WordPress Visual Editor - Do you Use It?
Jim Stitzel 
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One of the very first tasks I always perform on every new WordPress installation I do is to go into my user profile and turn off the visual WYSIWYG editor. I prefer to handle all my formatting markup myself because it gives me more control over the final product. The other day, Mark suggested that most ‘professional’ bloggers also prefer not to use the visual editor.
So, the question I throw out to you, the reader, is this - which do you prefer to use, the visual editor or the basic editor, and why?
Extra credit: Do you use any formatting plugins for faster, easier, on-the-fly markup? If you use one of these plugins, why do you use that specific markup plugin? For instance, I use TextileWrapper on my own blog because I like how easy it is to add just a single character or two to a line or phrase to get the formatting I want. I originally used Text Control - and I still prefer - but it broke on a WordPress upgrade awhile back and is no longer being supported by the author, forcing me to find an alternative. TextileWrapper is an excellent plugin in its own right and continues to function well through each upgrade.
(18 votes, average: 4.33 out of 5)
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no, it’s awful.
I always use the “code only” version of the editor.
I switched to the Visual editor after upgrading to 2.1. Before that it was awful but it has improved to the point where I hardly ever have to switch to the code view
No visual editor for me. Like to be able to control all the code myself. For help in composing posts, I do use Texter to automatically generate code I reuse often with only a few keystrokes.
Turned off visual editor right away. I hate how it’s trying to “fix” my html… it butchers it every time instead!
I use the basic editor, most of the time the visual one ruins my posts alignnment. I’m not sure if it’s a common issue, atleast on firefox.
I’m with you guys on this one. I use the “code” editor, the visual editor is pretty bad and is certainly not something I like to deal with. I use the code view simply because often I will add custom classes to images or lists or videos, and I don’t want those getting in the way with the visual editor.
That’s the first thing I do as well. I do not know if these are still issues for the current release, but the visual editor chokes on some HTML attributes I enter manually, and it adds unnecessary
<p>elements that break my markup completely.And, since I usually add code in my posts, I think I’m better off seeing everything under the hood instead of what’s just on the surface.
I don’t know if I’d call myself “professional”, but yes, I do use the default editor. I can only think of one occasion over the past 50 posts where I needed to use the code view and that was only to look, not to edit.
I don’t like the visual editor. The only time I use it is when I paste something that has html formatting already, as it preserves that.
I have not upgraded to a WordPress version that allows me to toggle simply between the editors, and I probably should. As it is now, it’s a minor hassle to go from one to the other on that once-a-week occasion when I want to paste into the visual editor.
I don’t use the editor at all. I prefer to use a stand alone blog editor such as Windows Live Writer or ecto for Windows
I dont use it, it evilizes the code to coin a term there.
I hate the visual editor. Part of it is the start up and response time. The bigger part is the greater control–I tend to stick in span tags with css styles, and find it quicker and easier to type it myself. Not even sure if it’s possible to do floating elements with the visual editor.
This Screenshot says it all, no? XStandard “for Open Source Partner-CMS” in the WP-Backend
also see my slides on integration at Webmonday. Maybe i should do a Screencast illustrating my pluins features…
I don’t use the editor at all. I immediately turn it off. It’s annoying.
For some reason the link is gone. So again: http://iroybot.deviantart.com/.....o-58370912
I use the WYSIWTH editor, because It’s a lot quicker for me to hit ctrl-i than to type <i>…</i>.
NOPE! lol
Ahh, and this is what my profile-page looks like: http://home.tiscali.de/contactsheet/ScreenShot.jpg for easy switching of WYSIWYG-Editors.
I wish the code editor would work with the Ctrl buttons, that would be my perfect WYSWYG!
When the bulk of your blog writing is going to be a series of paragraphs with one or two links, being snobby about using only the code editor is, frankly, weird.
I use both, defaulting to the visual editor.
I can’t argue with that idea. That would almost provide me enough motivation to give up Textile, depending on how such a thing was implemented.
For me personally, it’s less about ’snobby’ and more about the fact that I do a LOT of on-the-fly markup with Textile that the visual editor doesn’t really support.
Wow. Why all the hate? Control freaks with beehives in their bonnets.
I help set up WordPress sites and blogs for friends. I don’t want them to have to muck around with code - they needed my help BECAUSE they don’t want to learn HTML.
As such, I use the visual editor. Not because I can’t hand code, but because I want to intuitively walk them through any questions they might have. And given the training I am providing for them for a specific project, I don’t want to start doing things they can’t do outside of the comfort zone.
I certainly hope code-jockeys don’t start waving an informal poll like this as “proof” that the visual editor needs to be trashed. Improved? Yes.
no, it destroys most codes that i paste into the HTML box.
Ike and Ian, this IS an informal question and NOT a suggestion that the visual editor be removed or replaced. It is more of an exploration of how people use the visual editor and how one’s blogging can be improved via enhancements to the present editor.
Of course, not everyone is code savvy, so I would never recommend that the visual editor be trashed. There’s obviously folks who prefer the visual over the basic. But an overhaul of the visual would definitely go far, in my opinion.
Ever since I noticed the superfluous HTML produced by Mambo’s (another CMS) editor, I have preferred editing the code by myself. It gives you the flexibility of adding elements that the editor doesn’t support, and lets you precisely control the output.
I use and love the rich editor TinyMCE (except its efforts to tidy up the HTML) (it fudges the code sometimes), but I don’t think it should be a core element of Wordpress. I’d prefer it to be a plugin.
I use FCKEdit for basic writing, but I always go into the “source” edit to make sure all of the coding is correct - otherwise I end up with lots of extra paragraph breaks and stuff.
I use the Advanced TinyMCE editor. It’s got all of the bells and whistles that I need. I very rarely have to switch to the code view.
Can’t stand the visual editor. It’s slow and clunky and almost always does something I don’t want it to do… like strip out an image.
I, too, like the flexibility and control the code editor provides.
Well, i see… most bloggers seem to be code savvy folks. But why should i train others, that simply want to publish? Give em a _working_ WYSIWYG and be happy not to worry about improperly nested elements, relative URLs in your Feeds (invalid), images without size-attributes, etc. etc. etc.
A good WYSIWYG-Editor gets more important as your authors (in fact: they really love to) use copy & paste when they publish their MS Word documents.
@Baris Unver (#28): You’re speaking the truth, here. I totally agree with that one. TinkerMCE imho is a bit too deeply merged into the core files.
I use the visual editor because I can edit faster and I can switch to the “Code tab” whenever I want to edit some HTML.
Hence, since I am using TinyMCE plugin, when I want to color up some of my writing, I don’t have to remember the color’s HTML code. That makes things easier!
I’ve been using the EditorMonkey implementation of TinyMCE since I started using WordPress and have been rather impressed with it. It simplifies writing posts quickly and has a great file upload interface. Even though it’s been abandoned for many months, I’ve been happy to continue using it with the 2.1 branch. For those rare times when I need to do the markup on my own, there’s still a source editor that allows me to do my own touch-up.
About the only beef I have with TinyMCE is that I can’t insert PHP code into a post without turning it off. Aside from that, using manual markup is like always growing your own vegetables when you feel like a salad: the results might be better, but not enough to justify the extra effort.
I always use the basic editor. If it could be more like emacs I’d like it even better.
I tried using the visual editor but it makes a mess of the code too often for me to trust it.
With the visual editor turned on it is possible to toggle between WYSIWYG and code, which is nice, but the WYSIWYG component still frells things.
I don’t use the editor. I have plugins that require the editor to be off anyways, I don’t really have any other reason.
I always use the WYSIWYG editor partly because I’m too lazy to turn it off and also because I rarely, if ever, put in any extra markup in my posts. If I need to do that, I switch to the code view and add it in. Luckily for me, the CTRL shortcuts work with me, so I can add in italics and bolding as easily as I could in a word processor, with few mouse clicks at all. I’ve never had any major problems, and I type a lot quicker when I don’t have to use angle brackets (or whatever are).
Redundant question to ask simply because the answers are predictable. Geek and techies will like to say they don’t use the visual editor but ‘ordinary’ bloggers will say they love it. Of course, it is another fact that the latter outnumber the former by a wide margin.
Always code editor.
No, I use neither the publisher nor formatting plugins.
The first thing I do on every installation/upgrade is to completely remove the TinyMCE files. I can’t really see a need for it, since the necessary markup in blog post is usual very simple and should be simple (mostly links, some em and an occasional strong here and there). Instead I’m using a modified quicktag.js file for all my markup needs.
I use code editor, I also prefer to have control over what I am typing including HTML codes
I can’t stand the visual editor, it drives me nuts. I don’t use any other editing plugins, either. They always end up doing something weird to my code, or not providing the markup options I want to use.
Of course I use it, since I developed that silly WP Super Edit Plugin for it.
It does boil down to the end user ALWAYS, and I was very happy when the “Visual / Code” toggle was introduced. I have clients / users that have the full range of skill levels, so having a “pluggable” Visual editor is quite necessary for doing some very slick integration.
One interesting thing I always noticed is that folks with HTML skills hate it, but some of those highly skilled folks could probably help to make it better. For instance… There are wpautop and other javascript functions that can and do wreck some of the HTML, BUT they are in a file that is NOT pluggable. I’m still checking that one out.
Nope, never it just messes things up. I use Markdown instead, much easier
I find that the Visual Editor interferes with how I’m used to writing blog entries (manual marking up the text as I go). Rather than just abandoning the idea of a visual editor, I briefly installed the TinyMCE plug-in, but that didn’t do it for me, either, so I just went back to doing all of my own markup. That’s not to say the visual editor is a bad idea; I’m just not ready to use it.
I use the visual editor, because sometimes it feels faster than typing the html codes. However, I have noticed that I also do some fine tuning with the code editor for every post. May be I should try out and turn off the visual editor.
I don’t use the visual editor. It was slow and clunky, then when I wanted to do something non-standard, it was a huge pain. I’ve been much happier since I gave it up.
I think the visual editor was fine for basic text posts (no images or code) before there was a change in version.. well, I don’t remember what version it was. In any case, at some point, the visual editor seemed to get a lot slower and more clunky, and I stopped using it entirely after that. So whereas before I only switched to the code version when I had to put in an image with a special class or write code, now its the way I keep it constantly.
Disabling the Visual or WYSIWYG editor is also one of the first things I do when I do a fresh install of WordPress. Like most of you guys, I prefer to have more control over html codes and markups.
personally I never use the built-in editor (code or WYSIWYG). I only use Qumana for posting.
I use Dean’s FCKEditor For Wordpress. It creates some markup that I don’t like, though, and I always check the source before publication.
i’ve been using the visual editor non-stop since 2.1 (i tried using the version in 2.0, but it didn’t work as well as the wordpress.com version).
I can write valid HTML all day, but that doesn’t mean i want to use html . And i’m not about to learn textile just to type posts.
Fifty fifty
I don’t like the WYSIWYG editor, and I spend enough time editing posts on team blogs by people who do use it to make me resent it quite heartily.
I don’t use the visual editor because it didn’t bring me much benefit and caused trouble repeatedly. I don’t use any formatting plugins, but it sounds like it might be a topic worth investigating…
I use w.blogger for all my porting needs
Nope, don’t use it.
I write html on my static web site all the time but I do use the visual editor for writing posts. 95% of the time, all I’m doing is simple writing with links. The visual editor is fine for that. The other 5% of the time when I’m using images, I’ll go to the code editor so I can use basic inline CSS to format for feeds. However, going back and forth is not without it’s problems with all the para tags that wind up in the translation.
I’m not a pro and I’m too lazy to learn all the necessary code that I use to make my blog fancy. I only manipulate manually when something doesn’t look good to me, no matter how messy the code gets. This has caused some issues for some of my users, but they are mostly on PC and since I am a snob, I don’t fix it — I’m hoping to motivate them to become a Mac adopter.
Sorry, I guess that came out wrong, Mark. Just chalk me up for defaulting to the Visual Editor.
I turn it off because I use a customized quicktags file that takes into account the plugins I use such as fancy pull quotes and fuzzy colorpicker.
I use the code editor, as a rule. I did try the tinyMCE “super edit” plugin for a while, but it didn’t include a button for the CITE tag, which apart from image inserts is the code I most frequently drop into a post, so back I came to the code editor.
Prompted by Anders’ comment above (#40) however, I’ll be looking into creating a CITE button of my very own…
Once you get into the HTML thinking mind, a Visual Editor seems useless. I admin that it does help with linking pages and images, but its not really needed.
If the visual editor were in some way easily configurable - not necessarily to the extent that, say, SpamKarma is - to suit my personal preferences and needs, I might use it. As it is, I see it as a one-size-fits-none “feature” I can, and do, quite happily live without.
Don’t use it. It’s especially annoying on a Mac.
Until I recently upgraded from 2.01 to 2.2.3, I had it turned off. Now, I use it primarily and rarely use the code view. The main problem I have is that the visual editor doesn’t like it when I drop YouTube code in to put in an embedded video. I have to put it in on the code view and save it. If I reopen it, then the visual editor messes is up a bit.
So all in all, the current visual editor is just fine for my needs most of the time.
Nope, I use Window’s Live Writer, which is in Beta 3 Now. I blog from a client, because it’s easier and I don’t have to go to Wordpress’s GUI every damn time I wanna post. I also use scribefire, which is a Firefox Plug in, as well. However, I am glad the Visual editor is there, helps at times, It just could be a wee bit better.
I always turn the visual editor off, I can’t stand it.
I use BBCode plugin for quick XHTML inserts, that’s all.
Most people who install Wordpress ask me how to turn the visual editor off too.
I not only use the Visual Editor, I go into the plugin and force the “Advanced” toolbar to be enabled and I disable the WordPress option to “fix” code. That allows me all the options I want while still maintaining the ability to do coding when I want and need to.
I first started blogging on sites that I wasn’t using notepad on (way back in 98). I had no visual editor then - why would I need one now?
No. When I setup my blog and start writing post WYSIWYG editor broke some of links that I wrote by hand. I spent some time to browse WordPress code to find, how to turn it off. Finally I found appropriate setting in database and turn it off. Then I found that there is an option for that :).
I use BBCodeExtra Firefox extension to help me with markup.
Regards Emu
P.S. Sorry for my bad english
Wow. That’s what I get for trying to speak my mind when I JUST woke up.
*fix* (sorry for the double post - please delete other comment if necessary)
I first started blogging on sites that I wasn’t using a visual editor on, but just plain ol notepad. (way back in 98). I had no visual editor then - why would I need one now?
The visual editor messes up the code too much for my taste, too - I just use the regular code editor.
I absolutely despise the visual editor and turn it off first thing in my own installations of WP. I agree with everything people above have said: slow, clunky, “fixes” your code incorrectly. But I’m definitely a control freak, so using something like that is just against my nature.
However, I do WP installations for clients all the time and I always leave the visual editor on for them. I can definitely understand that beginners or people unfamiliar with HTML (or are just lazy) would find it easier and faster to use. Plus, a lot of my clients come over from Blogger, which has a similar editor, so people like to use what is familiar. They just prefer it and it’s not worth it trying to explain why they shouldn’t use it.
I think this is question of habit, but i enjoy coding myself..
As a coder, I have always hated visual editors. The code they produce is often non-compliant and totally unreadable.
Of course, if you have no clue about HTML, the visual editor is your only choice, short of learning to code.
You can turn the visual editor off? Wow, I wish I had known this, I hated it after the upgrade. How do I do so?
No!
It is way too annoying for me.
BUT, non-coders seem to like it much, much better!
When you have multiple authors of varying abilities the visual editor is a good option.
I always use rich-editor. I also really hate that “code” button is removed from toolbar. So I after upgrade first thing I do is to hack a tiny_mce_config.php to re-enable it. That way I have rich editor with real HTML editing possibilities.
[...] Weblog Tools Collection asks the question “do we use the WordPress visual editor?” [...]
No, I’ve never used it and I don’t intend to. It’s slow, buggy, and gets caught up on complex HTML.
The main problem with using one of the formatting plugins that keeps the markup intact is: what if you stop using it in the future?
Wow, I didn’t know so many people hated the visual editor. I use it daily, although I use more the Ctrl key shortcuts, they work like charm.
I frequently go to the code tab, but that’s because I have a couple of classes which float images, so I add the classes manually. I also upload all my images and then use the Insert function in the upload box.
The only complaint I have is that the editor doesn’t grasp very well when I want to close a paragraph (i.e. when I center a ). There is an opportunity for a better visual editor to take over, but I’m actually happy to write with the default one.
I use the Wysiwyg-editor but switch back and forth between the views a lot. I also use the advanced editor (alt+v) because I sometimes paste from Word or from an email and that actually works. I post a lot of stuff, that I get from others since my professional site is more like a webportal than a blog. I also use the Wysiwyg to put target=”_blank” and titles on the links which is way easier and quicker than in code-view.
There’s room for improvement in the Wysiwyg but it’s getting better and more useful.
I only use the visual editor to change the font size or color, because it’s quicker. Other than that, I stick with the code.
I use the visual editor along with the code editor. While personally I prefer to hand-code, the website at work needs to allow secretaries to be able to post without learning any HTML.
The visual editor allows them to “Paste From Word” (UGH!) even, although I try to get them to “Paste as Plaintext” and then use basic markup where necessary.
I do not allow them to put images in the post. I use the “post-image” plugin so that they can just upload photos to the post and the images will automatically be displayed with the post (wherever *I* tell the theme to show them.
i use rich text because the visual editor screws up video embedding and tends to randomly strip out code
The visual editor truly sucks. There’s nothing like writing the code yourself.
I use ScribeFire [was Performancing] - not brilliant, but does the job. I’ve not used the WYSIWYG for a year; it always, *always*, every bleedin’ time, screwed up my paragraphs - especially since I’m still addicted to my [hr /] tags. I guess I should see if the visual editor has improved since, but it’s become a habit just to open the scribefire box.
Nope. Like you, it’s always the first thing I de-select with a new install.
And I use markdown for pages where I wish to have total control of the code.
Nope/never - just write the HTML out
One more option!
I don’t use any of the three options you mention in article, Jim. My choice is (at first sight) very similar to well known Textile, but I think it’s more sophisticated, it’s called Texy!. (In download section is a WP plugin as well.)
i don’t like using the visual editor. First thing i change on a new WP install.
Don’t personally use it. There’s enough special cases where I can’t really use the WYSIWYG. And I hate its formatting, anyway.
Well, I’ve done entire websites in text editors, but I’m not sure if that qualifies me as a “coder” to the non-WYSIWYG editor snobs. And, I’ve had a blog for more than seven years now, two for more than five, but I don’t think I’d qualify as a “professional blogger”, either.
Personally, I use the WYSIWYG editor for 98% of what I do, including images, but will often use the code view to make minor changes, like cleaning up copied text or adding a CSS class to images.
The visual editor is the first option I de-select. It often produces non-compliant code.
I do use the WYSIWYG editor in WP. But I usually review and tweak the code before hitting the Publish utton.
I hate it. On the rare occasions I need WYSIWYG, that’s why I have Dreamweaver — like when I embed a lot of table code. And speaking of tables, when I upgraded, I forgot to turn off the visual editor. I edited an article with two tables in it (but I did not touch the table code), and it trashed the tables.
The visual editor always seems to corrupt innocent posts. Think of the posts!
I can’t be the only one who’s never had the visual editor mess up my posts. I even put in images and links and have never had a problem.
Basic editor only. Lite on javascript and fast.
Most of the time the WYSIWYG editor is enough for me. However, sometimes manual fine tuning of the code is needed.
me neither… it’s a pain… specially the paragraphing and the line spaces go off than what you intended it to be.
I use the visual editor all the time, in fact I much prefer TinyMCE over FCKEditor — which is so frequently used in various CMS tools.
Since I frequently set clients up (read: noobs) with WordPress, TinyMCE keeps them out of trouble.
That being said, it isn’t uncommon for me personally to circumvent it when I have particular formatting needs. All in all, I’m glad it’s there.
Nope. Don’t use it. But WordPress’s editor is not worse than most - they are mostly all awful.
After a while I think I’ve figured out what the visual editor is useful for and for what it will break things.
Useful: Insert images, lists, block quotes, links, basic formatting
Breaks: Embedding code (YouTube or Flash videos) - have to do it in code view and if you toggle to the editor it will likely munge the embed code, breaking the blog. Likes to insert p tags whenever there’s a carriage return. Likes to replace div tags with p tags. If you have a complicated list forget it. Have to go into code view to insert adsense instances.
no.. i truly hate it
I also turn off the visual editor first thing after an install . . . even on installs for newbies. I found that it is easier to teach them a little basic HTML than to figure out what the problem is when the visual editor messing things up.
I often use the “AddQuicktag” plugin to create a few buttons to help new users with formatting. For example, an H3 header.
The one thing that might sway me towards a GUI editor (besides it writing decent code) is if it could pick up some style definitions from the theme and create buttons to apply custom classes to a few elements.
In case you were wondering, WYSIWTH means What You See Is What The Heck.
I like the visual editor okay, but it needs to stop mangling the code I write in the code tab. Forget pasting YouTube embeds, and JavaScript? Yeah, right. It needs to be fixed.
I’m a top-notch HTML coder but I still use the WYSIWYG editor by default. I sometimes switch to “Code” view to add in a few things (like “lightbox” rel tags) but the majority is done in WYSIWYG simply because it’s… well, simple.
I don’t understand the hate either. Other than text, bold, italics, and images what the heck code are you people consistently putting in your blogs that demand such low-level formatting tools be the default?
I use the visual editor most of the time, with some fine tuning using the code. I also use the “ST Visualize Advanced Features” plugin.
I never use the visual editor. I edit the quicktags file using Alex King’s JS Quicktags. The only problem with that is every time I upgrade my WordPress install I have to go find where I’ve saved the latest version of the file so I can reinstall it.
I definitely use it! Whilst I am proficient with HTML (and can touchtype… don’t mean to sound arrogant at all but to put into context) why would I want to waste my time typing basic ‘bold’ and ‘italic’ (simple Ctrl-B) when it’s better spent writing content?
The visual editor is not perfect by any length (I never ever edit tables with it) so the advanced editor is useful.
I’m sure there are also many people who don’t know HTML and just want to post news.
I use both the visual editor and the code editor. When I’m embedding and formatting pictures, the visual editor tends to mangle things terribly. Aside from that, the visual editor gets the job done.
That said, it would be nice if the visual editor worked properly in Opera. I have to use a different browser whenever I post an entry.
I use both. I do detest the way Wordpress second-guesses my coding when I switch to the visual editor, but I’d rather have the option than not have it since I often do cross-posts (given that my original post is marked up correctly).
I usually use the Visual editor, but afterward make a revision of code in order to prevent any errors. In some cases I write also with ecto for Mac.
Best regards from Madrid, Spain.
I employ a lot of images and embeds on my site. The Visual Mangler is a nightmare to use and I switch it off immediately upon installation.
Isn’t it terribly ironic that a “visual” application ends up treating the images you want post like crap? Hahaha!
grr… I hate the basic editor. My HTML-coding days are long gone. That said, the visual editor still has some issues that I hope will be sorted out one day.
its better to use code….visual ed is for the ones on the go
Well, I suppose it goes without question that I don’t use the visual editor (seeing as I’m the guy that keeps updating TextileWrapper so it keeps working), but I never really gave it a shot.
I like the fact that I can write my posts anywhere (like in Notepad, or in a text editor on my Palm) and post them later … and I like the fact that I control the output and yet I can still show people the post outside my blog — that is, I can run the un-converted textile by people.
My 2¢: although I think the world needs a good visual editor to enable no-technical blogging I don’t hold out much hope for a great one in HTML+Javascript considering how imperfect WYSIWYG editors are even in projects like FrontPage, NVU, and Windows Live Writer (which I usually recommend over the built in rich editor)
No I don’t, I much prefer the code view, some of the things we do require the code view (embed amazon ads). Any chance of working out a way to turn it off? Please?
Hello Jim:
My answer would be that we use both - but approximately 75% basic. Our current posting method involves using Windo