# SciTE FAQ

| SciTE

## SciTE Frequently Asked Question

- How do I use a fixed width font for all text?
- What happened to `use.monospaced`?
- Why doesn't my `line.numbers` setting work?
- How do I change SciTE to use black as the background colour?
- How do I change the colours of the output pane?
- How do I make the horizontal scroll bar adjust to the width of text?
- How do I enable tabbed window mode in SciTE?
- How do I enable autocomplete?
- When I try to compile/build/run my [some language] source files, I get the following error: 'The system cannot find the file specified'.
- How can I add [some external application] to the tools menu on SciTE?

#### How do I use a fixed width font for all text?

Use these properties:
`font.base=$(font.monospace)
font.small=$(font.monospace)
font.comment=$(font.monospace)
font.text=$(font.monospace)
font.text.comment=$(font.monospace)
font.embedded.base=$(font.monospace)
font.embedded.comment=$(font.monospace)
font.vbs=$(font.monospace)
`

#### What happened to `use.monospaced`?

The `use.monospaced` property was removed as people were using it to ask for fixed width fonts and then requiring support to cope with its limitations. The correct way to set fixed width fonts is here.

#### Why doesn't my `line.numbers` setting work?

`line.numbers` has been replaced with two properties: `line.margin.visible` and `line.margin.width` which are explained earlier in this document.

#### How do I change SciTE to use black as the background colour?

You need to change the style settings. The main change is in the global options file to the global default style and caret colour but you may have to change other style settings to make this work well:
`style.*.32=$(font.base),back:#000000,fore:#ffffff
caret.fore=#FFFFFF`

#### How do I change the colours of the output pane?

The output pane often lists error and warning messages and is styled by the "errorlist" lexer. The default errorlist styles are found in others.properties. To change the output pane background to black and the default text to white set
`style.errorlist.32=$(font.small),back:#000000
style.errorlist.0=fore:#FFFFFF`

#### How do I make the horizontal scroll bar adjust to the width of text?

To avoid slow performance the horizontal scroll bar does not automatically adjust. You can use the `horizontal.scroll.width` property to change the horizontal scroll range.

#### How do I enable tabbed window mode in SciTE?

Tabbed window mode is only available on Windows and GTK+ 2, not on GTK+ 1. Multiple buffers must be allocated by setting, for example, `buffers=10` in your SciTEGlobal.properties. To have the tab bar visible upon starting SciTE, set `tabbar.visible=1`. You can also set `tabbar.hide.one=0` to always show tabs, or 1 to hide when only one file is open. `tabbar.multiline=1` splits tabs across various lines if neccesary.

#### How do I enable autocomplete?

Goto Options | Open Global Options File and uncomment
`autocompleteword.automatic=1`

#### When I try to compile/build/run my [some language] source files, I get the following error: 'The system cannot find the file specified'.

Make sure that the path to your compiler is set correctly on your system. Try to execute from console the same command you get in SciTE and see if it works. You can also search in your [language].properties for the compile commands used. If you have a different compiler or use different arguments, edit the commands to suit your needs. The lines to look for:`
command.compile.filepattern=
command.build.filepattern=
command.go.filepattern=`

#### How can I add [some external application] to the tools menu on SciTE?

In your properties file, you'll need to add some lines:

`command.name.number.filepattern`
(e.g.: `command.name.1.$(file.patterns.web)=HTML Tidy`)
This defines the Text that will appear on the Tools Menu.

`command.number.filepattern`
(e.g.: `command.1.$(file.patterns.web)=tidy -i -wrap 0 -m $(FilePath)` )
This is the actual command that SciTE executes. You should provide the appropiate paths, options and parameters as you would from a command line. See SciTEDoc.html for more information on parameters and how to make SciTE prompt a Parameters Dialog.

`command.is.filter.number.filepattern`
(e.g.: `command.is.filter.1.$(file.patterns.web)=1`)
The external application may have modified your file, so setting this to true makes SciTE reload the file after execution of the command.

`command.subsystem.number.filepattern`
(e.g.: `command.subsystem.1.$(file.patterns.web)=2`)
This is for Windows and defines the subsystem through which the program is called. See SciTEDoc.html for more information on this.

You can set a command for all files using * as a file pattern. Up to 10 commands (0 - 9) can be defined in the Tools Menu at any time. Commands also get executed with Ctrl+number.