Atom (specialized text editor)

[Midas]

As a newcomer power editor, Atom (http://atom.io/) is not just another Sublime Text (http://www.portablefreeware.com/forums/ ... hp?t=16943) wannabe, it comes real close to the full monty...

Atom portability is achieved by setting an 'ATOM_HOME' environment variable -- check the following "conversation" for further info: http://github.com/atom/atom/pull/5385.

• Atom is a text editor that's modern, approachable, yet hackable to the core -- a tool you can customize to do anything but also use productively without ever touching a config file.

  • 

As the homepage will only serve you the installer package, you can head to the release repository to download the Atom v1.0.0 Windows zip package: http://github.com/atom/atom/releases/latest.

And do spare some time to watch Atom's zany promotional video:

[smaragdus]

Quotation from gHacks http://www.ghacks.net/2015/06/26/atom-1 ... ub-is-out/:

Attention: Atom uses Google Analytics by default for gathering usage information. If you don't want that, you may disable the integration in the following way: Open the settings and there the package manager, search for metrics and click on disable when the metrics package is displayed under core packages. Information about which information are submitted are provided on this page - https://github.com/atom/metrics .

I tested it rather superficially several months ago and didn't like it at all- bulky (for me 71 MB uncompressed is too much for a text editor), heavy and slow. I haven't checked the latest version but I can't imagine it has changed drastically. The fact that Atom collects user data by default (although it can be prevented) is not fascinating at all so I don't think I will test it any further. Atom is not the type of text editors I like but of course it may be useful to others.

[ozok]

I didn't like it either. Notepad++ works fine for me.

[smaragdus]

@ozok
My default text editor for everyday use and simple tasks is AkelPad which is lightning-fast and as light as a feather with only few add-ons enabled. When I need more features I too use Notepad++ which is also excellent. There is an abundance of good free text editors but these two are my favourites.

[Midas]

Whoa! That a way to give the new guy the shoulder...

@smaragdus: As someone that sympathizes with privacy concerns, I immediately saw that Atom's data collecting "feature"; I chose not to highlight it here to avoid editorializing and exposing bias over a potential new portable. I'm glad that you mentioned it, though, if only for the sake of informed appraisal...

[smaragdus]

@Midas
By the way have you tested Atom for portability? Last time I tested it (several months ago) Atom created folder in AppData as far as I remember (I didn't check for registry entries).

There is a Wikipedia entry about Atom- https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Atom_%28text_editor%29

It is impossible for me to be unbiased since I have my tastes and preferences.

[Midas]

@Midas
By the way have you tested Atom for portability?

• ATM, I have no use for an editor such as Atom. And no, I haven't tested it for portability. Notwithstanding, please check the discussion I pointed to above, as it implies similar issues have been resolved...

[I am Baas]

Tested v1.2.2 NOT portable

\AppData\Roaming\Atom
\user\current\.atom

[rbon]

Tested v1.2.2 NOT portable
\AppData\Roaming\Atom
\user\current\.atom

You can browse the Atom Blog http://blog.atom.io/ and You find anything about Portable mode:

• Portable mode
  
  Windows portable mode has been a heavily requested feature https://github.com/atom/atom/issues/2939 for a long time. Atom 1.3.0-beta0 has a portable mode for Windows and Linux (with Mac on the way).
  
  Portable mode for Windows https://github.com/atom/atom/pull/8442
  Portable mode for Linux https://github.com/atom/atom/pull/9422
  A command line param to setup a portable .atom directory https://github.com/atom/atom/pull/9419

I haven't tested it.

[SYSTEM]

Tested v1.2.2 NOT portable
\AppData\Roaming\Atom
\user\current\.atom

You can browse the Atom Blog http://blog.atom.io/ and You find anything about Portable mode:

• Portable mode
  
  Windows portable mode has been a heavily requested feature https://github.com/atom/atom/issues/2939 for a long time. Atom 1.3.0-beta0 has a portable mode for Windows and Linux (with Mac on the way).
  
  Portable mode for Windows https://github.com/atom/atom/pull/8442
  Portable mode for Linux https://github.com/atom/atom/pull/9422
  A command line param to setup a portable .atom directory https://github.com/atom/atom/pull/9419

I haven't tested it.

Looks like Atom developers have been going back and forth with portability.

From what I can glean from pull request #8442, Atom 1.3.0 supports a --portable command line switch. If it is used, Atom will store its settings in a .atom folder next to the Atom directory (i.e. not inside it).

I'll test Atom for portability later today.

[rbon]

@SYSTEM
I am looking for Atom on PortableApps and I have found this thread:
- Atom Portable 1.1 Development Test 1 http://portableapps.com/node/53227
- Atom Portable direct download: https://github.com/haknode/AtomPortable ... _1.paf.exe

.. Yes, this project is hosted on GitHub and it's maintained by "haknode" https://github.com/haknode/AtomPortable/
so if it's works well You can manually update the program and hold the (paf) launcher.

[SYSTEM]

I'll test Atom for portability later today.

Atom 1.2.2: Portable (Not Stealth)

I created a "data" folder inside Atom's folder and launched Atom with this batch file:

Code: Select all

SET ATOM_HOME=%~d0%~p0\data
START atom.exe

With that, Atom stored its settings inside the "data" folder. However, it also created %APPDATA%\Atom.

Atom 1.3.0 beta 4: Not Portable

I launched Atom 1.3.0 beta 4 with the --portable switch.

It stored its settings in %USERPROFILE%\.atom and created %APPDATA%\Atom as well. Looks like the command line switch didn't have any effect.

[guinness]

Very weird. As I was following that PR too and presumed it had been added.

[webfork]

I'll test Atom for portability later today.

Atom 1.2.2: Portable (Not Stealth)
Atom 1.3.0 beta 4: Not Portable

After hearing some nice things about this program, I came back to it thinking it might belong in the database. Unfortunately it looks like the portability status is unclear as the beta anticipates a lack of portability on the eventual release. Should we hold off on this?

[rbon]

I'll test Atom for portability later today.

Atom 1.2.2: Portable (Not Stealth)
Atom 1.3.0 beta 4: Not Portable

After hearing some nice things about this program, I came back to it thinking it might belong in the database. Unfortunately it looks like the portability status is unclear as the beta anticipates a lack of portability on the eventual release. Should we hold off on this?

I have found on Sourceforge.net a build of Atom Portable developed from another developer (gareth-flowers):
- Sourceforge project page: http://sourceforge.net/projects/atomportable/
- Sourceforge download page: http://sourceforge.net/projects/atomportable/files/
- Sourceforge direct download build 1.2.4: http://sourceforge.net/projects/atompor ... e/download

Not tested portability.