Column Editing in GPS

Column Editing in GPS

[wjthomas]

Is there some trick to get the GPS editor to perform column mode editing under Windows 7, or how GPS puts it "Rectangles". I'm using GPS 5.5.1.

Bill

Re: Column Editing in GPS

[Anh Vo]

On Monday, September 10, 2012 11:17:06 PM UTC-7, (unknown) wrote:
> Is there some trick to get the GPS editor to perform column mode editing under Windows 7, or how GPS puts it "Rectangles". I'm using GPS 5.5.1. Bill

I am not clear what column mode editting in GPS means. Could you clearify in it a bit more. By the way, regarding GPS version, I thought the latest version is 5.1.1 which comes with GNATPro.

Anh Vo

Re: Column Editing in GPS

[wjthomas]

On Tuesday, September 11, 2012 11:37:53 AM UTC-4, Anh Vo wrote:
> On Monday, September 10, 2012 11:17:06 PM UTC-7, (unknown) wrote:
> 
> > Is there some trick to get the GPS editor to perform column mode editing under Windows 7, or how GPS puts it "Rectangles". I'm using GPS 5.5.1. Bill
> 
> 
> 
> I am not clear what column mode editting in GPS means. Could you clearify in it a bit more. By the way, regarding GPS version, I thought the latest version is 5.1.1 which comes with GNATPro.
> 
> 
> 
> Anh Vo

Sorry for the typo you are correct, its 5.1.1. Column mode editing, I would not know how else to describe it. It's the ability to 'usually' hold down the alt key and dragging the mouse, cause the mouse to select a rectangular region of text and then cut/copy the "columns" of text and then be able to insert them as a rectangular column elsewhere in the document.

The Edit menu item has an entry called Rectangle with a submenu of items that would lead one to believe that it pertains to "column mode" editing. The question is how do you either enter that mode using the mouse or some other key sequence. Thier documentation is, how do I put it kindly, scant on the subject.

Re: Column Editing in GPS

[AdaMagica]

In GPS, select Help/GPS/Using the GNAT Programming Studio.
Chapter 5.5 Rectangles explains how to do it.

Re: Column Editing in GPS

[wjthomas]

On Wednesday, September 12, 2012 4:16:36 AM UTC-4, AdaMagica wrote:
> In GPS, select Help/GPS/Using the GNAT Programming Studio.
> 
> Chapter 5.5 Rectangles explains how to do it.

Oh, why didn’t I think of that first, oh yea, I did think of that first. That’s why I asked for the “trick” as in something I may be missing that’s not as obvious as the documentation might state.

Wait a minute.

OK I see the problem, it does not highlight the selected columns as a column in the editor. You just have to take it for granted that the area between the starting column of the cursor and ending column of the cursor ( of the horizontally selected text) is what is being selected as a rectangle. 

It must be the european style of column editing.

Thanks for the slap in the head in making me see what's not there.

Re: Column Editing in GPS

[AdaMagica]

On Wednesday, September 12, 2012 2:27:49 PM UTC+2, (unknown) wrote:
> OK I see the problem, it does not highlight the selected columns as a column in the editor. You just have to take it for granted that the area between the starting column of the cursor and ending column of the cursor ( of the horizontally selected text) is what is being selected as a rectangle. 
> 
> It must be the european style of column editing.
> 
> Thanks for the slap in the head in making me see what's not there.

Yes, the highlighting is indeed *very* confusing...

Someone with a support contract should complain.

Re: Column Editing in GPS

[Anh Vo]

On Tuesday, September 11, 2012 10:49:37 PM UTC-7, (unknown) wrote:
> On Tuesday, September 11, 2012 11:37:53 AM UTC-4, Anh Vo wrote: > On Monday, September 10, 2012 11:17:06 PM UTC-7, (unknown) wrote: 
<< Sorry for the typo you are correct, its 5.1.1. Column mode editing, I would not know how else to describe it. It's the ability to 'usually' hold down the alt key and dragging the mouse, cause the mouse to select a rectangular region of text and then cut/copy the "columns" of text and then be able to insert them as a rectangular column elsewhere in the document. >>

After reading Chapter 5.5 from the other post, now I understand what it means. I recall I did not see this is the GPS User's Guide before. Probably, this feature has been added recently.