40d:Note

The Note function from the main game screen (activated via the N key) allows the player to place a short comment that is attached to a single tile. Once one or more Notes are in place on the map, they are invisible until Notes is activated again, and activating it also allows one to find the closest Note.

Symbol selection

When you first open the Note function*, you will notice 3 flashing X's - one bright and two greyed out. You will be change between these sub-menus using the change key. The contrast is not great, and the flashing doesn't help - look closely to make sure you're on the desired sub-menu.

(* If you already have Notes in place anywhere on the map, the text of the nearest Note will be visible at the top along with the symbol for that Note - see Editing/Deleting, below.)

The first step is to select what symbol you want to use to mark the tile you will select. This only a "finder" - the text will be chosen in a moment. This is on the top line, the long list of symbols. Hit change to get that X bright, and then use the +/- (or / and *) keys to scroll across and choose your symbol - you have a lot to choose from.

To change the text color, hit change again and use the same selector keys to choose your desired color. The X will go all across all 16 colors.

Then select the background color, by hitting change again and doing likewise. For background, you only have the 8 thicker colors on the left to choose from.

If you change your mind, cycle through symbols and colors until you're happy. Later, this symbol will flash when you are close to it with the Note reader, or be solid if you are closer to another that is also visible on the map screen. But it could be invisible, and you can still find it (if you remember the general area and other Notes are not surrounding it.)

Placement

The next step is to select where the Note will be placed. Move the cursor using the standard navigation keys (↑, ↓, ←, → keys), and once that is over the tile you want to label, hit p. The symbol you selected will be flashing in that location - unfortunately, if the cursor is over it, you will not be able to see this - trust that it's there, or look in the upper left corner of the Note screen for the symbol you chose.

(If no other Notes are nearby, you can move it to see - if they are, you will still see it, but another might be flashing, indicating that one is selected. Confirm you have the one you want by looking in the upper left corner of the Note screen for the symbol you just placed.)

Note text

The next step is the text itself - hit n and type away. You have about 4 lines (on that screen) - hardly limitless, but should be ample for most purposes. When you're done typing, hit Enter, and it's done.

Then move the cursor and place another Note (with a new or the same symbol), or hit space to exit.

Editing/Deleting

To select an existing Note, just open the Note menu, and move the cursor to the Note you want - the nearest one will flash and be seen in the upper left corner of the Note menu, and that is close enough. The numbers at the top of the screen show the distance in the x, y and z direction to that nearest note.

To edit, just hit n again - it's a painfully simple program, so you can either add or erase and retype, no proper text editing.

To edit a symbol, the note must be deleted and replaced.

To delete that Note, just hit d. CAUTION - each time you hit d, you will delete the nearest Note on that z-level - use with care, or other nearby Notes will get deleted. You cannot recover a deleted Note.

Finding/Reading existing Notes

Just as in Editing, above, open the Notes menu and navigate close to the Note you want. All Notes on the map will be visible, with the symbol, distance/direction and text of the one you are closest to visible in the Notes menu. Once you are closer to your desired Note than any others, it will flash and you can read, edit or delete it.a