Skip to content

Commit

Permalink
Add help pages
Browse files Browse the repository at this point in the history
  • Loading branch information
peter88213 committed Oct 4, 2024
1 parent 4b06011 commit f35c095
Show file tree
Hide file tree
Showing 15 changed files with 355 additions and 0 deletions.
119 changes: 119 additions & 0 deletions docs/help/basic_concepts.md
Original file line number Diff line number Diff line change
@@ -0,0 +1,119 @@
# Basic concepts

## The Book hierarchy

### Parts

A novel is expected to be divided into chapters and sections. Parts are
optional; technically they are first level chapters. However, in the
*mdnovel* project tree they are on the same level as the chapters, but
they produce a heading one level above. Thus, parts are mainly for
inserting first level headings between the chapters, if needed.

---

**Hint**

You can convert chapters into parts and vice versa by simply [changing
the level](tree_context_menu#change-level).

---

### Chapters

A *mdnovel* project must at least have one chapter. In the exported
documents, regular chapters have a second level heading.

For *mdnovel*, the chapters only serve as containers for sections to
which the actual dramaturgical function is assigned. This is why there
are only a few [chapter properties](chapter_view) to be set.

### Sections

All body text of a novel in *mdnovel* belongs to sections. Sections
can be scenes, pieces of exposition, descriptions, narrative
summaries---it is entirely up to you how you divide your text into
sections. There is a variety of [metadata for
sections](section_view) for your free use.

In the text body of the exported documents, sections are separated by
section dividers by default, like so:

`* * *`

However, if you need more fragmented sections when plotting and
organizing than the reader should see later, you can also [append
sections](section_view#append-to-previous-section) to each other as
new paragraphs with no section divider inbetween.

## Part/chapter/section types

Each part, chapter, and section is of a type that can be changed via
context menu or Part/Chapter/Section menu. The type can be *Normal* or
*Unused*.

Normal
- "Normal" type parts, chapters, and sections are counted. The totals
are displayed in the status bar.
- "Normal" type sections are exported to the manuscript and included in
the word count.
- "Normal" type parts and chapters can have subelements of each type.
- "Normal" type tree elements are color coded according to the [coloring
mode settings](view_menu#coloring-mode).

Unused
You can mark parts, chapters, and sections as unused to exclude them
from word count totals and export.

- The subelements of unused parts and chapters are unused as well.
- If you mark a section "Unused", its properties are preserved.
- Unused tree elements are displayed in gray.

## Section completion status

You can assign a status to each "Normal" type section via context menu
or Section menu. You can choose between Outline\*, *Draft*, *1st Edit*,
*2nd Edit*, and *Done*.

- You can choose a [coloring mode](view_menu#coloring-mode) to
display sections in different colors depending on their completion
status.
- Optionally, you can declare one of the status to be the current [work
phase](book_view#writing-progress), and choose a [coloring
mode](view_menu#coloring-mode) that highlights sections that are
behind schedule.
- Newly created sections are set to "Outline" by default.
- Word counts by status appear in the [Book
properties](book_view#writing-pogress).

------------------------------------------------------------------------

## Characters and story world

You can define characters, locations, and items, and you can relate them
to sections to keep track of their place in the story. There is also
some metadata stored with *mdnovel*, mainly as a quick reference that
might come in handy when writing or editing.

---

**Note**

*mdnovel* is not meant as a tool for extensive world building. For
this, there is a plethora of dedicated applications, online and offline
wikis, and notetaking software. However, *mdnovel* offers the option
of linking images and files with the characters, locations, and items to
facilitate access if your external application allows this.

---

---

**Important***

If you want to assign **viewpoint characters** to your sections, you
first have to [create](characters_menu#add) the characters that
come into question.

---

179 changes: 179 additions & 0 deletions docs/help/file_menu.md
Original file line number Diff line number Diff line change
@@ -0,0 +1,179 @@
# File menu

**File operation**


## New

**Create a new novel project**

With **File \> New**, you can create a new project. This will open a
submenu.

Empty project
- This will close the current project and create a blank project.
- A file select dialog asks for the new project’s file name. If you
cancel the dialog, you can select the file name later when saving the
project.

Create from Markdown...
- This will close the current project and open a file dialog asking for
a Markdown document to create the new projec from.
- The newly created project is saved automatically in the same directory
as the Markdown document, using its file name and the extension *.novx*.
- If a project with the same file name as the Markdown document already
exists in the directory, no new project will be created.
- If you select a previously exported document belonging to an existing
project, this project will be updated and loaded.
- The Markdown document can either be a
[Work-in-progress](getting_started#starting-with-a-work-in-progress),
i.e. a regular novel manuscript with chapter headings and section
contents, r an
[outline](getting_started#starting-with-an-outline) containing
the chapter and section structure with titles and descriptions.

## Open...

**Open a novel project**

With **File \> Open** or `Ctrl`-`O`, you can open an existing project
file.

---

**Note**

When opening a project, the current project will be closed. If there are
unsaved changes, you will be asked for saving.

---

## Reload

**Reload the novel project**

With **File \> Reload** or `Ctrl`-`R`, you can overwrite the project in
the memory with the last saved version.

---

**Tip**


This way you can undo changes made in the current session.

---

---

**Note**

If the project has changed on disk since last opened or saved, you will
get a warning.

---

## Restore backup

**Restore the latest backup file**

With **File \> Restore backup** or `Ctrl`-`B`, you can overwrite the
project in the memory with the latest backup file. You will get a
warning, because changes may be lost.

---

**Hint**

After restoring the backup, a backup copy is no longer available in the
project directory. A new backup copy is created when saving the project.

---

## Refresh tree

**Enforce tree refresh after making changes**

With **File \> Refresh tree** or `F5`, you can refresh the tree.

- "Normal" sections that have been moved to an "Unused" chapter are made
"Unused".
- Parts and chapters are renumbered according to the [Auto numbering
settings](book_view#auto-numbering).
- The "Trash" chapter is moved to the end of the book, if necessary.


## Open Project folder

**Launch the file manager**

With **File \> Open Project folder** or `Ctrl-P`, you can launch the
file manager with the current project folder. This might come in handy,
if you e.g. wish to delete files or edit configuration files.


## Save

**Save the project**

With **File \> Save** or `Ctrl`-`S`, you can save the project. A backup
copy is then automatically created.

---

**Note**

If the project has changed on disk since last opened, you will get a
warning.

---

## Save as...

**Save the project with another file name/at another place**

With **File \> Save as...** or `Ctrl`-`Shift`-`S`, you can save the
project with another file name/at another place. Then a file select
dialog opens to specify the new path and file name.

---

**Note**

Your current project remains as saved the last time. Changes since then
apply to the new project.

---

## Close

**Close the novel project**

With **File \> Close**, you can close the project without exiting the
program. When closing the project, you will be asked for saving the
project, if it has changed.

---

**Note**

If you open another project, the current project is automatically
closed.

---

## Quit/Exit

**Exit the program**

- Under Windows you can exit with **File \> Exit** or `Alt`-`F4`.
- Otherwise you can exit with **File \> Quit** or `Ctrl`-`Q`.

---

**Note**

When exiting the program, you will be asked for saving the project, if
it has changed.

---
Binary file added docs/help/images/add.png
Loading
Sorry, something went wrong. Reload?
Sorry, we cannot display this file.
Sorry, this file is invalid so it cannot be displayed.
Binary file added docs/help/images/addChild.png
Loading
Sorry, something went wrong. Reload?
Sorry, we cannot display this file.
Sorry, this file is invalid so it cannot be displayed.
Binary file added docs/help/images/addParent.png
Loading
Sorry, something went wrong. Reload?
Sorry, we cannot display this file.
Sorry, this file is invalid so it cannot be displayed.
Binary file added docs/help/images/remove.png
Loading
Sorry, something went wrong. Reload?
Sorry, we cannot display this file.
Sorry, this file is invalid so it cannot be displayed.
Binary file added docs/help/images/save.png
Loading
Sorry, something went wrong. Reload?
Sorry, we cannot display this file.
Sorry, this file is invalid so it cannot be displayed.
Binary file added docs/help/images/viewArcs.png
Loading
Sorry, something went wrong. Reload?
Sorry, we cannot display this file.
Sorry, this file is invalid so it cannot be displayed.
Binary file added docs/help/images/viewBook.png
Loading
Sorry, something went wrong. Reload?
Sorry, we cannot display this file.
Sorry, this file is invalid so it cannot be displayed.
Binary file added docs/help/images/viewCharacters.png
Loading
Sorry, something went wrong. Reload?
Sorry, we cannot display this file.
Sorry, this file is invalid so it cannot be displayed.
Binary file added docs/help/images/viewItems.png
Loading
Sorry, something went wrong. Reload?
Sorry, we cannot display this file.
Sorry, this file is invalid so it cannot be displayed.
Binary file added docs/help/images/viewLocations.png
Loading
Sorry, something went wrong. Reload?
Sorry, we cannot display this file.
Sorry, this file is invalid so it cannot be displayed.
Binary file added docs/help/images/viewProjectnotes.png
Loading
Sorry, something went wrong. Reload?
Sorry, we cannot display this file.
Sorry, this file is invalid so it cannot be displayed.
2 changes: 2 additions & 0 deletions docs/help/p.bat
Original file line number Diff line number Diff line change
@@ -0,0 +1,2 @@
pandoc %1.rst -tCommonMark -o%1.md
sel %1.rst
55 changes: 55 additions & 0 deletions docs/help/toolbar.md
Original file line number Diff line number Diff line change
@@ -0,0 +1,55 @@
# The toolbar

The toolbar provides buttons for common actions in the proposed
workflow.

------------------------------------------------------------------------

![Go back](_images/goBack.png) Go back in the browsing history.

![Go forward](_images/goForward.png) Go forward in the browsing history.

------------------------------------------------------------------------

![Show Book](_images/viewBook.png) Go to the "Book" branch and expand
it. Same as **View \> Show Book**.

![Show Characters](_images/viewCharacters.png) Go to the "Characters"
branch and expand it. Same as **View \> Show Characters**.

![Show Locations](_images/viewLocations.png) Go to the "Locations"
branch and expand it. Same as **View \> Show Locations**.

![Show Items](_images/viewItems.png) Go to the "Items" branch and expand
it. Same as **View \> Show Items**.

![Show Plot lines](_images/viewArcs.png) Go to the "Plot lines" branch
and expand it. Same as **View \> Show Plot lines**.

![Show Project notes](_images/viewProjectnotes.png) Go to the "Project
notes" branch and expand it. Same as **View \> Show Project notes**.

------------------------------------------------------------------------

![Save](_images/save.png) Save the project. Same as **File \> Save** or
`Ctrl`-`S`.

------------------------------------------------------------------------

![Add](_images/add.png) Add element. Same as `Ctrl`-`N`.

![Add child](_images/addChild.png) Add child element. Same as
`Ctrl`-`Alt`-`N`.

![Add parent](_images/addParent.png) Add element on the parent’s level.
Same as `Ctrl`-`Alt`-`Shift`-`N`.

![Delete](_images/remove.png) Delete selected elements. Same as `Del`.

------------------------------------------------------------------------

![Toggle Text viewer](_images/viewer.png) Toggle Text viewer. Same as
**View \> Toggle Text viewer** or `Ctrl`-`T`.

![Toggle Properties](_images/properties.png) Toggle Properties. Same as
**View \> Toggle Properties** or `Ctrl`-`Alt`-`T`.

0 comments on commit f35c095

Please # to comment.