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Feature Guides

Learn Navigator, Live Monitoring, templates, split editing, Mermaid diagrams, LaTeX math, PDF export, themes, search, and AI Assistant.

Using Telescopo Navigator

Telescopo Navigator is a Markdown Studio feature for moving through long Markdown and technical documents.

Navigator builds a live outline from your document structure, then lets you jump between sections without manually scrolling through the entire file.

Use Navigator for:

  • Large Markdown documents.
  • Engineering design docs.
  • READMEs.
  • Research notes.
  • Product specs.
  • Runbooks.
  • Code and technical reference files where symbols or sections are available.

To use Navigator:

  1. Open a supported document.
  2. Click the Navigator button in the bottom toolbar or Studio side panel.
  3. Select a section from the outline.
  4. Use Left and Right arrow shortcuts to move between dynamic sections where supported.

Navigator is most useful when your Markdown file uses a clear heading hierarchy:

# Project

## Overview

## Architecture

### API

### Database

## Deployment

Using Live Monitoring

Live Monitoring is a Markdown Studio feature that watches an open Markdown file for changes made outside Telescopo.

It is designed for workflows where another app, script, AI coding tool, or agent is modifying the file while Telescopo is open as the reading and preview surface.

Use Live Monitoring when:

  • An AI coding assistant is editing a Markdown file.
  • A script is generating a report.
  • Another editor is saving changes to disk.
  • You want Telescopo to stay current without manually reloading.

To use Live Monitoring:

  1. Open a local Markdown file.
  2. Open the Files popover.
  3. Turn on Live Monitoring.
  4. Keep the file open while another app changes it.

When changes are detected, Telescopo refreshes the document while preserving the reading context as much as possible.

Markdown Viewer users can still manually reload files from the Files workflow.

Creating a New Markdown Document

Creating documents is part of Telescopo Markdown Studio.

To create a new document:

  1. Click New Document on the welcome screen or in the Files popover.
  2. Choose a blank Markdown file or a template.
  3. Select a save location.
  4. Start writing in the Studio editor.

Studio opens new Markdown documents in the editing workspace so you can write source Markdown and see the rendered preview side by side.

Using Markdown Templates

Telescopo Markdown Studio includes 200+ templates across practical writing categories.

Template categories include:

  • Planning.
  • Product work.
  • Engineering documentation.
  • Finance.
  • Education.
  • Writing.
  • Meetings.
  • Research.
  • Operations.
  • Personal organization.

Templates are normal Markdown files. After you create a document from a template, you can edit it like any other Markdown file.

Templates are useful when you want structure without starting from a blank page. They can help with project plans, decision records, meeting notes, specs, study notes, financial trackers, and reusable documentation.

Using Split-View Editing and Live Preview

Markdown Studio includes a split-view editor for writing and previewing Markdown in one workspace.

In split view:

  • The editor shows the Markdown source.
  • The preview shows the rendered document.
  • You can switch between reader-only, editor, and split modes where supported.

Use split view when:

  • Writing documentation.
  • Checking Mermaid diagrams.
  • Editing LaTeX math.
  • Building a document for PDF export.
  • Reviewing headings, links, tables, and callouts as you write.

The editor is currently focused on Markdown and Markdown-like documents. Other formats may open in preview or code reading modes instead.

Inserting Mermaid Diagrams

Markdown Studio includes insert tools for Mermaid diagrams.

To insert a Mermaid diagram:

  1. Open a Markdown document in Studio.
  2. Right-click in the editor.
  3. Choose an Insert option for Mermaid.
  4. Select the diagram type.
  5. Edit the inserted code block.

Mermaid diagrams use fenced code blocks:

flowchart TD

A[Start] --> B[Write Markdown]

B --> C[Preview in Telescopo]

C --> D[Export PDF]

Telescopo renders Mermaid diagrams inline inside Markdown and supports many common Mermaid diagram types, including flowcharts, sequence diagrams, class diagrams, state diagrams, Gantt charts, ER diagrams, pie charts, mindmaps, timelines, Git graphs, Sankey diagrams, block diagrams, and XY charts.

Using Mermaid Diagram Magnification

Mermaid diagram magnification helps inspect dense diagrams without leaving the document.

Use it when:

  • A diagram is too wide.
  • Text inside the diagram is small.
  • You want to inspect a specific node or connection.

Open the magnifier on a Mermaid diagram, then move over the area you want to inspect. The magnified view follows the area under the cursor and is especially useful for complex architecture diagrams, flowcharts, sequence diagrams, and exported documentation checks.

Inserting LaTeX Math

Telescopo supports LaTeX-style math inside Markdown through KaTeX rendering.

Inline math:

The result is $E = mc^2$.

Display math:

$$
\int_0^1 x^2 dx = \frac{1}{3}
$$

Use LaTeX math for:

  • Research notes.
  • Education.
  • Technical writing.
  • Engineering explanations.
  • Machine learning logs.
  • Financial or analytical documents with formulas.

Telescopo includes improved handling so ordinary dollar amounts in financial documents are less likely to be mistaken for math.

Inserting Tables, Callouts, and Markdown Blocks

Markdown Studio insert tools help add structure without memorizing syntax.

Useful inserts include:

  • Tables.
  • Callouts and admonitions.
  • Mermaid diagrams.
  • LaTeX math.
  • Common Markdown blocks.

These tools are designed to keep writing fast. Insert the structure, then customize the content.

Exporting Markdown to PDF

PDF export is a Markdown Studio feature.

To export:

  1. Open a Markdown document.
  2. Choose Export as PDF from the app menu or Files workflow.
  3. Review the PDF preview.
  4. Choose portrait or landscape orientation.
  5. Adjust margins and paper size.
  6. Save the PDF.

PDF export preserves:

  • Rendered Markdown.
  • Mermaid diagrams.
  • LaTeX math.
  • Syntax highlighting.
  • Theme styling.
  • Typography.

Landscape export is useful for wide diagrams, tables, and technical documentation.

Changing Themes

Telescopo includes free Viewer themes and a larger Studio theme library.

Markdown Viewer includes practical light, dark, and contrast themes.

Markdown Studio unlocks the full theme library, including additional light themes, dark themes, specialty themes, and animated themes.

Themes affect:

  • Markdown rendering.
  • Code highlighting.
  • Toolbar appearance.
  • Diagrams and visual containers where supported.
  • PDF export styling.

To change theme:

  1. Open the Theme popover from the toolbar.
  2. Select a theme.
  3. Use Settings to configure default theme behavior.

Changing Fonts, Zoom, and Reading Width

Telescopo includes controls for comfortable reading on different displays.

Use:

  • Font controls to change reading font and code font.
  • Zoom controls to scale the rendered document.
  • Reading width controls to adjust column width for laptops, desktops, and ultrawide monitors.

Reading width is useful when Markdown lines feel too wide on a large display or too constrained on a smaller screen.

Using Search

Use search to find text inside the current document.

Search is useful for:

  • Large Markdown files.
  • READMEs.
  • Technical documents.
  • Code files.
  • Research notes.

Telescopo does not need search text for analytics or tracking, and it does not upload document contents to a Telescopo server.

Using the AI Assistant

AI Assistant is a Markdown Studio feature for supported Macs.

It can help with:

  • Asking questions about the current document.
  • Summarizing long Markdown files.
  • Extracting key points.
  • Understanding technical content.
  • Reviewing research notes or documentation.

AI Assistant uses Apple Intelligence where available and is designed for fully local, on-device document Q&A and summarization on supported Macs.

Requirements depend on Apple Intelligence availability on your Mac and macOS version.

Opening Linked Markdown Files in New Tabs

Telescopo can open linked Markdown files in new tabs when the target file can be resolved and macOS permits access.

Supported link styles include standard Markdown links and wiki-style links:

[Architecture](architecture.md)
[[architecture.md]]
[[Architecture]]

If a link does nothing or macOS shows a permission message, open the linked file manually once with Open File so Telescopo receives permission to access it.