Multi Tab Addin for VB6 IDE Code Editing

[expvb]

VB6 IDE doesn't view code windows in a multi tab format, like modern
development tools and applications. You have to use the Window menu or
Ctrl+F6 to go to the next window. I found an Addin that adds multi tabs
feature. You can download the VB6 source from here:

http://www.planetsourcecode.com/vb/scripts/ShowCode.asp?txtCodeId=62468&lngWId=1

The site above automatically delete any DLL or executable files, so you have
to either build the Addin; which is not very easy, or you can download the
installer from here(The URL was mentioned in the comments in the link
above):

http://www.eyetapps.com/CodeHelp/CodeHelp.setup2_2.zip

Once you install it, check the new CodeHelp menu. You can right click on the
tab to change the appearance and location of the close button. When you open
an existing project for the first time, it opens all files, but the next
time you open it, it remembers the last open tabs.

[Bill McCarthy]

Cool. Thanks. I might try the build and install it myself routine next
week-end. I'll keep track of the steps involved and post back unless
someone beats me to it.

Post by expvb
VB6 IDE doesn't view code windows in a multi tab format, like modern
development tools and applications. You have to use the Window menu or
Ctrl+F6 to go to the next window. I found an Addin that adds multi tabs
http://www.planetsourcecode.com/vb/scripts/ShowCode.asp?txtCodeId=62468&lngWId=1
The site above automatically delete any DLL or executable files, so you
have to either build the Addin; which is not very easy, or you can
download the installer from here(The URL was mentioned in the comments in
http://www.eyetapps.com/CodeHelp/CodeHelp.setup2_2.zip
Once you install it, check the new CodeHelp menu. You can right click on
the tab to change the appearance and location of the close button. When
you open an existing project for the first time, it opens all files, but
the next time you open it, it remembers the last open tabs.

[expvb]

Post by Bill McCarthy
Cool. Thanks. I might try the build and install it myself routine next
week-end. I'll keep track of the steps involved and post back unless
someone beats me to it.

I built it before I found the setup URL. There is a Readme file that
explains the process, but there are several DLL's involved. The most
important thing is to check for missing references before each compile. You
can register the type libraries by simply browsing to them once in
References. Also, when you build CHGlobal, do not compile it to the same
folder as the VBP file, but put it in the parent folder "CHCore". When you
compile the Plugins, you also need to check the references, and you will
find that VB defaults to putting the DLL in the parent folder. All DLL's
have to be in the same folder. It took me a while to compile all DLL's
correctly.

Finally, there is a commercial tool that does this and more, but not
everyone can afford it($249 currently). See Products->"CodeSMART 2007 for
VB6" here:

http://www.axtools.com/

[Bill McCarthy]

Hi expvb,

Post by expvb

Post by Bill McCarthy
Cool. Thanks. I might try the build and install it myself routine
next week-end. I'll keep track of the steps involved and post back
unless someone beats me to it.

I built it before I found the setup URL. There is a Readme file that
explains the process, but there are several DLL's involved. The most
important thing is to check for missing references before each
compile. You can register the type libraries by simply browsing to
them once in References. Also, when you build CHGlobal, do not
compile it to the same folder as the VBP file, but put it in the
parent folder "CHCore". When you compile the Plugins, you also need
to check the references, and you will find that VB defaults to
putting the DLL in the parent folder. All DLL's have to be in the
same folder. It took me a while to compile all DLL's correctly.

Thanks. I think I'll add an output or bin directory.

Post by expvb
Finally, there is a commercial tool that does this and more, but not
everyone can afford it($249 currently). See Products->"CodeSMART 2007
http://www.axtools.com/

Yeh the thing I like about the sound of this one (apart from the price as I
think I've probably got a subscription to CodeSMART anyway), is it comes
with source so if need be I can tweak it, and it focuses on one task. At
present the only add-in I load in VB6 on startup is one for the mousewheel.

[Mike Williams]

Post by Bill McCarthy
Cool. Thanks.

How's your new personality going, McCarthy? Whatever it is your Micro$oft
puppet handlers said to you about your nasty behaviour on this group and
about your MVP status definitely seems to be having an effect at last! You
still keep slipping back into your real personality from time to time, but
if you're lucky your handlers might not notice that. I wonder how long you
will be able to keep up the pretence?

Mike

[-mhd]

Post by expvb
VB6 IDE doesn't view code windows in a multi tab format, like modern
development tools and applications. You have to use the Window menu or
Ctrl+F6 to go to the next window. I found an Addin that adds multi tabs
http://www.planetsourcecode.com/vb/scripts/ShowCode.asp?txtCodeId=62468&lngWId=1
The site above automatically delete any DLL or executable files, so you have
to either build the Addin; which is not very easy, or you can download the
installer from here(The URL was mentioned in the comments in the link
http://www.eyetapps.com/CodeHelp/CodeHelp.setup2_2.zip
Once you install it, check the new CodeHelp menu. You can right click on the
tab to change the appearance and location of the close button. When you open
an existing project for the first time, it opens all files, but the next
time you open it, it remembers the last open tabs.

Cool - just installed it. I love how when you hold the Alt key down and the tabs light up
with a numerical tab sequence.

-mhd

[-mhd]

Post by -mhd
Cool - just installed it. I love how when you hold the Alt key down and the tabs light up
with a numerical tab sequence.

I meant the Ctrl key.

Also like the way you can kill a window from the tab and a big plus is the mouse scroll
wheel support built in.

-mhd

[DanS]

Post by expvb
VB6 IDE doesn't view code windows in a multi tab format, like modern
development tools and applications. You have to use the Window menu or
Ctrl+F6 to go to the next window.

Ctrl + Tab is easier.

Post by expvb
I found an Addin that adds multi
tabs feature.

What happens to the tabs when the code/form windows are maximized within
the MDI parent ?

I've got AXTools CodeSmart that I use, sometimes. The main reason it's
used is because it shows (not exactly) treelines in If/Then, Select/Case,
etc.

CodeSmart also offers a tabbed IDE, but the tabs go away when the child
windows are not maximized. I often wish to see more than one child window
at a time.

That seems to be a MAJOR drawback to a 'tab-like' UI....you can only view
one window at a time.

That's probably the biggest reason I am using XNews still for text
usenet. It's MDI UI. I've tried probably a dozen other newsreader, for
both Windows and Linux. It seems they _all_ are styled after Outlook now.
A folder view on the left (or wherever you configure it to be), an
article pane to the right, and the viewer on the bottom.....OE,
WindowsMail, XanaNews, T-Bird, PAN....they're all the same.

(Of course, I shouldn't bitch, when I was developing a binary Usenet
d/l'r, it was a clone of ZeoNews, I did the same thing. Well, sort of, it
was a modified version of that common layout.)

Regards,

DanS

Post by expvb
http://www.planetsourcecode.com/vb/scripts/ShowCode.asp?txtCodeId=62468
&lngWId=1
The site above automatically delete any DLL or executable files, so
you have to either build the Addin; which is not very easy, or you can
download the installer from here(The URL was mentioned in the comments
http://www.eyetapps.com/CodeHelp/CodeHelp.setup2_2.zip
Once you install it, check the new CodeHelp menu. You can right click
on the tab to change the appearance and location of the close button.
When you open an existing project for the first time, it opens all
files, but the next time you open it, it remembers the last open tabs.

[expvb]

Post by DanS

Post by expvb
VB6 IDE doesn't view code windows in a multi tab format, like modern
development tools and applications. You have to use the Window menu or
Ctrl+F6 to go to the next window.

Ctrl + Tab is easier.

And Ctrl +Shift + Tab go in the other direction.

Post by DanS
What happens to the tabs when the code/form windows are maximized within
the MDI parent ?

The tabs are always visible in the same location. The Addin doesn't change
the maximize state. If the child windows were not maximized, they stay that
way even if you click on the tabs. If you have many open tabs, you get a
right and left arrows to scroll through them. When you press Ctrl, a
highlighted sequence number from 0 to 9 appears on the tabs so you can just
hit the number. You can also drag tabs around to order them, but there is no
visual drag indication except when you drop them, not bad for a freeware. So
far no crashes.

Also, you can press Shift+Enter to make the code window full screen. The IDE
title bar is hidden. Only the main menu is on top, followed by the tabs in
the second row. All other windows are hidden, but the taskbar is not
hidden(I don't use auto hide). When you press Shift+Enter again, or click on
Exit Fullscreen, all windows are restored to normal. The maximize state for
windows doesn't change whether you are in full screen or not.

The Addin is made of a core DLL and other DLL's(called Plugins) that
implement the Multitab, full screen, mouse wheel, etc. You can enable or
disable these individually from CodeHelp menu.

Post by DanS
CodeSmart also offers a tabbed IDE, but the tabs go away when the child
windows are not maximized.

That's not the case with this Addin. You may want to ask CodeSmart to add
that feature.

Post by DanS
That seems to be a MAJOR drawback to a 'tab-like' UI....you can only view
one window at a time.

I know what you mean. Since in this Addin the tabs are always there, when I
use Tile Horizontally, I can view multiple files, and use the tabs to
highlight which one, I can also use Window|Split(Part of VB6, not the Addin)
to view two locations in the same file simultaneously. It affects only the
selected window. The Addin doesn't interfere with the split function, for it
the two views are part of the same window.

[Dean Earley]

Post by DanS
CodeSmart also offers a tabbed IDE, but the tabs go away when the child
windows are not maximized. I often wish to see more than one child window
at a time.
That seems to be a MAJOR drawback to a 'tab-like' UI....you can only view
one window at a time.

That's why I always stick to SDI view.
Especially given that MDI/tabbed windows completely fail to support
multiple monitors properly :)