MarcEdit 5.0 beta Preview Mode

I thought I’d post a little more information regarding MarcEdit’s new Preview Mode. Earlier, I’d mentioned that I will be implementing a preview mode into the MarcEditor. The reason for this is many, but here are a few of the highlights:
1) Will load just the first nnn number of bytes into the editor. This will speed up file loading, while still allowing the user to use all the global editing functions.
2) Removes the file size limitations. The theoretical file size limit in the MarcEditor is 2 GB on a 32 bit system and 4 GB in a 64 bit system. This will no longer be the case in the preview mode. Since only a snippet of the file is loaded, the Editor will now be able to process files of any size.
3) Window locking. When in the preview mode, the preview window is set as readonly by default. This means that the data in the preview pane isn’t editable via the keyboard, but all global functions work as expected. This is done to make file saving extra fast. However, if you want to edit the data in the preview pane, you can unlock the window. This slows saving from the preview mode, because of the file tracking involved, but I want to make sure everyone can work with the program the way that they want to. So example of speed differences. Using a 300 MB file as an example — if I open the file in preview mode, the file takes 0.08 seconds to load. If I load the entire file, it takes 173 seconds. If I save the file with the preview pane locked, it takes approximately 12 seconds. If I save the file with the lock off and modify the data in the preview pane from the keyboard, the save operation takes 63 seconds due to the internal file tracking and manipulation needed to reinsert the modified data in the pane. So its a big difference — but I think that this will be very useful for folks. I know that in the short period that I’ve had it and have been testing it — I’ve been very excited to have it and hope others will find it exciting as well.

Below, I’m attaching a screenshot to show what this feature is going to look like. I have some testing to do to make sure its all working like I want it to — but I’m hoping that I’ll be able to make it available first thing Monday or Tuesday.

–Terry


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