Column mode funkiness

[BWilson79]

Has anyone been seeing an issue with the latest versions of ultraedit in column mode where it doesn't remain on the same line but rather jumps one line down per character typed in a diagonal fashion. See example below:

Expecting:

Code: Select all

123
123
123

Getting:

Code: Select all

1
12
123
 23
  3

It would have been nice if I could change to a fixed point font in here, but I'm sure you get the picture. Is there a fix for this?

Thanks,
Brian

[mjcarman]

I've seen that behavior occasionally but never been able to figure out what causes it. I suspect it's related to code folding. When it happens I just close/reopen UE and whatever internal state was corrupt gets reinitialized. (I have my config set to reopen files/projects, so it's only a minor inconvenience.)

Please report this to IDM, especially if you can come up with a reproducible test case.

[BWilson79]

The files I'm editing typically when this occurs are .vhd (VHDL), but these are nothing more than text files. The file format is DOS. The font I'm using is Courier New, Regular, 10 size.

I've already reported this to IDM and will keep trying to get them a reproducible test case. How do I set my configuration to reopen files/projects upon restarting UE?

[mjcarman]

How do I set my configuration to reopen files/projects upon restarting UE?

On the "Advanced" menu select "Configuration." Expand "File Handling" and select "Load." Check the box next to "Reload files previously open on startup."

[pabobko]

I am experiencing the exact same issues in column mode, while working with VHDL files as you have explained. I have used UE for years and have found this to be a problem all the way back to at least Release 9.x and I continue to experience it in Release 12.20a ++4. I will be submitting to IDM as well as this is terrible if you are not paying attention while modifying the file. I will also try to upgrade to 12.20b. If you have found anything more about this problem, please let me know.

[BWilson79]

I brought this issue up to UltraEdit support and they requested a series of steps to reproduce it and I couldn't provide them with that. For me, the issue comes and goes intermittently. I'm running the latest version 12.20b+1. If you happen to know a series of steps to reproduce it please let me know so I can give it to them. Personally, I think if they just play around with the editor for a little while they're most likely going to see it.

[danne]

Have to agree with BWilson79, I haven't seen much of any 'patterns' in the past as to why this happen. I still have it happen with the latest versions (currently using version 12.20b+1).

I have, however, had it happen more frequently lately. This might have to do with using macros with templates (I have done so previously also, but not to the extent I am now. It most certainly is because I'm very active with coding in the current project at work, otherwise I use UE for other tasks).

I haven't verified this, it just happens to be my latest 'usage' change in UE, and it's after that that the column-problem has started to happen more frequently as far as I can tell. So don't quote me on it - yet.

[mjcarman]

As this problem is very difficult to reproduce, I recommend that we start using this discussion to capture data about when we do (and don't) see it.

It might have to do with using macros with templates.

I never use macros, so I don't think that's a (direct) factor. I do use templates but have never paid attention to whether or not there was a correlation between using them and seeing this bug. It happened to me again yesterday but I hadn't been using templates at all. I hadn't been doing anything special: a little bookmarking, some searching (but not replacing). I was mostly just working my way through a file doing some copy/pasting and then editing what I pasted. I toggled between normal mode and column mode repeatedly as I worked. Didn't use any code folding (though it is enabled). The file was a Perl module. UE v12.20b.

I did try one thing differently. Instead of restarting UE, I closed and reopened the file. It was the only file I had open at the time. That cleared up the problem.

[pabobko]

I haven't seen this issue linked to the use of macros either. However, I have noticed that it seems to be tied to the use of auto numbering while in column edit mode. I have a VHDL file I am currently working on that if I use the column auto numbering in one portion of the file, then use it again on a portion of the code several lines down, then come back and try and do column text at the original site the problem occurs. The neat twist to this is that when I copy this same file to a new file and start modifying it so that I can send it to IDM for debug the problem no longer occurs. It seems that there is something unseen within the file that in the process of modifying (i.e. changing signal names and such) removes the problem and I cannot seem to recreate it in the new file.

[faulkyvilla]

I've been experiencing this same Bug for a while now, over a few different builds of Ultra Edit. It seems to occur with a combination of the following:

Certain file size
Trailing spaces
Copying and pasting in column mode

I have been able to reproduce the exact same process on one particular file, but this is only on my PC. Once I use someone else's to open the same file the problem can no longer be reproduced. Also, I have copied all the contents of a file into a blank file, saved this under a new file name and the problem goes. Then, comparing the hex version of both files, you find they are identical, only difference appears to be file name. I then tried renaming the working file to be the same as strange behaviour file. This resulted in two occurrences of the same file open in my editor. The version which exhibited the weird behaviour persisted in the same behaviour, the "new" occurrence remained unaffected. I am looking into whether one of the occurrences has fallen into a different mode but am running out of ideas!

[BWilson79]

Just upgraded to 13.00 and this problem is still there. Makes sense because I didn't see anything about it in the release notes.

[dmk11]

I just want to add that I've been experiencing the same thing for the past few years also.

Here are some tidbits of what I do:
0. I constantly toggle between column and normal mode.
1. I use UE with Verilog files with syntax highlighting (with code folding).
2. I don't use macros.
3. I don't use auto numbering

I haven't submitted a bug report on this because, as everyone mentioned, I haven't been able to consistently reproduce it.

I just make sure I save before I want do something in column mode since UNDO doesn't work!!!

[mjcarman]

I just make sure I save before I want do something in column mode since UNDO doesn't work!!!

That's odd. Even when column mode goes funky undo still works for me.

[BWilson79]

Me too! A few Ctrl-Z's and I'm good to go. Hopefully some day UltraEdit will be able to reproduce and/or fix this issue. =)

[Mofi]

Maybe good news for you: Today I looked into this issue and after playing a few minutes I got the effect you also sometimes see in a more extreme version (line jump is 38 instead of 1). Most important, I know what I have done and so can reproduce it with UE v13.00+1 and UES v6.20+1 with my INIs and the default INIs on Win98 SE and WinXP SP2.

It looks like it is a paste problem in column mode in rare situations. Macros, templates, code folding, syntax highlighting, etc. does not have an influence. UE v11.20b does not show this effect with my file, but UE v12.20b+1 does.

I have written a small HTML file with a step by step instruction with screenshots what happens with default INI and how to reproduce it with my file. This package was sent by me to IDM support and Troy could reproduce it too. So the odds have been dramatically increased that the IDM developers can also reproduce it, find the problem and fix it.