Show SOME invisible/whitespace characters in Eclipse
EclipseTabsSpacesBbeditEclipse Problem Overview
A long while back I transitioned to doing all my web application development in Eclipse from BBEdit. But I miss one little feature from BBEdit. I used to be able to show invisible characters like tabs but not show other invisibles like spaces. I know that I can bulk turn all of these on in Eclipse, but I wonder if there is a way to show only some invisibles in Eclipse.
Eclipse Solutions
Solution 1 - Eclipse
Unfortunately, you can only turn on all invisible (whitespace) characters at the same time. I suggest you file an enhancement request but I doubt they will pick it up.
The text component in Eclipse is very complicated as it is and they are not keen on making them even worse.
[UPDATE] This has been fixed in Eclipse 3.7: Go to Window > Preferences > General > Editors > Text Editors
Click on the link "whitespace characters" to fine tune what should be shown.
Kudos go to John Isaacks
Solution 2 - Eclipse
Navigate to Window > Preferences > General > Editors > Text Editors
Click on the CheckBox "Show whitespace characters".
Thats all.!!!
Solution 3 - Eclipse
I would prefer to keep the "Show Whitespace" button on the toolbar, so that in one click you can toggle it.
Go to Window -> Perspective -> Customize Perspective and enable to show the button on toolbar.
Solution 4 - Eclipse
I use Checkstlye plugin for such a purpose. In Checkstyle configuration, I add special regexp rules to detect lines with TABs and then mark such lines as checkstyle ERROR, which is clearly visible in Eclipse editor. Works fine.
Solution 5 - Eclipse
AnyEdit Scroll all the way down: http://andrei.gmxhome.de/anyedit/examples.html