TextEdit question

[MikeFromMesa]

I use a Mac Mini running Sierra and recently I noticed that when I open TextEdit from the Launchpad it opens a Finder window instead of opening a text window as it used to do. I do not remember changing any Preferences settings that would cause this but, in any case, I opened the Preferences thinking that perhaps somehow they had been changed, but I can not find anything that would change this behavior.

I know I can open a new document window by clicking on the New Document button but was wondering why the behavior changed to begin with. I have recently upgraded to Sierra from El Capitan so perhaps that is the reason as my (brand new) MacBook Air, which also runs Sierra, is doing exactly the same thing.

Is this changed behavior due to Sierra? Or something else? Is there any way to get TextEdit to open with a rtf text box as it used to do?

Thank you.

 

[RadDave]

Hi Mike - that is certainly weird behavior! , especially occurring on two different computers. I just clicked on my TextEdit icon from the dock, the Launchpad, and in the Applications folder of Finder - all opened correctly - have you tried to open TextEdit from those other locations, and if so same results?

You could also go to the Applications folder, and right-click on the TextEdit icon -> Get Info and compare w/ mine shown below - any unexpected differences? Finally, right-click on a *.rft file and select 'Get Info' and see what the default file association may be? Not sure that any of this will help, but worth checking. Good luck - Dave
.

 

[MikeFromMesa]

Hi Mike - that is certainly weird behavior! , especially occurring on two different computers. I just clicked on my TextEdit icon from the dock, the Launchpad, and in the Applications folder of Finder - all opened correctly - have you tried to open TextEdit from those other locations, and if so same results?

You could also go to the Applications folder, and right-click on the TextEdit icon -> Get Info and compare w/ mine shown below - any unexpected differences? Finally, right-click on a *.rft file and select 'Get Info' and see what the default file association may be? Not sure that any of this will help, but worth checking. Good luck - Dave
.
View attachment 25816

I had not tried any of that. Here are the results when I tried this on my Mini:

Double click on TextEdit icon in Applications folder: Same result. Finder window opens.

Right click on TextEdit icon -> Get Info: Pretty much identical to your screen shot

Right click on rtf file -> Get Info: Open With: TextEdit.app (default)

I take it from your post that you are running Sierra and when you open TextEdit you get a text box and not a Finder window. If so, then this is not a Sierra issue as I thought it might be. I can live with it, of course, but I really don't like unexplained mysteries.

 

[chscag]

Mike:

What you're seeing is normal behavior for TextEdit. I get the exact same thing as you do - click on TextEdit either from the dock or from the Applications folder and it opens a finder window pointing to my "Documents" folder. That's how it should be. Just for info sake... I'm fairly certain that this hasn't changed from El Captain or even earlier. I'm running the latest version of Sierra.

Also, on another note: Office Word does the exact same thing - opens to a Finder window and the documents folder.

Both TextEdit and Word will do this when NOT specifically opening a file you have selected. In other words, if I double click on a rtf or txt file, it then opens directly in TextEdit ready to edit the file. The same for Word. If I double click on a doc, docx file it opens Word with the file ready to edit.

I hope this helps you out somewhat.

 

[MikeFromMesa]

Mike:

What you're seeing is normal behavior for TextEdit. I get the exact same thing as you do - click on TextEdit either from the dock or from the Applications folder and it opens a finder window pointing to my "Documents" folder. That's how it should be. Just for info sake... I'm fairly certain that this hasn't changed from El Captain or even earlier. I'm running the latest version of Sierra.

Also, on another note: Office Word does the exact same thing - opens to a Finder window and the documents folder.

Both TextEdit and Word will do this when NOT specifically opening a file you have selected. In other words, if I double click on a rtf or txt file, it then opens directly in TextEdit ready to edit the file. The same for Word. If I double click on a doc, docx file it opens Word with the file ready to edit.

I hope this helps you out somewhat.

I do not know what the "normal behavior" of TextEdit is supposed to be, but this is not how it worked as short a time as 2 months ago on my machines. Then, when I opened TextEdit, I got an rtf text box and I could just start typing in. I did not get a Finder window. Just to be clear, when I used to open TextEdit to accept new information (that is, not opening an existing file) I got an rtf text box that I could just start to enter text into. TextEdit opening a Finder window is something I had not seen in the 4 years or so that I have used a Mac until recently.

I do not know what Office or Word do as I have neither on my system, but I do know what TextEdit used to do, and this is not it. In fact I was so surprised when I first saw this behavior that I could not understand why the default behavior should have changed.

 

[RadDave]

I do not know what the "normal behavior" of TextEdit is supposed to be, but this is not how it worked as short a time as 2 months ago on my machines. Then, when I opened TextEdit, I got an rtf text box and I could just start typing in. I did not get a Finder window. Just to be clear, when I used to open TextEdit to accept new information (that is, not opening an existing file) I got an rtf text box that I could just start to enter text into. TextEdit opening a Finder window is something I had not seen in the 4 years or so that I have used a Mac until recently.

I do not know what Office or Word do as I have neither on my system, but I do know what TextEdit used to do, and this is not it. In fact I was so surprised when I first saw this behavior that I could not understand why the default behavior should have changed.

Hi again Mike & Chscag - as to Mike's question on my macOS - same as under my avatar, i.e. Sierra (updated to latest version) - thanks for your responses - well, when I click on TextEdit from the three locations mentioned, the app opens as shown below, i.e. w/ a text entry window; also, just went to my wife's iMac (also on Sierra) and did the same w/ identical results; so on my two machines, TextEdit is behaving differently and agree w/ Mike, would be my preference. NOW, why cannot this behavior be changed, if desired? Dave
.

 

[MikeFromMesa]

Hi again Mike & Chscag - as to Mike's question on my macOS - same as under my avatar, i.e. Sierra (updated to latest version) - thanks for your responses - well, when I click on TextEdit from the three locations mentioned, the app opens as shown below, i.e. w/ a text entry window; also, just went to my wife's iMac (also on Sierra) and did the same w/ identical results; so on my two machines, TextEdit is behaving differently and agree w/ Mike, would be my preference. NOW, why cannot this behavior be changed, if desired? Dave
.
View attachment 25818

I do some of my backups with Carbon Copy Cloner and I got one from the middle of November, 2016 and booted from it. When I click on the TextEdit app it opens in a text window, not in Finder, so something has changed on my system in the last 2 1/2 months or so. I would like to fix this so TextEdit opens as it is supposed to open or, at least, as it used to open.

My Mini is at 10.12.2 but my CCC backup is 10.12.1. I guess I need to ask what version of Sierra you and your wife are on (that is, are you really on the latest version). Perhaps the change happened with the update from 10.12.1 to 10.12.2. Perhaps not.

 

[RadDave]

I do some of my backups with Carbon Copy Cloner and I got one from the middle of November, 2016 and booted from it. When I click on the TextEdit app it opens in a text window, not in Finder, so something has changed on my system in the last 2 1/2 months or so. I would like to fix this so TextEdit opens as it is supposed to open or, at least, as it used to open.

My Mini is at 10.12.2 but my CCC backup is 10.12.1. I guess I need to ask what version of Sierra you and your wife are on (that is, are you really on the latest version). Perhaps the change happened with the update from 10.12.1 to 10.12.2. Perhaps not.

Hi Mike - both computers are on the most recent Sierra version, i.e. 10.12.3 - and I have to say that I cannot remember TextEdit opening any other way for me in the most recent macOS(s) than I had shown in my previous post - just out of curiosity if you use OnyX - just do an automated run & reboot, then see what happens - I was having an issue w/ Numbers not opening up my 'most recent list', ran OnyX and it was back - probably won't help but no damage done. Dave

 

[MikeFromMesa]

Hi Mike - both computers are on the most recent Sierra version, i.e. 10.12.3 - and I have to say that I cannot remember TextEdit opening any other way for me in the most recent macOS(s) than I had shown in my previous post - just out of curiosity if you use OnyX - just do an automated run & reboot, then see what happens - I was having an issue w/ Numbers not opening up my 'most recent list', ran OnyX and it was back - probably won't help but no damage done. Dave

I do not have OnyX on my system but I can download it and try.

The odd thing here is that I generally reboot my Mini every day and it was rebooted this morning so I would not think this had anything to do with a temporary corruption of data on my Mini. Added to that is the fact that my MacBook Air, which is only about 2 weeks old and which has had very little done on it (it is only a travel machine), is doing exactly the same thing. That is why I thought it might have something to do with the upgrade from 10.12.1 to 10.12.2.

Since you are on 10.12.3 I might just upgrade to that and see if it fixes this issue. I will update this thread when I have more information.

UPDATE:

I have updated my Mini to 10.12.3 and it makes no difference. TextEdit is still opening in Finder. I will now download OnyX and see if that helps and I will probably contact Apple Care to see if there is something on the system that might be making TE act this way.

 

[MikeFromMesa]

Well, how about that!

I called Apple Care and, although they had to look this up, they found the answer. Apparently if TextEdit is enabled in iCloud Drive, that is the way TextEdit opens.

Go to System Preferences, open iCloud and select the options button for iCloud Drive. When the dialog box opens check to see if TextEdit is selected. If it is TextEdit will open in Finder. If TextEdit is not selected it will open in a normal text window. I unselected TextEdit and now the app opens normally.

As with most things, simple you know how to fix it, but it would have been a very long time, if ever, before I found the answer myself.

 

[pm-r]

With a web search, it seems that Apple implemented the stupid new "feature" that drove many crazy some time ago:
https://www.google.ca/search?client...&oe=UTF-8&gfe_rd=cr&ei=BhudWPSJDO7e8AeD3JaICg

And the discussion provides a link:
https://discussions.apple.com/thread/5340286?tstart=0
to
https://chambersdaily.com/bradleych...sable-the-icloud-open-dialog-on-mountain-lion


Who fingered out Apple's little iCloud apps secret originally I wonder???? Seems a bit dumb with no real logical reason…






- Patrick
==========

 

[chscag]

Thanks Mike. I learned something new about TextEdit. I do have it selected in iCloud drive and probably have had it that way for several iterations of OS X probably going all the way back to Mountain Lion or Mavericks. I'm going to leave mine that way because I do not like it to open in an edit fashion. I'd rather have it open in Finder as it has been for some time. I rarely use TextEdit and am usually in Office Word for my documents.

 

[RadDave]

Well, how about that!

I called Apple Care and, although they had to look this up, they found the answer. Apparently if TextEdit is enabled in iCloud Drive, that is the way TextEdit opens.

Go to System Preferences, open iCloud and select the options button for iCloud Drive. When the dialog box opens check to see if TextEdit is selected. If it is TextEdit will open in Finder. If TextEdit is not selected it will open in a normal text window. I unselected TextEdit and now the app opens normally.

As with most things, simple you know how to fix it, but it would have been a very long time, if ever, before I found the answer myself.

Thanks Mike for pursuing this issue to a solution! I believe we felt there was 'some' setting needing attention - I don't use iCloud Drive (a retired guy not really needing the feature) so explains my situation and that of others. Dave

 

[pm-r]

I don't use iCloud Drive (a retired guy not really needing the feature) so explains my situation and that of others. Dave

Add me to that list and for basically the same reasons.






- Patrick
======

 

[MikeFromMesa]

Last night as I was falling asleep I suddenly asked myself why I just had not googled "TextEdit opens Finder" so that is the first thing I did this morning and, of course, there was the solution.

Still, I learned something and, as I usually say, "Any day I learn something is not a day wasted". I do wonder what was in Apple's mind, but there you go. Some engineer thought it would be a good idea.

As usual, thank you to everyone for the effort to help.

 

[pm-r]

I just had not googled "TextEdit opens Finder" so that is the first thing I did this morning and, of course, there was the solution.

I'm not sure if you found a solution Mike, but in case not, I came across this method to change the behavior:

Make TextEdit open with a new document, rather than a file open window
4 March 2015, 08:35

I used to use TextEdit all the time to jot down quick notes but since the introduction of iCloud it’s insisted on starting=up with a File Open dialog box, on which you have to click the New Document button. A PITA, if ever there was one. Progress, eh?

The following command pasted into Terminal (which is in the Utilities folder within Applications) will make TextEdit open straight to a new document each time, just like the old days. Triple-click the line to select all of it if you can’t see scrollbars and quit TextEdit first if it’s open:

defaults write com.apple.TextEdit NSShowAppCentricOpenPanelInsteadOfUntitledFile -bool false
Then reboot.

Should in future you wish to return to the default way of working, paste this in to the Terminal:

defaults delete com.apple.TextEdit NSShowAppCentricOpenPanelInsteadOfUntitledFile

http://www.mackungfu.org/make-textedit-open-with-a-new-document-rather-than-a-file-open-window

I'm guessing it still works with the latest OS stuff.




- Patrick
=======

 

[MikeFromMesa]

Interesting. Thanks for the link. I will add it to the note I keep for the Terminal command to allow me to view hidden folders and files.

I suppose you are right in that I have not actually "solved" the problem by turning off TextEdit for iCloud Drive since it involves accepting a restriction, but then I do not use iCloud Drive so, for me, it is a meaningless sacrifice. Still there are surely others who might wish to use iCloud Drive but not wish TextEdit to open in Finder rather than in an input window so your post is very helpful.

 

[MacInWin]

It takes ONE click to create that new document from the finder input window. For 99% of users, I suspect that one click won't be that much hardship.

 

[Brooklynguy]

…I noticed that when I open TextEdit from the Launchpad it opens a Finder window instead of opening a text window as it used to do.…

I know I can open a new document window by clicking on the New Document…

…Is there any way to get TextEdit to open with a rtf text box as it used to do?

Thank you.

Mike: I know I use El Capitan but I think this is still pertinent. A number of the apps that come with either OS do that now. The default is that you want to open an existing file, so gives you that ability automatically via that little "Finder" window popup. All you have to do at a that point is Command (⌘)-N without even closing the "Finder" popup window. That will close by itself when you make the new document.

BG

 

[MikeFromMesa]

Mike: I know I use El Capitan but I think this is still pertinent. A number of the apps that come with either OS do that now. The default is that you want to open an existing file, so gives you that ability automatically via that little "Finder" window popup. All you have to do at a that point is Command (⌘)-N without even closing the "Finder" popup window. That will close by itself when you make the new document.

BG

That is true, but since I have now turned off TextEdit for iCloud Drive I no longer have the problem and I don't need that keyboard command. I will try to keep it in mind so I will know what to do if I ever have the need to turn TextEdit back on for iCloud Drive, so thank you.