After I order, will I get a password or key to convert the evaluation version of Boxer into a fully licensed version?

No … new software will be made available which is easily installed atop the evaluation version. All of your settings will be maintained. Other developers have found that software passwords and keys are frequently distributed on 'pirate' Internet sites, thus reducing sales and driving up the cost of software for paying customers.

Why can't other programs see the text I copied to the clipboard in Boxer?

You are almost certainly using an internal clipboard, rather than the Windows clipboard. Other programs can't see text that is placed on Boxer's internal clipboards. Use the Edit|Set Clipboard command to change the active clipboard back to the Windows clipboard.

Why is Boxer opening one particular file of mine in hex editing mode?

Boxer must be detecting that there's a null character in the file. The presence of even just a single null character (ie, the zero byte) in a file means the file must be classified as a hex/binary file, and cannot be edited in text mode.

There's an option that you might find more flexible/powerful in this regard. On the Configure|Preferences|Editing 2 dialog page, under Editing Options, select:

"Display a dialog with options for handling null characters"

This will allow you to choose how Boxer handles files with null characters. Options include deleting them, converting them to spaces or other characters, or opening them in hex mode.

Why am I having trouble opening filenames from Explorer when they contain embedded spaces?

This is due to a bug in Explorer. It doesn't enclose a filename in double quotes before sending it off to the associated application. In the file associations set up by Boxer's installer, double quotes have been added around “%1”, so you'll find these associations (.TXT, .BAT, etc) work fine. But for any file associations you create yourself, or if you elected not to allow Boxer's installer to create the associations, you'll need to manually edit the association to have double quotes around “%1”. You'll find that Boxer's help topic entitled ‘File Associations’ has additional useful information about this subject.

Sometimes when I return focus to Boxer it seems to be locked up.

This problem is under investigation. This situation can occur when a modal dialog is active (ie, topmost) and focus is switched away from Boxer. Upon returning to Boxer, input is expected in the topmost dialog, but the dialog may not have been repainted. As a workaround, try returning focus to Boxer using the Alt+Tab key sequence that is supported by Windows. This will cause the topmost dialog to be repainted properly in cases when changing focus by mouse clicking doesn't seem to work. UPDATE: fixed in version 14.0.

Sometimes when I open a file, Boxer shows that the file has been changed even before I've done any editing. How can this be?

More likely than not, you have asked that trailing blanks be removed from the ends of lines at file-load time. This option is located on the Configure|Preferences|File I/O dialog page.

Why doesn't the Find Text in Disk Files command search all of the files in the directory I point it to?

There's a checkbox on this dialog titled Consider Archive bit files. If this box is unchecked, Boxer will not search in any files whose archive bit is set. The default position is checked, so have another look and see if you cleared it by accident.

Why can't I see all my Windows fonts in the Screen Font dialog?

Boxer requires that fixed width fonts be used, so the Screen Font dialog box does not display proportionally spaced fonts. This is required, in part, to ensure that columnar selections can be highlighted neatly in rectangular blocks, and so that the Column Ruler can be used. These features would not be possible if the use of proportionally spaced fonts were permitted.

Will there be a Linux version of Boxer?

That's uncertain. We're keeping an eye on the Linux market, and will continue to do so.

How long did it take to develop Boxer for Windows?

Almost two years. Boxer for Windows was a ground-up effort, with almost none of the code from our earlier products being used in its development.

What language was Boxer written in? How many lines of code? What development tool was used?

Boxer for Windows currently consists of over 150,000 lines of C++ code. Borland's C++ Builder was used for development.

Where did the name 'Boxer' come from?

In the mid 1980s, one of the most popular editors for the PC was a product called BRIEF, which was then marketed by a company called UnderWare. In fact, the very first lines of Boxer/DOS were written using Brief, until Boxer was able to edit its own code. Anyway, the name Boxer was used as a play on words: another style of men's underwear!