Getting Started

# Getting Started This page walks you through the first ten minutes with StoryServer. By the end you will have created a database, added outline items, assigned them to folders, shown folders as columns, and saved the file. Prerequisites: StoryServer installed on Windows 10 or later. See [Installation](/install/installation) if you haven't installed yet. ## 1. Launch StoryServer and create a new database 1. Open StoryServer from the Start menu or Desktop shortcut. 2. Go to **File > New > New Database...** (Ctrl+N). 3. Pick a location on disk and a filename. StoryServer files have the extension `.plw` — see [File Extensions](/storyserver/file-extensions). 4. The new database opens with an empty outline and the default Notepads. ## 2. Add your first items 1. Click the main outline area on the right. 2. Press Enter or Ctrl+Return to add a new item, then type some text. 3. Press Ctrl+R to add a child ("right") item, Ctrl+L to add a same-level item to the left, or Enter for another sibling. 4. Use Alt+↑ / Alt+↓ / Alt+← / Alt+→ to move items around. At this point you have a collapsible outline. Collapse children with Ctrl+H and expand with Ctrl+E. ## 3. Create folders and assign items Folders in StoryServer are dimensions — categories that items can belong to. An item can belong to many folders (N:N). 1. Open the Folder panel on the left. If it's hidden, press Alt+L. 2. Click the **Folder** dropdown at the top of the panel, then **New Folder**. Give it a name like *Project A*. 3. Create a second folder, e.g. *Priority*. 4. With **Assign Folders** mode active (the default), click the ✓ column next to a folder to assign the currently selected item to that folder. See [Folder Menu](/storyserver/folder/folder-menu) for the full context menu. ## 4. Show folders as columns 1. Right-click the folder in the Folder panel and pick **Add Folders to View**, or use the Column menu: **Column > Insert Column > Existing Column or Folder...**. 2. The folder appears as a column on the right side of the outline. 3. Change its width by dragging the separator, or right-click the column header for more options. Folders can be different types — Text, Number, Checkmark, Date, Pop-Up List, Lookup, or Gantt. Change the type via **Folder > Folder Type** (restricted to empty, non-system folders). ## 5. Save and reopen StoryServer uses SQLite and writes to disk on every change — there is no explicit *Save* action. To save a copy at a point in time, use **File > Save As...** or **File > Synchronize > Create Synchronized Copy...**. To reopen later: **File > Open** (Ctrl+O), or pick from **File > Open Recent**. ## What to explore next - [**Core Concepts**](/core-concepts) — the vocabulary (items, folders, notepads, columns, hoist, tickler, forms). - [**Keyboard Shortcuts**](/keyboard-shortcuts) — the complete cheatsheet. - [**How-To Recipes**](/how-to) — GTD, CRM, project planning, writer's outline, and more. - [**Templates**](/templates) — downloadable starter databases. - [**Import from Ecco Pro**](/storyserver/file/import-ecco) — if you are coming from EccoPro. - [**Tools Menu**](/storyserver/tools/tools-menu) — forms, sort, filter, alarms and more. - [**Calendar**](/storyserver/calendar/menu) — appointments, ticklers, Google sync. ## If something goes wrong See [Troubleshooting](/troubleshooting).