Code editor — version history

u_pbt_codeeditor · Introduced in 1.0

A code editor with syntax highlighting — line numbers, region folding, search, file drop — to type or display code, an SQL query or a configuration file. Introduced in 1.0.

4.0 — October 2026 #

New #

• Replace: of_replace (the first occurrence from the caret) and of_replace_all (all of them, undone with a single Ctrl+Z, returning the number of replacements), and Ctrl+H in the search bar; with a regular expression, the replacement accepts $1, $& and $<name>.
• Search options ib_find_match_case, ib_find_whole_word, ib_find_regex (the Aa, ab and .* buttons of the bar), and F3 / Shift+F3 to go from one occurrence to the next.
• Caret and selection under control: il_caret_line and il_caret_column are read live and can be written (the "go to line" of a compilation error), of_select_range, of_selected_text, of_line_count.
• ib_modified: true as soon as the text differs from the one declared saved, back to false if the user undoes back to it — enough to enable a Save button.
• Gutter markers: of_add_marker(line, MARKER_ERROR | MARKER_WARNING | MARKER_INFO, tooltip), of_remove_marker, of_clear_markers, of_marker_count — what a compiler says, where it says it.
• Highlighting: HTML entities (&), YAML blocks (|, >), JavaScript regular expressions, C# verbatim strings (@"…"), nested PowerScript comments and hyphenated identifiers.
• Accessibility: code area and search bar buttons named in the application language, fold markers reachable from the keyboard (Tab, then Enter or Space).
• With ib_folding and no line numbers (ib_line_numbers = false), a narrow gutter keeps the fold markers.

Fixed #

• In folded mode, Enter and Tab no longer modify the text; Enter, Tab and Shift+Tab no longer clear the undo history: every keystroke is undone by Ctrl+Z.
• The search brings the found occurrence into view, starts from the caret and does not move it while the bar is open (Esc puts it on the current occurrence); it is recomputed when folding and unfolding; its counter is readable in dark themes.
• ue_find_result is raised once per search or per step (while typing only when the count changes), never when the bar closes; ue_caret_changed is also raised while typing, and in folded mode gives the line of the gutter.
• A new is_text is displayed from its first line.
• The band of il_doc_line and the band of the current line (ib_current_line) cover the whole line with word wrap (ib_wrap); the gutter follows a change of font or tab size, and stays aligned at the end of the file with a horizontal scroll bar.
• "Replace all" is instantaneous on a long text.
• Indentation: Shift+Tab unindents the right lines, the column counts a tab up to its stop, Enter indents by ii_tab_size.
• Input through an input method (IME, Asian languages) is no longer interrupted by Enter or Tab.
• Folding then unfolding a text without a closed region keeps the undo history.
• The caret comes back into the editor when a window of the library (command palette) closes.
• Highlighting is readable in dark themes; the dark palette follows the application theme.
• A file drop (ib_allow_drop) raises ue_drop_files alone (no more ue_drag_leave before it), with full paths beyond 260 characters; of_reset removes the drop target (ib_allow_drop back to false).
• Reading back a long text value takes time proportional to its size and returns it whole (it slowed down with the size and was cut beyond a million characters).
• Enter or Esc pressed in the component, when it does not use them, goes back to the window: the PowerBuilder Default or Cancel CommandButton fires (the key was lost).
• A language set by PBT_SetLanguage applies from the very next order given to the component: a text of an event raised by that order no longer comes in the old language.
• With no language chosen by the application, the component announces English to screen readers (it announced French).
• is_theme_style, is_theme_mode and il_theme_accent read back the style and mode shown and the component's own accent (-1 when it has none); an unknown or badly written value is ignored instead of leaving the component without a theme, and an axis left empty follows the application's theme.
• The application accent (PBT_SetDefaultThemeAccent) survives a change of theme, is followed as long as the component has no accent of its own, and repaints everything derived from it (hover, pressed, selections); Windows high contrast is supported.

Behavior changes #

See the "Migrating from 3.0 to 4.0" guide, sections 11.3 and 11.28.

• ii_doc_line becomes il_doc_line (a long): rename it. Setting the line brings it to the middle of the view and opens the folded region that hides it, without touching the caret; a line beyond the text marks nothing.
• is_text reads back with the line endings it received (CRLF, or CR alone), folded or not; a text that mixes them reads back in CRLF.
• is_syntax reads back as written (SYNTAX_CSHARP, SYNTAX_XML…), no longer as the grammar used.
• #regionopen is no longer rewritten as #region in your text.
• of_insert_text returns -4 when read-only or folded (nothing is inserted); during a search, it inserts at the user's caret, undoable with Ctrl+Z.
• of_find returns -4 when ib_search_enabled is false; of_find("") clears the field and the highlights.
• A caret change requested by your code (il_caret_line, of_select_range…) raises ue_caret_changed like a gesture, with ib_track_caret.

3.0 — September 2026 #

New #

• of_set_property, of_get_property and of_component_name: drive a property by its name (settings screen, saved configuration).

Fixed #

• The line numbers of the gutter are readable in every theme.
• ii_doc_line reads back the line that was set (0 = none), instead of an internal index off by one (-1 = none).

2.0 — September 2026 #

New #

• ue_script_error: a script error in the page reaches PowerBuilder with its message instead of being lost.

Fixed #

• Folding (ib_folding) is a reading mode: the text read back after folding was the old one, and unfolding overwrote what had just been typed. While the editor is folded it no longer takes keystrokes, and of_get_text() always returns the whole source; a refused of_insert_text says so through ue_script_error.
• With ib_track_caret, a click or a drag that moves the caret raises ue_caret_changed.

Behavior changes #

See the "Migrating from 1.0 to 2.0" guide.

• ue_changed no longer carries the text: event ue_changed ( ). Read the code with is_text or of_get_text().

1.0 — August 2026 #

New #

• Highlighting of ten language families (is_syntax: PowerScript, SQL, JavaScript, JSON, C family, HTML / XML, CSS, Python, YAML, Markdown), line numbers, current line highlight, word wrap, tab size, font.
• Folding of #region blocks (ib_folding), band on a designated line (ii_doc_line), read-only mode.
• Built-in search (Ctrl+F, of_find, ue_find_result), insertion at the caret (of_insert_text), caret tracking (ue_caret_changed), file drop from the Explorer (ue_drop_files).