Refactor Update

Hello there!

It has been a while since I last worked on this project. Some of the work I did on it never got released, so it might seem even like an even longer time than it actually has.

So, what has changed? Let's get into it!

UI

I was feeling like the experience accessing functions like toggling the edit mode, downloading or uploading documents was not very user-friendly. The goal of this tool is to help the user to move freely and effortlessly through their information. For this, I have created a simple menu in the bottom-left corner, which shows when you hover it, with the main actions of the app, highlighting the download and upload of the document.

Additionally, the edit mode toggle button is now in the bottom-right corner, and does not stack with the notes taking so much space.

Theme

Dark mode has been always an option (as it is my to-go config), and I have played with it a little bit so it behaves better

 Additionally, now you can control how the notes get colored. The new palette menu (accessible from the action menu in the bottom-right corner) allows you to control the color sprectrum used by the notes. From one single color to the whole hue range. You can also play around with saturation and luminosity.

Animations

I was not happy with the way notes appeared and disappeared when you scroll along the page. I have improved the animation so the grow and shrink seamlessly, which for me is more pleasant.

Images

The use of images in the app is limited to embedding URLs to illustrate your work. I feel like adding options to how the images are displayed could be complicated and not easy to use. But I found easy and useful to be able to show a 'full-screen' versión of the images. For this, now images can be clicked on to appear almost full screen in a modal, for you to see clearly or show in more detail to anyone.

New Line Types

Two new line types have been added:

1. List items: This is a format line that makes item lists clearer. Use "- " at the begining of any line to activate it

2. Spoilers: Maybe you feel like showing the notebook to a player or anyone, but do not want them to see some information. If you find yourself in this position, I've got you covered. "* " starting lines are obscured until you click and hold them.

Saving

Previously, having to download the file each time you made significant changes so you have a backup was quite a hassle. This was a bad experience in my opinion. And though it is still recommended to download a copy of the work sometimes in case of an unexpected crash, I have implemented a system to improve this experience.

After uploading a file and switching to edit-mode, you will be asked to grant writing permissions over that file. During that session, all changes made in any note will be automatically saved to your local file, with no additional confirmation or action required from you.

So, what would the new workflow for a new notebook? Easy!

1. Open the app

2. Change to edit-mode, remove the content of the tutorial and write some lines about your work

3. Download that file to your working directory

4. Upload the file you just downloaded

5. Change to edit-mode. The app will ask for permission to edit the file.

6. Grant permission and keep working

When you are finished, just close the app, and the next time you want to work on the project just repeat steps 4 to 6 and you are good to go

And I think those are the major changes. I am quite happy with the state of the app right now and to be honest the roadmap ahead is empty right now, so it might be a while until I release a new update.

Anyway, thanks for reading and using the tool. Any feedback is always welcome. Remember to take care of yourself and the people you love.

Jose