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Update usage documentation

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Veronica Berglyd Olsen
2024-04-13 17:11:34 +02:00
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docs/source/usage_breakdown.rst
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@@ -21,14 +21,15 @@ GUI Layout and Design
The user interface of novelWriter is intended to be as minimalistic as practically possible, while
at the same time provide useful features needed for writing a novel.
The main window does not have an editor toolbar like many other applications do. This reduces
clutter, and since the documents are formatted with style tags, it is more or less redundant.
Still, a small formatting toolbar can be popped out by clicking the three dots in the header of the
document editor to give quick access to standard formatting codes.
The main window does not by default have an editor toolbar like many other applications do. This
reduces clutter, and since the documents are formatted with style tags, it is not needed most of
the time. Still, a small formatting toolbar can be popped out by clicking the left-most button in
the header of the document editor. It gives quick access to standard formatting codes.
Most formatting features supported are available through convenient keyboard shortcuts. They are
also available in the main menu, so you don't have to look up formatting codes every time you need
them. For reference, a list of all shortcuts can be found in the :ref:`a_kb` chapter.
also available in the main menu under **Format**, so you don't have to look up formatting codes
every time you need them. For reference, a list of all shortcuts can be found in the :ref:`a_kb`
chapter.
.. note::
novelWriter is not intended to be a full office type word processor. It doesn't support images,
@@ -37,13 +38,13 @@ them. For reference, a list of all shortcuts can be found in the :ref:`a_kb` cha
simple features.
On the left side of the main window, you will find a sidebar. This bar has buttons for the standard
views you can switch between, a quick link to the :guilabel:`Build Manuscript` tool, and a set of
views you can switch between, a quick link to the **Build Manuscript** tool, and a set of
project-related tools and quick access to settings at the bottom.
.. versionadded:: 2.2
A number of new formatting options were added in 2.2 to allow for some special formatting cases.
At the same time, a small formatting toolbar was added in the editor. It is hidden by default,
but can be opened by pressing the three dots icon in the top right corner.
but can be opened by pressing the icon button in the top right corner.
Project Tree and Editor View
@@ -53,19 +54,19 @@ Project Tree and Editor View
A screenshot of the Project Tree and Editor View.
When in :guilabel:`Project Tree View` mode, the main work area of the main window is split in two,
or optionally three, panels. The left-most panel contains the project tree and all the documents in
your project. The second panel is the document editor.
When the application is in **Project Tree View** mode, the main work area of the main window is
split in two, or optionally three, panels. The left-most panel contains the project tree and all
the documents in your project. The second panel is the document editor.
An optional third panel on the right side contains a document viewer which can view any document in
your project independently of what is open in the document editor. This panel is not intended as a
preview window, although you can use it for this purpose if you wish if you need to check that the
formatting tags behave as you expected. The main purpose of the viewer is for viewing your notes
next to your editor while you're writing.
preview window, although you can use it for this purpose if you wish. For instance if you need to
check that the formatting tags behave as you expect. However, the main purpose of the viewer is for
viewing your notes next to your editor while you're writing.
The editor also has a :guilabel:`Focus Mode` you can toggle either from the menu, from the icon in
the editor's header, or by pressing :kbd:`F8`. When :guilabel:`Focus Mode` is enabled, all the user
interface elements other than the document editor itself are hidden away.
The editor also has a **Focus Mode** you can toggle either from the menu, from the icon in the
editor's header, or by pressing :kbd:`F8`. When **Focus Mode** is enabled, all the user interface
elements other than the document editor itself are hidden away.
Novel View and Editor View
@@ -73,31 +74,32 @@ Novel View and Editor View
.. figure:: images/fig_novel_tree_view.png
A screenshot of the Novel Tree View.
A screenshot of the Novel Tree and Editor View.
When in :guilabel:`Novel Tree View` mode, the project tree is replaced by an overview of your novel
structure for a specific Novel :term:`root folder`. Instead of showing individual documents, the
tree now shows all headings of your novel text. This includes multiple headings within the same
document.
When the application is in **Novel Tree View** mode, the project tree is replaced by an overview of
your novel structure for a specific Novel :term:`root folder`. Instead of showing individual
documents, the tree now shows all headings of your novel text. This includes multiple headings
within the same document.
Each heading is indented according to the heading level. You can open and edit your novel documents
from this view as well. All headings contained in the currently open document should be highlighted
in the view to indicate which ones belong together in the same document.
Each heading is indented according to the heading level, not its parent/child relationship to other
elements of your project. You can open and edit your novel documents from this view as well. All
headings contained in the currently open document should be highlighted in the view to indicate
which ones belong together in the same document.
If you have multiple "Novel" type root folders, the header of the novel view becomes a dropdown
If you have multiple **Novel** type root folders, the header of the novel view becomes a dropdown
box. You can then switch between them by clicking the :guilabel:`Outline of ...` text. You can also
click the novel icon button next to it.
Generally, the novel view should update when you make changes to the novel structure, including
edits of the current document in the editor. The information is only updated when the automatic
save of the document is triggered, or you manually press :kbd:`Ctrl+S` to save changes. (You can
adjust the auto-save interval in :guilabel:`Preferences`.) You can also regenerate the whole novel
view by pressing the refresh button in the novel view header.
adjust the auto-save interval in **Preferences**.) You can also regenerate the whole novel view by
pressing the refresh button in the novel view header.
It is possible to show an optional third column in the novel view. The settings are available from
the menu button in the toolbar.
If you click the arrow icon to the right of each item, a tooltip will pop out showing you all the
If you click the triangular icon to the right of each item, a tooltip will pop out showing all the
meta data collected for that heading.
@@ -108,9 +110,9 @@ Novel Outline View
A screenshot of the Novel Outline View.
When in :guilabel:`Novel Outline View` mode, the tree, editor and viewer will be replaced by a
large table that shows the entire novel structure with all the tags and references listed. Pretty
much all collected meta data is available here in different columns.
When the application is in **Novel Outline View** mode, the tree, editor and viewer will be
replaced by a large table that shows the entire novel structure with all the tags and references
listed. Pretty much all collected meta data is available here in different columns.
You can select which novel root folder to display from the dropdown box, and you can select which
columns to show or hide from the menu button. You can also rearrange the columns by drag and drop.
@@ -120,20 +122,27 @@ The app will remember your column order and size between sessions, and for each
Colour Themes
-------------
By default, novelWriter will use the colour theme provided by the Qt library, which is determined
by the Fusion_ style setting. You can also choose between a standard dark and light theme that have
neutral colours from :guilabel:`Preferences`. Other colour themes are also available. More themes
can be contributed to novelWriter on GitHub.
By default, novelWriter will use a light colour theme. You can change this colour theme from the
**Preferences**. If you wish, you *can* create your own colour themes, and even have them added to
the application. See :ref:`a_custom_theme` for more details.
Switching the GUI colour theme does not affect the colours of the editor and viewer. They have
separate colour selectable from the "Document colour theme" setting in :guilabel:`Preferences`.
They are separated because there are a lot more options to choose from for the editor and viewer.
separate colour selectable from the "Document colour theme" setting in **Preferences**. They are
separated because there are a lot more options to choose from for the editor and viewer.
.. note::
If you switch between light and dark mode on the GUI, you should also switch editor theme to
match, otherwise icons may be hard to see in the editor and viewer.
Project Search
--------------
A global search tool is available from the side bar. It allows you to search through your entire
project. The tool does not provide a replace feature. There is a search and replace tool available
in the document editor that acts on the open document.
.. _a_breakdown_project:
Project Layout
@@ -152,12 +161,12 @@ within those documents.
An illustration of how heading levels correspond to the novel structure.
The four heading levels (**H1** to **H4**) are treated as follows:
The four heading levels, **Level 1** to **Level 4**, are treated as follows:
* **H1** is used for the novel title, and for partitions.
* **H2** is used for chapter tiles.
* **H3** is used for scene titles -- optionally replaced by separators.
* **H4** is for section titles within scenes, if such granularity is needed.
* **Level 1** is used for the novel title, and for partitions.
* **Level 2** is used for chapter tiles.
* **Level 3** is used for scene titles -- optionally replaced by separators.
* **Level 4** is for section titles within scenes, if such granularity is needed.
The project tree will select an icon for the document based on the first heading in it.
@@ -178,25 +187,25 @@ Building a Manuscript
=====================
The project can at any time be assembled into a range of different formats through the
:guilabel:`Build Manuscript` tool. Natively, novelWriter supports `Open Document`_, HTML5, and
**Build Manuscript** tool. Natively, novelWriter supports `Open Document`_, HTML5, and
various flavours of Markdown.
The HTML5 format is suitable for conversion by a number of other tools like Pandoc_, or for
importing into word processors if the Open Document format isn't suitable. The Open Document format
is supported by most Office type applications. In addition, printing is also possible. Print to PDF
is supported by most office type applications. In addition, printing is also possible. Print to PDF
is available from the print dialog.
In addition, you can export the content of the project to a JSON file. This is useful if you want
to write your own custom processing script in for instance Python, as the entire novel can be read
into a Python dictionary with a couple of lines of code. The JSON file can be populated with either
HTML formatted text, or with the raw text as typed into the novel documents.
For advanced processing, you can export the content of the project to a JSON file. This is useful
if you want to write your own custom processing script in for instance Python, as the entire novel
can be read into a Python dictionary with a couple of lines of code. The JSON file can be populated
with either HTML formatted text, or with the raw text as typed into the novel documents.
See :ref:`a_manuscript` for more details.
.. versionadded:: 2.1
You can now define multiple build definitions in the :guilabel:`Build Manuscript` tool. This
allows you to define specific settings for various types of draft documents, outline documents,
and manuscript formats. See :ref:`a_manuscript` for more details.
You can now define multiple build definitions in the **Build Manuscript** tool. This allows you
to define specific settings for various types of draft documents, outline documents, and
manuscript formats. See :ref:`a_manuscript` for more details.
.. _a_breakdown_storage: