Is there a substitute, anything else I could use instead of lists, numberings to sort thoughts:
And how could I get more than a single row, e.g. the marked ones, one (or more) level higher / lower / to the left / right (instead of doing in manually with each single row):
I’m not quite sure what you’re aiming at, Biff. But, if you’re wanting a way of listing, organizing, and developing ideas about your project, it seems to me that the obvious way in Scrivener would be to create a document, called, say “Thoughts,” and then create one sub-document beneath it for every thought. If any one thought needs multiple sub-thoughts (so to speak), these could then be developed as sub-documents beneath it. You could even create a whole new Binder item called “Thoughts” and manage them this way. All of this would allow for hierarchical organization, rearrangement, and more or less infinite development of the thoughts. But I may not be understanding what you’re after.
Use a mindmap. Export as opml and import into Scrivener
Thank you , David.
So using Scrivener the usual way with documents, sub docs, sub sub docs and so on, I assume:
Building such structure that way might be is a bit too laborious and I would have to open each doc to see its content.
Such lists
generally are quite good too handle (may be there is a better way anyway), give a good overview, but when you want to change the hirachical structure / the level of more than one item you have to do it one by one instead of changing all of the items to be changed in a single step:
instead of
Thank you, lunk,
Didn’t know that is possible, works quite well after some tries, might be a bit circuitous, I will try it in everyday life.
The structure built in such a mind mapping program will Scrivener import into the Binder and keep / try to keep that build like it is in that program, so rebuild the structure with docs and folders. There is no other way to import that structure, to build it in Scrivener, I assume.
Export your outline from your mind mapping app (or, for that matter, outlining app) in OPML format. Import into Scrivener. It will show up as a new root level folder with all its internal hierarchy in folders within.
As an alternative, may I suggest you investigate Outliner Mode display in the editor? I know it’s available in the Windows version, and there are keyboard shortcuts for moving selected groups of docs around (indent, dedent, move up the outline, move down the outline, etc.)
Thank you!
Yes, that’s right. Alright, I will try to. The Outliner Mode display shows the same (structure) like the Binder does, if I see it right. And handles the items the same like the Binder does. What does that mode do better than the Binder does (regarding the structure)?
And that structure I could show and edit in the Outliner Mode display or doing it the same way in the Binder, I assume.
The Outliner Mode can show a LOT more of the title (i.e. the primary thought.)Just make the Title column wider. It can also show the synopsis beneath the title (think notes on an outline item.) It can also show all the document metatdata in additional columns (keywords, status, label, etc.) modified dates, word counts and target word counts… lots of stuff. In addition, at least on Mac, you can split the editor and set it up so that when you select an item in the outline, it loads the document underneath into the split-off editor. So that, in fact, you can work from outline to finished document.
I didn’t use outline mode much at first, myself, but now I use it for almost all my work except the initial conceptual stages.
OK, I will try out that mode in this regard, try to use it instead of such lists.
Many thanks.
What is the difference between an outliner program and a mind mapping one?
One creates an outline, the other a mind map. If you search the web for the two you’ll see.
Ah, okay, it’s getting clearer now.
Thank you, lunk.
Hmm. I just tried importing a Scapple OPML file into Scrivener, and didn’t see it appear anywhere. WHere does it typically land, at the top of the binder?
If I remember it right it lands underneath the marked item in the Binder.
Biff -
Hmm - not seeing it. Does it matter whether you import as Synopsis, MainText (with Synopsis), Notes (with Synopsis) or Titles only? (And what are all those options, anyway?)
Did you export it as .opml from Scapple to begin with? If you do, and then simply use File -> Import -> Files… the notes in Scrivener are imported as new empty documents into the Binder, below the currently selected document, with the Scapple note content as title.
I usually use iThoughts if I want to prepare something to use as outline in Scrivener, because then you can enter comments to each note and the comment is the used as text for each document when you import the opml into Scrivener.
@Major Major
Regarding those options.: They are Import preferences items that tell Scrivener what to do with any notes that may be attached to your OPML outline items. If you select “Synopsis” the notes are placed in each file’s synopsis field. If you select "Main Text (with Synopsis) the notes will be copied both to the doc’s synopsis and to the main text. Finally, if you select “Notes (with Synopsis)” the notes are added to both the Document notes for that doc, and to the Synopsis.
The “titles only” preference item does NOT refer to an OPML import, but to importing a Scapple file directly. If you leave it unchecked, the first line of each Scapple card will be the imported doc’s title, and the line will be repeated in the synopsis along with the rest of the card’s text. If you check the item, the first line of the Scapple card will become its document’s title, and the second line of the card, through the end, will be come the documents synopsis.
Activating “Synopsis” works for me. Just click some item in the Binder. Then just import. And folder(s), docs should be created, I would think.
That’s what I did. Doesn’t show up.
Silverdragon -
Thanks very much for the explanation. I’ve saved it for future reference. (Still can’t get it to work, though.)