I have usually used Eclipse for my development (when I'm not using a basic editor - UltraEdit). But I got hold of a copy of IDEA 4.0 to check it out. I actually like it a lot. The usage features are nice as are the refactorings. I have an article on my desk that tells me how to integrate IDEA with an application server for debugging but I haven't gotten around to setting it up yet.
There is one thing that absolutely drives me crazy. Every Windows application in the world uses Ctrl+Y for redo. But IDEA uses Ctrl+Y to delete the current line. I can't tell you how many times I have hit Ctrl+Y a bunch of times thinking I was undoing something and then look up to see my code mangled. Arghhh! Why can't we just follow the standard?
Comments[10]
Posted by sherifftom on March 17, 2004 2:53:34 PM EST
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Re: IDEA 4.0
Remap ctrl-y =)
Comment from Brian McCallister on March 17, 2004 3:11:36 PM EST
Unfortunately, it won't let me. The remove option is grayed out in the keymapping when I select the "delete line" option. There may be another way to do it but it isn't intuitive.
Comment from Sheriff Tom on March 17, 2004 3:52:14 PM EST
Don't use the default keymap. Copy the default and name it "Tom" or something.
Comment from Martin on March 17, 2004 4:13:56 PM EST
Woohoo! That fixed the problem. Now I can stop screaming at my monitor. But that doesn't change my original complaint that the mappings should follow the standards.
Comment from Tom on March 17, 2004 4:21:44 PM EST
I've used computers and IDE's and Windows for years and I don't think I've ever used a program that uses Ctrl+Y for undo. They have all used Ctrl+Shift+Z like IDEA does, in my experience, so I think IDEA's mapping is reasonable.
Comment from Keith Lea on March 17, 2004 5:10:24 PM EST
OK, but most every program on my PC uses Ctrl+Y for redo including Eclipse, Word, Excel, Netbeans, Ultraedit, etc. Ctrl+Shift+Z was popular at one time but that was a long time ago. Ctrl+Y has been the standard for at least since Windows 95. And Ctrl+Y is used by every other major IDE for redo (at least the ones I have installed).
Comment from Sheriff Tom on March 17, 2004 5:21:52 PM EST
Actual most of the Borland IDE's use ctrl-y.
It's some quick tips for you. Ctrl-x without a selection will cut the line. Ctrl-y doesn't copy to clipboard. Ctrl-shift-v to get the paste history.
Take the time to really learn the keyboard mappings well. It's one of the best things about Idea.
Comment from Glen Stampoultzis on March 17, 2004 5:44:54 PM EST
I love IDEA, but I agree - the default mappings are crazy, esp. since it relies so heavily on function keys. The one that took me a long time to remember was C-w, which normally means close the editor, but instead means grow selection. (Try it - awesome!) However, I've now trained myself to use the default ones (we all use the same IDE, so I have to assume they'll use the defaults). Still, I really love IDEA. My favorites: C-A-t (surround with), C-n (go to class), and (now in 4.0) C-M-S-n (go to method). Latter support wildcards!
Comment from matt on March 17, 2004 6:36:45 PM EST
Actually, imh(&a)o, IDEA team has the right idea about shortcuts: they are mnemonics that make sense in the given context. So, for ex. Ctl-O (for override) makes for a happy programmer -- me. (But granted that it would drive 'standards' fetishists crazy.)
Comment from Anonymous on March 17, 2004 7:34:19 PM EST
Note that your notion of "standard" keymappings depends on what environment you're used to. If C-y does anything else but "yank" (paste accumulated text from buffer) I have a fit. I therefore really appreciate that IDEA comes with an optional Emacs keymap.
Comment from Anonymous on March 19, 2004 1:48:35 PM EST