No luck after a 1/2 hr. googling so I thought I'd ask here. posting here bc developer's should know more about this than peeps in software forum...i hope. I've been looking for a freeware IDE (editor) and/or compiler that I can use at school.

Nothing fancy but I would like syntax highlighting (c++), and something that I don't have to install (standalone). It should fit on a 32MB flash stick with no problem. It'd be nice if it was able to handle Visual Studio project files, but I'll take what I can get... my school's systems don't let user apps edit the registy that's why I need (and prefer) standalone.

need:

- opens text-based files

- supports syntax highlighting (for at least c++)

- standalone app/requires no install

optional (but good):

- can open projects at all

- can open visual studio projects

- can compile c++ projects

Really hope someone else has had this problem and found something. Thanks in advance.

-sp

Edited January 17, 200620 yr by spiritpyre

You can try Code::Blocks It is open source, can import VS projects, has syntax highlighting. I really like it. (although I suggest you download the Nightly build instead of RC2)

sorry for the waitand thanks for the reply. i'll give a try as soon as i get a chance.

Sorry to reply to an old, old topic, but I figure if I come across an old one in a search, someone else will, too

http://notepad-plus.sourceforge.net/uk/site.htm

Notepad++ is an excellent freeware (and open-source) editor with Syntax Highlighting and much more. Doesn't require an installer, and a checkbox in the options lets you keep the settings file in the app directory (i.e. USB mode). It doesn't compile, but it's very extensible, and I don't see any reason why you couldn't set up a menu item that fires off the compiler of your choice.

http://notepad-plus.sourceforge.net/uk/run-HOWTO.php

You can display an explorer tree-view (which would act as your project explorer), and you can save sessions of open files. Notepad++ comes with a bunch of pre-installed extensions, including one that lists functions in the open file. The outlining is better than Visual Studio (you can collapse if{} blocks), and there's even a hex editor.

NPP is in the same class as Ultra-Edit in terms of functionality (NPP has more in some areas). I like the highlighting better in NPP, but Ultra-Edit does have an IDE package designed to act as a developer studio. Of course, Ultra-Edit isn't free.

There are a number of free IDEs: Eclipse (for Java, but there are side projects to incorporate C#, C++), and Sharp-Develop (an open-source Visual Studio replacement, http://www.icsharpcode.net/OpenSource/SD/ ). But afaik, they use installers, and might be a bit much for what you are (were) looking for ; )

BTW, excellent extensions on RyanVM, thanks much! :