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| # User Guide - How to Use Open Notebook | |
| This guide covers practical, step-by-step usage of Open Notebook features. You already understand the concepts; now learn how to actually use them. | |
| > **Prerequisite**: Review [2-CORE-CONCEPTS](../2-CORE-CONCEPTS/index.md) first to understand the mental models (notebooks, sources, notes, chat, transformations, podcasts). | |
| --- | |
| ## Start Here | |
| ### [Interface Overview](interface-overview.md) | |
| Learn the layout before diving in. Understand the three-panel design and where everything is. | |
| --- | |
| ## Eight Core Features | |
| ### 1. [Adding Sources](adding-sources.md) | |
| How to bring content into your notebook. Supports PDFs, web links, audio, video, text, and more. | |
| **Quick links:** | |
| - Upload a PDF or document | |
| - Add a web link or article | |
| - Transcribe audio or video | |
| - Paste text directly | |
| - Common mistakes + fixes | |
| --- | |
| ### 2. [Working with Notes](working-with-notes.md) | |
| Creating, organizing, and using notes (both manual and AI-generated). | |
| **Quick links:** | |
| - Create a manual note | |
| - Save AI responses as notes | |
| - Apply transformations to generate insights | |
| - Organize with tags and naming | |
| - Use notes across your notebook | |
| --- | |
| ### 3. [Chat Effectively](chat-effectively.md) | |
| Have conversations with AI about your sources. Manage context to control what AI sees. | |
| **Quick links:** | |
| - Start your first chat | |
| - Select which sources go in context | |
| - Ask effective questions | |
| - Use follow-ups productively | |
| - Understand citations and verify claims | |
| --- | |
| ### 4. [Creating Podcasts](creating-podcasts.md) | |
| Convert your research into audio dialogue for passive consumption. | |
| **Quick links:** | |
| - Create your first podcast | |
| - Choose or customize speakers | |
| - Select TTS provider | |
| - Generate and download | |
| - Common audio quality fixes | |
| --- | |
| ### 5. [Search Effectively](search.md) | |
| Two search modes: text-based (keyword) and vector-based (semantic). Know when to use each. | |
| **Quick links:** | |
| - Text search vs vector search (when to use) | |
| - Running effective searches | |
| - Using the Ask feature for comprehensive answers | |
| - Saving search results as notes | |
| - Troubleshooting poor results | |
| --- | |
| ### 6. [Transformations](transformations.md) | |
| Batch-process sources with predefined templates. Extract the same insights from multiple documents. | |
| **Quick links:** | |
| - Built-in transformation templates | |
| - Creating custom transformations | |
| - Applying to single or multiple sources | |
| - Managing transformation output | |
| --- | |
| ### 7. [Citations](citations.md) | |
| Verify AI claims by tracing them back to source material. Understand the citation system. | |
| **Quick links:** | |
| - Reading and clicking citations | |
| - Verifying claims against sources | |
| - Requesting better citations | |
| - Saving cited content as notes | |
| --- | |
| ### 8. [API Configuration](api-configuration.md) | |
| Configure AI provider API keys directly through the Settings UI. | |
| **Quick links:** | |
| - Add API keys without editing files | |
| - Test provider connections | |
| - Migrate from environment variables | |
| - Manage Azure and OpenAI-compatible providers | |
| - Understand key storage and encryption | |
| --- | |
| ## Which Feature for Which Task? | |
| ``` | |
| Task: "I want to explore a topic with follow-ups" | |
| → Use: Chat (add sources, select context, have conversation) | |
| Task: "I want one comprehensive answer" | |
| → Use: Search / Ask (system finds relevant content) | |
| Task: "I want to extract the same info from many sources" | |
| → Use: Transformations (define template, apply to all) | |
| Task: "I want summaries of all my sources" | |
| → Use: Transformations (with built-in summary template) | |
| Task: "I want to share my research in audio form" | |
| → Use: Podcasts (create speakers, generate episode) | |
| Task: "I want to find that quote I remember" | |
| → Use: Search / Text Search (keyword matching) | |
| Task: "I'm exploring a concept without knowing exact words" | |
| → Use: Search / Vector Search (semantic similarity) | |
| Task: "I need to add or change my AI provider API keys" | |
| → Use: Settings / API Keys (configure providers without editing files) | |
| ``` | |
| --- | |
| ## Quick-Start Checklist: First 15 Minutes | |
| **Step 1: Create a Notebook (1 min)** | |
| - Name: Something descriptive ("Q1 Market Research", "AI Safety Papers", etc.) | |
| - Description: 1-2 sentences about what you're researching | |
| - This is your research container | |
| **Step 2: Add Your First Source (3 min)** | |
| - Pick one: PDF, web link, or text | |
| - Follow [Adding Sources](adding-sources.md) | |
| - Wait for processing (usually 30-60 seconds) | |
| **Step 3: Chat About It (3 min)** | |
| - Go to Chat | |
| - Select your source (set context to "Full Content") | |
| - Ask a simple question: "What are the main points?" | |
| - See AI respond with citations | |
| **Step 4: Save Insight as Note (2 min)** | |
| - Good response? Click "Save as Note" | |
| - Name it something useful ("Main points from source X") | |
| - Now you have a captured insight | |
| **Step 5: Explore More (6 min)** | |
| - Add another source | |
| - Chat about both together | |
| - Ask a question that compares them | |
| - Follow up with clarifying questions | |
| **Done!** You've used the core workflow: notebook → sources → chat → notes | |
| --- | |
| ## Common Mistakes to Avoid | |
| | Mistake | Problem | Fix | | |
| |---------|---------|-----| | |
| | Adding everything to one notebook | No isolation between projects | Create separate notebooks for different topics | | |
| | Expecting AI to know your context | Questions get generic answers | Describe your research focus in chat context | | |
| | Forgetting to cite sources | You can't verify claims | Click citations to check source chunks | | |
| | Using Chat for one-time questions | Slower than Ask | Use Ask for comprehensive Q&A, Chat for exploration | | |
| | Adding huge PDFs without chunking | Slow processing, poor search | Break into multiple smaller sources if possible | | |
| | Using same context for all chats | Expensive, unfocused | Adjust context level for each chat | | |
| | Ignoring vector search | Only finding exact keywords | Use vector search to explore conceptually | | |
| --- | |
| ## Next Steps | |
| 1. **Follow each guide** in order (sources → notes → chat → podcasts → search) | |
| 2. **Create your first notebook** with real content | |
| 3. **Practice each feature** with your own research | |
| 4. **Return to CORE-CONCEPTS** if you need to understand the "why" | |
| --- | |
| ## Getting Help | |
| - **Feature not working?** → Check the feature's guide (look for "Troubleshooting" section) | |
| - **Error message?** → Check [6-TROUBLESHOOTING](../6-TROUBLESHOOTING/index.md) | |
| - **Understanding how something works?** → Check [2-CORE-CONCEPTS](../2-CORE-CONCEPTS/index.md) | |
| - **Setting up for the first time?** → Go back to [1-INSTALLATION](../1-INSTALLATION/index.md) | |
| - **For developers** → See [7-DEVELOPMENT](../7-DEVELOPMENT/index.md) | |
| --- | |
| **Ready to start?** Pick the guide for what you want to do first! | |