Text Editor

SystemAdmin - Mon Nov 29 10:31:42 EST 2010
I mostly use Crimson Editor, also sometimes TextPad, which also has DXL syntax file available. TextPad has really good macro properties and it functions also as a Hex editor (good for peeking into doors.exe).

Tested the Sodius DXL Editor, but sorry, I do not like anything based on Eclipse.

Mathias Mamsch - Wed Dec 15 07:37:47 EST 2010
I first used Crimson Editor, then moved to Notepad++ where I had some handy scripts to launch the DXL scripts over COM in DOORS. I stayed with Nodepad++ quite some time, made some syntax files for it (if anyone is interested), unfortunately I never got the FunctionList plugin to work consistently. Then finally I moved over to the Sodius DXL Editor, since all the features of eclipse are not matched by the other editors I worked with:

• Eclipse will keep a local history of your files, enabling you to compare and roll back the changes you did to your file
• The DXL editor has a working function tree (treeview with the functions of your files)
• Eclipse has nice integrations for CVS and SVN enabling you to check your code in/out of version control systems
• Eclipse has features like Task Lists (make annotations to your code about ToDos and stuff like this)
• The DXL editor brings you the "compiler" feature, which will launch your .dxl files in the background with every save and give you the errors with a little red dot at the lines.
• The DXL editor allows you to see the comments above functions when you hover with your mouse over the name, even if they are in another file
• The DXL editor has autocomplete functionality, enabling you to start typing a function name, press ctrl-space select the right function (built-ins and your own functions) and then complete the call already filling in the names of the parameters (which is very handy).
• You can jump to the definition of a function across files pressing F3 (very handy!)
• You can define working sets (the files which shall be searched or displayed in the project tree)

• it is not "free" (like in free speech, only like in free beer -> it does not cost anything, but you still need to register)
• there is an annoying 80 pixel advertisement banner in the console window.

llandale - Thu Dec 16 09:44:43 EST 2010
Thanks, but I thought while Sodius is free, the DXL plugin is not. What am I missing?

pete.kowalski - Thu Dec 16 10:12:49 EST 2010
What you are missing is that for a monterary cost you can have extra features such as a debug mode. You can see the difference between the free and paid version by looking at this matrix.

http://www.dxleditor.com/dxl_editor_license_options

lsand - Mon Apr 04 15:04:41 EDT 2011
Does anyone get file synchronization problems with Sodius DXL Editor? I've been seeing this scenario: Make changes to a file(s) in DXL Editor. Save them. When I navigate through the Windows File Explorer to the actual file I am not able to see the changes I just made. Restart DXL Editor...same thing. I can view my changes through Sodius DXL Editor, but not in the actual source location.

I've tried a few things...from the DXL Editor I've right clicked on the folder, copy, and paste to a random location. Open the folder I just copied...and same thing. Can't see my updates. In the Editor, I right clicked and view properties to double check that I am working in the desired directory as the one I am having problems synchronizing my changes.

Already contacted sodius..just wondering if anyone has ever ran into this? I'm sure this is related to the same problem but I've lost my updates before when my scripts just happened to revert to an older version. Working on Windows 7.

Mathias Mamsch - Mon Apr 04 15:51:07 EDT 2011
Hmm how did you make your workspace? Did you actually link the workspace to your files? Otherwise you might have created a copy of your files in the Eclipse Workspace. Can you double check, that your files are actually where you suppose they are, by clicking on a file in the "Project" tree (Window / Show View / Project Explorer) and going to "Properties" and looking at the location. If you can exit eclipse and restart, then this seems not to be a "synchronisation" problem.

To link a folder to your workspace, go to the project, click "New / Folder", Click "Advanced" and select "Link to alternate location".

Regards, Mathias

lsand - Mon Apr 04 16:54:25 EDT 2011
Yes, I did exactly that when creating the workspace:

"To link a folder to your workspace, go to the project, click "New / Folder", Click "Advanced" and select "Link to alternate location". "

I have checked the properties through the DXL editor to make sure I was working in the correct location. i was going to past the email and screenshots I wrote to sodius..not sure how to cut and paste the screenshots. is there a tag to do that?

lsand - Mon Apr 04 16:54:25 EDT 2011
Yes, I did exactly that when creating the workspace:

"To link a folder to your workspace, go to the project, click "New / Folder", Click "Advanced" and select "Link to alternate location". "

I have checked the properties through the DXL editor to make sure I was working in the correct location. i was going to past the email and screenshots I wrote to sodius..not sure how to cut and paste the screenshots. is there a tag to do that?

llandale - Mon Apr 04 18:03:13 EDT 2011
Desperate random thoughts:

o Had an issue like this running DOORS on Citrix trying to run DXL from my client. I'd edit the client and save and it would take 30 seconds or so before Citrix would retrieve the updates correctly. Very annoying indeed.

o If you close Sodius and then re-open and see the changes yet Notepad does not see the changes, then its about 1000-to-one they are not accessing the same file. Try to save-as from Sodius into a sibling file and make sure you can see it with Windows explorer and can also see the contents with Notepad. Likewise save-as from Notepad and try to File>Open from Sodius.

o I wonder what the "backup" feature of Sodius will actually do. If its turned on then I'd approach from that angle.

• Louie

llandale - Mon Apr 04 18:03:13 EDT 2011
Desperate random thoughts:

o Had an issue like this running DOORS on Citrix trying to run DXL from my client. I'd edit the client and save and it would take 30 seconds or so before Citrix would retrieve the updates correctly. Very annoying indeed.

o If you close Sodius and then re-open and see the changes yet Notepad does not see the changes, then its about 1000-to-one they are not accessing the same file. Try to save-as from Sodius into a sibling file and make sure you can see it with Windows explorer and can also see the contents with Notepad. Likewise save-as from Notepad and try to File>Open from Sodius.

o I wonder what the "backup" feature of Sodius will actually do. If its turned on then I'd approach from that angle.

• Louie

lsand - Wed Apr 06 13:31:28 EDT 2011
If I create a new file in Sodius I don't see it created in the source folder. Strange...From contacting Sodius and posting on the forums it seems that I am the only one that has this problem. I do have admin privileges, and all privilges to the source folder.

My IT department sees the issue, can not figure out what it is ether. I sent sodius a zip of my workspace and my eclipse environment maybe that will help. This sucks because it's making DXL editor worthless for me and it's such a great tool.

llandale - Wed Apr 06 14:08:29 EDT 2011
More desperate random thoughts. Don't laugh, this "monkey at the typewriter" approach to problem solving has actually worked well for me over the years. Anyway...

I wonder if such Sodius files are hidden. In Windows Explorer Tools Menu >Folder Options...>View Tab, select "Show hidden files and folders".

If you can write such a file in Sodius, surely you can close it, then try to open it, and use that folder dialog to backtrack to where Sodius is putting the files.

If you know the name of the file, open Windows Explorer, select the "C:" drive, search for the file before you go home; should be done by AM. Search some other drives as well.

• Louie

Mathias Mamsch - Wed Apr 06 17:07:29 EDT 2011
Louie, this is not some random sodius behaviour - the DXL Editor is based on Eclipse, which is a pretty well known documented system. All that stuff about creating new files, storing them, etc. is Eclipse behaviour and not influenced by Sodius in any way. It all seems, that somehow your Eclipse installation got broken - I don't know if you used the DXL Editor stand alone version, or an existing eclipse installation and just installed the DXL Editor plugin? Do you have another eclipse based application on your computer? Did you already try to reinstall the DXL Editor or install it on a different computer? Did this work on your computer and only recently got broken, or did you freshly install it and it never ran?

I would suggest you download a fresh eclipse (e.g. from here, unzip and start it, then add the DXL editor plugin over "Help/Install New Software" and choose http://download.mdworkbench.com as the update site, choose the DXL Editor. Provided your IT-Policy lets you download and install software. Regards, Mathias

lsand - Thu Apr 07 12:46:56 EDT 2011
I am using the DXL Editor stand alone version.
I do not have another eclipse based application on my computer.
I have tried to reinstall the DXL Editor (not by adding the plugin) and I have actually seen this on my old laptop with Vista on it.

I think it's related to the Program Files directory where the addins folder resides but I can't figure out why that would be the problem because I have Administrator privilges and I've made sure that I have full access privileges to the entire C: .
When I create a new Project and add a file from another location, (i.e. Desktop ) the updates are seen in both editor and the source file.

The only solution I have right now is to move my DXL scripts into another location and create a new "User" menu in DOORS (call it something else) and work from there.

lsand - Thu Apr 07 13:12:10 EDT 2011
Up until March 9th the files were being updated appropriately and then after that date all files stopped synchronizing. I have not done anything drastic to my computer, have not installed anything, nor have I broken anything that I know of.
When I close DXL Editor after making updates, close the editor and restart I can still see my updates. This suggests that now my updates are stored somewhere else.

From the DXL Editor I entered a random string into one of the dxl files and saved it. I tried searching for a random string to see where it might be storing my changes but couldn't find it anywhere. I hear Windows 7 does not search the computer very well so I downloaded google desktop and used their search tool to search my entire c: and couldn't find it either.

When I go to Program Files../../../users add a random text into one of the dxl files, then perform the search I still can't find it. Under Folder Options I have it set to search everything rather than just indexed locations. Don't understand ...it has something to do with the file structure and the os..

lsand - Thu Apr 07 13:19:40 EDT 2011
I've just asked my roommate to search for a random string in the Program Files(same OS) and she gets expected search results. I perform the same search and I don't get any result. It's definitely my setup but again I have full access privileges so not sure what's going on ????!!!

SystemAdmin - Wed Apr 06 06:31:35 EDT 2011
Just for information I am using emacs with some DXL mode which I just added into it by evolving the Emacs cc-mode family (which supported C, C++, java, pike, idc and awk, but not DXL).

This is still a bit experimental, but from time to time I am in touch on the emacs devel forum to have it work better --- that is depending on when I can find some free time for that kind of homework ...