Time, Attention, and Creative Work. After 4 years and a lot of productivity pr0n, we’re shifting gears. Re-learn how to use 43 Folders. Then back to work. [»]
”What’s 43 Folders?”
43Folders.com is Merlin Mann’s website about finding the time and attention to do your best creative work.
Transmit: Editing on a remote server
Merlin Mann | Mar 2 2006
For a while now, Transmit — my hands-down choice for all things FTP — has had a feature that I adore, which is the ability to edit text files from a remote server directly in the local Mac editor of my choice (in my case, that’s the very swell TextMate. This little bit of wizardry makes it really easy to quickly fix code, tweak style sheets, or correct spelling without that nightmarish 90s ritual of the re-re-re-re-reupload (which is particularly painful when you’re working on a live application). Well, heck. I just figured out that the latest version of Transmit takes this to a another (yes! yet! another!) level by letting you edit images on a remote server. I just opened a .png in Photoshop and saw the saved results immediately appear on the live box. Disco. While I don’t completely understand the Elfen Magic™ with local temp files that makes this appear so seamless, I can tell you it’s pretty freakin’ ace in practice. Plus, kids, do remember — because I know some of you still don’t know about or do this — once you’ve set up your Transmit bookmarks to use “DockSend,” you can upload a file to your remote directory just by dropping it on the dock’s Transmit icon (or opening it via Quicksilver, etc.). I can’t even imagine how many hours this would have saved me in 1996. This is a truly great time to be alive. 42 Comments
POSTED IN:
 I, too love transmit and...Submitted by Kevin Kennedy-Spaien (not verified) on March 2, 2006 - 5:22am.
I, too love transmit and use it so often it is almost always open. I’m only sad that I am now locked out of upgrades because they’ve dropped support for OS X v10.2.8. I always try to use free tools, so it is surprising that I’d pay for transmit when so many free FTP programs are available, but that’s how good it is! »
Maybe I'm missing the point...Submitted by APerson (not verified) on March 2, 2006 - 5:34am.
Maybe I’m missing the point here, or something, but I’ve been doing this on KDE for like 7 or 8 years and I’m pretty sure even Windoze has done this for ages. Is this really not a native feature of OSX? If not I’d be really surprised. That is, unless, like I said, I’m missing the point or something. »
It's not a native windows...Submitted by eric (not verified) on March 2, 2006 - 5:55am.
It’s not a native windows feature that I know of, nor is it in OS X - at least not the editing of files on a remote FTP. SmartFTP on windows has similar functionality, but it’s not nearly as automatic. There’s lots of ridiculous button clicking. Transmit, on the other hand, does it just as if you were saving to disk. It’s just one reason why Panic’s creation is a minor deity among ftp clients. »
 I have to say though,...Submitted by Merlin Mann on March 2, 2006 - 6:03am.
I have to say though, I do love the idea of a notional Mac user who switches platforms based on learning that a functionality even existed somewhere else other than his current application. Because that kind of decision-making process scales really well. »
EditPlus for Windows has this...Submitted by Josh (not verified) on March 2, 2006 - 6:13am.
EditPlus for Windows has this feature. You open up an FTP connection in the program, then open the file you want to work on. Edit it, click save, and it automagically saves to your remote file. I agree, it’s a kickass feature. A hell of a lot better than…
»
Transmit and Textmate are a...Submitted by William T. Foxtrot (not verified) on March 2, 2006 - 6:19am.
Transmit and Textmate are a pretty killer combination. Well… Textmate and just about any app are a killer combination. I’d take a bullet for Textmate, that’s how much I love it. »
Emacs has been doing this...Submitted by Cameron (not verified) on March 2, 2006 - 7:45am.
Emacs has been doing this for years via the Tramp module. Of course, the incantations needed to make it work are more black magic than Elfen, but that’s what makes us Emacs users feel so superior ;-) »
My bad. Apologies on my...Submitted by Merlin Mann on March 2, 2006 - 7:57am.
My bad. Apologies on my lack of completion here. Other products and product lines in which “edit on FTP server” has existed for just years:
Others I missed? »
A good Windows analog is...Submitted by Derek Scruggs (not verified) on March 2, 2006 - 8:24am.
A good Windows analog is Webdrive. It even handles SFTP. »
Transmit makes my life shine...Submitted by Ethan (not verified) on March 2, 2006 - 9:10am.
Transmit makes my life shine with goodness, and I believe cures headaches. »
About Merlin MannBio Merlin Mann is an independent writer, speaker, and broadcaster. He’s best known for being the guy who started the website you’re reading right now. He lives in San Francisco, does lots of public speaking, and helps make cool things like You Look Nice Today. Also? He looks like this, answers questions, and has something like a life. Merlin’s favorite thing he’s written recently is a short essay called, “Better.” |
|
| EXPLORE 43Folders | THE GOOD STUFF |
Popular |
|
Inbox ZeroThe original 43 Folders series looking at the skills, tools, and attitude needed to empty your email inbox — and then keep it that way. Don’t miss the free video of Merlin’s Inbox Zero presentation. Making Time3-part series on attention management for artists and makers. Read Bad Correspondence, The Job You Think You Have, and One Clear Line. |
43 Folders is powered by Drupal, which rules. Our site was designed by a bearded fella from Wire and Twine and has been lovingly skinned for Drupal by the code ninjas at RoopleTheme. Ben Durbin is the sine qua non and our personal consigliere. 43f’s web hosting is sponsored by A2.
43 Folders® is a registered trademark of Merlin Mann. All posts and comments © their original owners. Everything else (including the design) is © Merlin Mann, 2004-2008. Merlin’s posts can be reused or republished solely in accordance with the BY-NC-ND Creative Commons License. Please don’t be a douche with my stuff. Here’s our Legal and Ground Rules. 43 Folders loves you. Namasté.
