Working with Documents

Metapad lets you open any element — a node, a relationship, a type, or a folder — as a document: a full-width editing page with a live reading view beside it. This is ideal for writing longer descriptions, reviewing an element's content, or keeping several elements open at once while you work.

Quick edits vs. documents

Single-click an element (in the Navigator or on the canvas) to edit it in the Properties panel on the right — the quick way to change one field.
Open it as a document when you want room to write and read. Documents open as tabs across the top of the workspace, just like diagrams.

Opening an element as a document

Double-click a row in the Model Navigator, or
Right-click an element (in the Navigator, or a node on the canvas) and choose Open as document.

The element opens in a new tab and becomes active. Open as many as you like — each gets its own tab. Click a tab to switch between documents; close one with the ×.

The document view: edit and read side by side

Each document tab is split into two panes:

Left — the editor. All of the element's fields (label, description, properties) in an editing form.
Right — the reader. A live, read-only rendering of the same element, exactly as it looks in the Reader workspace. It updates as you type, so you can watch your formatted description take shape.

Drag the divider to resize the two panes, or collapse the reader pane entirely when you want maximum editing width. On narrow screens the reader pane collapses on its own.

Documents are session-only

Open document tabs belong to your current session — like open diagrams, they aren't saved with the model and will be gone when you reload. Your edits, of course, are saved automatically.

Tips

Reach for a document whenever an element's description grows beyond a line or two — the editor and reader together make long-form writing comfortable.
Keep a reference element open in one tab while you edit another.