Edit: New file (Sun. AM, 5/23/10) includes experimental animated Move code.
Edit: I've moved ou(), out() and outs() outside the protection of the module so, for example, outs() can be used anywhere you would have puts(), before.
Before I begin with the plugin, let me ask that those who like this thank Jim Foltz. I learned how to do this by studying Jim's WebConsole.
This is strictly for developers, hence the announcement here. The console (RCP) looks like this:
If you click "Init" you get this:
You can provide, via Setup, your own init code. Code in the console is executed when you click "Exec" or when you press Enter in the RCP. The output window, for the above code, reports:
The "Save", "Load", "Clear" and "Exit" buttons do what their names promise. "Output" toggles visibility of the Output window. "Setup" launches this dialog:
This lets you provide your own default save file, your own init code and "One-touch" commands for F1 through F12 (skipping, on PC, F6). These commands execute immediately when you press the key. Since you can load a program with these keys, there's no theoretical reason why you can't create a model of the Taj Mahal with a single keystroke.
As always, the window with focus receives keystrokes. One-touch commands work when RCP has focus.
We are not heading toward an IDE, here, however. Reason: HTML's textarea widget is not suitable for serious text editing. Sorry.
Extract to your Plugins directory. Ruby Console Pro is added below the Ruby Console in the Windows menu. Use outs to output a string (plus a newline). Use out to output a string plus a single space. Use ou to output a string and nothing else.
Edit: Version 0.? in continuous use developing move code.

