ZepEditor

Overview

The ZepEditor class is the central component of the Zep text editor library. It manages all buffers, editor modes, tab windows, syntax providers, and coordinates the overall editing experience.

Architecture

Editor
    Buffers
    Modes -> (Active BufferRegion)
Display
    BufferRegions (->Buffers)

A buffer is an array of chars in a gap buffer with insert, delete, and search operations
A display shows a collection of regions and editor controls in a window
A buffer region is a single view onto a buffer inside the main display
Multiple regions can refer to the same buffer (N Regions : N Buffers)

Constructor

ZepEditor

ZepEditor(ZepDisplay* pDisplay, const fs::path& root, uint32_t flags = 0, IZepFileSystem* pFileSystem = nullptr);

pDisplay

ZepDisplay*

required

Pointer to the display implementation that will render the editor

root

const fs::path&

required

Root path to search for a config file

flags

uint32_t

Editor flags from ZepEditorFlags enum:

None (0): Default behavior
DisableThreads (1 << 0): Disable background threading
FastUpdate (1 << 1): Enable fast update mode

pFileSystem

IZepFileSystem*

Custom file system implementation, or nullptr to use default

Configuration

LoadConfig

void LoadConfig(const fs::path& config_path);
void LoadConfig(std::shared_ptr<cpptoml::table> spConfig);

config_path

const fs::path&

Path to TOML configuration file

spConfig

std::shared_ptr<cpptoml::table>

Parsed TOML configuration table

Load editor configuration from a file or parsed TOML table.

SaveConfig

void SaveConfig(std::shared_ptr<cpptoml::table> spConfig);

spConfig

std::shared_ptr<cpptoml::table>

TOML table to save current configuration to

GetConfig

EditorConfig& GetConfig();

Returns a reference to the current EditorConfig which includes:

showScrollBar: Show/hide scrollbar
style: Normal or Minimal editor style
lineMargins: Margins around lines
showLineNumbers: Enable/disable line numbers
shortTabNames: Use shortened tab names
cursorLineSolid: Solid cursor line highlighting
backgroundFadeTime: Background fade animation duration

Buffer Management

InitWithFile

ZepBuffer* InitWithFile(const std::string& str);

str

const std::string&

required

Path to the file to open

Initialize the editor with a file. Returns pointer to the created buffer.

InitWithFileOrDir

ZepBuffer* InitWithFileOrDir(const std::string& str);

str

const std::string&

required

Path to file or directory

Initialize with a file or directory (creates tree view for directories).

InitWithText

ZepBuffer* InitWithText(const std::string& strName, const std::string& strText);

strName

const std::string&

required

Name for the buffer

strText

const std::string&

required

Initial text content

Create a new buffer with specified name and text content.

GetFileBuffer

ZepBuffer* GetFileBuffer(const fs::path& filePath, uint32_t fileFlags = 0, bool create = true);

filePath

const fs::path&

required

Path to the file

fileFlags

uint32_t

Flags from FileFlags enum (ReadOnly, Locked, etc.)

create

bool

Create buffer if it doesn’t exist (default: true)

Get or create a buffer for a file path.

GetEmptyBuffer

ZepBuffer* GetEmptyBuffer(const std::string& name, uint32_t fileFlags = 0);

name

const std::string&

required

Name for the empty buffer

fileFlags

uint32_t

Buffer file flags

Create a new empty buffer with the specified name.

SaveBuffer

void SaveBuffer(ZepBuffer& buffer);
void SaveBufferAs(ZepBuffer& buffer, fs::path filePath);

buffer

ZepBuffer&

required

Buffer to save

filePath

fs::path

Path for Save As operation

Save a buffer to disk or save as a new file.

GetBuffers

const tBuffers& GetBuffers() const;

Returns all buffers managed by the editor as a std::deque<std::shared_ptr<ZepBuffer>>.

GetActiveBuffer

ZepBuffer* GetActiveBuffer() const;

Returns the currently active buffer.

RemoveBuffer

void RemoveBuffer(ZepBuffer* pBuffer);

pBuffer

ZepBuffer*

required

Buffer to remove

Remove a buffer from the editor.

Window Management

AddTabWindow

ZepTabWindow* AddTabWindow();

Create and add a new tab window to the editor.

RemoveTabWindow

void RemoveTabWindow(ZepTabWindow* pTabWindow);

pTabWindow

ZepTabWindow*

required

Tab window to remove

Remove a tab window from the editor.

GetActiveTabWindow

ZepTabWindow* GetActiveTabWindow() const;

Returns the currently active tab window.

SetCurrentTabWindow

void SetCurrentTabWindow(ZepTabWindow* pTabWindow);

pTabWindow

ZepTabWindow*

required

Tab window to make active

NextTabWindow / PreviousTabWindow

void NextTabWindow();
void PreviousTabWindow();

Navigate to the next or previous tab window.

GetActiveWindow

ZepWindow* GetActiveWindow() const;

Returns the currently active window.

SetCurrentWindow

void SetCurrentWindow(ZepWindow* pWindow);

pWindow

ZepWindow*

required

Window to make active

FindBufferWindows

std::vector<ZepWindow*> FindBufferWindows(const ZepBuffer* pBuffer) const;

pBuffer

const ZepBuffer*

required

Buffer to search for

Find all windows displaying a specific buffer.

Mode Management

RegisterGlobalMode

void RegisterGlobalMode(std::shared_ptr<ZepMode> spMode);

spMode

std::shared_ptr<ZepMode>

required

Mode to register (Vim, Standard, etc.)

SetGlobalMode

void SetGlobalMode(const std::string& currentMode);

currentMode

const std::string&

required

Name of the mode to activate

Set the active global editor mode.

GetGlobalMode

ZepMode* GetGlobalMode();

Returns the current global mode.

RegisterBufferMode

void RegisterBufferMode(const std::string& strExtension, std::shared_ptr<ZepMode> spMode);

strExtension

const std::string&

required

File extension to associate with mode

spMode

std::shared_ptr<ZepMode>

required

Mode for this file type

Syntax and Theme

RegisterSyntaxFactory

void RegisterSyntaxFactory(const std::vector<std::string>& mappings, SyntaxProvider factory);

mappings

const std::vector<std::string>&

required

File extensions or patterns

factory

SyntaxProvider

required

Factory function to create syntax highlighter

GetTheme

ZepTheme& GetTheme() const;

Get the current editor theme.

Registers and Clipboard

SetRegister / GetRegister

void SetRegister(const std::string& reg, const Register& val);
void SetRegister(const char reg, const Register& val);
const Register& GetRegister(const std::string& reg);
const Register& GetRegister(const char reg);

reg

const std::string& | char

required

val

const Register&

Manage Vim-style registers for storing text fragments.

ReadClipboard / WriteClipboard

void ReadClipboard();
void WriteClipboard();

Interact with system clipboard.

Display and Rendering

Display

void Display();

Render the editor to the display.

SetDisplayRegion

void SetDisplayRegion(const NVec2f& topLeft, const NVec2f& bottomRight);

topLeft

const NVec2f&

required

Top-left corner of display region

bottomRight

const NVec2f&

required

Bottom-right corner of display region

Set the display area for the editor.

GetDisplay

ZepDisplay& GetDisplay() const;

Get the display implementation.

Mouse Input

OnMouseMove

bool OnMouseMove(const NVec2f& mousePos);

mousePos

const NVec2f&

required

Mouse position in window coordinates

Handle mouse movement. Returns true if handled.

OnMouseDown / OnMouseUp

bool OnMouseDown(const NVec2f& mousePos, ZepMouseButton button);
bool OnMouseUp(const NVec2f& mousePos, ZepMouseButton button);

mousePos

const NVec2f&

required

Mouse position

button

ZepMouseButton

required

Mouse button: Left, Middle, Right, or Unknown

Handle mouse button events.

OnMouseWheel

bool OnMouseWheel(const NVec2f& mousePos, float scrollDistance);

mousePos

const NVec2f&

required

Mouse position

scrollDistance

float

required

Scroll wheel distance

Handle mouse wheel scrolling.

Commands

RegisterExCommand

void RegisterExCommand(std::shared_ptr<ZepExCommand> spMode);

spMode

std::shared_ptr<ZepExCommand>

required

Ex command to register

FindExCommand

ZepExCommand* FindExCommand(const std::string& strName);

strName

const std::string&

required

Command name to find

Find a registered ex command by name.

SetCommandText

void SetCommandText(const std::string& strCommand);

strCommand

const std::string&

required

Command text to display

Set the command line text.

GetCommandText

std::string GetCommandText() const;

Get the current command line text.

Messaging and Events

Broadcast

bool Broadcast(std::shared_ptr<ZepMessage> payload);

payload

std::shared_ptr<ZepMessage>

required

Message to broadcast to all registered components

Broadcast a message to all registered components. Returns true if handled.

RegisterCallback / UnRegisterCallback

void RegisterCallback(IZepComponent* pClient);
void UnRegisterCallback(IZepComponent* pClient);

pClient

IZepComponent*

required

Component to register/unregister for notifications

Manage component notification subscriptions.

Utility Methods

GetFileSystem

IZepFileSystem& GetFileSystem() const;

Get the file system interface.

GetThreadPool

ThreadPool& GetThreadPool() const;

Get the thread pool for background operations.

RequestRefresh

void RequestRefresh();
bool RefreshRequired();

Request a display refresh or check if refresh is needed.

Reset

void Reset();

Reset the editor to initial state.

RequestQuit

void RequestQuit();

Request the editor to quit.

Usage Example

#include <zep/editor.h>
#include <zep/mode_vim.h>

// Create display implementation
auto* pDisplay = new MyZepDisplay();

// Create editor with root path and default settings
ZepEditor editor(pDisplay, "/path/to/config");

// Register Vim mode
auto spVim = std::make_shared<ZepMode_Vim>(editor);
editor.RegisterGlobalMode(spVim);
editor.SetGlobalMode("vim");

// Open a file
ZepBuffer* pBuffer = editor.InitWithFile("main.cpp");

// Create a tab window and display
ZepTabWindow* pTab = editor.AddTabWindow();

// Main loop
while (running) {
    editor.Display();
    // Handle input...
}

Core Classes

Modes

Display & Rendering

Text Processing

Syntax & Theming

Utilities

​Overview

​Architecture

​Constructor

​ZepEditor

​Configuration

​LoadConfig

​SaveConfig

​GetConfig

​Buffer Management

​InitWithFile

​InitWithFileOrDir

​InitWithText

​GetFileBuffer

​GetEmptyBuffer

​SaveBuffer

​GetBuffers

​GetActiveBuffer

​RemoveBuffer

​Window Management

​AddTabWindow

​RemoveTabWindow

​GetActiveTabWindow

​SetCurrentTabWindow

​NextTabWindow / PreviousTabWindow

​GetActiveWindow

​SetCurrentWindow

​FindBufferWindows

​Mode Management

​RegisterGlobalMode

​SetGlobalMode

​GetGlobalMode

​RegisterBufferMode

​Syntax and Theme

​RegisterSyntaxFactory

​GetTheme

​Registers and Clipboard

​SetRegister / GetRegister

​ReadClipboard / WriteClipboard

​Display and Rendering

​Display

​SetDisplayRegion

​GetDisplay

​Mouse Input

​OnMouseMove

​OnMouseDown / OnMouseUp

​OnMouseWheel

​Commands

​RegisterExCommand

​FindExCommand

​SetCommandText

​GetCommandText

​Messaging and Events

​Broadcast

​RegisterCallback / UnRegisterCallback

​Utility Methods

​GetFileSystem

​GetThreadPool

​RequestRefresh

​Reset

​RequestQuit

​Usage Example

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Overview

Architecture

Constructor

ZepEditor

Configuration

LoadConfig

SaveConfig

GetConfig

Buffer Management

InitWithFile

InitWithFileOrDir

InitWithText

GetFileBuffer

GetEmptyBuffer

SaveBuffer

GetBuffers

GetActiveBuffer

RemoveBuffer

Window Management

AddTabWindow

RemoveTabWindow

GetActiveTabWindow

SetCurrentTabWindow

NextTabWindow / PreviousTabWindow

GetActiveWindow

SetCurrentWindow

FindBufferWindows

Mode Management

RegisterGlobalMode

SetGlobalMode

GetGlobalMode

RegisterBufferMode

Syntax and Theme

RegisterSyntaxFactory

GetTheme

Registers and Clipboard

SetRegister / GetRegister

ReadClipboard / WriteClipboard

Display and Rendering

Display

SetDisplayRegion

GetDisplay

Mouse Input

OnMouseMove

OnMouseDown / OnMouseUp

OnMouseWheel

Commands

RegisterExCommand

FindExCommand

SetCommandText

GetCommandText

Messaging and Events

Broadcast

RegisterCallback / UnRegisterCallback

Utility Methods

GetFileSystem

GetThreadPool

RequestRefresh

Reset

RequestQuit

Usage Example