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Element References

Element references let you create links between your story content. Use the @ symbol to reference any element from anywhere in your project.

What Are Element References?​

Element references are inline links to other elements:

  • Type @ to trigger the reference popup
  • Search for any element in your project
  • Insert a styled link to that element
  • Navigate between connected content

Quick Start​

  1. Type @ in any document
  2. Start typing to search for an element
  3. Select from the dropdown or press Enter
  4. A styled link is inserted into your text
The @ popup appears when you type @

Why Use Element References?​

Track Element Appearances​

References stay visible inline in the source document, and referenced worldbuilding elements show incoming reference backlinks in their Relationships section:

  • Inline references: Elements the current document links to
  • Backlinks: Other documents and elements that reference a worldbuilding entry

Click any element reference to jump directly to that element's page. Build a web of interconnected worldbuilding.

Maintain Consistency​

When you hover over an element reference, a tooltip shows key information about that element. Quickly verify details without leaving your current document.

Using the @ Popup​

Triggering the Popup​

Type @ anywhere in a document:

  • In prose content
  • In worldbuilding fields
  • In notes

The popup appears immediately with suggestions.

Searching​

The popup shows relevant elements by default. Start typing to filter:

  • Type @Elena to find elements named Elena
  • Type @Tavern to find elements containing "Tavern"
  • Results are ranked by relevance and recency
Searching for an element by name

Keyboard Navigation​

KeyAction
↑ ↓Navigate through results
EnterSelect highlighted result
EscapeClose popup without selecting
TabSelect and continue typing

Element Type Icons​

The popup shows icons based on the element's type:

IconElement Type
📄Document
📁Folder
✨Worldbuilding element

Inserting References​

Basic Insertion​

  1. Type @ and search
  2. Select an element
  3. The reference appears as styled text
  4. Continue typing normally

Reference Display​

References appear as:

  • Distinctly styled (usually colored/highlighted)
  • Clickable links
  • Show element name by default
Element reference displayed in the editor

Editing References​

Change Display Text​

By default, the element's name is shown. To use custom text:

  1. Right-click the element reference
  2. Select "Edit Display Text"
  3. Enter your preferred text
  4. Click Save or press Enter

Example: Change @Elena Blackwood to display as just Elena or the sorceress.

Right-click context menu on an element reference

Remove a Reference​

To remove an element reference:

  1. Place your cursor at the reference
  2. Use Backspace or Delete
  3. The reference is removed like any text

Or:

  1. Select the reference
  2. Press Delete or type replacement text

Viewing References​

In the Relationships Section​

Open a referenced worldbuilding element to see:

Backlinks (Incoming)

  • Documents that mention this element
  • Click to navigate to those documents

Reference Counts​

See how many times an element is referenced:

  • On element cards in worldbuilding views
  • In the Relationships section

Tooltip Preview​

Hover over a reference to see:

  • Element type and name
  • Brief description or summary
  • Quick facts from the profile
Tooltip showing element details on hover

Next: Relationships - Define semantic connections between elements.