Smart typing with Type and Fountain

Traverse can recognise familiar plain-text markers while you edit a node and turn them into Type, Fountain, or task information. This lets you keep typing without repeatedly reaching for the Inspector or Format menu.

Enter the marker at the beginning of a line, followed by a space and any text. Traverse removes the marker from the visible node text and applies the corresponding semantic type.

Markdown Type markers

These markers are available when the document uses the Type attribute.

For example, typing # Introduction creates a Heading node whose visible text is Introduction.

Fountain markers

These markers are available when the document uses the Fountain attribute.

Character names also have a faster form: typing @NAME changes the node to Character without requiring a space after @. In Writer view, press Shift-Return after a Character line to create a child Dialogue line.

Task markers

When the document has the Task attribute, Traverse also recognises common Markdown task markers.

• [ ] Task, [] Task, or - [ ] Task creates a To do item.
• [x] Task or - [x] Task creates a Done item.

Reset an inherited type

New lines can inherit an appropriate Type or Fountain element from the previous line. Press Backspace at the beginning of a newly created line to reset an inherited Type to Body or an inherited Fountain element to Action.

Choose a type manually

You do not have to use markers. Click the Type or Fountain icon beside a node to choose from its menu, or use the Format menu. The Format menu also shows the available keyboard shortcuts.

Availability

A document uses either Type or Fountain. Traverse Pro is required to add one of these attributes to a document. If an outline already contains Type or Fountain, its formatting, smart typing, editing, and export behaviour remain available even when Pro is not active.