1. Dual window mode | See two notebooks at once
There is a dual window mode: while users are in main page view, users can use finger to swipe on the handle (rotate to landscape mode to see this handle more obviously) on the left side all the way to the right to switch to browser mode (dual window), in this mode user can browse web and capture specific area with Scissors tool and send it back to the current working notebook. It’s convenient for those who need to access reference information on the internet while taking notes. Users can open 2 notebooks side by side thanks to the integrated browser. While working on A notebook, return to the library, swipe on a notebook, choose Dual icon will open that notebook in the integrated browser. This is a handy way to browse 2 notebooks side by side conveniently. However, as I show you in the video, it is not working very stable and the notes cannot be positioned correctly.
Update 12.06.2018:
With the recent update of Notability 8.0, a dual screen mode was implemented. It is a shame, that Notes Plus was not working on to improve their split-screen mode. Now, Notability got the pole position as the only note-taking app offering a proper dual screen mode!
2. Open notebooks on any desktop (PC and Mac)
Users can open the notebook on a web browser on the computer when the auto backup is ON (or save Notebooks from, Notes Plus, Documents in iTunes File Sharing through USB cable). For example, if Dropbox auto backup is turned on (under Library > Auto Backup > start Dropbox). Then, open Dropbox’s Notes Plus folder on the computer at /Dropbox/NotesPlus/AutoBackup/Notebooks/Notebook Name, then open index.html with a web browser like Safari/Chrome, then users can view notebook content on the browser.
3. Handwriting is globally searchable
Handwriting is always searchable even users don’t do Handwriting Recognition. Notes Plus will run HWR thread in background mode (when users quite a notebook) so handwritten notes are always index-able and searchable.
Update 12.06.2018:
With the recent update,, Notability 8.0, added handwriting to text conversion and a global handwriting search function along with it!
4. Shared notebooks stay editable
Users can share a notebook in native format so other Notes Plus users can open it up in Notes Plus and edit original handwriting. To do so, go to Tools > Export > set File Type to WebArchive, share via email to other people. Now, another user can download them .WebArchive file and open it up with Notes Plus to import it into Notes Plus Library (full editing capability).
5. Customizable toolbar and UI layout adjusts to writing preferences
Users can customize the toolbar with a long-press gesture. For example, they can arrange the toolbar to their own preferences: use a finger to long press on an existing slot, this pops up all editing tools, choose a slot to assign it to select placeholder.
Notes Plus provides different UI layout to fit with the writing direction configured under Tools > Writing Position.
6. Easy page selection and editing even in fullscreen mode
There is a quick way to browse through pages with page thumb panel: use a finger to long press near the utmost right edge of the screen, that opens up the page thumb panel, users can browse pages quickly, rename a page or re-arrange page order quickly.
7. Invisible scrolling bars
In any edit mode (i.e pen, eraser, etc…), dragging up/down within a half of inch from the right edge of the page will scroll it instead of other actions. This is like an invisible scrollbar. When Palm Pad is up, an invisible scrollbar on the left will be enabled (in addition to the invisible scrollbar on the right). Using your left thumb to scroll the page while writing with your right hand is very convenient.
8. Draw straight lines and shapes via auto-detection
Whenever you draw a straight line, circle, square or even complex shapes like hexagons, you will get the option to convert it into a straightened object. If this option does not show up, then you have to go to the app settings and change the threshold, the minimum shape size in millimeters that triggers shape detection. You find this setting in top right/App Setting/Shape Detection Threshold.
9. Easy object selection, deletion, transformation, and rotation
You can use your pen anytime to select an object in your note. Either you just tip on the object or your draw around it. You will then get the option to select the object. Once selected you can change the style of the drawn lines or convert handwriting to text. You are also able to transform the selection by grabbing the right bottom corner and drag it. You can also easily rotate it, by tapping with two fingers on the object at the same time and then turning them. If you want to delete an object, just tap the red cross sign on the top left. However, you can also delete non-selected objects by just scribbling over it. For more details how this works, watch my video.
10. Bring an object to the front or back
If you draw an object in front of another, but you want it to be behind. Just select it and select from the top right menu bring to back. This is very helpful if you underline handwritten text and the line is covering the letters g, j etc.
! One More Add Date and Time Stamp to your notes
One thing I actually forgot to cover in the video is the function to add date and time stamps to your notes! I think it is a really nice feature and you can access it by just adding a text box in which you normally write your text. Have look at the top of your Keyboard. There are the icons you need to tap on to get the times in your note! Well, isn’t that nice?
I use a 10.5 iPad Pro with Apple pencil. How to design and implement a Papier background on my own?
I would like to bring a university log on wach page OR somthing comparable.
In Notes Plus, this is only possible by importing it as a PDF.
Is there a way to re-enable being able to erase with your finger? When I had Notes Plus on my iPad Mini with the 53 Pen, finger erasing was like that by default, but then I sold my Mini and many months later now have an iPad Pro 10.5 with Apple Pencil. I now have to go to the toolbar to select the eraser, which is much more inconvenient. (Scrubbing my writing with a scribble or zigzag has always been too hit or miss). Please advise.
You’re making it so hard to decide between notes plus & notability! ha ha ha! I had INKredible (NotesPlus for IOS) on a samsung tablet, which I hated buying, but back in 2014 the ipad wasn’t there yet for what I needed. Now with the apple pencil & the new ipad 2018 I am so ready to come back. The battery & touch screen are enough to return, but I do need something for notes & eventually teaching down the road. Thank you so much for such great information!
Hi Alexandria! Thanks for sharing your experience with us and welcome to the #PaperlessMovement! 🙂 Happy you will go for the Apple Pencil experience. It is just awesome 😉 If you need any help, don’t hesitate to ask. Best place for questions is our closed #PaperlessMovement Facebook Group! https://www.facebook.com/groups/TomSolidsPaperlessMovement/
Hello,
I’ve using the App a lot as a teacher and I was really profiting from the Second window, but After the update to Version 6.3.2, there is no longer a second window! Will it come back?
Thank you for your help!
Been using NotesPlus on ipadpro for couple of years and every so often it loses my docs, they’re just blank, no notes at all…seems like as soon as I delete some stuff on the ipad, giving it enough memory to access again it rights itself, but this time nothing !!! all notes gone and the icloud back up just shows 1 page in a notebook no more !! what has happened … this is flaky!
I’ve been facing the same issue. I use DropBox for autoback-up. Tried to reach out for support but no solution was offered yet. It’s a pity as I have been trying other apps (for free or not) and, besides functionalities, I haven’t found any other app with a similar handwriting experience as the one you get on NotesPlus… 🙁 If anyone managed to sort this out, that would be amazing to hear…
I FIGURED IT OUT…assuming, like me, that you have Notes Plus automatically keep a backup in iCloud. It seems as though if certain notebooks go unused for a “long time” then iCloud/iOS/Notes Plus will automatically start tucking files away in the cloud instead of storing everything locally on your device. Enough files remain for NotesPlus to know that you have notebooks and what they are but the files needed for the notes themselves go missing. You have to go to the FILES app, then to iCloud, then to each folder named after your notebook names, then find the folders titled… Read more »
Hi… Thanks, for helping, I did find most of the notes in the iCloud but couldn’t get them to reinstate the notebooks in the app, instead I was taking a screenshot of each page and then emailing that into my CRM at work.
It also seems to lose anything beyond page1….like you said I think this is a bug in the app and I may need to rethink the app I’m using.
Oh this sounds bad. 🙁 Did you reach out to their support?
I haven’t, I’ll look into that, thanks.
When I use music template to write notes I have a problem with auto zoom. It shows up almost each time I’m drawing quarter note head. Is it possible to turn off auto zoom?