Why is basic text document formatting so messed up?

[Craig234]

I go on a forum and write a post.

I cut and want to paste and save a copy.

I used 'notepad', and dozens of lines show up as just a few, and I have to go in and manually hit lots of carriage returns to format it.

Then I try Wordpad, and every paragraph has several blank lines from the other paragraphs that have to be removed.

Why don't the basic built-in document programs simply save the files with the same formatting, why are there these inconsistencies from one to the next?

 

[ElFenix]

it's because of the carriage returns. the message board isn't putting any in. when you copy it, it copies as plain text, and does not pick up any sort of wrap or carriage return or any other indication of a next line (and if you looked at the html source, there wouldn't be any - the browser is responsible for formatting to fit into the window). notepad also doesn't do any formatting. your source would happily continue one paragraph on one line forever.

then you formatted plain text it by putting carriage returns. so when wordpad opens it wraps text to the next line (due to page width), then it comes to a carriage return that you inserted, and does the carriage return as well. so you get blank lines.

 

[DaveSimmons]

Sadly the BBcode used for formatting varies by forum software and is not standard HTML. So even if Notepad had a "copy as HTML" option that would not work either.

 

[Craig234]

it's because of the carriage returns. the message board isn't putting any in. when you copy it, it copies as plain text, and does not pick up any sort of wrap or carriage return or any other indication of a next line (and if you looked at the html source, there wouldn't be any - the browser is responsible for formatting to fit into the window). notepad also doesn't do any formatting. your source would happily continue one paragraph on one line forever.

then you formatted plain text it by putting carriage returns. so when wordpad opens it wraps text to the next line (due to page width), then it comes to a carriage return that you inserted, and does the carriage return as well. so you get blank lines.

That's not quite right - both the cases of notepad and wordpad are based on pasting the same original post, the wordpad paste wasn't from any text modified to add carriage returns.

 

[Craig234]

Sadly the BBcode used for formatting varies by forum software and is not standard HTML. So even if Notepad had a "copy as HTML" option that would not work either.

It seems crazy that this very basic functionality isn't more standardized.

It's one thing for there to be flexibility on the carriage returns, and another not to have defaults that are standard.

 

[Matt Stone]

I am using Sublime Text 3 and I am ok with it. You should try it once. I believe, you will give up every other text editor after using it. And for your answer, you can remove those empty lines with one click. Thanks.

 

[Craig234]

OK, I'll take a look - you mean one click in that program, or in notepad?

 

[Matt Stone]

OK, I'll take a look - you mean one click in that program, or in notepad?

It has got so many formattings to ease up the work. See the SS. You will love it.

 

[Alpha One Seven]

You just don't understand how text formatting works. It's a case of user error or PEBCAK.


This isn't the social forums. Insults not allowed. Don't want to help?
No problem. Just don't post and move on.


esquared
Anandtech Forum Director

 

[Craig234]

You just don't understand how text formatting works. It's a case of user error or PEBCAK.

Idiotic



Tech forums area no-insult area.


esquared
Anandtech Forum Director

 

[Craig234]

Ah, Matt - unfortunately, the program costs $80 (it 'doesn't enforce' its limit of a trial, but I don't want to violate the agreement).

You'd think such a basic issue had freeware.

 

[dave_the_nerd]

Notepad doesn't automatically do word wrap, which is good because word wrap can break code.

Use Wordpad.

 

[RLGL]

You just don't understand how text formatting works. It's a case of user error or PEBCAK.

Take one of the log replies from this thread and paste it into Notepad++ ( free) . See the results.

 

[Alpha One Seven]

Take one of the log replies from this thread and paste it into Notepad++ ( free) . See the results.

Why? I understand how it works already.
You can also hit ctrl+u

 

[Alpha One Seven]

Idiotic

That too. lol



I see you went for the double down.


esquared
Anandtech Forum Director

 

[Alpha One Seven]

If it really bothers you, turn on word wrap in notepad. It's under the format tab.