Preserve code when switching between the Visual and HTML editor
Alas, very hard. We know it sucks, it’s to do with the TinyMCE code and how it’s implemented.
As for the DFW (Distraction Free Writing, aka Full Screen Editor), there’s a trade off to all the buttons and fewer. The idea is to cut down on distrations. 😉
And code highlighting is a plugin for sure.
Thread Starter
Bruce.
(@bruce-1)
Alas, very hard. We know it sucks, it’s to do with the TinyMCE code and how it’s implemented. […] And code highlighting is a plugin for sure.
I appreciate the reply.
I discovered some plugins that may help. I’m yet to check them out, but if I find something good, I’ll share it here.
As for the DFW (Distraction Free Writing, aka Full Screen Editor), there’s a trade off to all the buttons and fewer. The idea is to cut down on distrations. 😉
What I was mostly saying is that the Visual “Distraction Free Writing” Full Screen Editor offers more buttons than the HTML Full screen editor.
You could say that people who would use the HTML editor won’t need those buttons, but since they make things easier and are already present in the visual DFW full screen editor, I don’t understand why they’re omitted from the HTML DFW mode. (Especially since switching between the visual and HTML editor isn’t really optimal at the moment.)
I love the experience of the distraction free writing mode, but find the nice experience of using it gets interrupted because, if I want to do basic functions that are, for me, essential to content creation (like easily apply formatting to text and preview what a post will look like, which is something I sort of have to do since switching to the visual editor messes with the HTML code), I have to exit the full screen mode.
I think giving users the option to have features like (1) somehow being able to preview a post from the full screen HTML editor and (2) having the same buttons available in both the HTML and Visual full screen editor would allow simplicity to be there by default, with functionality only an setting-change away.
My intent isn’t to be critical. I just like as many users as possible (me included, heh) to have a nicer user experience.
Thread Starter
Bruce.
(@bruce-1)
Postscript
When I say “Especially since switching between the visual and HTML editor isn’t really optimal at the moment”, I mean “if you want your code unchanged.”
I think Bruce’s suggestion is brilliant.
The two “views” work fine together for so long and then they didnt. Now I have to work only in html mode and manually insert all the coding I want if I do any editing after posting with LiveWriter, because the footnote coding LiveWriter uses is zapped and voided as soon as I switch to visual. Why couldnt you insert the same basic buttons in the html view, like underlining. It already has bold and italics, so why not also the text-centering buttons? Having to insert code manually is just crazy.
I also have some index links in a nifty grid, centered at the top of my index pages. As soon as I switch to visual, the grid gets bumped off its centering. If WordPress is going to force us to work only in html then gives us all the the same features that the visual mode has.
The two “views” work fine together for so long and then they didnt.
They never worked ‘fine’ together (at least not since WP 2.4 or so, which is as far back as I ever used the visual editor…).
Well okay, all I can say is that I never had the sort of headaches Im getting now when I switch views. From my memory, I didnt have the problem in 2010. The switch of views just voids the LiveWriter coding. In LiveWriter, all the editing features are available whether in view mode or source mode. It would be so good if WordPress good do same thing.
It probably has to do with what you’re posting. I never have a problem on my plain text stuff, but every time I want to include code examples, eeeeeeeg. There’s a minor update to TinyMCE (the visual editor) in the new WP (3.4, coming soon!) IIRC.
(Also keep in mind, LiveWriter’s it’s own thang. So … it could have done something stupid too.)
hey there,
Regarding LiveWriter, I dont know if this means anything but its not updated or changed in all this time. Even now, there are no updates or revisions of it. What I have now was is what Ive always had.
I also had the same problem with Scribefire. Its footnote coding was zapped as well in the same way.
I finally got a response from someone at WordPress and he admitted that it is problem on their part but I should not look forward to any soon resolution (my paraphrase).
Okay, so that is the way it is, a really helpful short-term fix would be having all the buttons in both view modes. Why not?
Regarding LiveWriter, I dont know if this means anything but its not updated or changed in all this time.
That does mean something. Remember, WP has changed. If the tool hasn’t, it could be the reason.
Okay, so that is the way it is, a really helpful short-term fix would be having all the buttons in both view modes. Why not?
It’s assumed if you know HTML, you don’t need ’em.
