April 13, 2010

How to Try the New Google Docs Apps

Here's how to try Google Drawings and the new interfaces of Google Documents and Google Spreadsheets:

* create a new drawing by opening the documents list, clicking on "Create new" and selecting "Drawing".


* to see the new document editor, go to the settings page, click on the "Editing" tab and select "Create new text documents using the latest version of the document editor." Unfortunately, you can't see the existing documents in the new interface. The new document editor is code-named "kix" and it's a completely new application.


* to switch to the new spreadsheets editor, open a spreadsheet and click on "New version" at the top of the page. All spreadsheets will now open in the new interface.


The new interface is not yet available for presentations.

31 comments:

  1. Very nice but I can't figure out how to change the default font within the new system so that it remains default for all new docs. There's no "Document Settings" function.

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  2. I'm missing a table of contents generator. Also the style picker isn't there anymore.. why? I use it a lot, and was hoping that there were some improvements in that department

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  3. My editing tab in docs settings does (still) not display that feature. I use google apps for domains.

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  4. There are many missing features: translation, find bar, edit HTML/CSS, dictionary, Google search, web clipboard, special characters, document settings, readability stats. But there are also many improvements: better way to create tables, inline spell checking, line spacing, equation toolbar, ruler, better comments, more list styles etc. "Kix" will certainly add the missing features in the coming weeks.

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  5. I need collaboration on Presentations, to use in college works. Please!!!!

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  6. There is no possibility of linking to a bookmark in the documents, as in the previous version. I don't see how can I reach my bookmarks in the document...

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  7. I hope this makes it to 'Google Apps For Your Domain' users soon.

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  8. I think its still not activated for Google Apps

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  9. I am wondering where you found a template for the personal budget? And then I thought. Go to Google Docs, Create new... and from Template. Very cool stuff to be found there.

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  10. Getting better. IMO google docs needs to have a way to show page breaks when the user is editing documents. That is the only thing that is preventing me from using it. It's annoying to have to go to print preview to see where the content lands.

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  11. Ruler and tabs are great improvements, and the speed of spreadsheets is a great thing as well, but the overall experience is still not quite good. Hope Google rolls out more upgrades in the next few weeks, or I'll jump on office web apps this time. And please, someone tell'em to bring back offline soon: the always-on myth is becoming a pain.
    ND

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  12. I like the improvements and Docs is getting better. Thanks for the post Alex.

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  13. https://docs.google.com/support/bin/answer.py?answer=176442

    "...These features from the previous version of Google documents, however, won’t be available in the new version:

    - Offline document access via Google Gears
    - Edit HTML
    - Edit CSS"

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  14. I can copy a drawing to the web clipboard, but there's no way to paste it into a document -- no web clipboard icon, and ctrl+v only pastes from my local computer's clipboard. What gives?

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  15. To edit an existing document with the new interface, export using Open Document format, then import.

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  16. Is there any way to convert my old documents to the new format without simply creating a blank document and pasting the old one in? (This is fine for one document, but it would be a huge pain to do a lot of them.)

    If there isn't a way, any ideas on when Google might add this ability?

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  17. I expect that Google will automatically migrate the existing documents to Kix. Google released a preview of the new editor, so don't expect it to be feature-complete.

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  18. So sad the Equation Editor got less features now

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  19. Learn something from Apple: stop caring about features and enjoy an improved experience. I really like the new document editor. It's so much better.

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  20. PLEEEEEEEEASSSSEE bring back the ability to add a table of contents!!!!!!!

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  21. In addition to missing features, the localization is blocked on US for properties (print settings and table settings with inches).

    Now I understand why the new word processor is hidden, it is not yet ready for prime time.

    Anyway it feels better than previous wordly, can't wait it gets the missing features.

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  22. Good grief! So we have an application to create DOCUMENTS and we can now insert EQUATIONS, but can no longer insert PUNCTUATION.

    Good people of Google: Go outside. Smell some roses. Feel the warmth of the sunlight. Figure out what "normal" people use a word-processing application for.

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  23. Here's how to try the new editor in Google Apps:
    - create new DOC using Google Docs and share it with your Google Apps account
    - then, in Google Apps, open the newly shared document. You should see the the document open in new editor.
    - to create other new documents using the new editor, select "File -> New" from the new editor window. At this point Google Apps will open new DOC window but using new editor instead of the old one.

    no HTML/CSS edit sucks big time tho ... booooo. But oh well, C'est la vie.

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  24. @miji2:

    Here's how to create a new document using Kix. Go to this page:

    https://docs.google.com/a/MYDOMAIN.COM/document/create

    (replace MYDOMAIN.COM with your domain name)

    For spreadsheets, append &ui=2 to the URL of any spreadsheet.

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  25. Claps

    Keep going, you have a long way to go to catch up with Microsoft Online Services.

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  26. I am very unhappy that the table of contents feature is missing. I used this in every document I created.

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  27. While the whole idea for a drawing doc is nice, the outcome is very basic. Online there are far better tools for free, even supporting layers.
    But, even being so basic, it could have much broader usage if it would contain some metrics. That is giving the ability to use coordinates, already incorporated in the underlying software.
    Is it so difficult to give the ability of a line from here to there or a circle with a certain center?
    It is supposed to be a document after all, not a playground.

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  28. Is maximus document size limite is changed in new Docs version?

    (I need to know size limits for documents created naturaly in Docs, not uploaded, and not general storage limit.)

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  29. i Really like the new interface works great .

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  30. Can't have a consistent view of "items not in folders whoops collections" - it does not remember your last view. Can't delete multiple items (how do you select multiple items? A few random new features but from the above lots of broken stuff.

    Take a deep breath and assume MS is not the antichrist. Can you -imagine- what would happen if MS released such a half-assed effort?

    G continues to generate WTF's. Weird.

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