TextPad for Windows

A vast majority of webmasters today are finding that when it comes to maintaining a web site, the HTML editor that served them so well during the initial development of their site just doesn't measure up anymore. The reality is, once you've integrated all the graphics, sound, Java applets, and original content into your web site using a high-power HTML editor like HotDog, HomeSite, or Microsoft FrontPage, you'll likely find that the same features you found so useful in your editor before are now simply overkill. Feature-laden HTML editors tend to take longer to load when being run at first (this especially applies to HotDog), they tend to lack screen real estate due to a large number of toolbars and graphics, and they often make the process of implementing small and routine changes to pages overly laborious. In order for a web site to be successful, it needs to have a constant infusion of new information and it needs to evolve in response to the viewers' needs and wants. This is where a webmaster really earns his or her money and where the good sites distinguish themselves from the mediocre. As a result, the tools of choice for maintaining web sites should come as no surprise -- small and quick text and HTML editors that make the process of revising pages and adding new content as efficient as humanly possible. The first app introduced to meet the maintenance needs of webmasters was surprisingly enough, Windows Notepad. This tiny app met most developers' critical needs -- it loaded quick, it handled multiple pages simultaneously, and it made simple the process of making small changes to web pages. Unfortunately, it lacked many HTML specific features as well as the ability to handle large files (32Kb+ in the 16-bit version). Despite being small and quick, Notepad's shortcomings quickly made revising web pages a major chore. To capitalize on Notepad's deficiencies, a great little freeware HTML editor by the name of HTML Writer was developed. Introduced in 1994, HTML Writer was an instant savior to the first generation of webmasters, often cutting the time spent on web maintenance in half. While it did lack many critical features -- including a 32-bit engine, long-file name support, a spelling checker, etc. -- to many users it was nothing short of a godsend. Many CWSApps users have lamented the lack of progress made on HTML Writer -- it's been more than a year since the client was last updated. In that time, the Windows world has dramatically changed and the web has evolved into an entirely different environment. Still, there have been few high-quality yet user-friendly alternatives to HTML Writer introduced on the 'net. Fortunately, that is finally beginning to change, thanks largely in part to an app named TextPad. The developers of TextPad, Helios Software Solutions, have put together a package that will satisfy the most demanding editing needs of webmasters and non-webmasters alike. Available in both 16 and 32-bit versions, TextPad loads quick, performs extremely efficiently, and offers an outstanding set of features. Usability is the name of the game in this niche market; it's also the area in which TextPad really excels. Long file name support, the ability to handle large files (up to the limits of your virtual memory in the 32-bit version), huge screen real estate, Multiple Document Interface (MDI) capabilities for working on several documents at once, OLE2 Drag 'n' Drop, multilingual interface functionality, an integrated spelling checker (also available in a number of languages), HTML web viewing (by automatically launching an external browser), unlimited undo/redo capabilities, a customizable toolbar, a keystroke macro recorder, and powerful search and replace abilities (including multiple file replace) are just a few of TextPad's great features. TextPad also offers a great selection of configuration options, which allow you to customize the client to your needs and, as a result, work in the most efficient manner possible. Two of TextPad's most unique and impressive features are text bookmarks and the "Warm Start" option. Like physical bookmarks, text bookmarks allow you to save your place in a file (especially useful for long, complex files) and then quickly find it once again at a later time. The "Warm Start" feature complements text bookmarks by allowing you to save your entire work session and then return to it later exactly the way you left it. Using Warm Start, all of the files you were previously working on can be restored to their prior location and window size, thereby saving you the time and effort of having to find where you last left off, open the necessary files, and then jump to the correct locations. These two features exemplify the attention to detail prevalent throughout TextPad and are great examples of how Helios has developed the client from the ground up with the user in mind. While TextPad may not meet all of your needs -- especially when it comes to developing web sites from scratch (check out HomeSite, FrontPage, or HotDog for that) -- if you want a quick and powerful editor that can make your life a whole lot easier, TextPad is definitely the app for you. HTML Writer fans, rejoice -- a worthy successor to the king of efficient editors has finally arrived. Pros: Quick, powerful, and extremely easy to use; impressive set of features (especially the 'Warm Start' option) Cons: TextPad excels at maintaining web sites, not creating them; cost relative to HTML Writer For the latest information on TextPad for Windows, check out: http://www.stroud.com/95html.html#textpad apps conference Main Menu