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Open two windows in BBC interface?
Post by fisherhj on Aug 31st, 2012, 2:04pm

I'd like to move blocks of code easily from one program to another. Right now the only way I can see to do this is to open the source program, copy, close it, open the target program, paste. It would be a lot easier if I could have two programs open at once in separate windows. Is there any way to do this? If not, is there a faster way to move code from one program to another?
Re: Open two windows in BBC interface?
Post by admin on Aug 31st, 2012, 4:01pm

on Aug 31st, 2012, 2:04pm, fisherhj wrote:
It would be a lot easier if I could have two programs open at once in separate windows. Is there any way to do this?

Yes, you can run two (or more) 'instances' of BB4W at the same time, and then copy-and-paste or drag-and-drop between the editor windows. I commonly do that when I want to transfer code from an existing program into a new one.

In fact it's designed specifically to support that because it will notice if you have made an edit to a program which is also open in another instance, and warn you if you attempt to perform a save which would cause that edit to be discarded.

I would recommend that you treat all but one of the instances as 'read only' because the auto-recovery of an unsaved program which crashes may not work if there are two or more unsaved programs open.

Richard.
Re: Open two windows in BBC interface?
Post by Matt on Apr 27th, 2013, 06:52am

on Aug 31st, 2012, 4:01pm, Richard Russell wrote:
I would recommend that you treat all but one of the instances as 'read only'


I can't find a 'switch' to allow this. Is there one, or are you just suggesting that you make no changes to all but one?

Matt
Re: Open two windows in BBC interface?
Post by admin on Apr 27th, 2013, 08:46am

on Apr 27th, 2013, 06:52am, Matt wrote:
are you just suggesting that you make no changes to all but one?

That's right - it's why I said 'treat' all but one of the instances as read-only: it's a user discipline rather than something enforced technically.

If you do (deliberately or accidentally) make changes to two or more instances of the same program, BB4W will warn you if you try to save the 'older' version, i.e. the one which doesn't have the most recent changes.

If the reason you have two (or more) instances open is to copy code from one program to another, you could always make the file that you don't want to modify read-only. That won't stop you making changes to it in the editing pane, but you won't be able to save them.

Richard.