OMMWRITER BLOG

If you have downloaded V2 Beta of Ommwriter, you may have problems opening your Ommwriter files that were previously created using V1. We have encountered cases where the file just will not open, or in some cases, display your file with special characters, even in Chinese, literally. No, we have not implemented a Chinese translator in Ommwriter yet.

What happened?

Ommwriter V2 now uses UTF-8 to encode its saved files. Depending on your system, Ommwriter V1 may have used a different encoding. If you get gibberish text (oops) when trying to open your V1 generated files on V2, try the following.

The workaround

1. rename your file from .omm to .txt
2. open the file in TextEdit.
3. select all (+A), and copy (+C).
4. open OmmWriter V2
5. paste (+v) or right click on TextView and choose paste.
6. save the file.

Your file will now be saved as utf-8, and will show up properly in Ommwriter V2.

You should not have problems if you create, save and open files using V2.

对不起，我不是故意的.

Oriol

A month ago we released V1 of the Ommwriter Beta version. We finally got our act together and have just released Beta v2 of Ommwriter. This v2 contains bug fixes as well as a couple of new features that some of you asked for.

NEW FEATURES

1. Word Count: For all of you bloggers, journalists, for whom every word counts.

2. Auto-save. For all those undesirable moments, when Murphy’s Law kicks in. In those desperate circumstances you can now recover most of your lost work (backed up every 3 minutes). In times of need, you will find this file in “Library/OmmWriter/OmmWriterBackup.omm”

BUG FIXES

If you are technically inclined or just interested in seeing what bugs have been fixed then this list will make a lot of sense to you. Thanks Oriol.

1. Fixed bug with core i7 machines (newest iMacs) where “ffil” font (char counter) fails to load and makes OmmWriter crash at startup

2. Opening a file would not ask to save currently opened file before replacing textview contents. Fixed.

3. Error/confusion prone keyboard shortucts (like  + p) removed.

4. Removed 10.5.5 limitation, will now launch on Mac OS X 10.5.0 and beyond.

5. Script font missing a few animations at different sizes (x, r, etc.). Fixed.

6. Script font missing some characters (any two-step input char, like accented chars) when typed in between other chars. Fixed.

7. OmmWriter will now save all files as UTF-8, and will do its best to open/import files with other encodings.
NOTE ADDED 18/12: If you try to open Ommwriter files created using V1, you may get garbled text. Please check out the blog post above for the workaround.

8. Pressing minimize button twice could cause app to disappear and become unreachable. Fixed.

9. Save panel appears twice. Fixed.

10. More detailed “Save before exit” / “Open file and lose changes?” alert panels.

11. Disappearing “Save before quit?” / “Open file and lose changes?” panels when switching to another app without answering to panel question. Fixed.

12. Document scrolls back to top when opening a file.

13. Scrollbar redraw/recalc when deleting text by selection.

14. Scrollbar redraw/recalc when loading a file.

15. Tweaked insertion point to be more precise on different fonts/sizes combinations. Much better!

16. Minimized “CharAnimationLayer transparency ignored” bug on Mac OS X 10.5 by making the CALayer disappear when not in use.

17. Much better user experience when dragging the text box around the edges of the screen. Won’t get trapped as much.

18. Improved typing speed for handwritten/script font. Won’t lag behind as much.

19. “ + TAB” and then “ + Q” when OmmWriter is not in focus on an unsaved document could cause the UI to stay transparent or somewhere inbetween transitions. Fixed.

20. Fixed bug where name cropping (file extension) could occur on the “Save As…” panel.

21. Changed misspelled words attributes (greyed out words instead of red underline).

Happy and creative holidays!

We finally have a new section on the site with the most Frequently Meditated Question (FMQs). Here we will do our best to post the top questions received from you, and, where possible, try to give carefully meditated answers to those questions.

Just as in real life, we may not have the right answer to your question. In that case, we will reply with an honest “sorry, we don’t know”. Other times, we may need more time do our homework, and so we will say “stay tuned” or “we’re looking into it”.

We hope you have a great inspiration-filled weekend.

We are mostly Mac users here at Herraizsoto&co. Since the Ommwriter idea started out as an internal tool for us, we originally developed it for the Mac platform. We could generate a long list of reasons as to why we use Macs within the agency. Or we could just simply summarize it into one: we like them. Owning a Mac is like owning a Harley Davidson. You would never think about getting another one.

But now that Ommwriter is born and quickly growing up, we, as proud parents,  have to learn to let go. Ommwriter is no longer just a tool for internal use for the lucky few.

OK we’re Mac-lovers. However , the original idea was also to share Ommwriter with as many people as possible so that they would also get the same benefits out of using it as we do.

Does that mean that Ommwriter will only ever be available for the Mac? Well, based on all your feedback, I guess not.

Rafa Soto

Today I was curious to know what are our users using ommwriter for, so I tweeted asking what people are writing. Josh Dance, one of our followers on Twitter suggested that I posted some of the replies, so here I am broadcasting a sample of the incredibly broad variety of uses of ommwriter.

• tim_nolan Character treatments, script ideas. brand stories.
• pfaf a term paper about early hominid bone marrow consumption… I’m trying to finish it today.
• fluffymaccoy I’m writing some notes on CMS requirements. Very boring task made bearable by ommwriter, bless you and your lovely snowy trees.
• abrahamvegh Randomly started writing what could amount to a novel someday, two nights ago. It’s just to easy to write.
• hyperating a few poems as they pass in and out of my head. A letter from Vincent to Theo keeps running around in my head at the same time.

Every day is more rewarding to know people are enjoying ommwriter and that we’re making some people’s life easier. Thank you all.