Text Editor

The Text Editor provides a convenient way to construct text strings (including regular expressions) from various data sources, such as attributes, parameters, and constants, where the result is used directly inside a parameter.

The functions and data sources that are available depend on the transformer from which the text editor is opened, and the context of the individual workspace. These functions and data sources may include:

• FME Feature Attributes - The exposed user attributes specific to the feature types of the data being transformed.
• Published Parameters
• Private Parameters
• FME Parameters and FME Server Parameters
• Special Characters
• FME Feature Functions
• String Functions
• Math Functions
• Date/Time Functions

In this example, the value of the ParkName feature attribute is converted to upper case:

Inserting Extended ASCII Characters

The Advanced editor supports inserting extended ASCII printing characters and non-printing control characters. On Windows, these characters are inserted by holding the Alt key while typing the corresponding character code on the numeric keypad (usually on the right side of the keyboard; do not type the numbers that appear on the main part of the keyboard). On Macintosh, extended ASCII characters are inserted with a keystroke combination that includes the Opt key, or the Opt and Shift keys together.

Useful links:

• Inserting Extended ASCII characters using Windows
• Inserting Extended ASCII characters using Macintosh

Options Menu

Option	Description
Syntax Highlighting	Sets the highlighting scheme to the given language. If FME syntax highlighting is selected, then: valid attribute names are in yellow functions are shown in blue valid parameters in purple invalid parameters/attributes are shown in red.
Select Font	Opens the font dialog and changes the editor font.
Find	Finds the next instance of a string in the text.
Find Next	Finds the next instance of the string that was specified previously in the Find dialog.
Replace	Replaces the specified string with another string. Replace replaces only the text that is highlighted dark blue. Replace All replaces all instances of the highlighted text.
Show Line Numbers	When selected, shows the line numbers to the left of the text.
Show Brace Matching This option is valid only if Syntax Highlighting specifies a programming language such as Python.	When selected, shows brace matching. Matching braces on the left side of the text allow you to collapse the braced section so only the first line is in view.
Show Spaces/Tabs	When selected, shows a different character in the text for spaces, newlines and tabs.
Word Wrap	When selected, wraps lines that continue past the end of screen onto the next line. Otherwise, it keeps the line intact and shows a horizontal scroll bar.
Switch To Basic	Switches to the basic text editor. Available only when using the text editor with the StringConcatenator transformer.
Default To Advanced Editor	Sets Workbench to always show this editor. Available only when using the text editor with the StringConcatenator transformer. You can also set this option from the Tools > FME Options menu.