Column mode smart selection shortcut

notdodgeball

I’m trying to find a way to improve my usage of the Column mode option, thus I’m in the need of something like this:

Basically, move the carret up (or down) until it hits the “top” (or “bottom”) so I don’t have to press Alt+Shift that many times, or use the mouse, god forbid. A “smart” column mode selection if you will. It would be even more helpful if also worked like that:

In other words, move upwards until either the line doesn’t go that far or the left or right character is different from those at the initial position. Or at least it’s how I think a script should handle it. Yes, a script, I think that’s the only way… Although it would be nice to have it as a standard feature, I’m sure other people would find it useful.

So before I dabble in python or lua or something, if anyone could point me in the right direction, preferably a easier way or “it’s already been done, stupid” I’d appreciate.

Alan Kilborn

@notdodgeball said in Column mode smart selection shortcut:

so I don’t have to press Alt+Shift that many times

Well, there’s this that may help:

User manual ref..

notdodgeball

Ok, my first python script:

if editor.getSelectionEmpty():

  currentLine = editor.lineFromPosition(editor.getCurrentPos())
  currentLineLength = editor.lineLength(currentLine)
  currentLineStart = editor.positionFromLine(currentLine)
  
  currentPos = editor.getCurrentPos()
  currentHorizontalPos = currentPos - currentLineStart
  currentChar = editor.getTextRange(currentPos, currentPos + 1)

  for x in range(1, 69):
    previousLineStart = editor.positionFromLine(currentLine-x)
    previousLinelength = editor.lineLength(currentLine-x)
    
    if editor.lineLength(currentLine-x) < currentHorizontalPos:
      break
    
    previousLineSamePosition = previousLineStart + currentHorizontalPos
    previousChar = editor.getTextRange(previousLineSamePosition, previousLineSamePosition + 1)

    if currentChar != previousChar:
      break
    else:
      editor.addSelection(previousLineSamePosition,previousLineSamePosition)

There is better ways to do it, I assume, but it worked so far. Please tell me if there is something outstandingly bad.

Alan Kilborn

@notdodgeball said in Column mode smart selection shortcut:

if there is something outstandingly bad

Probably this is a leading candidate:

69

Mark Olson

@notdodgeball
To expand on why @Alan-Kilborn said the number 69 is “oustandingly bad”:

It’s (usually) bad practice to include “magic numbers” like 69 in your code with no explanation as to why you chose that number. Better to declare a global constant (preferably with an explanatory comment) like so, and then reference it later on in the code:

# I'm using a proprietary file format where every file has 69 lines
MY_MAGIC_NUMBER = 69
...
...
for x in range(1, MY_MAGIC_NUMBER):

That may reduce your confusion weeks later when you stumble across this script and wonder what the hell it’s supposed to do.

notdodgeball

Yeah, I know, I thought putting it as 69 would make it clear but yes, you are right.

Regardless, I was putting it into use and it’s actually worse than that. When the file has tabs, getCurrentPos() it does not line up as the position varies depending on the tabulation. How do circumvent it? I assume getColumn() might help looking at the docs. Hum…

notdodgeball

if editor.getSelectionEmpty():
  
  currentLine = editor.lineFromPosition(editor.getCurrentPos())
  currentLineLength = editor.lineLength(currentLine)
  currentPos = editor.getCurrentPos()
  currentCol = editor.getColumn(currentPos)
  currentLineStart = editor.positionFromLine(currentLine)
  
  currentHorizontalPos = currentPos - currentLineStart
  currentRChar = editor.getTextRange(currentPos, currentPos + 1)
  currentLChar = editor.getTextRange(currentPos, currentPos - 1)
  
  count = 0
  while True:
    
    count += 1
    previousLine = currentLine-count
    previousLineStart = editor.positionFromLine(previousLine)
    previousLineLength = editor.lineLength(previousLine)
    previousPos = editor.findColumn(previousLine,currentCol)
    previousCol = editor.getColumn(previousPos)
    
    previousRChar = editor.getTextRange(previousPos, previousPos + 1)
    previousLChar = editor.getTextRange(previousPos, previousPos - 1)
    
    if currentRChar != previousRChar or currentLChar != previousLChar or previousCol != currentCol:
      break
    
    editor.addSelection(previousPos,previousPos)

Ekopalypse

@notdodgeball said in Column mode smart selection shortcut:

I thought putting it as 69 would make it clear but yes

Shouldn’t that be 42 instead? ;-)

pbarney

@Ekopalypse said in Column mode smart selection shortcut:

Shouldn’t that be 42 instead?

That just selects everything. And by “everything,” I mean everything: life, the universe, etc.

chdikie hensley

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PeterJones

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