The EditControl contains an Auto-Replace feature, which prompts the correct keyword/suggestion when it is misspelt. When the Auto Replace trigger key is pressed, the editor checks the word against the auto replace table. After checking, the matched word is automatically replaced with it's auto replace table alternate.
Before Invoking Auto Replace Trigger
After Invoking Auto Replace Trigger
The Auto replace trigger keys are defined within the language definitions. Thus the same key can be used as an Auto Replace trigger for different languages.
The text entered in EditControl can be automatically formatted to the language used. Currently, only C# has built-in support for this feature. However, formatting options for any desired language can be set.
Auto Text Formatting in C#
Auto Text Formatting in VB
Auto Text Formatting in HTML
While using the EditControl, Column guides may be needed by users to indicate certain columns that have special meaning. For instance, in certain languages(like Cobol), no text should appear past column 80. This, it would benefit the editor if a line indicating column 80 were to be displayed.
Column Guides
The EditControl supports unlimited number of column guides. Each column guide can have a custom color and location. Locations can be specified by a column(calculated based on the type and size of font being used in EditControl).
The default Context Menu has the standard Visual Studio.NET context menu-like look and feel with default menu items. These default menu items can be cleared and any number of custom menu items can be added to the context menu.
Office 2003 style Context Menu in EditControl
The Office 2003 look and feel can also be imposed on these Context Menus. The Office 2003 look and feel is automatically experienced when the Essential Tools assemblies are referenced in the application.
Essential Edit provides a message box that will alert end-users when a Find operation reaches the starting point of a search. If the search option is set to Current Selection, once the Find operation returns to the starting point, it will display a message box, alerting the end-user that the end of the selected area has been reached.
Message Displayed after Returning to Starting Point
The phrase or word required in *Find and Replace* dialog box, used by files created using EditControl, can be added or removed from a respective ArrayList. This list enables the user to easily traverse between the common search and replace words. The list contents can also be sorted as desired.
This list can be created for:
* Search words in Find dialog box
* Search words in Replace dialog box
* Replace words in Replace dialog box
Complete font customization is available for text in EditControl. Two methods can be adopted to achieve this:
* Use configuration file and customize font settings using Font, Style, FontColor fields in Format tag definition
* Use the Formats Customization Editor at run-time to set desired font, font style and font color to the various text formats
Moreover Essential Edit also supports working with non mono-space fonts.
Format Customization Editor for EditControl
Selection Margin is a thin vertical margin along the left hand side of the EditControl. Individual lines can be selected by a clicking this Selection Margin at the required region in EditControl.
Selection Margin in EditControl
The saved and unsaved lines can be marked with different colors. Saving the editor contents, modifies the marker color of the unsaved lines to that of the saved lines. Performing modifications now will produce a change in the marker color for the modified lines. This feature helps one in keeping track of modifications since the last save operation.
Saved and Unsaved Lines Marked Differently
The background color of a selected block of text and bookmarks can be serialized while using EditControl. The following options are available for Serialization:
* Serialization to XML file
* Serialization to Binary file
* Serialization to XML format using external stream
* Serialization to Binary Format using external stream
* Serialization using Windows Registry
* Serialization using Isolated Storage
Status Bar is a component often found at the bottom of a window in a GUI application. The EditContol offers such a Status Bar which includes the following panels to provide rich information on its state and content:
Text Panel : Display descriptive text information about EditControl application.
It can also be used to indicate the location of the currently loaded file.
Status Panel : Display information about state of EditControl application
It can also be used to display just the Read Only state of the file loaded into the EditControl.
Encoding Panel : Display information on encoding used in EditControl.
Co-ordinates Panel : Indicate current keyboard cursor position
Insert Panel : Indicate state of Insert key
Status Bar in EditControl with Status Bar Panels and Sizing Gripper
In addition to the above information, any custom text can also be displayed in the StatusBarPanels. Moreover the Status Bar also hosts a sizing gripper which supports the *Smart, Visible* and *Hidden* modes of operation.
Underlines and Wavelines are mainly used to highlight certain sections of text to notify the user about errors or important sections of the document.
The EditControl supports the usage of such underlines and wavelines in different styles, colors and weights to convey different meanings.
Underlines and Wavelines supported in EditControl
Lines can be drawn across text in EditControl using the StrikeThrough feature. This comes in handy when denoting text deleted from the original document or highlighting offending code. Custom colors can also be applied for these strike through lines.
Strike Through Lines in EditControl
Text Borders highlighting in EditControl is also supported.
Text Borders for EditControl Text
The EditControl offers complete support for text selection operations that determine:
* Start position of selection
* Stop position of selection
* Selection of entire text
* Transparency of selection background
This can be used in cases when syntax highlighting has to be visible.
Transparent Text Selection in EditControl
