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Free HTML snippet file for TextExpander
TextExpander is another favorite utility in the TUAW tool belt, as it can save a boatload of time with repeatedly typing anything from email signatures to canned customer service replies and even code. In fact, SmileOnMyMac just made HTML coding a bit easier on web designers and hackers everywhere by posting an HTML snippet file that contains abbreviations for over 60 common pieces of HTML, ripe for cutting down on the time it takes to hand code your sites. This file should serve as a great example of the power of TextExpander, since SmileOnMyMac made sure to use some of the app's tricks that insert the cursor in a useful place after expanding a snippet, such as in between the quotes of: <a href=""></a>, allowing you to easily fill in the blanks. But don't stop there - a little exploring of how these snippets are put together should enable you to build your own for the specific kinds of work and code you use.This snippet file is free from SmileOnMyMac's site, and the highly recommended TextExpander sells for $29.95 with a whopping 90 day money-back guarantee.
iWebFlinger - the HTML and FTP uploading tool
iWebFlinger is great for those who want to use HTML to customize their iWeb sites, but they neither have nor want a .Mac account with which to publish. On the customization front, this useful tool allows you to insert code into your iWeb sites by wrapping it in a specific tag, as well as customizing the site-wide header and footer with dedicated chunks of code (pictured). As far as getting your recently-created iWeb site to where it's going, iWebFlinger's FTP features are pretty handy. Your password is stored in the system-wide Keychain, and you can even upload a favicon (the neat little custom icons that appear alongside a site's URL in the address bar). iWebFlinger also has the option to be smart about exactly which files it needs to upload and replace, which can save a lot of time when you make additions or changes to your site. iWebFlinger is donationware from Chris J. Shull, and it's available at his site.
Apple posts Mail stationery templates galleries
We're all excited about Leopard, Apple's next major release of OS X. Steve has shown us some of the features, but Apple is keeping a pretty tight lid on everything that will be included in 10.5.One of the features that made Steve's WWDC keynote is Stationery Templates in Mail. Basically, this makes it very easy to create snazzy HTML emails right within Mail. You can live preview templates, and drag and drop images from iPhoto. Tim Gaden points out that Apple, at some point, put up a little gallery with a bunch of the templates that will soon be unleashed upon the world.I don't know about you, but HTML email is the bane of my existence. The first thing I do when I am configuring any email client is figure out how to convert all incoming emails to plain text. I might be a little extreme in my dislike of HTML emails, but I seriously hope that when Leopard is released I don't start receiving a deluge of HTML emails.
Cake text printer doesn't speak Italian, pens errors instead
While we doubt we've seen every single computing error that could possibly occur, there's definitely been a fair amount to surface, and while this story may not take the proverbial cake, it's good for a hearty chuckle if nothing else. Apparently, a certain Aunt Elsa was supposed to receive a custom baked (and messaged) cake from Wegmans Grocery to celebrate her birthday, and as the part-English, part-Italian message was emailed into Wegmans presumably automated printing machine, a bit of miscommunication ensued. Sure, it makes sense that the machine might not have been ready (or programmed) to handle languages outside of English, but surely someone actually looked at this thing before sending it out, right? Nevertheless, Aunt Elsa was graced with a cake that just barely got the whole "birthday" message across, and we presume even the supportEmptyParas tasted mighty sweet going down.[Via BoingBoing]
WordPress 2.0.6 supports HTML quicktags in Safari
We typically don't post about updates to WordPress (that's Download Squad's job), one of the most popular install-it-yourself blogging platforms available, but this latest v2.0.6 is a little different. Amidst some security updates and other goodies for plug-in and theme developers is HTML quicktag compatibility for post authoring in Safari. As you can see in the screenshot Safari users can now enjoy more powerful editing in WordPress post and page creation windows. Though this isn't quite full rich text/WYSIWYG editing, there are plenty out there who would make the argument that you shouldn't be blogging that way with WordPress in the first place.Text formatting aside, this should offer the Safari-slinging WordPress users out there some browser-hopping relief when drafting their next diggable post.
On TextMate extras
Like me, there are probably a lot of fresh new TextMate users out there in the audience thanks at least in part to MacHeist, so I thought it would be pertinent to point out a few helpful resources Allan Odgaard (TM's developer) maintains at macromates.com. Of course the searchable mailing list and IRC channel are handy for getting your discussion on, over which TM user Brett Terpstra just shared a WordPress templating bundle he's created - quite possibly a good addition to that theming workflow we just blogged. Another powerful resource is the TextMate wiki, which houses a plethora of learning tools and resources such as a bundle repository if you're looking for some features or a language not included by default, as well as an RSS feed for bundle changes. Of course, what text app would be complete without user submitted themes? Last on my resource roundup (but by no means the end of what's available) are a few TextMate plugins, including a WebMate plugin that turns TM's Web Preview into a full-fledged WYSIWYG HTML editor based on WebKit. There's a lot more from where all this came from, so dive in or simply get your feet wet with this swiss army knife of text editors.
BBEdit 8.5 released with new UI, code folding, clippings - 160 total improvements
Bare Bones Software really knows how to deliver a .5 release, as the have just announced v8.5 of BBEdit, their powerful and professional HTML and code editor. Amongst the total 160 new and updated features is a revamped UI for both the app and its now-searchable preferences, 'code folding' for collapsing sections of a document for greater legibility, a revamped Clippings feature for re-using snippets of text and code, new languages, auto-save and much, much more.At $199, this editor definitely isn't for the faint of heart, and it's definitely why 'professional' is included in the product's description. However, for owners of previous versions, Bare Bones has quite possibly the most agreeable upgrade terms we've ever seen for an application: owners of any BBEdit v8.0 and above can upgrade for a mere $30, though if you purchased v8.2 after 1/1/06, it's free. For owners of v7.1.4 and earlier, the upgrade is only $40. a 30 day demo of this Universal Binary app is, of course, available from Bare Bones Software.[via Mac DevCenter]
Taco HTML v1.7.2 is Universal
If Dreamweaver is a bit overkill for some web work on your desk, Taco HTML might just be the editor for you. It's a small yet feature-packed web editor with tag coloring, HTML preview, syntax checking, code snippets and more. It's my favorite editor for HTML pages or tweaking a WordPress PHP page file or two.As far as I can tell, Taco HTML is provided free, and is a Universal Binary. Check it out if you read this post in less time than it takes Dreamweaver to start up.
RapidWeaver 3.5
RapidWeaver 3.5, the theme based website creator, has just been released by Realmac Software. This release is a Universal Binary, and includes new themes, CSS based photo galleries, 'feature rich blogging,' and SFTP support. This release also includes the ability to directly edit the HTML code, which will be a real boon to people who know HTML but also like nice GUI touches.The price has gone up slightly from $34.95 to $39.95Thanks to all who sent this in.Correction: I incorrectly said that you can edit HTML in RapidWeaver's new code view. Sadly, you can only view the code (and check for validation errors). Thanks to Tom for pointing this out.
Sandvox 1.0 official release
I'm really glad to see all this innovation in WYSIWYG web editing software, and from my experience, Sandvox from Karelia Software is poised to lead the pack. Yes, I've been going on about how excited I am about the iWeb 1.1 update, but after playing with Sandvox's beta editions, I'm going to give this official 1.0 release a good run-through, as it offers quite a bit of power and some nice tricks that other products like RapidWeaver and iWeb can't claim.The feature that impresses me the most about Sandvox is their innovative "Pagelets" feature. Pagelets are small chunks of rich content that you can simply drag and drop around your site's theme. Don't like where your blogroll is? Just drag its pagelet somewhere else. Pagelets in the pro version can also allow you to insert your own HTML and even PHP code into any portion of your site or sidebar. Speaking of site themes: Sandvox's are stellar, and a bit more creative than iWeb's. Sandvox comes with two dozen themes, with more available.Sandvox also does a lot of the, dare I say, 'standard' WYSIWYG web design-ish stuff that I've come to expect on the Apple platform. You can drag your audio podcasts into a Sandvox site and get them submitted to the iTMS, as well as drag images from iPhoto, etc.Overall, despite lightning striking twice for Karelia Software, Sandvox looks like a solid product that presents a strong array of features for the WYSIWYG designer that demands a little more from their web design app.
Use CSS in your Mail signatures
I'll have to agree with Dvorak that mail apps that don't allow HTML are lame lame lame. Apple's Mail will allow you to see HTML emails, but not compose them. I guess that's supposed to be a security/annoyance feature, but sometimes I would really like to make an HTML email... But at least we can have CSS for our signatures. CSS, for those who don't know, is a way of styling web pages. It's more precise than plain ol' HTML, and quite frankly, more powerful and better looking. My personal site uses CSS exclusively (much to the chagrin of Netscape Navigator 4.7). Anyway, Melvin Rivera has a step-by-step tutorial on using CSS in your Mail.app signatures. You may want to learn a little CSS first, if you've never tried it before. Just like using a Mac, you may never go back.
Copy View Source Automator Action
If you are into web design or blogging, this little Automator Action may be of interest to you: Copy View Source Automator Action from DES Productions simply copies the HTML source of the current web page in Safari as text. Very simple and very cool.
