TextSpresso Manual Menu

Troubleshooting

Overview

Getting Help

Solving Problems

Reporting Problems

Contacting Taylor Design

Overview

This chapter provides instructions for when you're having problems with TextSpresso or a particular TextSpresso feature. It lists locations of information and help, troubleshooting tips, and instructions for contacting Taylor Design.

Getting Help

In addition to this manual there are several sources of help and information which you can use.

  • TextSpresso has balloon help for most menu and window items. To turn on balloon help select Show Balloons from the Help menu at the top of your screen. Then to find out more about an item like a menu or a button, simply point your mouse at the item.
  • TextSpresso also offers a Balloon View floating palette. The Balloon View palette is a little less disruptive than normal balloon help so you may feel more comfortable leaving it open all of the time. Then you have a constant reminder of what different buttons and window items are for. To open the Balloon View palette select Balloon View from the Help menu. Then to find out more about a window item like a button, simply point your mouse at the item. Please note that the Balloon View palette only shows help for window items, not menus or menu items.
  • The Latest Notes page lists the latest notes and known bugs for the current version of TextSpresso. This page can be found at: http://www.taylor-design.com/TextSpresso/TextSpresso_notes.htm
  • Speaking of the current version, make sure you have it. You can download the latest version of TextSpresso using the URL's below. If you have an older version and are experiencing a problem or a bug it's very likely that the problem has been resolved in the latest version and/or that the latest manual gives additional instructions.

Solving Problems

TextSpresso Won't Launch

  • Make sure you have the right version of TextSpresso for your Macintosh. If you have an older Macintosh without a PowerPC processor, your copy of TextSpresso should have the letters 68K at the end. If you have a newer Macintosh with a PowerPC processor, your copy of TextSpresso should have the letters PPC at the end. If not, use the URL links above to download the correct version.
  • Make sure you are not trying to run TextSpresso on one of the original compact Macintosh models. TextSpresso will not run on the Macintosh 128K, 512K, 512Ke, Plus, SE, or Classic. It should run if you have a SE/30, Classic II, or later.
  • Make sure you are running Mac OS 7.1 or later. You can find out which version of Mac OS is running on your machine by selecting About This Macintosh or About This Computer from the Apple menu in the far left corner while in the Finder.
  • Make sure you have enough free memory to run TextSpresso. You can find out how much free memory you have by selecting About This Macintosh or About This Computer from the Apple menu in the far left corner while in the Finder. Compare this with the requirements listed in the Introduction chapter. If you don't have enough free memory, quit any running programs you have or turn on virtual memory.
  • If you have or have used an older version of TextSpresso your TextSpresso preferences files may be too old to update. Open the System Folder on your hard drive. Then open the Preferences folder inside the System Folder. Now look for two files, TextSpresso Preferences and TextSpresso Filters. Throw both files in the trash.
  • There may be a conflict between TextSpresso and an extension on your Macintosh. To find out, restart your Macintosh and hold down the shift key while it starts up. Don't let go of the shift key until your computer is finished starting up. Then try running TextSpresso. If it runs, report the problem to us so that we can further investigate the conflict.
  • If none of the above suggestions help, contact Taylor Design using the instructions below.

TextSpresso Quits Or Crashes

  • Make sure you have enough free memory to run TextSpresso. You can find out how much free memory you have by selecting About This Macintosh or About This Computer from the Apple menu in the far left corner while in the Finder. Compare this with the requirements listed in the Introduction chapter. If you don't have enough free memory, quit any running programs you have or turn on virtual memory.
  • If you have or have used an older version of TextSpresso your TextSpresso preferences files may be too old to update. Open the System Folder on your hard drive. Then open the Preferences folder inside the System Folder. Now look for two files, TextSpresso Preferences and TextSpresso Filters. Throw both files in the trash.
  • There may be a conflict between TextSpresso and an extension on your Macintosh. To find out, restart your Macintosh and hold down the shift key while it starts up. Don't let go of the shift key until your computer is finished starting up. Then try running TextSpresso. If it runs, report the problem to us so that we can further investigate the conflict.
  • If you're working with very large documents, try increasing TextSpresso's memory allocation. To do this, first switch to the Finder and select the TextSpresso application. Then select Get Info from the File menu. You should see an info window for TextSpresso. At the bottom are three fields: Suggested Size, Minimum Size, Preferred Size. If you don't see these fields, look for a popup menu at the top of the window, and select Memory from that menu. Once you find these fields, add 500 to the number in the Preferred Size field and enter the new number in the same field.
  • If none of the above suggestions help, contact Taylor Design using the instructions below.

A Filter Doesn't Fix The Text And/Or Do What You Expect

  • Make sure you used the right filter. There are 90+ filters in TextSpresso, so you may have to experiment a bit to get precisely the results you want.
  • Try using additional filters. Sometimes applying a single filter accomplishes just one step in the process of preparing your text. Experiment until you get just the results you want. Then look at the History Palette to see the filters you used and the order you used them in. Write that information down so you have it handy for the future. If you need to take those same steps often, consider writing a MultiFilter to reduce it to one step.
  • If a filter doesn't work with certain text, or if you just can't get the results you want, contact Taylor Design using the instructions below.

Hot Filter Doesn't Work

  • Is TextSpresso running in the background? TextSpresso must be open in the background for Hot Filter to work.
  • Is Hot Filter turned on in the preferences? Select Preferences... from the Edit menu. Then select Hot Filter from the popup menu. The check box titled Hot Filter should be checked.
  • Have you set your Hot Key and/or Hot Corner? Make sure you've entered a Hot Key and/or a Hot Corner in the preferences (see above).
  • If your Hot Key does not work, try setting and using a Hot Corner instead. If Hot Corner works but Hot Key does not, then either the application you're using Hot Filter with will not let TextSpresso see the Hot Key or the Hot Key collides with an existing command-key. Try a different Hot Key or keep using the Hot Corner.
  • Are you selecting the text you want to filter before invoking Hot Filter?
  • Are you trying to filter locked text? Try pasting some text into the field containing the text you want filtered. If you cannot paste something into the application containing the text you want filtered then neither can TextSpresso.
  • If none of the above suggestions help, contact Taylor Design using the instructions below.

Reporting Problems

Please report all bugs and problems to: support@taylor-design.com

When reporting a problem or a crash please report as much information about the problem as possible. Try to fill out the questions in the following check list:

  • What type of Macintosh were you using? (Include RAM amount if possible.)
  • What version of Mac OS were you using?
  • What were you trying to do in TextSpresso and how did it go wrong?
  • If possible, please provide the document you were working on.
  • Can you reproduce the problem? If so, can you reproduce it with extensions off?

The more information you provide us with, the more quickly we can isolate and fix the problem.

When reporting a filter problem please try to fill out the following questions:

  • What text were you trying to filter? (Include a copy of the original text if possible.)
  • What were the results? (Include a copy of the filtered text if possible.)
  • What were you expecting?

Contacting Taylor Design

Currently Taylor Design offers free E-mail technical support to all registered users of our software. We also try to help unregistered users, but please note that we have to put our registered users first.

If you have any problems or questions you can contact Taylor Design using either of the following addresses: