nv_aeon2

User guide

This page refers to the latest nv_aeon2 release. You can open it with Help > Aeon 2 plugin Online help.

The plugin adds a Timeline entry to the novelibre Tools menu, a Create from Aeon Timeline 2… to the File > New submenu, and an Aeon 2 plugin Online Help entry to the Help menu. The Toolbar gets a button.

Installing the plugin

Either launch the downloaded nv_aeon2_vx.x.x.pyzw file by double-clicking (Windows/Linux desktop),
or execute `python nv_aeon2_vx.x.x.pyzw` (Windows), resp. `python3 nv_aeon2_vx.x.x.pyzw` (Linux) on the command line.

“x.x.x” means the version number.

Important

Many web browsers recognize the download as an executable file and offer to open it immedately. This starts the installation.

However, depending on your security settings, your browser may initially refuse to download the executable file. In this case, your confirmation or an additional action is required. If this is not possible, you have the option of downloading the zip file.

Installing the Aeon Timeline 2 custom template

After installation, you can copy a “novelibre.xml” template to the Aeon Timeline 2 custom template folder. The easiest way is to create new timelines based on this template. It provides the entities and event properties that are converted to novelibre by default.

You find the customized template in the novelibre installation directory under

c:\Users\<user name>\.novx\nv_aeon2_sample\

Just copy it into

AppData\Local\Scribble Code\Aeon Timeline 2\CustomTemplates.

Hint

The <your user name>\AppData folder is hidden, so you might have to go to the Explorer settings first to enable Show hidden files. Just disable this again after successfully having installed the custom template.

The next time you start Aeon Timeline 2, the new template appears in the Custom Templates area.

Command reference

Tools > Aeon Timeline 2 > Information

Show information about an existing Aeon Timeline 2 project, if any. Aeon Timeline 2 and novelibre file dates are compared.

Tools > Aeon Timeline 2 > Update the timeline

If a timeline exists, update it from novelibre.

Tools > Aeon Timeline 2 > Update the project

Update the novelibre project from the timeline, if existing.

Tools > Aeon Timeline 2 > Add or update moon phase data

The “Moon phase” event property consists of:

the phase day (0 to 29, where 0=new moon, 15=full etc.),
the visible shape,
the fraction illuminated.

Note

The moon phase calculation is based on a ‘do it in your head’ algorithm by John Conway. In its current form, it’s only valid for the 20th and 21st centuries.

Tools > Aeon Timeline 2 > Open Aeon Timeline 2

Same as clicking on the Timeline button on the toolbar.

Open the project’s timeline, if existing, with the Aeon Timeline 2 application. Depending on the configuration (see below), the project is automatically locked.

File > New > Create from Aeon Timeline 2…

Open a file dialog to select a timeline. If no novelibre project with the timeline’s file name exists, create a new one from the timeline.

Control conversion

Prepare your timeline for export

After installation, you can copy a “novelibre” template to the Aeon Timeline 2 custom template folder. The easiest way is to create new timelines based on this template. It provides the entities and event properties that are converted to novelibre by default.

For existing timelines you have two choices:

Option 1: Add or rename the required entities and event properties in the Aeon Timeline 2 settings.
Option 2: Customize the nv_aeon2 configuration to fit your timeline, see Custom configuration.

Synchronization in detail

Known limitations

“Narrative” events that begin before 0001-01-01 in the timeline, will not be synchronized with novelibre, because novelibre can not handle these dates.
The same applies to the section duration in this case, i.e. the event duration in Timeline and the section duration in novelibre may differ.

Conversion rules for newly created novelibre projects

The names/column labels refer to timelines based on the “novelibre” template.

If an Aeon event title occurs more than once, the program aborts with an error message.
Events assigned to the “Narrative” arc are converted to regular sections.
New sections are put into a new chapter named “New sections”.
All sections are sorted chronologically.
The section status is “Outline”.
The event title is used as section title (*).
The start date is used as section date/time, if the start year is 1 or above.
The section duration is calculated, if the start year is 1 or above.
Event tags are converted to section tags, if any (*).
“Descriptions” are imported as section descriptions, if any (*).
“Notes” are used as section notes, if any (*).
“Participants” are imported as characters, if any (*).
“Locations” are imported, if any (*).
“Items” are imported, if any (*).

Update rules for existing novelibre projects

Only sections that have the same title as an event are updated.
If an Aeon event title occurs more than once, the converter aborts with an error message.
If a novelibre section title occurs more than once, the converter aborts with an error message.
Sections are marked “unused” if the associated event is deleted in Aeon.
Section date, section time, and section duration are updated.
Non-empty section description and section tags are updated.
Notes of events with a matching title are appended to the section notes.
The start date is overwritten, if the start year is 1 or above.
The section duration is overwritten, if the start year is 1 or above.
New “Normal” type sections are created from “Narrative” events, if missing.
New sections are put into a new chapter named “New sections”.
New plot lines, characters, locations, and items are added, if assigned to “Narrative” events.
Arc, character, location, and item relationships are updated, if the entity names match.
When processing unspecific “day/hour/minute” information, the default date from the novelibre project is used. f there is no default date set, “today” is used.

Update rules for Aeon Timeline 2 projects

If an Aeon event title occurs more than once, the converter aborts with an error message.
If a novelibre section title occurs more than once, the converter aborts with an error message.
Event date/time and event span are updated, if the start year is 1 or above.
Updated event span is specified in days/hours/minutes as in novelibre.
Non-empty event description and event tags are updated.
Event properties “Description” and “Notes” are created, if missing.
Events created or updated from “Normal” sections are assigned to the Narrative arc.
“Narrative” events are removed if the associated section is deleted in novelibre.
Entity types “Arc”, “Character”, “Location”, and “Item” are created, if missing.
A “Narrative” arc is created, if missing.
A “Storyline” arc role is created, if missing.
New arcs, characters, locations, and items are added, if assigned to sections.
Arc, character, location, and item relationships are updated, if the entity names match.
When creating events from sections without any date/time information, they get the default date from the novelibre project, and are sorted in reading order. If there is no default date set, “today” is used.
When processing unspecific “day/hour/minute” information, the default date from the novelibre project is used for date calculation. If there is no default date set, “today” is used as reference date.

Custom configuration

You can override the default settings by providing a configuration file. Be always aware that faulty entries may cause program errors.

Global configuration

An optional global configuration file named nv_aeon2.ini an be placed in the configuration directory of the installation. It is applied to any project. Its entries override nv_aeon2’s built-in constants. This is the path: c:\Users\<user name>\.novx\config\nv_aeon2.ini

Local project configuration

An optional project configuration file named nv_aeon2.ini can be placed in your project directory, i.e. the folder containing your novelibre and Aeon Timeline 2 project files. It is only applied to this project. Its entries override aeon2nv’s built-in constants as well as the global configuration, if any.

How to provide/modify a configuration file

You find the a sample configuration file with the nv_aeon2 default values in the novelibre installation directory under

c:\Users\<user name>\.novx\nv_aeon2_sample\

You best make a copy and edit it.

The SETTINGS section mainly refers to custom property, role, and type names.
Comment lines begin with a # number sign. In the example, they refer to the code line immediately above.

This is the configuration file explained:

[SETTINGS]

narrative_arc = Narrative

# Name of the user-defined "Narrative" arc.

property_description = Description

# Name of the user-defined section description property.

property_notes = Notes

# Name of the user-defined section notes property.

property_moonphase = Moon phase

# Name of the user-defined moon phase property.

type_arc = Arc

# Name of the user-defined "Arc" type

type_character = Character

# Name of the user-defined "Character" type

type_location = Location

# Name of the user-defined "Location" type

type_item = Item

# Name of the user-defined "Item" type

role_arc = Arc

# Name of the user-defined role for regular arcs.

role_plotline = Storyline

# Name of the user-defined role for plot line arcs.

role_character = Participant

# Name of the user-defined role for characters in a section.

role_location = Location

# Name of the user-defined role for section locations.

role_item = Item

# Name of the user-defined role for items in a section.

color_section = Red

# Color of new section events

color_event = Yellow

# Color of new non-section events

[OPTIONS]

add_moonphase = No

# Yes: Add the moon phase to the event properties.
# No: Update moon phase, if already defined as event property.

lock_on_export = No

# Yes: Lock the novelibre project when opening the timeline.
# No: Do not lock the novelibre project when opening the timeline.

Note

Your custom configuration file does not have to contain all the entries listed above. The changed entries are sufficient.