diff --git a/docs/source/index.rst b/docs/source/index.rst index 532aef70..2e1d982d 100644 --- a/docs/source/index.rst +++ b/docs/source/index.rst @@ -1,13 +1,13 @@ -#################################### -Welcome to novelWriter Documentation -#################################### +######################################## +Welcome to the novelWriter Documentation +######################################## This is the documentation for novelWriter |version|. **Contents** .. toctree:: - :maxdepth: 2 + :maxdepth: 1 introduction started diff --git a/docs/source/interface.rst b/docs/source/interface.rst index ff694efd..e96783c8 100644 --- a/docs/source/interface.rst +++ b/docs/source/interface.rst @@ -3,7 +3,9 @@ User Interface *************** The user interface is kept as simple as possible to avoid distractions when writing. -The main window contains a tree view pane with the entire structure of the project, and a small details panel below it to display additional information about the currently selected item. + +The main window contains a tree view pane with the entire structure of the project, and a small +details panel below it to display additional information about the currently selected item. Edit View ========= diff --git a/docs/source/introduction.rst b/docs/source/introduction.rst index 13a83323..5b3d22d4 100644 --- a/docs/source/introduction.rst +++ b/docs/source/introduction.rst @@ -2,44 +2,79 @@ Introduction ************ -novelWriter is a simple, multi-document plain text editor using a modified markdown syntax to apply simple formatting. -Additional features that are not standard markdown are available through special meta data keywords. -These keywords make it possible to inter-link documents, and generate an overview of the entire novel project and how the various files are interconnected. +novelWriter is a simple, multi-document plain text editor using a modified markdown syntax to apply +simple formatting. It is designed for writing novels, and allow for the component documents to be +ordered freely to create the desired structure of the novel project. + +In addition, the project can contain notes on the various plot elements, characters, locations, etc, +that make up the story. These notes are organised in a set of category-specific folders, and each +entry can be tagged and cross referenced from within the novel files and other notes. These tags +make it possible to inter-link documents, and generate an overview of the entire novel project and +how the various files and plot elements are interconnected. + +These additional features are not standard in markdown, but are available through special meta +keywords. Syntax highlighting is provided to make it easier to verify that the markdown tags are +used correctly. Design Philosophy ----------------- -The user interface is intended to be as minimalistic as practically possible, while at the same time provide a complete set of features needed for writing a novel. +The user interface of novelWriter is intended to be as minimalistic as practically possible, while +at the same time provide a complete set of features needed for writing a novel. .. note:: - novelWriter is not intended to be a full office type word processor. - It doesn't support images, links, tables, and its formatting is limited to headers, and bold, italicised and underlined text. + novelWriter is not intended to be a full office type word processor. It doesn't support images, + links, tables, and its formatting is limited to headers, and bold, italicised and strikethrough + text. -Most features are accessible through the menu and through keyboard shortcuts. -The colour scheme of the user interface can be modified with various themes, and new themes are fairly straight forward to add. +The main window does not have a tool bar like most other applications do. This reduces clutter, and +since the documents are formatted with markdown tags, more or less redundant. However, all +formatting features supported are available through convenient keyboard shortcuts. They are also +available in the main menu. -The project itself is laid out in a tree view on the left hand side of the main window. -It has various sections, called *root folders*, for the various types of supporting files that the user may want to add to the project. -The novel itself lives under its own root folder. +The colour scheme of the user interface defaults to that of the host operating system. In addition, +a dark theme is provided, and can be enabled in Preferences. A number of syntax highlighting themes +are also available in Preferences. Coloured and grayscale icon themes are also available. + +The main window is split in two, or optionally three, panels. The left-most contains the project +tree and all the files in your project. The second panel is the document editor, and the optional +third panel is a document viewer which can view any document in your project. + +A second tab is also available on the main window. This is the Outline tab where the entire novel +structure can be displayed, with all the tags and references listed. Depending on how you structure +your novel project files, this outline can be quite different than your project tree. Project Layout -------------- -The layout of the novel itself is managed through the four supported heading levels, H1 through H4. -H1 is used for the book title, and for partitions. -H2 is used for chapter tiles. -H3 is reserved for scene titles. -H4 is for section titles within scenes, if such granularity is necessary. +You are free to structure your project files as you wish in subfolders and split between files. All +that matters to novelWriter is the linear order they appear in the project tree (top to bottom) and +the chapters, scenes and sections of the novel is determined by the headings within those files. -For the files designated as project notes, the usage of headers imply no structural meaning, and the user is free to do whatever they want. +The four heading levels (H1 to H4) are treated as follows: + +* H1 is used for the book title, and for partitions. +* H2 is used for chapter tiles. +* H3 is reserved for scene titles. +* H4 is for section titles within scenes, if such granularity is needed. + +This structure is only considered on novel files. For the files designated as project notes, the +usage of headers imply no structural meaning, and the user is free to do whatever they want. Project Export -------------- -The project can at any time be exported to a range of different formats. -Natively, novelWriter supports export to plain text file, HTML document, novelWriter flavoured markdown, standard markdown (requires Qt 5.14), and to a basic Open Document. -In addition, printing and printing to PDF is also possible. -The best supported export format is HTML, which can be imported or converted by a number of other tools like Pandoc, or simply imported into Libre Office and similar. +The project can at any time be exported to a range of different formats. Natively, novelWriter +supports export to plain text file, HTML document, novelWriter flavoured markdown, standard +markdown (requires Qt 5.14), and to a basic Open Document. + +In addition, printing and printing to PDF is also possible. The best supported export format is +HTML, which can be imported or converted by a number of other tools like Pandoc, or simply imported +into Libre Office and similar. + +It is also possible to export the content of the project to a JSON file. This is useful if you want +to write your own processing script in for instance Python, as the entire novel can be read into a +Python dictionary with a couple of lines of code. Screenshot ----------