§ ·Start here
Getting started
Your first page in five minutes, on the Mac or the iPad.
1. Open Dactylo
The first time Dactylo opens it shows a short tour: the machine turns, types a few lines on a fresh sheet and shows you where everything is. Follow it with Next, or Skip it; you can see it again any time from Settings › Help › Show the Tour.
Your first folder, My First Folder, is already open and a clean sheet is in the machine.
2. Type
Just type on your keyboard. Every key you press lifts its typebar on the machine, the letter strikes the paper and the carriage moves on. When the line is nearly full the bell rings; press Return (or click the return lever on the left of the carriage) for a new line.
On the iPad a hardware keyboard works best. You can also tap the machine's keys.
3. Look around
- Esc moves between the machine views; ⌘1 to ⌘4 jump straight to Desk, Whole Machine, Page and Manuscript. See The four views.
- Drag on the machine (or on the empty desk) to turn it. Pinch or use the trackpad to zoom.
- The column of keys on the right holds every tool: the library, the look of the machine, paper and ink, sounds, goals and settings. Pin it with the pin key, or let it slide away while you type.
4. Your writing is saved
There is nothing to save. Each page is written to its own file as you pause, in iCloud Drive › Dactylo, and appears on your other Macs and iPads. See iCloud sync.
5. A second page
When the page is full, the machine feeds a new sheet by itself. To start a new page on purpose, press ⌘N (or the New Page key). The free version writes one page; unlock Dactylo for every page after that.
Next
Still stuck? Write to support@dactyloapp.com and say which device you use.