Note editor
In short: SciNodes notes are Markdown. Write in the Editor view with formatting buttons, or switch to MD to edit the raw Markdown. Click Format to show the formatting bar, use Grammar to have AI suggest corrections, and click Download as Markdown to save a .md file. Notes save automatically.
The same editor is used for project notes, quick notes and Working Notes in Research in Formation.
Write a note
- Open a note, or create one with New Note in the Notes tab.
- Click the title (placeholder "Untitled Note") and type a name. The ".md" after it is a reminder that the note is a Markdown file.
- Click in the body ("Start writing…") and type.
- SciNodes saves as you type. The header shows "Edited time".
Editor and MD views
Switch with the Editor / MD buttons in the note's header.
| View | What you see | Best for |
|---|---|---|
| Editor | Formatted text, like a word processor | Everyday writing with the Format bar |
| MD | The raw Markdown ("Markdown source…") | Pasting Markdown, fixing formatting by hand |
The Format bar
In the Editor view, click Format to show or hide the bar. Select text first, or place the cursor where you want to start.
| Button | Does |
|---|---|
| H1, H2, H3 | Heading 1, 2 or 3 |
| B | Bold |
| i | Italic |
| U | Underline |
| S | Strikethrough |
| X² | Superscript |
| X₂ | Subscript |
| Code icon | Inline code |
| List icons | Bulleted list, Numbered list |
| Quote icon | Blockquote |
| Code block icon | Code block |
| Link icon | Link |
The Sources bar and the Format bar share the same strip, so opening one closes the other.
Indent and outdent
Press Tab to indent and Shift + Tab to outdent. Inside a list, this nests or un-nests the list item. Elsewhere, Tab inserts spaces. Tab doesn't move you out of the editor.
Check grammar
- In the Editor view, click Format.
- Click Grammar. It shows "Checking…" while it works.
- Suggestions are underlined in your note, and the bar says "N suggestions — select underlined text to review."
- Click an underlined phrase. A box shows the original, the suggested replacement and an explanation.
- Click Accept or Reject. Click Accept all to take every remaining suggestion.
To check and apply every suggestion in one go, click Auto-accept ("Check grammar and accept every suggestion") instead of Grammar.
Grammar checking is an AI feature and uses your weekly credits. It checks notes up to 12,000 characters.
Undo and redo
In the Notes tab, the undo and redo buttons in the header step back and forward through your edits to the open note. When there's nothing to step back to, the tooltip says "Nothing to undo in this note".
Download as Markdown
Click Download as Markdown (the download icon in the header) to save the open note as a .md file.
Troubleshooting
- "Write something first to check its grammar." The note is empty. Add text and try again.
- "Check a shorter note (up to 12,000 characters)." Split the note, or check one part at a time.
- "No grammar changes suggested." The checker found nothing to fix.
- "Suggestions could not be placed within this note’s formatting." The checker had suggestions but couldn't match them to your text, often because of formatting. Try the MD view, simplify the formatting, and check again.
- "Your AI credit limit has been reached." Your weekly credits are used up. See Credits and usage.
- "Could not check grammar. Try again." Click Grammar again.
- The Format button is missing. You're in the MD view. Switch to Editor.
FAQ
Do I need to know Markdown?
No. Use the Editor view and the Format bar. SciNodes writes the Markdown for you.
Can I edit a note written by someone else?
No. Notes from other members are read-only.
Does grammar checking change my note without asking?
Only if you click Auto-accept. Grammar marks suggestions and waits for you to accept or reject each one.
Can I open the downloaded note in Word?
The download is a plain Markdown (.md) file. Any text editor opens it, and many writing tools can import Markdown.