Markdown Editor and Shell Extensions

Latest Version 2.3.1 - 15 Sep 2024

A collection of tools for markdown files, to edit and view content:

A Markdown Text Editor to manually edit a markdown file, with instant preview of the output in a HTML Viewer.
A Preview handler which allows you to see the content of the markdown file without open it, in the "Preview Panel", integrated into Windows Explorer.

Features

No need to built the project with Delphi: an easy Setup is provided.
Supports Windows Vista, 7, 8, 10 and 11 (for 32 bits and 64 bits).
Themes (Dark and Light) according to user preferences of Windows Theme
Integrated also with other Shell Applications (like XYplorer)

Delphi: integration with MarkDown Help Viewer

For Delphi developers: use this tool to prepare and integrate a Help System in your application, using the "MarkDown Help Viewer" project.
Use the Markdown Text Editor to edit your help files and use the Markdown Help Viewer to show them.

Setup using the Installer

Click to download the MDShellExtensionsSetup.exe located also in the Release area. The Installer works both for 32 and 64 bit system.

For a clean Setup close all the windows explorer instances which have the preview handler active or the preview handler was used (remember the dll remains in memory until the windows explorer was closed).

Markdown Text Editor

A useful Text editor with instant preview of Markdown formatted content:

Manual Build and Installation (only for Delphi developers)

Learn more about the manual within our wiki. Dive deeper into everything related to this tool, its features, and how to make the most of it.

Preview Panel in action

In Windows 10 with Dark theme:

Manual Build and Installation (only for Delphi developers)

If you have Delphi 12, you can manually build the projects using:

\Source\MDShellExtensionsGroup.groupproj

or the command: Build.bat (defining location of your Delphi environment)

Warning: To simplyfy build of the projects, some third parties libraries are located into ext folder

To manually install the SVGShellExtensions.dll follow these steps:

Close all the windows explorer instances which have the preview handler active or the preview handler was used (remember the dll remains in memory until the windows explorer was closed).
If you have already used the installer uninstall the components from system.
To install manually the dll run the Unregister_Register.cmd (run-as-administrator): notice that you must change the path into cmd file.

Release Notes

15 Sep 2024: ver. 2.3.1

Built with Delphi 12.2

28 Aug 2024: ver. 2.3.0

Use of TFormTabsBar component (Delphi 12) for paging
Use of Styled Message Dialogs
Updated Setup to show errors registering dlls

28 May 2024: ver. 2.2.5

File Changed notification and reload only when App has focus
Small icons on Message Dialogs

23 May 2024: ver. 2.2.4

Fixed Registration of dll extension during Setup
Updated the latest Image32 library

21 May 2024: ver. 2.2.3

Added Packages in External Sources
Changed MessageDialogs with small animations
Fixed Version number into Installer

10 May 2024: ver. 2.2.2

Fixed Explorer Preview for Chinese chars
Added use of StyledComponents and Rounded Buttons in Explorer Preview
Fixed Initialization of GDI+

09 May 2024: ver. 2.2.1

Added File Changed notification and reload
Fixed Preview for Chinese chars
Added use of StyledComponents and Rounded Buttons
Built with Delphi 12.1
Built with Latest Image32 Library
Built with Latest Skia4Delphi 6.1 Library

20 Mar 2024: ver. 2.2.0

Fixed resize content when changing Monitor
Updated to latest version of HTMLViewer

13 Jan 2024: ver. 2.1.0

Built with Delphi 12
Updated Copyright
Aligned to MarkDown HelpViewer project
Added create table wizard

3 Nov 2023: ver. 2.0.2

Added "mark" command in markdown toolbar
Recognized 1) same as 1. (ordered list)
Added .text and .txt extensions to editor/shell extensions

25 Oct 2023: ver. 2.0.1

Fixed some "hints"
Uses System Border and Shadows for Forms

24 Oct 2023: ver. 2.0.0

Added use of Skia4Delphi
Added support for new image format (webp and wbmp)
Uses AnimatedStyledDialogs for messages
Added toolbar for markdown commands
Added dialog for input of hyperlink for Images and Files
Updated Markdown library with best support for CommonMark transformation

Subscript _text and Superscript ^text
Formulas (using Google Chart API)
==Markers==
Reference-style Links

29 Jun 2023: ver. 1.5.2

Fixed loading images with "spaces" in the filename
Fixed immediate-loading of new images when editing the file
During loading of remote images, user can stop loading pressing "Esc"
Updated Copyright for the Editor

26 Jun 2023: ver. 1.5.1

Fixed Preview of Markdown files with extensions different from .markdown

24 Jun 2023: ver. 1.5.0

Autoload local markdown files when clicked into Preview
The editor can open all markdown extensions: .md, .mkd, .mdwn, .mdown, .mdtxt, .mdtext, .markdown, .txt, .text'
Stopped image rendering during editing to speed-up
Added useful close button on Tabs
Hint full filename on Tabs
Save/Discard messaged default response inverted
Removed Settings "Search In Folder"

1 Nov 2022: ver. 1.4.3

Fixed loading images into Preview
Fixed the setting for local loading

11 Set 2022: ver. 1.4.1

Added Combobox for easy selection Markdown Dialect
Added Windows 11 light and dark styles
Fixed load file with blanks in content menu
Fixed loading ANSI files
Fixed AV in Settings with opened files

20 Jan 2022: ver. 1.3.0

Added Support for Windows 11
Fixed resize content

04 Sep 2021: ver. 1.2.0

Added Support for Delphi 11
Updated Image32 Lib

20 Jul 2021: ver. 1.1.0

Added Image32 Lib to best rendering of SVG Images

06 Jul 2021

First public release with setup

Credits

Many thanks to Rodrigo Ruz V. (author of theroadtodelphi.com Blog) for his wonderful work on delphi-preview-handler from which this project has used a lot of code and inspiration.

License

Licensed under the Apache License, Version 2.0 (the "License");

Unless required by applicable law or agreed to in writing, software distributed under the License is distributed on an "AS IS" BASIS, WITHOUT WARRANTIES OR CONDITIONS OF ANY KIND, either express or implied. See the License for the specific language governing permissions and limitations under the License.