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IronRuby IDE - Editing Features And More
In my previous article about our free IronRuby IDE, I gave an overview of the form designer. In this article, I’d like to outline some of its other capabilities. Bear in mind that this is not a comprehensive list of its features and you should be sure to read the manual, supplied with the software, for a more complete guide to its editor and project management tools.
IronRuby Console Applications
There may be times when you don’t want a visual front end for your applications. That’s no problem, just create an IronRuby Console application.
Once the project is created, enter Ruby code. You can access .NET classes and methods and - where implemented - also Ruby classes and methods. As IronRuby is still in the pre-alpha stage, you may need to experiment to find which Ruby classes are available currently. To run your program in the docked, interactive Ruby console, just press CTRL+F5.
Ruby Code Editor
The code editor provides extensive support for editing Ruby code. Principal features include:
Syntax coloring
Code folding
Collapsible regions (marked between comments: #region..#endregion)
Color configuration (Tools->Options->Environment->Fonts and Colors)
Load new color schemes (Tools->Import/Export Settings)
Bracket and keyword..end matching - press CTRL+]
Smart or Block Indenting
Auto-end-completion after keywords such as def and class
Auto Format document or selection (Default keys are CTRL+E, D and CTRL+E, F or use Edit->Advanced menu
Plus many other editing features which you would expect of Visual Studio such as: bookmarks, split-screen editing, undo/redo, commenting/uncommenting etc.
| NOTE: The current alpha release of Ruby In Steel Personal For IronRuby provides most of the editing features found in our commercial (Text and Developer) editions for standard Ruby. The main thing it lacks at present are the IntelliSense features such as code completion, snippets and ‘Nav Bars’ over the editor. When you read the manual, bear in mind that no IntelliSense or Debugging features are currently implemented in the alpha of our IronRuby IDE. |
Project Management
Use the Solution Explorer to manage your IronRuby projects.
Right-click to add new or existing items (i.e. Ruby source files) or folders.
Open a Command prompt in selected directory
Synchronize (Ruby menu) to add/remove items found on disk (e.g. when created/deleted outside Visual Studio)
Options
Ruby In Steel may be configured in a variety of ways.
Change fonts: Tools->Options->Environment->Fonts and Colors
Change Default options (e.g. Synchronization): Tools->Options->Projects and Solutions->Ruby In Steel.
Change Editing options: Tools->Options->Text Editor->Ruby
Change options for the currently loaded project: Project->Properties.
Note that many of the listed options currently apply only to our commercial editions of Ruby In Steel (supporting the standard Ruby interpreter). In particular, the options relating to IntelliSense, Debugging and Rails have no effect in the alpha version of Ruby In Steel For IronRuby.
For guidance to the form design features of Ruby In Steel Personal For IronRuby, see:
IronRuby IDE - The Visual Form Designer
To Download Ruby In Steel For IronRuby , see:
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As a user of both, I prefer Netbeans as a Ruby [on Rails] IDE. In addition, you have the ability (with JRuby) to leverage all the great stuff that has been written in Java and include it right in your Ruby modules!