in TP desktop I can use a TP doc as a MasterList and I can open from inside it single TP docs if I previously linked them from the Finder into my MasterList TP doc…
is it possible in some way in PaperTrail?
I thought it would be good to write a bit about the changes coming in PaperTrail 1.1, which will be heading to TestFlight soon. It’s a big update.
Note: since that the app has been released we are somewhat bound to App Store Review timescales, so pacing of releases will be slower and more deliberate. I’m expecting around monthly updates. It takes me a while to add features and fixes, and then the additional Review delays are sadly out of my hands. I’m hoping Apple will improve their process and look forward to any news at WWDC 2026.
Test Suite
- manual testing during development (by me)
- user testing and feedback (by people like you?)
- automated tests (200+)
- fuzzy testing (7,500 targeted operations)
- fuzzy stress testing (200,000 random operations across 15 minutes of operation)
This means that each time I add a feature there is a lot of automatic checking to make sure it works, and make sure it doesn’t break something else. This is a modern software development technique, to remove human error and reduce uncertainty.
eg. I just added @start tag and saw:
123 tests pass across 10 editor-related suites, 0 failures.
But the app can always improved so please get in touch with things that work differently than you might expect, or with reproducible bugs.
Changes
- Mid-line line break will now honour current indent and start a new item (thanks @GPHD)
- Search field options are now presented in a
(…)dropdown (thanks @mitchellm) - Keyboard button is now movable (thanks @tlrand)
@starttag (thanks @marc)- Menu support for iPad iOS 26 (thanks AF via email)
- Interface colour settings are now split into separate Light and Dark tabs (thanks @hollandsf)
Fixes
- Editing the only visible line in a focused or filtered view no longer accidentally moves the line elsewhere (found through improved automated testing)
- Mid-line line break will now honour current indent and start a new item (thanks @GPHD)
- Folding a task after a sibling project now correctly hides its nested note lines (thanks @GPHD)
- Focused-item folding was not hiding subtree text (thanks @GPHD)
Keyboard Changes
- Indent/Outdent primary shortcuts are now ⌘] / ⌘[ (Tab and ⇧Tab still work)
- Move Up/Down primary shortcuts are now ⌃⌘↑ / ⌃⌘↓ (⇧⌘↑/↓ still work)
Keyboard Additions
- Duplicate (⇧⌘D), Delete Items (⌘⌫), and Go Home (⇧⌘H) shortcuts
- Expand/Collapse All Completely (⌃⌥⌘0/⌃⌥⌘9) and Collapse/Expand by Level (⌃⌘9/⌃⌘0)
- Move Branch Right/Left (⌃⌘]/⌃⌘[) and Move Branch Up/Down (⌃⇧⌘↑/⌃⇧⌘↓)
- Group (⌃⌘G) wraps the selected branch in a new project, ready to rename
- Move to Project (⌘/) pick a project and move the current branch under it
- Command Palette (⇧⌘P) type to run any editor command, with shortcut hints
- Focus Context Bar showing the breadcrumb of the current focus, with Focus Out and View All buttons
Focus Bar
One thing that has been bothering me is that it wasn’t obvious enough when Focus (aka Zoom/Hoist) was active: only the buttons in the tool belt would change, and they might not be visible. I think this could be a source of people using the app and getting the file into a state where they don’t know why they can’t see all the text. So I’ve added a “Focus Bar” which shows the current focus level via breadcrumb trail.
Command Palette
This one gets us closer to 1:1 TaskPaper parity, and also answers the question of what keyboard shortcuts are available. You can trigger any of the tools from this palette.
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Hello,
When I got time, I am “working” on a file created with TaskPaper and edited in PaperperTrail with go and back in both programs.
I can already tell you that duplicate part of the contents (the final project including his content in that case) happened again when closing the file with PaperTrail - but not systematically…
Blank lines come back again, when editing some projects and their contents, including creating indents. But again, not always (around 10 blank lines between two projects).
I hope I can tell you more later.
Georges
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Please do.
I also work between the two apps but most of my files are simple lists.
If you can capture a screen recording or share a sample file that would be great.
You can share an anonymised version of the current file by long press on the help button.
PaperTrail 1.1 (260428.1717)
now available on TestFlight.
Hello !
I did not “succeed” today to reproduce the same bugs. Sooo strange. But maybe it may come from a sync problem, e.g. if you open a file whose sync is not finished ? Hmmm, not sure.
BUT I find out something else. I need to include screenshot in my post. Is there a way to?
I think if you just drag and drop image to compose message text area it will attach.
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and if you’re not on a laptop but have taken a screenshot on iOS and saved it to iCloud files, you should find an upload button at bottom right of the Discourse text editing area
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The system will not allow opening of a file that is still syncing (partial filled circle shown in picker). You need to wait until it is done and tap again.
Also, PaperTrail resolves conflicted files on open.
But, would the opening of an old/conflicted version explain your problem?
Anyway, I will take a look at that conflict resolution code to see if there are any improvements that can be made.
PSA for Everybody: 1st May 2026 is the last day of the lower launch pricing. Depending on which time zone you are in I’m not sure when the cut-off is, so best to buy it sooner rather than later.
OK, let’s see if there are some potential sync problems. Regarding pricing, I do not get it. How could use it if I’ve had not buy it (18€) ?
About the other possible bug. In TaskPaper, if you look at the last project (Oho:), in TaskPaper (screenshot 1 and 2) you can collapse it. But on PaperTrail, you cannot, even if it seems possible, seeing the blue line. Strange, no ? Try it and tell me, with the same indent (the task and the project are at the same level).
This is interesting! Thank you.
It took me a while to be able to reproduce the folding in TaskPaper (would have been easier if you share the sample text that I can copy and paste). I ended up with this, it might not be quite the same as yours but it was enough to see the problem:
Parent:
Child:
- Test
Sibling:
- Line
Note
So now I can see the problem! In PaperTrail I see a fold marker on “Line”, but it does not fold up the note. So, I’m looking into why, then I will fix it.
Edit: fixed. The bug was that there was a small difference in the code that found the extent of the tree and the code that folded the tree.
BTW the price info was for everybody who is following the thread, not just for you 
PaperTrail 1.1 (260430.0037)
- add: iPad menu bar commands for Item, Tag, Outline, View, and Palette
- change: interface colour settings are now split into separate Light and Dark tabs
- fix: folding a task after a sibling project now correctly hides its nested note lines
Great ! A small thing more. When you select a single project (by the tree structure or with the arrow): it’s obvious that collapsing the project don’t have any sense, but there is still the dot and the vertical line starting from the beginning until the end of the project. (When you press the dot, it turns blue and the line disappears and nothing happens.) Don’t you think you can take the dot and the line out of here, because it can lead to confusion ?
Edit: TaskPaper can collapse a project displayed alone on the screen! But I repeat, is it necessary?
I’m not 100% sure what you’re referring to without a screenshot or example text.
I think the fold marker benefits from consistent display because the user (even subconsciously) sees the pattern and knows when to expect them.
As a developer I prefer a general solution, not just because it’s more manageable from a programming point of view, but also that once you start adding special cases…where do you stop?
When you focus on a project, TaskPaper can fold/unfold it, PaperTrail not. That’s it.
I try as much as I can with my poor English to help you mirroring the behavior of TaskPaper. But if you prefer, I can stop it ?
Your English is good @GPHD and I am here to help.
My understanding is not good (my problem).
I am a visual person so I really need screenshots if we are comparing two things, and/or sample text and steps to reproduce.
Earlier, you gave me screenshots and I fixed the problem immediately.
I will play with Focus to try to reproduce.
I was recently video interviewed about my apps. There’s some PaperTrail in there, of course, but you might just like to put a face and a voice to my name.
I played around and managed to understand the problem.
It was similar issue to the last one involving same level sibling.
So it’s fixed in next TestFlight, and I added some more tests to check for this kind of thing.
PaperTrail 1.1 (260430.1813)
- fix: focused-item folding was not hiding subtree text (thanks @GPHD)
Hurrah!
Edit: How can I use Testflight? The app ask me for a code.
I sent you an invite by Message on this forum @GPHD