RGdot

Tag: text

  • Jotx: Free Minimalist Word Processor

    Jotx is a minimalist note taker or perhaps word processor that does little but could be useful in taking quick notes with something other than Notepad.

    It comes with a built-in spell checker, a ‘task list’ pane and a pane to keep track of a favorite folder or two. The latter can be useful for immediate navigation to a folder for opening or saving notes. Jotx works and saves in plain text and RTF formats and via its options, among others, one can change the background color and the font used. It is also possible to set a default folder for immediate access when opening files.
    Jotx is somewhat unusual in that it includes links to a religious book and blog in its menu options (both within the program and the windows start menu).

  • OrangeNote: Freeware For Notes and Clipboard

    OrangeNote is a clipboard and notes manager that will ease and extend the use of the Windows clipboard. OrangeNote provides an interface to keep the contents of each clipboard entry forever. Additionally one can enter notes or keep clipboards as notes that can be fully searched and optimized for easy retrieval later. Left clicking the tray icon of the program brings up a bar like interface to add notes and the ability to not only tag them but add titles to them too.

    PhotoScape
    A left click shows all the clipboard entries OrangeNote currently holds and all or more recent notes as well. In this area one can favorite or star a note. The Additional Commands option gives access to a number of options some of which are executed via a command line like a console or a terminal. This terminal allows changes to many program settings, looks and other properties. The Options themselves, a few of which are restricted to the Pro version of the program, control such things as program update checking, database maintenance and boosting the program’s process priority. The latter is worthy of an additional observation because the program can sometimes consume excessive, almost Firefox type, amounts of CPU and RAM (OrangeNote tested on a XP computer). This does not seem to coincide with any optimization or other background action the program is undertaking so it is a mystery as to why the program’s CPU and RAM usage varies so much over short periods of time. OrangeNote also has a number of (global) hotkeys such as Ctrl+Win+N to create a new note and others that can be accessed and modified via the Options menu or the aforementioned terminal.

    The requirements are listed as “Microsoft Windows XP or Vista with .NET Framework 3.5 SP1 and 512 MB RAM” and one would presume Windows 7 as well. It should be noted that OrangeNote is WPF based program and that there is a Mac version available as well.

  • DzSoft Paste & Save Looks After Your Clipboard

    Windows computers, in general, keep the most recent text or image copied to their clipboard.

    DzSoft Paste & Save, Freeware

    DzSoft Paste & Save is a small and simple utility that saves multiple clipbord contents. However, instead of the typical clipboard manager like Clippy, CLCL and others Paste & Save holds or saves every text clipboard in one of three note (*.txt) files in its program folder. The advantage of such a set up could be in that excerpts of text can be collected from different sources in one location. As Paste & Save automatically appends the clipboard contents into one of its three text files. One can therefore have a large collection of related notes only by having the program remain in the system tray and do nothing more than the usual Ctrl+c – and not even need to use notepad or any other text editor and forget about Ctrl+v altogether. DzSoft Paste & Save lets the user define a separator between each clipboard and using its ‘remote control’ floating bar set and choose which note file is used on the fly, without maximizing the program’s main window.
    For example the excellent Clipboard Help+Spell From Donationcoder.com has a notes section that allows permanent use of commonly used notes, and more features of course, but Paste & Save simplifies collection of notes very well as well.

  • File Hound: Freeware File Search

    File Hound is Described as

    …Search for text inside any file on your computer. It can search all kinds of text files, including pdf, doc etc.


    File Hound - Freeware
         It is a simple program that does its job well and as mentioned in its description searches inside *.pdf files too. It is not limited to pure text files as it can search inside *.dll, *.exe and other such files as well. Another advantage is that the search results for *.pdf files are shown in the program’s own search results window. As of this date folder paths must be typed or pasted into the Folder box as there is no browse button available but enabling the Associate with folders setting adds a Hound entry into folders’ right click context menu. It is also possible to expand or limit a search by including subfolders and restricting file sizes.

    File Hound is a useful, fast, lightweight and freeware search utility. It does require the .NET 2.0 framework on the host system.

  • New Version News: Caderno and Dexpot

    In this series of posts called New Version News I will highlight some of the newer versions of freeware downloads reviewed earlier on RGdot.com.

    Caderno, the notepad replacement and alternative reviewed here is at version 2.10 now. Some notable and new features include the following:

    • Code folding.
    • A better and more complete UTF (UTF-16) support.
    • The portable version that was in the works earlier. Also an U3 version, the format that is especially created for USB flash drives.

    Dexpot has reached version 1.5, it was originally reviewed here, and offers a number of interesting and useful features like the following:

    • The Dexcube plug-in, for some 3D effects features.
    • The SevenDex plug-in, to make maximum use of the the taskbar on the new Windows 7.
    • Task switcher and desktop switcher, which increases access and efficiency in using applications that reside on different desktops.

  • Text Block Writer Organizes Notes And Thoughts

    Text Block Writer is described by its author as

    …a virtual index card program for writers

    Text Block Writer works similar to the way one would write notes on one or several pieces of paper. By using Text Block Writer one can organize the notes in pages and columns cleanly. It is also possible to export all notes to the standard *.rtf format or keep using the program’s own *.tbwml format which in itself is simple *.xml.

    Text Block Writer

    Each note is saved in a square or rectangular block, within a page. Each page contains at least three (by default but can be changed using the program’s options) columns and a side column (situated to the right of the numbered columns) for extra and unclassified notes. A title can be set for each page using the text box just under the program menu. A block shelf to the bottom right of the program’s interface holds temporary notes that are not exported when notes are backed up. The scratchpad area at the bottom performs a similar function as the block shelf and holds temporary notes. The utility panel that slides open on the far right of the program window provides the index or titles of all pages. Its groups action setting is for such tasks as moving panels or blocks between pages and changing their colors. Its live preview is one long text file of all saved notes. The utility panel also features more options for such things as a panel size and export syntax.

    Text Block Writer also supports a number of useful shortcut keys that are listed in its helps file, for example viewing a previous page is done via the Ctrl and left keys. The program requires version 2.0 of the .NET framework, however it is useful for keeping records and notes.

  • STDU Viewer Eases Document Viewing

    STDU Viewer is described by its author as

    View all most popular documents formats by one program.

    STDU Viewer supports many text based formats and can present them in an unobtrusive and somewhat attractive interface. It tries to centralize the task that may require several programs. For example notepad to open *.txt files and a PDF viewer to open *.pdf files. To that end STDU Viewer supports TXT, TIFF, PDF, DjVu, CBR, CBZ and XPS file formats.

    STDU
    The program has some interesting and useful features that perhaps make it more useful for some. Using the View menu it is possible to enable navigation tabs (see image) which will appear to the left of the document. Here one can search the document, view thumbnails of its pages, view its contents or bookmark a page. The latter is possible via a right click on the desired page or location of a document. Also within the View menu is the ability to rotate pages of the document. Perhaps more interestingly the Setting option, again residing under the same View menu, lets the user change the brightness, gamma or contrast of a document, this can prove useful when viewing poor quality documents or getting a better view of embedded graphics.

    STDU Viewer works on Windows 2000, XP, 2003 and Vista. It is free for non-commercial use.

  • PlainText Is True To Its Name

    plaintext

    PlainText is another alternative lightweight and no install software to make copying and pasting text more efficient and useful.

    In much the same way as PureText featured earlier on RGdot.com PlainText removes formatting from text copied from such sources as the web. This includes removing the likes of font sizes, colors, images, tables and borders. The program let the user choose any combination of the Windows, Shift or Ctrl keys along with any one letter or number to use for pasting the text unformatted. This key combination would be used as an alternative to the traditional and standard Ctrl and V keys.

    PlainText sits in the system tray, consumes less than 5MB of memory, is a 486KB download and is GPL GNU General Public License v3 software.

  • PureText Clears Text Formatting

    puretext

    PureText does a simple task and does it well. It clears any formatting from text that is copied from such sources like the web.

    There are many occasions when a text needs to be copied without the original color, font face, font style or character margins and spacing. PureText does this without the need to follow any extra steps. For example pasting text in Notepad and then copying it again will clear all formatting but using PureText it is possible to use Windows+V (or other configurable keys) instead of the traditional Ctrl+V keys and paste any text unformatted.

    PureText does not require installation and when it is run it sits in the system tray. Right clicking its icon allows the user to configure any combination of keys by choosing any of the presented variations or to use the “Capture the next key typed’ button to choose and configure other variations. PureText should run on any Windows versions up to Vista.

  • Notes Organizer AllMyNotes

    Another interesting notes organizer is AllMyNotes. It stores notes in the familiar tree structure and boasts drag and drop and rich formatting as its features. It is also possible to password protect notes. AllMyNotes does both within notes and also global search. via ghacks