MishMash

If you don't have EditPad click here for a free trial

The MishMash Color Palette for EditPad Pro

September 2019 news flash:

This page now has two versions of MishMash:

1. one for EPP7 (hard to import, see detailed instructions)
2. one for EPP8 (easy to import). This is a straight port of the version for EPP7 (so far I haven't taken advantage of the new color palette features in EPP8).

---

The MishMash color palette can work with any file type, but let's start with screenshots of it with some languages that have tailor-made syntax-coloring schemes for it.

1. with Markdown

2. with an INI file

3. with AutoHotkey

4. with Anki

Schemes specifically made for MishMash

• Anki for MishMash
• Autohotkey for MishMash
• INI for MishMash
• Markdown for MishMash

Adapting an existing scheme for MishMash is easy. More about this further down this page.

How to Import the MishMash Color Palette into EditPad

TL;DR: using EditPad Pro 8 or above? It's easy.

• Download MishMash.ini at the top of this page (click the file, click Raw, select File/Save As)
• In EPP8, select Options / Configure File Types
• Select a File Type with which you'd like to try MishMash (you can revert in a flash)
• Click on the Colors and Syntax tab
• Click Customize
• Click Import and select MishMash.ini
• Click Apply and OK twice

Using EditPad Pro 7: It's harder. Follow the instructions below.

First off, if you don't have EditPad click here for a free trial.

Second, here's the bad news. In EditPad Pro 7, importing a color palette is not as easy as clicking a button. It will require about five minutes of your focused attention.

Ready? Here are the steps.

Phase 1: Be Warned

This procedure has you change some values in your EditPad configuration file which is inherently hacky.If you don't follow the steps below to back up that file and end up with a corrupted file that loses your other settings… You were warned.

There is always a risk with this kind of procedure — my instructions could be unclear or slightly wrong — so just be conscious of this before you start, and tread lightly. Heck, I have messed up my EPP configuration file before just by breathing on the screen as it showed the unopened file in the file manager! If you don't like these odds, don't come to the race track.

TL;DR: if your dog gets the flu or you have to sell your house as a result of this operation, I don't want to hear about it.

Phase 2: Create New Palette

• In EditPad, in any file, navigate to Options / Configure File Types / Colors and Syntax Tab
• At the top, next to the name of the current color palette, click Customize
• At the top of the next screen, click Create New Color Palette

• In the Palette Name box at the top right, rename the palette to MishMash
• Click OK as many times as needed, and close EditPad.

Phase 3: Edit INI File

• Did you really close EditPad? Including the forum? Double-check, and make sure EditPad is closed.
• Navigate to your EditPad Pro options folder. To do so, copy this string and paste it in the address bar of your file manager (such as Windows Explorer or Directory Opus): %APPDATA%\JGsoft\EditPad Pro 7
• Locate this file: EditPadPro7.ini
• Copy it three times to different locations so you have backups.
• Open one of the backups in EditPad. Do not open the actual file.
• At the top of the file, in the Syntax Colors section, find the number corresponding to MishMash (on the screenshot, it is the number 8).

• Still in that same file, assuming the number was 8, search for these two consecutive sections:

  1. [SyntaxColors8]
  2. [SyntaxColorsRegex8]

Note the huge line numbers on the screenshot: search for the sections, don't try to scroll down!

• Note the line number at which the first section begins (Options / Line Numbers)
• Delete both sections completely (the screenshot above is partial, you have to select all the values under the two headings)
• Save the file but don't close.
• Open this file, click Raw at the top right, save and open in EditPad. It contains the correct values for MishMash.

• Look for the two same headings [SyntaxColors#] and [SyntaxColorsRegex#] and replace the numbers with your magic number for MishMash noted above, in both sections
• Copy everything, tab to the file where you deleted that same section, and paste in the place where you deleted, if you wrote down the line number (otherwise it probably doesn't matter).
• Back up this backup file
• Close EditPad
• Rename the file you were working on to the name for the actual configuration file, EditPadPro7.ini, renaming the original if needed.

Phase 4: Start using the MishMash color palette

• Open EditPad and navigate to Options / Configure File Types / Colors and Syntax Tab. If you inspect the color palette, you should see that it contains the correct colors.
• You can start using it, either by trying to assign it to random syntax-coloring schemes, or by using syntax-coloring schemes that are made for it (see the top of this file).
• Remember that in each case, for each file type that you want to use MishMash with, you need to go to Options / Configure File Types / Colors and Syntax Tab and specify that you want to use it.

Adapting Existing Schemes for MishMash: IT'S EASY!

Adapting existing schemes for MishMash is easy because of the palette's range.

Here's a summary of the steps to follow once you have installed MishMash:

• Download my Template to Adapt MishMash to any language, and read about how it works on the page about color palettes

• Download and install the JGsoft Custom Syntax Coloring Scheme Editor, which is a free download for EditPad Pro users.
• Navigate to your EditPad config folder (paste %APPDATA%\JGsoft\EditPad Pro 7 in your file manager to go there).
• Syntax coloring schemes are files with a jscscs extension. Copy the file you want to adapt, (for instance Csharp.jgcscs) and rename it to something like Csharp for Mishmash.jgcscs
• Double-click the file: it opens in the JGsoft Custom Syntax Coloring Scheme Editor.
• Start in the General tab. Edit the scheme name, for instance Python for MishMash color palette, and fill in the relevant fields.
• Important: still in that General tab, at the bottom, select Options / EditPad Pro 7 Palettes / MishMash
• Now click the Preview button and see how the sample text changes. You'll come back and check that after modifying the color classes.
• Now click on the Coloring Scheme tab. Note that it shows a list of elements, which all have a Name. The only thing you need to do is select different colors in the Color pull-down menu for each item. If you followed the Important step above, the colors should be previews of the colors in MishMash.
• Do the same in the Brackets tab.
• Return to the General tab and click Save. Do not close the syntax-coloring editor.
• Close and restart EditPad. Open a file of the adequate type. Navigate to Options / Configure File Types / Colors and Syntax Tab / Syntax Coloring Scheme pull-down menu: your new scheme will be on the list. Select it.
• See if the file displays properly. Most likely, you'll want to tweak things. Rinse and repeat.
• Before sharing your scheme, use it for a week so you can work out all the kinks.
• When you're ready to share your scheme, visit the JGsoft Custom Syntax Coloring Scheme Editor page and navigate to the Upload section. Later, on that same page, you can edit or delete the scheme.