The preview tab gives a live web-browser style preview of the current note as it will appear when exported. If the export code uses style sheets, images, etc., these will work in preview if such assets are already exported/stored in the appropriate location within the document's export folder.
The Preview tab can also be used simply for viewing a note in rendered form even if there is no intent to export, e.g. when using Markdown in the actual note $Text.
The Preview pane, in order to offer greater functionality than in the past, writes temporary files to disk. This is because the view renders a web page, using the built-in 'Preview[' template is there is no previously set document export template. The temporary files are written to one of two locations:
- By default, if no document export folder is set, the temporary files are written to a hidden temporary folder, and which Tinderbox clears out when necessary.
- If a document (HTML) export location has been set (as viewed/set via the Export Inspector) then the previewing a note results in the file being exported. In this case any nesting folders are generated as necessary so the (temp) export is in the correct whole-document export location.
Also:
- $Text-embedded images appear in previews.
- Images are automatically exported when a note with images is previewed.
- JavaScript is enabled in the Preview pane.
See also—notes linking to here: