Files, tabs & saving

Markzen keeps as many documents open at once as you like, each in its own tab, so you can work across several files and switch between them freely. You don't need to open a file to begin — start typing in the blank document that's already there, or use the toolbar's file buttons:

• New document — opens a short menu (Create a new) listing the seven markup languages; pick one to start a fresh, empty document written in that markup, in a new tab.
• Open a Markdown file — browse for an existing file and open it. The picker accepts all seven markup formats, and Markzen chooses the right one from the file's extension.
• Save — write the active document back to its file. A document that has never been saved falls through to Save As so you can name it first.
• Save As — save the active document to a new file, leaving any original untouched.

You can also drag a file out of your file manager and drop it onto the window to open it.

Each open document is a tab across the top of the window. An unsaved tab is marked with a dot, and a tab whose markup isn't Markdown carries a small format badge (for example adoc). The × on a tab closes it — and closing a document with unsaved changes never discards them silently: an inline bar appears on the tab so you can Save or Discard first.

While a document is open, Markzen watches its file on disk. If the file changes in another program and you have no unsaved edits of your own, Markzen pulls in the new version automatically; if you do have unsaved edits, it asks first — an inline Reload bar lets you decide whether to take the version on disk or keep your own.