Using Multi-Edit with NetDynamics

Multi-Edit has been my editor of choice for about 5 years. The primary reason that I like this editor is that I can teach it whatever it doesn't already know. And it comes knowing lots. It has syntax recognition for various languages, including Java and HTML. It includes allows for project managment, integration to installed SCC programs, FTP, and creation of a common code repository.

While the NetDynamics Java and HTML editors that come with NetDynamics are reasonable, I've found that certain features of Multi-Edit (like multiple file search and replace using regular expressions) are too useful to be ignored. So, I always set my default editor for both Java and HTML in the ND Studio to be Multi-Edit. The following outlines some additional ND customizations that I perform for Multi-Edit.

Change default NetDynamics Editors

1. Select "Options->General Options" from the menu bar.
2. Select the "Tools" tab from the "General Options" window.
3. Enter the pathname for the Multi-Edit program into the text box for "Java Code Editor" and "HTML Editor" and select the "OK" button. (This should be "C:\MEW\MEW32.exe" if Multi-Edit is installed locally. If a network installation is being used, check with your system administrator.)

To use the default editor, select the primary object in the Studio Project Browser, and then select the use the appropriate entry from the "Tools" menu to edit the file.

Note that double-clicking on the object in the project browser still opens the ".java" file for the class in Studio. (This is necessary for debugging the class.)

Context Sensitive Help for Java

One of the best features of the NetDynamics Java editor is the context-sensitive help. Multi-Edit can be configured to be "aware" of NetDynamics as well.

In Multi-Edit, do the following:

1. Select "Tools->Customize" from the Multi-Edit menu bar.
2. From the "Customize" window, select the "Filename Extensions" button.
3. From the "Filename Extension Setup" window, select "JAV JAVA" from the list and then select "Edit"
4. From the "Edit Filename Extension Setup" window, place the cursor in the "Default Help File" textbox and enter "C:\NetDynamics\NetDynamics40\Program\ndStudio.hlp"
5. Select the "OK" button at the bottom of the "Edit Filename Extension Setup" window.
6. Select the "Close" button at the bottom of the "Filename Extension Setup" window.
7. Select the "OK" button at the bottom of "Customize" window.

Now, to access the context-sensitive help, place the cursor over the class or method name and select "Ctrl-F1". The NetDynamics Online Help window will appear.