Export a work

Export takes a work out of Ilena as a file: a PDF, a plain text file or a Markdown file, one work at a time. Reach for it when you want a lyric sheet to print or send, or the words of a song in another program.

Export the open work

  1. Open the work and save it.
  2. Open the Work menu and point to Export.
  3. Select PDF, Text (.txt) or Markdown (.md). Your browser downloads the file.
The Work menu open on Export, with its submenu: PDF with the shortcut ⌘E, Text (.txt) and Markdown (.md).
The three formats, in the Export submenu of the Work menu.

⌘ + E downloads the PDF directly. The file is named after the work, with the extension of its format: .pdf, .txt or .md.

While no work is open, the whole Work menu, Export included, is greyed out.

Export a work from the workspace

You do not need to open a work to export it.

  1. Open the workspace and right-click the work in the tree.
  2. Point to Export and select PDF, Text (.txt) or Markdown (.md). Your browser downloads the file.
The menu of the work City Lights at Night, with Export pointed at and its submenu open: PDF, Text (.txt) and Markdown (.md).
The same three formats, in the menu of a work in the tree.

The file is named after the work, as before, and holds its last saved version. There is no shortcut beside PDF here, because ⌘ + E exports the open work. Export is greyed out while several works are selected; select a single work to export it. The author node and projects have no Export entry.

What each file contains

How each line type appears in an exported file
Line typePDFText (.txt)Markdown (.md)
TitleLarge typePlain lineHeading: # Title
VerseRegular typePlain linePlain line
IndicationItalic, typewriter typePlain lineItalic: _indication_
LegalSmall grey typePlain lineQuotation: > line

Bold text stays bold in the PDF and becomes **bold** in Markdown. The text file holds only the words, one line per line of the work, with no formatting. The foot counts and emotions shown beside the editor are not exported. The heading comes from the work’s Title line, not from the work’s name.

Example: one work, three files

The work Neon Rain holds a Title line, two Verse lines, an Indication, a third verse with the word silver in bold, and a Legal line. Exported as Markdown, Neon Rain.md reads:

# Neon Rain

Neon signs are blinking slow  
Taxis hum where rivers flow  
_softly, almost whispered_  
The city sings in **silver** light  
> Words: Docs Walk, 2026
Neon Rain.md

Exported as text, Neon Rain.txt keeps the same lines, without any mark:

Neon Rain
Neon signs are blinking slow
Taxis hum where rivers flow
softly, almost whispered
The city sings in silver light
Words: Docs Walk, 2026
Neon Rain.txt

In Neon Rain.pdf, the title is in large type, softly, almost whispered in italic typewriter type, silver in bold, and the Legal line in small grey type.