Learning MySQL

Using a Text Editor

As you read through this book, you’ll frequently find references to using a text editor. This means a program that can edit and save files that contain only plain text. Word processors save additional formatting instructions that only other word processors understand. Word processing programs also tend to use proportional fonts, which makes it hard to read and write files of scripts and commands. It is possible to use a word processor to load and save plain-text files, but it’s rather inconvenient and error-prone, and so we don’t recommend you do this.

So, what should you use? There are hundreds of text editors available, and most people find one they prefer to use. You should try out several different programs and settle on one that you’re comfortable with. Let’s look at some options:

Linux

Under Linux, popular text editors include pico, gvim, vim, emacs, joe, kate, gedit, and xedit. You can often find these listed under the Editors group in the main menu of most Linux distributions. If you’re curious, you can also type the command apropos "text editor" at the shell to see a list of programs that have the phrase “text editor” in their description.

Windows

Under Windows, use Notepad; you can also download and install free text editors such as gvim, or commercial editors such as EditPad and TextPad.

Mac OS X

Under Mac OS X, you can use the included editors pico, vim, or emacs, configure the TextEdit program to behave as a text editor, or install and use other editors ...