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Re: Using a text editor like interface for Mathematica?

• To: mathgroup at smc.vnet.net
• Subject: [mg64477] Re: Using a text editor like interface for Mathematica?
• From: grub_snuffler at yahoo.com
• Date: Sat, 18 Feb 2006 02:50:09 -0500 (EST)
• References: <dsru9v$5ee$1@smc.vnet.net><200602160805.DAA29821@smc.vnet.net> <dt48ab$2j7$1@smc.vnet.net>
• Sender: owner-wri-mathgroup at wolfram.com

> An option to avoid the tab issue is to use InputForm instead of
> StandardForm.

I don't know how this works.  There seemed to be a function that would
convert between what's shown in Mathematica and how I would type it (good for
importing to a text file or if I was using the command line kernel
input), but I don't see (or can't find) any way to get Mathematica to allow me
to do my own formatting.

Am I missing something here?  Changing from one format to another
doesn't seem to be what I'm looking for.

Here's my challenge:  tell me of a way that I can get Mathematica to allow me
to tab whenever I want, regardless of whether Mathematica thinks it's
appropriate.   This kind of restricted behaviour I'm currently
experiencing is what I expect from MS Word, not from a programming
environment.  I know it sounds like I'm complaining about something
trivial, but the ability to format easily leads to readable code, which
leads to productive work.

Try this:  Start a new notebook.  Type a single letter.  Then try to
tab.

Result:  Nothing happens.

It's hard to align code easily under these circumstances.  Tell me a
way to fix this and I will send you a dollar.


> > Oh, and the ability to use underscores in naming would've been nice.

> While underscores are not available, you can use things like
> \ [UnderBracket] (alias esc u [ esc), \[UnderBrace] (alias esc u { esc), etc.

I wasn't aware of the underscore option.  It's a little awkward to type
and looks awful, but I guess I'll take what I can get.  Maybe I can map
one of my function keys to do this.  I appreciate it.

john

• Follow-Ups:
  • Re: Re: Using a text editor like interface for Mathematica?
    • From: "Carl K. Woll" <carlw@wolfram.com>
  • Re: Re: Using a text editor like interface for Mathematica?
    • From: Pratik Desai <pdesai1@umbc.edu>

• References:
  • Re: Using a text editor like interface for Mathematica?
    • From: grub_snuffler@yahoo.com