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A note-taking file is a Nota Bene file that is dynamically linked to a record in your Ibidem database, and is used for taking notes on that work. The note-taking file can be generated by selecting a record in your database, and then clicking the Create New Link button (a multi-colored button on the Ibidem toolbar at the top of the screen). The file that is generated will have a bibliographic citation at the top followed by the contents of the keywords and abstract/annotations fields from your Ibidem record. You can then add as many pages of your own notes as you want, entering short form citations as you go. If you copy text from your note-taking file to a paper that you are writing and if that text includes citations, the citations will retain their link to your Ibidem database, and can be reformatted to match the style of your paper.
To see an example of a note-taking file, open Ibidem, open the DemoDB database and click on record number 8. Double-click on the green "Note-Taking File" link in the Note Link field.
Note-taking files can be searched using a special Orbis textbase for "Files Linked to Ibidem." They can be backed up as part of your database when you create a backup copy of your database.
To generate a new note-taking file:
| 1 | Open the bibliographic database and select the record for which you want to generate a note-taking file. |
| 2 | Open the Links dialog in one of the following ways: |
| • | Click the Create New Link button (a multi-colored button on the Ibidem toolbar at the top of the screen). |
| • | Right-click in the Note Link field, then click New Link. |
| 3 | In the Links dialog, select Note-Taking File. |
| 4 | Make sure that Auto Name Mode is checked or see Note-Taking Files Options for a description of other options. When Auto Name Mode is checked, the note-taking file that is generated will use the following name and location. These default settings are recommended. |
| Filename: The filename used for the corresponding database, followed by a dash then the record number of the corresponding record |
| Location: A subfolder of the folder that contains the database files will be created with the same name as the filename used for the corresponding database, followed by the number 1. |
| 5 | Use the dropdown list to select paper size. Note-taking files can be formatted for American 8.5x11 paper, 5x8 note card, 4x6 note card, or European A4 paper. |
| 6 | Click OK. The Links Insert/Edit dialog will open. |
| 7 | On the left side of the dialog, you should see that Note: 8x11 has been selected (or whatever paper size you chose in step 5). |
| 8 | On the right side of the dialog, the Description and Filename will be filled in. |
| • | The Description field is the text that will appear in green in the Record Link field of the Ibidem record. The default for this is simply "Note-Taking File." |
| • | The Filename is simply the name of the database followed by a hyphen, then the number of the record and the Nota Bene extension (.nb). You should normally accept this default setting. |
| • | Finally, you can choose the citation Style for the heading of the Note-Taking file. When the Note-Taking file is created, the citation automatically appears at the top of the file, followed by the keywords for that record, followed by any annotations in that record, followed by the word Notes. The rest of the file is left blank for the insertion of your own notes. |
| • | If you check the Auto-update box next to the Style box, the information in the heading of the Note-Taking file will change if the information in the Ibidem record changes. The heading will be displayed in blue (to show that it is dynamic, like an Ibidem citation). Each time you open the Note-Taking file, the text in the heading will be updated. Taking as an example the above Note-Taking file for Byrd's "Cultural Patterns of Identity Definition," if you add the the keyword "ritual" to the Ibidem record, that new keyword will appear in the heading the next time you open the file. You can also turn on the Auto Update feature for linked Note-Taking files by clicking Links, Auto Update. [Note that this option is global--it applies to all files, not just the current note-taking file. Note also that data will not be updated in a linked file if that file is not reopened, even if the data in the database to which it is linked is changed. Finally, if you have added text to any linked field in the heading of the Note-Taking file that is not in the Ibidem record for that source, it will be DELETED if you have the Auto Update option on.] |
| 9 | Click OK to generate the note-taking file. |
A Nota Bene file for taking notes will be created and opened, and a green "Note-Taking Link" will be placed in the Note Link (L#) field for the Ibidem record. You can take your reading notes in the Nota Bene file that has been created. Save and close your note-taking file as you would save and close any Nota Bene file.
For options available for note-taking files in the Create Links dialog, see Create Note-Taking Files Options.
You can return to the note-taking file any time by clicking the Open Note-Taking Link button that is next to the Create New Link button. See Opening Note-Taking File.
Each paragraph that should be attributed (a quotation, a summary, etc.) can be tagged with a page number. See Note Taking File: Adding Citations.
For more information on the location of note-taking files including instructions on how to change the location, see Note-Taking Files Location.
You should retain backup copies of your Note-Taking files. This can be done by making copies of the Note-Taking files directly, or by using File, Backup Database. See Ibidem Backup.
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