Peer Review

WinEdt

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Reviewed:: Jan 4, 2003 by Mathematics

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Ratings

Overall Rating:

Content Quality:

Effectiveness:

Ease of Use:

Overview:: WinEdt is a text editor that can act as a WINDOWS front end for several TeX
implementations. The user is relieved of the need to (re)type command lines for
compiling and previewing. This (plus several supported features, such as
pushbuttons for many standard TeX and LaTeX commands) greatly improves the
edit-view-edit cycle that is typical for TeX. The editor itself is a comfortable
and highly customizable multi-file WINDOWS editor. With some implementations of
TeX, WinEdt supports inverse search. The editor is shareware with a 30 day
trial period, with a $40 license fee.
Type of Material:: Reference material.
Recommended Uses:: Typesetting of mathematical documents.
Technical Requirements:: A PC running WINDOWS 95/98/ME/2000/NT/XP operating system.
Identify Major Learning Goals:: Typesetting in TeX and LaTeX.
Target Student Population:: Anyone with a need to typeset mathematical text.
Prerequisite Knowledge or Skills:: TeX

Content Quality

Rating:

Strengths:

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Standard editor with the same hotkeys as the
WINDOWS editor (and many others)

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As-you-type spell check
similar to MS WORD with dictionaries available for many languages

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WinEdt style='color:black'> provides an intuitive (customizable) predefined
interface and graphic controls.

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Many class=SpellE>TeX style='color:black'> and LaTeX commands can be
accessed through hotkeys. This can come in handy when one does not recall a
command and does not have a manual handy.

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Many helpful editor functions including
?undo?.

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Supports simultaneous editing of several large
(>100K) files.

Concerns:

None.

Potential Effectiveness as a Teaching Tool

Rating:

Strengths:

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Color coding of class=SpellE>TeX codes and keywords

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Live color-coding of matched parentheses eases
the search for ?that other one? in class=SpellE>TeX style='color:black'> source code

style='font-size:12.0pt;font-family:Symbol;mso-fareast-font-family:Symbol;
mso-bidi-font-family:Symbol;color:black'>? style='font:7.0pt "Times New Roman"'> class=SpellE>WinEdt supports word wrapping, block/column selection and operations, highlighting, delimiters matching, and manyother advanced editor features.

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WinEdt style='color:black'> supports ?inverse search?; that is, with some class=SpellE>TeX style='color:black'> implementations (such as MiKTeX)
a double-click on the dvi brings up the
corresponding place in the source code

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When working with several files, the files
currently not used are tabs at the top of the current file. This gives a fast
overview over the whole project and allows easy switching (no need to pull
down the ?WINDOWS? tab).

Concerns:

None.

Ease of Use for Both Students and Faculty

Rating:

Strengths:

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Installation is problem free in WIN98 and
WIN2000.

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WinEdt easily
connects with three major TeX implementations ( class=SpellE>MiKTeX,
Y&Y TeX and fpTeX).
Connection with other implementations might require some programming.

Concerns:

Fine tuning and customizing may require advanced user skills.

Other Issues and Comments:: In conjunction with MiKTeX or a similar implementation, WinEdt is definitely
worth the license fee. WinEdt makes typesetting in TeX more effective, while not
losing the basic functionality and versatility of TeX.
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