webOutliner Basics

Every parent paragraph is preceded by a small triangular wedge. Clicking the 'collapsed' wedge will reveal a parent paragraph's embedded content. Clicking the 'expanded' wedge will hide the embedded paragraphs.

Paragraphs expansion state is stored along with the outline's content.

You can click on any selected paragraph's wedge or text and drag it across the outliner to move the paragraph to another location within the document. An arrow will replace current wedges as you drag along to indicate potential dropping targets. Check out the screencast of drag and drop in action.

You can also use the outliner's copy and paste functions to duplicate a paragraph. Check this screencast for copy and paste in action.

To delete a paragraph, select it and click the 'delete paragraph' icon in the webOutliner toolbar.

Or use one of the key combination shortcuts: [del], [ctl/cmd-shift-del], [ctl/cmd-shift-backspace], or [cmd-del] under MacOS.

Attaching including OPML links to paragraphs

You can attach a link to any paragraph that does not have any embedded content (aka a childless paragraph).

Unlike regular HTML links, including links do not replace the current page with the linked content, they do not pop open a new window either.

Whenever possible, the 'linked to' content is included in the current page, embedded inside the paragraph that carries the link attached.

Links are displayed in the outline as special purpose wedges, depending on the format of the linked content.

For instance, click at the 'camera' looking wedges in the 'Organizing paragraphs' section of this document to get illustrative screenshots.

Or click on the 'up-arrow' wedge of this paragraph to learn more about outline inclusion.

Select a childless paragraph, then click the 'attach link' icon in the webOutliner toolbar.

Type in or paste the URL to any HTTP accessible document, select the target document's type and click the 'attach' button.

A new wedge icon will appear at the left of the link carrying paragraph.

Clicking the wedge will bring the linked content inside the paragraph. It will then be possible to hide or reveal it as any regular part of the outline.

If the document you want to link to is currently inside your computer, there's a very good chance it is not reachable via HTTP. Never fear, click the new 'browse' button in the attach dialog.

Once you have selected a document, it will be automatically uploaded to the iJot server, and stored in the 'gems' area of your account.

It is now HTTP accessible, and its new URL is automatically inserted in the attach dialog, all that's left to do is click the 'attach' button.

Inserting regular HTML links into text

Creating new links

While in text entry mode, select the words you want to link from and click the 'attach/insert link' button in the toolbar, or hit ctl/cmd-k.

Type in or paste the url for the link. You may also enter a small description that will appear near the tip of the cursor when bringing it over the link. Then click the 'insert' button.

Updating existing links

Position the text insertion cursor anywhere within the link (link tag or linked text), then click the 'attach/insert link' button in the toolbar, or hit cmd/ctl-k.

Modify the link properties, then click the 'update' button.

You can click the 'remove' button to get rid of the link tag altogether (the linked text will stay of course).

Inserting images into paragraphs

Inserting a new image

While in select or edit mode, click the 'insert image' button in the toolbar, or press ctl/cmd-j.

You can either enter the URL of an image accessible over the Web, or select an image file from your workstation which will be uploaded to your account's gems area.

If the image is accessible, a small preview should appear at the right of the dialog.

All that remains is to set the size and alignment of the image so that it gets inserted inside your paragraph gracefully.

In most cases, your image will be too large to fit inside your text without disturbing the layout. You can specify maximum dimensions for the display width and height: once inserted, the image will be resized accordingly.

Since outlines use the left side of paragraphs to display wedges, it is usually easier on the reader's eye to align an image to the right of the paragraph.

But there's nothing preventing you to align it to the left, or not to align it at all, in which case the image will be inserted where you left the text insertion cursor while in edit mode, or at the beginning of the paragraph if in select mode.

If you have resized the image for insertion, it's probably a good idea to check the 'include link' checkbox so that the image will be displayed full size in a new browser window if the reader clicks on it.

There is no limit to the number of images you can include within a paragraph.

Updating an existing image

In select mode, just hit ctl/cmd-j and the first image in the selected paragraph will appear in the image dialog.

In edit mode, position the text insertion cursor within the tag of the image you want to update and hit ctl/cmd-j.

Click the dialog's 'update' button to move your modifications to the paragraph.

You may also click the 'remove' button to get rid of the image altogether.

Key shortcuts

While in select mode

[return]: creates a new empty paragraph below the currently selected paragraph, and drops you into edit mode on that paragraph.

[space]: drops you in edit mode on the currently selected paragraph.

[tab]: indents the currently selected paragraph if possible.

[shift-tab]: promotes the currently selected paragraph if possible.

[ctl/cmd-del], [ctl/cmd-backspace]: deletes the currently selected paragraph.

[ctl/cmd-c]: copies the currently selected paragraph to the webOutliner clipboard (distinct from the system clipboard unfortunately.

[ctl/cmd-v]: pastes the webOutliner clipboard content under the selected paragraph.

[ctl/cmd-up], [ctl/cmd-down], [ctl/cmd-left] and [ctl/cmd-right] arrows: move the selection cursor around paragraphs.

[ctl/cmd-shift-up], [ctl/cmd-shift-down], [ctl/cmd-shift-left], [ctl/cmd-shift-right] arrows: move the selected paragraph in the required direction, if possible.

[ctl/cmd-b]: toggles selected paragraph's style to bold, on and off.

[ctl/cmd-i]: toggles selected paragraph's style to italic, on and off.

[ctl/cmd-k]: attaches an OPML link to the currently selected paragraph.

Works only if the paragraph is childless.

While in edit mode

[esc]: exits edit mode and drops you back in select mode (same as clicking outside the 'edit box').

[return], [tab] and [shift-tab] work the same as in select mode, while keeping you in edit mode.

[ctl/cmd-b]: toggles selected text's style within paragraph to bold, on and off.

[ctl/cmd-i]: toggles selected text's style within paragraph to italic, on and off.

[ctl/cmd-k]: inserts a regular HTML link around selected text.

Use this option to edit or remove an existing link, just position the text cursor anywhere within the link markup and press ctl/cmd-k.

In both modes

[ctl/cmd-s]: saves the current outline.

[ctl/cmd-shift-s]: saves the current outline, forcing the save dialog.

[ctl/cmd-j: inserts an image within the selected/edited paragraph.

Use this command to edit or remove an existing image: while in edit mode, position the cursor within the image tag and hit ctl/cmd-j.

[ctl/cmd-n]: creates a new outline.

[ctl/cmd-o]: opens an outline.

[ctl/cmd-p]: prints the current outline.

opml 1.0

last modified:
12/8/06 06:27:24 EST.

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