Database

[Andremusic]

I was wondering if it would be possible to have an option in Atlantis in which I can have an pull down menu (or part of the Control Board) in which I can make my own personal submenus, and have database kind of info. Because I use Atlantis mainly for writing stories, I would love to have special places for my characters info, relations between characters info, places info etc. All of these little databases could be connected to the active document only, not the every new created document.

[Robert]

Greetings--
Unfortunately, this won’t be possible in the upcoming version. But there is something else you’ll be able to do.

First, you could insert notes in your document whenever appropriate, and format these notes with a dedicated style that you could create with special indent, font size and colour for example. Each time you feel the need to add character or place information, you could type in a note and apply your “Note” style. Your notes would stand out from the rest of the document and they will be marked with a special style.

When you have finished your story, and you do not need the notes any more, or you want to remove them from the document, you will bring up the Atlantis Control Board, display the Styles panel, select your “Note” style, and click “Select paragraphs associated with highlighted style”. Atlantis will automatically select all your “note” paragraphs in the document window. You can copy, cut, delete them all. If you cut them, you can paste them into a new companion document to your story.

Cheers
Robert

[Andremusic]

What I was thinking of is more a way to get specific info together in one place, the way special story develop programs can. I don't need to have it as note in the story itself. That's why I was thinking of a database kind of option. Maybe the clippy bank is the closest to what I want. But these are still separated files that I have to look for instead of being connected to my main document.

[Guest]

Hi,
The program you need is one I run alongside Atlantis (Still the best word processor for writers). Its called Roughdraft and is freeware, you can get it at http://www.rsalsbury.co.uk/rd.htm
Carl

[Andremusic]

Thanks! I will have a look at it.

[Andremusic]

I tried the program,but it is not what I am looking for. What I would like to have is what is mostly called a Character Generator or something like that in special novel/screenplay software. It doesn't need to create anything for me, however, I only needs the possibility to store the info in an organised way.

[Robert]

Greetings--
You might want to have a look at the following freeware applications:

KeyNote at http://www.tranglos.com/free/

TreePad Lite at http://www.treepad.com/

Cheers
Robert

[Andremusic]

Thanks! Looks very promissing, I am going to look at it right away.

André

[Robert]

Greetings–
In the upcoming version of Atlantis, the “Insert | Hyperlink…” dialog includes a “Bookmark from another document” button. You’ll be able to link fragments of text in your stories to bookmarked notes in another document. When you click such a hyperlink, the target paragraph in the other document is automatically displayed. Of course, this is no database feature but it might be quite handy with your notes. You could hyperlink character names, places, events in your story to bookmarked notes in the companion document.
Cheers
Robert

[Andremusic]

Hi Robert,
I think that keynote is what I can use to keep my story info together in one place, a very nice prg! I hope though that somehow, I can do the same in the update of Atlantis. Maybe by adjusting my wishes a little bit, it will be possible as well. It doesn't need to be a real database, as long as I can store the info neatly and easily to look up, AND it stays closely connected with my main document.

[Andremusic]

I found a perfect solution for my problem, strange that I didn't think at it before: I write my character/location/etc info in my document, select it and add it to the cliplibary. Can it be any easier?! That's all I need. I will make an template for the character fleshing out so I will not miss anything in his development, but that is just a mater of minutes.

Thanks for the help!

André

[Robert]

Greetings--
We are glad the Atlantis Clip Library gave you the "perfect solution"!
Cheers
Robert