New track changes gutter band

[pyscripter]

The repository now includes the implementation of a track changes gutter band similar to the on found in Visual Studio (see here).

The main SynEdit project does have an implementation, but line status is not updated during undo/redo.

How to use it

Gutter contains a new published property TrackChanges which controls the visibility and appearance of the Track Changes getter band. This property type is TSynTrackChanges defined as follows;

TSynTrackChanges = class(TPersistent)
 ...
 published
   property Width: Integer read FWidth write FWidth default 4;
   property Visible: Boolean read FVisible write FVisible default False;
   property SavedColor: TColor read FSavedColor write FSavedColor
     default clGreen;
   property ModifiedColor: TColor read FModifiedColor write FModifiedColor
     default clYellow;
   property SavedModifiedColor: TColor read FSavedModifiedColor
     write FSavedModifiedColor default clWebOrange;
   property OriginalColor: TColor read FOriginalColor write FOriginalColor
     default clBlue;
 end;

The constructor of TSynGutter creates a band of gbkTrackChanges kind, which by default is not visible.

Backward compatibility note

You need to manually add this band in existing forms that contain Synedit .

What it looks like

a) Displayed with the editor background

b) Displayed with the gutter background

Meaning of the colors (customizable)

1. Yellow: modified line
2. Green: line modified and saved.
3. Orange: line modified, saved and then modified again
4. Blue: line modified, saved but then the changes were undone and it is now as in the original version.

Related SynEdit methods

   //  Clears track change info
   procedure ClearTrackChanges;
   // marks the text buffer as saved.  Call when you save the text buffer
   procedure MarkSaved;

Note that ClearUndo calls ClearTrackChanges

@JaFi-cz @MShark67 Please test and provide feedback.

[JaFi-cz]

Great. Thanks

[JaFi-cz]

Just testing and can't get any other color than yellow.
When I change any content, yellow color appear. OK.
Undo resets color back to none.
When I save file, it stays yellow. But I don't use SynEdit.SaveToFile() method, cause I process file with plugin, change code page e.t.c. I use Synedit.Lines.SaveToStream() and change Modified to False.
I need to investigate what is necessary to make the band colorfull ;-)

[MShark67]

Note that you do need to call MarkSaved; after you do the save. I do get all the colors here.

[JaFi-cz]

Thank you, this was the point. Now it works all ok.

[MShark67]

Looks very good! I think that the SynEdit.Gutter.TrackChanges.Visible property needs a setter that calls OnChanged. Right now I need to toggle Gutter.Visible in order to see the change.

-Mark

[pyscripter]

@MShark67
Created issue #123 and fixed. Please check.

[pyscripter]

Also changed default colors. What do you think?

[MShark67]

New colors are good, especially the "yellow". It's a bit easier on the eyes for me.

[JaFi-cz]

I agree, new colors are better

[sllimv1973]

Thanks for this, I've been carrying those modifications forward for years. It's about time they made the mainline code. Cheers.