• We’re currently investigating an issue related to the forum theme and styling that is impacting page layout and visual formatting. The problem has been identified, and we are actively working on a resolution. There is no impact to user data or functionality, this is strictly a front-end display issue. We’ll post an update once the fix has been deployed. Thanks for your patience while we get this sorted.

Why is basic text document formatting so messed up?

C

Craig234

Lifer
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?
 
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.
 
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.
 
ElFenix said:
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.
Click to expand...

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.
 
DaveSimmons said:
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.
Click to expand...

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.
 
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 said:
OK, I'll take a look - you mean one click in that program, or in notepad?
Click to expand...
It has got so many formattings to ease up the work. See the SS. You will love it.

Sublime-Text-3-SS.png
 
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
 
Last edited by a moderator:
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.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.

TRENDING THREADS

Back
Top