Simple text editors are never very exciting, but this one has one or two little bells and whistles which you might enjoy.
The output file is a PLAIN text which is compatible with any other text editor you might also be using. The linebreaks are in Windows format, which is also perfectly compatible with Linux.
The buttons at the top are fairly self-explanatory I think, but there are some things to be said about the functions of the FONT and PRINT buttons.
As you can see, there are 12 fonts, 12 sizes, and 2 styles available. The fonts are a subset of Google Fonts which will display similarly on all platforms: Linux, Windows and Mac.
However, these fonts are not only used for display, BUT ALSO FOR PRINTING. You can choose one font for display, and a different font for printing, since what is suitable for one might not be necessarily suitable for the other. Before printing, just use the FONT button again and make your choices. After printing, return to your preferred display font by using the FONT dialogue a second time. Of course, if your choices of font for both display and printing are the same, the procedure is even simpler: don't click on the FONT button before printing at all!
For the editing box, other simple text editors normally have a range of fonts, font sizes and styles for you to choose from, but they are tucked away in a menu somewhere. In howText, they are immediately available by clicking on the FONT button, which causes a panel to be opened on the right-hand side of the screen. All you need to do is click on the font name, size and style of your choice. If you already have a text typed or loaded, you are given a preview of the effects of your provisional choices on the text in the editing box. If the editing box is empty, a small preview text will be provided for you to examine. The OK button in the dialogue implements the new text style in the typing box, and CANCEL, obviously, abandons all changes to it.
FOOTNOTE FOR PROGRAMMERS
This app is excellent for editing very heavy texts, especially if your browser has been supplied with adequate DOM Storage**. I write single-file web pages which contain millions of bytes for the embedded images encoded in base64, and howText remains 100% agile when I edit them. Unless you are using a special text editor such as Sublime Text, you will find that heavy web pages are sufficient to slow down, or even break, an ordinary text editor.
[** If you don't know how to increase the default DOM Storage of your browser, HERE are some example instructions for Firefox.]
That said, it is pointless trying to PRINT web pages from howText. The browsers either try to display/execute the pages sent to the printing module, or they block them completely. This is a slightly negative aspect of the app, but I never need to print my web pages, and I doubt whether many other programmers require it very often either.
Although the text is shown in very large letters in the background, the PRINT PREVIEW opens directly. You are told how many pages will be required for printing. This might vary according to the font/size you have chosen. After selecting your printing device, either go ahead by clicking on the PRINT button, or CANCEL if you change your mind. If you do change your mind, or when you have finished printing, close the printing window/tab. That's all!
If you would like to download a fairly long text to practise with (the one shown in the screenshots), HERE it is.
