Web Editor: WinSCP and Notepad++
I found a new combination for Windows web design/programming that I really like: WinSCP and Notepad++. I have been a fan of Notepad++ for a long time. It’s quick, has a ton of features I use (color coding, element matching, auto-complete, supports a ton of file formats, etc.) and all around it just works. I also really enjoyed the built in FTP synchronizing. When I recently got a new computer with Windows 7 though, I found that the Notepad++ FTP plug-in isn’t available by default. While trying to figure out how to enable it I found a post talking about the WinSCP/Notepad++ combo, so i gave it a try.
First the setup, it’s really pretty simple. Just get WinSCP and run the installer. The do the same for the latest Notepad++ . After that run WinSCP and connect to a scp/sftp/ftp source. Go to Options > Preferences > Editors and change whatever extensions you want (.htm, .html, .css, .php, etc) to use Notepad++.
Now whenever I open a file with one of those extensions from WinSCP it automatically opens in Notepad++. If you modify the file and then save it, the changes will automatically be uploaded to the remote server. I have been using this setup for about a week and really like it. having a full features FTP client makes it a lot easier to move around images and other files that I am using on the site, and it integrates just as well with Notepad++ as their old built in plug in.
Overall, while it might not replace Dreamweaver if you are coding all day every day, Notepad++ and WinSCP work great for quick fixes and is usable enough that you won’t go crazy if you need to spend a few hours with it. And the price is just right: FREE!