How Xojo IDE deals with spaces (the space Character)

General
1

In my Xojo, I set the Code Editor to use a monospaced file, Courier.

Here, there and everywhere, I use headings like this one:

// ********** ********** ********** ********** ********** ********** ********** ********** // // Menu: File // MenuItem: CSV // SubMenuItem: Import // // Let the user choose (or not) a csv file and open / display its contents. // // Line 1 holds the Heading Strings… // // [2015-09-28] Removed the CSV suffix from the Menu Handler. // [2016-06-09] New added feature: Populates the Recent Menu // [2016-07-09] Takes the Method code that deals with loading CSV back here // // ********** ********** ********** ********** ********** ********** ********** ********** //

Nota: the leading spaces (before the “//” comments are set by Xojo at Copy code time.

This is just an example.

Now the question:
I understand why one want to remove useless (and invisibles) spaces, but in the case above, it will be against my own will / way of presenting stuff / clearity.

What is the Xojo developer (user) have to understand in this business to remove all spaces (nearly) in Xojo Code ?

If the reason is good enough, Xojo have to remove spaces before the open/close parenthesis (some people adds), between the asterisks (above), etc., after the separation comma of Methods / Functions Parameters, etc. (unless if this is already done and I do not saw that.)

2

In Xojo you cannot control the indents in the IDE code editor. Xojo automaticly indents your code, for example if --> end if, For next

It can be an advantage and a disadvantage. I learned to live with it.

About remarks, I type // and afterwards I add the amount of spaces I want to create my own indents. This works for me. Sometimes when the remark is really important I enclose it with “*” characters so it stand out.

3

That is what I do (more or less). But, if there is a good reason why a project have to be below a certain size (thus the spaces removals), I am firing to my own foot and this is something I really do not like.

And, if we have to not use many spaces, what will be the next removal ? Multiples -, *, +, =, ???

The (eventual) next step will be to advice that there is more than one piece of code that does the same job and I’d better refactor my project (this one will be nice)…

The real problem IMHO is the lack of information. When the left hand does not know what the right hand do…

4

Nothing to do with size

  1. its always done this even in binary & xml formats as far as I can remember
  2. certain project formats indent code when they save. Take a look at a text project. Knowing the difference between the spaces you added and the ones the IDE wrote into the file WITHOUT extra tags or control characters is basically impossible
  3. the IDE doesn’t use spaces to indent anyway