How to get documents into a word processor?
 

I can't believe I'm struggling with this. Hasn't anyone actually tried using OmniOutliner as...an outliner?

None of the export options bring my outline into a word processing app without a ton of baggage or no content at all. I figured HTML would be my best shot but even it puts bullets into the outline when I've not specified any bullet or numbering stylings.

So I can't copy/paste, none of the export options brings a clean outline into a word processor.

How exactly are we supposed to use this as an outliner then?

Request (sent to ninjas): Support word processing formats (DOC, Pages). I already have a todo, database and a spreadsheet app. I need OmniOutliner to be an OUTLINER.

And yeah, CarbonFin doesn't have an elegant way of doing this either but it's also much cheaper. This is something I expected to be at least doable in OO. And please don't tell me I need to own the Macintosh version of your product in order to do this. I do own it already. It's at home, I'm on the road. How are those that don't have Macs supposed to do this?

It might be hard to support .doc, but rtf should be possible.

[QUOTE=]
Request (sent to ninjas): Support word processing formats (DOC, Pages). I already have a todo, database and a spreadsheet app. I need OmniOutliner to be an OUTLINER.
[/QUOTE]

I agree, HMC; I want to work on an outline on the move and then be able to mail it others with PCs and M$ software as well as to be able to pick it up with Pages / OO on my mac. I'd add pdf output as well for when I want a read-only format that everyone can pick up.

[B]Sent to Ninjas.[/B]

email the ninjas about this please. They've said they will work on DOC support and hopefully Pages. The more votes the better and if they put it in then OmniOutliner can become a useful tool for all students.

done!
 

[QUOTE=HappyCatMachine;97627]email the ninjas about this please[/QUOTE]

done, Happycat, hence the [B]"Sent to Ninjas"[/B]!

[QUOTE=GeoffAirey;97623]It might be hard to support .doc, but rtf should be possible.[/QUOTE]

IIRC I had difficulties with rtf recently. I don't think anything on the iPad supports it (including pages). I would like a format that is inherently readable and editable on the iPad without PC or Mac intervention. Doc can be read by QuickOffice, Pages and .doc by pages. RTF unfortunately cannot be read by either.

I am really curious as to Omni's thinking about this. With no ability to copy/paste text out of OO and all export formats being less than happy with word processing, what did they have in mind?

I've tried a number of tricks and none of them are satisfactory.

The best solution so far without a Mac (and I've got a Mac at home along with OO Pro, I just don't want the only solution to be a Mac with another Omni product) is to

1. send via HTML
2. copy/paste into word
3. convert table to text
4. delete all the unwanted lines
5. apply the styles in the outline to heading styles in word
6. apply the heading styles to each heading line in the outline

Now this is probably quicker than retyping it all, but should it be so difficult?

That being said, I do LOVE sending my outlines back and forth between iThoughts HD and OOiP.

[QUOTE=HappyCatMachine;97707]I am really curious as to Omni's thinking about this. With no ability to copy/paste text out of OO and all export formats being less than happy with word processing, what did they have in mind?
....

That being said, I do LOVE sending my outlines back and forth between iThoughts HD and OOiP.[/QUOTE]

On first, perhaps a good soul at Omni will explain this, as I'm [I]sure[/I] with their track record they [I]will[/I] have given it some thought!

On second, so you think iThoughts HD is worth shelling out for? Expand please!

PS. I'm curious about Word reading the html as a table; is that the indenting of levels?

[QUOTE=andyotter;97725]On first, perhaps a good soul at Omni will explain this, as I'm [I]sure[/I] with their track record they [I]will[/I] have given it some thought!

On second, so you think iThoughts HD is worth shelling out for? Expand please!

PS. I'm curious about Word reading the html as a table; is that the indenting of levels?[/QUOTE]

Yes, OO exports htm with tables and bullets, all of which has to be undone if you want to use it in a word processor.

iThoughts HD is the most robust mind mapping tool available on a mobile device. It can export and import in tons of formats and is pretty speedy as well. The fastest mind mapping tool for just getting notes down is myMind. I usually start in myMyind, move to iThoughts and then finally OmniOutliner.

It is so frustrating that it stops there though. OO is by far the most expensive of the bunch yet it is the least workflow aware. In this regard it isn't really much better than paper. Everything from the clunky cover flow file browser to it's lack of a decent and compatible export format mean that I'm having a big problem justifying the expense.

Thing is, I love OO on the Mac. I love Omni as a company. I desperately WANT this to work. So I will persist in trying to shoehorn it into my routine. I like everything that is in OOiP except the file browser, I just want more.

and keeping in mind that there is OmniGraffle for iPad, I just wonder when OMNI will let them marry and happily live together forever.