a potentially stupid question....

killerbob · 05-25-2005, 09:47 AM

I apologize, this really isn't the right place to ask this question, but I'm at a loss as to where else I can ask it. I try to avoid my local LUG (I've got a disagreement of personality with a few too many members. Best you don't ask about it...

), and it really isn't important enough to ask Slashdot....

Anyhoo...

I've been using KATE for a long time. Aside from QT, it's actually about the only reason I have to still install KDE on my systems (even though I've switched to XFCE). For developpers, I have a hard time thinking of any text editor that's better, though that could be simply because I haven't looked. I don't need to: it does everything I want in an editor, except for having program execution. Since most of my programming is done in PHP and JavaScript for web, however, that's only a minor annoyance.

Here's the deal. I like KATE. A lot. And I'm not going to switch from it. However, my father has recently gotten himself addicted to an OSS project (phpGedView, a family tree database program), and is having an utterly nasty time with development, in part because he doesn't have a decent editor. He's new to PHP and JavaScript, but has about 40 years' experience programming, and really needs a decent editor. I'd be happy to install Linux on his laptop, set him up with KDE, and be off to the races. The problem is that unlike my mother, he'd actually notice the change. And he'd be pissed. He has stated reasons for which he insists on sticking with Windows. His laptop hard drive is miniscule, and dualbooting isn't an option. (He's also dealing with a really crappy windows-based implementation of the CVS system)

So narrative over, here's the question: is anybody aware of a project that seeks to either port KATE, or provide the same functionality, for which a Windows port exists?

There is an alternative. My computer is on 90% of the time anyway, and I don't have a problem leaving it on. Is anybody aware of a *free* XDMCP client for Windows? Something he could use to remote control into my computer to use the unix tools for development, without needing to get rid of the Win2k on his laptop? And I'm not talking about using VNC. That's way too slow and bulky for my tastes.

Thanks in advance,
-bob

rose_bud4201 · 05-25-2005, 10:07 AM

I think the only way to get KATE on his computer would be to run it through Cygwin - think he'd let you install that?

Other than that, you could look into Nx. It's very nearly real-time, and is pretty nifty. Granted, I had some issues setting it up my first time, but they've got good help pages.

uberNUT69 · 05-25-2005, 10:15 AM

Quote:

There is an alternative. My computer is on 90% of the time anyway, and I don't have a problem leaving it on. Is anybody aware of a *free* XDMCP client for Windows? Something he could use to remote control into my computer to use the unix tools for development, without needing to get rid of the Win2k on his laptop? And I'm not talking about using VNC. That's way too slow and bulky for my tastes.
[/B]

freenx is pretty cool, and allows you to use individual apps and/or complete desktops.
www.nomachine.org

killerbob · 05-25-2005, 05:06 PM

Thanks for the suggestion... NX looks promising, but now I've got a headache...

After a whole lot of recompiles and reinstalls following any documentation I can actually find, I *think* I'm almost there. It's actually logging in and authenticating, but it's timing out on the session startup.

Here's the transaction log that I'm getting... needless to say, I want to get it working for myself before I foist it on anybody else.

Code:

NX> 203 NXSSH running with pid: 3864
NX> 285 Enabling check on switch command
NX> 285 Enabling skip of SSH config files
NX> 200 Connected to address: 192.168.18.56 on port: 22
NX> 202 Authenticating user: nx
NX> 208 Using auth method: publickey
HELLO NXSERVER - Version 1.4.0-04-CVS OS (GPL)
NX> 105 hello NXCLIENT - Version 1.4.0
NX> 134 Accepted protocol: 1.4.0
NX> 105 SET SHELL_MODE SHELL
NX> 105 SET AUTH_MODE PASSWORD
NX> 105 login
NX> 101 User: killerbob
NX> 102 Password: 
NX> 103 Welcome to: madhatter user: killerbob
NX> 105 listsession --user="killerbob" --status="Suspended","Running" --geometry="1600x1200x32+render" --type="unix-console"
NX> 127 Sessions list of user 'killerbob' for reconnect:

Display Type             Session ID                       Options  Depth Screen         Status      Session Name
 ------- ---------------- -------------------------------- -------- ----- -------------- ----------- ------------------------------


NX> 148 Server capacity: not reached for user: killerbob
NX> 105 startsession --session="madhatter" --type="unix-default" --cache="8M" --images="32M" --cookie="979708b38ba9825ff8ceb3013ef3132c" --link="wan" --virtualdesktop="1" --kbtype="pc102/ca" --nodelay="1" --encryption="1" --backingstore="when_requested" --geometry="fullscreen" --media="0" --agent_server="" --agent_user="" --agent_password=""  --screeninfo="1600x1170x32+render"

NX> 1000 NXNODE - Version 1.4.0-04-CVS OS (GPL)
NX> 700 Session id: madhatter-1004-856B018E12E3522F9D45B294B4364FB4
NX> 705 Session display: 1004
NX> 703 Session type: unix-default
NX> 701 Proxy cookie: 8543fbfc6a3011d5059e3169ec7523ab
NX> 702 Proxy IP: 127.0.0.1
NX> 706 Agent cookie: 979708b38ba9825ff8ceb3013ef3132c
NX> 704 Session cache: unix-default
NX> 707 SSL tunneling: 1
NX> 105 NX> 504 Session startup failed.
NX> 1004 Error: nxagent failed to start. Session timed out.
NX> 1001 Bye.

Using the Windows client from !M, of course. If I was able to setup the Linux client on his machine, I wouldn't be here, would I?

The system I'm trying to connect to is my laptop (testing purposes before I throw it on the production machine). I can see the HDD activity light flickering, and the transaction log indicates that it's actually trying to execute something, but I even had it timeout when trying to run xterm on login (instead of KDE).

I'm at a bit of a loss.... does anybody have a suggestion for how to make this thing work, or should I just rm -rf and go back to the drawing board?

username17 · 05-25-2005, 05:48 PM

I did read the post but I don't see why he has to use KATE?
I agree it does look nice, but when I'm on Linux I use VIM, when on windows I use notepad.

If he has to use KATE then my point is null, but why don't you just find him a decent windows based text editor?

A friend at work who codes on windows uses Notepad 2, http://www.flos-freeware.ch/notepad2.html.
It has syntax highlighting and line numbers, and it's GPL'd!

Either way, GL.
-Jason

killerbob · 05-25-2005, 10:02 PM

It doesn't have to be KATE specifically... he's already using something called Crimson editor, which is decent. What he liked about KATE was the ability to expand/shrink sections of code you don't want to look at. There's a little plus sign next to each function, while..loop, etc. that, when clicked, hides all of the code within the section. It also shows a small line that helps visualize the program's structure.

When you're dealing with a program that's thousands of lines of code, and having to debug sections of code that are inter-dependant but hundreds of lines apart, that is an immensely useful ability. It reduces or even eliminates the amount of scrolling and window-switching that you need to do in order to perform the task. A bit of an exaggeration in his case, but he is dealing with php and j-scripts that are upwards of 500-1000 lines of code. It's that ability, really, that I'm seeking to duplicate.

Geist3 · 05-25-2005, 10:37 PM

Why not use a Knoppix Live CD? Or perhaps Slax?

username17 · 05-26-2005, 01:40 PM

Hello,
I found a free windows text editor that has sytnax highlighting, line numbers, and code folding.
http://www.pnotepad.org/index.html

I assume that code folding means, it folds the code under to "hide" a section of it.
Check it out,
-Jason

rhb327 · 05-26-2005, 02:15 PM

I use VIm on both *nix and windoze. It has folding and syntax highlighting which seem to be
the two major requirements mentioned thus far. Not to mention the quickfix functions for code
development.

Just my 2¢

gargamel · 05-26-2005, 02:56 PM

I think there is more than one option for you:

PHP IDE
JEdit
.. and many more

The first thing I'd suggest is that you search the following two sites for "code folding":

http://sourceforge.net
http://freshmeat.net

If you find this too tedious I'd recommend that you look at a PHP/Web IDE (possibly non-free) or something like JEdit.

If the target machine has a recent Java VM installed, JEdit is a really decent programming editor. Before you shout: Startup time is long, but once it is up JEdit runs pretty fast --- it's one of far too few examples that it is possible to write fast running Java programs. Ok, the target machine must not be too old...

JEdit is expandable with plug-ins. Thus it can support many hundreds of programming languages, and certainly PHP and Javascript. It also can do folding (I just don't know if it does it by default or with a plug-in module).

Have fun!

gargamel

prj · 05-26-2005, 03:27 PM

A Windows solution...............eeeeeek!

Have a look at Textpad

IMHO its that good I had it running under Wine for a while and even paid for it, despite the everlasting trial version.
Loads of modules available.

Why O why dont they port it to Linux

gargamel · 05-26-2005, 03:48 PM

Oh yes, there must be loads of offers. One I just overlooked: Eclipse!

(Might be overkill for your purposes, though).

gargamel

gbonvehi · 05-26-2005, 06:04 PM

When I need something crossplatform I generally use http://www.jedit.org and sometimes vim. Just depends what I need.

rose_bud4201 · 05-26-2005, 10:03 PM

Eclipse, although it has all the requirements for an IDE, is however *not* one of the few examples that it is possible to write fast running Java programs. I'm required to use it at work for my Java development, and a worse IDE I've never had to use [Disclaimer: this is my opinion, you don't have to agree].

I'm definitely going to come down hard on the side of Emacs (or Vim, as your preference may be

) for those who don't mind their editors coming with mile-long manuals. Otherwise, yep, Jedit it is.