savannah: Tabs are replaced with dashes, making edit difficult to use

[steevithak]

Original: ​http://savannah.gnu.org/bugs/?23849

Submitted by:	R. Steven Rainwater <steevithak>	Submitted on:	Tue 15 Jul 2008 04:00:54 AM UTC
Category:	Editor	Severity:	3 - Normal
Status:	None	Privacy:	Public
Assigned to:	None	Open/Closed:	Open
Release:	4.6.2-pre1	Operating System:	GNU/Linux

Original submission:

When I hit F4 to edit a text file, Cooledit v3.11.5 loads but, 
unlike all previous versions of MC, which I have used for many 
years, this version obscures the text file by displaying strings of 
dashes, greater-than signs, dots, and other gibberish in what should
be whitespace within the document. This makes the document difficult
to read and it's incredibly annoying!

The editor should display what's actually in the file and not extra 
characters that aren't really there! I now have to use another 
editor to double check - is that dash really in the file or not?

MC already has a hex mode if I need to find out if a particular 
character is a tab or space or whatever, so this doesn't add any new
 capabilities, it just makes the editor hard to use.

I'm sure someone thought it was cool or useful for some obscure 
purpose but it violates the WYSIWYG principle upon which the editor 
was previously based. If someone really needs this "feature", please
make it a configuration option can be turned on in rare cases if 
someone wants it, so it doesn't make editing annoying for the rest us!

Example:

edit a text file containing this line of text:

"This is a test"

all previous versions of MC show actual text:

"This is a test"

new version of MC shows non-existent gibberish all around text, 
making it difficult to read:

"<><>..<->This.<>is<---><><->a<---->test<---><><>." 

[slavazanko]

In editor:

F9 -> Options -> Highlight options...

switch off:

[ ] Tab highlighting
[ ] Whitespace highlighting

Or you may use hotkey CTRL+V to toggle view modes:

• hide tabs; hide spaces;
• show tabs; hide spaces;
• hide tabs; show spaces;
• show tabs; show spaces;