what we really want is a simple "plain text" organizer

[xbeta]

there are many such kinds of software like notes taker/info manager/outliner, most of them are so powerful.
there are also many threads about such tools in this forum.
but I noticed, many people, include me, dont like the support of RTF or html or attachment.
what we really want is a simple "plain text" organzier.

they should be small & quick, powerful & stable.
should can: export/import text, quick search in all datebase, tree stucture, support utf-8. (treepad have bug in support Chinese, jreepad OK)
better can: tabbed interface, password protect, tag, support external editor (I enjoy vim), freeware
no need: text format, attachment.

maybe most of the developers think, plain text is so limited, so they have to expand it to rtf or html.
but there also are some users, they think formated text are far beyond their needs, and eager to go back to plain text.

Will we appeal for it together ?
Will some one, including the more advanced tools's author, will develop/degrade such a tool for us ?

[mitzevo]

This is what you are looking for:  AceText - text & clipboard manager (for coders, writers, etc.)

 

[rjbull]

what we really want is a simple "plain text" organzier.

-xbeta (May 12, 2008, 07:22 AM)

Horst Schaeffer's MemPad

support utf-8.

Don't know.  It doesn't support Unicode; see this message.  As far as I know, it ticks most of your other boxes.

[xbeta]

This is what you are looking for:  AceText - text & clipboard manager (for coders, writers, etc.)

 

-mitzevo (May 12, 2008, 07:27 AM)

this is good. thanks.

I have nerver try it before. although I use EditPad 8 years ago (but then UltraEdit, then Vim). It's very fast even in huge text files. very good.

one thing bad for Chinese is the word wrap. that is:

wrap means begin a new line.
for English, it's good to start a new line at a positon of "space, tab", instead of split a word.
but for Chinese, there are no space needed in sentence. but often use space or tab before a paragraph.
so, the software make the first 4 or 8 spaces or tab in line 1, then the text.
that's not good.

now, the author had got my test file, and trying to do somthing.
If it solved, I 'll order it at once.

[xbeta]

Horst Schaeffer's MemPad

support utf-8.
Don't know.  It doesn't support Unicode; see this message.  As far as I know, it ticks most of your other boxes.

-rjbull (May 12, 2008, 10:28 AM)

it's a small tool. I used the earlier version several years ago.
the only problem is it cannot search & find Chinese.

Jreepad is a java based program, like treepad.
the only shortcoming is the font is too small, bad for eyes, and cannot be changed.

[najja]

hey xbeta, I am a reader of your blog

I am personally very fond of zoot. It lacks utf support (but it deal perfectly with chinese as long as you set your locale to chinese) and is not freeware (you can continue to use it with a annoying notice upon start up after it expires). It has a 32bit version which unfortunately failed to start on chinese windows. I have complaint about it in the forum, hopefully with the current pace of ungrading, the author will get it right soon.

The good thing about zoot is the amazing search capability and flexbility of the database. However, one thing I miss is the ability to use an external editor. if only we can use vim along with zoot...mmmm....

[urlwolf]

emacs's org mode gives you the best plain text support ever. it even does tables (in text). Very good outliner.

Still, a bit of a learning curve...

[xbeta]

nice to find a reader here.
so you can imagine that I, in fact, tested most of such tools.
I tested Zoot 1 year ago, it handle very very long text is not so good, but that's not important.
and when I test the new version, just meet the same problem as you mentioned.
with it can solve it.

but also, the AceText team has got my email about the wrap bug.
if the done, I'll use AceText.

as you mentioned about the Vim, that's also my No.1 tool.
the Chinese software textfriend 良友收藏家 support external editor, can use vim.
but ceased developement several years ago.

hey xbeta, I am a reader of your blog

I am personally very fond of zoot. It lacks utf support (but it deal perfectly with chinese as long as you set your locale to chinese) and is not freeware (you can continue to use it with a annoying notice upon start up after it expires). It has a 32bit version which unfortunately failed to start on chinese windows. I have complaint about it in the forum, hopefully with the current pace of ungrading, the author will get it right soon.

The good thing about zoot is the amazing search capability and flexbility of the database. However, one thing I miss is the ability to use an external editor. if only we can use vim along with zoot...mmmm....

-najja (May 15, 2008, 11:14 AM)

[xbeta]

emacs's org mode gives you the best plain text support ever. it even does tables (in text). Very good outliner.
Still, a bit of a learning curve...

-urlwolf (May 15, 2008, 03:01 PM)

yes, yes, Emacs can do everything.
but my love editor is Vim.
with some plugin, it works as outliner.
but not as convient as a real outliner.

I know it's hard to find such a satisfied tool.
but I noticed not quite a few people, eg. mouser, also said prefer of plain text.
so I still start this post.
maybe, such users can join together raise some money or award, to help some programmer make a such tool.
degrad a more advanced tool, such as mybase, evernote, theguide, to plain text maybe also a good idea.

[kartal]

You can always try wikipad. I have been using it for 4 years. It is plain text with wiki features plus many advanced ideas that many others do not have like superior tracking-tagging per page or per line etc

http://www.jhorman.org/wikidPad/

[xbeta]

You can always try wikidpad. I have been using it for 4 years. It is plain text with wiki features plus many advanced ideas that many others do not have like superior tracking-tagging per page or per line etc
http://www.jhorman.org/wikidPad/

-kartal (May 15, 2008, 09:47 PM)

yes, this is a very good software.
support utf-8 and search very well. tag is powerful.
I even creat a flash to show it to my readers, see attachment.
 

but I dont like it very much, although I dont know why.

kartal, do you save all your information in one or several database? how big (MB) is it? about how many items in it?
can  it run well in case of large mount of information ?

[kartal]

I have 615 topics(text files) with various lenghts(one database with text file, original sqllite), some are very long text files some are very short. It is very responsive and light. Search function is smart. You can do topic or content based search. if that is not enough you can use many tagging functions, bookmarking, todos, tracking,icon support etc. Latest betas have nice preliminary timeline as well.

I use autohotkey to enable or run wikipad (like win+w). I also have one mroe ahk line to open "open wikiword" so when I press win+shift+w, it opens wikiword search window nomatter where I am. What  I like about is that if there is such a topic you are intending to search it brings up, if there is no such a  thing you can create a  wikiword on the fly.

I use wikipad not because it is free but no other software offers such advanced features without loosing plain text format idea. In the past I had tried zillion software with advanced multimedia features even. They were either bloated or not nicely thought. Many softwares lacked custom shotcuts or simple interface. Some lacked even simple drag and drop functionalities. I debated between connected text and wikipad. In the end I had choosen wikipad even thou connected text is very very nice software with even more advanced feature implementation. I think that my main issue was file format and compability 
in the end. You cannot go wrong with plain text. Other custom databases limits the user in my view because generally speaking they do not support wide range of exports.

[Armando]

Hey guys, just want to mention again that it's wikidpad, not wikipad...  I'm just saying because it helps to find threads about certain software when the name is well spelt.

[kartal]

Armando did not we just correct that couple wikids ago? I love wikipad more than wickedpad I guess Maybe Mouser can run a search and replace in the forum database.

[Armando]

(ahah, like I said before, I made that mistake so often myself that now I notice it every time I see it...  )

[xbeta]

……I use autohotkey to ……. Many softwares lacked custom shotcuts

-kartal (May 15, 2008, 10:48 PM)

AHK is also my favorite. It can do more things than we think.
once a user asked for shortcut in Total Commander,
to remap the up and down arrow to ^N, ^P.
although TC is highly customizable, but these action/command are not in list.
so I give the code in AHK, and find that, in this way, ahk can remap any shortcut key for anysoftware.

SetTitleMatchMode, 2
SetKeyDelay, 0

^p::
IfWinActive Total Commander
    send, {up}
else
    sendplay, ^p
return

^n::
IfWinActive Total Commander
    send, {down}
else
    sendplay, ^n
return

[xbeta]

in fact, it's my 1st time find it's name is wiki----d-----pad.
maybe the author will do something for such a common mistake.

Hey guys, just want to mention again that it's wikidpad, not wikipad...  I'm just saying because it helps to find threads about certain software when the name is well spelt.

-Armando (May 15, 2008, 10:58 PM)

[rjbull]

xbeta,

Have you tried minipad2 by Xu Liang, Nebula Software?  Yes - Chinese   
 

[xbeta]

xbeta,
Have you tried minipad2 by Xu Liang, Nebula Software?  Yes - Chinese    

-rjbull (May 16, 2008, 03:21 AM)

yes, I know it. although not try it too much.
I need a program to hold all my texts together, so a tree is necessary, only muti-tab is not enough.
that's is,  I want an info manager (can store all the final result), instead of a quick note taker (temporary take note and then move it too other place or delet it )

I know it's hard to find a better solution than EverNote/WikidPad/AceText/Mybase....
but just can not help searching it.

[kartal]

One other software that excelled text based system is Keynote. Importing your text files is not a problem either. I personally would go for this one if wiki based system is a struggle for you.


http://www.tranglos....om/free/keynote.html

[Armando]

I need a program to hold all my texts together, so a tree is necessary, only muti-tab is not enough.
that's is,  I want an info manager (can store all the final result), instead of a quick note taker (temporary take note and then move it too other place or delet it )

I know it's hard to find a better solution than EverNote/WikidPad/AceText/Mybase....
but just can not help searching it.

-xbeta (May 16, 2008, 04:21 AM)

But some of these are not strictly "plain text"...

I'm personally using using SQLNotes. Still in development (ie : still changes a lot) and so probably not suitable for everyone, but I've yet to find another freeform database that allows for the same flexibility and power.

For just storing pieces of info here and there, clipping web stuff and finding it back -- using a category system or whatever -- Evernote is enough, wikidpad does a good job too.

For more complex operations and organization then there are  myBase, UltraRecall, InfoSelect, Ecco and many others... like SQLNotes... They're more what you could call freeform databases, and some of them could also be called PIMs

[xbeta]

thanks to all of the replies.
also thanks to all the nice tools.

[mitzevo]

AceText ftw.