##What is Gltn? ###(pronounced Gluten)
Try it out! http://felkerdigitalmedia.com/gltn/edit.php
The goal is to build a better word processor. Word, OpenOffice, Google Docs are current products, but all of them are limited in features. You can type things and style things. But everything you style has to be done yourself.
As a student, I've spent countless hours formatting papers. I spent about an hour formatting a single paper and doing the bibliography. Yes, tools exist to do this type of thing. I used EasyBib and that saved me some time, but all the other niche details that go into an essay or another type of paper create a lot of stress and waste a lot of time. When 10% of your grade or more hangs on the tiny details, that's stressful. Shouldn't writing a paper be about... the content?
The goal of Gltn is to be a lot of different things. Like LaTeX, you write the paper and then it generates a properly formatted paper based on the type of paper you're writing. Everything, the title, bibliography, in-line citations, etc. are generated automatically from simple UI elements.
Automation is at the heart of Gltn. Type a quote in an essay. Context indicates you're going to quote something. So a popup appears. You can type in the reference details. Then it creates a citation, underlined in blue. That's it. You're done.
Generate the document. The bibliography appears, everything is perfect. Gltn will use plenty of contextual information to aid you as a writer get past the boring stuff of writing - formatting and citations and everything else - and let you write.
- Web App - No installs, no updating, cross platform. Everything runs in a web browser on your phone and desktop without issue
- Auto Format - Citing an article? Just put in the information once. It will generate the appropriate in-text citation as well as a bibliography. This happens seamlessly and automatically based on which format you choose
- Collaboration - Files save locally by default. You can also save it online to Google Drive, Dropbox, or other services. From a synced document, others can open it up and edit files in realtime
- Workflow - Generate an outline, add citations, write notes for each citation. Your whole workflow is possible from this app. Plus, these appear in panels next to your content. You can see your essay and your outline at the same time.
Not only is Gltn perfect for writers, but it also is a great developer project too.
- Modularity - Everything is designed to be easily switched. Swap themes, formats, and panels and the editor adapts. This system means you don't need to reinvent the wheel.
- Simple API - Want to create a plugin? It's all simple JavaScript. There's no learning curve.
- Open Source - Want to replicate a feature? Go as far into the Gltn source as you want to make an amazing project.
- Store - Want to publish your extension? Send it to the Gltn Store and let others check it out.
- Panels provide third-party functionality as well as let the user interact between what they wrote and additional content
- Themes are a way to customize the look and feel of the editor to provide a better interface for users
- Dictionaries allow users to quickly find information they want by pinging a variety of sources
- Formats are the scripts that run and integrate with the editor in order to provide a properly formatted document
- Popups overlay the screen and provide users an opportunity to input specific content or provide users with feedback
- Other scripts manage a few other processes that are integral to the editor as a whole
You can edit the source files or develop plugins using the various frameworks available in Gltn. Go to the Wiki page to learn more about developing plugins.