--- Shareware Version ---

Copyright © 1993-2002 by Aleksander Simonic. All rights reserved.

What is WinEdt?

WinEdt (shareware) is a powerful, extremely flexible and versatile editor and shell for MS Windows with a strong predisposition towards the creation of [La]TeX documents.

DO NOT, however, mistake WinEdt itself for a TeX system! You'll have to download and install your own (free) Win32 TeX system (eg. MiKTeX, or fpTeX/web2c) from CTAN.

Check out WinEdt's Downloads page for more information on WinEdt, TeX and links to other programs needed to make TeX operational on Win32 platform.

By default WinEdt's Menu is configured to run as a front end (GUI) for the MiKTeX (freeware) distribution. However, it is quite straightforward to make any modifications (through the Options| Menu Setup Dialog) and thus configure WinEdt for a different TeX package (eg. fpTeX), or even define a completely different set of accessories.

As an editor WinEdt allows you to exploit its intuitive (customizable) predefined interface and graphic controls. However, if you are not too keen on the mouse interface, don't worry: WinEdt also provides the means to customize its keyboard interface, allowing you to use double keystroke shortcuts that can be associated with any menu item (macro, command, utility). Menu Setup and, in particular, the (invisible) popup menus, are available to provide this functionality...

Unlike most MS Windows editors, WinEdt is not based on Windows Edit or RichEdit controls but has been written from scratch (providing custom responses to Mouse and Keyboard Input and implementing its own Paint procedure which analyzes the text and determines the colors). While these features make it possible to do almost anything (while keeping the source files 100% ASCII) it also implies that WinEdt has to provide support for any language- or sometimes even hardware-specific behavior which applications based on standard controls transparently inherit (for example, Bidirectional text). Assuming there is enough interest in any such new feature I will usually implement it, following reports and suggestions from interested users. However, such an implementation is not always straightforward and it may take time. Please be patient!

WinEdt is currently lacking support for UNICODE and bidirectional text.

Which version of WinEdt is right for you?

WinEdt 5

For most users the latest release WinEdt 5 is the best choice. WinEdt 5 is a native 32-bit application compiled with Borland's Delphi 5 Pro. WinEdt 5 runs only on WinNT/2000/XP or 95/98/ME.

What do you need to run WinEdt 5?

• IBM Compatible PC with color display and mouse
• Pentium 166MHz CPU (or better)
• 32Mb RAM (recommended: 64Mb or more)
• 30Mb Hard Drive Space available (recommended: 100Mb or more)
• Win95/98/ME or WinNT/2000/XP

WinEdt 5 does run on weaker systems (eg. Intel 486CPU) as long as your System is properly configured and you have WinNT/2000/XP or 95/98/ME installed on your computer. However, if your system does not meet the above requirements or if you experience problems with WinEdt 5 installation you should consider installing the older release of WinEdt32 or even a 16-bit version of WinEdt, Release 1.41-e, which is less resource-consuming and more suitable for slower systems (while still providing much of the functionality of WinEdt 5).

If you upgraded your computer to WinXP from a previous version of Windows (9x/ME/NT) it is recommended that you re-install WinEdt 5. In particular, on Windows XP WinEdt 5 should not be run with Win9x compatibility layer (after all it is a native NT/2000/XP application!). Compatibility layer may cause problems with basic functionality (such as Copy, Cut, and Paste).

WinEdt32

WinEdt32 [Release 1.414], is a native 32-bit application compiled with Borland's Delphi 4 Pro. WinEdt32 runs only on WinNT/2000/XP or 95/98/ME. The program inherits the enhanced functionality of its popular predecessor, WinEdt 1.41-d, while its appearance and functionality gives the accurate feeling of its being a native Win32 application.

What do you need to run WinEdt32?

• IBM Compatible PC with color display and mouse
• Pentium 133MHz CPU (or better)
• 16Mb RAM (recommended: 32Mb or more)
• 10Mb Hard Drive Space available (recommended: 20Mb or more)
• WinNT/2000/XP or 95/98/ME

WinEdt32 does run on weaker systems (eg. Intel 486CPU) as long as your System is properly configured and you have WinNT/2000/XP or 95/98/ME installed on your computer. However, if your system does not meet the above requirements you should consider installing the 16-bit version of WinEdt, Release 1.41-e, which is less resource-consuming and more suitable for slower systems (while still providing much of the functionality of WinEdt32).

WinEdt16

WinEdt16 is compiled with Borland's TPW 1.5 and as such it is NOT a native 32-bit application. However, WinEdt detects the presence of a 32-bit Windows API if you are running Win95/98/NT, and in that case uses over one hundred 32-bit API functions. This accounts for WinEdt's ability to handle long filenames and to interact with other 32-bit applications on your system. WinEdt 1.41 will run on Win3.x as well as on Win95/98/NT.

What do you need to run WinEdt16?

• IBM Compatible PC
• 386 / 33MHz CPU (or better)
• 8Mb RAM (recommended: 16Mb or more)
• 8Mb Hard Drive Space available (recommended: 20Mb or more)
• Win3x, or Win95/98/NT

WinEdt 5, WinEdt32 or WinEdt16?

For most users the latest release of WinEdt 5 is the best choice. WinEdt 5 is a direct successor of WinEdt32 and it provides new features, bug fixes and enhancements while being essentially compatible with WinEdt32. WinEdt32 remains as an option mostly for historic reasons and the future development of the program is limited to WinEdt 5 and its successors...

If you opt for simplicity you might choose a less resource-consuming WinEdt16, which also has a lower startup time. However, you should know that WinEdt 1.41-e is the end of one line, and only WinEdt 5 will be further developed and supported. The reason for this is (mostly) that maintaining a program with obsolete and no longer-supported programming tools (TPW) is becoming too much of a burden, while interest in 16-bit applications is rapidly fading.

WinEdt 5 and WinEdt32 require a different registration code. Registered users of any version of WinEdt will receive their new registration data upon request:

support@winedt.com (Subject: WinEdt - New Code)

Please include your old registration data and the version and build of the program for which you are requesting new data (as displayed in WinEdt's About Dialog).

Troubleshooting and Support

WinEdt has been thoroughly tested on all Windows platforms. It has proved to be very stable and reasonably fast. All reported bugs from the previous release have been eliminated. However, should you encounter a bug or (god-forbid) experience a crash, please send me a report containing as many details as possible. I'll do my best to track down the problem and fix it for the next release.

If you have trouble setting up WinEdt for a particular task, first read the relevant information in WinEdt's Help Menu. If all this proves to be insufficient to solve your problem, you can contact me by e-mail. I'll do my best to assist you with your problem. All such communications (of general interest) will be compiled into an "FAQ" document, to be included as a technical support in future releases of WinEdt, as well as available on WinEdt's Web page. WinEdt's on-line Help already contains many FAQ's and answers!

See also:

Known Problems
HEX Editing

Always on the alert: WinEdt Team at their HQ

Every picture tells a story: click here, if you will....