====== Xournal Tips ======

//Xournal// is a //Pen Journal// that also allows you to add annotations to PDF files and/or capture and import arbitrary windows on the current screen to use them in //xournal//.((One way to convert a file into a pdf for use with //xournal// is to use our Virtual Printer.  It allows any application that can print to create pdf output.   For details see: [[>printing_tips]] ))

[[http://xournal.sourceforge.net/|xournal's sourceforge site]]

[[http://xournal.sourceforge.net/manual.html|Documentation for xournal]] 


===== A few common commands and settings =====

^  INVOKE XOURNAL FROM THE GUI   ||
|  To start xournal either invoke it at a command line or select it from the menues.  In xfce it on the Accessories menu.  |{{sysnews:xournal-start.jpg|}}|
^  SET BACK OF STYLUS TO BE THE ERASER  ||
|  To allow the back of the pen to work as the eraser, on the Options tab select ``Use Xinput``,  ``Discard Core Events`` and ``Eraser Tip``.   To allow pen pressure to change the line thickness, select ``Pressure sensitivity``.  Once you have the options the way you like them save your settings for next time.  Xournal does not save your settings unless you tell it to do so. | {{sysnews:xournal-pensetup.jpg|}}|
^  ANNOTATE A PDF  ||
|  To import a pdf file and use it as the background of xournal so you can add annotations to it select the File menu, then ``Annotate PDF``.  |{{sysnews:xournal-annotate-pdf.jpg|}} |
^  ANNOTATE A WINDOW  ||
|  To bring an existing window into xournal as a background so you can add annotations to it, select the Journal menu, then ``Background Screenshot``.  Once you select ``Background Screenshot`` the xournal window will disapear.  Click your mouse or tap the stylus in the window you would like to bring into xournal.  | {{sysnews:xournal-screencapture.jpg|}} |
^  MAKE A STYLUS BUTTON BE THE HIGHLIGHTER AND MAKE IT DRAW STRAIGHT LINES  ||
|  To make a stylus button be the highlighter where the highlighter will draw straight lines there are two steps.  ||
|  Map a stylus button to the highlighter, in this case button 2 (which is the button closer to the stylus tip).  Button assignments will be saved if you Save Preferences. |  {{sysnews:xournal-highlighter.jpg|}}  |
|  Tell the highlighter to use the ruler.  You will have to make the stylus tip be the highlighter for a moment.  Select the highlighter icon and then the ruler icon from the icons at the top of the xournal window.   Now you can select the pencil icon again.  This sequence tells the highlighter to use the ruler until you tell it otherwise. (To always have the highlighter on button 2 use the ruler, you will need to edit the //xournal// config file. See below) | {{sysnews:xournal-highlight-ruler.jpg|}} |


===== But wait there's more =====

//Xournal// has a configuration file stored as ~/.xournal/config.  In it, you can change or set many more options than the gui lets you change (as well as all the options the gui lets you change).   For example, the resolution of imported PDF files, many default sizes and location and much more. It is internally documented and in plain text.  If you changed button two to be a highlighter as shown above and you want the highlighter on button two to always use the ruler, you can do that in the config file by making 2 changes:

Change ??btn_linked?? and ??btn2_ruler?? to match these lines:

  # button 2 brush linked to primary brush (true/false) (overrides all other settings)
  btn2_linked=false


  # button 2 ruler mode (true/false) (for pen or highlighter only)
  btn2_ruler=true


Now the highlighter on button 2 will always use the ruler, this will not affect the regular highlighter.  


 --- //[[priestdo@cs.vassar.edu|Greg Priest-Dorman]] 2008/10/24 10:12//