One topic that pops up constantly on the CFEclipse mailing list is what do you use to edit HTML/JS/CSS/XML?
The typical answer is Aptana, but I may have found an alternative: Amateras’ Eclipse HTMLEditor.
I’ve just installed and am still digging around but it looks feature rich. There doesn’t seem to be autocomplete for CSS but it does have a neat ‘preview’ mode which shows you want your CSS will look like.
They also have a few other tools I’m going to checkout:
- AmaterasUML – UML Diagrams
- AmaterasERD – ERD Diagrams
- AIR GEAR – Flex and AIR support
I’m curioius to see if it hijacks your Eclipse install the same way Aptana does. I’d give my right arm to get rid of it for something that doesn’t do that.
So far there are no annoyances at all. Very unobtrusive plugin…
@Todd
How is Aptana hijacking your Eclipse install (just curious because I’ve been testing out the standalone version)?
@Tony: it checks for updates (and who knows what else) everytime I start up Eclipse – and it takes forever.
WOW – they even have a WYSIWYG for Flex forms. Jim – is this plugin free?
I think so – I didn’t see any options to purchase anything – though I didn’t look too hard at the Flex/Air plugin (yet).
What about the Web Tools Project? I think it does everything these things do and it’s “built in”.
http://www.eclipse.org/webtools/
You know I have downloaded WTP several times over the years and it has never worked for me… Not sure if I’m doing something wrong or what… I should try it out again…
@todd
You can disable the My Aptana page coming up when Eclipse starts. Preferences -> Aptana -> My Aptana / Message Center -> Never Display After Startup.
I’ve found that after doing this, that Aptana startup page doesn’t load and my Eclipse startup isn’t slowed down (although I can’t confirm if anything isn’t happening in the background).
Personally I love Aptana. It makes working with JS libraries like jQuery & YUI a joy. Code assist for jQuery? I will deal with a few inconveniences for something like that… for free. But then again I am a freetard and I am use to putting up with software quirks. Linux anyone?
I always thought that this is what Homesite or CF studio would be like if they kept on developing it. I miss my old friends. Sob.
I finally made the move from Dreamweaver to Eclipse. But honestly I can’t choose between Aptana and “Eclipse for PHP”. They both have quirks and features the other doesn’t have. If they somehow collaborated and merged the two projects…wow. Wishful thinking I guess.