Generative Writing Cut-Up Tools

I’m tinkering with generative writing, and searching for some tools to help me automate a cut-up method, starting from a variety of source texts.

Along the way, I discovered a bit of software called dadadodo. Trouble with that is, it is a command line tool for Unix, and I’m not so skilled in that department. Enigmarelle Development did make a freeware version of it for the mac, but that was back in 2006. The app no longer works on newer macs. I’m posting it here for safe keeping, and in the hopes that somebody can help me to update this to a usable point.

“DadaDodo is a program that analyses texts for word probabilities, and then generates random sentences based on that. Sometimes these sentences are nonsense; but sometimes they cut right through to the heart of the matter, and reveal hidden meanings.”

dadadodomax is a Mac OS X application, built around Jamie Zawinski’s dadadodo command line tool. In the words of its creator,

Add files Add files to your project by dragging them into the list view. You can also use the ‘Add Files’ button or menu item (under the File menu.) Acceptable file types are text or HTML files. Unix .mbox files should also work, but haven’t been tested.

Generating text Generate text from your source files by clicking your mouse on the ‘Generate’ button in the project window, or use the ‘Generate’ item in the File menu. With the ‘Output HTML’ checkbox checked, text will be output and saved in HTML format; with it unchecked output will be in plain-text format.

Dadadodomax 1.0 Download