Getting Started

The Nota Bene word processor is opened automatically when you double-click on the red and black NB icon on your desktop. Ibidem (bibliographic management) and Orbis (multi-file text search and retrieval) can be opened once Nota Bene is open. The functionality of IbidPlus (database for non-bibliographic use) is available from within Ibidem. Ibidem and Orbis can be opened from the main Nota Bene screen in any of three different ways:

•Click the Ibidem or the Orbis buttons at the top of the Nota Bene screen.

•Press F7 to open Ibidem (and IbidPlus) or F4 to open Popup Orbis.

•Click Tools and then Ibidem or Orbis.

When Ibidem and/or Orbis are open, buttons for these programs will be found on your Windows taskbar and you can move from one program to another by clicking the buttons on the taskbar. If you have purchased the Lingua module, support for Hebrew, Arabic, Greek, and Cyrillic is integrated in all parts of the program. See Lingua.

Like any Windows program, you can use the three buttons at the top right of any screen to (1) minimize the screen, (2) maximize or restore the screen or (3) close the program. Closing Nota Bene (the word processor) will close all three programs, but Ibidem and Orbis can be closed independently.

If you have used other Windows word processors, you will find that you can start using Nota Bene at a basic level right away. However, using the program to the fullest potential requires some time and effort. We strongly recommend that you spend some time reviewing some of the instructional materials that are provided before getting started. A modest amount of time invested in the beginning will save you a lot of time in the long run and make your use of Nota Bene easier and more efficient. You do not need to learn all parts of the program at once, but can focus on the parts of the program that will be most useful to you and expand your understanding of the capabilities of the program as you go.

A rich set of tools will help you to use the program, including extensive on-screen Help, as well as sample Nota Bene files, instructional videos, InfoTips, ActionTips and more. For more information about these resources, see NB Learning Tools.

If you would like specific recommendations about where to start and how to use some of the resources that are available, see Suggestions for New NB Users. These recommended exercises start with some basic information and continue with recommendations that allow you to focus on the parts of the program that you think will be most useful.

For optional tips on how to adjust the program to suit your preferences, see Setup.

As in any program, you should always make sure that you have adequately backed up your work. Nota Bene has two mechanisms for automatic backup. If you lose unsaved work, you will usually be able to retrieve it. You should, however, take steps to retrieve your work as soon as you return to Nota Bene so that the backup copies are not overwritten by backup copies of subsequent work. Automatic backup is not a substitute for maintaining regular backup copies of your files. Nota Bene files, including any Ibidem/IbidPlus databases, should be part of a regular program of backing up all of your files. For more information, see Backup and Autosave and Automatic Backup.