As a Netrexx fanatic, an "old mainframe guy" (IBM360, 1967) and a user
of jEdit for the last five years, I urge you to investigate jEdit
(jEdit.org). jEdit runs where Java does; under Windows, it adds a context
menu choice that will open any file listed in Explorer in jEdit - most
convenient. There is a PDF user guide, and user and developer
forums.
To call jEdit an "editor" is like calling a Maseratti "wheels". jEdit
is the result of a seven year effort by an international team of programmers led
by Slava Pestov (designer of the "factor" language, and a future Mike Cowlishaw,
in my opinion) to produce an open source editor so comprehensive and
customizable that any programmer can be happy with it. It can currently
syntax color something like 130 languages (including Netrexx) under the
control of XML files which you can twiddle to your heart's content. Its
vast array of features have been hashed out fiercely in
the user forum so that nothing is out of control. The
results exceed anything I've seen or heard of.
A considerable number of external "plugins" are available
(plugins.jedit.org) that add interesting behaviors. Of note to
Netrexxers are "SuperScript" which allows Netrexx to be used as jEdit's internal
scripting language, and NetRexxJe which provides an IDE for Netrexx. The
installation of plugins is done with "one-click shopping".
Personally, I don't use the IDE. I just open a jEdit window with two
panes, one containing the Netrexx source and the other the error output. I
have a simple XML file to highlight interesting words in the error file (like
"error" and "warning"). Then I run the compiler from a command window and
redirect the output to the error file. I navigate to the errors
manually. Admittedly, low tech. Of course, the IDE automates
this.
Some of the screen shots at jEdit.org strike me as a bit
excessive. I use a more Spartan arrangement with a single monospaced font
, but with extensive use of color to differentiate syntactic items. If you
would like to see a Netrexx sample, email me at
[hidden email] and I'll send a PDF.
George Hovey
Locked
