Web Pad (update)

[TheSaint]

Hi folks, this is a simple little program I whipped up, due to losing two postings in 24 hours some days ago.

Normally, like many of you, when I know I'm gonna write more than a few lines, for safety, I do my writing in Notepad, and then paste into a post. Same scenario for Facebook, etc.

Sometimes, I forget or I end up writing far more than I initially foresaw ... or like those two incidents, I was pretty tired as well. I also had an issue where my Netbook was giving my Mouse lag from time to time, so that when I thought I was only clicking on a Firefox tab, it moved at the last millisecond and I clicked on a button, that took me to another site. Once upon a time, when not tired, and with a big red STOP button in the browser, I could react quick enough not to lose everything ... unfortunately that is no longer the case.

Anyway, enough dribble.

Here is a little simple basic Text Editor program/window, that has several advantages over Notepad for Forum posting, etc. No doubt it could be improved by clever enterprising minds, but it has enough nifty features to suit me, and possibly be useful to others. Source is included in zip, but be aware, it was crafted with AutoIt v3.3.0.0 so will need updating if you want to modify and not use my exe.

Also be aware, that UPX was used to reduce the size of the EXE for here.

The program has Autosave and remembers it's size and position, plus a floating button for quick access. Text is exported to clipboard or an active field with a few clicks. See Info menu.

WARNING! WebPad uses the clipboard, to achieve elements like Case Change, Quotes, Code, Link & Tab insertion or surround. This is to speed up the process and look less clunky than using SEND. This could potentially interfere with any fancy multi-entry Clipboard program you may actively use. This issue could be coded around.

NOTE - v1.3 has two more buttons (TAB and COPY), one each side of the ON TOP one.

Floating restore button.

Web Pad v1.3.zip  318.98 kB  (76 + 422 downloads previously)

NEWER VERSION (v2.5) also available - See below.

See Post #14 for update detail.

NOTE - If you want to keep things simple, then probably stick to the version of the program above, though there are some important bugfixes.

Later versions increase in complexity, and are more targeted to my requirements.

WARNING - Created and updated with AutoIt v3.3.0.0, so the script may have issues running or compiling with later versions of AutoIt.

Web Pad v2.5 downloads (open the re-direction html page with your browser, don't save)

 Web Pad v2.5.zip

 Web Pad.au3

Details here.

Later Screenshots

(v2.0)

(v2.5) Latest

Edited September 11, 2023 by TheSaint

[storme]

Great idea!

My replies even when short take ages so I've lost MANY replies then either posted some 1/2 baked answer or just given up.

So I've started using Word, which is an overkill and it doesn't have nifty Code & link buttons.

Thanks for sharing!

John Morrison

[AZJIO]

For me began to work after replacement

Send("^v")  -->  Send("+{ins}")

Send("^c") -->  Send("^{ins}")

It is possible to make it without a clipboard

[TheSaint]

For me began to work after replacement

Send("^v")  -->  Send("+{ins}")

Send("^c") -->  Send("^{ins}")

It is possible to make it without a clipboard

Thanks, never thought to try that, will check it out.

P.S. I did think that Firefox or someone could possibly craft an even more direct way of inputting into the Forum editor ... I'm not currently willing to spend time on the learning curve for that though.

EDIT

By the way, the reason I used the Clipboard, is because it enters the text quicker than sending it via the content of a variable. You probably or undoubtedly new that ... but others may not.

Edited August 4, 2013 by TheSaint

[TheSaint]

Great idea!

My replies even when short take ages so I've lost MANY replies then either posted some 1/2 baked answer or just given up.

So I've started using Word, which is an overkill and it doesn't have nifty Code & link buttons.

Thanks for sharing!

John Morrison

No worries John, thanks.

The second of those two fatal instances I mentioned, I still haven't redone, while I did the first immediately from memory.

I was so pissed off after that second, especially when happening so soon after the first, that I just gave up in disgust, and was determined to craft something to avoid again. I was too tired to bother remembering, which was another factor.

Notepad, while okay, is just too clunky for that purpose, to be willing to use it all the time ... hence my simple alternative.

Remains to be seen if I do use it regularly enough (currently not ...oops).

Need to be disciplined.

Edited August 4, 2013 by TheSaint

[AZJIO]

Look at it - >My Notepad (It is possible to make it without a clipboard)

I think it will save you time

.

[guinness]

When I ran this, all minimised windows didn't restore, just staying in the taskbar and opening a new tab in Opera would keep opening AutoIt. This was after I closed the application. So I had to restart my machine after using this.

[TheSaint]

When I ran this, all minimised windows didn't restore, just staying in the taskbar and opening a new tab in Opera would keep opening AutoIt. This was after I closed the application. So I had to restart my machine after using this.

That doesn't make sense at all.

There is no code to do any such thing.

You did read the bit about it being created with AutoIt v3.3.0.0?

So you wouldn't have just run the source as is would you?

Which could possibly cause your issue, but I seriously doubt it.

The only window the program restores, is itself, with commands tied to the GUI creation handle only.

The program doesn't integrate with any browser whatsoever.

Furthermore, this has been tested on both my Win XP and Win 7 machines.

Something else on your system would have had to create your issue, as it definitely wasn't my program.

Check the source provided, if you don't believe me.

EDIT

Sounds more like a virus.

Edited August 4, 2013 by TheSaint

[guinness]

It's not a virus.

[TheSaint]

It's not a virus.

Well, it's not my program either.

 

When I ran this, all minimised windows didn't restore

They are not supposed to. In fact, the program only minimizes and restores itself, with two commands tied to the handle of the GUI.

 

Just staying in the taskbar and opening a new tab in Opera would keep opening AutoIt.

Nothing to do with my code, as it doesn't interact with other windows, let alone a browser, and especially not while minimized.

The program does interact with the CTRL key if held down while clicking the EXIT button, but that only starts the Floating restore button GUI. which doesn't do anything, but wait for you to click the label, to close itself and restore the Web Pad window.

 

This was after I closed the application. So I had to restart my machine after using this.

If you closed the application, then that should have been it.

It does save window size and position on closing, and create a backup of text if Autosave is enabled, but that's all.

The only area, that I can see where you might have a problem, is if you didn't follow instructions while Exporting to an active field, but that would be a once off CTRL-V (paste) to whatever you clicked on. This wouldn't be repeated, as the variable telling it to do this, is cleared after first use.

Did you run the exe or the script?

 

EDIT

Another element I didn't bother to add, was to cater for the scenario, where the Floating Restore button is activated, but the user manually restores the Web Pad program window. That shouldn't be an issue though, as the controls shouldn't respond to user interaction, while waiting for the Floating button to close.

Which reminds me, that I forgot to add compensation difference to the remembered positioning of the Floating button. I added it to v1.2 for the main program window, but forgot the floating button. Which only means, that over time it would gradually creep toward the right edge and bottom of the screen ... something that would eventually be noticed anyway. The difference was 8 pixels (left to right) and 24 pixels (top to bottom), with that last probably being less with the Floating button window as it has a reduced caption bar.

Edited August 4, 2013 by TheSaint

[FireFox]

For me began to work after replacement

Send("^v")  -->  Send("+{ins}")

Send("^c") -->  Send("^{ins}")

It is possible to make it without a clipboard

It uses the clipboard as well, it's the same thing.

[TheSaint]

Added note to first post, about the use of UPX for EXE to reduce size ... which I'm guessing may be an issue for some.

Also highlighted the note about AutoIt version, with bold and red, to make it more like a Warning.

The version is also clearly displayed at the top of the script too, as always.

Still waiting for guinness to explain why things went wrong for him, but as no-one else has reported an issue, then I think we can pretty conclusively say, that the issue was his end and not my program.

@FireFox - I will probably eventually get around to testing what AZJIO suggested, but after your comments, I'm wondering if there is any value to using 'Insert' instead, as he suggested? It seemed to fix some issue for him ... not sure why?

Edited August 5, 2013 by TheSaint

[AZJIO]

I wanted to try to make the editor bbcode. But I search and found a good option: Ru.Board EasyWrite

[TheSaint]

UPDATED to v1.3

Basically, I finally got around to using the program properly, and found I wanted a couple of features added.

[1] COPY button added (easier use of the Export To Clipboard menu item routine).

[2] TAB button added, so you can place TABS anywhere in your text ... great if adding code from memory or making other's posted code more readable during editing.

[3] TEXT WRAP menu item, for the obvious benefit (main reason I did this update).

[4] OFF-SCREEN improvement. For some reason, I'd neglected to add code to deal with the program window being off-screen at the bottom and to the right, while I did cater for Left and Top. Now corrected to be fully complete.

[5] Minor addition of code, so that Window position is not continually checked while minimized.

Edited September 5, 2013 by TheSaint

[TheSaint]

When I ran this, all minimised windows didn't restore, just staying in the taskbar and opening a new tab in Opera would keep opening AutoIt. This was after I closed the application. So I had to restart my machine after using this.

I did have an incident (once) during latest coding, where the WebPad window was partially off-screen at the bottom, and when I minimized it, it kept refusing to restore. Never happened to me before, and hasn't happened since, and after implementing items [4] and [5] above, it may have been fixed .... possibly a timing issue involving window position saving/checking and resizing. However, no-one else has reported a problem, so I may just be waffling. Still don't know why guinness had all the problems he did, and I got out of my scenario, just by right-clicking and selecting Close (or maybe selected Exit from Icon in System Tray).

@AZJIO - I'd checked out your link in Post #13, but being in Russian and seeming the opposite to what I want in a minimalist Text Editor, I didn't get it translated to investigate further. As for using the INSERT key instead of CTRL-v etc, I decided not to bother, going by FireFox comments and the fact that I always use the Copy/Export to clipboard option (now also a button), and just manually paste where I want it. The other Export To Active Window option was really just a fancy gimmick, to show it could be done, and possibly entice others to improve upon it.

Edited September 6, 2013 by TheSaint

[AZJIO]

 I didn't get it translated to investigate further

1. the program is in English, and does not require translation.

2 . I use the program for clipboard expansion. When using your idea the history of a clipboard is filled with spam.

[TheSaint]

1. the program is in English, and does not require translation.

2 . I use the program for clipboard expansion. When using your idea the history of a clipboard is filled with spam.

1. I don't doubt that, but detail was Russian, and I like to read before downloading, plus the Image looked much more complex than I was interested in. That said, I'm not advocating the program is bad or isn't handy. It must be worthwhile I guess, if you are recommending it, though I don't see how a clipboard program can in any way be a substitute for what WebPad does, and one could even say it's existence in my topic, is spam ... but I won't go that road (only an illustration of something more like TRUE spam).

2. I don't understand your reference to SPAM. How is placing text onto the clipboard (text you've written yourself) spam?

It is no different to me typing in Notepad, then doing copy all.

NOTE - Upon further thought, I guess you are talking about how elements like CASE changes and QUOTES (TAB, etc), are achieved. That they leave behind entries on the clipboard. That's not my idea of what SPAM constitutes. The reason I use the Clipboard and don't just rely on SEND, is because it is much faster and less clunky looking in action.

I think you must mean JUNK, not SPAM.

Anything you copy to the clipboard, once it is no longer required, is just JUNK usually anyway ... and I'm sure, that as a programmer, your clipboard would be filling up with JUNK all the time. There is no avoiding that, and in my mind, doesn't even need commenting on. Most people only ever access the very last entry on the clipboard anyway.

I used to use Clipboard programs years ago, but honestly I found them to be more trouble than they are worth in the long run. I even made up my own special variations, but just don't use them now either.

EDIT

It would be relatively easy, to edit my routine, so that original content is restored to clipboard after a process, if someone really felt the need.

Edited September 7, 2013 by TheSaint

[czardas]

It's a nice idea. Perhaps you could investigate other common features included by IPB. I'm not sure if it's worth your while, but maybe. The AutoIt Code tags could be a custom feature. See which features are more popular among different boards/forums.

Edited September 7, 2013 by czardas

[TheSaint]

It's a nice idea. Perhaps you could investigate other common features included by IPB. I'm not sure if it's worth your while, but maybe. The AutoIt Code tags could be a custom feature. See which features are more popular among different boards/forums.

What you talkin' bout Willis? 

It's not only a nice idea, but entirely usable ... does what it says on the box. 

It already does the AutoIt Code tags, with the CODE button. 

I don't really want to clutter the UI with any more buttons, that's why I left the COPY button off first time around.

I guess I could make more Menu Items or even Context Menu ones, for a lot of the other IPB options (Spoiler, etc), but the main goal for me, was to make things simple but effective in the main regular areas of use. 

One can always use the Forum Editor once you've completed, saved and copied you text over ... like Emoticons. 

I also use WebPad for Facebook, where none of the IPB stuff, etc is relevant. 

EDIT

I've even thought about adding the code from my Make It Pretty program, so that code could be parsed and correct tabs/indents inserted, at the single click of a button.

Edited September 7, 2013 by TheSaint

[AZJIO]

TheSaint

You gave me the idea to do Snippets to Notepad++. There is a possibility to insert text at the edges of the selected text.