How about adding 'Segment focus' to Atlantis?

[andygrunt]

When I was looking for a faster loading alternative to Word, one of the applications I considered was WriteMonkey. I eventually opted for the fuller feature set of Atlantis and have been happy with it since but I've kept an eye on WriteMonkey and check out the new versions when they appear. There's a new and experimental feature in WM that I think Atlantis would benefit from.

It's called 'Segment focus'. Basically, all the text is hidden except for the part you're working on. This struck a chord with me as it's the way I tend to work when rewriting - I read through and when I spot something I want to change, I concentrate on the sentence (or paragraph) or two until I'm happy with it, then move on.

Currently, when I find a small part like this, I separate it out by adding a few 'returns' above and below to move the bit I'm working on away from the rest of the text and then connect them back together when I'm done. Being able to select the text to work on and hit a shortcut to hide/unhide the rest of the text would come in handy, I think.

By the way, I also love WM's distraction free, full screen view. Atlantis doesn't quite have the same view (even after changing colour scheme and turning all the options off for the full screen view) - any chance of replicating it (while still showing text formatting)?

Thanks.

[admin]

Being able to select the text to work on and hit a shortcut to hide/unhide the rest of the text would come in handy, I think.

It would be hardly possible to have such a feature in Atlantis. Atlantis does not have a command to "hide" document fragments.

What's more, I personally doubt that many users will be keen to learn new proprietary features of Atlantis if there are much simpler and intuitive solutions. I also add blank paragraphs "above and below", as you do. This technique is very simple. It does not require new features and new hot keys.

By the way, I also love WM's distraction free, full screen view. Atlantis doesn't quite have the same view (even after changing colour scheme and turning all the options off for the full screen view) - any chance of replicating it (while still showing text formatting)?

Please choose the "Text Width" zoom type from the "Zoom" toolbar box before activating the "Full Screen" view mode. You can also set the top & bottom page margins of your document to 0.

[Robert]

Hi Andy,
Here is a possible substitute for ‘Segment focus’.
1. Select the segment you’re working on.
2. Press Ctrl+F8 to append the selection to the Clippy Bank.
3. Switch to the Clippy Bank and edit the pasted text.
4. When you are done, select the Clippy Bank text and press “Ctrl+X”.
5. Switch to the original document using the Document Bar, don’t click in the document window to preserve the selection, then press Ctrl+V. Atlantis will replace the document selection with the edited version from the Clippy Bank.
HTH.
Cheers,
Robert

[andygrunt]

Atlantis does not have a command to "hide" document fragments.

I know - that's why I'm suggesting it as a new feature.

What's more, I personally doubt that many users will be keen to learn new proprietary features of Atlantis if there are much simpler and intuitive solutions. I also add blank paragraphs "above and below", as you do. This technique is very simple. It does not require new features and new hot keys.

Surely, using that logic there'd be no (new) features. For example, why have a spellcheck function as the user can simply read through his text while checking the spelling of each word against a paper dictionary.

For me, the main point of software is to remove as much work from the user as possible, allowing him or her to be able to concentrate on the task at hand, in this case, writing. I don't think an extra button or keyboard shortcut is beyond the grasp of the user especially as he/she has the option not to use it (as with any new feature).

As with all my suggestions, ultimately it's up to the developer(s) to weigh up whether the benefit is worth whatever effort is required to implement it but please bear in mind I'm suggesting this feature after having used it in WM and found it to be useful. It's not a random, abstract idea that popped into my head without evidence of its benefit.

[andygrunt]

Here is a possible substitute for ‘Segment focus’...

Thanks for the suggestion Robert but, for me, it doesn't do what my suggestion would i.e. remove the 'work' needed to isolate the text. I know it's only a few clicks and shortcuts but it's more work than a drag to select the text and a shortcut (or button click) to 'focus' on it.

Not for the first time, it makes me wish Atlantis had a macro recorder (or somesuch). Being able to automate this type of operation might provide a solution without a specific new feature having to be written. It might also allow a one button way to change colour scheme or replicate the WM 'distraction free' view. Hhhmm, I guess that's another feature request then

[Eduardo]

It seems like a very interesting and useful feature. The idea of concentrating on a small block of text independently from the main structure gave me a degree of space and intimacy that allowed me a refresh breath of creativity. Suddenly, I had nothing distracting me.

Robert's suggestion worked well for my first editing. I followed the instructions to the line. The subsequent paragraphs, however, lost their formating, like indents and line spacing when pasting back to the main page.

Is there something that can be done to solve this limitation without causing major programing tweaks? For example: clicking at the beginning of a paragraph while pressing Alt+F8 and having Atlantis copying it to the Clyppy Bank and pasting it back the same way?

I think that the idea of "Segment Focus" is brilliant.

[Robert]

Hi Eduardo,
Things will probably work better if the selection you make in the Clippy Bank includes its final paragraph end mark.
Each paragraph end mark contains the formatting characteristics of the corresponding paragraph, like indents and line spacing.
HTH.
Cheers,
Robert

[Eduardo]

Thank you, Robert. It does work following your suggestion.

Take care,


Eduardo


P.S. Would be possible to automate this function without having to highlight the whole paragraph? I know this requires programming, but it would be another very useful function added to Atlantis.

Cheers.

[Robert]

Hi Eduardo,

Would be possible to automate this function without having to highlight the whole paragraph?

As I said, “indents” and “line spacing” are part of the formatting properties of a paragraph. These are stored in the “paragraph end mark” (shown as a “pilcrow” non-printing symbol). Atlantis, like all other word processors, has only one way of knowing which “paragraph formatting” to apply to a paragraph: it is to use the paragraph formatting properties stored in the corresponding “paragraph end mark”.
So if you want the paragraph formatting properties of a paragraph to be kept when you transfer that paragraph from one location to another, you have to include its “paragraph end mark” in the selection you make.
There is no other way to “automate” this. In all other cases, you have to reformat the new paragraph manually to your liking. But note that paragraph formatting can be applied more or less automatically to any selection using specific styles or Format Palette items.
HTH.
Cheers,
Robert