Creating a new file

[cf_code_warrior]

Yes, as simple as it sounds, I cannot figure out how to do this simple a task in Builder.

Used Studio for years, then Homesite, now forced to move to Builder.  (Call me old fashioned.)

Already I don't like Builder.   It's SLOW.

Huge learning curve ... BUT  how the h3ll do I create a new template?

I mean File New .. done .. .nope.

> ColdFusion page ... I cannot type in the Name field.  No projects are available ... don't need one!

> File, nope ...

>  Open existing template, save as new name, then open that template, and wipe out contents?  (Not joking)

> Ctrl-N ... select a wizard.

Is this seriously the editor CF developers are now using?

I am forced to switch as

a)  New hardware for new workstations.  Old hardware "died".

1.  Windows 7, cannot install Homesite into it.

2.  Did manage to install Homesite (older version) ... trial for 30 days ... but it would not let me enter valid serial number after trial.

Holy c0w.

Or do I go to Dreamweaver? 

Or just retire and forget Adobe ever existed? 

[Charlie Arehart]

It’s a reasonable question, but I think I may have an answer/solution for you. Not a perfect one, but I hope better than nothing.

First, CFB does indeed (like most Eclipse-based products) rely on “projects”, as opposed to just working with the file system directly. That’s a bit different from DW, but only a bit. It’s similar in concept to a “site”. But of course, DW did not force you to pick the “site” in which a new file would exist.

That said, you are not ENTIRELY forced to use projects in CFB. For one thing, rather than use the Navigator view (which is by far most commonly used in CFB and Eclipse-based editors), you can also use the File view (Windows>Show View>File).

Now, with respect to creating a file, that is very much geared toward projects, whether with File>New>ColdFusion Page, or File>New File. But notice there is File>New>Other. There you can choose Untitled Files, and within that choose among HTML file, Text file, and others. This is a set of functionality provided in CFB by its inclusion of the Aptana plug-in, whose developers also wanted to stop people being forced to use projects.

Opening one of those does indeed just open a new editor tab ready for your typing, without requiring to name the file location. And after entering some text, you can even then save the file (ctrl-s, like normal) and it will offer to save it to the file system, not a project.

As for shortcuts to open the file, well, you had noticed that ctrl-n opened a “wizard”, as you put it. It is in fact this File>New>Other dialog I mention above, from which you can select the Untitled Files section and these other ‘types”. But while it may seem annoying to have to then select the “Untitled Files” section and then the “type” you want, notice that it remembers from one ctrl-n to another. So it’s a step in the right direction.

I’ll note that you can also set your own shortcut if you want, using Window>Preferences>General>Keys, then type “untitled html”, for instance, in the “filter” box, then click on the “bindings” field and type a keystroke that you may want to use, like ctrl-shift-n. And click “ok”. Now you have your single-keystroke “new file” back.

Let us know if that helps. I appreciate it’s not a perfect solution. CFB doesn’t offer all the sexy different “new page” layout choices that DW does, and I doubt it ever will. DW is geared toward HTML development. CFB is geared toward CFML development. I don’t know that the twain shall ever meet, even with the Aptana plugin that’s embedded within CFB.

/charlie

[cf_code_warrior]

Thank you for your very detailed reply.

Having gone over your methods, I simply cannot get the next button to light up, so for me it's a no. 

Having used CF Builder for 2 weeks, I rate it as the worst editor I've ever used.  Always trying to outguess what you're trying to do.  Cannot even find out how to turn autocomplete off!

EDLIN is almost better!  Notepad is cleaner (with less features!)

Unless I can find a hack (no luck so far) to install Homesite on this Windows 7 box, even installing as Admin no use, I'll have to install Dreamweaver, 

Thanks!