# Turn off line wrap for text only documents

**URL:** <https://discourse.devontechnologies.com/t/turn-off-line-wrap-for-text-only-documents/10660>\
**Category:** Tips\
**Created:** [October 24, 2010, 8:15pm UTC](https://discourse.devontechnologies.com/t/turn-off-line-wrap-for-text-only-documents/10660 "2010-10-24T20:15:09Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 20\
**Page:** 1

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**Author:** ![christian.roth](https://discourse.devontechnologies.com/letter_avatar_proxy/v4/letter/c/ee7513/32.png) [@christian.roth](https://discourse.devontechnologies.com/u/christian.roth)\
**Post date:** [October 24, 2010, 8:15pm UTC](https://discourse.devontechnologies.com/t/turn-off-line-wrap-for-text-only-documents/10660/1 "2010-10-24T20:15:09Z")

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Simple question: Is there a way to turn off line wrapping for plain text documents in DTPO’s viewers? In other words, I want a horizontal scrollbar 🙂

-kris

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**Author:** ![eboehnisch](https://discourse.devontechnologies.com/user_avatar/discourse.devontechnologies.com/eboehnisch/32/38699_2.png) [@eboehnisch](https://discourse.devontechnologies.com/u/eboehnisch)\
**Post date:** [October 25, 2010, 9:47am UTC](https://discourse.devontechnologies.com/t/turn-off-line-wrap-for-text-only-documents/10660/2 "2010-10-25T09:47:51Z")

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No, we are afraid.

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**Author:** ![cnewtonne](https://discourse.devontechnologies.com/letter_avatar_proxy/v4/letter/c/43a26b/32.png) [@cnewtonne](https://discourse.devontechnologies.com/u/cnewtonne)\
**Post date:** [July 28, 2021, 2:02pm UTC](https://discourse.devontechnologies.com/t/turn-off-line-wrap-for-text-only-documents/10660/3 "2021-07-28T14:02:42Z")

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I badly need this feature. I rely on the output of database queries and being able to read the rows clearly is essential to what I do for living.  
If this is not supported natively by DT, is there a clever workaround?  
Please consider allowing us to disable line wrap in both rtf and plain text documents.  
Thanks

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**Author:** ![rmschne](https://discourse.devontechnologies.com/letter_avatar_proxy/v4/letter/r/8baadc/32.png) [@rmschne](https://discourse.devontechnologies.com/u/rmschne)\
**Post date:** [July 28, 2021, 2:28pm UTC](https://discourse.devontechnologies.com/t/turn-off-line-wrap-for-text-only-documents/10660/4 "2021-07-28T14:28:28Z")

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Output your database queries to a \*.txt file and use a text editor (TextEdit, BBEdit, etc.) from DEVONthink with “open with” command. \*.txt file could be in an indexed folder or imported.

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**Author:** ![BLUEFROG](https://discourse.devontechnologies.com/user_avatar/discourse.devontechnologies.com/bluefrog/32/135_2.png) [@BLUEFROG](https://discourse.devontechnologies.com/u/BLUEFROG)\
**Post date:** [July 28, 2021, 2:57pm UTC](https://discourse.devontechnologies.com/t/turn-off-line-wrap-for-text-only-documents/10660/5 "2021-07-28T14:57:14Z")

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Plain text wraps to the window so why can’t you open the file in a document window and expand it horizontally? Does the text still exceed the window width?

 ![image](https://devontech-discourse.s3.dualstack.us-east-1.amazonaws.com/uploads/original/3X/3/0/30c8f19a382b810f9ebcfca427cffabf68ad7afc.jpeg)

 ![image](https://devontech-discourse.s3.dualstack.us-east-1.amazonaws.com/uploads/original/3X/1/1/11948173429dba5b4f43af870fde264b66ff8b8c.jpeg)

Rich text wraps to the window and the margin so you’d need to be aware of both.

 ![image](https://devontech-discourse.s3.dualstack.us-east-1.amazonaws.com/uploads/original/3X/3/8/38ebd35723f14cd6fe74248e42872cbc62e2235d.jpeg)

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**Author:** ![cnewtonne](https://discourse.devontechnologies.com/letter_avatar_proxy/v4/letter/c/43a26b/32.png) [@cnewtonne](https://discourse.devontechnologies.com/u/cnewtonne)\
**Post date:** [August 3, 2021, 8:23pm UTC](https://discourse.devontechnologies.com/t/turn-off-line-wrap-for-text-only-documents/10660/6 "2021-08-03T20:23:43Z")

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Thank you both for the suggestions. Neither will work for my daily workflow. It requires being able to disable line wrap and apply formatting to highlight rows or values, for example.

I’m transferring from the MS Windows world. For the past three months, I have been transferring my workflow from Windows to MacOS. I have came across multiple potential show-stoppers & was able to resolve them all. This one, however, has been a stubborn one.

Being able to display rows in a formatted way in an rtf document is essential for my use. My current Windows app allows this so easily.

I have spent three days now searching the internet for any rtfd (with images) app that allows to disable line wrap. I have found none. I can’t believe this can’t be done on MacOS. There is got to be a way.

For now, I’m back using my Windows device.

This is what my ms windows app allows me to do …

 ![image](https://devontech-discourse.s3.dualstack.us-east-1.amazonaws.com/uploads/original/3X/7/8/78265df0afe0e09e38feb65e1866d5d7693e61d3.png)

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**Author:** ![pete31](https://discourse.devontechnologies.com/letter_avatar_proxy/v4/letter/p/d26b3c/32.png) [@pete31](https://discourse.devontechnologies.com/u/pete31)\
**Post date:** [August 3, 2021, 8:36pm UTC](https://discourse.devontechnologies.com/t/turn-off-line-wrap-for-text-only-documents/10660/7 "2021-08-03T20:36:53Z")

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> [@cnewtonne](#):
>
> I have spent three days now searching the internet for any rtfd (with images) app that allows to disable line wrap. I have found none.

Not sure I understood what you’re trying to do but [TextSoap](https://www.unmarked.com/textsoap/).app allows to disable line-wrapping.

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**Author:** ![chrillek](https://discourse.devontechnologies.com/user_avatar/discourse.devontechnologies.com/chrillek/32/29340_2.png) [@chrillek](https://discourse.devontechnologies.com/u/chrillek)\
**Post date:** [August 4, 2021, 8:20am UTC](https://discourse.devontechnologies.com/t/turn-off-line-wrap-for-text-only-documents/10660/8 "2021-08-04T08:20:45Z")

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> [@cnewtonne](#):
>
> I rely on the output of database queries and being able to read the rows clearly is essential to what I do for living.

Why do you have to look at the result of SQL queries in DEVONthink? Wouldn’t a dedicated database tool be more helpful?

Also, wouldn’t it be less boring and cumbersome to look only at those results that are abnormal? I mean, perhaps one could modify the queries so that you get to see only those values that require attention?

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**Author:** ![BLUEFROG](https://discourse.devontechnologies.com/user_avatar/discourse.devontechnologies.com/bluefrog/32/135_2.png) [@BLUEFROG](https://discourse.devontechnologies.com/u/BLUEFROG)\
**Post date:** [August 4, 2021, 2:08pm UTC](https://discourse.devontechnologies.com/t/turn-off-line-wrap-for-text-only-documents/10660/9 "2021-08-04T14:08:08Z")

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My favorite text editor allows disabling wrapping…

> **[CotEditor](https://coteditor.com/)**
>
> Text Editor for macOS

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<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![cnewtonne](https://discourse.devontechnologies.com/letter_avatar_proxy/v4/letter/c/43a26b/32.png) [@cnewtonne](https://discourse.devontechnologies.com/u/cnewtonne)\
**Post date:** [August 5, 2021, 4:49pm UTC](https://discourse.devontechnologies.com/t/turn-off-line-wrap-for-text-only-documents/10660/10 "2021-08-05T16:49:18Z")

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Thanks for all the replies. Even though I described what I require for my workflow, it does not look like I was clear enough.

I work with database systems and present my work to others. I collect diagnostic data that mostly presents itself in tabular format & usually it is just few rows. I need to be able to present these rows in a formatted way where columns align (as per the image I posed above). Often times, I also have to highlight a row or a value or use color fonts to emphasize findings.

On Windows, I used default wordpad which allows me to do this simply by disabling line wrap and applying RTF changes i.e. color, bold, etc.

I have not been able to do the same on MacOS using DT, TextEdit, or any other text editor mentioned above. They all open plain text files. Opening up an rtf document (like DT rich text) in plain text editor presents all the non-human readable rtf tags and it can easily corrupt the rtf content.

For my need, It has to be an RTF editor that supports images and disabling line wrap completely. If you know of such app, please reach out.

This is the option available in Windows default wordpad …

![image](https://devontech-discourse.s3.dualstack.us-east-1.amazonaws.com/uploads/original/3X/0/a/0a096005601f19ceab6f8496abb51eb3c5e5e18e.png)

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<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![chrillek](https://discourse.devontechnologies.com/user_avatar/discourse.devontechnologies.com/chrillek/32/29340_2.png) [@chrillek](https://discourse.devontechnologies.com/u/chrillek)\
**Post date:** [August 5, 2021, 6:17pm UTC](https://discourse.devontechnologies.com/t/turn-off-line-wrap-for-text-only-documents/10660/11 "2021-08-05T18:17:36Z")

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> [@cnewtonne](#):
>
> I need to be able to present these rows in a formatted way where columns align (as per the image I posed above). Often times, I also have to highlight a row or a value or use color fonts to emphasize findings.

I still do not understand why you have to work in RTF. Every word processor can display tables, use different colors for rows/columns and include images. Pages is preinstalled in macOS and can export RTF. You can use tables there, you can mark single cells or a row or a column in whichever way you fancy. And as far as I can see, Pages does not “word wrap” a table. Pages supports normal text as well as images, too.

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**Author:** ![pete31](https://discourse.devontechnologies.com/letter_avatar_proxy/v4/letter/p/d26b3c/32.png) [@pete31](https://discourse.devontechnologies.com/u/pete31)\
**Post date:** [August 5, 2021, 6:44pm UTC](https://discourse.devontechnologies.com/t/turn-off-line-wrap-for-text-only-documents/10660/12 "2021-08-05T18:44:34Z")

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> [@cnewtonne](#):
>
> I have not been able to do the same on MacOS using DT, TextEdit, or any other text editor mentioned above. They all open plain text files. Opening up an rtf document (like DT rich text) in plain text editor presents all the non-human readable rtf tags and it can easily corrupt the rtf content.

TextSoap **can** open RTF(D) files.

As mentioned it allows to disable line-wrapping, see menu `View > Wrap Text to Window`.

It also got custom cleaner actions that allow to rewrap text, see `Window > Custom Cleaners & Groups`. I never used them, though.

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**Author:** ![cnewtonne](https://discourse.devontechnologies.com/letter_avatar_proxy/v4/letter/c/43a26b/32.png) [@cnewtonne](https://discourse.devontechnologies.com/u/cnewtonne)\
**Post date:** [August 6, 2021, 12:05am UTC](https://discourse.devontechnologies.com/t/turn-off-line-wrap-for-text-only-documents/10660/13 "2021-08-06T00:05:04Z")

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@pete31 …  
TextSoap does exactly what I’m looking for. It supports rtf(d with images) and allows to disable line wrap. I can now scroll horizontally to see entire rows.  
Of course, I would’ve loved to have DT support this natively.

Thanks to you and everyone else how helped. Great community!

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**Author:** ![cgrunenberg](https://discourse.devontechnologies.com/user_avatar/discourse.devontechnologies.com/cgrunenberg/32/7172_2.png) [@cgrunenberg](https://discourse.devontechnologies.com/u/cgrunenberg)\
**Post date:** [August 6, 2021, 12:19pm UTC](https://discourse.devontechnologies.com/t/turn-off-line-wrap-for-text-only-documents/10660/14 "2021-08-06T12:19:09Z")

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> [@cnewtonne](#):
>
> Of course, I would’ve loved to have DT support this natively.

A future release might support this.

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**Author:** ![cnewtonne](https://discourse.devontechnologies.com/letter_avatar_proxy/v4/letter/c/43a26b/32.png) [@cnewtonne](https://discourse.devontechnologies.com/u/cnewtonne)\
**Post date:** [August 20, 2021, 1:09pm UTC](https://discourse.devontechnologies.com/t/turn-off-line-wrap-for-text-only-documents/10660/15 "2021-08-20T13:09:14Z")

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The tool that was suggested earlier, was good in concept, but did not live up to its promise. Unstable, hangs, crashes, etc. I was not usable for my workflow.  
For now, I’ll park my Macbook & Devonthink aside. I’ll watch for future releases hoping this feature to appear in DT.  
Thanks again.

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**Author:** ![BLUEFROG](https://discourse.devontechnologies.com/user_avatar/discourse.devontechnologies.com/bluefrog/32/135_2.png) [@BLUEFROG](https://discourse.devontechnologies.com/u/BLUEFROG)\
**Post date:** [August 20, 2021, 1:32pm UTC](https://discourse.devontechnologies.com/t/turn-off-line-wrap-for-text-only-documents/10660/16 "2021-08-20T13:32:27Z")

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> [@cnewtonne](#):
>
> The tool that was suggested earlier, was good in concept, but did not live up to its promise

What _tool_ are you referring to?

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<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![pete31](https://discourse.devontechnologies.com/letter_avatar_proxy/v4/letter/p/d26b3c/32.png) [@pete31](https://discourse.devontechnologies.com/u/pete31)\
**Post date:** [August 20, 2021, 1:56pm UTC](https://discourse.devontechnologies.com/t/turn-off-line-wrap-for-text-only-documents/10660/17 "2021-08-20T13:56:57Z")

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> [@cnewtonne](#):
>
> The tool that was suggested earlier, was good in concept, but did not live up to its promise. Unstable, hangs, crashes, etc.

FWIW I use TextSoap quite often and it works (almost) without issues over here.

The only case where it doesn’t work reliably is when all of the following are given:

- option `Expression` enabled (i.e. use regex)
- option `Live` enabled (i.e. show results while typing the expression)
- a “large” text
- providing a bad regex

In such cases I first develop the regex with a part of the text and afterwards use the tested regex with the large text.

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<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![cnewtonne](https://discourse.devontechnologies.com/letter_avatar_proxy/v4/letter/c/43a26b/32.png) [@cnewtonne](https://discourse.devontechnologies.com/u/cnewtonne)\
**Post date:** [August 20, 2021, 9:29pm UTC](https://discourse.devontechnologies.com/t/turn-off-line-wrap-for-text-only-documents/10660/18 "2021-08-20T21:29:39Z")

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TextSoap

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<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![cnewtonne](https://discourse.devontechnologies.com/letter_avatar_proxy/v4/letter/c/43a26b/32.png) [@cnewtonne](https://discourse.devontechnologies.com/u/cnewtonne)\
**Post date:** [August 22, 2021, 3:10pm UTC](https://discourse.devontechnologies.com/t/turn-off-line-wrap-for-text-only-documents/10660/19 "2021-08-22T15:10:48Z")

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I have not spent much time troubleshooting it. For my workflow, when I paste 30 long rows or more, the app stops responding. I can’t scroll vertically or horizontally for few seconds. It works probably 80% of the time, I can not just rely on it for my presentations.

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<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![pete31](https://discourse.devontechnologies.com/letter_avatar_proxy/v4/letter/p/d26b3c/32.png) [@pete31](https://discourse.devontechnologies.com/u/pete31)\
**Post date:** [August 22, 2021, 3:38pm UTC](https://discourse.devontechnologies.com/t/turn-off-line-wrap-for-text-only-documents/10660/20 "2021-08-22T15:38:21Z")

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Understood. Please consider sending the developer a mail with a problematic example file. He‘s a nice guy and will probably look into this

[Next page](https://discourse.devontechnologies.com/t/turn-off-line-wrap-for-text-only-documents/10660.md?page=2)