MPS Editor. Guided Tour

Basics

MPS editor is a powerful tool for creating and modifying source code. As any other IDE editor, it supports basic features like bookmarks, breakpoints, syntax highlighting, code completion, , folding code blocks, etc. There are, however, plenty of advanced features like intention actions, intelligent and fast navigation, and a lot more.

To configure your editing environment, use the Editor settings page and its child pages. There is also a Quick Switch Scheme command that lets you change color schemes, themes, keymaps, etc. with a couple of keystrokes.

Learn about the specific features of the MPS editor in the Editor section of the MPS User's Guide. The sections below discuss the most common issues of working with the editor.

The editor is tab-based. All operations with the editor tabs are available from the context menu of a tab, or from Window | Editor tabs node of the main menu.

Active editor

tip

You always return the focus to the active editor from any tool window by pressing the Escape key.

When you open a file for editing, it opens in its own tab. The editor you are currently working in, is the active editor.

Editor's areas

0. Editor area

Use this area to type and edit your source code. The editor suggests numerous coding assistance facilities. Refer to the sections under this node for details.

1. Gutter area

The left gutter provides additional information about your code and displays the various icons that identify the code structure, bookmarks, breakpoints, scope indicators, change markers and the code folding lines that let you hide arbitrary code blocks.

2. Document tabs

Enable quick navigation across the multiple documents you are working on. Clicking a tab brings its contents to front and makes it available for editing in the active editor.

To navigate between the tabs, use the keyboard shortcuts Alt+Right or Alt+Left.

Clicking a tab while the Ctrl key is pressed, allows navigating to any part of the file path, through opening it in an external browser.

Context menu of a tab provides all commands applicable to a file opened in the editor, for example:

• Close one or more tabs.

• Pin active tab.

• Split and unsplit tabs.

• Manage groups of tabs.

• Navigate between tabs.

• Move to a changelist.

3. Validation side bar / marker bar

This is the bar to the right from the editing area, showing the green, red or yellow box on its top depending on whether your code is okay, or contains errors or warnings. This bar also displays active red, yellow, white, green and blue navigation stripes that let you jump exactly to the erroneous code, changed lines, search results, or TODO items.