11-27-2006, 06:42 AM

I'm looking for suggestions for a simple text viewer for OS X - just for reading .readme's etc. OS X seems to default to using TextEdit, but I don't really like using an editor just for viewing - there's always the chance of accidentally overwriting a file - I want something which just displays the file.

I'm a recent convert to the Mac, having used an Amiga for many years, and got used to using programs like Multiview which used a datatype system to automatically recognise and open text, graphic and audio files for viewing, so any Amigans will know what I'm after ;-) Is there a Multiview type program for OS X?

11-27-2006, 09:20 AM

I haven't got my mac with me to check, but could you set text files to open in Preview by default?

11-27-2006, 09:29 AM

Originally Posted by cazabam

I haven't got my mac with me to check, but could you set text files to open in Preview by default?

No. When I go to select the application for opening a .txt file, Preview is grayed out.

You could set it to open with Help Viewer, which is a read-only window.

Side note: one of the options on my MacBook is to open the file with Uli's Moose. :-)

11-27-2006, 09:33 AM

Originally Posted by cazabam

I haven't got my mac with me to check, but could you set text files to open in Preview by default?

No, if I select a text file it won't allow me to use Preview as a viewer, and if I open Preview it won't allow me to open a text file. I think Preview is just a PDF viewer.

11-27-2006, 10:59 AM

I've just come across PageSector, which is a text file viewer/reader with built in tracking and bookmarking. Apparently it's built for people who use long strategy guides for gaming, but I might use it myself for development documentation ...