Textmaker For Pocket PC Update

[Ed Hansberry]

<a href="http://www.softmaker.de/index,en.htm">http://www.softmaker.de/index,en.htm</a><br /><br />Softmaker has released a new version of Textmaker for the Pocket PC, simply called "rev 371" in the Help|About box. New features include:<br /><br />• Save documents to Microsoft Word 6.0, 97, 2000 and XP<br />• Improved import of Microsoft Word documents. <i>You have to take this on faith - the trial version disables the saving of .DOC files.</i> :(<br />• Improved HTML import and export<br />• Faster screen redraws<br />• English Windows help file with the full manual<br /><br />As cool as this app is, I passed on it the first go around because I want full .DOC open/save abilities. This version now supports changing the default file format to .DOC, but until I pay the $49.95 for it, I can't tell how well it really works. They also have a deal on their web site that if you need a full word processing solution, you can get the $69.95 bundle of Textmaker for the Pocket PC and Desktop Windows for just $49.95 through February 25, 2003. Otherwise, you can buy just the <a href="http://www.handango.com/PlatformProductDetail.jsp?siteId=311&platformId=2&productType=2&catalog=0&amp;sectionId=0&productId=52531">Pocket PC client at Handango</a> for that same $49.95. <i>(affiliate link)</i><br /><br />The install is 7.2MB and will work on an external storage card. All Pocket PC 2000, 2002 and 2002 Phone edition devices are supported. It also seems that US and UK English are fully supported as is German.

[blusparkles]

Changing the default file format to .doc works just fine, as does opening word documents. Haven't had a chance to test it extensively, though I have a couple of gripes - graphics in a document are automatically resized when opening it, which at times is frustrating.

Also, when selecting to create a new document from the file menu, you can only choose from .tmv templates, meaning that the file will be automatically saved as a .tmd file (TextMaker's proprietary file format) - the only way to create a new document with no template is to close the document currently open, or exit and re-open TextMaker. I tried copying and pasting a "Normal.dot" file into the SoftMaker templates folder (which is the only folder viewable when tapping "New"), but I get that endless cursor window thing happening. Grrr

[Ed Hansberry]

Also, when selecting to create a new document from the file menu, you can only choose from .tmv templates, meaning that the file will be automatically saved as a .tmd file (TextMaker's proprietary file format) - the only way to create a new document with no template is to close the document currently open, or exit and re-open TextMaker. I tried copying and pasting a "Normal.dot" file into the SoftMaker templates folder (which is the only folder viewable when tapping "New"), but I get that endless cursor window thing happening. Grrr
Rats. I need it to be 100% seamless. I will be upset to no end if I get something on the Pocket PC, sync it over and it is in an unreadable Textmaker format on the desktop.

[blusparkles]

I don't think you would have a problem in that sense. If you open a .doc file on your Pocket PC using TextMaker, make some changes, save it (and it will automatically save it as a .doc file if you change this in the settings) and then sync it over to the desktop, it will remain a .doc file and you should be able to open it in Microsoft Word with no dramas.

[Rob Alexander]

That's all fine if it actually works. But the last time they said you could 'round trip' a file from Word-to-Textmaker-to-Word, they let you actually try it in the trial version.

I did. It didn't. :cry:

Now they say that it really works this time, but they won't let you test it yourself before buying? I don't think so! :?

If they'll let me try it, and if it successfully round-trips my files, then I'll buy the product. :way to go: But if they're afraid to let me try it first, then I'm certainly not going to toss out a substantial amount of money in the vague hope that it will actually work this time. :silly:

[QYV]

I can't believe that, with the mass of features this program has that I'd never use in a million years, it doesn't have one simple thing that would be extremely useful on a daily basis: the ability to have more than one document open at once. I often have two large documents on my Pocket PC that I want to switch between for a copy/paste or just to compare notes, and for the two years I've searched, I've never found any program that can do this.

Too bad, Softmaker. You would have had my $50 in a heartbeat...

[Skoobouy]

As cool as this app is, I passed on it the first go around because I want full .DOC open/save abilities. This version now supports changing the default file format to .DOC, but until I pay the $49.95 for it, I can't tell how well it really works.

TextMaker has always been able to change the default file format to .DOC. I bought the thing as soon as it came out and I've been using it ever since. Works fine; I write several pages of course notes daily and I've been transferring files back and forth seamlessly for the last two and a half months. Where've ya'll been? I haven't even -seen- a .TMD file.

Hm. Thinking about it now, I think what bluesparkles said was accurate. But then, I've never had the occasion to create a new document midway through viewing another. I open, write, save, close, open, write, save, close. Works great.

But if you want to create a new Doc file without reopenning TextMaker, there's an easy-as-cake solution: the "New Document" option isn't anything more than an "Open File" option that's restricted to the template folder. Big deal! Put a normal.doc file into the template folder, and use the Open option instead of the New option. Then do Save As and put it someplace else.

I'm not entirely certain what the complaint is about. Either you 1.) simply close and open TM without using "New Document," 2.) Use "New Document" and remember to change the file format to DOC when you save, or 3.) Put a blank DOC in a folder and use Open instead of New.

And I thought Foo Fighter was picky. :roll: :wink: Sorry, I'm a little bitter today for other reasons.

[Ed Hansberry]

['m not entirely certain what the complaint is about. Either you 1.) simply close and open TM without using "New Document," 2.) Use "New Document" and remember to change the file format to DOC when you save, or 3.) Put a blank DOC in a folder and use Open instead of New.
I guess my question is why should I have to remember to do 1, 2 or 3? As soon as I forget (and I will forget) I'll have an unusable .TMD on my desktop. I guess I want an option to check that says "Pretend to be Word" and totally forget about non .DOC/RTF/HTML formats.

I understand their model and can appreciate their making this and a cost effective desktop counterpart, but that is getting in the way of Pocket Word replacement, which I think is what most Pocket PC users say when they want a powerful word processor on their Pocket PC - something that uses .DOC, not a new format that no one else you work with will have.

[Ekkie Tepsupornchai]

Yeah, I seem to remember discussing some sort of Textmaker (for PPC) vs D2G (for Palm) debate two or three weeks ago when someone was pointing out all the features that Textmaker has vs D2G.

Textmaker is obviously a terrific app with world-class word processing capabilities. Unfortunately, b/c many of us depend on Word on our desktops, one of our top priorities is a seamless Pocket Word replacement. In many ways, this is more important than the myriad of word processing capabilities.

Just as Ed pointed out, all it takes is for me to forget those steps once before forward the document to my client to effectively embarrass myself professionally. That doesn't take away from what Textmaker is; it just simply doesn't work as a seamless PWord replacement.

[Ed Hansberry]

Textmaker is obviously a terrific app with world-class word processing capabilities. Unfortunately, b/c many of us depend on Word on our desktops, one of our top priorities is a seamless Pocket Word replacement. In many ways, this is more important than the myriad of word processing capabilities.
That is where I am at right now. I am a light MS Word user as it is, so even TextMaker has more features than I need, way more. Still, Pocket Word doesn't cut it for me either. The one thing that would push me over the edge for TM is this seamless PWord replacement, to the point that it would alert me and even actively prevent me from saving in .TMD format accidentally.

I have a big article to write for Thoughts this weekend and I was going to try it with Textmaker, but I have no way to get that data back to my PC since the .DOC format is disabled in the trial. I guess I'll drag out my laptop and do it on that.

[Ekkie Tepsupornchai]

The one thing that would push me over the edge for TM is this seamless PWord replacement, to the point that it would alert me and even actively prevent me from saving in .TMD format accidentally.
That's not a bad idea. I wouldn't imagine that would be too difficult to implement as a setting... of course it doesn't seem difficult to specify what document type you want to default to when opening a new file either...

I have a big article to write for Thoughts this weekend...
Don't be late! :wink:

[Duncan]

Don't forget that TextMaker have a vested interest in a) making Word users happy but also b) getting people to think ''Wow! This is so well written and intuitive I think I'll buy the desktop version as well!' :wink:

FWIW - the new version has blown me away! It successfully opened, let me edit, and saved again in .doc format a 12 meg document full of pics and tables! 8O The older version couldn't do that and even ClearVue Document Viewer choked on it!

[Ed Hansberry]

Don't forget that TextMaker have a vested interest in a) making Word users happy but also b) getting people to think ''Wow! This is so well written and intuitive I think I'll buy the desktop version as well!' :wink:
Right - and I don't want to take away from that. It is a fantastic app and a very welcome addition to the Pocket PC software library.

[Mark R Penn]

Not too sure what the debate is about here - if you take Word templates (.dot) and save them in the templates folder, you can use them as is. You can then save them, and as long as the option is set, they will default to .doc format.

You can even save a template called normal.dot in there, then go to file>new, select it, and press the default button. It will now always be used when you open TM, and will save as a .doc file unless you tell it to do something else!! Note that to make this work I opened a blank document in Word, saved it as normal.dot (but NOT in the templates folder) then copied it to the PPC. I think maybe the normal.dot template created by default by Word may have more info in it, causeing Blusparkles egg timer issue.

If you want to go the whole hog, you can now delete (or perhaps safer re-name) normal.tmv!!!

Remember also that you can create subfolders in the templates folder.

So, set the default to .doc format, copy your Word templates into the templates folder, and delete anything carrying a .tmv or .tmd extension, and what have you got - Pocket Word how it should have been, with no sign of a Textmaker file format. Anywhere. Ever.

Works for me!!

Mark

[Jonathan1]

As slick as this app is I just can't warrant dropping that kinda of cash on a word processor. You guys can flame me into the ground if you like but I truly feel that Softmaker is playing the same game ansyr is/was with acrobat files. They know there is a market out there for such a product and know that they have Zero competition which equates into them being able to charge anything they want. Sales of ansyr’s Acrobat reader never took off either and finally was replaced by the real deal form Adobe. If Softmaker isn’t careful they could EVENTUALLY be in the same boat. Their product, their price structure. I can live with that simply by chooseing not to pay that price however it just pains me to see that an app like this could skyrocket to the head of pocket pc software sales if they dropped it into the $20-$30 category range. I’ve shown people this software in demo format. They ALL drool over it until they see the price and fall into sticker shock. There is a huge market of users waiting for this app. When/if it drops in price. :?

PS- The total number of downloads off of handango is 64. *shrugs* Take what you will out of that number which most likely isn't accurate since you can reg it on their site as well.

[Mark R Penn]

No flames, you're safe!!

I think it's worth it, so I bought it, but you're entitled not to!! I actually recon that (some) PPC software is underpriced for the power it offers, but I'm not complaining. $50 for a fully featured word processor you can take on the train with you is not bad in my book, but I do agree with you that there would be a much bigger market for them if they dropped the price. I think $29.99 would do it.

I think their problem is simply that people do not expect PPC software to cost over $30. It's not a question of what it's worth, it's about what the market they're in will support.

Oh and BTW, Primer was a slightly different thing - it never did work properly (S L O W, S L O W, S L O W), while TM does, and it was only a viewer - you couldn't actually DO anything with it!

Mark

[Duncan]

PS- The total number of downloads off of handango is 64. *shrugs* Take what you will out of that number which most likely isn't accurate since you can reg it on their site as well.

They have only just placed it on Handango - previously it was only availble via their site - thus the small number of downloads so far!

[shawnc]

As slick as this app is I just can't warrant dropping that kinda of cash on a word processor. You guys can flame me into the ground if you like but I truly feel that Softmaker is playing the same game ansyr is/was with acrobat files. They know there is a market out there for such a product and know that they have Zero competition which equates into them being able to charge anything they want. Sales of ansyr’s Acrobat reader never took off either and finally was replaced by the real deal form Adobe. If Softmaker isn’t careful they could EVENTUALLY be in the same boat. Their product, their price structure. I can live with that simply by chooseing not to pay that price however it just pains me to see that an app like this could skyrocket to the head of pocket pc software sales if they dropped it into the $20-$30 category range. I’ve shown people this software in demo format. They ALL drool over it until they see the price and fall into sticker shock. There is a huge market of users waiting for this app. When/if it drops in price. :?

PS- The total number of downloads off of handango is 64. *shrugs* Take what you will out of that number which most likely isn't accurate since you can reg it on their site as well.

I couldn't agree more. Well said!