A few months ago I started the development of a new handwriting application for Windows. The app is called Scrivano. It is not aimed at power users who need a lot of features or people who like typing (there is no typing support atm), but it aims to be a simpler alternative to OneNote for Windows (I will also release an Android version in the future).
Now, I’ve finally managed to release a public beta of the app on Microsoft Store! The application is called Scrivano and it is available at the following link. It is paid but there is a 30 days free trial (so there is no need to pay if you just want to try it out).
The application originated because I wasn’t particularly satisfied with OneNote for Windows as I think it lacks in certain areas. The app is very simple and aimed at handwriting (no typing support). It gives you an infinite canvas but horizontal limited space (so exporting to PDF is painless). Here are some of the main features:
Grid Snapping, very useful for diagrams and tables.
Laser tool for when you’re sharing your screen
Custom paper size and 4 different backgrounds: Plain, Lined, Grid, Dotted
Stickers, this allows to save frequently used diagrams and drawings so you can just drag and drop when convenient.
Automatic filling of strokes (I mostly use this feature for highlighting stuff by putting them in boxes).
Dark theme ala OneNote
Dashed and dotted strokes
All files are saved locally anywhere on your main drive
This shouldn’t be too hard to do. So I’ve added to my todo list.
This is a bit more tricky. Images as background could be added, but for a proper template system I will first need to add pdf support (I’m going to start working on this soon).
Links between pages should be possible too, but links between documents is tricky because the documents might deleted or moved (one option would be to add them only those documents saved in the Workspace folder). This solution also will need multiwindow support for it work nicely (which is also already on my list).
This I don’t think I will implement because it is technically quite difficult and not worth it (although it’d be nice).
Added to my todo list!
Thanks a lot for the feedback, it’s much appreciated!
@scrivanodev - I share many of @Bishop’s list, but one absolute for me is the ability to search handwritten notes. The old memory ain’t what it used to be.
One of the strengths of Google keep notes is its simplicity. The tiled layout makes it quite easy to see all your notes at the same time unlike in OneNote. Make it easy to to get to the writing canvas with the minimum number of clicks.
Sorry, nothing concrete as my senior comrades have covered most of what I’d love to see.
It would be nice to have more tools available on the toolbar. Having different pens (sets of thickness and colour) is very nice, but I’d like a customisable colour selector/palette on the toolbar. I find that even a single extra click is a disincentive to use a feature. Something like Paint or Xournal++
I think the shape fill tool could do with a different icon as it looks like it’s a normal fill tool.
And last one for now: partial erase as an option instead of stroke erase would be nice.
My decision for not including an immediate colour picker was due to wanting to keep the toolbar clean and simple. From the feedback I got, it seems that most people use three or four different preselected colours and quickly switch between them. Adding a colour picker ala MS Paint is possible, but I don’t think there is enough space on the toolbar (without making it thicker) for it. I think a better way could be adding it as a floating bar on right/left, but I’ll need to look into this.
Yes, I agree. It’s the best icon I could find, but I’ll look for a better one.
The partial erase is already on my list. I hope to get to it soon.
This is already supported. If you tap on a pen that is already selected, a color dialog is opened (you could even double tap on a color that is not already selected to open it).
But I find it very disruptive to have go dig into even one layer of menus for some reason. It frustrates me very quickly. Xournal++ has quite a bit of customisation and the ability to have a colour palette bar.
I’m not sure if I’m going to buy this though, so please don’t see this as a demand, @scrivanodev!
Went ahead and skipped two Amazon Gift Cards on Microsoft Rewards to get a $10 MS Gift Card, and bought this — list was $8.39, tax brought that up to $8.90 — anyone have an app suggestion for $1.10?
Unfortunately, I’m on 1703, so can’t actively test at this time, but please keep up the good work! Looks like a neat alternative to Nebo (which is my current note-taking software).
The big thing I’d ask for, if not yet implemented is a chisel-nib italic fountain pen mode — I always have my fountain pens reground thus:
This reminds me of comments aimed at one of our most successful live artists - Anthony Gormley - he’s apparently on the selection panel at the Baltic Gallery in Newcastle and he’s blocked several important shows coming to the Baltic (he also makes sure he’s never blocked if he has new work to show) - shows like Van Gogh and other major artists.
His reasoning is “they are dead and thus unimportant” and the response to him is always “one day, you’ll be dead too buddy…”
Always good to see an alternative. I would give an art based list but I do write on note apps so I’d like these for writing notes:
A rotatable ruler - for drawing any lines or just being able to have a guide on a plain sheet.
Searchable text
Partial erase of lines - not full line erase. Line erase is truly frustrating unless you actually want to erase a line at a touch.
Range of more than 5 line thicknesses
Page zoom function - up to 300% (more is better)
. But meant “senior” in the sense of more knowledgeable:grinning: