Snippets are frequently used strings that can be quickly
inserted into the current document. For example, repetitive
sections of code or standard comments can be stored within a
snippet. Snippets have advanced properties; they support the use
of Tab Stops
and Interpolation
Shortcuts, can be assigned to Key Bindings, and
allow for the specification of indentation context and cursor
position.
Snippets are stored in the Projects tab or the
Toolbox.
To create a code snippet, select the desired block of text in
the Editor Pane. Then drag and drop the selected section onto the
Toolbox tab or
into a project on the Projects tab.
Alternatively, select the desired text, then right-click and
select Add as Snippet in the Toolbox.
Alternatively, right-click a folder in the Toolbox or on a
project or folder name on the Projects tab, and
select New Snippet. If you use this method, you
must manually enter the contents of the snippet; text selected in
the Editor Pane is not automatically added to the Snippet dialog
box.
To configure snippet properties, right-click the snippet on
either the Toolbox tab or the
Projects tab, and
select Properties. The following configuration
properties are available:
- Snippet Name: Enter the text that should
display in the Projects tab or Toolbox for this code snippet.
If the snippet was created by dragging a text selection from
the Editor Pane, the snippet is named after the text in the
snippet.
- Snippet Contents: If the snippet was
created by dragging a text selection from the Editor Pane, the
contents of the selected text are displayed in the Snippet
Contents field. Otherwise, enter the contents of the snippet
manually. Add or edit snippet content as desired.
- Snippet Shortcuts: Add Interpolation
Shortcuts or Tab Stop/Replace
markers to a snippet by clicking the arrow button to the right
of the Snippets Contents field, and selecting a shortcut from
the drop-down menu. Interpolation shortcuts in snippets are not
executed when the snippet is inserted in the Editor Pane via
dragging and dropping.
- Maintain selected text or cursor position after
insertion: Within the snippet contents field, either
select a portion of the snippet (by dragging the mouse pointer
over the desired selection) or position the editing cursor
within the string. If this check box is selected, when the
snippet is inserted into the Editor Pane, the selected text or
the cursor position is displayed in the same manner.
- Maintain indentation context after
insertion: If the snippet is inserted into the Editor
Pane when the editing cursor is in an indented position, select
this check box to use the indentation point as an indentation
"prefix". The indentation structure of the snippet is preserved
at the position of insertion.
To insert the contents of a snippet at the current cursor
position in the Editor Pane, double-click it, or right-click the
snippet and select Insert Snippet.
Although you can also drag and drop snippets onto the Editor
Pane, the cursor position and indentation check box options
explained above in Configuring Snippets will only take effect
if the snippet is added using the double-click or Insert
Snippet method.
To access options for the selected snippet, do one of the
following:
-
Toolbox|snippet_name|option
or
Project|snippet_name|option:
When a snippet is selected in the Project Manager or
Toolbox tab,
use the Project or Toolbox
drop-down menus to access the list of options. The name of the
snippet currently selected in a project or the Toolbox is
displayed on the drop-down menu.
- Context Menu: Right-click a snippet in a
project or the Toolbox and select the desired option.
The following options are available:
- Insert Snippet: Use this option to insert
the snippet at the current cursor position in the editor, as
described above in Using
Snippets.
- Cut/Copy/Paste: These options are used to
remove the snippet from a project or the Toolbox, or to move
snippets between the project and the Toolbox (and vice
versa).
- Export as Project File: When this option
is invoked, a new project file is
created that contains the snippet from which the option is
invoked. You are prompted to provide the name of the new
project file and the directory where it will be stored. To open
the new project file, select
File|Open|Project.
- Export Package: Snippets can be archived
and distributed among multiple Komodo users via Packages. Packages
are compressed archive files that contain the snippet from
which the Export Package option was invoked.
Packages are stored in files with a ".kpz" extension, and can
be opened by any archiving utility that supports
libz
(for example WinZip). The Export
Package option differs from the Export as
Project File option in that copies of filesystem-based
components (such as files and dialog projects) are included in
the archive. Conversely, Export as Project
File creates a project with a reference to the
component's original location and does not create copies of the
components. When Export Package is invoked,
you are prompted for a name and file location for the package.
Exported packages can only be imported into "container" objects
in Komodo, such as projects, the Toolbox, and folders within
projects and the Toolbox. See Toolbox - Exporting and
Importing Toolbox Contents, Projects - Importing
and Exporting Projects via Packages, or Folders - Import
Contents from Package for more information.
- Rename: To change the name of a snippet,
select this option and enter a new name.
- Delete: To remove a snippet from a project
or the Toolbox, select this option. The snippet is permanently
deleted.
Snippet properties are used to alter or rename snippets (as
described in Configuring Snippets,
above). The Properties dialog box is also used to assign a custom
icon to a snippet or to assign a custom key binding. To access
the Properties dialog box, right-click the snippet and select
Properties.
The default snippet icons can be replaced with custom icons.
Komodo includes more than 600 icons; alternatively, select a
custom image stored on a local or network drive (use 16x16-pixel
images for best results).
To assign a custom icon to a snippet:
- On the Projects tab or Toolbox tab, right-click the desired
snippet and select Properties. Alternatively,
click the icon in the Projects tab or Toolbox tab, then select
Projects|snippet_name|Properties or
Toolboxsnippet_name|Properties.
- In the Properties dialog box, click Change
Icon.
- In the Pick an Icon dialog box, select a new icon and click
OK. Alternatively, click Choose
Other, and browse to the desired image file.
- In the Properties dialog box for the snippet, click
OK. The custom icon is displayed next to the
snippet.
To revert to the default icon for a selected snippet:
- On the Projects tab or Toolbox tab, right-click the desired
snippet and select Properties.
- Click Reset, then click
OK. The default icon is displayed next to the
snippet.
To assign a key binding to a snippet, right-click the snippet
on either the Toolbox tab or the
Projects tab, and
select Properties. Select the Key
Bindings tab, and configure the desired binding. See
Key Bindings
for Custom Components for more information.