Other useful features include the ability to sort child nodes and to print only selected branches of the tree. You can also add links or pictures, or display just the tree or the content pane so you can focus on the task at hand. However, it includes a few extras, such as the ability to tag entries - or “nodes,” as it calls them - in the tree, or to mark them as complete or add icons to help identify them. NoteCase is similar to Tuxcards in basic functionality and layout. When you are finished, you can export the result to HTML, then open it in a word processor like Abiword for final formatting and the addition of any footnotes. This arrangement means that you can easily plan then write. YOu can use basic text formatting, such as font selection and size and bold or italic weights. On the left is a pane for adding and manipulating headings, and, on the right, a pane for content for the currently selected heading. TuxcardsĪlthough primarily designed for taking notes, Tuxcards is one of the most popular Linux outlining tools. For anything but simple outlining, you probably want to use something other than Impress. You have to keep pressing the arrow keys, and not lose track of the level on which you want to place the item. Note, though, that the Move Up and Move Down arrows completely ignore the hierarchy, and move an entry exactly one step up, regardless of what level that places it at. All headings are at the same level when you edit them, but you can use the four arrow buttons to change each heading’s level, or to change its position. If you use the Text Body style for your content, then its paragraphs will also appear under Headings in the Navigator.Īlternatively, you can open an Impress document and go to View -> Outline, and close the Slides pane on the left side of the editing window, since you don’t care what your outline looks like in a slide show. However, you can change that by going to Tools -> Outline Numbering and changing one of the defined styles to Text Body - I suggest Level 4, since you rarely need more than three levels of headings. The one drawback to outlining in Writer is that you see only headings, not any paragraphs of content. You can also reposition them on the tree, which also repositions subordinate sections - in other words, when you move a paragraph that uses the Heading 1 style, all Heading 2 or 3 styles until the next Heading 1 style move with it.

You can expand or collapse the tree view as needed, and, using the tools in the icon bar, promote or demote headings. Under Headings you will find a tree view of all the headings you’ve used in your document. To edit an outline, press the F5 key to open the floating window called the Navigator. In Writer, you can outline by using the Heading styles. But you can still choose among, TuxCards, NoteCase, Emacs, and VimOutliner for doing your planning. True, some outliners have become obsolete, and you will be lucky to get programs like GNOME-Think or the once-popular KnowIt to run on a modern distribution. GNU/Linux users are fortunate to have a number of outlining applications from which to choose. The first essays of the school year are coming due, and with the essays comes the need to outline and plan.

Notecase pro outliner software