Memento Text Editor

A simple, elegant text editor with automatic saving and version history through ring buffers.

Background -- The Why

So I was overclocking the ram on my pc, and I went a bit too far. I booted and was writing a lengthy response in LinkedIn, and the Chrome window crashed. After a quick error check, I refreshed the window.

And my hard earned, much considered, too lengthy and probably annoying message was gone.

So. Here we are. A text editor that saves constantly to a ring buffer.

Future Features

The next logical step is to integrate it into the GUI so that whatever window you're working on, it captures the text, and saves it.

At this point, I thought it would be creepy, requires encryption, privacy concerns, and so forth.

But as a mental exercise, I enjoyed this.

Features

• Automatic Saving: Saves your work automatically when you stop typing (configurable idle time)
• Ring Buffer Versioning: Maintains multiple versions of your text with intelligent buffer sizing
• Multiple Mementos: Organize your writing into separate mementos (documents)
• Clean Interface: Minimalist text editor focused on writing
• Cross-Platform: Works on Linux, macOS, and Windows with Python 3.8+

Installation

Prerequisites

• Python 3.8 or higher
• tkinter (usually included with Python, but may need separate installation on Linux)

Linux (Ubuntu/Debian)

# Install tkinter if not available
sudo apt install python3-tk

# Clone or download the memento directory
# Then run:
cd memento
python3 memento.py

macOS

# tkinter is usually included with Python on macOS
cd memento
python3 memento.py

Windows

# tkinter is usually included with Python on Windows
cd memento
python memento.py

Usage

Starting the Application

Run the main application:

python3 memento.py

First Launch

On first launch, you'll see the memento selector with no existing mementos. Click "Create New" to start your first memento.

Working with Mementos

• Create New: Start a new memento (document)
• Open Existing: Select from your existing mementos
• Auto-Save: Your work is automatically saved when you stop typing
• Keyboard Shortcuts:
  • Ctrl+S: Force save
  • Ctrl+N: Create new memento
  • Ctrl+O: Open memento selector

Data Storage

All data is stored in ~/.Memento/ directory:

~/.Memento/
├── 0/                    # First memento
│   ├── control.json     # Metadata and ring buffer info
│   ├── 0.txt           # Snapshot files
│   ├── 1.txt
│   └── ...
├── 1/                   # Second memento
│   └── ...
└── memento.log         # Application logs

Ring Buffer System

Each memento uses a ring buffer to store multiple versions:

• Smaller files: More save points (up to 50)
• Larger files: Fewer save points (minimum 3)
• Automatic adjustment: Buffer size adjusts based on content size
• No manual cleanup needed: Old versions are automatically managed

Architecture

The application consists of several modules:

• memento.py: Main application entry point and workflow management
• storage.py: File management and ring buffer logic
• editor.py: Main text editor window
• selector.py: Memento selection interface
• autosave.py: Automatic saving logic based on idle detection
• constants.py: Configuration and utility functions

Configuration

Edit constants.py to customize:

• IDLE_THRESHOLD_SECONDS: Time to wait before auto-saving (default: 1.5s)
• MIN_BUFFER_SIZE: Minimum ring buffer size (default: 3)
• MAX_BUFFER_SIZE: Maximum ring buffer size (default: 50)

Troubleshooting

"No module named 'tkinter'"

On Linux, install tkinter:

sudo apt install python3-tk

Permission Errors

Ensure you have write permissions to your home directory for the ~/.Memento/ folder.

Application Crashes

Check the log file at ~/.Memento/memento.log for error details.

Development

Running Tests

# Install pytest if needed
pip install pytest

# Run tests (when available)
pytest tests/

Code Structure

The application follows a modular design with clear separation of concerns:

• GUI components are in separate modules
• Storage logic is isolated and testable
• Auto-save functionality is independent and reusable

License

This project is open source. Feel free to modify and distribute.

Version History

• v1.0.0: Initial release with core functionality
  • Auto-save with idle detection
  • Ring buffer version management
  • Multi-memento support
  • Cross-platform compatibility