Cpanel for editting

20 May 2014, 19:04

#1

stitchnkitty

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Cpanel for editting

Trying to get my upgrade finished and come across this:

Do not edit files thru the Cpanel - use a text editor such as CrimsonEditor.

Newbie q?
can someone elaborate on this as why this is -- and what are the problems that can be created?

TIA

20 May 2014, 22:12

#2

kobra

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Re: Cpanel for editting

cpanel editor is not designed for php files

20 May 2014, 22:19

#3

mc12345678

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Re: Cpanel for editting

Basically, when choosing to "save" the file as a result of the editor not really being php friendly as kobra stated, the information may look like it is saved properly, but the file will not behave correctly. This "problem" is not necessarily something that is visible to the standard web page guest but is at the level of the bytes and data.

Basically errors can/will occur, it will seem like everything is correct, but there is information that is not displayed to the screen without other tools that will cause problems.

Further there are some text editors to also avoid if possible. Try to stay with the typical editors suggested on the site, they seem to work well nd why have any more headaches. :)

21 May 2014, 10:40

#4

rodg

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Re: Cpanel for editting

stitchnkitty:

Newbie q?
can someone elaborate on this as why this is -- and what are the problems that can be created?

Just to help confuse things <g>, Cpanel has several different editors, one for HTML, one for 'code', and one for 'text'.

I've never used the HTML editor (I've always had something else available that I'm familiar with).

The 'code' editor really sucks. It's very slow except on really small files. It does make code look 'pretty' though. :) I don't trust this for editing at all.

The 'text' editor is one I've come to trust for those edits that really must be done on a live site and/or for quick n dirty hacks. If it has ever caused me any problems it was so long ago that I've forgotten about them.

Having said that, for most people, you are far better off to download and edit the files locally. It's easy to keep backups that way (and all files should be backup up before any edits take place).

Cheers
RodG

21 May 2014, 11:20

#5

rbarbour

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Re: Cpanel for editting

RodG:
Just to help confuse things <g>, Cpanel has several different editors, one for HTML, one for 'code', and one for 'text'.

I've never used the HTML editor (I've always had something else available that I'm familiar with).

The 'code' editor really sucks. It's very slow except on really small files. It does make code look 'pretty' though. :) I don't trust this for editing at all.

Agree

RodG:

The 'text' editor is one I've come to trust for those edits that really must be done on a live site and/or for quick n dirty hacks. If it has ever caused me any problems it was so long ago that I've forgotten about them.

Having said that, for most people, you are far better off to download and edit the files locally. It's easy to keep backups that way (and all files should be backup up before any edits take place).

Cheers
RodG

I for one use the Cpanel 'text' editor for every edit made to my Demo Dev sites and have never had any issues. It provides quick n dirty hacks as RodG says.

I do many edits using the browsers web developer tools, copy/paste to the Cpanel 'text' editor and again without issues.

I think the main reason not to do this on a live site is due to missing bits and pieces of code that will result in 'blank pages' for your visitors.

Create a sub-folder, do a separate ZC install and make your edits there first.

My opinion of course.

21 May 2014, 18:17

#6

stitchnkitty

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Re: Cpanel for editting

TY for all the great info since I am having problems working with my site.. I will eliminate one possible problem by getting intimate with CrimsonE

21 May 2014, 19:44

#7

hunteryz

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Re: Cpanel for editting

I used notepad for editing files, It works great

21 May 2014, 20:07

#8

mc12345678

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Re: Cpanel for editting

hunteryz:
I used notepad for editing files, It works great

Haven't tried it yet, but there is notepad++. I typically use netbeans because of the various cross-check features available such as parentheses matching (and other types of enclosures), visual formatting/color coding, in line code checking (for that missing semi-colon, etc.

For the quick edit, from ftp program open the file (notepad also) make change, select save, go back to ftp and am asked to update the file. Clear cache as necessary and off I go.

There are plenty of tools, each have their strengths and desired improvements. I will say that netbeans seems to use a lot of resources, but I may have also installed some extra features of little importance.

21 May 2014, 23:49

#9

gjh42

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Re: Cpanel for editting

The basic Notepad with certain settings can corrupt PHP files, as a minimum by double-spacing all lines, and possibly inserting characters that will cause errors. It may work fine if you are sure of having the right settings, but I always use Notepad++, which has plenty of code-handling features (not sure how it compares to Netbeans).