Stone Table Software has updated its “non-linear” word processor, Z-Write, to version 1.2 and added over 40 improvements.
Z-Write is designed for creative writers. In the process of writing a story, writers tend to create dozens or even hundreds of notes, character bios, rewrites, reminders, and bits of research info. Organizing all that material within the linear structure of a traditional word processor is awkward at best and Z-Write changes all that, according to the folks at STS.
The word processor lets you create an unlimited number of “Sections.” Each Section can have as much or as little text as you’d like. If you’re writing fiction, you can create Sections for each of your main characters, with their biographies and other details together. You could also use Sections for individual Chapters.
New features in version 1.2 include style sheets for quickly formatting text, HTML templates that allow HTML export to be completely customized, import and export of Palm DOC format files, a recent files menu, better word count statistics, an automatic document backup system, and an auto-correct dictionary, as well as many smaller innovations and bug fixes.
The user interface of Z-Write has also been enhanced, and now allows Sections to be dragged from one document to another, according to MacTech magazine (http://www.mactech.com). Style commands have been simplified, and text files can be dropped onto a document to be imported as new Sections. The update also adds text utilities such as Indent, Unindent, Strip HTML, and Remove Email Quotes.
What’s more, with Stone Table Software’s Cobweb HTML editor Z-Write users can customize the HTML Z-Write generates. Rich Text Format (RTF) documents can be converted for use with Z-Write using the free RTF-to-Styled Text utility.
The 1.2 upgrade is free and may be downloaded from the STS Web site. New users may download and use the full version with no limitations for 14 days. Cobweb and RTF-to-Styled Text are also available on the Web site.