The Outline

The Outline is the center of everything you do in OmniOutliner. It allows you to create and organize your content, offers a hierarchy of rows to create the structure you seek, and can be easily updated with styles you choose.

An Outline in OmniOutliner Pro is composed of one or more Rows and one or more Columns, with editable cells available at each intersection of row and column. Rows are displayed in a Hierarchy, allowing you to create simple lists, complicated outline structures, or something right in the middle.

Rows

When working in the Outline, Rows are the building blocks of your content. Rows may be as simple as a line of text; or they may include Row Handles for moving, collapsing, or expanding sections; Status Checkboxes for managing lists and tasks; or Notes for adding anything relevant to your work. If you are using OmniOutliner Pro, rows can even span multiple columns.

You can hide or show any attributes of a row, other than the text of the row itself. If you are using OmniOutliner Pro, the text can be collapsed into a single line on Mac, by setting Show Full Row Text to When Editing.

Editing Rows

Tap or click a row cell to begin editing. A cursor will appear in the cell, and you can add text or other data, depending on the column type.

To learn more about available column types, see Column Types in the Inspectors chapter.

Row Handles

Row Handles can be used to move rows, along with any indented (child) rows, or can be used to hide or show indented rows. The style of the row handle indicates whether there are any indented rows.

Row Handles will display as:

• Bullet — Does not contain any indented rows.
• Collapsed Disclosure Arrow — An arrow pointing to the row indicates that the row contains indented rows, which are currently hidden. Click or tap this handle to show the next level of indented rows. On Mac, Option + click to expand all indented rows.
• Expanded Disclosure Arrow — An arrow pointing down indicates that the row contains indented rows, which are currently displayed. Click or tap this handle to collapse indented rows. On Mac, Option + click to collapse all indented rows.

In addition to clicking or tapping the arrows, you can use the keyboard shortcut keys for the Expand and Collapse commands.

On Mac, If you are using OmniOutliner Pro, you can hide handles, or set them to show only when hovering a cursor over the handle. The setting can apply to specific rows or the entire document, by using the Row Inspector. Even with handles hidden, you can still expand or collapse rows using the Expand or Collapse commands.

Status Checkboxes

If you would like to track the status for items in your outline, you can display a Status Checkbox next to each row.

Turn the display of Status Checkboxes on or off for your document using the Show Status Checkboxes menu command on Mac, the Show Row Status toggle in the Document Inspector on Mac, or the Row Status toggle in the Document Inspector on iPad, iPhone, Apple Vision Pro.

The state of each Status Checkbox is saved even when the display of checkboxes is turned off, allowing you to update the appearance without losing information.

On Mac, there are additional options for setting status on a given row. Read about the Set Status submenu to learn more.

Notes

OmniOutliner supports adding notes to individual rows. On the leading edge of the Outline is a narrow Note column. This column may appear empty, but hovering the cursor over it will reveal a Note icon next to the row.

• Click or tap this icon to add note text to the row, or drag in attachments. Once text or attachments have been added to a note, the Note icon will permanently display, instead of only when hovering a cursor.
• Selecting the Note icon will expand or collapse the note for that row.
• To hide the Notes column, choose Note from the Columns submenu of the View Menu on Mac, or toggle Notes in the Columns Inspector on iPad, iPhone, and Apple Vision Pro.

Notes are displayed in the Topic Column by default, but you can choose to display notes across all columns. To change between single column or spanning columns, update the Notes Span Columns setting on iPad, iPhone, or Apple Vision Pro, or the Inline Notes setting on Mac.

Notes are displayed immediately below the related row. On Mac, you can choose to show them in a pane at the bottom of your Outline, by selecting Display in Pane from the Notes submenu of the View Menu.

Columns

While rows allow you to organize and group your information, columns allow you to expand the information for each row, while still respecting the hierarchy defined by your rows.

Two columns are present in every document, and each has unique properties:

Notes Column

The Notes column exists in every document, and acts as a visual and interactive indication of the presence of notes on a row.

When visible, the notes column displays icons next to each row with a note attached. Tap one of these icons to open or close the note on the row, or tap the empty space where an icon would be to add a new note on a row without one.

Tap the View icon next to the Notes column in the columns list to toggle its visibility in the outline.

Other than toggling the column’s visibility or changing its order in the columns list, the Notes column cannot be modified.

Topic Column

The Topic column is the primary column of your document, and has unique properties:

• It can be hierarchically organized; when the organization of the Topic column changes, other columns come along for the ride.
• It can have a fixed width, or be set to automatically adjust to fit the width of the window or other columns.

If you would like your document to use a single column, whether for streamlining or simplicity, you may want to consider OmniOutliner Essentials. With a license for OmniOutliner Pro, you can turn off Pro features in the License panel, which provides an easy way to create Essentials-compatible documents for sharing.

Many templates in the Template Picker contain only the Topic column, while others use multiple columns to organize and display data of different types. If you are using OmniOutliner Pro, you can add columns to start tracking additional data.

Adding Columns

To add columns on Mac:

• Select the Add Column button in the Toolbar
• Use the Add Column menu command

To add columns on iPad, iPhone, or Apple Vision Pro:

• Select the Add Column button in the Toolbar
• Select Add Column in the Columns Inspector

Removing Columns

To remove columns on Mac:

• Select the column by clicking the column header, and press the Delete key
• Select Remove Column from the Organize Menu
• Select Remove Column from the Column Header Menu

To remove columns on iPad, iPhone, or Apple Vision Pro:

• Select Delete from the Column Header Menu
• Select Remove Column in the Columns Inspector for a specific column

Editing Columns

Most column editing features are available cross-platform, using the Column Type Inspector on Mac, or Columns Inspector on iPad, iPhone, Apple Vision Pro.

On Mac, you can quickly edit the title of a column by double-clicking the column header, adjust the width of any column by dragging the column borders, and access additional options in the Column Shortcut Menu.

On iPad, iPhone, and Apple Vision Pro, you can adjust the width of any column by dragging the column handle, and access additional options in the Column Shortcut Menu, including quick access to the Columns Inspector by selecting Edit.

Column Headers

Outlines with a single column do not display the column header, as there’s no need to distinguish between multiple columns. Once a second column is added, the headers are shown above each column.

This is the Automatic column header behavior, which can be changed by choosing another option from the Column Headers submenu on Mac, or the Column Headers section of the Document Inspector on iPad, iPhone, or Apple Vision Pro.

Autosizing

Autosizing allows the Topic Column to take as much space a possible, given the size of the containing window, and the width of other columns. It is only available for documents with more than one column.

To switch between width modes on Mac:

• Select Auto in the Column Type Inspector
• Select Autosize from the Topic Column Shortcut Menu
• Select Autosize Topic from the Columns submenu of the View Menu

To switch between width modes on iPad, iPhone, or Apple Vision Pro:

• Select Autosize in the Column Type Inspector for the Topic column
• Select Autosize from the Topic Column Shortcut Menu

Hierarchy

Once you have more than one row in your document, you can add hierarchy to your document, in order to create structure.

Sections and Levels

Each top level row of your outline is its own section, and each section can contain one or more subsections (children of that section). Those children, in turn, can have children of their own (grandchildren of the top level row), and so on.

Sections live at levels in the hierarchy of your outline. Every outline has at least one Level 1 section: all the rows at the top level are peers (or siblings) of one another. Indenting a row makes it a Level 2 subsection, beneath the top level Level 1 section above it, and so on.

Selecting Rows

To select a single row, click or tap the space to the left of the row handle, and to the right of the Note icon. (This is called the Gutter.)

To select multiple rows using a hardware keyboard, you can Shift + click to select a range of rows, or Command + click to select individual rows.

To select multiple rows on iPad, iPhone, or Apple Vision Pro, use Edit Mode.

Adding Hierarchy

With one or more rows selected, you can indent one or more selected rows beneath the row above, to create a parent/child relationship. To indent, you can (depending on your device):

• Press Tab on a hardware keyboard
• Press Command+] on a hardware keyboard
• Use the Indent command on Mac or iPad
• Tap the Indent button in the bottom toolbar on iPad, iPhone, or Apple Vision Pro

The handle of the new parent row changes from a bullet to a disclosure arrow to indicate that it contains indented rows.

Tap a parent row’s disclosure arrow to collapse and expand its contents. A vertical line descending from an open disclosure arrow denotes the span of child rows contained in the parent row. Any number of levels of hierarchy can be added to the outline, provided there are enough rows to keep indenting.

With one or more rows selected, you can outdent one or more selected rows from beneath the row above, restoring their positions as peers to the row above, creating a sibling relationship. To outdent, you can (depending on your device):

• Press Shift+Tab on a hardware keyboard
• Press Command+[ on a hardware keyboard
• Use the Outdent command on Mac or iPad
• Tap the Outdent button in the bottom toolbar on iPad, iPhone, or Apple Vision Pro

Copying and Pasting Rows

Touch and hold a row, then release it to reveal its contextual menu. This contains several editorial functions such as Cut, Copy, and (with something on the pasteboard) Paste.

Choose any of these commands to edit the outline as needed. When using the contextual menu to paste, the option is presented to paste above, below, or inside the target row (adding the pasteboard contents as children).

When copying and pasting a row with children (one with a disclosure arrow handle), the parent row and all of those hierarchically nested beneath it come along for the ride.

Organizing Rows With Drag and Drop

Touch and hold a row handle or disclosure arrow to pick it up, then drag it elsewhere in the outline to reposition it. When you have the row where you want it to be, let go and it will fall into place.

As you drag a row over others, they will move apart to make room for the row you’re holding to be dropped between them as a peer (if dragging between a parent and child, the dropped row becomes a peer of the child). If you position a row directly atop another before dropping it, the row beneath is highlighted and upon being dropped, the held row becomes a child of the one you drop it on top of.

Multiple rows can be picked up at a time. To do this, touch and hold the first row you want to move, then tap each other row to add them to the selection (each row is picked up and added to the first). Dropping multiple rows works just like dropping a single one; any hierarchy in the rows you pick up will be preserved after dropping them.

Styles

Styling in OmniOutliner can be quite sophisticated, and can affect the whole document, certain types of content (such as columns, rows, or even specific levels of rows), or individually selected rows or blocks of text.

Styles are automatically or manually applied, depending on whether they are:

• Structural Styles, which are automatically applied to classes of objects
• Named Styles, which are manually applied on top of structural styles

Structural Styles

Structural Styles are style presets that apply to elements of the document, based on the structure of the document.

Structural Styles will include:

• Whole Document — Properties that apply to all rows in the document.
• Level 1 Rows — Properties that apply only to top-level rows.
• Column Titles — Properties that apply to all column titles.
• Notes — Properties that apply to all notes.
• Topic — Properties that apply only to the Topic Column.

Structural Styles may also include:

• Level 2 Rows — Properties that apply only to second-level rows.
• Level 3 Rows — Properties that apply only to third-level rows.
• Level n Rows — Properties that apply only to n-level rows.
• Columns — Properties that apply only to specific columns, much like the Topic style above; each column is listed by Column Name.

Since Structural Styles are based on how you organize rows and columns, they will be added to or removed from the lists above as you make changes to your document.

It is possible for multiple Structural Styles to apply to a given element of your document; see Layering Styles to learn more.

Configuring Styles on Mac:

• Select the style in the Styles Tab
• Use the Selection Style Group Inspectors

Configuring Styles on iPad, iPhone, or Apple Vision Pro:

• Use the Edit Styles sub-inspector
• Tap on the Style you would like to edit

Named Styles

Named Styles are saved sets of style attributes that can be applied to anything that supports style attributes, such as rows, columns, blocks of text, or even other styles.

When applied to objects, Named Styles adjust any Structural Styles which apply to an object. For example, you could apply a Heading style on top of a Level 1 Row style, in order to make the text bigger or change the font.

Using Named Styles on Mac:

• Named Styles are in the Styles Tab.
• Select one or more objects in the Outline, then click the checkbox next to a Named Style to apply it to your selection.

Using Named Styles on iPad, iPhone, or Apple Vision Pro:

• Named Styles are in the Apply Styles Inspector.
• Select one or more objects in the Outline, then tap the Named Style row to apply it to your selection.

Configuring Styles on Mac:

• Select the style in the Styles Tab
• Use the Selection Style Group Inspectors

Configuring Styles on iPad, iPhone, or Apple Vision Pro:

• Use the Edit Styles sub-inspector
• Tap on the Style you would like to edit

As with Structural Styles, editing a Named Style automatically updates the style of any objects to which it has been applied.

Layering Styles

Styles are applied in the following order, from most general to most specific, with specific items taking precedence over general items:

• Structural Style for Whole Document
• Alternate Row Color; see Alternate Rows
• Structural Style for Column Styles; see Column Style
• Structural Style for Level Styles
• Structural Style for Notes
• Named Styles, from uppermost to bottommost
• Styles applied directly to a selected row
• Styles applied directly to selected text

Looking at the same list in a slightly different way, styles are prioritized in the following order, with higher priority styles taking precedence over lower priority styles:

• Styles applied directly to selected text
• Styles applied directly to a selected row
• Named Styles, from bottommost to uppermost
• Structural Style for Notes
• Structural Style for Level Styles
• Structural Style for Column Styles; see Column Style
• Alternate Row Color; see Alternate Rows
• Structural Style for Whole Document

Linking and Copying Styles

There are two features that make it even easier to build out styles in OmniOutliner:

Linking Styles

Linking styles allows a secondary style to inherit traits from a primary style. As an example: you could configure Style A with a robust set of appearance changes, then link Style B to it with only a single font change. Any subsequent changes to Style A will also update Style B, while leaving untouched the font change in Style B, as inherited attributes are overriden by local attributes.

• Structural Styles can inherit traits from Named Styles
• Named Styles can inherit traits from Named Styles
• Named Styles can not inherit traits from Structural Styles

To link styles on Mac using Drag and Drop:

1. Open the Styles Tab in The Sidebar
2. Drag the Named Style that will be your source (Style A) for style attributes, and drop it on the Named or Structural Style that will inherit style attributes (Style B).
3. Verify that the Styles are linked by selecting Style B, then viewing the Preview Inspector; you should see one or more attribute rows that begin with “inherited:”

To link styles on iPad, iPhone, or Apple Vision Pro:

1. Open Edit Styles in the Document Inspector
2. Tap on the Named or Structural Style that will inherit style attributes (Style B).
3. Scroll to the Apply Styles section.
4. Tap on the Named Style that will be your source (Style A) for style attributes.

See Copying and Pasting Styles for another approach.

Copying and Pasting Styles

On Mac, you can copy style attributes from one style to another:

1. Open the Styles Tab in The Sidebar
2. Select the Named or Structural Style with style attributes you would like to copy.
3. Use Copy Style (in the Format Menu or More menu in the bottom of the Styles tab)
4. Select the Named or Structural Style to which you would like to apply the copied style attributes (Style B).
5. Use Paste Style (in the Format Menu or More menu in the bottom of the Styles tab)
6. Verify that the style attributes have been successfully copied and pasted by selecting Style B, then viewing the Preview Inspector; you should see the pasted attributes.
7. If your source Style was a Named Style, you will also likely see or more attribute rows that begin with “inherited:”; these will update as the linked Style is updated.

Style Swatches

In the Styles Tab and Preview Inspector on Mac, and in the Style Attributes Preview on iPad, iPhone, and Apple Vision Pro, Style Swatches provide a quick visual reference of Style attributes.

Possible swatch options include:

• Empty — No styles have been applied to the selection, so only the Whole Document style applies.
• Letter A — Text-specific styles have been applied, such as selecting a specific font.
• Letter A with Color — Text-specific styles have been applied, including a color change, such as selecting a specific font and updating the color.
• Solid Color — The style applies a background color to the selection.
• Diagonal Color — The style applies a transparent background color to the selection.
• Split Color — The style applies a background color to the selection, and Allow Customization of Alternate Dynamic Colors is turned on for the Dynamic Theme.
• Split Partially Diagonal Color — The style applies a transparent background color to the selection in one of the Dynamic Theme colors.
• Split Fully Diagonal Color — The style applies a transparent background color to the selection in both of the Dynamic Theme colors.
• Checkboard — The style applies many different attributes.