What I’m Trying To Do
I am drafting a novel, and generally compile it into PDF and Word using a lightly modified copy of Modern format.
I have introduced a text section that is formatted scriptwriting-style. The style change is part of the narrative. I will be using this combination of novel and scriptwriting throughout.
As far as editing goes, I seem to be cool, switching back and forth between standard and scriptwiriting mode.
My Problem
I have not been able to figure out how to compile to PDF or Word such that the “novel” sections use the styles from my modified Modern template, and the script portions retain the styling that I see in the editor.
This is the only solution I can think of would suck from my own usability perspective: Add and apply styles for each of the script elements, configure those in my modified Modern template.
This part you actually wouldn’t have to do.
If no formatting is specified for a style in the compile format, it’ll compile as per how it is configured in the project itself.
I don’t write screenplays, and so I have no experience compiling a script (less even a mix script/normal mode), but if it doesn’t comply, I’d say the best would be to use styles instead of the script formatting for the script-like paragraphs/elements.
[EDIT] Perhaps I read wrong. I thought/assumed you were talking about the compile format.
[EDIT2] I am pretty sure that the official answer would be to splice your chapters wherever you go from one mode to the other, so that each document uses its own dedicated mode.
Thank, you for your quick replies! The part I want to avoid is applying styles for each element. It would be extremely cumbersome.
The nice thing about the scriptwriting mode is that it seems to format everything for you based on the element (character, dialogue) you select. But those elements all come through in “No Style.” Each is a little different, with indents, line spacing, etc. To have to go back to each of those lines in the editor to make them preserve this look in the printout would be a pain.
I have already split up the chapter that uses these different modes into a folder, segregating the script part into its own section inside. That works great, in the editor.
What I hoped I could do was tell the compiler to treat script sections one way, and the others another, all within the one compile format. The formats seem to be project-wide though, and this is where I run out of ideas.
Yes, you can do that. The “magic” happens via Section Layouts and Section Types. Have a layout for the script sections that preserves the script formatting, and one for the text sections that does whatever you want to do there.
You’re in luck @jsharer, because scriptwriting mode formats your script docs literally and so those sections (docs) should look as expected when compiled as-is.
So, Project Settings > Section Types: define a section type for the docs which are the script parts. Set those script docs to that section type. In Compile dialog in the center pane, assign that script section Type to the Section Format “As-Is”.
I am a theoretician, but this procedure works fine when I compile it so in my imagination. Your mileage may very.
Thanks much, @gr. I did fumble my way through, but the detailed steps are a helpful confirmation.
FYI, I ended up making an as-is-like dedicated section format. The “As-Is” one as defined put a page break in front, and I figured I might want to leave that like it was for the future.
