNIX systems, you can also use the middle mouse button
and dedicated editing keys on your keyboard for copying and pasting
text if your window manager supports them.
Dragging and dropping text
To move text, simply select it, drag it to its new location,
and drop it. To copy text, press the ctrl key
while you drag and drop the text.