Code::Blocks - A few Tips

I'm trying to set up a new Linux box to do some code (C++) in code blocks, now I do like how easy linking with multiple libraries is with code blocks - rather than fiddling with the command line or creating a make file which can obfuscate your build results...

But I'm not a huge fan of Code::Blocks, my biggest problems at the moment is I have a huge screen resolution, but no-matter how big it never feels like I've got enough workspace area available, it sort of feels hemmed in, this mainly comes from the poor way you can't layout editor windows side by side, or horizontally.  Forcing you to feel one file open at a time.

Then add to this that some of the editor settings pages - like "Settings->Environment" - full the whole height of the screen.  So you're there trying to edit the editor and you have this whole page filled with settings, and just as annoyingly you can't click off the editor settings back into the editor to look at something you've changed... You have to accept the settings, close the settings page and then you can see what you've done, this disjoints what you've changed from what you're viewing.

But I have a couple of tips to help you make things better.. First of all, pop into the View table and turn on the TODO list

Dock the panel for to-do items wherever you like...

And then you can add simple "// TODO MESSAGE" type items into your code to remind you what you're up to.

Another tip, if you want to maximise your coding area, you can close the messages windows - where the build output and messages go - but then getting them back open is a pain... To open them again, just press F2!

And finally, another one to maximise your working space, the editor tab showing the filename you're typing in.. Double click it... This will move into the maximised area version of the editor (by default) its a new theme called "Code::Blocks::Minimal".  If this is not setup then you can go into "Settings -> Environment" and then select the "View" (eyeball) on the right, and you're looking to make sure that this setting is selected: