A Very Simple (too simple) Style Question

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samuelmuindi
Posts: 15
Joined: 2005-01-18 15:38:02

A Very Simple (too simple) Style Question

Post by samuelmuindi »

I have owned Nisus Writer Pro for years, but the one thing that has prevented me from using it as my main word processor is that I simply can't figure out how to create 3-4 simple styles that would be available in any document I open in Nisus. Every time I think I have it figured out I find out that I'm wrong, and the "Help" documentation is so detailed that I can't seem to figure out how to set up the 3-4 basic styles that I rely on almost instinctively in MS Word. The thing is that I hate MS Word and want to switch.

So can some patient soul tell me how to create this style that will be available in all documents?
-Palentino font, 1.5 line spacing, indented 1/4 inch for the second line, activated by "command +`"

Honestly, I'm usually pretty good at such stuff (particularly in Word), but I'm embarrassed to admit this is just defeating me.
exegete77
Posts: 200
Joined: 2007-09-20 17:58:56

Re: A Very Simple (too simple) Style Question

Post by exegete77 »

Howdy. If you go to Preferences > New File > Advanced. On the right side, click on “Open for Editing”. That opens the Nisus New File.dot. Then create styles as you normally would. When you are finished, then you can save that Nisus New File. Close the preferences. From now on, every new document will have those additional styles.

For your particular style if you want it in the Nisus New File: at the bottom left of that style page, click on the plus sign. Give that new style a name. Then be sure your palettes are open, and select the button with T (formatting). Click on the font drop down and choose Palatino. Then below the font drop down find the line spacing; if it says “Fixed, then click to change it to multiple. Click arrow (up or down) till you get 1.5 line spacing. Then on the top of the page, select the left margin (middle button) and drag to the right until it is 1.25 (1 inch for the page margin, then ¼ inch for the second margin. The top button should stay at the left margin (meaning the first line will be at the edge, and the next line will be indented ¼ inch.)

Now for keyboard shortcut, go back to Preferences, click on Menu keys, on left choose Format > Paragraph Styles > Paragraph style name. In the window on right, select your keyboard shortcut (Command will be automatically added). Click Set button. And close out of Preferences.

You might want to check about whether that shortcut is used by the System.

If you have an existing document that you want to add those styles to, then open that file, click on the Style button and select “Import from Style Library.” You should find the Nisus New File and you can click the check box next any of those styles and import it.
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martin
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Re: A Very Simple (too simple) Style Question

Post by martin »

Thanks for detailing all that out exegete. I'll just add one extra tip:
exegete77 wrote:Now for keyboard shortcut, go back to Preferences, click on Menu keys...
If one is just adjusting keyboard shortcuts for styles, there's a place for this in the stylesheet. In each style's display area (eg: where you see the preview and attribute bubbles), there's a field labelled "Shortcut". If one clicks into that field and activates/presses a keyboard shortcut, it will be recorded and set for that style.
samuelmuindi
Posts: 15
Joined: 2005-01-18 15:38:02

Re: A Very Simple (too simple) Style Question

Post by samuelmuindi »

Outstanding. Many many thanks, your directions were perfect. I really do want to switch over to Nisus, but there is something about the way that the documentation is written that makes it hard to follow. Now that you've directed me to the "New File" preference I should be able to sort the rest out for myself.

Thanks again
samuelmuindi
Posts: 15
Joined: 2005-01-18 15:38:02

Re: A Very Simple (too simple) Style Question

Post by samuelmuindi »

Sorry one more question.

MS Word has an auto-correct feature that fixes a double capital typo.

For example:

AFrica into Africa

Is there anything like this in Nisus? I'm finding this is another one of those small things that I've gotten used to.
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martin
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Re: A Very Simple (too simple) Style Question

Post by martin »

Nisus Writer does have that feature, but only for mistakes made at the start of a sentence, not proper nouns. In the "QuickFix" preferences, turn on "fix capitalization at the start of sentences". It works on a per-language basis, so you might want to turn it on for all the languages you use.
samuelmuindi
Posts: 15
Joined: 2005-01-18 15:38:02

Re: A Very Simple (too simple) Style Question

Post by samuelmuindi »

Thanks Martin, I found that one. Unfortunately I tend to make this mistake in the middle of sentences. Ah well, one can't have everything.
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