issue w/pasting into Pages - please advise?

[basement zombie]

I did a search through the forums, and couldn't find a thread that specifically addressed this. I also searched through the Pages manual and was unable to find information to address this issue. This leads me to believe that this must be incredibly basic, but alas, color me stumped.

Background:

I'm a longtime PC user, and got my first mac (iMac) last year - love it. However, I've avoided using Pages because I'm not familiar with it and find myself searching and fumbling forever for basic features. I fully admit, I know jack about Pages, but I'm trying. My point here is that I am familiar and comfortable with using Word, but completely unfamiliar and uncomfortable using Pages. (but it sure looks pretty!)

Here's my situation:

I'm trying to do a simple copy & paste of text from website pages and forums into a new Pages document. I want to collect all kinds of snippets of information from multiple sources into one Pages document, and end up making their formats uniform to look all nice and pretty in a document. Totally basic schtuff, right? Not for me, it appears!

Here's my problem:

When I paste into new or blank Pages document, the pasted text always results or appears in a smallish or reduced adjustable text box near the middle of the page. I find that annoying enough, but I also have a devil of a time trying to manipulate/enlarge that text box to show the entire pasted text in the desired size or format. I have also tried using edit -- paste and match style, but the pasted results themselves are still rendered in a small text box in the Pages document. Grrrrrr.

What I want:

To be able to copy/paste from multiple sources, and to have that pasted text be rendered fully into a Pages document without me needing to fiddle around with tweaking and adjusting all the sizes and walls of a text box.

Please help?!
I assume the solution is extremely basic, so feel free to flame away.

 

[kasakka]

Just tried copying text from this thread into iWork '09 Pages and it worked perfectly fine, with the paste & match style option looks like the rest of the text too.

If you're trying to collect a bunch of info for research purposes, you might be better off using some other software made specifically for that purpose.

 

[basement zombie]

Just tried copying text from this thread into iWork '09 Pages and it worked perfectly fine, with the paste & match style option looks like the rest of the text too.

If you're trying to collect a bunch of info for research purposes, you might be better off using some other software made specifically for that purpose.

Thanks for responding.

I'm sure I don't need any higher level of technology/software. I do this all the time into basic Word documents - even into emails through gmail and work. I wonder if some setting of mine needs to be changed in Pages?

I just did the same thing - copied the text from my first post, and when I pasted using match style option, it pasted it into a smallish text box in the middle of the document, only showing a small portion of the pasted text - which would require me to play with, adjust and/or resize the text box.

Grrrrr. :sniff:

Any suggestions?

 

[basement zombie]

OK - even thought I've messed with this plenty of times, I suppose I was more motivated to figure out a solution because I finally created a thread asking for help.

The good news (90%)

I figured most of it out!
My main problem was indeed brain-fart worthy.
It was a problem from the very start - when opening Pages, I always went to the default "page layout - blank" from the template chooser. As soon as I opened a "word processing - blank" from the template chooser - problem solved.

The slightly bad news (10%)

There's a bit in between "Paste and Match Style" and straight-up "Paste" that I can't seem to get to. When I copy and paste from a web forum, for example, it looks quite close to how it appeared on the forum. However, the formatting or spacing will be a bit off. When I "Paste and Match Style," it removes the formatting altogether, which is fine and what I want sometimes. However, at other times, I want to be able to paste from the web into a pages document and have the results be spaced and look as close as possible to the original as it appeared on the web page.

If this issue makes sense and anyone can give me a tip or two, I'd appreciate it. I'll continue to play around with it. Thanks.

 

[GsB36u]

learn the shortcuts

you need to learn the keyboard shortcuts, it will make it so much easier

"normal" paste --- command + V is bringing the web-page's formatting along with it into your doc and annoying you.
"paste and match style" option + shift + command + V is what you want --- after you do it a few times it won't seem so complicated.

The other thing you need to be aware of is the choice between "inline" text (moves with all the rest) and "floating" text . As long as you're using a word processing template it will paste as inline, and in the page layout it will be floating, but you can still have the one in the other, and the other in one. The third tab in the "inspector" tool-panel deals with "wrap" where you can make something floating or inline.

 

[GsB36u]

I forgot to say that for those times when you really want it to look the way it did on the webpage, then you should really get used to the key command shortcut for taking a screen snapshot and sending it to "the clipboard" (rather than the default screenshot which saves a file you probably don't want to keep to your desktop).

shift + control + command + 4

you'll get a crosshair cursor and then you can click and drag for the rectangle size and position that you want.

(btw I just tried it using the 4 on the numeric keypad and it didn't respond, so it seems it has to be the 4 on the letterpad)

Also, sounds like you'd do well to get yourself one (or more) of the freeware multiple clipboard utilities. I have one that deals only with text (and "sanitizes" all the formatting) and another that handles graphics and text which it keeps the formatting intact. This would allow you to go on a copying binge on the web, then switch back to Pages and go on a pasting spree, rather than constantly switching back and forth.

 

[basement zombie]

you need to learn the keyboard shortcuts, it will make it so much easier

"normal" paste --- command + V is bringing the web-page's formatting along with it into your doc and annoying you.
"paste and match style" option + shift + command + V is what you want --- after you do it a few times it won't seem so complicated.

The other thing you need to be aware of is the choice between "inline" text (moves with all the rest) and "floating" text . As long as you're using a word processing template it will paste as inline, and in the page layout it will be floating, but you can still have the one in the other, and the other in one. The third tab in the "inspector" tool-panel deals with "wrap" where you can make something floating or inline.

I forgot to say that for those times when you really want it to look the way it did on the webpage, then you should really get used to the key command shortcut for taking a screen snapshot and sending it to "the clipboard" (rather than the default screenshot which saves a file you probably don't want to keep to your desktop).

shift + control + command + 4

you'll get a crosshair cursor and then you can click and drag for the rectangle size and position that you want.

(btw I just tried it using the 4 on the numeric keypad and it didn't respond, so it seems it has to be the 4 on the letterpad)

Also, sounds like you'd do well to get yourself one (or more) of the freeware multiple clipboard utilities. I have one that deals only with text (and "sanitizes" all the formatting) and another that handles graphics and text which it keeps the formatting intact. This would allow you to go on a copying binge on the web, then switch back to Pages and go on a pasting spree, rather than constantly switching back and forth.

Wow, wonderful posts and very thoughtful, explanative detailed info - much appreciated - thanks so much!

I'm about to take the dog for a walk, and plan to dive back into this when I return.
Can you link or name for me some of these freeware clipboard utilities - specifically, the two you mention that you use and like?

 

[GsB36u]

I work mostly on an older machine (tiger) and the all-text one I mention is iSnip - which appears to be defunct. The other is Pasteboard (which I use as the limited free version).
On my laptop (leopard) I had to get another, and it's fine too - does everything I ever use the others to do. You can go into the preferences and get it to do things the way you want, plus you can keep stuff you use again and again as "snippets". It's also free and is called ClipMenu.

You can also look at this link and see a bunch (plus comments from users with suggestions of yet more) I guess some people are willing to pay for more functions, but ClipMenu will probably do what you need. You can learn its shortcuts and you won't even have to reach for the mouse.

http://theappleblog.com/2009/06/02/10-clipboard-managers-for-os-x/

 

[cgemme]

Basement Zombie, I'm having the same problem, Help!

Basement Zombie, I'm having the same problem, Help!

Your solution isn't working for me though. Are you still having luck with it? I'm on Lion and using Safari and Chrome and neither are working. The pasted page looks just all messed up.

Thanks in advance for you help.