Save as pdf dialog and footnote display

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dochomer
Got the styles thing figured out
Posts: 11
Joined: Wed Aug 30, 2006 10:22 am

Save as pdf dialog and footnote display

Post by dochomer »

Well, take it as a sign of impatience in view of repeatedly promised new Mellel features: here come two minor suggestions for features from an otherwise pretty content Mellel-user.

My daily work with Mellel would be eased if

1. a document saved as an pdf would not include the extension 'mellel' as part of the default filename. Example: Instead of proposing 'title.mellel.pdf' 'title.pdf' would be enough.

2. if one could see the footnote in a little window when running the mouse over the respective reference number in the text. Thereby, one could save the trouble scrolling at the bottom of the page each time to verify the footnote's content.

Moreover, I would welcome cross-references and, above all, indexing, two features more appropriate (and badly needed) for a software designed for academic or scientific writing than text flow around graphics that seems to me being rather a layout issue.

Thank you.
Timotheus
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Re: Save as pdf dialog and footnote display

Post by Timotheus »

Cross-references are certainly fundamental, indexing is certainly fundamental, but text flow around graphics is no less fundamental. Word has it, Pages has it, Nisus has it … Many Mellel users are preparing dissertations with tables and / or illustrations; others would like to make decently illustrated readers and / or reports! They all badly need text flow around graphics / tables / images!
donb
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Re: Save as pdf dialog and footnote display

Post by donb »

As of Leopard 10.5.2, when you choose save as pdf from the print dialogue, the word "mellel" is no longer in the name before the pdf. This seems to be a system issue, rather than a Mellel issue. Before 10.5.2, there used to be a message to the effect that you could not have both "mellel" and "pdf" at the end of a title, and the message then asked you to click on which of those you want retained. Now the only wording the system proposes is title.pdf

Leopard 10.5.1 had a giant slew of bugs in it, which were fixed for 10.5.2. I think the problem of being able to change the order of items in the Style Set Menu was one of those bugs, because the problem disappeared immediately I installed 10.5.2.

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zoul
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Re: Save as pdf dialog and footnote display

Post by zoul »

donb wrote:As of Leopard 10.5.2, when you choose save as pdf from the print dialogue, the word "mellel" is no longer in the name before the pdf.
I have 10.5.2 (just checked) and the “.mellel” extension is still there. A mystery! :)
jolinwarren
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Re: Save as pdf dialog and footnote display

Post by jolinwarren »

I also have 10.5.2 and the .mellel still appears before .pdf when saving as a PDF from the print dialogue. I don't think it's a system issue, because other apps (e.g. Pages) don't do this. I agree it would be nice if this were fixed.
dochomer
Got the styles thing figured out
Posts: 11
Joined: Wed Aug 30, 2006 10:22 am

Re: Save as pdf dialog and footnote display

Post by dochomer »

Thank you for the comments.

When I wrote about a lower priority about text flow around graphics / tables / images, I was writing about my own experience that is naturally limited. When preparing a book for publication, text flow is done by the editor, while cross-referencing and indexing is not or, if done, one has to verify it on your own, which can be very time consuming (and boring). But this may vary from country to country, from editor to editor, depending maybe also on the topic's area (humanities or sciences). And certainly this applies only for publications by an editor and not to readers, reports and alike.

Fixing the pdf-saving dialog (at least for those who still are confronted with it) in a next Mellel version should not be a big deal. But is no one missing the footnote notification by pointing the mouse on the reference in the text, one of the very few smart Word-features?
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