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Software Engineering and Program Construction

Editors, syntax highlighting and code entry tools

  • 3 things to know
  • AS Unit 1

Overview

Syntax highlighting, bracket matching and what automatic indentation does for the reader of a program.

What you need to know

Answer each one before you reveal it.

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Key term

Explain how syntax highlighting helps a programmer spot a missing quotation mark.

Key term

What is bracket matching?

Key term

What is autocompletion in a code editor?

Questions from this subtopic

Each one with the model answer underneath.

  1. 1

    What is syntax highlighting?

    Model answer

    It is the automatic colouring of code so that keywords, identifiers, numbers, strings and comments each appear in a different colour or style.

  2. 2

    Explain how syntax highlighting helps a programmer spot a missing quotation mark.

    Model answer

    Everything after the unclosed quotation mark is coloured as though it were part of a string, so a long stretch of the program suddenly changes colour and the fault is visible at a glance.

  3. 3

    What is bracket matching?

    Model answer

    When the cursor is placed on a bracket the editor highlights the bracket that pairs with it, and marks a bracket that has no partner.

  4. 4

    Describe what automatic indentation does for the reader of a program.

    Model answer

    It lines up the statements inside each loop or selection under the statement that controls them, so the structure of the program can be seen from its shape.

  5. 5

    What is autocompletion in a code editor?

    Model answer

    As an identifier or keyword is typed the editor offers the possible completions it knows about, and the programmer picks one instead of typing the rest.

  6. 6

    Give two ways autocompletion reduces errors.

    Model answer

    It prevents misspelling of long identifiers and library names, and it shows the parameters a routine expects so the wrong number or order is less likely.

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