Quick keys

[Javalarc]

Hello Steve,

 

Love you, love your show.

 

I LOVE the interface of your software, I think it's the most unique out there on the market right now. Here are some issues I've had with your awesome software that either I haven't found remedies to in Storyist, or they simply are not there. Mostly, quick keys that save time and let the writer flow more easily on the Screenplay format.

 

1. When one hits ENTER twice, Scene Heading should automatically come up instead of Select Style. Why? Because anything else wouldn't make sense; the TAB button already is there for Characters, if you hit TAB twice it goes to Transitions, the third time you hit TAB it then goes to Scene Heading, which I think is a great option. I would just like to see double ENTER also go to Scene Heading instead of giving me options, of which most have no place.

 

There are really only three options it can go in my experience: Scene Heading, Shot or End of Act. Possibly, when one hits ENTER button twice it can go to Scene Heading, three times go to Shot, four times go to End of Act (though I've been reading on the forums and I think you have this already), five times takes you back to Action or Defult or Option menu. It may seem like a lot, but the less I have to use my arrow keys to scroll through something the better, in my humble opinion. One reason for not hitting the arrow keys is because my right hand needs to leave the primary keys. To me, it just wastes time and breaks the flow of writing.

 

2. On the topic of Scene Heading, I think it could also be faster (unless I'm not using Storyist to its full potential now, which may be the case). I feel it should do this (if it already does, I apologize in advance):

 

When I am on Scene Heading, three options should pop up: INT., EXT. and I./E.

When I hit the letter "I" only two should appear as you already have it, however, when I hit ENTER it doesn't add a period and a space for me to the description of the scene. When I hit ENTER after typing "I", it just adds "INT" without a period or a space that the writer is going to have to add there anyway. This may seem like I'm just being lazy, but I learned format by manually entering all margins, spaces, caps, etc. in Microsoft Word, trust me, when you save time on things like this, it starts to add up page by page until the writer accumulatively saves themselves hours of tiny formatting issues and helps focus on the meat.

 

Another thing is when I put down the description, for example:

"INT. DIMLY LIT KITCHEN"

I feel as if one should be able to hit ENTER or TAB and have it add a space, dash mark or dash marks, another space and option pop up for the time of day. For example:

"INT. DIMLY LIT KITCHEN -- AFTERNOON" or

"INT. DIMLY LIT KITCHEN - DUSK"

 

As you have it right now, it just goes to action without time of day. It should also have an option to leave blank as you have it, just in case one hasn't figured out the time of day yet. After putting in the time of day, when you hit ENTER again, it should drop down to Action.

 

3. Character's CONT'D: It feels like if the same character was talking before and after Action, Storyist should add (CONT'D) automatically, with the option to add to it or delete it if need be. For example: Let's say one has a script where a person started a sentence that finished in his mind. One should be able to either add (V.O.) to (CONT'D) or delete (CONT'D) and just add (V.O).

 

4. Parenthetical: The TAB button while in the Dialogue is great, however, I think it should just add the starting parenthetical for you when you hit TAB while you are in Dialogue, i.e. " ( ". Then, after you type whatever goes after that, when one hits ENTER, it should add the end parenthetical " ) " as it goes back to the Dialogue.

 

Another program, I think Movie Magic, automatically puts it in the style of Parenthetical when one hits a parenthesis key, this is good however, Storyist has more going for it because it doesn't do this and provides an option of putting parentheticals in the actual Dialogue, which saves page space as well as time if one were so inclined.

 

5. There is no Fullscreen button on the Toolbar, nor an option to add it to the Toolbar. I think it would be worthwhile as this feature is really smooth and concise while still being able to do all things that you can do out of Fullscreen mode. The pop out Project View on the left side is a masterstroke.

 

 

I futzed with Storyist A LOT today and found a great deal of awesome things notably the Character Sheets. I apologize in advance if things I suggested were already on the plate or on the drawing board, but if they are finding them should be a bit easier. I will be a staunch supporter of Storyist if these options were instituted. Thanks for your time.

 

Sincerely,

Javalarc

[thealtruismsociety]

BTW - Welcome to the forums Javalarc.

[Javalarc]

thanks altruistic one!

 

Sincerely excited to be here,

Javalarc

[Joolissa]

Very nice suggestions. I haven't played with the Script template enough to understand all of them, but I'm sure Steve will drop by to comment. One thing I definite second is to have the full screen button! I like that idea.

 

Well, welcome to our band of Merry Writers Java! We're all a bit mad here...

 

Off to get some coffee now.... javajavajavajava

- Jools

[Steve]

Hi Javalarc,

 

Welcome to the forums and thanks for the kind words and the detailed requests. Comments below.

 

1. When one hits ENTER twice, Scene Heading should automatically come up instead of Select Style. Why? Because anything else wouldn't make sense; the TAB button already is there for Characters, if you hit TAB twice it goes to Transitions, the third time you hit TAB it then goes to Scene Heading, which I think is a great option. I would just like to see double ENTER also go to Scene Heading instead of giving me options, of which most have no place.

 

There are really only three options it can go in my experience: Scene Heading, Shot or End of Act. Possibly, when one hits ENTER button twice it can go to Scene Heading, three times go to Shot, four times go to End of Act (though I've been reading on the forums and I think you have this already), five times takes you back to Action or Defult or Option menu. It may seem like a lot, but the less I have to use my arrow keys to scroll through something the better, in my humble opinion. One reason for not hitting the arrow keys is because my right hand needs to leave the primary keys. To me, it just wastes time and breaks the flow of writing.

 

You're right that starting a new scene should take as few keystrokes as possible. Since many people use the return shortcut to discover what styles are available to them, I'm not sure removing the Return shortcut is the best way to accomplish this.

 

Currently, there are a couple of ways to create a new scene without taking your fingers off the keyboard:

 

1) Return, Return, "s", Return: If you're in action, pressing Return twice brings up the style chooser, typing "s" selects Scene Heading, and pressing Return a third third time applies it. If you had previously used the style chooser to create a scene, Scene Heading is already selected when you bring up the style chooser, so the sequence is: Return, Return, Return.

 

2) Control+Shift+4: This auto-assigned shortcut gets you there right away.

 

3) Tab, Tab, Tab: If you're in action, pressing Tab three times cycles you back to Scene Heading.

 

One of the things on my list is adding the ability to assign your own shortcuts to styles, and I think this might be the best solution. In this scenario, you would be able to assign Ctrl+S or Cmd+1 to Scene Heading. This approach requires fewer keystrokes, and lets you assign a mnemonic if you want to.

 

Another option is to carry the Command+Return shortcut into the text editor. Currently, if you're in the outline or storyboard views, Command+Return inserts a new scene. Why not in the text editor as well?

 

2. On the topic of Scene Heading, I think it could also be faster (unless I'm not using Storyist to its full potential now, which may be the case). I feel it should do this (if it already does, I apologize in advance):

 

When I am on Scene Heading, three options should pop up: INT., EXT. and I./E.

When I hit the letter "I" only two should appear as you already have it, however, when I hit ENTER it doesn't add a period and a space for me to the description of the scene. When I hit ENTER after typing "I", it just adds "INT" without a period or a space that the writer is going to have to add there anyway. This may seem like I'm just being lazy, but I learned format by manually entering all margins, spaces, caps, etc. in Microsoft Word, trust me, when you save time on things like this, it starts to add up page by page until the writer accumulatively saves themselves hours of tiny formatting issues and helps focus on the meat.

 

You can set Storyist up to do this now:

 

1) Select the script in the Project view.

2) Choose Project > Edit "My Script" Preferences

3) Click the Edit Completions Button

4) Select the Scene Intros tab

5) Add a period and a space to the end of each completion.

 

Another thing is when I put down the description, for example:

"INT. DIMLY LIT KITCHEN"

I feel as if one should be able to hit ENTER or TAB and have it add a space, dash mark or dash marks, another space and option pop up for the time of day. For example:

"INT. DIMLY LIT KITCHEN -- AFTERNOON" or

"INT. DIMLY LIT KITCHEN - DUSK"

 

As you have it right now, it just goes to action without time of day. It should also have an option to leave blank as you have it, just in case one hasn't figured out the time of day yet. After putting in the time of day, when you hit ENTER again, it should drop down to Action.

 

Interesting idea. Let me think about this for a little bit.

 

3. Character's CONT'D: It feels like if the same character was talking before and after Action, Storyist should add (CONT'D) automatically, with the option to add to it or delete it if need be. For example: Let's say one has a script where a person started a sentence that finished in his mind. One should be able to either add (V.O.) to (CONT'D) or delete (CONT'D) and just add (V.O).

 

Agreed. That would be a useful addition.

 

4. Parenthetical: The TAB button while in the Dialogue is great, however, I think it should just add the starting parenthetical for you when you hit TAB while you are in Dialogue, i.e. " ( ". Then, after you type whatever goes after that, when one hits ENTER, it should add the end parenthetical " ) " as it goes back to the Dialogue.

 

Another program, I think Movie Magic, automatically puts it in the style of Parenthetical when one hits a parenthesis key, this is good however, Storyist has more going for it because it doesn't do this and provides an option of putting parentheticals in the actual Dialogue, which saves page space as well as time if one were so inclined.

 

Storyist could certainly type the parenthesis for you. I'm not sure I follow why you don't like it typing the closing parenthesis for you when it types the opening one.

 

5. There is no Fullscreen button on the Toolbar, nor an option to add it to the Toolbar. I think it would be worthwhile as this feature is really smooth and concise while still being able to do all things that you can do out of Fullscreen mode. The pop out Project View on the left side is a masterstroke.

 

Yes, it would be nice if there were a toolbar icon, at least as an option.

 

I futzed with Storyist A LOT today and found a great deal of awesome things notably the Character Sheets. I apologize in advance if things I suggested were already on the plate or on the drawing board, but if they are finding them should be a bit easier. I will be a staunch supporter of Storyist if these options were instituted. Thanks for your time.

 

Thanks again for the requests. Don't worry about posting something that has already been requested. If anything, it tells me that more than one person thinks it is important.

 

-Steve

 

p.s. Any interesting history to your screen name, Javalarc?

[Steve E]

Hi Javalarc and welcome!

 

1. Sense or not, I prefer Select Style for the double-Enter because I've found I've needed various other styles as much as I've needed Scene Heading. Yes, there are other ways to get the menu, not the least of which is the placard on the bottom. But note that the placard also lists shortcuts, including one for Scene Heading.

 

2. Yes, I agree. The INT., EXT. and I./E. should include the period as a default. These are abbreviations, after all. Seconded.

 

3. Yes, it would be convenient to have (CONT'D) pup up automatically if the same character shows up after an Action, as long as the character is in the same scene. But it isn't a major inconvenience otherwise. Just type a "(" and select (CONT'D) from the menu.

 

4. Nice. Seconded.

 

5. I think this might have been suggested back in '08. In any event, seconded.

 

Good to have you aboard.

- Thoth.

[Steve]

5. I think this might have been suggested back in '08. In any event, seconded.

 

Full screen mode wasn't released until June 2009.

 

-Steve

[thealtruismsociety]

I like the sound of 2, 3 and 4.

[Steve E]

Full screen mode wasn't released until June 2009.

My bad. It was 2007 !!! It just took you until June 2009. Not that I'm criticizing. (Bookmarks.)

 

It was a Feature Request on Oct. 26, 2007, 11:21 AM by FredSmith.

Click here.

 

Titular Master of the Forum.

- Thoth.

[Steve]

My bad. It was 2007 !!! It just took you until June 2009. Not that I'm criticizing. (Bookmarks.)

 

It was a Feature Request on Oct. 26, 2007, 11:21 AM by FredSmith.

Click here.

 

Titular Master of the Forum.

- Thoth.

 

I don't see a request for a toolbar icon there...

[Joolissa]

Titular Master of the Forum.

- Thoth.

 

Indeed.

[Steve E]

I don't see a request for a toolbar icon there...

It's the first feature request for fullscreen mode.

(Where else would anyone reasonably put a fullscreen mode button except the tool bar?)

-Thoth

[Javalarc]

Hey again!

 

Thanks to all for the warm welcome and quick responses to the suggestions.

 

Let me breakdown all of these, with responses to the respective members. The heftiest being numero uno:

 

1. Let me break this down to plead my case on why I believe this to be important and a large saver of time. Let's start on the Select Style options and why most shouldn't be there. Hitting ENTER twice will bring these options up:

 

ACTION - We are already in Action. Why do we need an option to go where we already are and don't want to be anymore? [Also, this is different than when you're in Action, you hit ENTER and it goes down to a new paragraph Action. This provides a line in between paragraphs, which Storyist already does and I feel is proper.]

 

CHARACTER - If we are already in Action and we hit TAB, it goes to Character. Why do we need this as an option when the option is already there?

 

DIALOGUE - If we are in Action, why would we need to go directly to Dialogue without a Character name preceding it? I have never seen this done, I don't believe it has been.

 

PARENTHETICAL - Again, we are already in action. The only use for a parenthetical margin is in Dialogue. There should be no dialogue without a Character name proceeding it.

 

SCENE HEADING - It is my opinion it should automatically go here. It is the thing you will most want when hitting ENTER button twice.

 

SHOT - This is useful, and my belief that it would go well with customizable command keys.

 

TRANSITION - In Action, all you have to do is hit TAB twice. It's perfect the way it is. Why do we need a drop down menu for it?

 

DEFAULT - In Action it provides a straight new paragraph without the extra line as described in ACTION above. I think this is useful, however, I don't see myself using this as much as a straight Action or Scene Heading.

 

All in all, this is why I feel the Select Style pop up is needless when hitting the double ENTER. At the very least, the only ones that make sense being in that Select Style drop down are: Scene Heading, Shot, Transition, Default. If these were the only options I could see this.

 

Perhaps: the solution could be double ENTER for Scene Heading, triple ENTER for Select Style menu.

 

 

2. @ Steve, you are right sir. Thank you much! That is a very useful tool to know. Thank you for considering the second part of this one.

 

@Thoth. I also opt for a space after the period because the writer is going to have to do it anyway. Storyist already has this option… which is awesome.

 

 

3. @ Thoth. Yes, as long as it was in the same scene with the same characters dialogue directly preceding it after an Action. It isn't a major inconvenience, but all these suggestions are time savers and make things easier when all you have to do is enter the first letter of the characters name hit ENTER and you could already be typing dialogue when you could still be looking for the 9 button. In my opinion, anywho.

 

 

4. Glad we all agree.

@ Steve, I think you may have misunderstood. I want Storyist to put both parenthesis there: The first when in Dialogue and one hits TAB. The second, when in Parenthetical and one hits ENTER.

 

Hitting ENTER while in Parenthetical would close the parenthesis and at the same time go back to Dialogue margin without skipping a beat.

 

5. Coooo.

 

I think I might have found a strange error when one hits Option+CMD+T in Fullscreen mode. It looks like it should bring up the Project View on the left without popping out, but it looks like just a grey bar.

 

 

Anyway. Awesome job thus far, Steve. I am thoroughly impressed.

 

Sincerely,

Javalarc

 

P.S. Javalarc is an abbreviation of my First, Middle and Last names.

[Javalarc]

Accidentally posted twice. Oh, the eye strain!

 

Sincerely,

Javalarc

[Joolissa]

Accidentally posted twice. Oh, the eye strain!

Happens to the best of us.