If my memory serves me correct, working directly on the selection was not reliable, which made me use the clipboard instead.

So I agree. A few more functions added to the API would make script writing for the TE much simpler, like if text.caret_line_index and text.caret_column_index could be exposed as props that can be manipulated by add-on developers. The TE undo seems funky too, if ex. you have done some 3d view operations inbetween your text editing(but I'll have to do a proper report on that).

Are there any objections on suggesting additional TE functions in python operators this way?

In D5097#116437, @Peter Fog (tintwotin) wrote:

If my memory serves me correct, working directly on the selection was not reliable, which made me use the clipboard instead.

Nevertheless, improving the API is the way to go.

So I agree. A few more functions added to the API would make script writing for the TE much simpler, like if text.caret_line_index and text.caret_column_index could be exposed as props that can be manipulated by add-on developers. The TE undo seems funky too, if ex. you have done some 3d view operations inbetween your text editing(but I'll have to do a proper report on that).

Are there any objections on suggesting additional TE functions in python operators this way?

Not sure it helps to suggest other functions now, first we would need a way to implement them cleanly.

So the first step is to locate bugs and shortcomings of the TE API? I guess no one knows this better than @Jacques Lucke (JacquesLucke)?

These python operators in this commit properly can't be fixed without the API change you're suggesting.

But there are others like the ones by Kaio:
https://github.com/K-410/blender-scripts/blob/master/2.8/text_insert2.py

Demo gif:

https://github.com/K-410/blender-scripts/blob/master/2.8/text_move_toggle.py
https://github.com/K-410/blender-scripts/blob/master/2.8/text_toggle_comment.py
https://github.com/K-410/blender-scripts/blob/master/2.8/text_copy2.py

He was the one mentioning text.caret_line_index and text.caret_column_index as important missing functions from the api, if the TE add-ons should have cleaner code.

@Campbell Barton (campbellbarton) For some TE API suggestions Kaio/Iceythe writes:

"As for API requests:

There is currently no elegant way of setting the cursor in the text editor. There exists region_location_from_cursor() and bpy.ops.text.cursor_set(), both which operate on pixel coordinates and aren’t reliable for getting and setting arbitrary positions, especially when the cursor or destination is off-screen.
A cursor RNA prop definition with both read/write capabilities or a function to set cursor position by line/column is what we need.

Getting the selected text should be made easier, either by having a function like text.get_selection() or accessing a property like text.selection. As of now it takes around 20-25 lines of code just to get multi-line selection as a raw string.

Campbell not too long ago added a feature to make an input field active when a menu or panel was called, which is what the new Rename Active Item does. In python we can now utilize this by setting activate_init to True before defining the UILayout prop.
The operator bpy.ops.text.jump(), CTRL J, should utilize this behavior, too, and have its line property compatible with the new activate_init so we don’t have to click the input field. activate_init currently only appears to work for StringProperty types so it needs to be made compatible with other kinds of properties like ints and floats."

This is properly not the best place to discuss this, nor is this: https://blenderartists.org/t/how-would-you-show-some-love-for-the-blender-text-editor/1163857/25
I'm not able to code C, so I don't know to proceed with this?

@Campbell Barton (campbellbarton) There is actually an old patch which I think may solve the API issues you mention: D1613

In order to get the text selection in a more effective way, this patch needs to be implemented: D6377

With the current module owner of the Text Editor in power, I have no faith in anything changing in the Text Editor ever, so I'm giving up this patch.