Question

This seems to be very generic issue related with many different text editors (or maybe copy-paste mechanism in Windows?). Often when I copy-paste fragments of indented code I end up with the first line indented correctly and the rest of lines shifted right by one level and needing manual correction (which is irritating).

For example when I paste code:

int i = 0;
for(; i < 5; ++i){
     System.out.println(i);
}

The effect often looks like:

int i = 0;
    for(; i < 5; ++i){
         System.out.println(i);
    }

This problems occurs even when using ultra-advanced IDEs like Eclipse. What is the cause of that problem and why have I had to deal with it for so many years?

Answer 1

What is the cause of that problem

The IDE is probably trying to do some sort of smart indenting on your behalf, but in this case it does look like a bug.

The Zeus editor does something very similar.

As an example of what I mean assume you copy this text to the clipboard:

System.out.println(i+1);
System.out.println(i+2);
System.out.println(i+3);

If you then paste that code into into your example in the location shown below:

int i = 0;
for(; i < 5; ++i){
    System.out.println(i);
} <-- place cursor on this line

You should end up with this code (that is what Zeus does):

int i = 0;
for(; i < 5; ++i){
    System.out.println(i); < place cursor on this line
    System.out.println(i+1);
    System.out.println(i+2);
    System.out.println(i+3);
}

As you can see this is different from what you may have expected which is this:

int i = 0;
for(; i < 5; ++i){
    System.out.println(i); < place cursor on this line
System.out.println(i+1);
System.out.println(i+2);
System.out.println(i+3);
}

That is smart indenting .

why have I had to deal with it for so many years?

There should be an option in the IDE to turn off this feature. Zeus certainly has such an option.