Registering Support Tools

One of the major design goals of the Mini-Edit team was not to replicate features that could be done better in other existing tools. Examples of this include using Microsoft Word and/or Notepad, a much better text editor than simple text; using a real ASN compiler and not just the primitive one found in the tool; using commercially available XML tools to validate the schemas, using a browser to view it, etc.

As a rule, you can do anything you need to do inside the confines of Mini-Edit, but you can do it better, faster and with less pain if you make use of other tools. Because different users will prefer different tools, the Mini-Edit approach is to fire off whatever tool the user has registered for that specific type of content. This is typically initiated with a small E (for Edit) button or by pressing a button labeled View.

Returning content to the Mini-Edit tool is by way of the clip board and the Mini-Edit tool will accept text, rich text, XML, ASN and any number of other formats, translating things as needed.

A brief summary of how to register (associate) a file type with a program to run it. Right-click on the file to be opened, and select Open with... select program. After a short pause you will be shown a list of known programs; choose the one with which you want to open this file and file type. Select the check box so that this association is remembered.

The following document types are used by Mini-Edit. The programs suggested here are simply typical, and not intended to be an endorsement of any vendor or product.

*.TXT          Text Files, can be opened by Notepad or WordPad or your favorite text editor (programmers often prefer a certain editor, such as the C++ editor provided with Microsoft Visual Studio). No registration action required by most users.

*.DOC          Microsoft Documents, can be opened by MS Word. Those without word can use WordPad as a less featured substitute. Used for most reports created by the tool. No registration action required by most users.

*.RTF     Rich Text Format, can be opened by MS Word. Those without word can use WordPad as a less featured substitute. Used in interim temporary files, there is no reason to ever edit these directly. No registration action required by most users.

*.MDB     Microsoft Access files, can be opened by Access as well as many third party tools. The older data files were kept in this format; now they are kept in the *.ITS formats (which is the same underlying file type). You do not need to have MS Access on your machine to use Mini-Edit (which uses the underlying Jet engine to manipulate the actual file), but it is very helpful if you want to examine the tables directly. The two settings files (MEdit_Settings.mdb and USER_Settings.mdb) are in this format. No registration action required by most users.

*.ITS     File type used by the Mini-Edit tool and registered to open with that tool. The files themselves are simply *.MDB types and you may want to also register MS Access to open this type of file. There is also an obscure internet bundle file with this extension. Do not attempt to change older style *.MDB file to be *.ITS files, the tool will automatically give you the option to convert such files on open (and will deal with structural changes in the tables) if a similar file with the extension *.ITS does not exist. No registration action required by most users.

*.ASN     Files with ASN.1 type content encoded as plain text files. This extension is used to connect to an ASN complier and validate the code listing. It is suggested that you also register your favorite text editor to open this type. If you do not have a favorite, it is suggested that you register notepad. An excellent (free) ASN syntax validating complier can be obtained for free from OSS; please see this thread at the ITS standards forums for further directions. Registration action required by most users.

*.XML     Files with xml content or xml fragment or bits of schemas or WSDL content. Any number of tools exist to read and display this content, but frankly this author has always found using a common browser like Internet Explorer to be sufficient. Such browsers have color highlighting that increases readability. Typically such tools display only the content; they do not validate it against various schema rules. Registration action may or may not be required by individual users; it depends on your system.

*.XSD     XML schema file content. Any number of tools exist to read, display and validate this content. For example the tool XML Spy enjoys a large market share. Pick one; many are cheap or free.  If you do not acquire such a tool, at least register the file type with your browser so that you can view it there or drag such files into it.  Registration action may be required by individual users; it depends on your system.

*.WSD     Web service description files, encoded as XML in plan text. Handled as per XML or XSD files unless you have a tool you specifically prefer for WSDL files.

*.HTM     Common HTML files. There is no need to have an HTML editor on your system in order to view, or edit, these files - but of course it is helpful if you plan to do it often. Your current browser is already registered to handled them. Any number of tools exist to read and display this content; pick one if you expect to be editing such files. Registration action may be required by individual users; it depends on your system.