[OS X TeX] Re: wishing for an "outlining" mode for TeXShop

[Alain Schremmer]

On Mar 21, 2008, at 9:02 AM, Denis Chabot wrote:

> Hi,
>
> I don't know if this would be very difficult to implement, but  
> given the fact that LaTeX encourages structure, it would be nice to  
> have an "outlining" mode when starting to write new documents, or  
> rethinking the structure of a draft.
>
> Back in the 80s I started using Acta for this purpose but switched  
> to the outlining mode in Word when it became available. It was more  
> useful to me to be able to switch back to an outlining mode at any  
> stage of the production of a document than to stay with the better  
> outlining of Acta, but an outline that did not evolve as my  
> document did evolve.
>
> Now that I move more and more of my writing to LaTeX, I'm left  
> without an outlining mode. I've read a while back that Omni's  
> outliner could export to LaTeX, but this brings me back to Acta: an  
> outline that won't evolve with my document.
>
> I do not require a very complex outliner. For instance, if TeXShop  
> had a switch that made everything but the items that show under the  
> "Labels" button disappear, I could function. I believe this would  
> leave the lines defined as chapters, sections, subsections, etc.  
> visible. No need (well, I would not turn it down if it was offered)  
> to see the first line of regular text paragraphs, like full-fledged  
> outliners do. But if one moves one of these labeled lines around,  
> all the text belonging to that chunk would follow it. If the label  
> (say a subsection) was moved to a different location, the text  
> would move. I supposed that if a chunk was deleted, its text should  
> go too, the user would bear the blame if he/she regretted it later.
>
> Would this be difficult to add to TeXShop? If so can it be added to  
> the wish list?

I don't know about the former but the latter is easy as it was  
already listed under E as a poor man's outliner mode (which I just  
added). However, the point of my keeping this list is not as an  
alternative to SourceForge but just see what kind of interest these  
wishes generates among the members of this list.

A—Line numbers in the source file window (that the Console refers to)

—B—Change font size in the source window (Extant: Source > Font >  
Bigger/Smaller)

C—Change Command I  from meaning Source > Font > Italic to a keyboard  
command for \emph

D— Change Command B from meaning Source > Font > Bold to a keyboard  
command for \textbf

E—A way to collapse one or more sections' text / an outliner mode

F—A Typeset button that does NOT save at the same time

—G—Let the bottom of the source window be standard, with a horizontal  
scroll bar (Extant: Source > Wrap Lines > None)

H—The ability to split the output window as well as the source window  
(if possible with sync)

I—A button on the source window to open the output window (To bypass  
the menu's File > Open for Preview)

—J—Cursor staying put (Extant: Pref > Document > Select on Activate)

K—Colored matched brackets.

Regards
--schremmer