Overview

PilotEdit is a powerful text/hex editor that lets you open and edit various file types. With a large selection of advanced features and an intuitive, customizable interface, the software is one of the most popular choices for software programmers and web developers of all skill levels.

Installation

Installing the software is as easy as downloading/running the setup file and following the instructions provided in the on-screen, wizard-style guide. This application is compatible with Windows 2000, XP, 2003, Vista, Server 2008, and 7 (both 32-bit and 64-bit).

Interface

At first glance the user interface appears to be cluttered, with about two dozen button icons scattered along the top of the main window. However, once you become familiar with the function of each of these buttons the full functionality of the software is unleashed and a sense of creative freedom and power is achieved. The left navigation pane displays a file tree window that shows the contents of the directories you are working within. At the bottom of the main window is an output window that shows how the code you are working on will appear in its finished form.

Pros

• Supports Unicode, DOS, and UNIX files

• HEX mode lets you delete, input, copy, paste, and cut information in a flash

• Provides support for more than 20 different file types, so you can edit any type of code

• Supports the editing of large files (up to 50 GB in size)

• Lets you customize syntax/keyword highlighting features

• Provides an advanced search/replace function that simplifies the process of performing batch operations

• Automatically encodes text and instantly converts text to ensure cross compatibility when you copy/paste information pertaining files that were encoded using different methods

• Integrated FTP/SFTP client gives you the ability to access, edit, and upload/download files to and from a Web server using industry-standard 256-bit AES encryption/decryption methods

• Can merge two text files into one with a click of the mouse

• Has won numerous software awards for its text editing capabilities, including the Editor's Pick Award from FreeDownloadsCenter, Brothersoft Editor's Pick, and Software.Informer Editor's Pick

• Lets you quickly find/remove duplicate data within a text file, eliminating the hassle of manually scanning for unnecessary data

• Automatically points out errors within code and provides recommendations for fixes. This feature makes it an excellent learning tool for novice programmers and web developers

Cons

• The user interface can take some time to get used to due to the overwhelming number of button icons that have to be moused over in order to reveal their purpose

Alternatives

Notable alternatives to PilotEdit include , , , and . Of these competitors, UltraEdit is perhaps the most popular cross-platform solution, providing an advanced PHP/Perl/Java/JavaScript editor that is also of an award-winning caliber.

Conclusion

If you're looking for in all-inclusive solution that simplifies and enhances the process of editing any code in any type of programming language, PilotEdit offers a professional-grade solution that is utilized by webmasters worldwide.