Editing text and markdown in Nextcloud

🍱 Features & apps
1

I do not use Rich Text. I only use HTML and Markdown.

Unfortunately, Nextcloud Text is not usable for real Markdown, since basic functions such as switching from Markdown to plain text and thus simply copying Markdown elements is not possible. You must first edit a text document and then rename it to a markdown document. This is quite inconvenient for cut-and-paste of markdown elements in another markdown file.

Probably no one else needs it.
Switch between markdown and text editor · Issue #323 · nextcloud/text · GitHub

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2

Thankfully the Markdown editor has been around and kicking butt a long time. Works perfect for basic text and markdown.

@devnull I’ve broken this out into a linked discussion since it has nothing to do with the earlier question about how people use Rich Text and HTML. This new discussion is also interesting, but a tangent. :wink:

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I use MarkText on the desktop to edit bigger Markdown files and Wiki.js to “publish” them. Because, sorry that I have to say that, but Nextcloud imho doesn’t kick any asses in this regard , neither at editing nor at rendering Markdown.

4

Nice, I use Qownnotes for all text and markdown on desktop. It works wonderfully through QownnotesAPI and in tandem with Notes app.

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The problem that I have with Markdown files on Nextcloud is that they open with the Text app. I also use Nextcloud Notes for smaller Notes on my mobile, which is better but for using that for all of my documentation I would have to put all the Markdown files in the Nextcloud Notes folder.

Anyway I don’t mind using diffrent apps for diffrent purposes. Not everything has to be built into Nextcloud for me. For me Nextcloud is primarly a Google Drive / Dropbox replacement and for that it works good enough, except for photos.

I’m also rarly using the WebUI. I use Nextcloud mainly as a backend for my files, Calendar and Contacts and Bookmarks, which I then access from my phone, laptop or desktop computer.

6

Have you considered using the Markdown editor app instead? That is what I do… actually, I suppose I am using external editors for everything. Webui is not as quick or robust, as you mention.

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I’m not using browser apps to edit files that much anyways… But yeah I did try it some time ago but the files would still open with the Nextcloud Text app. Maybe I should have disabled it, but then again, it’s not that important for me.

8

Try Qownnotes for desktop. It is really good. :star_struck:

Agreed on being a papercut issue. Hard to recall how I switched up my config back when Text appeared. Time flies and all.

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9

Thanks to all for the discussion. Yes i can use e.g. https://apps.nextcloud.com/apps/files_markdown . But a lot of users are not permitted to install additional apps. Also i like the normal Nextcloud Text for default show and edit Markdown and want not to switch between different apps.

Nextcloud Text ist really nice. But I don’t understand why you can’t just add a toggle function from markdown to plain text in the app. There is at least one issue and it can’t be that hard to implement. Or are normal users overwhelmed with another option?

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I don’t understand that either. Now using a local copy directory where i edit the files in vim :slight_smile:

11

Yes. To edit the markdown source i can
a.) download the filename.md, edit in an text editor e.g. Vim and upload again
b.) rename to filename.md.txt, edit and rename again to filename.md

I think it would cool to switch between markdown and text in Nextcloud Text directly.

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