While writing JavaScript code, I often write debug messages to console using *console.log.* Though it is shorter than *System.out.println()* (hey, you Java!), which I am used to a lot, I still find it ineffective to type it every time.

So, I was following the approach to [bind console.log function to shorter name][1]. Here's another technique which is specific to Sublime Text.

[1]: https://veerasundar.com/blog/shortcut-to-console-log "Shortcut to console.log"

Using Sublime Text *Snippets* option, you can create a shortcut to a template and then you can insert that template in multiple places just by triggering the shortcut. Here's how I did it so that every time, I type *echo*, Sublime Text converts it into *console.log();*

Go to *Tools -> New Snippet*. Sublime will open a template in a new file. Now make sure you have this content in that file (or change it the way you want).

```xml
    <snippet>
    <content><![CDATA[
    console.log(
    ]]></content>
    
    <tabTrigger>echo</tabTrigger> -->
    
    <scope>source.js</scope>
    </snippet>
```

Then save this snippet file as *echo.sublime-snippet* under *Packages/User* folder. To find the location of *Packages/User* folder, in Sublime, go to *Preferences -> Browser packages* and note the location.

Restart sublime and then in a JavaScript file, start typing *echo* and Sublime will provide you with a dropdown to replace *echo* with the template you just created.

Creating a shortcut to console.log in Sublime Text 2


Recently I happened to use Windows to do some cross browser testing (no prizes for guessing the browser). It's  been a long time since I used Windows and Ubuntu has become my primary OS then. And, when I was a windows user, I never cared about its command prompt. Mainly because I never had anything to do in the command line.

But things have changed, thanks to Git. Now, the command line has become an inseparable tool in my dev life. Ubuntu has console which is quite effective to work with. But, Windows command prompt is never programmer-friendly.

For an example - have you ever tried to copy & paste text in command prompt? If you'd, you know its PITA. So, I was eagerly searching for an command prompt alternative just because of this one reason.

Thanks to [Console2][1], I found one.

[1]: http://sourceforge.net/projects/console/ "Console2 - command prompt alternative"

[![][3]][3]

[]: http://sourceforge.net/projects/console/

Here's why I like this little tool:

1.  Copying is now really simple: **Shift Left click **and **drag **to select text and copy. You can even enable the option to auto copy when you select the text.
2.  Pasting is *dead *simple - just **middle click**.
3.  Support for tabs - you can have multiple console tabs inside single window.
4.  Ability to set 'startup directory' and configure shortcut keys.

Now this Console2 has completely replaced the Windows command prompt & Power shell. If you are in Windows, try this - you won't regret.


Console2 - an alternative to Windows command prompt


Sometimes, I'm just lazy to type 'Ëœ*console.log*'Ëœ to print some data on the Firebug console. I often wanted to have a simple *echo() *function that spits whatever it gets to the console.

So, in every single JavaScript project I work on, I used to have this utility method:

```javascript
    function echo(obj){
      console.log(obj);
    }
    ...
    echo('Hello World');
```

It worked well. But there was a problem. The printed message on the console will always show the line number of *console.log  *as the source line number instead of showing the where exactly the *echo() *function is invoked.

There's another way to solve this. Instead of creating a new *echo() *method, I just need to bind it to the existing *console.log() *to a variable and the logging works like a charm. Like this,

```javascript
    window.echo = console.log.bind(console);
    window.oops = console.error.bind(console);
    ...
    echo('hello world');
    ...
    oops('I did it again');
```

The methods became shorter and the correct line numbers printed on the console!


#console (3)