Compile images only

Scrivener Scrivener for macOS
1

Hi,

ist it possible to compile a PDF of my book and omitting all text so that only the images are written to the PDF?

Best Regards
Stefan Lieser

2

It is certainly possible. The question is how conveniently it can be done.

You can adjust a compile format to simply quash any text that has a certain style assigned to it. This is the “Delete text of this style” setting in the Styles area of the settings dialog for a compile format. This is useful to know, but is not that helpful in your case, since you do not want to have to assign a dummy style to all your text.

IF your images are in their own documents (with their captions if you like), separate from the text, then getting what you want becomes rather straightforward, because a compile format can be set to entirely mute all documents of a particular section type. Thus, if your images are hived off into their own little docs separate from the textual passages, and if you assign a pair of distinct Section Type to image docs as opposed to text docs, then you can adjust your compile setting to simply mute the text docs. This would be done in the compile format settings dialog under Section Types. You would just find the secton type of your text docs and uncheck all the boxes next to that.

Someone may have a more clever approach. This is all I could think of.

gr

3

Is a folder of images okay? If so, try using the “Web page (HTML)” file type setting. That will export all of the graphics to individual files, as is necessary for web pages (and you can just ignore or trash the .html file itself). If you want to turn the folder of files into a PDF of pages, then do this:

  1. Select all of the images in Finder and drag them all together onto the Preview.app icon.
  2. They will load into a single window, with a thumbnail sidebar.
  3. Hit ⌘P to print.
  4. In the print preview dialogue, click the “PDF” button and save as PDF.
4

Thanks for your replies.

the idea of deleting text of some style while compiling sound good. BUT you can’t select the “No Style” style :frowning:
Any idea for a workaround?

Regards
Stefan

5

I had the same issue! Thanks for this thread!

6
  1. Make a copy of the project for safety
  2. Use “Document > Split” to put each image in its own document without text
  3. Select all the image documents
  4. In Compile, choose “Current Selection” and proceed.

Would that do it?

Mark

7

Common misconception: “No Style” isn’t a style. It’s the lack of a style.

How about a Replacement in the compile pane on the right that finds all text and replaces it with nothing?

Enter the following in the “Replace” column:
.*

In the “With” column, put nothing at all.
Check the “Reg Exp” checkbox.

I think that’ll work, though you may need to choose section layouts for your section types that don’t include chapter headings and the like.