multiple minor configs

[dunkers]

I want to run SE in multiple instances using only slightly different configs. Specifically, I want to change the font size in the edit windows (a 4K monitor has prompted this!) but keep everything else. My SE config directory is 600MB and I'd prefer not to have multiples of those around, so is there a way to start up a particular SE with just font changes (or, perhaps other minor changes) without going the whole hog?

To be clear, I don't want a permanent config change. Usually I would want the current font size, but now and then I want more than one instance of SE at a time and one with a smaller font would fit nicely in the avalable space alongside my normal one.

[Clark]

SlickEdit doesn't store default font settings per monitor config (user.cfg.xml).

If you are using One file per window mode, when on the large monitor press Ctrl+Equal to increase the size of the font. This will only change the font for the current window. By far, this is the easiest solution. I tried thinking of a macro solution but didn't come up with anything reasonable simple.

[dunkers]

Thanks for the suggestion, Clark, but it's not quite what I am after.

The situation is that I have SE in a single master window with (normally) two edit windows sharing all files and the various tool windows dotted around those. Its size is such that it fits the smaller monitor, which has a relatively low DPI. However, on the big monitor it is tiny and hard to read, so there I've increased the font size to make it readable, and that's necessitated an increase in window size to fit the same amount of info in there. Which, unsurprisingly, has reduced the useful size of the monitor.

So, what I have now is SE24 on the main monitor in large mode, and SE23 set up for the small monitor. The only difference between them practically is the font size. Works OK.

However, sometimes I want more than just two instances going - I might be editing some project and referring to two different projects whilst doing that. I found that the SE23 setup was good in those cases because I could get a couple of instances of SE on the big monitor whilst retaining the normal (to me) proportions of info to windows, etc. OK, I need my glasses more but that's not the end of the world

So that's why I am thinking I don't really need the full 600MB for each instance if only the font size is the differentiator. Sure, I could change the size on the fly as you suggest, but it would rapidly become a tedious chore. Hope that explains things better

The suggestion of macros has got me thinking about external stuff, though - I already use some util that detects a specific window opening and furkles with its size, and it wouldn't be hard to extend that to checking what monitor an app is opening on before Doing Something to it. Hmmmm...

[Clark]

I pretty much only work on ~40 inch 4k monitors (no small monitors at all). That way, I only need one monitor and multiple font configs aren't a problem. Usually SlickEdit on one half and messy windows on the other half.

[dunkers]

I think that's how I will end up, but I don't really have room for another one so it's going to take a while to get there. I guess an alternative solution is to get a better pair of glasses and revert to small fonts

[jporkkahtc]

So you can have multiple instances of the same version of slick - you don't need two different versions.
The environment variable
SLICKEDITCONFIG=%USERPROFILE%\Documents\Slickedit

Can be set to control where Slick puts its stuff.
There are also command line options in VS to do the same/similar.

Maybe using

Code: [Select]

vs -x alternate_vslick.sta +newwould be the way to do it?

Too bad, that when you edit your options the other instance of Slick doesn't notice.
In the same instance when you manually edit user.cfg.xml then save, you get prompted:

Code: [Select]

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SlickEdit Pro
---------------------------
Do you want to reload your user options?
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&Yes   &No   
---------------------------

However, the bigger problem is that multi-instance support in Slickedit is pretty poor.
Hopefully someday Slick will better support multi-instance without all those error dialogs and such.

Code: [Select]

---------------------------
SlickEdit Pro
---------------------------
Failed to save configuration to '%USERPROFILE%\Documents\Slickedit\24.0.0\vslick.sta'.

Access denied
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OK   
---------------------------

---------------------------
SlickEdit Pro
---------------------------
Unable to save the configuration

Do you want to correct the problem and try again?

If you can't correct the problem, your configuration changes will be lost.
---------------------------
&Yes   &No   
---------------------------


[dunkers]

I realise I don't need two different versions, but I generally have the previous version still around in case the new version throws a wobbly, so there's no cost to using it (other than it being not current). Also saves the problem of which one got started first and should be closed last.

The SLICKEDITCONFIG gets me 600MB config per instance, and I have to have separate shortcuts for each, so can still easily end up running two instances off the same config.

Not a biggie - just wondered if I were missing a trick everyone else knew about