One of my favourite uses for TextEdit is to create content to put in an email. For instance Mac Mail doesn't let you insert a table in an email. But you can get round that by writing your content in TextEdit, including the table, then paste it into an email.
I didn't know some of these! But did you know you can double click on the inserted image, it opens in Preview and you can change its size there, once you save it will be reflected in the document as well. Works in El Capitan.
I am such a fan of yours-I wish I had 25% of the knowledge you possess-I am curious about how long you have been involved with computers and when you went on this journey to teach? I tip my hat to you🧢
Thanks a million, Gary, about the HTML part. When I use WordPress, I usually transfer to the web the text previously written with a text editor and make the changes (formating) afterward. I didn’t know that I can make those changes directly in TextEdit.
you truly are an expert, you deserve our admiration. Now lately, i don't understand because when i click on text editor it'll open the window finder, what have I done and how can i get back to just mere text editor?
You missed one of my favorite features. It never fails to blow people's minds. Option dragging to do a rectangular selection, rather than a line selection.
Thanks for another great video. What I like most about TextEdit is its stability. Question: Is there a way to add (external-ish) comments in colored boxes or even sticky notes? I can’t find it, and yet it seems pretty basic. Thanks!
Hi Gary this is going to sound a bit ambitious but I think you’ll understand why when I say I’d like to write the first draft of a novel inside TextEdit. It’s such a simple app that I think it would be ideal for the free flowing thinking that’s required. And I think it’s actually very doable. Except for one thing - there is no index / table of contents. Could you suggest some kind of workaround for this. Would massively appreciate it. Thanks!
2 years since... maybe someone will find this info useful: You create one txt file for every chapter and then you create an index txt, for example called 0index.txt and then you will have: chapter 1.txt chapter 2.txt chapter 2.1.txt chapter 3.txt and so on. Put everything in one folder and sort by name.
Hi Gary, thanks, as always. Would you recommend HTML as a way of storing and backing notes over the long term. If I’m not mistaken rtfd puts images and videos in a separate folder which is a bit of a bother.
I’m still working with El Capitan (late 2008 MBP 5,1) doesn’t look like has upgraded TextEdit, Version 1.11 (325) can do everything shown in this video.
One procedure that I do is copy and paste without all that original formatting that enclosed images. Don't know if there is a built-in Mac procedure or application for such. I use a paid application for such.
Hi, I'm looking to centre the actual page in full screen. I have wraptopage and richtext on, but everything is pushed to the left. I fooled with the ruler and looked for margin settings but can't seem to fix this. Can you help? (thanks for your videos so far)
@@macmost No if you click fullscreen after wrap to page, the page is in the attached to the left of the screen rather than in word where the page is in the centre and usually just grey either side.
@@Bellic_Ent Text edit doesn't have that "gray to either side" thing. It just doesn't work that way. You have the whole screen. Maybe use Pages instead if that feature is important to you.
Hi Gary I hope you can answer this question, I have the last couple of months used a lot TextEdit but I dont know how to customise the window so it stays in that size when I use TextEdit next time. I hope you can answer or either do a video about doing these kind of things It is only Textedit that reopen in the default size and its very small size my browser has no issue or any other app I know of.
@@macmost Ok thank you for letting me know and its not a problem when I know its not me who is doing something wrong. I can live with that 😂😂😂And I must say I really like this app. Its very logic layout and straight forward. I remember the first time I used it. It took me 5 min to setup the type of font and size and the necessary things. Because I am a photographer and making magazines. So this is just a really good tool for me. I tried windows office or word. first they cost a lots of money, and take a huge amount of space too. And 95 percent of all features I dont even need and takes to much time to understand what is what and what does what. TextEdit comes inbuild and straight forward.
Thanks! what I really miss in TextEdit is number of characters and characters with spaces in my text. Also approximate number of pages. Is there a way to add it?
Yes. You can use Shortcuts to add that. Not sure if you are familiar with Shortcuts, but I have videos on that too. Then you can use the Count function in a simple Shortcut to get the number off words or characters. Characters without spaces would require some programming through. Or, you could use Pages instead which has this built-in.
Hi Macmostvideo so why is text document changing on its own? I seem to have trouble when I update Imac but regarding text document the text just changed for absolute no reason strange things like this happen why dcan you help ?
My pet peeve with TextEdit is when in RTF mode a new document is opened with tabs every half inch and then I spend an enormous amout of time removing tabs rather than adding a few needed tabs. How do I get rid of the dozen+ tabs? Using Plain Text Format does not help.
Tab is one of those terms lately that confuses people. The tabs that I am referring to are maybe called tab stop in the ruler. There are four varieties: left, right, center, decimal. Very useful to make columns in a text document. Each time I open a new rtf the ruler is populated with a dozen tab stops. I want zero tab stops. Your video shows the tab stops I am talking about.
@@lourosinski6322 Ah, tab stops, I see. The phrase "a new document is opened with tabs" definitely tricked me into thinking of window tabs. Yes, the default RTF document opens with 12 half-inch tabs. I think that is inherited maybe from RTF word processors decades ago. You can always set up a blank document, remove the tabs, and save it. Then change it to a Stationary Pad and use it to create new TextEdit documents.
I wrote a reply a few minutes ago referring to WriteNow and it is gone now. Oh well. I tried your Stationary Pad idea and this is what happened. If I create a rtf document with desired tab positions and then delete the content and save the blank document, change it to Stationary Pad and double click on it it opens with the dozen tabs. But if I repeat the process but leave a word in the document so it is not blank then it opens with the desired tab positions and that word. I also notice another strange behavior which I will tell you about upon request. @@macmost
You can't add page numbers in TextEdit, at least not on the screen. You can when you print. If you need page numbers in the document while on the screen, use Pages instead.
@@macmost Thank you for your reply. I have tried to print with the numbering but wasn't successful. I assume the if the theme is underrated, it will be unlikely to be able to start the numbering on the fifth page...
I hadn't looked at my text edit files and when i checked in today they had all disappeared. Where are they? All my files were saved but now everything is greyed out.
@@macmost Is it possible to move around inside a TextEdit file with inserted links, something like Table of Content? Thanks for your great video, very helpful!
Why do text edit keep changing settings and messing u save choices ? so darn annoying even the size of text goes back to 12 and also on top of this spelling is useless too
One of my favourite uses for TextEdit is to create content to put in an email. For instance Mac Mail doesn't let you insert a table in an email. But you can get round that by writing your content in TextEdit, including the table, then paste it into an email.
cool
I didn't know some of these! But did you know you can double click on the inserted image, it opens in Preview and you can change its size there, once you save it will be reflected in the document as well. Works in El Capitan.
I am such a fan of yours-I wish I had 25% of the knowledge you possess-I am curious about how long you have been involved with computers and when you went on this journey to teach? I tip my hat to you🧢
First computer in 1983, computer science degree in 1992, started writing computer books and such in 1995. Read more: macmost.com/gary
Great video. Can we adjust page margins in TextEdit?
recently acquired a mac, thanks for the info, it's what I needed to hear
Thanks a million, Gary, about the HTML part. When I use WordPress, I usually transfer to the web the text previously written with a text editor and make the changes (formating) afterward. I didn’t know that I can make those changes directly in TextEdit.
If you are using WordPress then just work inside of WordPress. There is no need to work with HTML in TextEdit.
you truly are an expert, you deserve our admiration. Now lately, i don't understand because when i click on text editor it'll open the window finder, what have I done and how can i get back to just mere text editor?
You missed one of my favorite features. It never fails to blow people's minds. Option dragging to do a rectangular selection, rather than a line selection.
That is a good one. Not very useful unless you have a specific type of document you get that has data arranged like that.
much needed video
THANK YOU
Thanks for another great video. What I like most about TextEdit is its stability.
Question: Is there a way to add (external-ish) comments in colored boxes or even sticky notes? I can’t find it, and yet it seems pretty basic.
Thanks!
You are the very definition of "power user"🤓Thanks a bunch for another great video detailing the depth of standard apps, absolutely love it!
Thank you!!! Worked for me!
you make such great useful videos
Fantastic! Thank you. Another very useful video.
Very useful. Thank you.
Thank you, sir. This was very helpful. :))
Hi Gary this is going to sound a bit ambitious but I think you’ll understand why when I say I’d like to write the first draft of a novel inside TextEdit. It’s such a simple app that I think it would be ideal for the free flowing thinking that’s required. And I think it’s actually very doable. Except for one thing - there is no index / table of contents. Could you suggest some kind of workaround for this. Would massively appreciate it. Thanks!
2 years since... maybe someone will find this info useful:
You create one txt file for every chapter and then you create an index txt, for example called
0index.txt
and then you will have:
chapter 1.txt
chapter 2.txt
chapter 2.1.txt
chapter 3.txt
and so on.
Put everything in one folder and sort by name.
@@magnesiafrost1863 Not a bad idea thanks.
thanks... time stamp would be useful
Hi Gary, thanks, as always. Would you recommend HTML as a way of storing and backing notes over the long term. If I’m not mistaken rtfd puts images and videos in a separate folder which is a bit of a bother.
Thanks!!!
I’m still working with El Capitan (late 2008 MBP 5,1) doesn’t look like has upgraded TextEdit, Version 1.11 (325) can do everything shown in this video.
One procedure that I do is copy and paste without all that original formatting that enclosed images. Don't know if there is a built-in Mac procedure or application for such. I use a paid application for such.
Not sure what you mean. Just pasting without the text style? Like this? czcams.com/video/NIR9eZyUc8A/video.html
Have you made a tutorial about drag & drop text clippings?
czcams.com/video/XzBl4_Y9MTE/video.html
Hi, I'm looking to centre the actual page in full screen. I have wraptopage and richtext on, but everything is pushed to the left.
I fooled with the ruler and looked for margin settings but can't seem to fix this. Can you help?
(thanks for your videos so far)
Do you mean center the text? That's just Format, Text Center.
@@macmost No if you click fullscreen after wrap to page, the page is in the attached to the left of the screen
rather than in word where the page is in the centre and usually just grey either side.
@@Bellic_Ent Text edit doesn't have that "gray to either side" thing. It just doesn't work that way. You have the whole screen. Maybe use Pages instead if that feature is important to you.
Hi Gary I hope you can answer this question, I have the last couple of months used a lot TextEdit but I dont know how to customise the window so it stays in that size when I use TextEdit next time. I hope you can answer or either do a video about doing these kind of things It is only Textedit that reopen in the default size and its very small size my browser has no issue or any other app I know of.
You're not missing anything. These kinds of documents simply don't record the window size and location.
@@macmost Ok thank you for letting me know and its not a problem when I know its not me who is doing something wrong. I can live with that 😂😂😂And I must say I really like this app. Its very logic layout and straight forward. I remember the first time I used it. It took me 5 min to setup the type of font and size and the necessary things. Because I am a photographer and making magazines. So this is just a really good tool for me. I tried windows office or word. first they cost a lots of money, and take a huge amount of space too. And 95 percent of all features I dont even need and takes to much time to understand what is what and what does what. TextEdit comes inbuild and straight forward.
@@stefanol9272 If you ever need something more, just use Pages (free, from Apple).
@@macmost Hi thank you I will absolutely use that 😊😊
Thanks! what I really miss in TextEdit is number of characters and characters with spaces in my text. Also approximate number of pages. Is there a way to add it?
Yes. You can use Shortcuts to add that. Not sure if you are familiar with Shortcuts, but I have videos on that too. Then you can use the Count function in a simple Shortcut to get the number off words or characters. Characters without spaces would require some programming through. Or, you could use Pages instead which has this built-in.
Ten things? More like 20. It's great that TextEdit is simple, but I do wish Apple would implement macros.
Hi Macmostvideo so why is text document changing on its own? I seem to have trouble when I update Imac but regarding text document the text just changed for absolute no reason strange things like this happen why dcan you help ?
I can't guess what is going on based on just that. If you can't figure it out on your own, best to call Apple Support and work with them.
How do I edit the 1st word on every line?
i’m using textedit on mac sonoma, and when I print, the Header is about 2”, how can I change this? 🤔
Not sure if you can adjust header sizes at all. If you need precise printing like that, switch to Pages for this task.
Do you know how to insert text box in text editor?
In TextEdit? There is no "text box" element. Use Pages instead.
You shouldn't have to re-open documents to change the font face. I just tested it in Big Sur, Catalina, and High Sierra.
My pet peeve with TextEdit is when in RTF mode a new document is opened with tabs every half inch and then I spend an enormous amout of time removing tabs rather than adding a few needed tabs. How do I get rid of the dozen+ tabs? Using Plain Text Format does not help.
Not sure what you mean. If you want to close a document (tab) then close the tab.
Tab is one of those terms lately that confuses people. The tabs that I am referring to are maybe called tab stop in the ruler. There are four varieties: left, right, center, decimal. Very useful to make columns in a text document. Each time I open a new rtf the ruler is populated with a dozen tab stops. I want zero tab stops. Your video shows the tab stops I am talking about.
@@lourosinski6322 Ah, tab stops, I see. The phrase "a new document is opened with tabs" definitely tricked me into thinking of window tabs. Yes, the default RTF document opens with 12 half-inch tabs. I think that is inherited maybe from RTF word processors decades ago. You can always set up a blank document, remove the tabs, and save it. Then change it to a Stationary Pad and use it to create new TextEdit documents.
I wrote a reply a few minutes ago referring to WriteNow and it is gone now. Oh well. I tried your Stationary Pad idea and this is what happened. If I create a rtf document with desired tab positions and then delete the content and save the blank document, change it to Stationary Pad and double click on it it opens with the dozen tabs. But if I repeat the process but leave a word in the document so it is not blank then it opens with the desired tab positions and that word. I also notice another strange behavior which I will tell you about upon request.
@@macmost
BTW, in my missing reply I did thank you for your help. Your responsiveness was unexpected but very much appreciated. Thank you.@@macmost
What about numbering the pages?
You can't add page numbers in TextEdit, at least not on the screen. You can when you print. If you need page numbers in the document while on the screen, use Pages instead.
@@macmost Thank you for your reply. I have tried to print with the numbering but wasn't successful. I assume the if the theme is underrated, it will be unlikely to be able to start the numbering on the fifth page...
I hadn't looked at my text edit files and when i checked in today they had all disappeared. Where are they? All my files were saved but now everything is greyed out.
Not sure what you are experiencing there. If you can't figure it out, take it to an expert for a firsthand look.
@@macmost Slowly examining the possibilities. Hope I can find it my lost work somewhere in Time Machine.
Why would the insert link be greyed out on my version of textEdit on my Mac
Do you mean like Edit, Insert, Line Break? Perhaps the document is read-only?
Your voice is so deep on my mac lol
I don’t see the app in the App Store
TextEdit is part of macOS. You already have it. It is built in.
Still no "Show line numbers" (heads over to Coda).
so it's basically like a notepad?
It does much more than that. Watch and see. Then explore it on your own. It is pretty much a mini word processor in some ways.
@@macmost Is it possible to move around inside a TextEdit file with inserted links, something like Table of Content?
Thanks for your great video, very helpful!
@@tianqi TextEdit? No. There's no bookmarks function. Use Pages instead for that.
How to print your letter to one page
Not sure what you are asking. Is it printing to two pages instead of one?
And still no simple rows, after.. 30? years of TeachText, SimpleText, TextEdit. It's annoying, Apple!
Why do text edit keep changing settings and messing u save choices ? so darn annoying even the size of text goes back to 12 and also on top of this spelling is useless too
this is a truly pathetic piece of software, it cannot even maintain text indents and bullet points when we increase decrease font sizes.
I wish iOS had TextEdit.