Celtx Index Cards

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I was using a previous version of the app and it all of sudden started crashing. I saw that there was a new version in the App Store that was actually a different app. I downloaded it and now I can’t access the cards. Apparently it’s behind a subscription, I had no idea that it was going to this business model. Not a huge deal if there was some warning, I would be able to make a decision. Now I can still make a decision, but it’s going to be to screenshot my cards and move elsewhere. I’m not sure where I would have seen that this was happening, but it feels dumb when one day, seemingly out of nowhere, you can’t access your info in the free app you’ve been using. Great tool otherwise, justifying the second star.

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For a free app, this is really good for an organization standpoint. However, I don't know how to use the app, and there's no 'help' station available other than using the desktop. I can see myself using this more frequently in the future, but I'd like to know how to use it first. For instance, what does 'linked' and 'unlinked' mean? What are each of the tags of the index card meant for? HALP Revisited: Okay, after playing around with the app a little more, I understand everything I can interact with. But now there's a little problem: I CAN'T FILL OUT ANY OF THE CARDS. I tried reinstalling the app, restarting my iPad, nothing worked. Again, still has lots of potential, but it's kinda hard to use the app when the app won't let you.

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Celtx Cards has a simple, easy UI that will get you going immediately. I especially like the tags feature, in addition to color coding. One can multiple tag individual cards any way you like (plotline, viewpoint character, location, time, theme, major character, scene detail, symbol, motif, you name it). I like to tag cards according to plotline/viewpoint character and then use the search filter to find all cards pertaining to a certain plotline, in order to check its logical progression and look at relevant notes and research. In short, this is a good way to keep up with multiple plotlines. It would be nice to use boolean operators (AND, OR, NOT, etc.) in the search, so that one could find all cards pertaining to two plotlines (AND), say, which would gather all your info for those all-important plotline intersections. Another nice feature is the ability to link individual cards to established scenes. This is great for gathering all research notes, scene synopsis, setting details, scene goals, character notes, dialog snippets, etc., in preparation for writing a particular scene. Also works well with Celtx Script, online apps for both, exports and imports in various formats (check this out according to version) and has a whole screenplay creation-production universe of apps available if you need them. One thing I would ask for is full-screen editing for individual cards, not just the 150% magnification feature. Maybe more text-character styling as well. It's really hard to argue with a free version with these kinds of features. Updated Rating, Aug 2017: REDUCED TO ONE STAR Updated Review, Aug 2017: Just learned that the "free" version is actually a 15-DAY TRIAL version--I can no longer edit my index cards. No mention of that at all on the developer's ad on the app store! Subscription rate for the Celtx universe is prohibitive for most mortals; you'd have to be a professional screenwriter already pulling in big bucks to justify the expense. Why can't they just sell us normal middle-class people a one-time-pay version for each major upgrade? As others have pointed out, there have been too few improvements, anyway, to justify such subscription prices. Do readers really believe those upgrades are going to come that much more frequently now? About 4 months into your subscription you'll begin to suspect otherwise. UPDATED REVIEW, NOV 11, 2017: STILL NO MENTION ON THE APP STORE THAT THIS “FREE VERSION” IS ACTUALLY A 15-DAY TRIAL VERSION THAT WON’T ALLOW YOU TO EDIT YOUR CARDS AFTER THAT PERIOD. THIS CONVENIENT (AND EXPEDIENT, FOR THE DEVELOPERS) OMISSION ILLUSTRATES THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN ART AND ARTIFICE IN THE MARKETING OF SOFTWARE. THE CON MEN ARE MULTIPLYING LIKE ROACHES, AND ONLY DISCERNING CONSUMERS CAN ALLEVIATE THIS INFESTATION. GET OUT THE PESTICIDE AND SPRAY! UPDATED REVIEW, JAN 3, 2018: I notice, as I read these reviews, that the reviewers, apparently, haven’t read the previous reviews warning them about the deceit behind the marketing of this app. To those who have discovered they can NO LONGER EDIT THEIR INDEX CARDS using the “free version”, actually a trial version—in spite of no mention of this fact on the app page—I would just say this: START READING REVIEWS OR SIMPLY SEND ME YOUR MONEY!