Formatting Overview

If you have worked with other Windows word processors, you will find that many of the basic formatting commands are the same. For example, in almost any Windows program, there is a B button for bold or you can press Ctrl+B for bold. These tools are also available in Nota Bene. Likewise, the menu options in Nota Bene are similar to those found in other word processors. However, Nota Bene is designed to give the user much more control over formatting than is available in most word processing programs. More keyboard options (both action line and keyboard shortcuts) allow you to direct the program without using the mouse, and many writers appreciate the speed of this method. In addition, Nota Bene gives you more control over exactly how your document will look. It is ideal for producing camera-ready copy for publication.

This Formatting Overview introduces you to the basic concepts of formatting in Nota Bene. These concepts are important to understand if you are to effectively use Nota Bene. Taking a few minutes to read and understand this information is strongly recommended.

In Nota Bene, text is formatted by issuing various format commands. Format commands include mode commands (bold, italic, etc.) and other commands that control the appearance of the text (e.g., spacing, alignment, margins, indentation, tabs and font). The format commands are embedded commands, meaning that when the command is issued, it is inserted in the document, usually at the point of the cursor. Embedded commands are distinct from immediate commands. Immediate commands (such as spell or save) instruct the program to do something immediately (such as check the spelling or save the document), but they leave no record in the file that the command was issued.

Format commands can be issued in a variety of different ways. In most cases, the same command can be issued by using either the menus or the action line. Many format commands can also be issued by using keyboard shortcuts or buttons on toolbars. Finally, the ruler provides one of the most powerful means of issuing some of the format commands and it is probably the easiest and quickest way to set tabs, margins and indentation. Some Nota Bene users have a strong preference for directing the program from the keyboard, and they rely heavily on the action line and keyboard shortcuts to direct the program. Other Nota Bene users prefer to use the mouse, and they use the menus and the toolbar buttons to direct the program.

In general, format commands are effective from the point of insertion until another format command is issued which overrides the first. In other words, at any point in the document, the appearance (or format) of the text is controlled by the most recent relevant command. To the extent that there are no format commands in the body of the document, then the format is controlled by the document defaults (format commands that you inserted at the top of the document or that were inserted when you selected a framework or an academic style). If there are no document defaults, the format is controlled by system default settings. System default settings can be changed through the Preferences dialog. Click Tools, Preferences and then double-click on the property that you would like to change.

Format commands affect the appearance of the text in Page Layout View and when printed. The format commands or codes can be seen and edited in Show Codes View. Show Codes View provides a powerful way of editing the formatting of your document and troubleshooting if there are any unwanted formatting effects. For more information, see Editing in Show Codes View.

Nota Bene's Framework and Academic Styles features provide powerful controls that format your text in accord with specifications that are established as part of the Framework or Academic Style. If you are working within an Framework or an Academic Style, formatting a short block of text (e.g. italicizing a few words) can be done as you would format any block of text provided that the block does not extend from one style to another. To change the formatting of the entire document or of one or more framework components, see Editing a Framework or Editing an Academic Style.