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Tom Bender has been working hard on refining and adding features to Tex Edit Plus for OS X -- his do-all, AppleScript-savvy text editor that does a convincing stand in as a word processor and HTML editor for many of us.

Up to now, aside from Tom Aquafying its appearance, the Tex Edit Plus user interface has remained very similar to the familiar look of TE+ in its Classic version, which itself has been not been substantially altered in years. If it ain't broke, don't fix it, and I'm happy that Tom has seen fit not to clutter up the clean and simple Tex Edit document window with a bunch of toolbars and buttons and gimmicks.

On the other hand, quick access to tools and functions without pulling down menus can be a convenient time-saver when performing some tasks, especially repetitive ones. One efficiency facilitator for me has been to assign F-key shortcuts to my most frequently-accessed text editing and HTML markup AppleScripts into TE+, which streamlines things nicely.

However, with the introduction of the latest Tex Edit Plus for OS X beta, Tom has introduced the most radical innovation in the TE+ user interface that I can recall -- a floating tool palette. I prefer floating pellets to window toolbars for several reasons. The document window retains its familiar configuration; the palette can be situated where the user finds it most convenient; a wider variety of functions can be presented with buttons that you don't need a magnifying glass and a codebook to decipher; and you can't easily get rid of the thing when it's not needed.

The new Tex Edit Plus palette, an AppleScript Studio application called “Tex-Aid” added to Scripts menu,. is very attractive, with big, clearly labeled Aqua buttons grouped in five categories includig a search & replace entry field.

Tom notes:

"Tex-Aid is a small AppleScript Application that was thrown together in a remarkably short period of time. It is a good demonstration of the power and simplicity of OS X’s new AppleScript Studio. The source code for the Tex-Aid application is included to allow you to personalize Tex-Aid.

While he was at it, Tom Bender also made another subtle, but much appreciated tweak to the key plus interface -- having a narrow margin at the left the extreme between the beginning of lines of text and the edge of the window. A small thing, but typical of the attention to detail that makes TE+ one of the most satisfying and pleasurable to use Mac OS applications ever.

Also new in the Tex Edit Plus 4.3.1 beta:

• Help function now runs correctly when using OS 10.2 (Jaguar).
• Fixed bug seen when searching backwards through text using “grep” and “whole words only” simultaneously.
• Fixed redraw bug seen when changing print margins of a “page setup width” document.
• Removed restriction on sound annotation size.

Tex Edit Plus is $15.00 shareware.

For more information, visit:
http://www.tex-edit.com/

Two mice and dragging

From Michael Koren

Charles

Are you physically able to click the mouse at the start (or end) of the part you want to highlight? Then let go once the cursor is inserted. Then scroll using some part of the scroll area - fast or slow. Then, while holding down the shift key, click at the other end of the area you wish to highlight. Then you can to what you wish - cut the text, move to the next area, and paste it in. If you can do this, you would dramatically increase your speed as well as do away with one mouse.

Michael

Hi Michael;

Thanks, yes, another reader suggested this shortcut earlier this week. It works nicely, and I shall incorporate it into my work mode even in OS 9.

Charles

Larry Ellison and OS 9 And The America's Cup

From Richard Hadfield

Hi Charles,

Just a short note [and large picture] to sort you, totally drop down dead, insular blokes out, ie Marvin Price and Manzione and whoever.

The most important event on this rare earth is about to happen on Oct 1....Tuesday our time. This is a way more important than some idiot Americans trying to get oil out of Iraq. And Larry Ellison does not have "his sail boat race". It is NZ's "sail boat race". And of course he "cares" about winning the America's Cup. What else is there to care about? Forget about some woman about to be stoned to death in Nigeria, forget about people going to war all around the globe, forget about operating systems, forget about corporate scandals. The only action is happening on the holy water between Manly and Rangitoto. Yeah and where are the Canadians? Couldn't put a decent basketball team together let alone sail an 18 metre yacht.

And as for all the angsting about the demise OS 9, is this another Canadian thing? Spending too much time up in the trees? Nice trees though...10.2.1... what do you think? The photo [D30 300mm] was taken in the Odell Park, Fredericton May 2002. I guess the holes were made by the resident pair of Pileated Woodpeckers. Have them on disk too:-) This e-mail has been sent from this totally cool machine... 17in FP iMac X 10.2.1 using Mozilla 1.1

Cheers,
Richard

Hi Richard;

Unfortunately, your photo must have gotten corrupted in cyberspace. Couldn't get it to open.

Re: The America's Cup, Canada has no challenger this time, but we were there early on. For the third AC challenge, in 1876, with Canada's Countess of Dufferin against the NYYC's defending yacht, Madeleine. Canada's Atalanta also was the challenger in 1881. and we've mounted several respectable AC challenges since.

When did New Zealand first show up? Sometime in the '80s? I congratulate you on your success, however. ;-)

Basketball? Don't follow it myself. More of a baseball fan, and Toronto won the World Series twice back to back.

Charles

The OS X Odyssey archives may be accessed here:
http://www.applelinks.com/news/odyssey/

CM

Charles W. Moore

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