Fifesoft Blog

Perl syntax checking has been added to RSTALanguageSupport.  You can configure it with the location of a Perl install on your system (by default it scans your PATH for a Perl binary), and then PerlLanguageSupport will automatically begin scanning your code for errors as you type:

Perl Syntax Checking

Next will be the ability to muck with the @INC path to add other libraries.  Currently it only uses the default @INC of your Perl install.

The RSTALangaugeSupport library I’ve blogged about for so long has finally been added to the Subversion repository, but do note that it isn’t ready for prime time yet.  Use it at your own risk!  And send feedback when you do! 

If you check out the project, please read the readme file first.  It’s fairly up to date and explains how to compile and use the library.

The library currently includes code completion for the standard C library, and despite a couple of rough edges, should be mostly complete:

C code completion

C support takes advantage of the parameter assistance feature of the AutoComplete library as well:

Parameter assistance for C functions

There’s also the start of decent support for Java, which is much more robust and dynamic than the support for other languages such as C.  It actually evaluates your code when you hit ctrl+space, and gives you accurate completion choices based on your current location in the code, based on classes you’ve imported (referencing jars on your “classpath”), local variables if you’re in a method, etc.  This has been discussed in several previous blog posts.

Java code completion

Yes, that tree widget on the left is actually included in RSTALanguageSupport as well!  However, it is currently Java-specific, and will not display an outline of source code in any other language.  It’s not high priority at the moment to generalize it, but it should probably happen sooner or later.  Java also supports parameter assistance when completing methods, like C does with its standard library.

There’s also code completion for Perl, supporting all built-in functions in Perl 5.10.x.  Rudimentary support for completions of variable names will appear for Perl in the next couple of days.

Perl code completion

There’s also excellent support for HTML 5 – completion for all valid tag names, and attributes are suggested as well (only those attributes valid for the tag they are describing).  The description information displayed in the tool tip-style side window is rather lacking, however (as you can tell from the screenshot), so help improving this documentation is more than welcome!

HTML Completion

PHP code completion is also included.  It uses the built-in HTML support when editing HTML, but when the caret is within PHP tags, PHP functions are suggested instead.  There is no documentation for PHP functions in the description window like there is for other languages just yet.

PHP code completion

Similar to the C and Java support, parameter assistance is included for PHP functions:

Parameter assistance for PHP

Hopefully that is enough to whet some appetites!  Please discuss and ask questions over in the forums.

I’ve added the ability to add “source attachments” to jars on the “class path” or “build path” (not sure what to call that, Eclipse uses “build path,” but RSTA isn’t compiling anything, since it’s just an editor…).  You can now get Javadoc in the description window alongside code completion choices.  In the example below, I’m editing java/lang/String.java, and I’ve attached the src.zip that comes with the JDK.  You’ll see that the Javadoc for the relevant String method is shown:

Source Attachments working

Beyond that, I’ve been working on the API, using RText as the test application.

Also, not the source outline tree on the left.  I’m working on getting this component simple and usable as well.  I’m tempted to shove it into the RSTALanguageSupport library, since it would only be used with RSTA instances using the library, but since it isn’t specifically related to the editor, it may just end up in RText itself.  It’s really nice – it displays the outline of the source as parsed by the code completion parser, and clicking on an item in the tree jumps to that item in the source code.  However, it is Java-specific and is not currently meant to be used for outlining just any language.

The code completion library for standard programming languages for RSyntaxTextArea is almost ready for a public repository.  I plan on calling this library “RSTALanguageSupport” (nice name, huh?), as it contains support for editing common programming languages with RSyntaxTextArea.

In getting this library tidied up, I’ve picked up the Java code completion yet again, since it’s by far the most complex.  I thought I’d give a status update now so people don’t have unrealistic expectations about the library when it’s first released.

Assuming you’ve added any jars you want on your “build path” (to use Eclipse terminology), the Java code completion support can handle:

1. Class fields and methods:
   

   Completion of fields and methods

2. Local variables in scope in the current method:
   

   Completion for local variables

3. Methods and static fields of non-primitive fields and local variables:
   

   More local variable completion

4. Common Javadoc completions that I personally find extremely useful in Eclipse:
   

   Javadoc completions

It does not currently handle completions for return types of methods:

Can't do this just yet

This is the single issue that will take the longest to resolve, as it’ll take a re-hashing of how the code completion is parsing the code.  Other features and bug fixes will appear before this one is fixed.

Also, please note that the Java code completion should not be considered “good design.”  I am (poorly) self-taught in lexing/parsing, and so what I have now is certainly not optimized, easy to read, or using the latest design techniques.  It is what it is.    I consider this to be a learning experience, and that the library will improve over time.

That said, it seems reasonably performant (only a pause when it has to initially load completions for many new classes, such as multiple imports of large packages, such as “javax.swing.*”), and is more than usable on the machines I’ve tested on.  Memory usage could certainly be improved (stuff isn’t shared between multiple editors implementing Java completion that should be) but I plan to fix that soon.

As a side note – as you can see from the first screenshot, I’m also working on tying Javadoc into the description window.  Notice that the Javadoc for the “str” field is nicely formatted in the tool tip-style side window?  That happens for all fields and methods in the current source file.  I’m also working on the ability to add “source attachments” for jars on the “classpath,” just like Eclipse, which will be used for assistance with libraries.  So for example, you can point to the src.zip included with your JDK, and get a nice description of each class, field and method in the JDK, just like in your favorite real IDE!

Integration of this library into RText as a plugin is already underway.  As always, RText will be a showcase of all the cool stuff you can do with RSyntaxTextArea.

The Java code completion I’m working on has hit a new milestone.  Code completion for fields and local variables is starting to work:

Field Completion