The Mac version currently has no (S)FTP support. That's also the reason why it costs less than the iOS apps. I'll consider adding it in a future version, but I'm focusing on improving the code editor first. On Mac OS X, there are many commercial and free FTP clients that you can use to transfer your files to your servers which is not the case on iOS.
I like task isolation in the apps I use. A dedicated file transfer application can pretty much always trump file transfer integrated into other software. For file transfers I use version control software (like all developers really ought to ;) or ForkLift. Transmit is also quite excellent. Both of the dedicated FTP(S)/SFTP apps support change notification or are able to keep trees in sync. There's also the ultimate solution of mounting your remote filesystem: why "transfer" files when you can literally just modify them remotely? (Both of the mentioned packages support configuration of FUSE graphically for this purpose.)
To be clear, the sole reason why I'm not using Textastic on the Mac is because of no integrated FTP support. This is a must-have feature IMHO for any HTML editor. I really like the iPad version and the iPhone version is usable enough, though the format is a bit too small for me. However, it is great to be able to do a 'quick-fix' from anywhere. Too bad about the Mac version.
Holy crap, thats the only reason I just bought the application was for SFTP support which I had wrongly assumed would be available in the OSX app. Who codes to icloud for business purposes? Im writing perl scripts across numerous linux servers, some ruby on rails stuff, etc etc, all of which require remote connection to servers in a secure manner. Where coding is concerned, iCloud has zero use for me and i would suggest many others as well. Really hoping this is resolved sooner rather than later, as the application has zero use to me until that functionality is available. iPad and iPhone versions are great, as others have said. Shame this lets it down as I would have preferred to use one application across all my devices. Maybe make it a bit more clear about lack of SFTP support on the app store, as I didnt notice anything about lack of features compared to the iOS version.
Well, it seems pretty obvious you're not in the majority here... Of course, maybe seven years ago we all weren't using development pipelines like we are today. Nevertheless, Textastic is no longer taking up space on my mac's drive and the iPad app is long gone, too. I wish them no malice. Might still be a decent choice for iPad.
I mostly use Textastic on iOS for editing synced (sftp/webdav) markdown-files. The neat preview and the sync-option via different protocols are the most important features for an easy to use, quickly accessible, short path to work, slim-looking editor.
So I totally support the request to add the connection-types and sync-option, the iOS app provides.
I also made the mistake of purchasing this app too quickly. When I saw the SFTP support on the iOS version, I instantly went and bought the Mac version without doing my research. This thread is two years old, and the app costs more than it did two years ago with no SFTP support. Not sure what the holdup is, but you sure would make a lot of people happy if you added it.
I love this app on iOS and am getting a MacBook tomorrow (switching from PC).
Can anyone tell me if FTP support has been added to the Mac release as well? If so, this would totally fit w/ my workflow. If not, I may have to look for another solution.
Did the same mistake as it seems many others. Bought the iPad app first and assumed too much! In this sence it's very odd that you haven't added the information of missing ftp support to the app description on App Store in all this time. In all honesty...
A good solution is the tool Yummy FTP. You are able to configure the Yummy FTP to work with Textasticapp. You have to configure the yummy ftp if you want to edit a file it should open it with Textasticapp. 1. Connect to the server with yummy ftp 2. Press the button to edit the file. 3. Textasticapp start and open the file you want to edit 4. change the file and press save. Yummy ftp detects this and upload the file to the server.
Forklift and Transmit likewise also support use of an editor with upload-on-change, and I believe both support FUSE sftpfs allowing you to "mount" remote folders as if they were local folders. There's a slowness to this approach, but being able to use Finder and literally any Mac app with remote files is a "right solution" for this. Embedding FTP/SFTP support into an editor is not, as any FTP/SFTP support added will be infinitely poorer than a dedicated solution, many of which are free. (The FUSE thing is a separate free download for those that wish it, and there are free SFTP clients with upload-on-change support, too.)
The process for Forklift (or Transmit, or FileZilla, or…) is virtually identical to Yummy FTP, given the files you want to edit are already associated with Textastic. If they're not, you can change the default in the preferences for most of these applications, or via Finder by using Get Info on the type of file you want to edit, and changing the default application to Textastic. There's also the security note that the fewer separate applications one needs to feed keys (or other credentials) into, the more one can trust those credentials to be secure.
I'd prefer to have my ftp service separate to the editor; it's a tough nut to crack with permissions and all so really belongs in SSHFS or Cyberduck, etc. All FTP clients offer an open in editor of choice feature.
Textastic for mac should better stick with doing one thing well, since it is a desktop app. Textastic is the most mac-ish text editor I know of, which is the point of its existence.
I do FTP with another app like Cyberduck. In reality, it would frustrate the users if they start configuring two FTP clients, one solely for text editing and another for general tasks.
With or without FTP support, what Textastic do is and will always be text editing. You don't transfer non-text files via a text editor.
It's about enabling users to directly edit text files located on a remote server, instead of downloading them to local first and uploading them back to the server after.
I feel cheated. I have used Textastic for some time on my iPad whilst using bluefish under Linux on my laptop. Having upgraded (?) to a MacBook which will not easily run Bluefish I bought Textastic. Downloaded and runs OK so I went to put in my ftp servers but then realised it is not supported. How do I get my money back????
The convenience of being able to edit any file on a remote machine you can ssh into like it was on your box, that often drags me off from Mac to my iPad, where there are a couple of editors that offer the convenience. Yet not a single Mac program does it as far as I can tell. A gap in the market right there, just waiting for you to own it Alexander.
It would be useful for everyone who uses a Mac and maintains a web site or other server. Wonder how many people there are in that situation? Quite a lot I would guess.
I get the 'you can bolt this together with FTP client X, use file update events' argument, but thats not happening for editing files on an active server. It's got to be dependable. Which for me means one guy/company in control of the complete stack, testing it all as one product.
I purchased the mac version and seem to can't find out how to keep it like the screenshots show on the app store. Also will there be a beta program for ios devices.
The Mac version currently has no (S)FTP support. That's also the reason why it costs less than the iOS apps. I'll consider adding it in a future version, but I'm focusing on improving the code editor first. On Mac OS X, there are many commercial and free FTP clients that you can use to transfer your files to your servers which is not the case on iOS.
Please create a new FTP application with the good design of Textastic.
Thanks for your reply. I like to have my FTP client integrated with my editor like Coda does. So I don't have to swap programs all the time.
That would really be great. The SFTP support is one of the features I really need and love in the iPad version.
I know that is possible to use also transmit for "mapping" SFTP drive but this feature will be great. Hope to see this soon. :-)
and please add FTPS too!
I would rather see integration w/version control first...
If I had know this, I would not have given you my $6.
I like task isolation in the apps I use. A dedicated file transfer application can pretty much always trump file transfer integrated into other software. For file transfers I use version control software (like all developers really ought to ;) or ForkLift. Transmit is also quite excellent. Both of the dedicated FTP(S)/SFTP apps support change notification or are able to keep trees in sync. There's also the ultimate solution of mounting your remote filesystem: why "transfer" files when you can literally just modify them remotely? (Both of the mentioned packages support configuration of FUSE graphically for this purpose.)
Well, that didn't age very well 🤔
In any case, it's kind of like buying an electric guitar and complain to the manufacturer when you discover that it doesn't behave like a drum kit.
When choosing a text editor, the most obvious consideration should be its text editing qualities (Captain Obvious speaking).
I just bought Textastic, and so far I'm impressed. It even imported my tweaked-to-the-point-of-madness Textmate 2 themes flawlessly. Thumbs up 🙌🏼
Well, it seems pretty obvious you're not in the majority here... Of course, maybe seven years ago we all weren't using development pipelines like we are today. Nevertheless, Textastic is no longer taking up space on my mac's drive and the iPad app is long gone, too. I wish them no malice. Might still be a decent choice for iPad.
So I totally support the request to add the connection-types and sync-option, the iOS app provides.
Can anyone tell me if FTP support has been added to the Mac release as well?
If so, this would totally fit w/ my workflow.
If not, I may have to look for another solution.
Still good iPad app!
1. Connect to the server with yummy ftp
2. Press the button to edit the file.
3. Textasticapp start and open the file you want to edit
4. change the file and press save. Yummy ftp detects this and upload the file to the server.
The process for Forklift (or Transmit, or FileZilla, or…) is virtually identical to Yummy FTP, given the files you want to edit are already associated with Textastic. If they're not, you can change the default in the preferences for most of these applications, or via Finder by using Get Info on the type of file you want to edit, and changing the default application to Textastic. There's also the security note that the fewer separate applications one needs to feed keys (or other credentials) into, the more one can trust those credentials to be secure.
wait update for sftp
I'd prefer to have my ftp service separate to the editor; it's a tough nut to crack with permissions and all so really belongs in SSHFS or Cyberduck, etc. All FTP clients offer an open in editor of choice feature.
Textastic for mac should better stick with doing one thing well, since it is a desktop app. Textastic is the most mac-ish text editor I know of, which is the point of its existence.
I do FTP with another app like Cyberduck. In reality, it would frustrate the users if they start configuring two FTP clients, one solely for text editing and another for general tasks.
You're missing the point here.
With or without FTP support, what Textastic do is and will always be text editing. You don't transfer non-text files via a text editor.
It's about enabling users to directly edit text files located on a remote server, instead of downloading them to local first and uploading them back to the server after.
If I'm right Textastic for IOS have SFTP/FTP feature so for me is natural to have the same feature is a bigger version like the one on OSX.
If you prefer to use cyberduck use it. I prefer to have a feature and don't use it instead of missing the same feature.
This is only my 2 cent
I feel cheated. I have used Textastic for some time on my iPad whilst using bluefish under Linux on my laptop. Having upgraded (?) to a MacBook which will not easily run Bluefish I bought Textastic. Downloaded and runs OK so I went to put in my ftp servers but then realised it is not supported. How do I get my money back????
You can request a refund from Apple on the following website: http://reportaproblem.apple.com
The convenience of being able to edit any file on a remote machine you can ssh into like it was on your box, that often drags me off from Mac to my iPad, where there are a couple of editors that offer the convenience. Yet not a single Mac program does it as far as I can tell. A gap in the market right there, just waiting for you to own it Alexander.
It would be useful for everyone who uses a Mac and maintains a web site or other server. Wonder how many people there are in that situation? Quite a lot I would guess.
I get the 'you can bolt this together with FTP client X, use file update events' argument, but thats not happening for editing files on an active server. It's got to be dependable. Which for me means one guy/company in control of the complete stack, testing it all as one product.
I moved on long ago. I now use Sublime Text 3 with SFTP package installed.
This was the only reason for my to buy the app. Gong back to sublime and never coming back. Why would you cripple an app tat was great on iOS ?
I purchased the mac version and seem to can't find out how to keep it like the screenshots show on the app store. Also will there be a beta program for ios devices.
As for FTP/SFTP operations I prefer using Commander One.