Editing text with multiple notes selected (a feature request)

Something I’d really like to be able to do (while I’m requesting features relating to context preservation in ways that fit my use cases but probably break everyone else’s) is to edit text when multiple notes are selected.
The ability to select several notes (in outline or map views) and have the combined text in the right-hand panel is enormously useful (and one of my preferred compilation and export mechanisms) but I’d be over the moon if I could edit the text when multiple items are selected.

I appreciate this may create some unexpected challenges (‘split’ is something I could imagine could have unintended consequences) but the starting points all seem to be there - the editor even blocks out the discrete notes with separators identifying the note source (I think these separator lines could benefit from an overhaul, as they feel like they’re aligning with the previous note, rather than the subsequent note, due to the whitespace being under the text, rather than above it)

2 Likes

We can certainly take a look at the placement of the horizontal rule! Ought it to be midway between the notes? Aligned with the top of the next note?

Editing in this view is technically tricky, but might be possible.

1 Like

Visually, it currently feels like the link and title underneath belong to the block above rather than the one below, so maybe there’s something in moving the line further down and giving the title text a little more breathing space between it and the line above. I just tried mocking some things up but the last time I used photoshop was on an SGI some decades ago so I quickly gave that up. If you try selecting two text notes in an outline view, you can see that the lines feel like a separator more than a caption, and this is most pronounced when seeing the top of the joined documents in editing panel - the line seems to separate two items, but there’s no item above the line.

As for the editing feature - yes, I expected that would throw up a huge number of weird edge cases. It would be a lovely feature to work in, though - but I also get that implementing that feature but it not working for everything would be worse and more confusing than not having the feature at all. I find Tinderbox a nice writing space - it’s certainly one of the better outlining tools for producing and managing text in, but I’m still learning new features as I’m going and can’t anticipate the number of messy problems it would throw up as you can, Mark.

On a semi-related point - the ability to select notes and then copy the unified text into the clipboard is a godsend and saves the whole export process (I’m writing entirely in Markdown, so it fits my workflow really well). It’s these ‘obvious’ features you don’t think about having as a user that are so nice in TB.

+1 for this request

1 Like

Any updates on this feature, Mark @eastgate?

It would make working in tbx much more pleasant.

3 Likes

It’s not forgotten.

9 Likes

+1 This feature would be a godsend, Mark!

+1
Similar to Scrivener’s editing mode, I like it!

1 Like

+1 for this request, I hope it’s still on the radar :wink:

1 Like

Hi!
Can anyone tell me how is this feature looking as of now, pls?
Tinderbox is actually the program I would buy myself a Mac for, but this feature is a must for my workflow.
:slight_smile:
K

P.S. This editing mode is called Scrivenings mode in Scrivener.

+1 for the feature!

I think it’s a natural mode of working with text because we can see the text of a note in the context of its siblings. I think also that for revision of a final text it’s a must.

2 Likes

I also have wanted this feature.

1 Like

Yes, this would be really great!

1 Like

I think it would be very useful too as a means to edit the content of individual in context with other notes e.g. as a step to put together a longer story or text output. I’m sensitive to the fact that it is likely a lot of work as in essence a new view (instead of rendering individual notes).

Still it’s a recurrent and popular request (see for instance this post or this one). There was also a similar request in the backstage area recently which garnered some support.

1 Like

Well, this feature has just appeared (with little fanfare!) in 9.5.

Massive thanks to @eastgate for implementing this, which seems to work absolutely as expected, and is a godsend. You can multi-select any notes in an outline, and then edit the resultant text exactly as you’d expect.

There’s some conceptually odd things this allows - what does ‘split’ mean when you have multiple notes selected? - I think ghosting a few menu items may reduce the number of ensuing support requests.

Overall, this is a phenomenal feature, and I’m colossally grateful for this functionality appearing, thanks to the demands of people not using Tinderbox in a sensible way!

2 Likes

In terms of what? I’m guessing it refers to the app [sic] Note menu item for splitting the current note at the $Text cursor position. But in a multi-note selection, why would you you use that? Pertinently, what would you expect it to do.

Conversely, to someone for who multi-select $text edit is the naturally way to work, then everything is interpreted in that context; the more you use one view, the more features needed in other views become and annoyance/distraction. That’s not oblique criticism but trying to understand the issue. For instance, I’d not use split in this scenario as it applies to a note and if I’ve more than one selected it is self-evidently not pertinent.

I do feel for the developer here. To any of us users in out personal normal use context menu are either greyed out when they need not be, or vice-versa. I’ve been on both sides of this over the year and can see the adjustments are neither obvious nor without unwanted effects in other contexts. As it is , if you press ‘split’ in a multi-app selection, there is a silent fail. IMO, that’s fair, certainly better than a crash or hang.

All that notwithstanding, I think in this case, i.e. Note ▸ Split if there is a multiple selection greying the option makes sense. I’m also reminded that after almost 20 year’s use of the app here are still unexpected use combos emerging! :slight_smile:

An interesting discovery testing for this: the selected notes are listed in $OutlineOrder regardless of the order in which selected. Given discussion elsewhere on sibling order & map view, that might help with an issue that has multi-select users in map view scratching their heads.

†. In truth, this predates Explode. Yet, I can see that if you’re typing and having s stream-of-consciousness moment but want to start a new note, it is still of use. So many features in a long lived app are a close/important fit for a few users so last on even if the rest roll their eyes at such seemingly moribund features.

Oh - this in no way is a criticism. I remember that some complexity was implied by this originally innocent request, and now it’s sat there running on the machine in front of me, those complexities are laid bare, and I see why this wasn’t as obvious feature to implement as it would seem.

I’m always amazed at how well TB juggles a whole world of software and data (mixed) metaphors, while still thwarting any efforts I make to explain to people exactly what it’s for or what it does.

(I haven’t even remotely considered interpreting my outlines as a map or pushing the boundaries of $OutlineOrder!)

1 Like

Yes, it’s truly impressive to see so many tools living peaceably in the same box. Amen for the care and attention to detail of small software houses.

1 Like

Guess it is the time to start looking for a small Mac now :smiley:
Seriously.
Very impressed with Eastgate! Thank you!
All the best!
:slight_smile:
K

2 Likes