README.md

woolf-write

A simple Python plain text word processor made with guizero

Why and what now?

The aim was to make a simple distraction-free word processor that is cheaper than buying a FreeWrite. I envisaged it backing up by FTP or something, but actually I just run it in a Dropbox folder so the text gets backed up automatically anwyay if I have internet access.

It really used to bug me that so many word processors don't, by default, have an on-screen word count. So many people need word counts. You need them for job or college applications. You need them if you're being paid to write. Why no on-screen word counts!? So I decided to find out how hard it was to write my own.

Also we've often noticed how different websites and apps give totally different word counts for the same text, and I think I may know why now. Some are not very good. I think they include things like carriage returns, line feeds and stray spaces and punctuation as words. I think the one used here is pretty good, but what do you think? Could it be simplified? Improved?

I also wanted to experiment with @lawsie's awesome guizero, a Python library that makes getting started with basic GUIs much easier than the dreaded Tkinter.

How to install and run

First install guizero, there's a guide here: https://lawsie.github.io/guizero/

Download the woolfWrite.py (and optionally sample text file 'Mrs Dalloway.txt' and the woolfWrite.cfg config file) and run woolfWrite.py, for example from IDLE or from the command line.

The woolfWrite.cfg file stores the filename of the last saved document. It assumes you're only working on one document at a time.

How to use

Start typing! The word count updates constantly as you type. It will warn you if your document had changed and not been saved. Click the 'save local' button to save. You can type a new filename in the box at the bottom of the window. Your current filename is also displayed in the app's title bar.

This must be kept as simple as possible, but...

• add exception handling: if the .cfg file doesn't exist, create one
• tidy up the status bar so it's all on one line
• time stamp saved files perhaps, to keep every version of your work
• options to change colour scheme? Dark mode?
• option to change displayed font size or font?
• use a different font, something proportional perhaps
• possible merge with the rich-text HTML-based word processor I am working on
• test with very long files - does this break the word count? break memory?