TreePad: Getting Started

Copyright 1996 - 2003, Freebyte!
TreePad homepage: http://www.treepad.com

Introduction

Welcome! TreePad is very easy to use. This short guide will help you get started. It explains TreePad's basic functions like adding and moving nodes, and adding and changing text. (If you are not a new user, you may want skip this guide and start using TreePad right away.)
For a complete reference of all of TreePad's features, information on other TreePad versions, and more, click Manual in your Start Menu's TreePad folder.

Your First Look

Let's open a TreePad file. In your Start Menu's TreePad folder, click "Manual." TreePad should appear, with the User Guide ready to view.

As you can see, TreePad has two main sections:

1. The tree (on the left). The tree contains nodes (the tree's "branches").
2. The article area (on the right), a text viewer and editor. When you click a node in the tree, that node's article (text) appears.

Articles can contain any text you wish. You can edit them as you would in any text editor. You can copy and paste text into them from other programs, and vice versa.

You can add or delete nodes, rename them, move them—even copy and paste them in the tree. Nodes can contain any number of sub-nodes—which can contain their own sub-nodes, and so on. This lets you organize your articles into topics, sub-topics, sub-sub-topics—however you wish!

When a node contains sub-nodes, a small + appears by its name. To open the node and see the sub-nodes, click the + or just double-click the node's name. (Try it now.)

A small – now appears next to the node to remind you that it is open. To hide its sub-nodes, click the – or just double-click the node's name. (Try it now.)

(Note: If you double-click a node too slowly, TreePad assumes you want to change the node's name. If this happens, just press Enter, then double-click the node again.)

Using the Tree

To add a node:

1. Right-click the tree with your mouse.
2. In the menu that appears, click Insert Node.
3. In the sub-menu, click the kind of node you want to add:
   - Child—adds a sub-node to the node you clicked.
   - Before—adds a normal node above the node you clicked.
   - After—adds a normal node (not a sub-node) below the node you clicked.
4. Type the name of your new node, then press Enter.

> Tip: You can also quickly add a sub-node by (left-) clicking a node (or moving the highlight to it with the Up/Down arrow keys) then pressing Insert.

To delete a node:

1. Right-click the node you want to delete.
2. In the menu that appears, click Delete Node.

> Tip: You can also quickly delete a sub-node by (left-) clicking it, then pressing Delete.
> Important: When you delete a node, all sub-nodes it contains are deleted too!

To change a node's name:

1. Right-click the node.
2. In the menu that appears, click Edit Node Name.
3. The node's name becomes an edit box.
4. Type the new name, then press Enter.

> Tip: You can also quickly edit a node's name by (left-) clicking it, then pressing F2.

To show and hide a node's sub-nodes:

- Click the small + (show) or – (hide) next to its name, or
- Double-click the node's name.

> Tip: You can also show and hide sub-nodes by using the Up/Down arrow keys to select the node, then pressing + or – on your numeric keypad.

To move a node into another node:

- Click and drag the node to the target node.
- When you release it, it becomes a sub-node of the "target" node.

> Important: When you move a node, all of its sub-nodes move with it.

To move a node within its current level:

1. Hold Shift, then click and drag the node.
2. When you release it, it moves to the new position (but does not become a new sub-node of another node).

Using the Article Area

To view an article:

- Click the node containing the article you want to see.

> To see more of the article (if is longer than the content area):

1. Click the article, or press Ctrl+Tab, to move to it.
2. Use PgUp/PgDn, the Up/Down arrow keys, or the scrollbar (at right).

> Tip: You can also make the article area larger by:

- Resizing the TreePad window, or
- Dragging the vertical separator bar (between the tree and article area).

To edit an article:

1. Click the node containing the article you want to edit.
2. Click the article, or press Ctrl+Tab, to move to it.
3. Edit the text as you would in any word processor or text editor.

> Tip: Right-click the article to see many useful editing commands.

Your Own TreePad File

Now that you know TreePad's basic functions, why not create your own TreePad file?:

1. On the File menu, click New. A new TreePad file appears.
2. Type the name of your first node, then press Enter.
3. Add whatever nodes and article text you like.
4. Have fun!

> Tip: To save your new file at any time, click Save on the File menu. (If you exit TreePad without saving your changes, TreePad will ask if you want to save them.)

Technical writer: Andy Fielding (www.andyfielding.com)