Using Freeform On a Mac: A Quick Course

[@exlibris3765]

The layers, distributions, shape editing, duplication are for me as a corel power user very simple. I might even say that they are exactly the same. Useful and easy tool.

[@richardsnation4609]

Transforming from IBM/PC to Mac/Apple. I am so glad that I found you. You have been so informative on the YT videos that I have just recently come across. Getting my Mac Air this weekend and I’m so glad that I can get so much knowledge from your videos. Thank you Gary. 👍🏽

[@AlwaysBolttheBird]

You must be as old as me to call it an IBM PC haha. Usually the young ones just say windows

[@weasiesworks]

I watched a couple other videos that were before this one on my feed. They made it sound like the main use was for presentations, and since I'm retired they were of no interest to me. I'm very glad I continued down the feed and saw your video. This gave me all kinds of ideas, as I'm a crafter of many mediums and now my mind is filled with all kinds of possibilities. THANK YOU!! I also find your voice to be clear and spoken at a normal pace, which makes it easier to grasp the information you're sharing. Again, thank you.

[@loisskiathitis8926]

A very useful and informative video tutorial today! Thank you, Gary!👏❤️

[@KasSommers]

Thanks for this. I've seen Freeform sitting in my apps for a while, but had no idea what it was.

[@helenparis3275]

probably the best tutorial I have ever seen

[@kimcramer]

Hi Gary! Love your videos... this was great as I am using freeform more and more. Looking for a keyboard shortcut to create a text box. Is there anyway to quickly add text to a board I am working via Mac shortcut? I'm loving it for brainstorming but I want to quickly add new thoughts as separate text boxes that I can individually move around the board. I know I can tap the text box at the top but was hoping for a quicker shortcut

[@HenryCalderonJr]

Thank you I never knew what this was for…. I am new to the Mac environment. I ourchased a Reburbished mar air 13 2019 with 16/512gb capacity for 537.00 with a 1 year warranty and I am learning and very impressed even though it is intel based. thank you again your videos are very helpful and did add Sonoma and it works great!

[@artprojectsnz]

Great simple Ap that has a lot of uses…and can look as good as you are able to make it! Cheers Gary

[@seattlebeard]

Delighted to hear you explain yet another mysterious icon in my dock. Don't know if I'll ever need it, but thank you. :o)

[@fridgebanana]

Gary's content is so good

[@Slave-Of-Christ]

Great content as usual. Audio sounds great! Good work!

[@chillydoog]

Thanks again for another extreemly helpful video

[@stephenbridges2791]

Cool. Apple never ceases to amaze me with their innovative ideas. It's a shame I didn't have this back when I worked. I would have used it, probably daily. I've been trying to find excuses to use it.

[@victrolux]

thanks … a particularly wonderful lesson! Will be supporting you soon.

[@EricKinkead]

Good video. I followed along while watching it on my iPad Pro..

[@ehsan83]

excellent tutorial thank you

[@JohnBarrow1961]

I found it very useful, Thanks, Gary.

[@garywagner2466]

Interesting. I wondered what that app did. Now I know. Thanks for posting.

[@lorensims4846]

Interesting! I've had this app for a while now but didn't know what to use it for. Having started on the Mac in the very early 90s with PageMaker, FreeHand, and Photoshop, this looked like little more than a digital scrapbooking app. I'm still not sure it's not that. I use Pages to do most of the stuff you demonstrated. Actually, I usually use Pages mostly for making signs. I'll tuck this one in with my iWork apps, sort of like Libre Draw in Libre Office.

[@clasqm]

I guess it's an app for people who create org charts.

[@AnilAtluriWord]

Good tutorial Gary. Thanks.

[@lizcreaser7020]

Great video thanks. Im struggling to print my boards. Id like to make posters by printing several pages and sticking them together but can't seem to find a way to do it. Any ideas?

[@macmost]

File, Print.

[@Hedgehog-ji1bm]

Very good video. Freeform is still very young. Visio on PC is a better tool - but as a Mac user, I am happy we finally have something similar on the Mac platform.

[@johnhunter4181]

Omnigraffle is the Mac's answer to Visio.

[@jackdelane]

If im using an ipad how do i get it to draw perfect curves? The curve tool seems to actual be for connections and snaps so much its hard to place where you want it.

[@macmost]

Use the Shape tool, select Basic, and then use the curve tool at the top.

[@yeahdope]

Is there a way to evenly distribute a bunch of selected images you've imported without them overlapping? Whenever I drop a group of images they automatically are added to the board diagonally and already overlapping so when using auto-align it just makes them overlap again

[@macmost]

Just make sure the leftmost one and the rightmost one are spaced far enough apart so there is enough room to distribute them.

[@yeahdope]

@@macmost ah! Amazing, thank you so much for the response! You’ve just saved me a load of time

[@leozay55]

How to set the border to 11x8.5" letter size page? Thank you. It's a very nice compact presentation!

[@sundaynightdrunk]

You would do that when you print the file. File > Print, set Paper Size to US Letter, and set Scale to Fit, or set Scale Zoom to something appropriate for your board.

[@macmost]

Pick a pixel-per-inch amount. Could be anything, like maybe 100. (Or maybe 300 or 1000). So then create box that is 1100 wide and 850 tall. Put that behind everything else and maybe Lock it. Then draw on top of that to keep things in your 11x8.5-sized box.

[@leozay55]

Thank you very much for the reply! I've found only two (indirect), related to the subject, settings: 1. Arrange - Constrain Proportions 2. You can see W and H point numbers wile stretching the box corner. Is there the way to preset desired pixel-per-inch and proportion numbers?@@macmost

[@bobcat6653]

Very useful, thanks!

[@chaosxz9139]

Hi, want to ask how to reduce Freeform PDF size in iPad ? Understand Mac have the option, but could not find that at iPad.

[@macmost]

The best way would be to figure out why the size is large (maybe large images) and work from there (reduce the image size in an image editor before importing).

[@chaosxz9139]

@@macmost thanks, second question, is it possible to save Freeform in PDF with few pages, rather than in one page PDF?

[@macmost]

@@chaosxz9139 Yes. Print and then click the PDF button. Then scale as you like to have it save over many pages. But Freeform really isn't meant for PDF creation like this. Pages is the app you want to use.

[@WilliamDague]

I have yet to find any info on how to create a curve between various points using freeform on my Mac

[@macmost]

Many ways. For instance, select two objects then choose Insert, Connection Line.

[@thomaskarl6197]

When sharing, do all others have to have a Mac or Apple device with FreeForm?

[@macmost]

Depends on the type of sharing. If you share a PDF, then anyone can open the PDF. But if you want them to be able to open it in Freeform or collaborate then they need Freeform.

[@RameshKumar-ng3nf]

I love freeform. Its free in apple ecosystem . But one major downside, the application is still not stable . While working in freeform for long time, i experienced its very buggy and keeps hanging up during works. I have M2 mac mini, M1 ipad pro , still hanging up. I tried uninstalling the app and reinstalled again. Still the same. Got frustrated and finally moved to Nebo paid app which a infinite canvas and its works super smooth without lags.

[@Pawel-rv1ek]

Yes it made my lose my note with no option to recover. Totally unacceptable.

[@ziabo]

great! Can anyone tell me how to move canvas on a Mac without Magic Mouse or Trackpad? I have external Logitech mouse and keyboard. Thank you!

[@macmost]

How do you usually scroll vertically and horizontally with the mouse you do have? Use that same technique.

[@ziabo]

@@macmost thanks. Usually there is dedicated tool in the app, like Hand in photoshop. Press H + mouse button and move the hand. There is no Hand tool in freeform

[@basitkram]

I feel freeform becomes very laggy on my iPad M4 Pro after sometime. Do you see the same problem on Mac?

[@macmost]

No, I haven’t seen it lag ever. Do you have a lot of large images in that board?

[@basitkram]

@@macmost No, I dont have lot of images. I have just lot of pencil strokes. Basically, i was trying to use the board for taking notes.

[@HJ-su7px]

HI there I watch your videos every time useful but sadly in Korea no one use iWork or notes etc.. is USA using iwork etc ... in company for office work?

[@macmost]

Sometimes. In a lot of companies you can use what you personally want. You don't need to use the same apps as others.

[@HJ-su7px]

@@macmost indeed, but i dream there is a using iwork for office and cominictate with facetime and memorize with reminder. so.., i wonder that kind of company is exist in USA

[@macmost]

@@HJ-su7px Yes, there are definitely companies in the USA that use all Apple products and work in Pages, Numbers, Keynote, FaceTime, etc.

[@HJ-su7px]

​@@macmost Thanks That's a information for me

[@CanonPaulHamilton]

Are there any decent templates for news sheets?

[@macmost]

There are no templates.

[@wangelite5279]

How do you pan in freeform? spacebar and drag doesnt work

[@macmost]

Two fingers and drag if you have a trackpad. If not, then it is space+drag. Make sure you press space first, then drag.

[@wangelite5279]

@@macmost Space drag doesnt work, maybe im still on Sonoma thats why

[@macmost]

@@wangelite5279 Yes, probably. The space+drag was added in Sequoia. Update.

[@bento3425]

hi, can u show me a tutor how to insert ms word document on pages ?

[@macmost]

Insert? Not sure what you mean by that. Like a Word doc inside a Pages doc? Or do you just want to convert? If so, just open it in Pages.

[@bento3425]

@@macmost so, everytime i try to insert a document into Pages, all i get is the thumbnail of the document. any solutions ?

[@macmost]

@@bento3425 Not sure what you are trying to do, exactly, but how about opening the Word document, copy the part you want, then paste into the Page document.

[@bento3425]

yeah, but the document I'm trying to insert has this barcode that I can't copy, and I need to include that barcode for authenticity purposes 😢 @@macmost

[@AkhileshYadav-qj8hq]

Hi gary,how to clear swap memory usage without restarting

[@macmost]

A little off-topic for this video. In short though, you don't. There's no need to manually try to mess with your memory usage. Unless there is a problem, don't worry about it. If there is a problem, quit some apps or close some browser tabs you aren't using at the moment.

[@AkhileshYadav-qj8hq]

@@macmost I’m sorry for the interruption.now i have swap used for around 245mb and it is decreased to 89mb. Should i leave it or should I restart my mac

[@macmost]

@@AkhileshYadav-qj8hq Those numbers aren't what you should be looking at. Look at Memory Pressure instead. See kzbin.info/www/bejne/jYXcoIaslM2jnck

[@AkhileshYadav-qj8hq]

@@macmost ya but should i leave it or should I restart my mac everytime it uses swap

[@TLaslam]

We can do same with word.

[@SherKhan0122]

I don’t see anything fundamentally new in this app. Maybe the infinite canvas. Is there any functionality that isn’t already in Pages? I guess the shape-shifting thing is new as well as the pen drawing tool.

[@macmost]

Ease of use and design? I mean there's nothing new in the Calculator app when compared to Numbers or Excel, but I wouldn't want to open those up to just add a few numbers. Sometimes it is about having a set of tools presented in a convenient way.

[@pat8988]

Looks like Powerpoint Lite! If you're familiar with Powerpoint, then this will be familiar.

[@nicfarrow]

More … It seems to do almost everything the same as Keynote, minus the animations.

[@nicolemartinezsanchez8921]

Thank u🎉

[@justendeavor]

Why cant i use mywacom tablet to draw on my macbook pro?

[@macmost]

In Freeform? There's no drawing function on the Mac version.

[@justendeavor]

@@macmost Even on macos15 there is no drawing version? Wich app for notes with wacom you recommend for macbook?

[@macmost]

@@justendeavor Sorry, I don't have a Wacom tablet so I'm not the right person to ask.

[@darkhorse1985]

Wow! How annoying Apple haven't made it easier!!! ...Thanks for the good video

[@dsbennett]

Introducing Gary, the Talking User Manual. 👍

[@PandorasCrate0]

How is this not Scapple?

[@humunbeing]

great sir

[@wiwingmargahayu6831]

yeah old macbook would be amazing for me Sir

[@peeyushsharma8408]

All I want it do is import tables from Numbers, or even better, connect a editable Numbers file to a Freeform board.

[@macmost]

That would be useful. But first there needs to be a way to connect tables across Numbers documents themselves. That's something missing from Numbers right now.

[@peeyushsharma8408]

@@macmosttrue, this would be so powerful.

[@TechWorldTut]

Interesting

[@lawrenceatkinson]

❤🎉

[@phillipebrall9930]

It is a very powerful app with no purpose. Apple has created this to please their higher level creatives, but marketing has failed to even try to sell itv to us. I like using it, but I am yet to find a purpose to do so.

[@macmost]

Like all apps, it isn't for everyone.

[@artysanmobile]

Freeform has a long way to go before it actually serves the need it suggested when released. It retains the ‘toy’ UI that is so maddening about Apple software where, rather than having the freedom to draw what I want, I must go to new menus to choose from lists of goofy options that are just a distraction from the job at hand. As a constant user of Pages, I was really excited by the name “Freeform” thinking it would be fast and, well, free. I thought it was going to be a timesaving gift to the relatively advanced user. Far from it, it is just another time-wasting toy. So disappointed.

[@blakelyhall8191]

Please excuse my ignorance I am an apple newbie, but may I ask what was the need that was suggested at time of release?

[@MaiElizabeth]

The very fact that it's infinite is what bothers me the most. Without limitation of space, I can’t focus.

[@bobp3738]

Agree completely. I thought it was going to be like Visio and got pretty excited, but no.

[@leozay55]

I'm, actually, very happy with Freeform. It's perfect for Scrapbooking, I think!😃

[@eyediom3694]

I’m finding using NUMBERS by removing or moving a default table far more useful. Particularly to access the same file on macs or iPads with older operating systems that aren’t supported

[@fmphotooffice5513]

...solutions in search of problems. MacOS team saw Google Jamboard on a lazy day. ...just as pointless.