| Application | PLAXIS 2D PLAXIS 3D |
| Version | PLAXIS 2D all supported versions PLAXIS 3D all supported versions |
| Date created | 2 October 2026 |
| Date modified | 2 October 2026 |
| Original author | Stefanos Papavasileiou - Technical Support Group |
| Keywords | PLAXIS, Python, SciTE, editor, selection, colour, opaque |
The PLAXIS installation includes SciTE, a lightweight editor that can be used to write and run Python scripts for PLAXIS. With the default selection colour, highlighted code may be difficult to read because the selection appears as a solid blue background.
You can improve the contrast by adding a selection background setting to the SciTE user properties file.
Although PLAXIS offers SciTE for writing and running Python scripts, many prefer modern IDEs such as Visual Studio Code or PyCharm, which offer advanced features like intelligent code completion, integrated debugging, and extension support.
Instructions
- Open SciTE via PLAXIS Input/Output application, under Expert > Python > Editor...
- Open the user options file. From the menu, select Options > Open User Options File.
- Add the selection setting. In SciTEUser.properties, add the following line:
selection.back=#0000003C - Save the file. Use File > Save, or press Ctrl+S.
- Check the result. Reopen a Python script and select a block of code. The code should remain readable while selected.
Note: Enter the property exactly as shown, without spaces around the period or the equals sign.
After this change, the selection overlay is less intrusive, allowing you to highlight, copy, or review Python code without obscuring the text.