Differences
This shows you the differences between the selected revisions of the page.
| task_edit 2006-03-06 | task_edit 2023-03-08 (current) | ||
| Line 1: | Line 1: | ||
| ====== Editing/Opening Files ====== | ====== Editing/Opening Files ====== | ||
| - | WinSCP allows you to edit/open remote file using editor or associated application on local machine. To do so it needs to download the remote file to [[temp_folder|temporary directory]] first. Then it opens the file in your preferred editor or associated application. Once you change the file it uploads it back. With [[ui_commander|Norton Commander interface]] you can even edit/open local files, but most of this chapter covers editing remote files only. | + | WinSCP allows you to edit/open remote file using editor or associated application on local machine. To do so it needs to download the remote file to [[temp_folders|temporary directory]] first. Then it opens the file in your preferred editor or associated application. Once you change the file, WinSCP uploads it back. With [[ui_commander|Commander interface]] you can even edit/open local files, but most of this chapter covers editing remote files only. |
| - | To edit file selected in panel go to //File(s) > Edit//. The command by default opens the file in an [[ui_editor|internal editor]]. You can make the command open the file in any external editor in [[ui_pref_editor|preferences]]. From submenu //File(s) > Edit (alternative)// you can open the file in any of configured editors. | + | To edit file selected in panel go to //Files > Edit//. The command by default opens the file in an [[ui_editor|internal editor]]. You can make the command open the file in any external editor in [[ui_pref_editor|preferences]]. From submenu //Files > Edit (alternative)// you can open the file in any of configured editors, or even ad hoc editor (//Edit With//). By default the file is also opened in editor when double-clicked((If resolving of symbolic links is disabled or not possible, double-clicking file is always interpreted as attempt to enter it, just in case it is unresolved symbolic link to a directory.)) (this can be changed in [[ui_pref_panels#double-click|preferences]]). |
| - | You can create new empty file using command //File(s) > New > File//. The command asks for name of the new file and then opens your default editor. | + | You can create new empty file using command //Files > New > File//. The command asks for name of the new file and then opens your default editor. Note that you can use the command also to open an existing file by typing in its path to avoid need to navigate first to its location. You can also open an existing file this way, or even multiple files by separating their paths with semicolon ('';''). |
| - | To open file in an associated application use //File(s) > Open//. By default the file is also opened when double-clicked((If resolving of symbolic links is disabled or not possible, double-clicking file is always interpreted as attempt to open it, just in case it is unresolved symbolic link)) (this can be changed in [[ui_pref_panels#double-click|preferences]]). | + | To open selected file in an associated application use //Files > Open//. This way you do not need to configure external editor for each file type. However you will not be able to set an additional options. |
| Editing and opening of files can be [[administration|restricted by system administrator]]. | Editing and opening of files can be [[administration|restricted by system administrator]]. | ||
| - | ===== Editing Modes ===== | + | Especially when the files are opened in an external editor, user can easily change two files at once. For this reason WinSCP must upload the files back using [[transfer_queue|background transfer/queue]] to allow several uploads at once. |
| - | WinSCP has two modes to manage the edited/opened remote files. The mode can be selected in [[ui_pref_editor#modes|preferences]]. | + | |
| - | ==== Multiple Files Mode ==== | + | ===== [[external_editors]] External Editors ===== |
| - | With //Multiple files// mode (the default), WinSCP can handle several edited/opened remote files at once.· | + | For basic editing WinSCP offers a simple [[ui_editor|integrated text editor]]. For advanced editing you will probably want to [[ui_pref_editor|configure your favorite editor]]. |
| - | Especially when the files are opened in an external editor, user can easily change two files at once. For the reason WinSCP must upload the files back using [[transfer_queue|background transfer/queue]] to allow several uploads at once. | + | ==== [[mdi]] Opening More Files in a Single Editor Instance ==== |
| + | Some external editors can open multiple files in one process. Usually such editors have some kind of tabbed interface, but it is also the case of Microsoft Word. | ||
| - | ==== One File Mode ==== | + | If such an editor is already running and WinSCP runs a second instance to open a new file, then the second instance just notifies the first to open the new file and exits immediately. |
| - | With //One file// mode, WinSCP can handle only one edited/opened remote file at once.· | + | |
| - | With this mode the WinSCP window is locked as long as the file (or rather the editor/associated application) is opened. Modified files are uploaded back using the main connection. Only once the upload is finished you can continue using the main window for other tasks. | + | To allow using this kind of editor, WinSCP does not treat the file as closed when the editor launched to open it is closed. |
| - | ===== External Editors ===== | + | If you choose to edit the same file again during the same session, WinSCP will download it to the same temporary directory as before, allowing the external editor to reload the file content in case it still has it opened (assuming the editor can detect the change). |
| - | For basic editing WinSCP offers simple [[ui_editor|integrated text editor]]. For advanced editing you will probably want to [[ui_pref_editor|configure your favourite editor]]. | + | |
| + | One drawback of this approach is that all of the files ever edited by the current instance of WinSCP are kept in a [[temp_folders|temporary directory]] (until WinSCP is closed). WinSCP watches for changes to them all. | ||
| + | If you want to avoid that, you need to make sure that your editor opens each file in a separate window (process). Some editors do that by default while some offer a configuration option for that (see below). If either is the case, then configure your editor as an external editor for WinSCP and enable preference option //[[ui_editor_preferences#external|External editor opens each file in separate window (process)]]//. WinSCP will then treat the file as closed when the editor launched to open it is closed. Note that this setting only affects the "edit" operation. So you may want to make sure that editing is the [[ui_pref_panels#double-click|default operation for double-click]]. | ||
| + | |||
| + | Learn how to select between opening files in a separate or the same window for some [[integration_editor|popular editors]]. | ||
| ===== [[binary]] Editing Binary Files ===== | ===== [[binary]] Editing Binary Files ===== | ||
| The [[ui_editor|internal editor]] supports only Windows-format text files. Thus the [[transfer_mode|text transfer mode]] is forced when transferring remote file to/from the internal editor. | The [[ui_editor|internal editor]] supports only Windows-format text files. Thus the [[transfer_mode|text transfer mode]] is forced when transferring remote file to/from the internal editor. | ||
| - | If you want to edit binary files you need to use [[task_edit#external_editors|external editor]] that supports binary files and uncheck preference option //[[ui_editor_preferences#external|Force text transfer mode for files edited in external editor]]//. The configured [[transfer_mode|transfer mode]] will then be used even for transfers to/from external editor. Note that if you have configured [[transfer_mode|binary transfer]] mode, your external editor must support [[transfer_mode#server-side_text_file_format|server-side format of text files]] (Unix format usually), if you still want to edit them. | + | If you want to edit binary files you need to use [[#external_editors|external editor]] that supports binary files (and make sure preference option //[[ui_editor_preferences#external|Force text transfer mode for files edited in external editor]]// is unchecked). The configured [[transfer_mode|transfer mode]] will then be used even for transfers to/from external editor. Note that if you have configured [[transfer_mode|binary transfer]] mode, your external editor must support [[transfer_mode#eol|server-side format of text files]] (Unix format usually), if you still want to edit them. |
| ===== Transfer Settings when Editing Files ===== | ===== Transfer Settings when Editing Files ===== | ||
| When remote file is downloaded to editor or uploaded from editor, default [[transfer_settings|transfer settings]] or settings of active [[transfer_settings#presets|preset]] are used, with some exceptions: | When remote file is downloaded to editor or uploaded from editor, default [[transfer_settings|transfer settings]] or settings of active [[transfer_settings#presets|preset]] are used, with some exceptions: | ||
| * //Filename modification// option is forced to "No change". | * //Filename modification// option is forced to "No change". | ||
| - | * //Preserve-read only// is turned off. | ||
| * Replacement of characters not valid on Windows is enabled (original filename is restored on upload). | * Replacement of characters not valid on Windows is enabled (original filename is restored on upload). | ||
| - | * Exclude and include masks are ignored. | + | * File masks are ignored. |
| - | * Text [[transfer_mode|transfer mode]] may be forced (see [[task_edit#binary|Editing Binary Files]]). | + | * Text [[transfer_mode|transfer mode]] may be forced (see [[#binary|Editing Binary Files]]). |
| * [[resume|Transfer resume support]] is disabled. | * [[resume|Transfer resume support]] is disabled. | ||
| + | |||
| + | ===== [[commandline]] Editing from Command-line ===== | ||
| + | You can use command line parameter ''[[commandline#operations|/edit]]'' to make WinSCP open a remote file in [[ui_editor|internal editor]]. This way, you can for example create a desktop shortcut that opens a remote file as easily as a local one. | ||
| + | |||
| + | |||