Tips

Some important tips and little explanations for those that are first time using IDEal :

- Strict mode - IDEal by default emulates Strict command and will highlight in Red color all local variables that are not properly declared in the project / file. Functions that are not part of the file / project will also be colored as bad if there isn't proper userlib ( .decls file in the Blitz 'uselibs' folder ) for them ( screenshot ) . To turn this option off, go to Settings->Color Schemes and choose some "normal" color for "bad text" in the color scheme that you'll be using, or better start declaring your Local variables, because 'Strict mode' will save you numerous hours when hunting bugs in your code caused by misspelled variables.

- Customization - One of the greatest features in IDEal is that you can customize all of the Menus, Toolbars and even the Context menu, together with shortcuts for all of the commands. To do so, just right click on any toolbar and choose "Customize" from the menu..

New "POPUP" menu will show up in the main menu line, which is your context menu in the editor. Go to "keyboard" to customize shortcuts, or arrange your menus with drag-dropping of the commands between menus or from the customize dialog ( screenshot ). You can right click on the commands to rename/delete them form the menu etc.

- Refreshing definitions - Don't forget to refresh definitions for your compiler whenever you change a userlib file. You'll probably need to refresh definitions when you run IDEal for the first time. You may also need to change the Blitz's path on the first run. All the compiler settings are located in the Preferences->Compilers dialog ( screenshot )

- Important comment - Second style comment is made by placing ! immediately after ; in the comment itself.
; This is normal comment
;! This is important comment ( 'Comment2' color and style in the Color scheme )

- Custom foldable blocks - you can create custom foldable blocks of code using ' ;[Block] ' and ';[End]' commands ( screenshot ) . You can also create them with 'Block from selection' command.

- Scope completion - means completing the scope for lines containing a scope keyword ( If, For, While, Repeat, Function etc. ), and positioning of the cursor on the "right place". It's not fully automatic simply because there are number of situations where you wouldn't want to activate this command ( like in nested loops, editing of already present loops etc. ). So , you have total control when to apply this command by using a shortcut.
Better see it in action through example:
type 'For i=1 to 10' and press CTRL+ENTER ( default shortcut for the 'Complete scope' command )
type 'If a=b Then' and press CTRL + ENTER
IDEal will insert a corresponding keyword that ends that scope ( EndIF, Next, Wend, End Function etc... ).

- Icons for blitz (.bb ) files - If you use IDEal as your default blitz editor, you should associate .bb files with IDEal. If you do so, there are ten different icons to choose from for the .bb files - look into the ICONS folder...

- Opening multiple files - When you are opening files or adding files to a project, you can select multiple files in the Open Dialog Box , so you don't need to invoke Open command for each file. Same applies when opening files from the Windows Explorer or dropping files from the Windows Explorer to the editor.

- Toggling markers with mouse - CTRL + Left Click on the marker margin ( the one between line numbers and the folding margin ) toggles breakpoint. Shift + Left Click on the same margin toggles bookmark

- Workspaces - Projects won't remember position of your files on the tabs ( opened files ) line and last active file... For this purpose you can use workspaces - when your project is opened, save workspace and later you can load that workspace which will open your files and/or project(s) in exactly the same state as when you saved that workspace.
Or, simply 'Load last Workspace' when you open IDEal , that should bring you to exactly the same state ( opened files/projects, active file, spitted windows etc. ) as when you closed IDEal.

- Includes - You can open "Includes" listed in the Code Explorer, Just right click on the name and choose "Open" from the menu.

- Selected text color - There is a separate color settings for "Inactive selection back color" i.e. selection without focus... it means that, for example, you can't copy that selection because other window has focus in that moment ( for example, the Find/Replace window )... If you don't like this, just set "inactive selection" color same as the regular selection color in your color scheme.

- Advanced autoindenting - when autoindenting IF..THEN...END IF statements, it will work properly in these situations:

If a=b then c=d
---------------
If a=b then
c=d
end if
---------------
If a=b
c=d
end if
---------------
But will not indent correctly if you are using this style for the IF...THEN statements:

If a=b c=d

So, if you're using this style, then go to the editor settings and switch to simple autoindenting , but I strongly recommend to use other 'types' of IF..THEN statements, because advanced autoindenting is so powerful once you are used to it.

- Transferring your settings to another PC - If you installed IDEal on a second machine, you can transfer most of the settings from the original installation.
You need to copy "conf" and "layout" folders, and also the "layout.mp" file in the main folder. You may also want to copy some customized color styles from the "styles" directory.
This way all your layout settings ( customizations, shortcuts etc... ) will be copied to the new installation. Compilers, Hotcodes and some other settings are in the "conf" folder.