Is it possible to allow for other file types in the Research area?
There is no need for them to display their contents in the corkboard.
Some of my research files are OmniGraffle charts that I use to visualise things for myself. It would be handy to have them around in the research area. There is no need to display the contents, just easy referencing and possibly the ability to double-click them in order to see the file in the associated application. At this moment I have to have a parallel file structure on disk to collect those files which defeats the concept of having one research area. It is not a stopper for me as I have learned to live with it and I love scrivener. Just the cream on the already excellent cake.
Coming in 2.0. You’ll be able to import any file type, and it will appear as an icon and a link in the editor, which you can use to open the file in its associated application. On Snow Leopard you’ll also be able to view its contents in a QuickLook panel directly from the binder, corkboard or outliner.
This isn’t currently a possibility, though the ability to do this has been added as an extended feature in 2.0. Basically, the way things will act in 2.0: you’ll be able to drop any file into the Binder (except the Draft of course). Scrivener will allow you to use Apple’s QuickLook to interface with that file’s preview format, if it has one, or you can easily open the file directly in the default source application. If you don’t like the system default, there will be a handy menu which mimics Finder’s right-click “Open With…” sub-menu.
As with the precedent set forth with other media file types, these will be imported into the project bundle. That means edits made to the files will be saved to the copy within Scrivener, not the original copy from wherever you imported from. For the type of workflow where you want external files organised by Scrivener, you’ll want to stick with References.
@AmberV: Thanks for reminding me of the ‘imported’ effect which is ok for a read-only research document but not for a read-write document. Having a document in the research area with a reference link to those documents works for me.