software for writing books - Page 9

BookCat · 06-15-2012, 06:38 AM

I'm sure it doesn't apply to MR peeps, but not many know how to use the outline view, or even that it exists. I think what you're describing is the document map which appears on the left of the window when you press the relevant icon.

NB, my version of Word is 2002; the way to get to items may have changed. Found this vid for the silly ribbon versions:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vjrVR...eature=related

Outline view is a way of outlining from scratch. In Word, there are four views (found as tiny icons at the bottom left): normal; web; print; outline. Click on the outline icon and it opens a blank screen with the outlining toolbar. At the top right of the document is a "hollow hyphen" and blinking cursor. This is level one.
Type "Fruit". Hit enter.
Type "Books" Hit enter.
Type "Vegetables". Hit enter.
Return to the "t" at the end of fruit. Place cursor after it. Hit enter. Then hit tab and write "oranges" (without quotes); hit enter and it'll take you to the same level as oranges. Type the name of another fruit. Hit enter. Then type "Apples" this time hit enter and tab. Make a list of different types of apple, one under the next: brambley (enter) Coxes (enter) etc.

When you've jotted down a few apple varieties, one under the other, hit enter, then click the arrow in the toolbar which points left. This takes you back to the general fruit level. Type "Bananas".
By this time, you're fed up with fruit and want to make a list of some books to look out during your trip to the shops.

Place your cursor after the "s" of "Books" hit enter and tab. Write down a few titles. Perhaps you want to move "Books" above or below fruit and veg. You can either drag and drop (tricky) or put your cursor in "Books" and click the up or down arrow until "Books" is where you prefer. Note it takes all the subdocuments with it.

That's basically how to use Word's outline feature. For chapters and scenes of a book, it's great. You just throw down a few ideas, then organise them, or delete them, being aware that you'll also be moving the subdocuments (avoid this by moving the subdocs to the left with the little arrow, then they're no longer subdocs).

I'm probably teaching my grandmother to suck eggs, but I read so many reviews of software in which it's evident that the person doesn't understand Word.

teh603 · 06-15-2012, 10:21 PM

I miss having a dedicated outlining software. Not like a kludged version of a word processor, but one actually designed for outlining. The only two I've actually found were the outlining module of Symantec GreatWorks (which was why I kept using GreatWorks even into the era of OS 9 and more advanced softwares), and Omni Outliner which was bundled with my original Mini-Mac.

I haven't found a decent one for either Windows or Linux.

BookCat · 06-15-2012, 11:37 PM

UV Outliner is a free alternative, unfortunately I think it's Windows only.

http://uvoutliner.com/

gmw · 06-16-2012, 02:10 AM

I still miss GrandView ... but that may be showing my age.

teh603 · 06-16-2012, 09:42 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by BookCat

UV Outliner is a free alternative, unfortunately I think it's Windows only.

http://uvoutliner.com/

Not just windows, windows with .NET. That means its going to be difficult getting to work with WINE, if it can be made to work at all. .NET is a tempermental beast.

Dr. Drib · 06-17-2012, 10:49 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by gmw

I still miss GrandView ... but that may be showing my age.

That's showing BOTH our ages.

I still have the retail package in box with 5 1/2 disks and manual. This was a wonderful program.

Don

Metal Mick · 06-17-2012, 06:40 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by BookCat

I'm sure it doesn't apply to MR peeps, but not many know how to use the outline view, or even that it exists. I think what you're describing is the document map which appears on the left of the window when you press the relevant icon.

NB, my version of Word is 2002; the way to get to items may have changed. Found this vid for the silly ribbon versions:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vjrVR...eature=related

Outline view is a way of outlining from scratch. In Word<snip>... I read so many reviews of software in which it's evident that the person doesn't understand Word.

HI BC, et al,

many thanks for taking the time to explain, I shall see how I go in LibreOffice.

And you're right re reviews - at times there are some dreadful errors made.

Cheers,

Metal Mick · 06-17-2012, 06:44 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by gmw

I still miss GrandView ... but that may be showing my age.

I date back to Word Star 1...

Cheers,

gmw · 06-18-2012, 12:59 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Metal Mick

I date back to Word Star 1...

Cheers,

All right, you win.

I never used CP/M at all.

Dr. Drib · 06-18-2012, 10:14 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by gmw

All right, you win.

I never used CP/M at all.

I used CP/M.

In fact, I had a Kaypro II, and have wonderful memories of it.

The Perfect series of software was OK (Perfect Writer; Perfect Calc), but I used Wordstar.

It also came with dBase II, and a couple of programming languages that I can't remember.

Before I bought the Kaypro II, I had an Atari 800 and owned an Atari Writer cartridge and did my writing that way. I remember writing "The Eye of Klaag" on this computer.

Don

DarkScribe · 06-18-2012, 11:11 AM

I still have a Kaypro, and an Amust, ( a "briefcase" portable CP/M system) and the original Commodore Business machine - the CBM 8000. They are sitting on a high shelf in my garage, all still working. Computers were less functional but more fun in those days, we didn't take them for granted as they inspired a degree of awe. You had to write very tight code to work in the small - and very expensive - amount of memory available. Five and a quarter inch floppies and hard drive capacities in ten or twenty meg.

VydorScope · 06-18-2012, 12:38 PM

My first WP was AmiPro on a black and green screen. heh

teh603 · 06-18-2012, 01:06 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Dr. Drib

Before I bought the Kaypro II, I had an Atari 800 and owned an Atari Writer cartridge and did my writing that way. I remember writing "The Eye of Klaag" on this computer.

Did you ever have to deal with publishers who wouldn't accept printouts from any printers other than a daisy wheel typewriter-style printer?

Metal Mick · 06-19-2012, 08:37 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by VydorScope

My first WP was AmiPro on a black and green screen. heh

AmiPro (1.2) was the first one I actually paid for. Reviews at the time seemed to me to be desperately trying to say Word was better but without real conviction.

Had a good time showing colleagues how easy it was to do things in AP that were excruciating in Word.

Then came WordPro, still with some great long documents features and its bulletting and numbering processes still make more sense to me than in current applications.

Aaah... the memories.

Cheers,

BookCat · 06-19-2012, 09:57 PM

How has this thread wandered down Nostalgia Alley?

06-15-2012, 06:38 AM	#121
BookCat C L J Posts: 2,912 Karma: 21115458 Join Date: Dec 2008 Location: Birmingham UK Device: Sony e-reader 505, Kindle PW2, Kindle PW3, Kobo Libra2	I'm sure it doesn't apply to MR peeps, but not many know how to use the outline view, or even that it exists. I think what you're describing is the document map which appears on the left of the window when you press the relevant icon. NB, my version of Word is 2002; the way to get to items may have changed. Found this vid for the silly ribbon versions: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vjrVR...eature=related Outline view is a way of outlining from scratch. In Word, there are four views (found as tiny icons at the bottom left): normal; web; print; outline. Click on the outline icon and it opens a blank screen with the outlining toolbar. At the top right of the document is a "hollow hyphen" and blinking cursor. This is level one. Type "Fruit". Hit enter. Type "Books" Hit enter. Type "Vegetables". Hit enter. Return to the "t" at the end of fruit. Place cursor after it. Hit enter. Then hit tab and write "oranges" (without quotes); hit enter and it'll take you to the same level as oranges. Type the name of another fruit. Hit enter. Then type "Apples" this time hit enter and tab. Make a list of different types of apple, one under the next: brambley (enter) Coxes (enter) etc. When you've jotted down a few apple varieties, one under the other, hit enter, then click the arrow in the toolbar which points left. This takes you back to the general fruit level. Type "Bananas". By this time, you're fed up with fruit and want to make a list of some books to look out during your trip to the shops. Place your cursor after the "s" of "Books" hit enter and tab. Write down a few titles. Perhaps you want to move "Books" above or below fruit and veg. You can either drag and drop (tricky) or put your cursor in "Books" and click the up or down arrow until "Books" is where you prefer. Note it takes all the subdocuments with it. That's basically how to use Word's outline feature. For chapters and scenes of a book, it's great. You just throw down a few ideas, then organise them, or delete them, being aware that you'll also be moving the subdocuments (avoid this by moving the subdocs to the left with the little arrow, then they're no longer subdocs). I'm probably teaching my grandmother to suck eggs, but I read so many reviews of software in which it's evident that the person doesn't understand Word. Last edited by BookCat; 06-16-2012 at 02:15 AM. Reason: Break up solid text

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06-15-2012, 10:21 PM	#122
teh603 Autism Spectrum Disorder Posts: 1,212 Karma: 6244877 Join Date: Sep 2011 Location: Coastal Texas Device: Android Phone	I miss having a dedicated outlining software. Not like a kludged version of a word processor, but one actually designed for outlining. The only two I've actually found were the outlining module of Symantec GreatWorks (which was why I kept using GreatWorks even into the era of OS 9 and more advanced softwares), and Omni Outliner which was bundled with my original Mini-Mac. I haven't found a decent one for either Windows or Linux.

06-15-2012, 11:37 PM	#123
BookCat C L J Posts: 2,912 Karma: 21115458 Join Date: Dec 2008 Location: Birmingham UK Device: Sony e-reader 505, Kindle PW2, Kindle PW3, Kobo Libra2	UV Outliner is a free alternative, unfortunately I think it's Windows only. http://uvoutliner.com/

06-16-2012, 02:10 AM	#124
gmw cacoethes scribendi Posts: 5,809 Karma: 137770742 Join Date: Nov 2010 Location: Australia Device: Kobo Aura One & H2Ov2, Sony PRS-650	I still miss GrandView ... but that may be showing my age.

06-18-2012, 11:11 AM	#131
DarkScribe Apprentice Curmudgeon. Posts: 427 Karma: 3286968 Join Date: Apr 2011 Location: Runaway Bay, QLD, , Australia Device: Kindle DX Graphite, Touch, Paperwhite, Sony, and Nook.	I still have a Kaypro, and an Amust, ( a "briefcase" portable CP/M system) and the original Commodore Business machine - the CBM 8000. They are sitting on a high shelf in my garage, all still working. Computers were less functional but more fun in those days, we didn't take them for granted as they inspired a degree of awe. You had to write very tight code to work in the small - and very expensive - amount of memory available. Five and a quarter inch floppies and hard drive capacities in ten or twenty meg.

06-18-2012, 12:38 PM	#132
VydorScope Wizard Posts: 3,418 Karma: 35207650 Join Date: Jun 2011 Device: iPad	My first WP was AmiPro on a black and green screen. heh

06-19-2012, 09:57 PM	#135
BookCat C L J Posts: 2,912 Karma: 21115458 Join Date: Dec 2008 Location: Birmingham UK Device: Sony e-reader 505, Kindle PW2, Kindle PW3, Kobo Libra2	How has this thread wandered down Nostalgia Alley?