Dave Jarvis' Repositories

# Overview

This chapter describes how to basic editing functionality.

## First document

Create and open a document as follows:

1. Start {{app.title}}.
1. Click **File → Save As** to save the untitled file.
1. Set the file name to: `metadata.yaml`
1. Save the (empty) file.
1. Click **File → Open** to load the variable definition file.
1. Change **Source Files** to **Variable Files** to list variable definition files.
1. Browse to and select the `.yaml` file.
1. Click **Open**.

The variable definitions appear in the variable definition tab under the heading of **Variables**.

## Basic syntax

The editor supports standard Markdown features listed in [@tbl:markdown-syntax-basic]. While editing, try the toolbar icons to see how formatting appears in the preview tab.

| Style              | Syntax                        |
|--------------------|-------------------------------|
| **Bold**           | `**strong**`                  |
| *Italic*           | `*emphasis*` or `_emphasis_`  |
| ~~Struck text~~    | `~~struck~~`                  |
| Horizontal rule    | `---` on an empty line        |
| Unordered lists    | `- item` or `* item`          |
| Ordered lists      | `1. item`                     |
| Inline `code`      | `` `code` ``                  |
| Links              | `[label](url)`                |
| Images             | `![alt text](resource)`       |
| Blockquotes        | `> quoted text`               |
| Headings           | `#`, `##`, `###`              |

:: Basic Markdown syntax {#tbl:markdown-syntax-basic}

Remember that most of these items are suggestions to the presentation layer.
How they may appear in the final document may differ from what you anticipate.

## Preview

The preview tab updates in real time as you type. For example, if your variable file contains:

```yaml
novel:
  title: "Diary of {{novel.author}}"
  author: "Anne Frank"
```

Then typing:

```
The novel *{{novel.title}}* is a widely read book.
```

Will render as:

> The novel *Diary of Anne Frank* is a widely read book.

To autocomplete variable names:

1. Create a new file.
1. Type in a partial variable value, such as `Dia`.
1. Press [Ctrl+Space]{.kbd} (hold down the [Control]{.kbd} key and tap [Space]{.kbd}).

The editor inserts:

```
{{novel.title}}
```

And the preview tab shows:

> Diary of Anne Frank

## Export

To export your document as a PDF:

1. Click **File → Export As → PDF**.
1. Select a theme from the drop-down list.
1. Click **OK** or press [⏎ Enter]{.kbd}.
1. Choose a file name and location.
1. Click **Save**.

The document will be typeset using ConTeXt and saved as a PDF. You can view it in any PDF reader.

To combine multiple documents into one PDF:

1. Click **File → Export As → Joined PDF**.
1. Or press [Ctrl+Shift+p]{.kbd}.