Best app for large volume formatted text entry?

[drpeter]

I backed the Cosmo essentially to have a pocketable means of large-volume text entry with a more usable screen and equivalent keyboard to the Psion 5mx- with phone/web functionality as a bonus.

Now I have my hands on the beast, what app would Gemini/Cosmo users recommend installing as an alternative to the dreadful Microsoft Word for Android?

[jakfish]

TextMaker HD

Edit: My recommendation of TextMaker HD has become more equivocal. Now that I have a Cosmo, the TM installation warned that it's an old version and may not work properly. TM installed, seems to work, but will not hide its navigation bars even after setting it up in Granular Immersive. TM simply leaves a black bar instead of expanding itself to the end of the screen.

In the SoftMaker forum, it appears that a Pie-updated TM is long overdue and no end in sight. So there may be other bugs I've yet to find.

Jake

[gymbo]

TextMaker HD

Jake

TextMaker has that, kind of silly, bug that it moves two letters/rows etc. with arrow keys in the Gemini, and I assume it has the same in Cosmo? Otherwise, it seems like a good piece of software.

Personally I use OfficeSuite and AndrOpen Office, both "full" Office suites (wordprocessor, spreadsheet and presentations). I use OfficeSuite mainly because it is one of the few with an option to BUY and not just RENT the full version (TextMaker, and their other apps, are also possible to buy, as far as I know). And it supports most "common" shortcut keys. AndrOpen Office is supposedly an Open Office port, and have things like a virtual mouse, but the menus are hard to use: You can only access them with touchscreen or mouse (virtual or "real"?), as "Alt"-key combinations don't work, at least on the Gemini. But AndroOpen Office apparently reads file-headings, as it is capable of opening files that, for som reason, gets wrong "association": Where OpenOffice stubbornly opens a file as "txt", it opens it in the right format (and I don't seem to be able to "correct" it by changing the file ending either).

[clasqm]

One additional app worth mentioning is Joplin. It is a multiplatform Markdown editor that syncs via Dropbox. Slightly tricky to set up the syncing, but once it's up and running I can write on the cosmo and seamlessly continue working on my Linux and Widows boxes.

[plutopants]

One additional app worth mentioning is Joplin. It is a multiplatform Markdown editor that syncs via Dropbox. Slightly tricky to set up the syncing, but once it's up and running I can write on the cosmo and seamlessly continue working on my Linux and Widows boxes.

My goodness, THANK YOU for this recommendation. Just what I have been looking for. A worthy replacement for Evernote without the ties it seems to have developed.
Joplin can sync, end to end encrypted, notes I can keep on my device with my Dropbox. Perfect.
For my needs, it seems the equivalent of an automatically saving text tool, with some markdown capabilities so as not to be a bloated and slow word processor.

Thank you. This has also the promise of being the open source cross platform alternative note taker I have been hoping to find for my Cosmo and Gemini. One that I will be able to use in Linux when it comes on board.

I could imagine any writer could grow to love this tool!

[Charlie Stross]

What I'm using -- admittedly a bit idiosyncratic -- is: Termux, the Linux userland/command line interface, with byobu (terminal multiplexer/virtual terminal manager) and nvim (NeoVim, a fork of vim with a whole bunch of new/cleaned up code) and a bunch of custom plugins for Markdown editing.

This is sitting on top of a directory tree that I sync with Dropbox using Dropsync (although Termux has a port of rclone available, which would be a feasible alternative if I could be bothered retooling to use it).

Upshot: full-featured vim editing environment with markdown-specific editing plugins and terminal multiplexer. And a near-clone of this setup running on macOS, Linux, and Windows 10 under WSL (Windows Subsystem for Linux, in my case running Debian as a guest OS under Windows).

[MonkeyControl]

TextMaker has that, kind of silly, bug that it moves two letters/rows etc. with arrow keys in the Gemini, and I assume it has the same in Cosmo?

Yes it does, in both PlanMaker and TextMaker.  My workaround in PlanMaker is to go to Tools/Customise/Keyboard Mappings then make a new keyboard map and then in Group, scroll down to 'Keyboard', and create a new shortcut key for Commands 'Up' 'Down' 'Left' 'Right', (I used Ctrl+Up, Ctrl+Down, Ctrl+Left, Ctrl+Right), now when I want to navigate by cursor I have to hold the Control key at the same time, and this overrules the usual effect of Ctrl+Direction, but I can now navigate one cell at a time without having to resort to peck and pray on the touchscreen.  
In TextMaker I've just had a look and there is a similar option, but when you have created your new keyboard map the group you need to look for is Editing, and the commands are 'Line up', 'Line down', 'Character left', 'Character right'.  
Pretty ugly workaround eh...  But it works for me.  

Otherwise, it seems like a good piece of software.

Yes, I think so.  I've been on the hunt for a spreadsheet program and a word processor as well.  
I haven't yet found one that fully meets my requirements:  
.    Doesn't need Google play services
.    Handles ODS and ODT
.    Works completely offline without internet connection
PlanMaker and TextMaker are the best I've found.  I'm sort of resigned to working in xls for now

One additional app worth mentioning is Joplin.

My goodness, THANK YOU for this recommendation.
I could imagine any writer could grow to love this tool!

I came across Joplin too.  I've been using it for ToDo, shopping lists, and pre-flight checklists on Ernie the Motorhome.  So I'm not exactly using it for 'Large volume' as the thread title asks for, just bits and bobs, but I can see how it would work.

[drpeter]

In TextMaker I've just had a look and there is a similar option, but when you have created your new keyboard map the group you need to look for is Editing, and the commands are 'Line up', 'Line down', 'Character left', 'Character right'.  
Pretty ugly workaround eh...  But it works for me.

Works for me too.  Thanks ++++ for this tip

[gymbo]

TextMaker has that, kind of silly, bug that it moves two letters/rows etc. with arrow keys in the Gemini, and I assume it has the same in Cosmo?

Yes it does, in both PlanMaker and TextMaker.  My workaround in PlanMaker is to go to Tools/Customise/Keyboard Mappings then make a new keyboard map and then in Group, scroll down to 'Keyboard', and create a new shortcut key for Commands 'Up' 'Down' 'Left' 'Right', (I used Ctrl+Up, Ctrl+Down, Ctrl+Left, Ctrl+Right), now when I want to navigate by cursor I have to hold the Control key at the same time, and this overrules the usual effect of Ctrl+Direction, but I can now navigate one cell at a time without having to resort to peck and pray on the touchscreen.  
In TextMaker I've just had a look and there is a similar option, but when you have created your new keyboard map the group you need to look for is Editing, and the commands are 'Line up', 'Line down', 'Character left', 'Character right'.  
Pretty ugly workaround eh...  But it works for me.  

Yeah, I saw (and remembered) that workaround after my post here, so it should work OK, but think it still could be a bit annoying, but assume one would learn to live quite happily with it too.

Otherwise, it seems like a good piece of software.

Yes, I think so.  I've been on the hunt for a spreadsheet program and a word processor as well.  
I haven't yet found one that fully meets my requirements:  
.    Doesn't need Google play services
.    Handles ODS and ODT
.    Works completely offline without internet connection
PlanMaker and TextMaker are the best I've found.  I'm sort of resigned to working in xls for now

Don't really know if it "works" without Google play services, but Google Play Store is where it mainly is (suppose you might find it in another store as well), but OfficeSuite supports Open Document formats as an in-app purchase, and I do believe it works completely offline too. If you just want Open Office support "LibreOffice and OpenOffice document viewer" does, despite the name, support basic editing of those files as well. (It is named "Open Office viewer" on my device, so I had trouble finding it in the store now. There are quite a few other "Open Office" viewers and editors too...)

Would like to mention AndrOpen Office too, it is a "port" of Open Office. And it is the only app I know that apparently reads the file header of a file it opens, and handles it correctly from that. (If my mail program messes up a file attachment, other programs opens it as a text-file, as AndrOpen Office displays it correctly as a document or spreadsheet. And usually I can't even get around it by renaming the file for the other apps either...) The navigation of the program is kind of difficult, as it relays much on the use of menus, and Alt-keys doesn't work for those menus. It does have a "virtual" mouse, and believe it should work good if you have an ACTUAL mouse connected to the Gemini/Cosmo

[MonkeyControl]

Don't really know if it "works" without Google play services, but Google Play Store is where it mainly is (suppose you might find it in another store as well), but OfficeSuite supports Open Document formats as an in-app purchase, and I do believe it works completely offline too.

I think I remember OfficeSuite from the Symbian days.  I tried this after downloading from APKPure, but the first thing it wanted to do was run off to google, which is a shame.  I'd happily put my hand in my pocket and pay for it if it wasn't for that.  

If you just want Open Office support "LibreOffice and OpenOffice document viewer" does, despite the name, support basic editing of those files as well.

I also tried the 'LibreOffice and OpenOffice document viewer' with the beta editing functionality downloaded from F-Droid, but after enabling the 'experimental mode' for editing, I couldn't get it to work, but maybe I'll have another go at it.  

(It is named "Open Office viewer" on my device, so I had trouble finding it in the store now.

I also noticed that the name things get given on the launcher doesn't always match the name on the store.  This can also make them tricky to find in an alphabetical launcher grid.  I got into the habit of opening new apps directly from the store on completion of installation, then looking for them in 'recently used apps' in settings to delete them.  Maybe I need a new launcher, but that's a different thread.  

Would like to mention AndrOpen Office too, it is a "port" of Open Office. And it is the only app I know that apparently reads the file header of a file it opens, and handles it correctly from that.

Yup, tried it, it sounded promising.  Wouldn't run without google spy services.  

There are quite a few other "Open Office" viewers and editors too...)

Looking at my spreadsheet, from AbiWord to ZoHo, I've tried about 20, but can't find something google free, with both ods and odt support, that works offline.  Thanks for the suggestions Gymbo, much appreciated, maybe I should just lose the tin foil hat and accept google, but I just can't.  
I think it's the double o in g  gle, it makes me feel like they're watching me.

[Noppe]

Upshot: full-featured vim editing environment with markdown-specific editing plugins and terminal multiplexer.

I also like writing in vim.  Have you found any solution for returning functionality to the ESC key, which is kind of important in vi?

I have not yet tried creating a whole new keyboard map (on my long list of things to test out on the Cosmo), but I am certainly willing to do that if it's known to work.

[jakfish]

With help, I figured out the workaround for the weird SoftMaker double-press back in my Gemini days. The thread here brings everyone up to speed, but if you're looking for a repeat-on-press, this works, though you have to switch modifier from control to alt:

https://www.oesf.org/forum/index.php?showto...mp;hl=textmaker  >>[I have not yet figured out how to make the keystroke repeat when by holding it down. EDIT: it seems to be an issue with Control as choice of accelerator. If Alt is chosen instead, there is repeat upon holding down keystroke]<<

Jake

[NormMonkey]

Upshot: full-featured vim editing environment with markdown-specific editing plugins and terminal multiplexer.

I also like writing in vim.  Have you found any solution for returning functionality to the ESC key, which is kind of important in vi?

I have not yet tried creating a whole new keyboard map (on my long list of things to test out on the Cosmo), but I am certainly willing to do that if it's known to work.

If you're using `vim` within `termux`, you can return ESC functionality for vim and everything else within termux:
https://wiki.termux.com/wiki/Terminal_Settings

(specifically back-key=escape)

[Noppe]

If you're using `vim` within `termux`, you can return ESC functionality for vim and everything else within termux:
https://wiki.termux.com/wiki/Terminal_Settings

(specifically back-key=escape)

Ah, perfect.  Thanks!