HorusIDE - Development-Thread

What is Horus?
An IDE for Lite-C (and other)!


Why i´m doing this?
You surely noticed that the gamestudio community is nowadays small and tiny. So, creating a tool for it is much work for just a little circle of developers. That Horus became such a tool is fortune. I started the development of it because I want to do the following (in this priority):
1. Getting familiar with development lifecycle (sourcecode control of large scaled projects, time/resource-planning, software engineering, etc)
2. Dive into all aspects of Software Development (UI Design, SW-Architecture, Marketing, Deployment, etc)
3. Create a huge application for my portfolio (to say, the flagship) till my computer study ends
4. Creating a useful software which can be needed in practice


History
I´ve started the development of Horus (3rd generation) on 21st April last year. But the idea is older. On July 26th, 2009 I decided creating an editor. This 1st generation is just a simple text-editor, like windows editor, but with a multidocument-interface. The 2nd generation was a WinForms based, more advanced, editor (already with syntax highlighting and some coding-related features). But fast I reached the limitations of WinForms and developing it becomes a mess (mainly about the restricted possibilities of GUI-customization). With a heavy heart I cancelled the project. And then, April 2011, I started a new attempt – now with WPF. And this time I wanted to specialize it to Web-Development, because I was not happy with any Web-development IDE.
In Fall 2011 I saw, that this was the right decision. The editor was growing and getting better and better (for this reason you will find Web-related stuff in it).
On December 12th 2011 Timo Stark cancelled his liteEditor-Project, you may remember. His reason was too much work for a too small community. As I read his postings I got a flash of inspiration: gamestudio is the destiny of Horus. There so many reasons to build it for acknex:
- Serving a market niche: liteEditor – dead, AckStudio IDE – dead, 3DGS EasyScripter – dead. All the enthusiast editor-projects died before a useful release. I guess that DJBMASTER and Michael Schwarz had similar reasons for the cancellation of their projects like Timo. To me, it can not happen, because I never developed Horus for the community, I develop it just for myself . So Horus has the potential to get the world leading IDE for Lite-C development. SED is beatable…
- A finished Version is a realistic alternative to SED. I could need it myself to create games.
- It may help to keep 3DGS alive. With a new WED (if it comes) and a better script-editor, Acknex gets more attractive.
- The community has a greater choice of coding-IDE´s. I read that most users use other tools like Notepad++, Eclipse or something other with a Lite-C Highlighting. Some still using SED and one I saw uses liteEditor. All of them are not perfect. In every IDE there are missing features (like code completion for engine-symbols or its difficult to set up or something else)


My aims with Horus
It’s simple to say: Develop a good software application.
But what do you think is good software? What are the qualities? If you ask me, good software should be…
- …handy: I use software not for fun (beside games, of course), but to solve problems. So the software should serve possibilities to solve them.
- …steady: I REALLY dislike software where I have to be frightened that it can crash anytime and without warning.
- …stylish: I love sexy Software-UI. A cool looking app (especially dark themes) is a pleasure for my eyes and I tend to feel positive about the software.
- …comfortable: There have to be a good workflow.
With Horus I try to meet these requirements. Maybe it takes some time yet, but Horus is still a young bird…


Features of Horus
Now, to have a closer look, here are the features of it:

Key-Features:
- LiteC / HLSL Syntax Highlighting
- Intelligent Type Highlighting: Custom Types defined in your project will be recognized and highlighted
- Code-Completion: Suggestion of Engine- and custom symbols (defines, variables, functions and structs)
- Manual-Binding for Code-Completion: See the manual-content while typing the function name
- Custom Code-Folding: Group your code for a better organisation (like in C#)
- Code-Jumper
- Customizable User Interface (Docking Panels)
- Publish-Option to create exe

Additional Features:
- Multilingual User Interface
- Inline-To-Do
- Copy Declarations: Copy Prototypes and other Declarations to the clipboard
- Toggle Comments
- Engine-Command line in the Toolbar: change the command line options easily
- Engine Syntax-Check
- Go To Definition
- Editor-Split view
- Link to Source-Folder
- Custom Places in File Open/Save-Dialog
- Multiplayer-Run: start the engine twice (with server and client options) with one click




Puh… I think I said enough.
May screenshots put you over the edge…

Nice
And where is the download?

Want to try it.

Looks neat, I would test its English version when it goes to test phase.
Good luck for further work!

This sounds and looks really cool, I especially like the code grouping in the last screenshot.
The most crucial thing for me is that the editor never crashes or even damages code files, everything else is not so important to me.

thanks for the kind words.

currently i´m working on milestone 6 of 8.
would be cool, if i could publish the first version on April 21st (exactly 1 year after start), but there are many minor issues that have to be fixed (issues that slow down the workflow).
i calculate with May 1st for the first version
german and english language files included



indeed, this is very important. and one of the editors strengths

i really really hope you'll finish this editor and i see wxwidgets & scintilla editor components? ;-)

If you need any help, let me know.

Keeping an eye on it, though I do not like the UI as much as Sublime Text's.

Such a small code overview that is scrollable would be really cool.

Also, I really like the multi selection of sublime, really handy - think about it^^!

looks good .what i think you should add to this a editor to lay out ui objects/buttons like
c++ or atleast support for plugins if it does not have yet

wow great! really like this project and want to use this software

Looks great! Although I hate glossy elements. =) But I like the colour-scheme.

Are you open for suggestions? ^^
I'd suggest a way to split the code window horizontally, the .c file at bottom, the .h file at top.

Support for Rackschas Genesis Precompiler would also be awesome. Probably in the future.

of couse, i´m open for suggestions. if there are cool features that could improve the editor, i will check if it´s worth to implement it


Definitely. Added to the To-Do-List. I will implement this code overview in the next or overnext version


this is already possible:

the interface (documents and panels) can be arranged freely. the split view i´ve shown is just for a second view of the same file


no plugins. they´re planned for the far future, but not for the next releases. for the next time i want to explore the usage, the handling of the tool and the feedback of users. i don´t see any need to open the editor if no one uses it (maybe you dislike the editor). so, let´s see what the future brings

ofcourse i wasnt thinking you need to add like rite now, like i said "add"
but as it seems feature packt already im in no doubt that you will make this
kick ass if people likes it ,it look's cool it has some nice features every
coder wants to have ,maby add some diffrent/custimizable color themes later
on because it seems no one wants to limit their visual color preference to
someone elses (if not already done),but in my opinion looks hot and yes
your totaly correct only time will tell how it stands up

I thought more of a "one window solution" (.h and .c file are treated as one file at opening). Then you can split the window itself like in SED.
But this seems to work well, too.

I suddenly have the idea of auto-creating prototypes.

Very, very useful and professionally looking application. I`m looking forward to this. Can`t wait for the release.

One thing would be cool: SED automatically shows the engine manual on the flow. When you type in "c_trace" in a .c file for example, SED shows the manual entry for "c_trace" ("Command Help"). That`s very useful and I`d prefer not having to give up using this functionality.

Oh, I hope your autocompletion adds brackets and function parameters where I can switch through with tab !

i havn´t planned the manual-binding this way. but like the visual studio way:
- while typing you can see the code completion window and the description of the engine-method taken from the manual (coming this version) or custom method (planned for version 2.2)
- an overloading-window shows you the parameter and their description for engine-methods taken from the manual (planned for version 2.1) and custom methods (planned for version 2.2)
- a mouseover on a symbol-name shows you the description (planned for version 2.1 / 2.2)

in the planning phase of version 2.0 (the coming release) i had to decide which way i want to go. the SED or the VS way. in both cases there are advantages and disadvantages: by implementing it like VS i have to parse the gamestudio-manual and extract the needed information. by implementing like SED i have to add an ie-frame and handle CHM-files (i dont know how and how good it works with awesomium). there i have to use the CHM-search or knowing the exact address of the page. finding a solution for this costs hours of testing (i´m not so familar with this format and CHM-related tools).
in the end i decided to do it like VS, because i can display descriptions of own methods and vars the same way.
but i agree with you, that this is a very useful feature of SED. and if i found a way, it should be easy to realize. so i will keep open the thought to implement the SED-way too.


No, there will no backets or params be added. but it is definitely planned (version 2.1). Horus grows incrementally and evolutionally. The Code-Completion is a feature i have underestimated. while implementing it, i realized that i havn´t thought clear enough on so much things (how to determine when the list have to pop up and with which content, when not and how to add the items fast enough (there are over 1300 entries. only the engine-stuff), calculating if a symbol is in scope, etc). this is a huge task, so the codecompletion will be be improved next versions

Implementation of Features complete.
Now entering Milestone 8 of 8 - the remaining documented bugs will be fixed and the final test will be run

Great, don't can wait for it.

1st May is over since a week. When can we test HorusIDE?
I'm really interested in it and can't wait longer for it, too.

...this is software-development


currently i have a massive workload of my study. we develop an multiplayer racing game for a self-made TV-cave consists of 5 Full-HD-TVs. the timeline for this project is really short, so i had to reduce my sparetime-development.

before Thursday there´s no chance to work on horus. but if there are no further problems on the study-project, there should be enough time on the weekend to release the first version

That UI is a blessing for sore eyes. How can I give you all my money?

money order

I just downloaded the RC1 and installed it.
I'm sure it would be great to use, but I can't. =/ The font size ist just too small. How can I increase the size (and change the font face)?
The multiplayer-launch is also a great feature. I don't have commercial but use Anet, so I get "not supported" errors. Is there a way to launch two arranged windows without mp-parameters (or even with own parameters)?
And is it possible to set a default-script like in SED? The main script has to be active to launch the engine, which is always extra clicks. (Or should a script be able to start from anywhere?)
But great software so far!

you´re using a small screen with Full-HD-Resolution?


thanks, this is exactly the feedback i need.
no this cannot be changed, but i will add a config hack for RC2, where you can specify the mp-commandlines.


this thing i forgot to implement (SED has a handy run-current and run-main button). will be added in RC2

Nope, 22 Inch @ 1920x1200. Here is a comparison: http://s14.directupload.net/file/d/2887/8xpmgv83_png.htm

I really like the editor!

The own big thing I miss is the editor opens automatically included source files. It costs a lot of time open every file myself after restart HorusIDE.

Also the Error-Finding works not always right Often the editor underline my code, although it compiles correctly and works fine in tests.

But it's still my favorite IDE. SED is ousted

sry, that i havn´t answered the last days...


this will be added in RC3, coming this week


this is a bug in the used c-grammar. the problem is if the code starts like a cast a wrong shift is performed. for example "(time_step*4+7)" is treated as an error. adding a 0 in front "(0+time_step*4+7)" can avoid this problem. but that´s no long-time solution.
there seems to be another bug, but in the parsing-engine (not developed by me). if the file ends with a singleline-comment or a preprocessor-directive, the parser reports an error in the syntax. a newline can solve this issue.
i´m working on both issues


thanks, this is nice to hear

Just downloaded and installed... I have yet to do deep testing but these are my first thoughts

First Impressions after around 5 mins of playing around with it:

+easy to configure to work with 3DGS
+good looking interface easy on the eyes
+great sintax higlighter, lots of detail, lots of info at a first glance
+recognizes my custon struct datatypes? Nice!
+++Engine sytax check on the fly as you type, underlining errors? Awesome!


First impressions after another 30 mins:

+autompletion? That's what sed was really missing!
+custom datatypes also autocomplete!
-custom defines dont autocomplete
+custom functions autocomplete
+shader syntax higlight, nice!
+OMG also SQL sintax higlight!
+I can change tab order and/or tile several windows on-screen? SED you are getting outdated man!
+split view of the same file
-Does not open all included files automatically
+No code jumper? Oh wait, found it!
+search/replace works across all files
+++I can drag windows out of the application window, even onto other monitors?!?!?! WIN!
+No crash yet? On top of all this it seems to be stable, see you later SED!


Though this is not a bug report or a feature request, I think first impressions are important and wanted to give you some feedback on what HORUS says to a user when he first opens it.
In my opinion it gives a great first impression and you completely won me over, I think I'm in love! I am already excited to permanently use this instead of sed unless in the future I notice some major sed feature missing or major bugs.

On a second note:
-I did find the "To-Do-List" feature but was unable to use it. Is it not working? Is the use not intuitive enough? Or am I just stupid?
-Under the "view" menu I found the "output" tab but was unable to get it to work. Nevermind, after using it again, on load I did get some feedback in Output window, also got feedback when compiling exe.
-Could not get the manuall to open via button or F1 key (not a big issue, but would be nice)

Feature request:
All in all it's a pretty awesome tool, as features that would be nice to have mabe the "cons" I mentioned in the first impressions list (marked with a -)

Shooting for the sky, I would love to see support for A-Net as it seems to be a moderately popular addon for 3DGS (I use it too). As it is now, I will probably use this tool instead of SED except for debugging, if you managed to get that into your app it would be AMAZING! Bye bye SED forever!

As-is, HORUS is an amazing app, anything else you add to it will be icing on the cake! GREAT JOB!

+split view of the same file


how ?

under the "tab" of the code (right above the code) there are several buttons that do things. One is to change the type of code sintax that will be higlighted in that specific tab, the one beside that (to it's left) will divide that specific tab view in two, giving you two views of the code in that window that can be scrolled independantly of eachother. Great feature!

Thank you very much Carlos for this detailed report


this *should* work. i´ve tested it right now and i have to say... thanks for this bug report. will be fixed


does your manual exist on the right place? Horus tries to open "%GS_DIR%/deutsch/3dgs_manual.chm" if you set the editor-language to german or "%GS_DIR%/english/3dgs_manual.chm" if you set to any other language.


it is working. just type something like



what do you mean with ANet-Support?
What you can do with the current version of horus:
- customizing the multiplayer-run-feature. in the configs you can change the default server and client commandline arguments of 3dgs-com-multiplayer ("-sv -cl", "-cl") to anet (if you want to use own commandline arguments for the run. or you can empty it for no special arguments on a multiplayer-run)
- using the custom code completion. include the anet-headers and the anet-functions and vars will be suggested like any other custom object (as long they´re part of the project-folder)


correct.
after you´ve activated the splitview, the grid-splitter appears maybe on the left side and not in the center of the editor (this depends on the size of the content and is a bug. will be fixed next version):



i have to say, that this is a lite-c-syntax-check, but not an engine syntax check. it´s not possible to use the acknex-built-in syntaxcheck for a live-check i´ve written an own parser. it does not fit 1:1 with the engine-check. there are 2 bugs recognized so far. the main aim of this parser is to analyze the sourcecode for the code jumper and code completion. and as a gimmick, it underlines found errors. i decided to develop my own lite-c-parser (and not just using regular expressions), because it´s more exactly and scaleable. especially if i plan to add code-refactoring tools

ThankYOU for this great tool!


-Didnt know the define autcomplete was a bug, lucky test I guess


-Just checked my GS install folder and my manuall is not placed there, wierd (I did not change anything in the gs folder). For me it is in the main intall folder and SED opens it correctly with F1. I just made a copy in the directory you specified and it opens, but that is a short help file. The one SED opens when you press F1 (with all the function explanations and stuff) is "acknex.chm". It would be more usefull for it to point to that (or even better if it pointed to the online manuall).


-Ok, option 3 then. I'm just stupid and didnt know how todo works. Works fine just like you said


Thanks!


Mabe try run the code with A8 to get the log file it creates listing the errors and lines. Then open that log file in a new "sytax error" tab with a different "syntax highlight" mode tailored specially to read that. that way we could also use the "Code-Jumper" To jump from error to error? That would be cool, just like the SED errors but with more functionality after getting the results! Just throwing out some ideas for ya.

EDIT:
Just came up with an idea for a nice new feature. Should be very fast and easy to implement but would be a treat for users...
"Save Project Template" or "Save Project Descktop" or "Include Project files"
The name dosn't really matter, but what it does is save a list of the files open, window positions, work directory, main script file, etc into a separate file. Then all we have to do is load that file and it will open all the files we need (the window positions and stuff like that is extra and not really needed). Opening a group of pre-defined files with just a couple of clicks would be great functionality!

if i press F1 in horus i get the full german/english manual and not a short version.
by the way: just copy the chm you like in the mentioned directory and name it 3dgs_manual.chm and you have it


in a future version i plan to implement context-sensitive help. retrieving data from the online manual is for this feature a wise solution.


you´re right, the acklog could be a possible solution for this. but then i have to write a second parser (analyze the logfile) that have to run additionally. and the syntax-check of the engine is slower than my parser. next issue is the acknex startup-window. afaik i can not hide this, even if i run the exe with the Hidden-attribute. if this is true (i don´t remeber very well but i think i´ve checked this because my original idea was to use it), you would get an annoying topmost-window everytime you type something and so you can not work anymore.
this, and the bad cost-benefit ratio of this feature prevent me implementing this.


have you clicked on the error-notice? you will jump to the line with the error. correct it and click again on the notice to jump to the next (if a next error exist).


this automatic include is already on my to-do list (see a few posts above).
i plan to implement 2 things:
1.) "reopen last files": everytime you close horus a list of the opened files will be stored in the configs and automatically reopen if you restart the editor. so you can continue where you´ve quit the last time. this is a basic feature of all common editors and till now missing in horus.
2.) "open include files": open all included codefiles.
together this 2 feature should fit the needs of most users.
the panel-layout is already stored and reloaded (arrange the editor as you like and restart).

+1

Horus practically replaced SED for me. It's brilliant! Thank you for this tool!

Some bugs:
The multiplayer-start doesn't relocate the windows, though it's activated. (That feature is so AWESOME!)

The codejumper is empty. What am I doing wrong?


Features I would wish for:
- Is a project Manager planned? Like a list with all scripts to open by click. (Even a simple explorer-window would do for me.) And saving of opened files and window positions.

- More customization at fontface and colours.

- An option to disable the toolbar in the text window. I never click these buttons.

- Some sort of dropdown menu with different start parameters (beside the customizable one).

- "Lauch a file" command after compiling. Starting a BAT or something.

increase the delay in the configs (gamestudio-section). this delay have to be longer than the engine needs to start. the reason for this is that i can not move the engine-window as long as the startup-window is there. sadly i can not determine when the startup-window disappear, so i have to go the timer-way


possible reasons/solutions:
1.) you have an error in your syntax
2.) the lite-c-file isn´t saved. save it as *.c/*.h and repoen it
3.) try to switch to another open document and back (this invokes the codejumper to update)


nice to have, but low priority. there´re some more important things in development


yes, of course


sounds useful, maybe i can implement it in RC3 yet.


pre/post-build commands (for run and publish) comming version 2.1.0

The "last line" bug was messing it up. Works now.

Another thing: Prototypes and functions are handled the same in the code jumper. Not that big deal, but maybe a slightly different icon?

yes

After a few days using HorusIDE I can confirm I still love it. This is an incredible and extremely detailed app.
Out of all the things I talked about in my previous posts I think the most important one would be to auto-open included files and for the defines to correctly autocomplete. Most of the other things things I mentioned I can do withought, though they would be nice to have, but the things I most feel like are missing while using horus are those two.



That is just awesome to hear! After usng your program alot I feel that is the main thing that is really bugging me.
Keep up the good work!

EDIT: By the way I just noticed yesterday that you can drag&drop a file from a folder to the HorusIDE title bar and it automatically opens it. And it works with mutliple files at the same time!
I <3 HORUS

I used to get this message in the output window:

When I run the script it works fine.




Now I dont get that maeeage in the output window and instead get this one:

Again, when running the script it works fine... What could be causing this? And why dont I get an error for dungeonegenerator.c like before? (I have not changed dungeongenerator.c)


EDIT:
Also another question, when loading alot of files (more than can can be shown by the tabs), how do we select tabs that cannot be seen to the right?

you can ignore this message. it appears always, even if the file is correct. possibly just a wrong placed WriteLine-Command. will be fixed, if i´ve time for it


this is a known problem for the current version. i´m working on it to fix it in 2.1.
but before version 2.1 you can use Strg+Tab or another theme.

When I start Horus it parses all files in my project directory. Also where I collect snippets and some other stuff for maybe future use or plain test. Can they be excluded?

no, it parses every file in the project dir with *.c/*.h extension.
the only solution is to rename it or put it in another directory outside of the project.

the current project-management is weak, i know. originally i havn´t planned to integrate it in this version, but there was a need for some features. the full-featured project management (including a solution-explorer and other project-related tools) is planned for version 3. so currently it´s an interim solution

a problem:
only main script is opened, no included scripts (a couple of .c files, no headers). in this main script I get an error message at the bottom of HorusIDE, that points to a string I use it as a subfolder in my project "levels\\", and the word levels is marked by a red line what apparently cannot be removed...
moreover it works a bit slowly on my laptop comparing to SED or LED.

Something little:
If i write :
wait(1);
then the wait is a purple color how shoult it be, but when i write a space after the wait:
wait (1);
then it is white. This little "Bug" is with all commands from 3dgs.

both issues are already fixed.


afair, the first one is corrected in RC3 (do you use a previous version?).

the second fix is not published yet. it will come next days with the 2.0.0 Release Version


Version 2.1, which is currently under development, contains a performance-update. code completion (for example) is faster than before

Works pretty well!

Only thing I'm noticing right now is that the program seems to always crash when I add a comment block ( /* ) within my script.

Keep up the great work!

this is also fixed in the upcoming version

Don`t can wait for it. Thanks again for Horus

I have a bug to report:

For some reason the first word in the secound string is marked as syntax error. When I remove the double-backslash, it's gone.

the double-backslash seems to escape the quote. so, for the parser the string ends at "This".
thank you very much for this report, i´ll correct this

Some news? You still working on it?

currently no.
the semester is ending and we have the exam-weeks. if i´ve written my exams (friday the 13th is the last one ) i will continue developing. and then with more time for coding as usual (because of the holiday-start).

but some small features and bugfixes of 2.1 are already implemented or almost finished (current-line-highlighting for example)

good luck for your exams

Zwei kleine Sachen die die Arbeit mit Horus ein Wenig beeinträchtigen:

- Wenn ich eine Function oder sonstwas einklappe, wenn der Cursor sich in dieser Region befindet, und ich danach das Mousewheel benutze, klappt diese Region wieder auf. Währe schön wenn beim Einklappen der Cursor aus der Region herausspringt.

- Das Hilfsfenster für die Autovervollständigung erscheint immer an der Mausposition. Wenn man in mehreren gleichartigen Zeilen was ändern will, ist immer dieses Fenster im Weg. Hier währe ein Offset zum Mauszeiger ideal, z.B je 20 Pixel mehr nach rechts und unten.

Hoffe du hast deine Prüfungswoche gut überstanden.

danke, das gröbste ist vorbei. ist zwar nicht perfekt gelaufen, aber hätte schlimmer sein können. bis freitag noch aufbauen und gameprojekt testen und es ist überstanden

deine zwei anmerkungen sind auf der todo

News:

- Code-Completion performance update

- New feature: Highlighting of the current line (like in SED)

- New feature: Code Snippets. You can easily add code to the snippets and access it for inserting. During you add the code you can set a selection. This selection gets remebered in the searchbox (see image) and applied in the editor if you insert the snippet. This is really useful if you want to change a certain part of the snippet after insertig (a varname for example).


- minor visual bugs and requests (by Widi) fixed


Currently in development:

- New feature: Multi-Document-Clipboard. It remeberes the last x copied texts. Because it is based on the Snippet-Engine, the copys can be inserted like snippets

- fixes for some major parser and visual bugs

- further Code-Completion-features

Thanks! Try it later if i stay at home

EDIT: oops, think there was a new version for downloading...

EDIT 2: Happy birthday Tempelbauer

no, the new version is still in development. just want to inform about the state. i want to fix the pending bugs and add 2 new features.


thanks!

hi,

I wanted to comment out some lines of code.

But as I typed in /* the application hung forever.

hi, thanks for your response

this bug is already known. will be fixed in the next version.
till then you can avoid the problem if you add '*/' first and then add '/*' in front of.
i know this is a really annoying blocker, so it got high priority

Something new? You still working on it?

yep

I reworked the editor core and added some new features. also the UI is improved (colors of menu and the new document´s dropdown):


Currently I´m working on Beta 3 of 5. Version 2.1 will come October

Thanks for the info, have to be patient and wait

A sugesstion for a new feature:
"auto-indent" button

I see you have indent and un-indent buttons, but it seems it only affects the current line and dosn't care if the "indention" is correct or not.

When working on a function and copying large portions of old code into it (or deleting a portion of code from it you want to re-do), having to manually indent line by line to the correct distances is a real pain when working with big functions.

i can confirm that Horus is ignoring the indention of pasted text. you´re right, this is annoying. i´ll fix this in the next version.
till then: the indention (by clicking the button or pressing tab) will affect on all selected lines (and not only the current). so select the copied parts and press tab to indent the whole selection

Are you still developing this IDE?

Yes, I did not gave up the project. Last months were very busy, i had no time for it (maybe on xmas holidays).

About 80% of the work is already done, so I expect a release candidate for January.

Yeah! I'm still using it. Thank you!

That's awesome! Thanks for developing this IDE! Keep us updated!

horus is great!

any chance to get customizable colors in a future version?
I'd really like to have the same colors as in my sed theme...

This feature is already implemented (partly). It is possible to completely override the Syntax Hilighting of the editor. Grab the syntax definition files at http://horuside.recursivebytes.com/downloads/SyntaxDefinitions.rar, unpack them, edit the Color-Definitions (on top or bottom of the file) to match your SED-style and put them into c:\program files\Horus IDE\xshd\

The directory xshd does not exist, you have to create it. If Horus finds there a syntax definition it will load and use it instead of the built in versions. The scheme of the filenames specify which Language and Visual Style will be overridden. Changing the whole appearance (colors and style of menus, etc) is not possible at the moment.
I plan to improve the appearance in Version 2.3 (make it more lightweight and modern). By doing this I will at least add a method to modify the existing themes (like the syntax definitions).

oh, thank you very much