Writer’s Blocks was originally
designed as a place to start writing. You would create your outline and then export the outline to your
word processor where you would complete your project. Writer’s Blocks 3 is
now the place to start and finish
your project with the addition of a built-in word processor with screenplay formatting.
Manuscript Panel
is a full-fledged word processor with screenplay formatting
With the addition the Manuscript Panel, you can now complete your project
with your notes available, all a single program. By selecting the new option to Convert Blocks to Manuscript, your block
information is converted to a word processing format. You can then split your screen and see your blocks on the left and
your manuscript on the right. There
is an adjustable vertical split screen bar that lets you control how big the
block and manuscript panels are.
Your manuscript contains Blockmarks that are links to your original blocks. If you like, you can work only in the Manuscript Panel and reference your original block text by double-clicking on the Blockmarked text. Click anywhere on the Blockmark to have your original block pop up in a small text window.
The Manuscript Panel includes many popular word processor features such as bullets, numbering, tables, borders, grid lines, page breaks, text highlighting, as well as headers and footers.
AutoScript
The AutoScript feature assists you when writing a screenplay, automatically
formatting your script in the standard submission script format. Use the popular Tab and Enter key script formatting
system along with pop-up slugline, scene, character, and transition lists
to format your script.
Blocks-to-Manuscript
Conversion
After you complete your outline, you can transfer the contents of your
blocks to the manuscript panel and begin writing. The title and text of each block is transferred to the manuscript
panel. The title of each block becomes
a Blockmark indicating a separate section of your manuscript.
Manuscript-to-Block
Conversion
You may also convert your manuscript into blocks. The function is useful with importing information from other programs.
Blockmarks
Link blocks to sections of your manuscript using Blockmarks. With AutoScroll on, clicking on a block scrolls
the manuscript to the corresponding section. Conversely, clicking on a Blockmark in the manuscript pans the corresponding
block to the center of the block display area when AutoCenter is turned on.
Synchronize
manuscript
Rearrange your manuscript simply by rearranging your blocks. Blockmarked sections of your manuscript can
be re-ordered based on the new locations of your blocks. Turn on AutoNumber to renumber your Blockmarks
each time your manuscript to synchronized.
Blockmark
pop-ups
When editing your manuscript full screen, double-click on a Blockmark
to display the contents of the corresponding block in a small window over
your manuscript.
Format
individual words/text
You can now format individual words or characters within a block. Each paragraph within a Block can be left,
right and center justified. You can
also set margins for each paragraph within a block.
Column
Insert and Delete
You can now insert and delete columns in your Writer's Blocks documents. There is also a new 'Select All Blocks in Column' function to help
you move blocks from one column to another.
Greater
control when adding new blocks
You can now add a block to a particular column by clicking on the column heading
before adding a new block. Holding
down the Shift key when adding a new block will allow you to drag the new
block to a new location immediately after adding the block.
Greater
block capacity, greater text capacity
Writer's Blocks now allows you to create hundreds of blocks each containing
several pages of text.
Power
Panel displays formatted text
The Power Panel now displays fully formatted block text.
Delete
multiple links
You can now continue deleting links until you are done.
Mouse
wheel scrolling
You can now use your mouse wheel to scroll through your document. Rotating the mouse wheel pans the display
area horizontally. Depressing the
mouse wheel while rotating the wheel will pan the display area vertically. You can also scroll vertically by holding down
the Control key while rotating the mouse wheel.
Right
mouse click functions
Right clicking over the text area in a block will display the Edit menu. Right clicking over the border of a block will display the Block menu. Right clicking over the display area will display the Display menu. Right clicking over the manuscript panel will
display the Edit menu.
Progress
Bar
A progress bar displays the percent complete for many functions such as
Open, Save, Print, AutoSize, Search and Replace, and Block conversions.
Drag-and-Drop
Text
You can now drag-and-drop text between blocks or any
Windows program that supports drag-and-drop. This capability is very useful when collecting information from
other sources such as your internet browser.
Drag-and-drop
Blocks
You can drag-and-drop blocks between open Writer's Blocks files.
New
Export Formats
You can export your outlines and manuscripts as Microsoft Word, RTF, HTML,
and plain text formats.
Import
New Formats
You can import Microsoft Word, RTF, HTML, and plain text files into the
Manuscript panel.
Don't
Split Blocks during Printing Option
Writer's Blocks now has an option to not print partial blocks on a page. If the entire block does not fit, then the block will be printed on
the next page.
Display
Page Breaks
Writer's Blocks can now display page breaks in Block Mode.
Leveling
To Page
You can now arrange your blocks so they fit on one page vertically, using
as many horizontal pages as required.
Leveling
to Blocks per Column
You can still arrange your blocks by specifying the number of blocks are
column by using the leveling function with "Don't Split Blocks"
turned off.
Set
Background Color of Block Display Area
You can now customize the background color of the block display area.
Improved
Printing
Writer's Blocks now allows you to print with greater control to a variety
of paper sizes. The Print Preview
screen now allows you to use your mouse to zoom and scroll with your mouse
wheel. A ruler and grid have been
added to Print Preview to assist with accurate page formatting.
New
Toolbar Buttons
Writer's Blocks contains new toolbar buttons including: Add Block, Block
Panel, Manuscript Panel, Split Panels, Home, End, Arrange, Level, Renumber,
and Resize.
Manuscript
Ruler
A ruler allows you set tabs and margins for individual paragraphs of your
manuscript.
Status
Bar
The Status Bar displays the current page number, line number, cursor column,
and zoom setting of the manuscript.
Headers
and Footers
Create and edit manuscript headers and footers using the Header/Footer
Toolbar.
Bookmarks
Block bookmarks allow you to quickly jump between blocks, panning them
to the center of the display area. Writer's
Blocks now supports an unlimited number of bookmarks.
View
Blocks as Outline
To display and edit your blocks as an Outline, use the View Blocks as
Outline function. Changes made in
Outline View are reflected in your blocks.
View
Outline as Blocks
After editing and formatting in outline view you may convert it back to
blocks using the View Outline as Blocks function.
AutoType
The AutoType feature is a word completion function that learns as you
type. Any word that all ready appears
anywhere in your document will be automatically completed the next time you
enter the first few characters of the word.
Spell
Checking
Writer's Blocks now contains a new, larger dictionary. Add words to your own custom dictionary. The 'Spell As You Type' function offers word suggestions for misspelled
words using a pop-up menu.
Thesaurus
The Writer's Blocks thesaurus offers synonym for the currently selected
word.
Word
Count
Count the number of blocks, words, characters, paragraphs, and lines in your blocks and manuscript.