Ondrej Holzman Everyone's writing style is different. Some bet on the classics in the form of Word, others choose the opposite extreme in the form of TextEdit. But even for that reason, there are dozens of text editors on the Mac, and each one excels in something a little different. However, the latest Ulysses for Mac (and also for iPad) has several advantages.
It is probably worth pointing out at the outset that you will pay 45 euros (1 crowns) for the Mac version of Ulysses, and another 240 euros (20 crowns) for the iPad version, so if writing is not one of your main tasks, it is not worth it deal with this app from The Soulmen.1
But everyone else could at least read about the brand new version of Ulysses, which is perfectly prepared for OS X Yosemite and has finally arrived on the iPad as well. In the end, the investment may not be so unjustified. After all, Ulysses is packed with bursting features.
All in one place
A text editor is of course essential in a "writing" application. The latter has Ulysses, according to many, the best of its kind in the world (as the developers write in the Mac App Store), but the application has one more thing that is more than interesting - its own file system, which makes Ulysses the only thing you will ever need to write .
Ulysses works on the basis of sheets of paper (sheets), which are saved directly in the application, so you don't have to worry about where in the Finder you saved which document. (Technically, you can find texts from the application in the Finder as well, but hidden in a special folder in the /Library directory.) In Ulysses, you classically sort the sheets into folders and subfolders, but you always have them at hand and you don't have to leave the application.
In the basic three-panel layout, the library just mentioned is on the far left, the sheet list in the middle, and the text editor itself on the right. There are smart folders in the library showing, for example, all sheets or those you've created in the last week. You can also create similar filters (grouping texts with a selected keyword or according to a certain date) yourself.
You then save the created documents either in iCloud (subsequent synchronization with the application on the iPad or another on the Mac) or only locally on the computer. There is no official Ulysses application on the iPhone, but it can be used for connection Daedalus Touch. Alternatively, documents can also be saved to external files in Ulysses, but then what is mentioned above does not apply to them, but they work like normal documents in the Finder (and lose some functions).
The second panel always displays a list of sheets in the given folder, sorted as you choose. This is where another advantage of custom file management comes in – you absolutely don't have to worry about how to name each document. Ulysses names each workbook according to its title, and then also displays another 2-6 rows as a preview. When viewing documents, you have an immediate overview of what is in which.
Both the first two panels can be hidden, which brings us to the core of the poodle, i.e. the third panel – the text editor.
A text editor for demanding users
It's probably no surprise that everything revolves around - as with other similar applications - the Markdown language, which the developers of Ulysses have made even better. All creation is in plain text, and you can also use the aforementioned improved version called Markdown XL, which brings, for example, adding comments that will not appear in the final version of the document, or annotations.
Interestingly, adding images, videos or PDF documents is handled while writing in Ulysses. You simply drag and drop them, but they only appear directly in the document tag, referring to the given document. When you hover over it, the attachment appears, but otherwise it doesn't distract you while you're typing.
A big advantage in Ulysses is the control of the entire application, which can be done practically exclusively on the keyboard. So you don't have to take your hands off the keyboard while typing, not only when creating as such, but also when activating other elements. The key to everything is either the ⌥ or ⌘ key.
Thanks to the first one, you write various tags associated with Markdown syntax, the second one is used in combination with numbers to control the application. With the numbers 1-3, you open one, two, or three panels, for example, if you want to see only the text editor and not the other sheets.
Other numbers will then open the menus in the upper right corner. ⌘4 displays a panel with attachments on the right side, where you can also enter a keyword for each sheet, set a goal for how many words you want to write, or add a note.
Press ⌘5 to display your favorite sheets. But the most interesting is the quick export tab (⌘6). Thanks to it, you can quickly convert text to HTML, PDF or ordinary text. You can either copy the result to the clipboard and work with it further, save it somewhere, open it in another application or send it. In the Ulysses settings, you choose the styles in which you want your HTML or rich texts to be formatted, so that you have a document ready immediately after export.
Naturally, Ulysses offers statistics on typed characters and word count (⌘7), a list of in-text headings (⌘8), and finally a quick overview of Markdown syntax (⌘9) in case you forget.
A very interesting shortcut is also ⌘O. This will bring up a window with a text field in the style of Spotlight or Alfred, and you can search very quickly through all your workbooks. Then you simply move where you need to.
In the application, you will also find functions known from some other editors, such as highlighting the current line on which we are writing, or scrolling in the style of a typewriter, when you always have the active line in the middle of the monitor. You can also customize the color theme of Ulysses - you can switch between dark and light mode (ideal, for example, when working at night).
Finally for pens on the iPad
You can find the functions mentioned above 100% on your Mac, but it is very positive that many of them are finally also available on the iPad. Many people today use an apple tablet to write texts, and the developers of Ulysses are now catering to them. There is no need to use the cumbersome connection via Daedalus Touch like on the iPhone.
The principle of operation of Ulysses on the iPad is practically the same as on the Mac, which is clearly in favor of the user experience. You don't have to get used to new controls, a new interface. Three main panels with a library, a list of sheets and a text editor that has most of the most important functions.
If you type on the iPad with an external keyboard, the same keyboard shortcuts work even here, which radically speeds up work. Even on the iPad, where it is otherwise common, you do not have to take your hands off the keyboard so often. Unfortunately, the ⌘O shortcut for quick search does not work.
However, the software keyboard is also more than capable if you do not connect any external keyboard to the iPad. Ulysses will offer its own row of special keys above it, through which you can access everything important. It also has a word counter and text search.
Complete writing application…
...which is definitely not worth investing in for everyone. The already mentioned 1800 crowns for the version for Mac and iPad will certainly not be spent without blinking an eye, so it is necessary to consider the pros and cons. The great thing is that the developers on their site they provide the full version for a limited time completely free to try. Touching it yourself will be the best way to decide if Ulysses is the app for you.
If you write daily, you like order in your texts and you don't need to use Word for some reason, Ulysses offers a very elegant solution with its own structure, which - if it is not an obstacle - is a great benefit. Thanks to Markdown, you can write practically anything in the text editor, and the export options are wide.
But the new Ulysses for Mac and iPad is at least worth a try.
1. Or at least you are try the completely free demo version with all the features if you don't want to spend blindly.↩
[appbox app store 623795237]
[appbox app store 950335311]
I've been using Ulysses for Mac since version III was released, and I tested the iPad version as part of the beta program. I write articles and an e-book, but over time I started to create practically all documents in it - for example, letters and notes. Come to think of it, I'd say it's the best cross-disciplinary program I've ever used. I feel like it has everything I need and nothing extra. I don't regret a single euro :)
My tip for the best feature on the iPad: swipe across the keyboard to move the cursor. How many times have I tried to use it in other applications in vain... ;)
And otherwise, The Soulmen indicated that there will be an iPhone version as well.
For a non-writer like me for 1200 it's not Ulysses but Useless