Enable syntax highlighting in any .NET application

The edit control enables syntax highlighting, and it is designed to be extensible and easy to use. It also supports automatic outlining, multilevel undo or redo, rich formatting options, and easy configuration. It comes with predefined XML-based language configurations for syntax coloring commonly used languages. It also supports the creation of custom configurations for any desired language. Configuration files can be used to specify outlining blocks and syntax highlighting of embedded scripts.

Syntax Highlighting and Code Coloring

The edit control supports syntax highlighting and code coloring, enhancing the readability of the code. It also supports highlighting embedded scripts as well as plain text. XML-based configuration files are used for syntax highlighting. This control offers built-in support for highlighting the syntax of certain commonly used languages. The configuration files are extensible and can be configured to highlight any desired language.

• Configuration Editor
• Predefined Configuration
• Syntax Highlighting
• XML-Based Configuration Files

IntelliSense Functions

The IntelliSense support found in the edit control consists principally of the "Context Choice," the "Context Prompt," and the "Context ToolTip" features. These features are analogous to the "List Members," "Parameter Info," and "Quick Info" IntelliSense features in Visual Studio.NET, respectively.

• Code Snippet
• Context Choice
• Context Choice from XML
• Context Prompt
• Context Prompt from XML
• Context ToolTip

Advanced Editor Functions

The edit control can be used as a stand-alone text editing control capable of performing advanced functions like find-replace, line numbers, font customization, clipboard operations, text highlighting, and user margin operations. It also supports a highly customizable, built-in context menu. All of these features make Essential Edit an extremely useful control, even when syntax highlighting is not required in an application.

• Action Grouping
• AutoReplace Triggers
• AutoText Formatting
• Clipboard Operations
• Column Guides
• Context Menu
• Custom Cursors
• Enhanced Find Dialog
• Find and Replace
• Find And Replace History
• Font Customization
• Line and Selection Background
• Line Numbers
• Line Numbers and Current Line Highlighting
• Selection Margin
• Serialization
• Status Bar
• Text Highlighting
• Text Range Customization
• Text Selection
• Undo and Redo
• User Margin
• White Space Indicators

Text Formatting

The edit control has text formatting support for laying out its contents. Common text formatting techniques, like WordWrap, Indentation-Outdentation, Outlining, Content Dividers, and so on, are available in Essential Edit.

• AutoIndent
• AutoOutline
• Content Divider
• Format Keywords
• Positive and Negative Block Indent
• Spaces and Tabs
• Unicode Support
• WordWrap

Files and Streams

The edit control offers complete support for all standard file and stream handling operations. The syntax highlighting also automatically reconfigures itself based on the extension of the file that has been loaded. For example, when a SQL file is loaded into Essential Edit, automatically, SQL configuration settings will be used to highlight the content of the file.

• Files and Streams Handling

Advanced Keyboard Interaction

Through the use of shortcuts keys, the edit control supports extensive interaction with the keyboard in order to perform certain predefined or custom-bound actions. The insert state of the edit control can also be toggled by using the "Insert" key.

• Action-Keystroke Binding
• Insert Mode

Localization and Globalization

In the age of globalization the markets for all goods become more and more internationalized, enforcing the need to provide information in a variety of languages. The edit control supports complete localization to any desired language of all the dialogs and strings associated with it.

• Localization

Text Navigation

The edit control has extensive support for navigating through its content. Apart from standard navigation techniques using the keyboard, it also supports bookmarks navigation, bracket highlighting, indentation guidelines, and text drag-drop.

• Bookmarks and Custom Indicators
• Bracket Highlighting and Indentation Guidelines
• Break Points in Edit Control
• Drag-and-Drop
• Navigation
• Positions and Offsets
• Scroll Bar Events

Text Export

The edit control supports exporting its content into commonly accepted universal formats like HTML, XML, and RTF. The exported files can then be opened in standard editors, like Visual Studio or Microsoft Word, and edited as required.

• XML HTML and RTF Export

Printing Support

The edit control provides complete support for printing. There are options to print an entire document; just the current page; specific pages; or only selected text. The printing implementation is very similar to those available in standard applications such as Microsoft Office or Visual Studio .NET.

• Headers and Footers
• Print Dialog
• Print Preview

Appearance

The edit control provides support for customizing its appearance through the use of a gradient background, WordWrap and user margins, and a Windows XP-themed appearance. It also supports multiple views of the same file through the use of vertical and horizontal splitters.

• Customizable Find Dialog
• Gradient Background
• Single Line Mode
• Text alone RTL Support
• View Splitting
• Windows XP Themes

Graphics Support

The edit control has the ability to generate a bitmap image of itself. The bitmap image looks exactly like an actual snapshot of a live-instance edit control.

• Bitmap Generation

Advanced Mouse Interaction

• IntelliMouse Support

Visual Studio Designer Support

Visual Studio fully supports Essential Edit as a developer component. It can be hosted in a toolbox, dragged and dropped onto a form or a user control, and customized at design-time in the Visual Studio designer.

• Designer Support