The PowerBASIC Integrated Development Environment

This topic will help you learn how to use all the options available in the PowerBASIC Integrated Development Environment (which we will refer to as the IDE). You will learn how to use the editor, move from window to window, menu to menu, and choose menu commands. See Debugging PB/Win Programs for information on the Integrated Debugger.

To launch the IDE, double-click the PBEDIT.EXE icon, type PBEDIT at the command-line, or use the START menu entry.

The PB/Win editor (PBEDIT.EXE) can also be launched from the command-line, and supports the following command-line options:

PBEDIT.EXE [/G: row,col:] [/P: MainFile] [/D filename] [Filename]

The command-line options may be prefixed with either a forward-slash (/) or a hyphen (-). Multiple files can be specified for the Filename parameter, each separated by space characters. Long file names should be enclosed in double-quote marks (").

Goto /G:

The /G: command-line option causes the IDE to move the caret to the row and column specified. For example, /G:10,20: cause the caret to start at line 10, column 20. The /G option must be terminated by a trailing colon.

PBEDIT.EXE /G:10,20: "Project Bluepad.bas"

Primary Source File /P:

The /P: command-line option specifies the name of the file that will be set as the Primary Source File. This option is useful when working on large applications that span multiple source code files, especially when loading multiple files at startup. When a compile/execute/debug operation begins, the IDE automatically uses the Primary Source File as the "main" file, regardless of which other files are loaded or have focus in the IDE.

The Primary Source File will be one of the files loaded into the IDE.

PBEDIT.EXE /P:Project.bas "Support Library.inc" Project.rc "Data file index.txt"

Debug File /D

The /D command-line option specifies the name of the file launch in the debugger when the IDE is loaded.

PBEDIT.EXE /D "My File.bas"

See Also

The PowerBASIC User Interface

Toolbar Buttons

Editor Hot Keys

IDE Context Menu

Custom Help Files

File Templates

Code Finder Dialog Box

Command Line Dialog Box

Debugger Evaluate Dialog Box

Find Dialog Box

Go to Line Dialog Box

Primary Source File Dialog Box

Replace Dialog Box

IDE Options