Word count in the status bar
Submitted by Jono Bacon
Link to original bug (#148148)
Description
I am a freelance writer (www.jonobacon.org) and I write all of my copy in GEdit. I use the program for its simplicity, non-cluttered interface and ease of use. The one feature I am missing though is something pretty much every writer I have worked with wants - a dynamically updated word count in the status bar. While I type the status bar word count would be updated. I need to check the word count regularly when writing, and it is a pain having to update the word count in the dialog box.
I know there are performance issues, but this would be great to be a feature that is turned off by default and then you turn it on (maybe with a warning about performance). I am sure my P4 2.5Ghz with 512MB RAM would be capable of the job though. :)
I spoke Paulo on IRC about it, and he asked if I could post the IRC log when I asked for the feature. Here it is:
<jono>
are you a gedit hacker?
<paolo>
yep
<jono>
can I request a feature - I am a professional writer, and I am gagging
for a single, simple feature - I would just like a word count in the status bar
- I write for various magazines (www.jonobacon.org) and I really need a word
count in the status bar and no other editor has one - if you add this you will
win so many writers over
<paolo>
why do you need it on the status bar? Why the current program count does not work for you?<paolo>
You can open it and simply refresh it when you want to check the number of words<paolo>
we could eventually make it autorefreshing every x seconds<paolo>
note that counting words in big documents can be quite expensive<paolo>
so having it in the status bar could be a performance problem<jono>
yeah but it is a pain to have to click on the menu to get the number of words when I could just glance down - this is because I need to know the number of words all the time<paolo>
note that the program count in gedit is modeless<jono>
I know it is a performance issue, but if you made it an option to turn on, people would only use it if their machine could handle it - I am sure my machine would be fine<paolo>
so you don't need to click on the menu every time<jono>
but putting it on the status bar would make my life so much easier<jono>
like I say - if you just made it an option, maybe with a warning about performance, that would be great<paolo>
ok<jono>
seriously - every writer I speak to needs this, and this could push gedit ahead of others<jono>
I use gedit because it is simple and uncluttered, but this is the only thing I need<paolo>
please, post a request for enh to bugzilla.gnome.org so your request will not be lost<jono>
sure
Version: 3.2.x