# Notes Template Spec — turn a chapter PDF into a notes `.md` > This file is a **specification, not notes**. Do not run it through the script. > Give this file + a chapter PDF to an AI; it writes the notes `.md`. The pipeline has three steps: 1. **You give an AI:** this `template.md` + the chapter PDF (e.g. `iest103.pdf`) — and optionally a worked example (`Ch3_Atmosphere_Summary.md`). 2. **The AI returns:** one notes file, e.g. `Ch4_MyChapter_Summary.md`. 3. **You run:** `python generate_notes_pdf.py Ch4_MyChapter_Summary.md` → a ruled, highlighted, handwriting-style notes PDF. Everything below is what the AI in step 1 needs to know. Nothing here is chapter content, so this file never changes from chapter to chapter. --- ## 1. What to produce Pick one recipe per file. Both use the identical grammar. **Recipe A — Chapter summary notes** (understanding + revision; the usual choice) | Order | Block | How many | | --- | --- | --- | | 1 | `## SETTINGS` | exactly 1, at the top | | 2 | `## BIGQ` | 1 — the chapter's own "big questions" if it has them | | 3 | `## MINDMAP` | 2 — one for the whole chapter, one for its hardest mechanism | | 4 | `## SECTION` | one per heading/sub-heading of the chapter (usually 8–14) | | 5 | `## TABLE` | one per table in the chapter, plus any "compare the layers"-type chart worth making | | 6 | `## FLOW` | 1–2 — for any cause→effect chain or process | | 7 | `## COMPARE` | one per "distinguish between X and Y" pair | | 8 | `## FACTFILE` | 1 — extra one-liners, dates, names, "did you know" facts | | 9 | `## QUICK REVISION` | 1 — 12–18 one-line points | | 10 | `## EXAM QUESTIONS` | 1 — the chapter's own questions, with marks | Interleave 3–8 in chapter order (put a `## TABLE` right after the `## SECTION` it belongs to). Blocks 9 and 10 always go last. **Recipe B — Question/answer revision cards** `## SETTINGS`, then 1–2 `## MINDMAP`, then one `## TOPIC` per examinable idea (20–30 is normal), then `## QUICK REVISION`. --- ## 2. File skeleton ``` # Chapter title > Chapter 3 · Book name · Grade 9 > Section-wise concept notes, mind maps & key points ## SETTINGS - output: Ch3_Atmosphere_Summary.pdf - page_size: A4 - handwriting: true - highlight_keys: true - ruled_pages: true - cover_page: true - contents_page: true --- ## SECTION ### Composition of the Atmosphere **Concept:** ... ``` `output:` is the PDF filename — name it after the chapter. `---` between blocks is optional and ignored; it just makes the file readable. --- ## 3. Block grammar Each block is `## NAME`, an optional `### Title`, then its content lines. ### `## BIGQ` — numbered question boxes ``` ## BIGQ ### The Big Questions - What is the ==composition of the atmosphere==? - How can we ==reduce our carbon footprint==? ``` ### `## MINDMAP` — radial map One line per branch: `- Label: detail`. The **first colon splits** label from detail, so keep colons out of the label. ``` ## MINDMAP ### Atmosphere & Climate - Composition: ==78% Nitrogen==, ==21% Oxygen==, Argon 0.93%, CO2 0.04% - Structure: 5 layers - Troposphere to Exosphere - Monsoon: ==seasonal reversal of wind direction== ``` Rules: 6–8 branches per map, detail ≤ 14 words. Over 8 branches the map continues on a second page, so prefer splitting into two maps by theme. ### `## SECTION` — the main concept notes ``` ## SECTION ### Structure of the Atmosphere — the Five Layers **Concept:** The atmosphere has a **layered structure**, marked out by ==changes in temperature and density with increasing altitude==. **In simple words:** Think of it as a ==five-storey building==. **Key points:** Layer-by-layer facts - **Troposphere** — about ==12 km==. Temperature ++decreases++ with altitude. - **Stratosphere** — up to ==50 km==. Holds the ==ozone layer==. **Word to know:** **Altitude** is the height of a place above mean sea level. **Key to remember:** ==T-S-M-T-E== -> Troposphere, Stratosphere, Mesosphere, Thermosphere, Exosphere. **Watch out:** !!Temperature falls with height ONLY in the troposphere and mesosphere.!! **Exam tip:** Draw the layers as five stacked bands and label both pauses. ``` ### `## TABLE` — pipe table First row is the header. The `| --- |` separator row is optional and ignored. ``` ## TABLE ### The five layers — quick revision chart | Layer | Extent | Temperature with height | Special feature | | --- | --- | --- | --- | | Troposphere | Up to about 12 km | Decreases | Weather, clouds, tropopause | | Stratosphere | Up to 50 km | Increases | Ozone layer, aeroplanes | ``` Keep to 2–5 columns. Never put a stray `|` inside cell text. ### `## FLOW` — arrow chain ``` ## FLOW ### How wind is born (write this chain in your answer) - Sun heats the land unequally - Air over the hot area becomes light and rises - A LOW-pressure area forms there - Air rushes from high pressure to low pressure - This moving air is called WIND ``` 4–7 steps, one short line each. ### `## COMPARE` — difference chart ``` ## COMPARE ### Land breeze vs Sea breeze **Left:** Sea breeze (Day) **Right:** Land breeze (Night) - Time of blowing | Day, especially the afternoon | Night - Direction | From ==sea to land== | From ==land to sea== - Wind speed | Relatively higher | ++Low++, small pressure difference ``` Each row is `- point of difference | left value | right value`. ### `## FACTFILE` — sticky notes ``` ## FACTFILE ### Did you know? (great one-liners for extra marks) - The word ==monsoon== comes from the Arabic *mausim*, meaning **season**. - ==Kalidasa's *Meghadutam*== traces the path of monsoon clouds. ``` 6–10 notes, 1–3 lines each. ### `## TOPIC` — Q&A revision card (Recipe B) Use these six labels, in this order: ``` ## TOPIC ### Atmosphere **Question:** What is the atmosphere? **Simple def:** The atmosphere is the blanket of air surrounding the Earth, held by ==gravity== and vital for life. **Key to remember:** ATMOSPHERE = ==EARTH'S PROTECTIVE BLANKET==. **One-liner question:** Which blanket of air surrounds Earth? --- Atmosphere. **MCQ:** The atmosphere mainly helps Earth by: (A) removing gravity (B) shielding harmful radiation and regulating temperature (C) stopping sunlight (D) removing clouds. **Ans: B** **Concept related to:** Gravity, weather, climate, gases, solar radiation. ``` MCQ format matters: options as `(A) ... (B) ... (C) ... (D) ...` on one line and the answer as `**Ans: B**`. The script then draws the options with the correct one highlighted in green. ### `## QUICK REVISION` — one-line strips ``` ## QUICK REVISION ### Last-minute revision — read this 10 minutes before the exam - Layers in order: ==Troposphere -> Stratosphere -> Mesosphere -> Thermosphere -> Exosphere== - ==Weather = short term; Climate = long term (30 years or more)== ``` 12–18 points, each one line, each carrying a number, name or exact term. ### `## EXAM QUESTIONS` — question list with marks ``` ## EXAM QUESTIONS ### Questions & activities from the chapter - What is atmosphere? Explain its composition with a pie diagram. | 5 marks - In which layer do aeroplanes fly and why? | 2 marks - Collect pictures of houses from different regions of India. | Activity ``` Format: `- question text | marks`. Take these from the chapter's own exercise list wherever it has one. --- ## 4. Field labels → box styles Inside `## SECTION`, the label decides how the text is drawn. Use these exact labels to get these boxes: | Label | Drawn as | Use it for | | --- | --- | --- | | `Concept:` | plain paragraph | the main explanation, in easy language | | `In simple words:` | green box, pin icon | a one-sentence analogy a 14-year-old gets instantly | | `Key points:` | tick-mark checklist | the facts to memorise (its own text becomes the heading) | | `Word to know:` | labelled paragraph | the chapter's definition boxes / glossary terms | | `Key to remember:` | big yellow star box | the single line worth memorising verbatim | | `Exam tip:` | blue box, bulb icon | how to actually write the answer | | `Trick:` | pink box | a mnemonic | | `Watch out:` | red warning box | the trap, exception or common mix-up | | `Real life link:` | plain paragraph | an everyday example | | `Concept related to:` | coloured tag pills | 3–6 comma-separated linked terms | Any other label (`Case study:`, `Diagram to draw:`) still works — it becomes a labelled paragraph, so invent one when you need it. Order the fields as listed above: explain → simplify → list → define → memorise → warn. --- ## 5. Inline highlighter markup | Write | Get | Use for | | --- | --- | --- | | `**text**` | bold blue pen | key nouns inside a sentence | | `==text==` | yellow highlighter | definitions and the exact terms an examiner looks for | | `++text++` | green highlighter | facts, figures, dates, correct answers | | `!!text!!` | pink highlighter | traps, exceptions, things students mix up | | `__text__` | red underline | a keyword worth writing in every answer | | `*text*` | red underline | book titles, foreign words (*mausim*) | Markers nest: `==the ozone sits in the **stratosphere**==` is highlighted *and* bold. Aim for **2–4 highlights per paragraph** — a page where everything is highlighted is a page with nothing highlighted. --- ## 6. Parser rules (the things that actually break) 1. **A field label must contain a colon inside or right after the bold:** `**Key to remember:**` or `**Key to remember**:`. Without the colon it is drawn as an ordinary paragraph. 2. A line that merely *starts* bold stays a paragraph — `**Gravity** is the force of attraction ...` is safe, and is the right way to write a definition. 3. **Highlight markers must open and close on the same line.** A `==` left unclosed prints literally. 4. `- ` lines after a field belong to that field. A blank line or `---` ends the field. 5. A wrapped line with no marker is appended to the field or list item above it, so paragraphs may span several lines freely. 6. Only `#`, `>`, `## BLOCK`, `### Title` are structural. `####` and deeper are treated as ordinary text. 7. **Never use ``` code fences** in the notes file — the parser has no concept of them and would render the backticks. 8. Type arrows as `->`. The script converts them for fonts lacking the glyph. 9. Write `---` for a dash; it becomes an em dash. Avoid `|` except in tables and `## COMPARE` rows. 10. `### 1. Heading` is fine — the leading number is stripped, because the renderer draws its own numbered badge. 11. Unknown block names (`## SUMMARY`) are treated as a `## SECTION` with that title, so a typo degrades gracefully rather than crashing. 12. `## MINDMAP`, `## QUICK REVISION` and `## EXAM QUESTIONS` always start on a fresh page — everything else flows. --- ## 7. Writing rules (what makes the notes good) - **Only what is in the chapter.** No outside facts, no invented examples, no invented exam questions. If the chapter gives a figure (78%, 12 km, June–September), use its exact figure. - **Class-9 English.** Short sentences. Explain the idea before naming it. - Keep every **number, proper noun, date and technical term** from the chapter — those are what marks are awarded for. - Cover the chapter's boxes too: `THINK ABOUT IT`, `DON'T MISS OUT`, `LET'S EXPLORE`, glossary margins, case studies. They make good `Word to know:`, `Watch out:` and `## FACTFILE` material. - `Key to remember:` is one line, in CAPITALS, that could be written on a palm. - Every `## SECTION` should be answerable from its own `Key points:` alone. - Prefer a `## TABLE` or `## COMPARE` over a long paragraph whenever the chapter compares things — the exam asks it that way. --- ## 8. Self-check before returning the file - [ ] Starts with `# Title`, then `>` subtitle lines, then `## SETTINGS`. - [ ] `output:` names a `.pdf` matching the chapter. - [ ] Every field label has its colon inside the bold. - [ ] Every `==`, `++`, `!!`, `__`, `**` is closed on its own line. - [ ] Table rows all have the same number of `|` separators. - [ ] Each `## COMPARE` row has exactly two `|`. - [ ] Each `## EXAM QUESTIONS` line ends with `| n marks` or `| Activity`. - [ ] Mind map branches ≤ 8 per block, no colon in a branch label. - [ ] No code fences anywhere in the file. - [ ] Every chapter heading has a matching `## SECTION`. --- ## 9. Copy-paste prompt for step 1 The ready-to-paste version of this, with variants and follow-ups, is in `AI_PROMPT.txt`. > I have uploaded a textbook chapter PDF and `template.md` (the notes template > spec). > Read the whole chapter, then write **one** notes Markdown file following > Recipe A in the spec, obeying its grammar, parser rules and writing rules > exactly. Name the file `ChNN__Summary.md` and set `output:` to > `ChNN__Summary.pdf`. Use one `## SECTION` per chapter heading, in > chapter order, and include every table, process, comparison, glossary term and > exercise question the chapter contains. Highlight exam-critical terms with > `==...==`, figures and facts with `++...++`, and traps with `!!...!!`. > Invent nothing that is not in the chapter. Finish by running through the > spec's self-check list, then output only the file contents. For Recipe B, swap "Recipe A" for "Recipe B" and ask for `ChNN__Questions.md`.