what IDE is the best to write python?

Peter Anderson peter.anderson at internode.on.net
Tue Feb 3 00:40:00 EST 2009


I have a "thing" about editors; a good editor is my tool of trade! I 
have tried many editors over the years mainly in the MS Windows, Linux 
and IBM mainframe environments. After all this I really like EditPlus 
(and the a slightly lesser extent Textpad). What both have in common is 
their "Clip Library" or "Clip Text" (I think its called in Textpad).

A Clip Library is a simple text file that appears in a side panel next 
to the main edit panel. Double click on a Clip Library element and it is 
automatically pasted into the edit panel at the current cursor position. 
The Clip Library content can also be pased around highlighted text in 
the edit panel.

Here is a simple of an EditPlus Clip Library for what I call a "short 
script":

#T=Short script
^# ^!.py
^# The purpose of this script is

def main():
{code here}

main()

#T=Next Clip Library element


#T= defines the name of the Clip Library element

^# the "^" character must proceed a character that is normally a Clip 
Library syntax character but which you want to use in another context (a 
Python line comment in this case)

^! is the cursor positin after the Clip Library element has been 
inserted, in this case the cursor is positioned to alloy the name of the 
script to be typed

The Clip Library element ends when the Clip Library "parser" finds 
either another element definition or the end of the file.

Clip Libraries are stored in simple text files.

This is such a simple concept but is so very productive. Who needs an 
IDE?. I would love to have a Linux text editor (like Scite or GEdit) 
that could do this.

Regards,
Peter
-- 
*Peter Anderson*
There is nothing more difficult to take in hand, more perilous to 
conduct, or more uncertain in its success, than to take the lead in the 
introduction of a new order of things—Niccolo Machiavelli, /The Prince/, 
ch. 6



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