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OmniOutliner 3 Pro Reference Manual for iOS

The Document Browser

OmniOutliner’s document browser makes it easy for you to manage where and how your files are stored. Beyond the On My iPad or On My iPhone folder, which is the default storage location for OmniOutliner files on your iOS device, you can choose to sync folders with OmniPresence or your own WebDAV server, or use the Files app to open files stored in iCloud Drive or other cloud storage providers.

The Locations Screen

The Locations screen sits at the top level of the document browser, and is your home base for accessing OmniOutliner files on iOS.

The Locations screen is the first thing you see after launching OmniOutliner

The Locations screen includes all of the possible places your OmniOutliner files are stored. By default, this includes the On My [device] and Recent Documents folders, along with controls to open files through the Files app browser and add folders synced with OmniPresence.

  • Tap On My iPad or On My iPhone to view the files stored locally on your iOS device.

  • Tap Recent Documents to view files you’ve worked on recently. This includes documents stored anywhere (in your On My [device] folder, in another folder on your device, or in a synced cloud storage folder).

  • Tap Open... to open the iOS Files app browser, which appears in a sheet over the Locations screen and offers an interface identical to that of the Files app itself. Browse connected cloud storage accounts or other folders on your device here.

  • Tap Add OmniPresence Account to add a cloud synced folder to the Locations screen. Documents in this folder are automatically synced to the cloud whenever a change is made. You can sync with a free Omni Sync Server account, or an OmniPresence-capable WebDAV server of your choice.

On My iPad or On My iPhone

The On My [device] folder is where your OmniOutliner files (outlines, templates, and Omni Automation plug-ins) are saved on your device.

The On My iPad folder, as viewed in the Document Browser

The square thumbnail images in this folder are document previews that represent individual OmniOutliner files or folders.

These document previews display the name of the file or folder, as well as the date and time it was created or last changed. Tap a document preview to open the associated file. To change the name of a file or folder, tap the name and then enter a new title.

Only files stored in your On My [device] folder or a connected OmniPresence folder can be renamed in this way. To rename other files (such as those stored in iCloud Drive that may appear in OmniOutliner's Recent Documents folder), tap the filename in the Files app instead.

To sort your files by Date or Title, or to view the available Outlines, Plug-Ins, or Templates in this folder, swipe down to access the Document Sorter:

Use the Document Sorter to find OmniOutliner outlines, templates, and Omni Automation Plug-Ins within a folder.

Recent Documents

The Recent Documents folder on the Locations screen provides a convenient location for viewing files that you have recently accessed, regardless of where they are stored.

The Recent Documents folder, as viewed in the Document Browser

Whenever you open a file (whether from the On My [device] folder, from the Files app, or from a connected OmniPresence account), OmniOutliner automatically adds it to the Recent Documents folder. From within the folder you can also tap the Open the Open button button to access the Files app UI and choose documents to open directly.

To remove files from the Recent Documents folder without deleting them from their original location, tap Select, then tap the thumbnail preview images for the files you want to remove, and tap Clear Document the Share button.

While selecting a single file, you can also tap Share the Share button to export the selected file via Mail, to the Files app, to another app on your device, or to a connected printer.

Managing the Trash

If you delete an OmniOutliner file, that file gets moved to the Trash folder on the Locations screen. Tap the trash can icon to view the contents of the Trash folder.

The Trash, as viewed in the Document Browser

Empty Trash

To delete all files from the Trash folder, tap Empty Trash, and then tap Delete Documents.

Move File from Trash a folder

To move files out of the Trash, first tap Select in the toolbar, and then tap the thumbnail previews to select the files and use the folder menu to move them from the Trash to another folder.

Delete Selected Document a document icon that looks like it is being run through a shredder

Tap to delete only the selected file(s). This allows you to pick and choose which files to permanently delete, rather than deleting everything.

Once a file is deleted from the Trash, it is permanently removed from OmniOutliner's local storage.

Open... and the Files App

The Open... entry on the Locations screen provides access to the iOS Files app right from within OmniOutliner. (This is the same UI that exists in the Files app itself.)

The Files app is analogous to the Finder on the Mac; it provides a means of accessing files stored in app-specific document folders on your device, as well as to files saved with cloud storage providers (such as iCloud Drive).

This includes the OmniOutliner outlines and templates you see in the On My [device] folder in OmniOutliner's own document browser. To see what’s stored in OmniOutliner’s documents folder in Files:

  • In the Locations list, tap On My iPad (or On my iPhone, depending on which device you're using).

  • Tap the OmniOutliner folder to view what's inside.

    OmniOutliner's document container in iOS 11, as revealed using the Files application

Tap the file icon to open an OmniOutliner file from the Files app. When opening an OmniOutliner file from Files, the file is opened and saved in place when you close the file.

OmniOutliner File Types

Several file types are associated with OmniOutliner outlines, templates, and plugins. Files of these types can be opened, edited, and saved within OmniOutliner for iOS.

  • .ooutline, .otemplate—The newest standard file formats for OmniOutliner outlines and templates, as created by OmniOutliner 3 for iOS and OmniOutliner 5 for Mac. These formats support all of the new features of these versions of OmniOutliner.

  • .oo3, .oo3template—Older formats used by OmniOutliner 2 for iOS and earlier, as well as OmniOutliner 3 and 4 for Mac. These files can be read and edited by OmniOutliner 3 for iOS, but do not support the full feature set of the newer formats.

If warnings are turned on in OmniOutliner Settings, upon opening a file in an older format you are presented with the option to convert it.

  • .opml—The Outline Processor Markup Language format, which is not unique to OmniOutliner but can be both read and written by it. Some features such as text and document styles are not supported by this format.

OmniOutliner can import and convert files of other non-native formats; in these cases, the files are copied into the app as outlines and the originals are left behind.

Add OmniPresence Account

Tap Add OmniPresence Account to connect an Omni Sync Server or WebDAV cloud storage account to OmniOutliner using the OmniPresence service.

You’ll be asked to choose between connecting to an Omni Sync Server account or an existing WebDAV server. If you don't have an Omni Sync Server account, you can create one for free here.

Once you have your account credentials, proceed to the next step to add them. OmniOutliner checks to make sure the server you’re connecting to is compatible with OmniPresence, and if it is, adds the connected sync folder to the list of locations on the Locations screen of the document browser.

Any OmniOutliner documents stored in this folder can be opened and edited in place within OmniOutliner for iOS, and changes made there are reflected anywhere else the folder and its files are synced (with OmniPresence and OmniOutliner for Mac, for example).

When browsing a connected OmniPresence folder, a Sync button The Sync Ready icon appears next to the folder name in the toolbar. Tap this button to prompt a refresh of the folder's contents, or determine if something is preventing the folder from actively syncing. Refer to the section on syncing files from the document toolbar for details on the various sync icon states.

The App Menu The App menu is a gear wheel

On the Locations screen, and when viewing the contents of a folder in the document browser, tap the Gear button at the top of the screen to access the App Menu:

The Locations screen, with the app menu open

The App Menu has the following options:

About OmniOutliner The About OmniOutliner menu item

Tap to see which version of OmniOutliner is installed on your device, and to find Omni’s contact information.

Reference Manual a question mark inside a rounded square

Tap to view the in-app reference manual.

Contact Omni an envelope

Tap to send us an email.

Omni Newsletter Signup a folded newspaper

Tap to subscribe to Omni’s quarterly newsletter via email. When tapped, you are taken to the Omni website where you can enter your email address to subscribe.

Replay Intro a play button

Tap to revisit the introductory experience and tutorial presented the first time you opened OmniOutliner.

Release Notes a pointy circle with an exclamation mark inside

Tap to see what’s new in the current release. The release notes are also available on Omni’s website.

The following menu items are only available when browsing the contents of a folder:

Copy from WebDAV an arrow pointing downward into a box

Imports a copy of a file stored on a WebDAV server. A copy of the file you choose to import is placed in your current folder location.

Copy from... an arrow pointing downward into a box

Imports a copy of a file from among your Recents Button icon Recents (recently accessed files), or by Browse Button icon Browsing for it in an in-app view of your iOS Files app. Switch between these two views with the buttons at the bottom of the sheet.

Trial Mode A box with the top flaps open

Trial Mode is only available prior to purchasing the upgrade to OmniOutliner Essentials or Pro. Tap to switch between Essentials and Pro to see which version is right for you.

In-App Purchases A box with the top flaps open

Tap to purchase the upgrade from Trial Mode to either OmniOutliner Essentials or Pro. This is also where you can restore purchases, if you ever need to reinstall OmniOutliner on a device.

Settings two switches, one on top of another, showing the on-off states for the Settings in OmniOutliner

Set preferences for working in OmniOutliner. See OmniOutliner Settings for more details.

Folder Toolbar

When viewing the contents of a folder in the document browser, the toolbar along the top of the screen includes the following buttons:

The toolbar you see at the top of your device while viewing the contents of a folder in OmniOutliner's Document Browser

At the center of the folder toolbar, you will see the name of the current folder (such as On My iPad), followed by a label that shows the type of OmniOutliner files currently being viewed (Outlines, Plug-Ins, or Templates).

Back the back button

On the far left of the toolbar is the Back button, followed by the name of the folder that contains the files being viewed. Tap to go backward in the folder hierarchy to return to the Locations screen.

Add New The Add New button is represented by a Plus sign

Tap the Add New button to create a new OmniOutliner document. The type of document created (outline or template) is based on the document type viewed in the Document Sorter.

After tapping Add New, the Template Chooser opens and displays a list of available templates for your document (starting with the custom templates you've created, if any).

The template chooser when creating a new document in OmniOutliner.

If you would prefer to create a document based on a template in a language other than the system default, tap the language name in the upper right for a list of available alternatives.

Choosing a template creates a new document pre-populated with the contents of that template, including sample text (if any) and all of the template's default structural and named styles.

Selecting Files

At the far right edge of a folder’s toolbar is the Select button. When tapped, Select makes it possible for you to tap to select documents within a folder. Once a document is selected, use the buttons on the left side of the toolbar to share or export the file, move it to another folder, duplicate the file, or move it to the Trash.

Selecting files in the Document Browser

Sharing and Exporting The Share button is a square with an arrow inside that points upward

With a file selected, tap the Share button and then choose one of the following actions to perform on the file. When sharing an OmniOutliner file, you can choose the format to share or send as either an OmniOutliner file, an OPML file, Dynamic HTML, Simple HTML, PDF, Plain Text, CSV, XLSX, DOCX (plain or indented), or PowerPoint PPTX.

Learn more about OmniOutliner import and export in Opening and Exporting Files.

Send via Mail the backside of an envelope

Exports the selected file, in the format you have chosen, as an attachment to an email message.

Send to Files a square with an arrow pointing into it

Exports the selected file, in the format you have chosen, to the Files app. You can choose to send the file to a location in the cloud (such as iCloud Drive) or to an app’s local documents folder.

Send to App a square with two arrows pointing outward to the upper- and lower-right

Sends a copy of the file, in the format you have chosen, to another app on your iOS device.

Print a printer

Prints the selected file to an AirPrint printer of your choosing.

To save the file as a PDF rather than printing to paper, choose PDF document when exporting with one of the Send commands listed above.

Create Template from Outline Create Template from Outline icon

Creates an OmniOutliner template file from the selected outline document.

Folder Menu a folder

Use this menu to move the selected files to another folder, or create a new folder to contain them.

Move to... squares with arrows pointing up and down to indicate movement of file locations

Move the selected file to another folder, including the On My [device] and any connected OmniPresence folders:

  • On My [device] A rectangle with two rectangles in the distance — Choose to move the selected file to the On My [device] folder.

  • OmniPresence Three concentric circles with arrows pointing inward — Choose an OmniPresence folder to move the selected file to.

  • Other... The Other destination in the folder menu — Open the Files app browser and choose another location for the file on your device or in a cloud-connected folder.

New folder a folder with a plus sign inside

Create and name a new folder that contains the selected file.

Duplicate two overlapping document icons; the top icon has a plus sign to indicate creation of a duplicate document

Creates a duplicate copy of the selected file, and places that duplicate within the same folder. OmniOutliner adds the number 2 to the filename to help you isolate the duplicated file so you can change the filename to something else.

Move to Trash a blue trash can

Moves the selected file (or files) to the Trash. To view the contents of Trash, tap the trash can icon on the Locations screen.