Guidance Request for Forced Upgrade

[jackosullivan2]

I've been perfectly happy maintaining a 50+-year-old simulation program using Intel Visual Fortran Composer XE 2013 Sp1.3.202 in VS2010.  I refused to upgrade VS2010 when they dropped macro recording, and it hasn't bothered me a bit.  I do not need any of the newer language features, but I do need to keep tweaking the simulator as users find new problems.

However, now the Guardians of Our Network have decided that I can no longer keep VS2010 on my computer, and I am searching for the least painful way to switch "up" to something that offers all the compilation features of the VF Composer XE 2013 Sp1, WITH the ability to record text-editing macros.

This (really)  old programmer would greatly appreciate any guidance you might have to offer (besides retiring ;-).

Thanks so much, and God bless!!!

[andrew_4619]

By selecting the "correct"  compiler options  compiling with the lasted VS and OneAPI should be no issue. 

If you look at https://marketplace.visualstudio.com/items?itemName=XavierPoinas.TextMacrosforVisualStudio201220132015

"What is it? An extension for Visual Studio 2012-2019 that brings back support for macros in text/code editors. These macros can be used to automate repetitive text editing tasks. You may have used such macros in previous versions of Visual Studio. Indeed, macros used to be supported and removed in Visual Studio 2010."

[JohnNichols]

Back in the late 80s, you could buy a text editor called VEDIT from Canada. This editor allowed you to compile MS Fortran from within the editor and get the output back.  It could hold the largest DXF files, which can be a pain to debug in AutoCAD. It had a macro language built in.  The modern version is still available and for creating DXF files from Fortran it is absolutely necessary.  

It also has a great block feature so you could mark blocks and delete them.  

Not all updates are better.  

I am not suggesting this, just noting that we live in a world of rapid constant change. 

I do wonder why the updates for Intel Fortran in the odd years start numbering at 0 and in the even years at 1.  Very strange. 

[jimdempseyatthecove]

RE: missing newer VS Editor missing macro recording.

While the newer VS Editor session is missing this (old) feature, it does support live update of files should an outside editor make changes. So you could have your project(s) open in the newer MS VS, and when the need comes, edit the sources with an alternate editor with macro capability (VEDIT, BRIEF, etc...).

My favorite is/was TECO.

My current usage of live update is I keep frequent earlier revisions of the code in different folders. e.g. Source.001, Source.002, ...

Then, if something goes sideways, I use BeyondCompare  while MS VS session is open, to compare folders, select the file of interest, expand views, then look for and fix newly introduced bugs. Upon "save", the edits appear in the opened MS VS editor tab open to that file.

Jim Dempsey

[jackosullivan2]

Thank you all so much for the suggestions.  I'm leaning towards Andrew's extension approach, mainly to minimize the new things that this old brain might have to tackle

For that same reason, does anyone know the most recent Visual Studio that can work with VF Composer XE 2013 Sp1 (Package ID w_fcompxe_2013_sp1.3.202)?

[jackosullivan2]

Found the answer: Intel® Visual Fortran Composer XE 2013 SP1 supports Microsoft Visual Studio 2013, 2012, 2010 and 2008.  That was on https://www.intel.com/content/www/us/en/developer/articles/technical/configuring-visual-studio-for-mixed-language-applications.html 

Thanks again, everyone, and of course ..

God bless!!!