> ## Documentation Index
> Fetch the complete documentation index at: https://docs.inkwell.app/llms.txt
> Use this file to discover all available pages before exploring further.

# User Interface Overview

> Tour the editor, panels, menus, and customization options.

Inkwell's native macOS interface is designed for distraction-free writing while keeping powerful formatting, outlining, and AI tools just a keystroke away. This guide introduces the main user interface components.

## Main window layout

When working on a script in Inkwell, the interface centers around three main workspace components:

1. **Editor** (center): Your primary writing canvas, styled in standard Courier Prime formatting.
2. **Project Panel** (left sidebar): A collapsible panel to browse your script's outline, character statistics, and script metadata.
3. **ScrollMap** (right gutter): A visual scrollbar and minimap showing scene structure, search highlights, and revision markers.
4. **Beat Board** (swappable center canvas): Swaps the text editor for a grid of index cards representing your scenes.

## The editor

The editor provides a native, high-performance text canvas. It displays your screenplay with live, automated formatting as you type.

### Key features

* **Live formatting**: Automatic screenplay layout conforming to Fountain syntax.
* **Typewriter scrolling**: Keeps your cursor centered vertically as you type (toggle in the **View** menu).
* **Line numbers**: View or hide line counts in the left margin.
* **Page markers**: Shows industry-standard page breaks (1 page ≈ 1 minute of screen time).
* **Active element readout**: Displays the active paragraph type (Scene Heading, Action, Character, Dialogue, Parenthetical, Transition, Shot) in the status bar.

### Workspace modes

* **Edit mode** (default): Write and edit your screenplay.
* **Focus mode**: Collapses sidebars and status bars for a distraction-free writing environment (toggle in the **View** menu).
* **Beat Board mode**: Displays scenes as index cards for outline organization.
* **Print Preview**: Displays the formatted PDF layout (press `Cmd+P` or toggle preview).

## Project Panel

The Project Panel (left sidebar) manages your script's structure and metadata. Toggle it with `Cmd+[` or use the menu. It contains four tabs:

### Navigation tab

Displays a hierarchical outline of your script:

* **Sections**: Major story divisions (Acts, Sequences, Beats) defined by `#` and `##` in your script.
* **Scene headings**: Every scene beginning with `INT.` or `EXT.`.
* **Notes**: Inline developer notes wrapped in `[[ double brackets ]]`.
* **Synopses**: Summaries of scenes prefixed with `=`.

**Usage**:

* Click any item to instantly jump to that line in the editor.
* Drag and drop outline items to reorder scenes directly.

### Project Info tab

Contains high-level story data:

* **Logline**: A one-sentence summary of your script. Quill AI accesses this to keep responses contextually relevant.
* **Scratchpad**: Freeform outline notes and ideas that travel with the project file without printing.

### Characters tab

Shows all characters detected in your script:

* **Character list**: Names sorted by first appearance.
* **Dialogue statistics**: Displays dialogue count and percentage of total lines for each character.
* **Metadata fields**: Age, gender, biography, and description.

**Usage**:

* Click a character name to highlight their dialogue throughout the editor and outline.
* Edit character biographies so Quill AI has access to their backstory when generating dialogue suggestions.

### Script Info tab

Title page metadata for industry-standard formatting:

* **Title & Subtitle**: Screenplay name and subheadings.
* **Credit**: "Written by", "Story by", etc.
* **Author(s)**: Writer credits.
* **Source**: "Based on..." or adaptions info.
* **Date & Contact**: Draft dates and representation details.

## ScrollMap

The ScrollMap (right gutter) is a visual scrollbar that maps your entire script.

* **Scene Blocks**: Visual blocks indicating scene lengths.
* **Current Position**: Highlighted tracker showing your active page.
* **Character distribution**: Clicking a character in the Characters tab shows where they appear as color stripes on the ScrollMap.
* **Revision indicators**: Shows where edits have been made in revision mode.
* **Scroll & Jump**: Click anywhere on the ScrollMap to jump directly to that page or scene.

## Top menu bar

All commands are mapped to standard macOS native menu hierarchies:

### File menu

* **New Script** (`Cmd+N`): Create a new screenplay tab or window.
* **Open** (`Cmd+O`): Open an existing `.ink` file.
* **Save** (`Cmd+S`): Manually save (auto-save is active in the background).
* **Import**: Bring in Fountain, Final Draft (`.fdx`), or PDF files.
* **Export**: Save as PDF, Final Draft (`.fdx`), or Fountain.
* **Print Preview** (`Cmd+P`): View standard formatted PDF pages.

### Edit menu

* **Undo/Redo** (`Cmd+Z` / `Cmd+Shift+Z`)
* **Cut/Copy/Paste** (standard shortcuts)
* **Find** (`Cmd+F`): Find and replace text.

### View menu

* **Toggle Outline** (`Cmd+[`): Show or hide the left Project Panel.
* **Toggle Quill Panel** (`Cmd+]`): Show or hide the right AI panel.
* **Focus Mode**: Hides sidebars for minimal distraction.
* **Typewriter Scrolling**: Centered cursor mode.
* **Scroll Gutter Map** (`Cmd+Opt+M`): Toggle the ScrollMap visibility.
* **Zoom Controls**: Reset zoom (`Cmd+Opt+0`), Zoom in (`Cmd+=`), and Zoom out (`Cmd+-`).

### Go menu

* **Go to Page…** (`Cmd+L`): Jump to a specific page number.
* **Go to Scene…** (`Cmd+J`): Jump to a scene by scene number or heading.
* **Previous / Next Change** (`Opt+J` / `Opt+K`): Navigate between recent edits.

### Screenplay menu

* **Number Scenes / Clear Scene Numbers**: Automatically manage scene numbers.
* **Lock Script**: Prevent accidental edits during production.

### Revision menu

* **Show Revision Mode** (`Cmd+Opt+R`): Toggle revision color overlays.
* **Previous / Next Revision** (`Cmd+Opt+[` / `Cmd+Opt+]`): Jump to edits.
* **Commit Current Generation**: Accept and lock changes for the active revision color.

### Window menu

* Standard macOS window controls and tab switching.

## Status bar

Located at the bottom of the window:

* **Page count**: Current page total.
* **Word count**: Total words in the document.
* **Active element**: Shows active formatting element (e.g., Action, Dialogue).
* **Save status**: Shows "Saved" or "Saving...".
* **AI credits**: Remaining Quill credits.

## Quill AI panel

Toggle the Quill panel with `Cmd+]` (or `Cmd+0`).

* **Dialogue box**: Chat with Quill to brainstorm, rewrite, or analyze scripts.
* **Smart Model Routing**: Quill automatically routes requests to the best model (e.g. Anthropic) behind the scenes.
* **Inline diffs**: Quill suggests edits that can be accepted or rejected in the document.

## Keyboard shortcuts cheat sheet

Here are the most essential shortcuts:

| Action                   | Shortcut                  |
| ------------------------ | ------------------------- |
| New script               | `Cmd+N`                   |
| Save                     | `Cmd+S`                   |
| Print Preview            | `Cmd+P`                   |
| Find                     | `Cmd+F`                   |
| Toggle Outline           | `Cmd+[` (or `Cmd+1`)      |
| Toggle Quill Panel       | `Cmd+]` (or `Cmd+0`)      |
| Go to Scene              | `Cmd+J`                   |
| Go to Page               | `Cmd+L`                   |
| Previous / Next Change   | `Opt+J` / `Opt+K`         |
| Toggle Revision Mode     | `Cmd+Opt+R`               |
| Previous / Next Revision | `Cmd+Opt+[` / `Cmd+Opt+]` |
| ScrollMap Toggle         | `Cmd+Opt+M`               |
| Zoom In / Out            | `Cmd+=` / `Cmd+-`         |

[See complete shortcuts list →](/reference/keyboard-shortcuts)

## Common UI questions

<AccordionGroup>
  <Accordion title="How do I hide the sidebars?">
    Toggle the outline drawer with `Cmd+[` and the Quill panel with `Cmd+]`. You can also enable **Focus Mode** in the View menu.
  </Accordion>

  <Accordion title="Can I resize the Project Panel?">
    Yes! Drag the divider line between the Project Panel and the editor to resize.
  </Accordion>

  <Accordion title="Can I change the font used in the editor?">
    To ensure 100% compliance with industry pagination rules (1 page ≈ 1 minute), Inkwell locks the editor font to Courier Prime.
  </Accordion>
</AccordionGroup>

## Next steps

<CardGroup cols={2}>
  <Card title="Learn Fountain basics" icon="book" href="/writing/formatting-basics">
    Master screenplay formatting and syntax
  </Card>

  <Card title="Beat Board guide" icon="table-cells-large" href="/writing/beat-board">
    Outline your story visually using index cards
  </Card>

  <Card title="Keyboard shortcuts" icon="keyboard" href="/reference/keyboard-shortcuts">
    Speed up your workflow with shortcuts
  </Card>

  <Card title="Using Quill AI" icon="sparkles" href="/quill-ai/using-quill">
    Learn how to collaborate with your AI co-writer
  </Card>
</CardGroup>