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IDLE and Hooks in apps for usage of My Favorite Editor

Mike Steed MSteed at altiris.com
Wed Feb 9 12:18:44 EST 2000 
> From: jblaine at shell2.shore.net [mailto:jblaine at shell2.shore.net]
> Sent: Wednesday, February 09, 2000 8:16 AM
> To: python-list at python.org
> Subject: IDLE and Hooks in apps for usage of My Favorite Editor
> 
> 
> Am I the only one who chooses specifically not to use IDEs 
> (IDLE included) because they don't allow you to edit files
> with your editor of preference?
> 
> Am I the only one on the planet who thinks allowing a 
> programmer to use his/her editor of choice in applications
> is VERY important?

I'm with you on both points.  Because Vim (my favorite) is so different from
other editors, I find most IDE editors and text editing widgets cumbersome
to use.

> I've seen _one_ application (TkRat, an IMAP client done in 
> Tcl/Tk) in a long long time that allows calling an external
> editor.
> 
> Is this a difficult task which I just don't understand the 
> complexities of?

A while ago there was a discussion about this on the Vim developers list.
The consensus was that we need a protocol to allow communication between
(for example) editors and debuggers -- open file x, set a breakpoint on line
y, etc.  The intent would be to enable the plugging in of any (smart) editor
to any (smart) IDE.

I have dreamed of this for some time.  I would like to help with such a
project (feels too big for me to do alone), but as far as I know there is
nothing like this in development.  If I get ambitious enough, I might try it
anyway.

Mike
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