Adding and Editing Notes¶

This guide walks you through the note-taking features in OpenContracts, including creating notes, editing them, and managing version history.

Overview¶

Notes in OpenContracts are markdown-based annotations that can be attached to specific locations in documents. Each note maintains a complete version history, allowing you to track changes over time and revert to previous versions if needed.

Creating a New Note¶

There are two ways to create a new note:

1. Using the Floating Action Button¶

• When viewing a document in the Knowledge Base panel (the right-side panel showing notes, annotations, and summaries), look for the floating "+" button in the bottom-right corner
• Click it to open the new note creation modal
• Enter a title and content for your note
• Click Create Note to save

2. From the Document Context¶

• Right-click on any text selection or annotation in the document
• Select Add Note from the context menu
• The note will be automatically linked to that location

Editing Existing Notes¶

Opening the Editor¶

To edit an existing note: - Double-click on any note card in the knowledge base - Or click the edit icon that appears when hovering over a note - The note editor will open with the current content

Editor Interface¶

The note editor provides a split-screen interface:

Left Panel - Markdown Editor¶

• Write your notes using standard Markdown syntax
• Real-time syntax highlighting
• Auto-save indicator shows when you have unsaved changes

Right Panel - Live Preview¶

• See how your markdown will be rendered
• Updates as you type
• Supports tables, lists, code blocks, and more

Header Information¶

The editor header displays: - Document name - Which document this note belongs to - Current version - The active version number - Last modified - When the note was last updated

Version History¶

Viewing History¶

1. Click the Show History button in the editor's action bar
2. The version history panel slides out from the right
3. Each version shows:
4. Version number and status (Current/Latest)
5. Author email
6. Creation timestamp

Exploring Versions¶

• Click on any version to expand and view its content
• The selected version's content appears in a preview box
• Current version is highlighted in blue
• Selected versions are highlighted in purple

Version Actions¶

Each historical version offers two actions:

Reapply as New Version¶

• One-click restoration of a previous version
• Creates a new version with the old content
• Preserves the complete history chain
• Use when you want to quickly revert changes

Edit from This Version¶

• Loads the historical content into the editor
• Allows you to make modifications before saving
• Useful for branching from an older version
• Editor shows "Editing from v[X]" indicator

Saving and Version Creation¶

Automatic Versioning¶

• Every save creates a new version automatically
• No manual version management required
• Complete content snapshots preserved

Save Indicators¶

• Green dot appears next to Save button when changes exist
• "Unsaved changes" badge in the header
• Warning on close if you have unsaved work

Save Workflow¶

1. Make your changes in the editor
2. Click Save Changes or use keyboard shortcut
3. New version is created with your changes
4. Success toast confirms the version number
5. Version history updates automatically

Advanced Features¶

Editing from Specific Versions¶

When editing from a historical version: - The editor loads that version's content - An indicator shows which version you're editing from - Saving creates a new version, branching from that point - Original version remains unchanged

Keyboard Shortcuts¶

• Ctrl/Cmd + S - Save changes
• Esc - Close editor (with confirmation if unsaved)

Performance Features¶

• Virtualized scrolling for long content
• Responsive layout adapts to screen size
• History panel width adjusts on smaller screens

Best Practices¶

1. Write Descriptive Content: Since notes support full Markdown, use headings, lists, and formatting to organize information clearly

2. Regular Saves: While the editor tracks changes, save regularly to create version checkpoints

3. Version Exploration: Use the version history to understand how a note evolved over time

4. Meaningful Titles: Choose clear, descriptive titles that help identify notes at a glance

Troubleshooting¶

Unsaved Changes Warning¶

If you see "Save current changes first" when trying to edit from a version: - Save your current changes first - Then retry the version action

Permission Errors¶

• Only the note creator can edit their notes
• Contact the note owner if you need changes made

Large Content Performance¶

• For very long notes, the editor uses virtualized rendering
• If experiencing lag, try breaking content into multiple notes

Technical Details¶

Storage¶

• Notes are stored with full version history in the database
• Each version contains a complete content snapshot

Markdown Support¶

• CommonMark specification
• GitHub-flavored markdown extensions
• Safe rendering (no arbitrary HTML/scripts)

Version Limits¶

• No hard limit on number of versions
• Older versions may be archived in future releases
• All versions remain accessible through the API