Make visible spaces and newlines in Text Editor. (#3026)

* Add options to make visible spaces and newlines in Text Editor.

* Fix 'General' settings not available after upgrade (blocks startup) (#3013)

- Add migration from settings version 8 to 9 that ensures General section exists with all required keys
- Add safe access to General settings in application.py, mainframe.py, treeplugin.py, and dialog.py
- Use .get() with fallback values instead of direct dictionary access
- This prevents KeyError when user settings file is missing or corrupted

Closes #3000

* Enable visible spaces and newlines in External/Code Editor.

---------

Co-authored-by: ChelSlava <chelslava@gmail.com>

Author: HelioGuilherme66

AUTHORS.txt

@@ -32,6 +32,7 @@ Petr Hudeček
 Timothy Alexander
 @2Eagle2
 @bale836
+@chelslava
 @fzuellich
 @ghost
 @goodwillcoding

CHANGELOG.adoc

@@ -8,6 +8,14 @@ and this project adheres to http://semver.org/spec/v2.0.0.html[Semantic Versioni
 
 == https://github.com/robotframework/RIDE[Unreleased]
 
+=== Added
+- Added on Text Editor, (Preferences->Text Editor) option to *Enable visible spaces* configurable with ``enable visible spaces`` in settings.cfg, with default ``True``.
+- Added on Text Editor, (Preferences->Text Editor) option to *Enable visible newlines* configurable with ``enable visible newlines`` in settings.cfg, with default ``False``.
+- Added on External/Code Editor, both enabled, ``visible spaces`` and ``visible newlines``.
+
+=== Fixed
+- Fixed exception seen in console when selecting Tools->Library Finder... on a clean install.
+
 === Changed
 - Changed isbinary to be internal library, instead of being dependency.
 

README.adoc

@@ -40,13 +40,13 @@ See the https://github.com/robotframework/RIDE/blob/master/doc/releasenotes/ride
 
 Currently, the unit tests are tested on Python 3.10, 3.11 and 3.14.
 We now have an experimental workflow on Fedora Linux 42, with wxPython 4.2.4 and Python 3.14.
-Likewise, the current version of wxPython, is 4.2.4, but RIDE is known to work with 4.0.7, 4.1.1, 4.2.2, 4.2.3 and 4.2.4 versions.
+Likewise, the current version of wxPython, is 4.2.5, but RIDE is known to work with 4.0.7, 4.1.1, 4.2.2, 4.2.3, 4.2.4 and 4.2.5 versions.
 
 (3.9 <= python <= 3.14) Install current released version (*2.2.2*) with:
 
 `pip install -U robotframework-ride`
 
-(3.9 <= python <= 3.14) Install current development version (**2.2.3dev3**) with:
+(3.9 <= python <= 3.14) Install current development version (**2.2.3dev4**) with:
 
 `pip install -U https://github.com/robotframework/RIDE/archive/develop.zip`
 

src/robotide/application/releasenotes.py

@@ -150,7 +150,7 @@ def set_content(self, html_win, content):
 
 <p><a class="reference external" href="https://github.com/robotframework/RIDE/">RIDE (Robot Framework IDE)</a>
  {VERSION} is a new release with some enhancements and bug fixes. The reference for valid arguments is
- <a class="reference external" href="https://robotframework.org/">Robot Framework</a> current version, 7.4.1. However, 
+ <a class="reference external" href="https://robotframework.org/">Robot Framework</a> current version, 7.4.2. However, 
  internal library code is originally based on version 3.1.2, but adapted for new versions.</p>
 <ul class="simple">
 <li>This version supports Python 3.9 up to 3.14.</li>
@@ -179,6 +179,10 @@ def set_content(self, html_win, content):
 </ul>
 <p><strong>New Features and Fixes Highlights</strong></p>
 <ul class="simple">
+<li>Added on Text Editor, (Preferences->Text Editor) options to <b>Enable visible spaces</b> and
+ <b>Enable visible newlines</b>.</li>
+<li>Added on External/Code Editor, both enabled, <b>visible spaces<b> and <b>visible newlines<b>.</li>
+<li>Fixed exception seen in console when selecting Tools->Library Finder... on a clean install.</li>
 <li>The Test Suites Explorer can be visible or hidden with F12 (View->View Test Suites Explorer). Pane can be made
  floating or docked, by dragging or by double-clicking its top bar.</li>
 <li>In File Explorer opening non-text files is done by the operating system registered app.</li>
@@ -192,7 +196,7 @@ def set_content(self, html_win, content):
 </ul>
 <!-- <p>We hope to implement or complete features and make fixes on next major version 2.1 (in mid Autumm of 2024).</p>
 -->
-<p><strong>The minimal wxPython version is, 4.0.7, and RIDE supports the current version, 4.2.4, which we recommend.
+<p><strong>The minimal wxPython version is, 4.0.7, and RIDE supports the current version, 4.2.5, which we recommend.
 </strong></p>
 <p><em>Linux users are advised to install first wxPython from .whl package at</em> <a class="reference external"
  href="https://extras.wxpython.org/wxPython4/extras/linux/gtk3/">wxPython.org</a>, or by using the system package
@@ -243,7 +247,7 @@ def set_content(self, html_win, content):
 <pre class="literal-block">python -m robotide.postinstall -install</pre>
 <p>or</p>
 <pre class="literal-block">ride_postinstall.py -install</pre>
-<p>RIDE {VERSION} was released on 11/January/2026.</p>
+<p>RIDE {VERSION} was released on 29/March/2026.</p>
 <br/>
 <!-- 
 <h3>Celebrate the bank holiday, 1st December, Restoration of the Independence of Portugal (from Spain in 1640)!!</h3>

src/robotide/editor/customsourceeditor.py

@@ -40,7 +40,7 @@
 class SourceCodeEditor(PythonSTC):
     def __init__(self, parent, options, style=wx.BORDER_NONE):
         PythonSTC.__init__(self, parent, -1, options, style=style)
-        self.SetUpEditor()
+        self.SetUpEditor(options)
 
     # Some methods to make it compatible with how the wxTextCtrl is used
     def SetValue(self, value):
@@ -90,7 +90,7 @@ def SelectLine(self, line):
         end = self.GetLineEndPosition(line)
         self.SetSelection(start, end)
 
-    def SetUpEditor(self):
+    def SetUpEditor(self, eoptions: dict):
         """
         This method carries out the work of setting up the Code editor.
         It's seperate so as not to clutter up the init code.
@@ -122,13 +122,13 @@ def SetUpEditor(self):
         self.SetTabWidth(4)               # Proscribed tab size for wx
         self.SetUseTabs(False)            # Use spaces rather than tabs, or TabTimmy will complain!
         # White space
-        self.SetViewWhiteSpace(False)   # Don't view white space
+        self.SetViewWhiteSpace(eoptions['visible spaces'])   # Don't view white space
 
         # EOL: Since we are loading/saving ourselves, and the
         # strings will always have \n's in them, set the STC to
         # edit them that way.
         self.SetEOLMode(wx.stc.STC_EOL_LF)
-        self.SetViewEOL(False)
+        self.SetViewEOL(eoptions['visible EOL'])
 
         # No right-edge mode indicator
         self.SetEdgeMode(stc.STC_EDGE_NONE)
@@ -232,7 +232,8 @@ def __init__(self, parent, main_frame, filepath=None):
         self.parent = parent
         wx.Panel.__init__(self, parent, size=wx.Size(1, 1))
         self.mainFrame = main_frame
-        self.editor = SourceCodeEditor(self, options={'tab markers':True, 'fold symbols':2})
+        self.editor = SourceCodeEditor(self, options={'tab markers':True, 'fold symbols':2,
+                                                      'visible spaces':True, 'visible EOL':True})
         self.editor.RegisterModifiedEvent(self.on_code_modified)
         parent.SetName(f'Code Editor: {filepath}')
         """

src/robotide/editor/pythoneditor.py

@@ -59,7 +59,10 @@ def __init__(self, parent, idd, options: dict, pos=wx.DefaultPosition, size=wx.D
         self.SetProperty("tab.timmy.whinge.level", "1")
         self.SetMargins(2, 2)
 
-        self.SetViewWhiteSpace(False)
+        self.visible_spaces = options['visible spaces']
+        self.visible_EOL = options['visible EOL']
+        self.SetViewWhiteSpace(self.visible_spaces)
+        self.SetViewEOL(self.visible_EOL)
         self.SetEdgeMode(stc.STC_EDGE_BACKGROUND)
         self.SetEdgeColumn(78)
 

src/robotide/editor/texteditor.py

@@ -2641,8 +2641,11 @@ def __init__(self, parent, readonly=False, language=None, style=wx.BORDER_NONE):
         self._settings = parent.source_editor_parent.app.settings
         self.tab_markers = self._settings[PLUGIN_NAME].get('tab markers', True)
         self.fold_symbols = self._settings[PLUGIN_NAME].get('fold symbols', 2)
-        PythonSTC.__init__(self, parent, -1, options={'tab markers':self.tab_markers, 'fold symbols':self.fold_symbols},
-                           style=style)
+        self.visible_spaces = self._settings[PLUGIN_NAME].get('enable visible spaces', True)
+        self.visible_EOL = self._settings[PLUGIN_NAME].get('enable visible newlines', False)
+        PythonSTC.__init__(self, parent, -1, options={'tab markers':self.tab_markers, 'fold symbols':self.fold_symbols,
+                                                      'visible spaces':self.visible_spaces,
+                                                      'visible EOL':self.visible_EOL}, style=style)
         self._information_popup = None
         self._old_details = None
         self.readonly = readonly
@@ -2976,13 +2979,13 @@ def SetUpEditor(self, tab_size=4, tab_markers=True, m_bg='', m_fg='', caret_fg:
         self.SetTabWidth(tab_size)               # Proscribed tab size for wx
         self.SetUseTabs(False)            # Use spaces rather than tabs, or TabTimmy will complain!
         # White space
-        self.SetViewWhiteSpace(False)   # Don't view white space
+        self.SetViewWhiteSpace(self.visible_spaces)   # View white space
 
         # EOL: Since we are loading/saving ourselves, and the
         # strings will always have \n's in them, set the STC to
         # edit them that way.
         self.SetEOLMode(wx.stc.STC_EOL_LF)
-        self.SetViewEOL(False)
+        self.SetViewEOL(self.visible_EOL)
 
         # No right-edge mode indicator
         self.SetEdgeMode(stc.STC_EDGE_NONE)
@@ -3088,6 +3091,8 @@ def on_settings_changed(self, message):
         if section == PLUGIN_NAME:
             self.set_styles(self._readonly)  # DEBUG: When on read-only file changing background color ignores flag
             self.editor.autocomplete = self.settings[PLUGIN_NAME].get(AUTO_SUGGESTIONS, False)
+            self.editor.visible_spaces = self.settings[PLUGIN_NAME].get('enable visible spaces', True)
+            self.editor.visible_EOL = self.settings[PLUGIN_NAME].get('enable visible newlines', False)
             caret_colour = self.settings[PLUGIN_NAME].get('setting', 'black')
             caret_colour = self.editor.get_visible_color(caret_colour)
             self.editor.SetCaretForeground(Colour(caret_colour))
@@ -3176,6 +3181,8 @@ def set_styles(self, readonly=False):
                                                                fore=foreground))
         self.editor.StyleSetBackground(wx.stc.STC_STYLE_DEFAULT, background)
         self.editor.SetZoom(self._zoom_factor())
+        self.editor.SetViewWhiteSpace(self.editor.visible_spaces)
+        self.editor.SetViewEOL(self.editor.visible_EOL)
         self.editor.Refresh()
 
     def _get_word_and_length(self, current_position):

src/robotide/preferences/configobj

@@ -226,11 +226,19 @@ def on_reset(self, event):
 
     def _create_text_config_editor(self):
         settings = self._settings
-        sizer = wx.FlexGridSizer(rows=2, cols=2, vgap=10, hgap=10)
+        sizer = wx.FlexGridSizer(rows=4, cols=2, vgap=10, hgap=10)
         l_auto_suggest, editor = pdiag.boolean_editor(self, settings, 'enable auto suggestions',
                                                 _('Enable auto suggestions'))
         set_colors(l_auto_suggest, self.background_color, self.foreground_color)
         sizer.AddMany([l_auto_suggest, editor])
+        l_visible_spaces, editor = pdiag.boolean_editor(self, settings, 'enable visible spaces',
+                                                _('Enable visible spaces'))
+        set_colors(l_visible_spaces, self.background_color, self.foreground_color)
+        sizer.AddMany([l_visible_spaces, editor])
+        l_visible_newlines, editor = pdiag.boolean_editor(self, settings, 'enable visible newlines',
+                                                _('Enable visible newlines'))
+        set_colors(l_visible_newlines, self.background_color, self.foreground_color)
+        sizer.AddMany([l_visible_newlines, editor])
         return sizer
 
 

src/robotide/preferences/editors.py

@@ -71,6 +71,8 @@ tc_kw_name = '#1A5FB4'
 variable = '#008080'
 background = '#F6F5F4'
 enable auto suggestions = True
+enable visible spaces = True
+enable visible newlines = True
 
 [Grid]
 font size = 10