Synchronization of Notes

Hi,

I create a new RTF note in EagleFiler (1.4.4), type a little text directly into the note in EagleFiler, and then double click on the record title to open the note in TextEdit. Unfortunately, the changes I made in the note in EagleFiler are not (always) saved to the file opened by TextEdit.

With existing notes, I have also lost changes made in EagleFiler immediately before opening with TextEdit.

Perhaps EagleFiler should always synchronize its internal copy of a note with the corresponding file before launching an external editor.

Regards,

Alan

Thanks for the report. Right now, EagleFiler saves when the window loses focus. Depending on how fast your Mac is, TextEdit might open the file before the save completes. I will change it to fully save before sending the file to TextEdit.

Thanks for your reply.

My Mac is a year-old dual-core 2.4 GHz MacBook with a couple of gigabytes; it’s not especially fast, so I’m surprised that no one has reported this before. Perhaps my work-flow of mixing editing in EagleFiler and TextEdit is unusual.

EagleFiler 1.4.5 makes sure that the file is completely saved before opening it in another application.

I came looking for an explination as to how I save my edits on demand as there is no CMD-S in EF.

So the only way I can “force” a save of a file I’m editing in EF is to deselect it or otherwise direct focus away from it?

This leaves me uncomfortable in that I can’t type CMD-S to instantly save my working file. It’s part of my workflow/mantra/etc. “Type CMD-S following every edit or risk loosing work!”

What happens if I have a EF rtf file open all day long and don’t switch from it and my machine reboots?

While the chance of my machine rebooting is low, the chance I’ll work on a single EF document all day long and not loose focus on it in EF is very likely (my worklog).

Thanks,
Mike

You don’t have to deselect it. Any change in the active window or active application counts. So if you really want to force a save, you could, e.g. press Command-0 to bring the Activity window to the front or just click on the desktop.

Is there anything bound to CMD-S in EF? Even knowing I can deselect, CMD-Tab out of EF, etc. to loose focus on an item and have it save, I still find myself instinctively slamming CMD-S every minor edit to my worklogs I now keep in EF.

If CMD-S instant saving isn’t a planned addition (if not, please accept this as a feature request!), does it hurt anything to continually “Save” a document? :slight_smile:

Thanks,
Mike

I think adding Command-S might a little confusing for people, introducing doubt as to whether the saving is in fact automatic. Perhaps some sort of time-based auto-saving would ease your fears?

I appreciate the thought, but you don’t have to implement a timed saving feature for just me.

I appreciate the fact existing users expect and rely on the EF auto-saving feature, but when the normal workflow in all Mac apps includes “CMD-S” when finished editing, I tend to think the former is instilling more confusing than the later.

All told though, it’s not a big deal. I’m sorry I’ve made it out to be.

As long as folks understand the uncommon ability/feature of EF auto-saving going in, it’s all good. It’s just not expected/normal Apple application behavior IMO.

Mike

Fair enough. I would argue that there are basically two kinds of Mac apps: those where you explicitly create and save files (TextEdit, Keynote, Word) and those where the application manages the storage (iPhoto, iCal, Stickies) and there is no Save command. So the “normal workflow” depends on which kind of app you’re in.

EagleFiler is a bit of an odd case because it’s a “library app” that manages the files for you, and you don’t even need to know how your data is stored. But, at the same time, it does use an open library format that shows you the files if you want to see them. I think adding Command-S might cause some people to think that EagleFiler is in the first category, when it’s really in the second.

Ok. I’m understanding your train of thought now. Thanks for explaining it further.

I guess I’m old school in that I didn’t consider the likes of iPhoto and library-type apps you mention as not having manual save.

I was focused on EF as an editor as that is what I mainly do with it… editing a file in EF is visually and effectively the same as editing it in other apps like TextEdit, TextWrangler, etc. where the CMD-S is a given.

I wasn’t thinking of it in the broader picture of it being an editor AND a library type app where you can store a plethora of file types (many uneditable). I am catching on slowly, but surely. :wink:

Mike

I like the idea of command-S, fwiw. Also the idea of a timed auto-save. Both, if possible, redundant though that may be.

EagleFiler 1.7.3 adds an automatic auto-save every minute.