Welcome to the WYSIWYG to Markdown editor! This guide will walk you through the essential features of the application, helping you to create well-formatted Markdown documents with ease.
Note: Not all sites that accept Markdown can support all of the tags this tool uses.
The application is divided into two main panels:
Compose (Left Pane): This is your "What You See Is What You Get" (WYSIWYG) editor. Here, you can apply formatting using toolbar buttons and menu options, and your text will instantly reflect those changes visually. This panel is ideal for users who prefer a more traditional word-processor experience.
Markdown (Right Pane): This panel displays the raw Markdown code that is generated as you work in the Compose pane. You can also directly type or paste Markdown into this panel, and the Compose pane will update to show you a preview of how it will look when rendered.
The two panes are synchronized, allowing for a seamless transition between visual editing and raw Markdown syntax.
The toolbar provides quick access to the most common formatting options:
Headings: Use the dropdown menu (which defaults to "Normal Text") to apply heading levels 1 through 6.
Text Styles: Buttons for Bold, Italic, <u>Underline</u>, and ~~Strikethrough~~ are available. You can also apply inline code formatting.
Alignment: The "Center" button will center-align the current paragraph.
Colors: Use the "Color" dropdown to select from a list of preset colors or open a full color picker to choose a custom color.
The "Format" menu contains a comprehensive list of elements you can add to your document:
Lists: Create unordered (bulleted), ordered (numbered), and task lists.
Block Elements: Insert a blockquote for quoting text or a horizontal rule to divide sections.
Links and Media:
Link: Insert a hyperlink. You can specify the URL and choose if it opens in a new window.
Image: Add an image from a web URL or a local file. The image will be rendered in the Compose pane.
YouTube Video: Insert a video by providing its ID. A clickable thumbnail will be displayed in the Compose pane.
Table: Create a simple table with a specified number of rows and columns.
Other Inserts:
Footnote: Add footnote references and definitions.
Date & Time: Insert the current date and time.
Comment: Add a Markdown comment, which will not be visible in the final rendered document.
Symbol: Open a dialog box to insert special characters and symbols.
Saving: You can save your document at any time by going to File > Save or using the Ctrl+S shortcut. If it's a new document, you will be prompted to choose a location and filename. The file will be saved with a .md extension.
Opening: To open an existing Markdown file, go to File > Open (Ctrl+O) and select the file from your computer.
Recent Files: The application keeps a list of your most recently opened files under File > Open Recent for quick access.
Copy Buttons: Each pane has a copy icon in its title bar, allowing you to quickly copy the entire content of that pane to your clipboard.
Create Sample Document: Found in the "Help" menu, this feature generates a new document that showcases all the available formatting options, providing a great way to see what's possible.
This guide should give you a solid foundation for using the application. The best way to learn is to experiment, so try out the different features and see what you can create!