Multi-Pane Views
View up to four entries side by side with tiled layouts, drag-to-snap, and keyboard navigation.
Overview
Split the main content area into up to four panes so you can view and edit multiple entries at once. Useful for referencing one entry while writing another, comparing entries, or keeping a map open alongside character notes.
Layouts
Choose from seven layout options using the layout button in the sidebar or in any pane's toolbar:
| Layout | Description |
|---|---|
| Single | Full-width, one entry (default) |
| Vertical split | Two entries side by side |
| Horizontal split | Two entries stacked top and bottom |
| Three-pane (4 variants) | One large pane + two smaller panes (left, right, top, or bottom orientation) |
| Quadrant | 2x2 grid — four equal panes |
Opening Entries in Panes
Drag from sidebar
Drag any entry from the sidebar onto the pane area. As you drag, snap zones appear to show where the entry will land:
- Edge zones (top, bottom, left, right) — split the area and place the entry in the new pane
- Corner zones — expand the layout to add a pane in that corner
The layout automatically upgrades as needed — dragging onto a single-pane view creates a two-pane split, dragging onto a two-pane view creates a three-pane layout, and so on up to the four-pane quadrant.
Layout button
Click the layout button (grid icon) in the sidebar or pane toolbar to switch directly between layouts. When adding panes, the new pane opens empty — click inside it to browse entries, or drag one in from the sidebar.
Active Pane
One pane is always the active pane, shown with a subtle highlight. The active pane determines:
- Which entry appears in the URL bar
- Which entry receives keyboard input
Click inside a pane to make it active, or use arrow keys to move focus between panes.
In multi-pane mode, the sidebar no longer highlights a single entry as "active" — since you're working across multiple entries at once, no one entry should appear selected.
Keyboard Navigation
| Key | Action |
|---|---|
| ← → ↑ ↓ | Move focus to the adjacent pane in that direction |
Arrow key navigation is context-aware — it understands which panes are adjacent in every layout variant. For example, in a three-pane layout with one large left pane and two stacked right panes, pressing → from the left pane moves to whichever right pane is vertically closest.
Responsive Behavior
On smaller screens (below 960px wide), the layout automatically collapses to a single pane to keep content readable. Your preferred layout is remembered — when the window is resized back above 960px, the multi-pane layout is restored.
Persistence
Your layout choice and which entries are open in each pane are saved automatically and restored when you return to the app. Closing the browser or refreshing the page preserves your pane setup.
Floating Panels
In addition to tiled panes, you can open entries as floating windows that hover over the pane grid. Floating panels can be dragged, resized, and minimized — like OS windows on a desktop.
Opening a floating panel
| Method | How |
|---|---|
| Alt+Click | Hold Alt and click any entry in the sidebar |
| Keyboard shortcut | Press Ctrl+Shift+F to float the current entry |
| Pop-out button | In a pane header (multi-pane mode), click the pop-out icon to detach the entry into a floating panel |
{/* screenshot: Floating panel hovering over the pane grid */}
Interacting with panels
- Drag the header bar to reposition
- Resize from any edge or corner
- Click a panel to bring it to the front
- Minimize with the minus button — panels collapse to a bottom bar and can be restored
- Close with the X button
- Press Escape to close the focused panel
- Use arrow keys on the header to nudge the panel position (hold Shift for larger steps)
Snapping panels into the grid
Drag a floating panel to the edge of the screen and a blue highlight will preview where it will land. Release to snap the entry into the pane grid — the floating panel closes and the entry takes its place as a tiled pane.
- Left/right edges create a vertical split
- Top/bottom edges create a horizontal split
- Corners always create a quadrant (four-pane) layout
Links inside panels
Clicking a mention or entry link inside a floating panel opens the linked entry as a new floating panel instead of navigating away. This makes it easy to reference multiple entries simultaneously.
Persistence
Floating panels are saved to your browser and restored on refresh, just like the pane layout.
Pop-Out to New Window
Open any entry in a separate browser window — ideal for multi-monitor setups or keeping a reference visible alongside other applications.
Opening a pop-out window
| Method | How |
|---|---|
| Editor menu | Click the ... button in the entry header, then Open in new window |
| Pane header | In multi-pane mode, click the chevron dropdown on a pane and choose Open in new window |
| Floating panel | Click the external-link icon in the floating panel header |
| Right-click | Right-click any entry in the sidebar, dashboard, or template page and choose Open in new window |
The pop-out window opens at a comfortable default size (900 x 700) and is fully resizable. It has full editor functionality — editing, tabs, side panel, collaborative editing — without the sidebar or chat.
Editing across windows
Both the main window and the pop-out window connect to the server independently. If you're collaborating with others, edits from all windows sync automatically through the same real-time system that powers regular collaboration.
Links inside pop-out windows
Clicking a mention or entry link inside a pop-out window opens the linked entry in a new pop-out window instead of navigating back to the main app. Opening the same entry that's already popped out focuses the existing window rather than creating a duplicate.