After searching through FTP modules, I thought my search could have skipped a module that interested me so I posted what I desired in Post installation (original introductory paragraph quoted next) the same as below. I think it would be a good idea for a module but some aspects of it might not be worthy of one. I'm posting it here in hope of some feedback and in case it generate a brainstorming, perhaps even getting a co-maintainer (or someone thta want to take over).
Before posting my proposition idea on Module Development and Code Questions for feedback, I thought I'd try my luck here in case I missed a module in my search that would do the trick or could do it with some modification.
I like editing my pages with an HTML IDE because of the speed, keyboard shortcuts, syntax highlighting, bracket matching, wizards, various utilities, seeing at the same time WYSIWYG mode along code mode & switching between them very fast so I can edit the mode that seem better to me (generator when it's simple (like text blocks) and background code when I doubt preciseness or elements order (although generally after code is generated)) and last, but not the least: autocompletion ; that drop-box with tags list then elements list save an appreciative amount of typing and mental searching. But the software don't only have an IDE, it also have remote file management using FTP so in a second I can save the file locally and add it to a queue that while I code for the following few seconds, is uploaded to my host.
It should be noticeable that I'm quite partial to offline page editing but I also love all the aspects of CMS (online). So up to now to put the page online, I copy-pasted the body content into a node ; by clicking at the beginning of the page in WYSIWYG mode then switch to code where my cursor would be located just after <body> then selecting to the end (shift+ctrl+end) then went back a couple lines up (shift+up) to just before </body>. Pasting the HTML body into a node is a bit longer than hitting a shortcut to have the page uploaded but it's no big deal up to there.
The bulk of the problem come after: when I preview seeing the node body, I have an incredible urge to edit directly online instead of doing it in the software then copy-pasting back in the editing node overwriting what was there (also adding a few clicks & shortcuts to the process). So I end up with different versions and more oftent than not loosing all the changes I made while previewing because I often start the editign my website content even before accessing it as load up their offline counterpart in the software ; as it's likely that I won't remember or recreate most of the lost changes, I feel at a loss.
I think a good solution to integrate an offline editor would be to upload the HTML pages with FTP as it's very quick in the the integrated software or even on command-line ; after the upload, the node would be updated using the remote file either through a cron or a special page submition (an edit page without a body, perhaps a remote file path instead).
One of my first fear using such a project was if someone cracked the host FTP, he/she could create a node without access to the CMS the could try to inject something to create a CMS backdoor. Theat fear went away as I thought how easy it is to become superuser (user 1) once one have FTP access ; so why bother creating/finding a narrow back-door when you have access to a double-gate at the entrance?
Thank you for your attention and please let me know if a module could handle a good portion of the desired result or where could I have the most chance of getting a hint to where one would be (some forum or channel).
DynV
speed, keyboard shortcuts, syntax highlighting, bracket mat
