NoteTab's Clipbar and Clips
Written by Jody Adair

This Outline is for Help in using NoteTab's Clipbar. It may also be read in NoteTab's Outline format (download 13.7Kb). You will find that my NoteTab discussion mailing lists are very helpful!

Information About the Clipbar and Clips
About the Clipbar
About the Buttons to Use
Where Can I get Buttons?
Where do I Get Image Software to Make Buttons With?
How do I Add a Clip to the Clipbar?
How do I Change a Button on the Clipbar?
How do I Rearrange the Buttons on the Clipbar?
How are NoteTab's Buttons are Numbered?
How do I Make a Clipbook Library?
How do I Create a Clip?
How do I edit Clips?
How do I Delete a Clipbar or Library?

About the Clipbar
About the Buttons to Use
Where Can I get Buttons?
Where do I Get Image Software to Make Buttons With?
How do I Add a Clip to the Clipbar?
How do I Change a Button on the Clipbar?
How do I Rearrange the Buttons on the Clipbar?
How are NoteTab's Buttons are Numbered?
How do I Make a Clipbook Library?
How do I Create a Clip?
How do I edit Clips?
How do I Delete a Clipbar or Library?

The Clipbar is located below the standard Toolbar when in view and was added to NoteTab in version 4.8. (View | Clipbar) It is a powerful tool allowing you to add your own Clips and icons. The number of Clipbars you can have is only limited to your hard disk space.

The Clipbar acts a little differently from the Clips in a Clipbook Library. Instead of NoteTab reading the Clip in the actual opened Library, it reads it from the disk file. For that reason, if you edit a Clip, you must save it before it will work on the Clipbar. The Clipbar's information (Library, Clip, and button) is stored in a .ctb file. There will be one of those files made for every Clipbar made. They are found in the Libraries folder.

There are features on the Clipbar's content menu. To see them, right click over any part of the Clipbar. If an item is dulled, it means there is nothing for NoteTab to do with that particular feature. Notice the difference if you right click over a button and over a blank space out to the right. Also note the difference if you right click over a separator and a button in the first section of the menu. You can view the Tooltip by holding your mouse over the icons and also on the Statusbar at the bottom of your screen.

Information About the Clipbar and Clips
About the Buttons to Use
How do I Add a Clip to the Clipbar?
Where Can I get Buttons?
Where do I Get Image Software to Make Buttons With?
How do I Change a Button on the Clipbar?
How do I Rearrange the Buttons on the Clipbar?
How are NoteTab's Buttons are Numbered?
How do I Make a Clipbook Library?
How do I Create a Clip?
How do I edit Clips?
How do I Delete a Clipbar or Library?

The icons (also known as images, buttons or glyphs) on the Clipbar must be either a .bmp or.ico format. The .bmp format is preferred over .ico because NoteTab has to change the format internally (not the file) in order to show it on the Clipbar. However, most users should not notice any difference in performance if .ico files are used.

Images are made of many very tiny squares called pixels where are commonly called dots. The transparency is read from the bottom left pixel of the image. That means whatever color that pixel is, the same color in the image will not be seen on the Clipbar. You may have noticed some images you see on computers are square like a photograph and have a background. That is because there is no transparency set which may be due to the file type. Think of transparent as invisible. The size of the icon should be 18 by 18 pixels for best results. NoteTab will resize them to that; therefore, buttons that are not that size may get distorted. NoteTab's icons are available for you to use on the Clipbar. Custom icons must be kept in NoteTab's Library folder. The Clipbar uses the Toolbar's Options to determine whether the buttons are stacked or not.

You may use from 2 to 16 million colors when making your buttons. The most frequently used is 16 colors. There are at least two reasons for that: less resources are used and they will display on any computer (less a black and white :). On the other hand though, today's computers for the most part have enough resources to handle small 16 million color icons and most users are able to display them. You can make some really nice 3D buttons when using 16 million colors, even overlays that come out real nice. Many times you can make the image in 16 million colors and then reduce the colors to 256 and still have a very nice button to display with minimal unwanted side effects.

Information About the Clipbar and Clips
About the Clipbar
Where Can I get Buttons?
Where do I Get Image Software to Make Buttons With?
How do I Add a Clip to the Clipbar?
How do I Change a Button on the Clipbar?
How do I Rearrange the Buttons on the Clipbar?
How are NoteTab's Buttons are Numbered?
How do I Make a Clipbook Library?
How do I Create a Clip?
How do I edit Clips?
How do I Delete a Clipbar or Library?

Although there are a number of places on the Internet to download free ready-made buttons the first of these is has an exceptional assortment. As far as the rest of them go you will have to decide for yourself. Please let me know if any of the links are broken or the site wasn't worth the visit. Keep in mind you should get icons that are close to 18x18 pixels.

This is the Outline with buttons. I made most of them, but some of the program icons are extract from the program it represents:

I like Scrows the best myself:

Information About the Clipbar and Clips
About the Clipbar
About the Buttons to Use
Where do I Get Image Software to Make Buttons With?
How do I Add a Clip to the Clipbar?
How do I Change a Button on the Clipbar?
How do I Rearrange the Buttons on the Clipbar?
How are NoteTab's Buttons are Numbered?
How do I Make a Clipbook Library?
How do I Create a Clip?
How do I edit Clips?
How do I Delete a Clipbar or Library?

You need to use an image or icon editor that will save the image in .bmp or .ico format.

Here are some links Image Editors. All are Freeware except Paint Shop Pro. I like the first two myself along with and image editor.

You can also use MS Paint for .bmp editing.

Information About the Clipbar and Clips
About the Clipbar
About the Buttons to Use
Where Can I get Buttons?
How do I Add a Clip to the Clipbar?
How do I Change a Button on the Clipbar?
How do I Rearrange the Buttons on the Clipbar?
How are NoteTab's Buttons are Numbered?
How do I Make a Clipbook Library?
How do I Create a Clip?
How do I edit Clips?
How do I Delete a Clipbar or Library?

1. Choose the Library that contains the Clip you want; make it active by pressing on the button at the bottom of your screen on the Libraries Bar.

2. Make sure you do not have "Single Click to Paste" checked in Options under the Clipbook tab. (View | Options | Clipbook)

3. Find the Clip you want to add and left click once on it holding your mouse button down. Drag and drop it to the Clipbar by moving your mouse up to the Clipbar and dropping (let go of the button) the Clip on it.

Information About the Clipbar and Clips
About the Clipbar
About the Buttons to Use
Where Can I get Buttons?
Where do I Get Image Software to Make Buttons With?
How do I Change a Button on the Clipbar?
How do I Rearrange the Buttons on the Clipbar?
How are NoteTab's Buttons are Numbered?
How do I Make a Clipbook Library?
How do I Create a Clip?
How do I edit Clips?
How do I Delete a Clipbar or Library?

1. Right click over the icon you what to change and choose "Button Properties..."

2. The Clip's Button Properties dialog will come up. You may choose one of NoteTab's buttons on the first tab (Toolbar icons) or if you installed your own in the Libraries folder they will be on the second tab (Custom icons).

3. Click on the button you want to use and then click OK.

4. Right click over the Clipbar and choose "Save Clipbar."

Note: If you change the name of the Clip in Button Properties you must also change it in the Library as well. It is not done automatically for you. The same goes for the Library name.

- Tips

You may consider having separate Libraries for each Clipbar you make so it will be easier to keep track of them all.

Some users might find it easier to edit the .ctb file for the Clipbar by right clicking over the Clipbar and choosing "Edit Clipbar". The format is:

"Library Name","Clip Name","Icon Name (or NoteTab icon number)"

You may find Clipbook Libraries at the Clipbook repository which has a large selection sorted by topics. The Libraries are submitted by NoteTab users like yourself. If you would like to learn more about Clip writing by sending a blank post to ntb-Clips-subscribe@eGroups.com to join The NoteTab Clip discussion mailing lists. Just send the empty post with the subscribe address in the To: section.

http://www.notetab.com/library.htm

NoteTab mailing lists you might find helpful:
../html/maillist.htm

Information About the Clipbar and Clips
About the Clipbar
About the Buttons to Use
Where Can I get Buttons?
Where do I Get Image Software to Make Buttons With?
How do I Add a Clip to the Clipbar?
How do I Rearrange the Buttons on the Clipbar?
How are NoteTab's Buttons are Numbered?
How do I Make a Clipbook Library?
How do I Create a Clip?
How do I edit Clips?
How do I Delete a Clipbar or Library?

To rearrange the buttons on the Clipbar hold the Shift key down and drag/drop the button to a new location. Anytime you make a change(s) to the Clipbar you can save the changes by right clicking on it and choosing "Save Clipbar."

Information About the Clipbar and Clips
About the Clipbar
About the Buttons to Use
Where Can I get Buttons?
Where do I Get Image Software to Make Buttons With?
How do I Add a Clip to the Clipbar?
How do I Change a Button on the Clipbar?
How are NoteTab's Buttons are Numbered?
How do I Make a Clipbook Library?
How do I Create a Clip?
How do I edit Clips?
How do I Delete a Clipbar or Library?

NoteTab's buttons are number in sequential order starting at zero. You may obtain a list of them from your NoteTab ini file found in its main folder. They will be listed under the Toolbar section. The "Space=..." entries (which are the separators) are not counted. Following is a list of the "Tools" for the Toolbar in Pro and their numbers.

#0 New Document
#1 Open Document
#2 Open Template
#3 Open File at Cursor
#4 Open Document Link
#5 Save Document
#6 Save As
#7 Save All
#8 Export
#9 Rename Document
#10 Delete Document
#11 Close Document
#12 Close All
#13 Go to Favorites
#14 Add Favorites
#15 New Outline
#16 Add Heading
#17 Copy Heading
#18 Remove Heading
#19 Print
#20 Printer Settings
#21 Cut
#22 Copy
#23 Copy All
#24 Select All
#25 Clear All
#26 Paste
#27 Paste New
#28 Paste Date/Time
#29 Page Break
#30 Reload Document
#31 Undo
#32 Redo
#33 Find Text
#34 Replace Text
#35 Search Again
#36 Search Disk
#37 Go to Line
#38 Match Bracket
#39 Left Align
#40 Center Align
#41 Right Align
#42 Justify Align
#43 Reformat Lines
#44 Insert Bullets
#45 Number Lines
#46 Increase Indent
#47 Decrease Indent
#48 Join Lines
#49 Split Lines
#50 Sort Ascending
#51 Sort Descending
#52 Cut Block
#53 Copy Block
#54 Paste Block
#55 Delete Block
#56 Invert Case
#57 Upper Case
#58 Lower Case
#59 Capitalize
#60 Sentence
#61 Document Properties
#62 Toggle Word Wrap
#63 Show Nonprinting
#64 Font
#65 Increase Font Size
#66 Decrease Font Size
#67 Second Window
#68 Paste Board
#69 Spell Check
#70 Thesaurus
#71 Text Statistics
#72 Evaluate Expression
#73 Open/close Clipbook
#74 Copy to Clipbook
#75 Cut to Clipbook
#76 Expand Text
#77 Quick List
#78 Launch Document
#79 Send Document
#80 E-mail Quote
#81 E-mail Unquote
#82 View in Browser
#83 View Other Browser
#84 Open Link
#85 Document to HTML
#86 Characters to HTML
#87 Strip HTML
#88 Strip Tags
#89 Options
#90 Help
#91 Exit

Information About the Clipbar and Clips
About the Clipbar
About the Buttons to Use
Where Can I get Buttons?
Where do I Get Image Software to Make Buttons With?
How do I Add a Clip to the Clipbar?
How are NoteTab's Buttons are Numbered?
How do I Make a Clipbook Library?
How do I Create a Clip?
How do I edit Clips?
How do I Delete a Clipbar or Library?

1. If you do not have the Clipbook visible, press F4 and it will appear for you. (Press F4 again to close.)

2. Look up at the top of the Clipbook and you will see a small window (above the large one) that shows the Library's name.

3. Right click in the small window with the Library name and choose "New..." You will be prompted to give it a name. After naming it and pressing OK the new Clipbook Library will be made and it will become active. You are now ready to add a Clip to it.

For detailed help, look in the Help file under the Contents tab| How to and click on "Create Clipbook Libraries."

Information About the Clipbar and Clips
About the Clipbar
About the Buttons to Use
Where Can I get Buttons?
Where do I Get Image Software to Make Buttons With?
How do I Add a Clip to the Clipbar?
How do I Change a Button on the Clipbar?
How do I Rearrange the Buttons on the Clipbar?
How are NoteTab's Buttons are Numbered?
How do I Create a Clip?
How do I edit Clips?
How do I Delete a Clipbar or Library?

1. To add a new Clip to an existing Library, focus the Library you want by pressing its button on the button bar at the bottom of your screen. (You may have to go to the menubar and select "View/Libraries bar" first.)

2. Right click over the larger lower window on the left of the screen and select "Add New Clip..." Type in a name of the Clip in the popup.

3. The Clip edit window will open in the main area with [Clips] as the name of the tab. Type in what you want in the Clip and save it. Hold your mouse over its tab and select close. It is not necessary to close the Clip Editor in order to use the Clip. (See How do I edit Clips? below.)

For detailed discussion on how to actually write Clips, go to the following Topics in Help: Clip Basics and Clipbook Programming. You find them under Tools in the Contents section. There are also many helpful experienced NoteTab Clip writers that will aid you in learning more about Clip writing and helping you with problems on the The NoteTab Clips List. Send an empty post to ntb-Clips-subscribe@eGroups.com to join The NoteTab Clip discussion mailing lists.

Information About the Clipbar and Clips
About the Clipbar
About the Buttons to Use
Where Can I get Buttons?
Where do I Get Image Software to Make Buttons With?
How do I Add a Clip to the Clipbar?
How do I Change a Button on the Clipbar?
How do I Rearrange the Buttons on the Clipbar?
How are NoteTab's Buttons are Numbered?
How do I Make a Clipbook Library?
How do I edit Clips?
How do I Delete a Clipbar or Library?

To edit a Clip, right click over the Clip and choose "Edit Clip..." from the menu. The Clip Editor will open at that time and you will see it on the Tab bar named [Clips]. The data inside the Clip is NoteTab's Clipbook scripting code. Make the changes you want and Save the Clip. You can close the Clip Editor or bring another tab to the front in order to execute the Clip. (Be careful about leaving it open -- performing global Find and Replace operations in all open documents could alter the Clip's code.)

Information About the Clipbar and Clips
About the Clipbar
About the Buttons to Use
Where Can I get Buttons?
Where do I Get Image Software to Make Buttons With?
How do I Add a Clip to the Clipbar?
How do I Change a Button on the Clipbar?
How do I Rearrange the Buttons on the Clipbar?
How are NoteTab's Buttons are Numbered?
How do I Make a Clipbook Library?
How do I Create a Clip?
How do I Delete a Clipbar or Library?

Clipbars must be manually removed by deleting the .ctb file associated with the specific Clipbar. You can do this from NoteTab's Libraries folder or simply by right clicking over the Clipbar and choosing "Edit Clipbar." Right Click again over the Clipbar and open a different Clipbar. Right click over the .ctb file tab that you opened and choose Delete.

You must manually delete the buttons used in the deleted Clipbar found in NoteTab's Library folder, so you might want to do that first so you have a list. I do have a Clip found on my NoteTabber's Assistant Libraries page called Button Cleaner that will move all unused buttons to a backup folder. Doing that will help the Button Properties dialog box come up quicker when you click on Custom. You can get the Library from:

../html/snatchclp.htm#bcln

Libraries may be permanently deleted by right clicking over the small upper window in the Library that you want to delete from your disk and then choosing "Delete Library." Likewise you can open it as a document from the same upper window, right click over the file tab, and choose Delete. You may also delete the Library directly from Windows Explorer. If you delete it from Explorer while it is active in NoteTab, you will be prompted to save the Library when you exit NoteTab or switch Libraries. Choose "No" when that happens.

Information About the Clipbar and Clips
About the Clipbar
About the Buttons to Use
Where Can I get Buttons?
Where do I Get Image Software to Make Buttons With?
How do I Add a Clip to the Clipbar?
How do I Change a Button on the Clipbar?
How do I Rearrange the Buttons on the Clipbar?
How are NoteTab's Buttons are Numbered?
How do I Make a Clipbook Library?
How do I Create a Clip?
How do I edit Clips?