In this topic, I would like to discuss about a possible improvement of the Column Editor feature… Let me explain :

• Open any file

• Put the caret, near the middle of current file, at any column N

• Open the Column Editor feature

• Choose the Text to Insert option or the Number to Insert option with pertinent parameters

=> Presently, the Column Editor feature will insert the text or the list of numbers, at column location N, throughout all the subsequent existing lines of the file.

I propose an enhancement, with a new parameter, which would define the number of lines where the insertion of text or numbers would take place !

An example will make this clearer. Let’s suppose this INPUT text :

This is
a simple example
which shows how this new feature would act
Througout all the lines of
the current file

Note the two emmpty lines at the very end of file

• Now, I put the caret right before the word how, within the third line

• I choose the Edit > Colum Editor... option

• I select, let’s say, the Text to Insert option, containing the sentence This is a test

+> After a click on the OK button, the OUTPUT text is presently changed as :

This is
a simple example
which shows This is a testhow this new feature would act
Througout alThis is a testl the lines of
the current This is a testfile
            This is a test
            This is a test

Now, let’s imagine a new parameter, part of the Column Editor dialog, named Total Insertion Number, filled with the number 15

Then, it would add the text This is a test 15 times, and would produce the following OUTPUT text :

This is
a simple example
which shows This is a testhow this new feature would act
Througout alThis is a testl the lines of
the current This is a testfile
            This is a test
            This is a test
            This is a test
            This is a test
            This is a test
            This is a test
            This is a test
            This is a test
            This is a test
            This is a test
            This is a test
            This is a test

In other words :

• It would act as usual as long as a current line exists in current file

• It would add some lines, till the limit of 15, when no more line exists in current file

Of course, so as not to interfere with a possible column-mode selection or multi-selections, the use of this new capability would be allowed ONLY IF no initial selection exists, so ONLY IF a simgle caret is present, whatever its location in current file !

An other example could be :

• You put the caret on the last empty line of a file

• You open the Column Editor

• For the new parameter, you choose, let’s say, the 100 number

=> 100 lines would be appended to the file with, either, the inserted text OR list of numbers

Do you think that this enhancement seems sensible ? I need your feedback before a possible pull request on GitHub !

Best Regards,

guy038