PerServ - using outline

Fig. 1 Five panels of outline. Open directly for largest image.   Fig. 2 Rows 3-5 selected using radio buttons.   Fig. 3 Rows 3-5 being edited.

Overview

An outline is the underlying document type on PerServ. The intention is that this be the future interchange standard for all future text documents.

fig. 1 shows the main screen of the outliner. There are 5 panels, each panel filling the horizontal space.

Panel 1: Menu

The Menu panel is the top panel. It is the one with the dark navy blue background. The Outline Menu is a lighter color than the other menus to designate that we have selected the Ouline app. The port number (46998) and user name (Owner) are shown at bottom of panel.

Panel 2: Status

The status panel is telling us that the default file is open in the Active Scratchpad. Whenever any changes are made, "open" status changes to "changed", the bottom two file panels become unavailable, and the status panel adds three buttons allowing us to go back to "open" status. The three buttons are "save_file", "discard_changes", and "delete_file".

Panel 3: Active Scratchpad

The scratchpad displays the file currently being edited. There are two columns of circular radio buttons. The left column selections selects the top row and the right selects the bottom row. Fig. 2 illustrates selecting rows 3-5.

Returning to Fig. 1, there is a row of buttons across the top. All buttons act on the selected rows as a group. From the left, the first 4 buttons expand, collapse, move left an indent (4 spaces), and move right an indent.

The next 6 buttons move selection up and down in jumps of 1, 3, and 7 lines respectively. The final button opens an edit window where the selected lines may be edited (Fig. 3).

Panel 4: Server files

Returning to Fig. 1, the server can save copies of your active scratchpad by clicking the "save_file" button or change the content by clicking the ""open_file" button.

There is an empty file name, allowing you to add files to the server. As you save files, a new empty file name will appear.

To rename a file, change the file name and save it. Now delete the old file name.

Panel 5: Local files

You can open (import) and save (export) text files directly to your computer. Only text files (i.e. no word documents, images, video, sound, ...) are supported. Reading files is an easy two step process.

Writing files is a fragile process because what happens is totally dependent on browser settings. The location, file name saved, and even whether anything is saved at all is under browser control. If you are having difficulties, check your browser settings.