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An example of where Notepad is better than Lotus Notes

Darren Duke  October 17 2009 01:56:40 PM




At STS we have a lot of Notes apps. In fact with the exception of OpenOffice and our accounting package everything we do is in Notes. Our entire sale process, both for software and services is done in Notes. So when I get an email from one of our distributors with some type of quote information it, some of this content is in HTML. After all this is inbound to our mail server, so Domino was responsible for the conversion and rendering of this HTML email.

Now, I need to copy some of this information, SKU, item name, etc into one of our Notes apps. I copy the HTML text (rendered in an email inside of my Notes client). I then proceed to copy this into a text field for the SKU number: The red outlined area is what I just copied.....

Image:An example of where Notepad is better than Lotus Notes

A SKU is text right? Pretty simple. Except when I paste it into another document's text field (not rich text, it is a SKU, not a picture of a fricken squirrel), this is what I get:

Image:An example of where Notepad is better than Lotus Notes

So I open up Notepad, and paste in the contents of the clipboard:

Image:An example of where Notepad is better than Lotus Notes

Erm? What the hell? This wasn't even what I copied. My oh, my. At least Notepad accepted what was in the clipboard.

So in this small everyday example I have two pretty major usability issues:
1.        Pasting into a text field should work. Anywhere. Period.
2.        Put the right content into the clipboard in the first place.

When does 8.5.2 ship? Anyone?
Comments

Gravatar Image  1Simon O’Doherty  10/17/2009 3:26:34 PM  paste special

Why not just use "Edit->Paste special" menu option. You can then specify text.

Might give a hint to the structure of what is on clipboard as well.

Gravatar Image  2Henning Heinz  10/17/2009 3:48:18 PM  Well Paste Special is for Rich Text only

I have asked for this numerous times. Nortmally Paste Special is only available in Rich Text fields. The error message appear when you paste into a plain text field. Afaik you cannot avoid it except if you use something like Notepad.

Gravatar Image  3Lars Berntrop-Bos  10/17/2009 5:50:32 PM  Yet another reason to integrate Midas

Seems like Darren just made another case for better HTML conversion, aka get Genii's wonderful tool for everybody.

Gravatar Image  4Keith Brooks  10/17/2009 10:46:44 PM  talk to ben

I think you have found out what Ben was talking about.

Also he had offered BPs a chance to use it for free, try it now.

Gravatar Image  5Christopher Byrne  10/18/2009 12:21:15 PM  I deal with this every day, bit for another reason

Every time I receive press releases from the Networks as Word Docs or want to reuse items posted to their sites, I have to cut and paste it into NotePad before using elsewhere, not only for HTML, but for MS Word crud code that gets in the documents. Notes gives me the same errors you describe here.

But the key to note is that is not so much the text that is giving rise to the error, It is the table code around the text.

Gravatar Image  6Jerry Glover  10/19/2009 1:21:38 PM  Equally as much a browser issue

The default behavior for the browser's copy function to include HTML coding is as much the issue is how other programs (including Notes) deal with it. This is why there are Add-ins for Firefox to "Copy as Plain Text" - something I make regular use of. That being said, it would be nice if Notes were smarter about it.

Gravatar Image  7Pettrie de Bondt  11/23/2009 3:21:15 AM  Agree

Yes totally agree, one of the most irritating things in the Notes client. The first thing I have to learn to all my Notes client customers and offcourse the 'get a cup of coffee' when they do paste into a RT-Field.

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