BBEdit's Select Column Feature
Some creative ways this can be handy
BBEdit, the leading professional HTML and text editor for macOS, boasts a multitude of features designed to enhance productivity and efficiency. Among these is the Select Column feature, a powerful tool that allows users to select and edit columns of text, which is particularly useful in data manipulation and code editing.
What is the Select Column Feature?
The Select Column feature enables users to create a rectangular selection in their text document, spanning across multiple lines. This is especially handy when dealing with tabular data or when you need to edit multiple lines of code at once.
How Does it Work?
To use the Select Column feature in BBEdit, you simply click and drag your mouse pointer while holding down the Option key on your keyboard. This creates a rectangular text selection. You can then type, delete, or drag text to manipulate the selected columns.
Practical Examples
Example 1: Data Alignment
Imagine you have a list of items with their prices, but the prices are not aligned, making the list difficult to read. With the Select Column feature, you can quickly select the column where the prices are and add spaces or tabs to align them perfectly.
Item Price
Bananas $1.00
Apples $1.50
Oranges $2.00Example 2: Code Refactoring
When refactoring code, you might need to add a specific piece of code to multiple lines. For instance, if you're adding a logging function to several lines of a script, you can select the column where you want to insert the function and type it once, applying it to all selected lines.
console.log('Function A start');
functionA();
console.log('Function A end');
console.log('Function B start');
functionB();
console.log('Function B end');In conclusion, BBEdit's Select Column feature is a testament to the editor's commitment to efficiency and precision. Whether you're a programmer, a data analyst, or someone who appreciates the value of streamlined text editing, this feature is sure to become an indispensable part of your toolkit.