UltraEdit has been updated to UE 2024.2. This update introduces the power of AI and LLMs into the editor via the Pieces for Developers plugin. Installing this plugin adds an AI copilot and writing assistant as a dockable window.

Also in this release is a much-awaited update to Hex/Binary mode. Edit bytes directly and more intuitively with a new insert/delete option, and get better control with a new select range command.

It is our pleasure to release this very update this holiday season. Visit our download page to download the release now.

Leverage AI and LLMs using the Pieces for Developers plugin

The headline of this release is a whole new addition to UltraEdit’s ecosystem of plugins. This plugin acts as an AI developer workflow assistant (or copilot) that adds a dockable chat window inside UltraEdit. It utilizes the Pieces for Developers technology to add support for the most popular large language models (LLMs) available. 

That also makes it the first UE plugin to have its very own user interface. This UI framework provides an embedded dockable window with full HTML, JavaScript, and web capabilities.

LOOK: The new Pieces for Developers AI Copilot embedded in UltraEdit. It accurately describes what the snippet of a PowerShell script does with minimal context—it even suggested a cleaner version!

It streamlines your coding and editing workflow by adding AI-powered features directly into your text editing workspace. With the new window, you can copy swaths of text or code and run it on the AI for analysis. 

This integrated AI copilot works as you would expect. You can feed it data or code, or you can ask it questions, or query for suggestions. It can explain and help you understand complex code, summarize documentation, or break down algorithms in a timely fashion—useful for both beginners and seasoned developers working in unfamiliar codebases. 

Here are just a few of the things you should try out:

• Copy and paste code for analysis
• Ask it to summarize snippets or functions
• Inquire about  technical questions
• Ask for advice on tidying your code
• … and a lot more!

LEARN MORE: Read more about Pieces and the features they provide

Installation, usage, and configuration

Pieces was briefly available in UltraEdit as an optional add-on that provided snippet and code management features. It now returns with the same functionality, and new AI copilot features in the form of an installable plugin.

To install the new plugin, merely download and install this release as usual. Afterwards, users will be prompted to install the new plugin. It does not have to be a fresh install of UltraEdit.

Do note that while Pieces is a plugin integrated to the UE ecosystem by the UE dev team, the service itself is developed and provided by a team external to UltraEdit.

Furthermore, Pieces is powered by multiple LLMs and users have the ability to swap models at any time. To configure this, open the Pieces settings and choose which language model to use. The program is context-aware and will carry over any pertinent context even when you switch models.

Cloud (online) and local (offline) mode

Apart from choosing the active LLM used, users also have the option to use Cloud mode or On-Device mode. On-Device mode is particularly useful if you need to adhere to stricter guidelines when it comes to using AI on more sensitive data or code. 

The only caveat is that it operates with a smaller footprint and may be less robust than its online and cloud-based counterpart.

You can configure this setting on the same dialog shown above when changing LLMs.

LOOK: Here are some of the different LLM and runtime types available. You can also choose between running it on the cloud or on-device here.

Hex Mode Improvements

Exciting developments are also in place for those using UltraEdit for hex and binary editing. This round of updates is aimed at updating hex mode for easier and more intuitive use.

• Select range command
  You can now select a range of bytes just as you would select a range of text. Simply drag across the characters and perform a variety of actions.
• Delete byte selection
  In tandem with the new select range command, you can now directly delete a selection of bytes to reduce the risk of introducing errors when attempting to manage the byte sequence manually. Similarly, just select them and use the Del shortcut key.
• Insert/Delete dialog: Insert arbitrary byte value
  This feature simplifies adding or removing bytes by automatically inserting placeholder values (e.g., 00 in hex) or arbitrary specified values when bytes are added. It ensures that structural integrity is maintained in binary files by providing default padding or logical placeholders during insertions.

These added features can be particularly useful in debugging, patching, or analyzing binary data structures like file headers, metadata, or embedded content.

Option to underline URLs in open files

Lastly, a quality-of-life change. In UE 2022.2, the option to recognize and open URLs inside the editor was added. (You can do this by using the shortcut Ctrl + Shift + Click on the URL). And then in 2023, a highlighting option was added to make URLs more apparent. 

And in this release, a middle ground option is added due to popular request. You can now set URLs to be underlined in open files. HTML links are typically presented in web browsers as underlined to distinguish them from surrounding text and content. Similarly UltraEdit now provides an option to enable persistent underlines for all URLs in open documents.

Check out the new persistent URL highlighting.

Other notable improvements and bug fixes:

Here is a list of other minor fixes and quality-of-life improvements based upon user reports and requests. If you have any questions or suggestions, please mail them to [email protected].

• Line number in “Find String List” window is incorrect
• Prevent duplicate clipboard history entries
• Add setting to use an audio cue (“beep”) when search string is not found
• Add setting to disable Quick Find control animation
• Function list is shown for wrong file after application restart if second file has a bookmark
• CTRL+B followed by DELETE doesn’t select and delete XML tag/element
• Global templates exist in UETMPLTE.TPL file but are not shown in UE after trying to add new template
• Templates with non-ASCII characters stored with entities in template file are loaded wrong
• Make ESC key in Find hex cancel the dialog
• Create empty hex file with new document command
• Impossible to position cursor correctly in long wrapped line preceded by tabs/spaces
• Function list content changes after minor edit and save
• Create a new file in hex editor mode
• Default C++ templates are incorrect

What’s Next for UltraEdit?

Bringing AI into UltraEdit was exciting. And we hope it’s even more exciting for our users who get to utilize one of the groundbreaking technologies in recent times, directly inside our text editor.

A few notes on the new Pieces plugin: There is no sign-up or account required to use the LLM services inside UltraEdit. As long as you have an active license, you can install Pieces and utilize 100% of the new functionality—no login and API connections needed. Of course, as it uses our plugin architecture, users can also opt not to forego installing it completely as well. If you change your mind you can install it later.

We are looking into expanding our choices of optional features as well for next year. The long-term goal is to have users submit their own plugins, similar to how UltraEdit accepts user-submitted wordfiles and adds it to the UE ecosystem. But for now, the available plugins are all primarily from the internal team.

You’ve reached the end of UE 2024.2 updates. If you haven’t watched it yet, check out the last webinar on this release presented by our very own product manager, Bradley Hawkins, and the creators of the Pieces service themselves.

Download and install the release now.