What is the codex?
The codex is a repository of all the data in your story; characters, locations, objects, subplots, lore. By storing your research in one handy place, you can call the information up whenever you use an AI prompt. Magic! For more information, see here.
Can I export the codex?
To export your codex, click on the cog icon in the codex sidebar. You can then choose to export all entries, or one codex type at a time. These will be exported as a zip file.
Can I import a codex?
As of August 2024 you cannot import a codex. We will let you know as soon as you can, however. To upvote the feature request, click here.
You can copy a book's codex by using the template feature when making a new book.
Can I reference all of my codex entries to craft an outline?
To reference all your codex entries in a prompt, you will need to add the following call to the prompt itself (see here for information about customising prompts)
{context.codex.all}
What are snippets? What can I use them for?
Snippets are your handy notes that live in the sidebar for easy access. You can pin them and extract from chat messages or sections to them. Common uses for snippets include:
Notes for editing
Kitbashing
Storing ideas
Notes to self
Is there a limit to the number of codex entries/chats/snippets I can have in a book?
Nope! You can have as many of these as you want. If you have a thousand chats, snippets and codex entries and then try to open it all up on a very old phone, it might crash, but the only real limit is your hardware (i.e. we haven't put a limit in).
Can I copy a codex to a new book?
To 'copy' a codex into a new book, you will use the template feature. Simply:
Click 'create novel',
Click 'use template novel'
Choose your novel
Select what information you want to copy.
How long should a codex entry be?
There is no "correct" answer, however, the longer they are, the more your AI messages will cost, so that is worth considering.
That said, 3-400 words for a major character, and 100ish words for supplementary characters is probably enough. The newer AI models are getting better at recognising relevant information, but if you find that your writing constantly mentioned his "piercing blue eyes", then you might want to remove that detail from the codex.
What should I put in the prose style codex entry?
Anything that describes how you want to write - do you prefer short punch sentences? A variety of paragraph sizes? The prose style guide is great for those who want to play about with the AI output, without having to jump into prompt editing.
What are labels versus aliases on codex entries?
Labels: These categorize entries and can be used to filter the Codex. They are not seen by the AI.
Aliases: Other names that your codex entry is called - Michael might also be known by his friends as Mike or Mikey or Mick. Including the correct nicknames as aliases means that anytime the nickname is mentioned, it is also related to the codex entry. These are seen by the AI.