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7 - Editor Selection
Because it's so important in programming, the editor is worth discussing in some detail. You can use just about anything (except Notepad, which has problems with Linux line formatting), but editing in WordPad does not compare to editing in a real source code editor. Syntax highlighting, auto formatting (such as indenting) and access to help files are all invaluable. I use an older Borland 4.5 editor from a package I found in a computer magazine. Cheap, quick loading, and with a command set I'm familiar with, it has the added advantage of including help files on the C Standard Library, and auto updating files (offering to reload a file changed on disk). Using this feature, I can get a copy of the error log after a make, much like an IDE:
make &> x.txt |
The &> pipes the error output from make to the local file x.txt - by having x.txt loaded in my editor, it will offer to reload it after each make, providing me with an easy-to-review bug list.
Editors abound, and your choice of an editor should keep these points in mind. If you're looking around for one, a good selection of free and shareware programs can be found at Dave Central (http://www.davecentral.com/progtext.html).
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