Categories FAQ

What is a "category"?

Categories are a powerful way to organize your entries in The Journal. Example categories are "Daily Journal", "Notebook", "Work Notes", "Article Drafts", and so on. You can create as many categories as you want.

There are two types of category: Standard and Loose-leaf.

What is a "standard" category?

Standard categories are often called "daily entry" categories. This is for historical reasons as well as because most often they are daily entry categories. The "Daily Journal" category is an example of a standard category.

Entries in a standard category are always tied to a particular date or range of dates. Also, only one entry can exist per date or range of dates.

The calendar is very important to standard categories. Standard categories automatically create an entry when a particular date is selected.

Standard categories can create entries for a date, for a week, or for a month. The default setting is an entry for every day. New weekly entries are created according to the day of the week (Sunday, Monday, etc.). New monthly entries are created according to the day of the month (1, 2, 3, etc.).

What is a "loose-leaf" category?

Loose-leaf categories (also called "notebook categories") are a collection of entries that are not tied to a particular date (as they are in standard categories).

Instead, entries in a loose-leaf category are named documents (or external objects or images). Also, unlike standard category entries which are always arranged by year, month, and date, loose-leaf category entries can be arranged in hierarchical "trees" of the user's choosing.

How do I set a category's default font?

To set the default font for a category:

1. Right-click on the category tab, and choose Category Properties...
2. Bring up the Entry Text Style tab.
3. Click on the Edit Text and Font Settings button.
4. Click on the Font button.

How do I create a new category?

1. Click on the Category menu and choose New Category...
2. Choose a name for your category (example: "Dreams").
3. Pick a category type, Standard or Loose-leaf.

Standard categories are like the "Daily Journal" category, with a new entry every day.
Loose-leaf categories are like the "Notebook" category, with named entries that you can arrange.

4. Click on Next.
5. If you are creating a Standard category, you will need to choose how often a new entry is created.

Daily - a new entry is created every day.
Weekly - a new entry is created every week, on the specified day (Sunday-Saturday).
Monthly - a new entry is created every month, on the specified day (1-31).

When you click on Finish, your new category will be created and you will be able to click on its tab and start making entries immediately.

How do I delete a category?

1. Right-click on the category tab, and choose Category Properties...
2. Select the category to delete from the list of categories.
3. Click on Delete Category.

NOTE: Deleting a category also deletes all of the entries in that category, as well as any sub-categories (and their entries). Deleting a category cannot be undone.