From 8018edb1838af72c78afb97b4a45071fe3985b76 Mon Sep 17 00:00:00 2001 From: Veronica Berglyd Olsen <1619840+vkbo@users.noreply.github.com> Date: Wed, 21 May 2025 23:41:22 +0200 Subject: [PATCH] Add usage section --- docs/source/index.rst | 20 +++++--- docs/source/int_introduction.rst | 19 ------- docs/source/usage/alignment_and_indent.rst | 5 ++ docs/source/usage/basic_formatting.rst | 5 ++ docs/source/usage/chapters_and_scenes.rst | 5 ++ docs/source/usage/comments.rst | 5 ++ docs/source/usage/folders_and_documents.rst | 5 ++ docs/source/usage/introduction.rst | 57 +++++++++++++++++++++ docs/source/usage/tags_and_references.rst | 5 ++ 9 files changed, 99 insertions(+), 27 deletions(-) create mode 100644 docs/source/usage/alignment_and_indent.rst create mode 100644 docs/source/usage/basic_formatting.rst create mode 100644 docs/source/usage/chapters_and_scenes.rst create mode 100644 docs/source/usage/comments.rst create mode 100644 docs/source/usage/folders_and_documents.rst create mode 100644 docs/source/usage/introduction.rst create mode 100644 docs/source/usage/tags_and_references.rst diff --git a/docs/source/index.rst b/docs/source/index.rst index 3cefdc4e..d3d81ecb 100644 --- a/docs/source/index.rst +++ b/docs/source/index.rst @@ -16,14 +16,6 @@ storage for robustness. :align: center :width: 500 -The project storage is suitable for version control software, and also well suited for file -synchronisation tools. All text is saved as plain text files, and your project data as standard -data formats in XML and JSON. See :ref:`a_storage` for more details. - -Any operating system that has Python 3 and the Qt 6 libraries should be able to run novelWriter. -It runs fine on Linux, Windows and MacOS, and users have tested it on other platforms as well. -See :ref:`a_started` for more details. - **Useful Links** * Website: https://novelwriter.io @@ -43,6 +35,18 @@ See :ref:`a_started` for more details. Main Page More Documents +.. toctree:: + :caption: Using novelWriter + :hidden: + + usage/introduction + usage/folders_and_documents + usage/chapters_and_scenes + usage/basic_formatting + usage/comments + usage/tags_and_references + usage/alignment_and_indent + .. toctree:: :maxdepth: 1 :caption: Introduction diff --git a/docs/source/int_introduction.rst b/docs/source/int_introduction.rst index ab50a55b..23cefcc6 100644 --- a/docs/source/int_introduction.rst +++ b/docs/source/int_introduction.rst @@ -7,26 +7,7 @@ Overview .. _Snowflake: https://www.advancedfictionwriting.com/articles/snowflake-method/ .. _Markdown: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Markdown -At its core, novelWriter is a multi-document plain text editor. The idea is to let you edit your -text without having to deal with formatting until you generate a draft document or manuscript. -Instead, you can focus on the writing right from the start. -Of course, you probably need *some* formatting for your text. At the very least you need emphasis. -Most people are familiar with adding emphasis using ``_underscores_`` and ``**asterisks**``. This -formatting standard comes from Markdown_ and is supported by novelWriter. It also uses Markdown -formatting for defining document headings. If you need more specialised formatting, additional -formatting options are available using a shortcode format. See :ref:`a_fmt_shortcodes` for more -details. - -.. admonition:: Limitations - - novelWriter is designed for writing fiction, so the formatting features available are limited to - those relevant for this purpose. It is *not* suitable for technical writing, and it is *not* a - full-featured Markdown editor. - - It is also not intended as a tool for organising research for writing, and therefore lacks - formatting features you may need for this purpose. The notes feature in novelWriter is mainly - intended for character profiles and plot outlines. Your novel project in novelWriter is organised as a collection of separate plain text documents instead of a single, large document. The idea is to make it easier to reorganise your project diff --git a/docs/source/usage/alignment_and_indent.rst b/docs/source/usage/alignment_and_indent.rst new file mode 100644 index 00000000..645b8f20 --- /dev/null +++ b/docs/source/usage/alignment_and_indent.rst @@ -0,0 +1,5 @@ +.. _docs_usage_align_indent: + +************************* +Alignment and Indentation +************************* diff --git a/docs/source/usage/basic_formatting.rst b/docs/source/usage/basic_formatting.rst new file mode 100644 index 00000000..a25336ad --- /dev/null +++ b/docs/source/usage/basic_formatting.rst @@ -0,0 +1,5 @@ +.. _docs_usage_basics: + +**************** +Basic Formatting +**************** diff --git a/docs/source/usage/chapters_and_scenes.rst b/docs/source/usage/chapters_and_scenes.rst new file mode 100644 index 00000000..97b7d115 --- /dev/null +++ b/docs/source/usage/chapters_and_scenes.rst @@ -0,0 +1,5 @@ +.. _docs_usage_headers: + +******************* +Chapters and Scenes +******************* diff --git a/docs/source/usage/comments.rst b/docs/source/usage/comments.rst new file mode 100644 index 00000000..d9135307 --- /dev/null +++ b/docs/source/usage/comments.rst @@ -0,0 +1,5 @@ +.. _docs_usage_comments: + +****************** +Comments and Notes +****************** diff --git a/docs/source/usage/folders_and_documents.rst b/docs/source/usage/folders_and_documents.rst new file mode 100644 index 00000000..1f86274e --- /dev/null +++ b/docs/source/usage/folders_and_documents.rst @@ -0,0 +1,5 @@ +.. _docs_usage_dirs_docs: + +********************* +Folders and Documents +********************* diff --git a/docs/source/usage/introduction.rst b/docs/source/usage/introduction.rst new file mode 100644 index 00000000..b4f1c9f0 --- /dev/null +++ b/docs/source/usage/introduction.rst @@ -0,0 +1,57 @@ +.. _docs_usage: + +************ +Introduction +************ + +.. _Markdown: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Markdown + +In a nutshell, novelWriter is a plain text editor that lets you organise one or more novels and +associated notes as many smaller documents. You can at any time generate standard document formats +from these plain text documents. Whether it is an outline of your story, a draft, a complete +manuscript, or even a collection of your character notes or other notes. + + +Why Plain Text? +=============== + +The idea is to let you be creative without having to deal with formatting while you are writing, or +be distracted by it. + +Of course, you probably need *some* form of minimal formatting for your text. At the very least you +need emphasis. Most people are familiar with adding emphasis using ``_underscores_`` and +``**asterisks**``. This formatting standard comes from Markdown_ and is supported by novelWriter. +It also uses Markdown formatting for defining document headings, which is how you distinguish +between chapters and scenes. + +For those special cases where you need more complex formatting, a set of shortcodes are available. +To make them easier to use, a dropdown button bar is available in the editor panel with standard +format buttons. So don't worry. You don't have to learn any codes. + + +Adding Meta Data +================ + +In addition to the body text of your story, novelWriter allows you to enter some additional meta +data into your text documents to indicate things like which characters are present in a chapter or +scene, whose point of view we're seeing, what location the events take place in, and so on. + +Since the editor is plain text, this is done on special lines of text starting with an ``@`` +character. The editor will show an auto-complete menu when to help you write these lines. We will +talk more about this later. + +You can also add your own author's comments in your text, without these comments becoming a part of +the story itself. A comment line starts with a ``%`` character. There are different types of +comments too, and an auto-complete menu has suggestions here too. More about this later as well. + +.. admonition:: Limitations + + Please keep in mind that novelWriter is designed for writing fiction, so the formatting features + available are limited to those relevant for this purpose. It is *not* suitable for technical + writing. It is also *not* a full-featured Markdown editor. + + It is also not intended as a tool for organising research for writing, and therefore lacks + formatting features you may need for this purpose. The notes feature in novelWriter is mainly + intended for character profiles and plot outlines. It is recommended to use a proper note taking + tool for research. This is anyway more practical as you may use the same research for multiple + projects. diff --git a/docs/source/usage/tags_and_references.rst b/docs/source/usage/tags_and_references.rst new file mode 100644 index 00000000..03d4217b --- /dev/null +++ b/docs/source/usage/tags_and_references.rst @@ -0,0 +1,5 @@ +.. _docs_usage_tags_refs: + +******************* +Tags and References +*******************