Hi! I’m loving Scrivener so far. The “Compile” feature is one of my favorites, and I love how easily it gathers all the chapters into one clean manuscript.
However, there are certain points in the writing process (specifically the beta reading process) where I don’t WANT one long document. I want separate documents for each chapter, preferably in a zip file or something similar that I can send off. Ideally, I’d be able to format the documents the same way I format the compiled document, but I’m not sure if that’s too much to ask. I just want to know if there’s a way to get each separate chapter out there that’s easier than exporting them one-by-one?
If so, highlight a particular chapter together with all the scene text files under that chapter. Then in the Compile dialog, make sure “All Options” is chosen, then at the top of the table below, click on the up-down symbols next to “Draft/Manuscript”, go down to the bottom of the dropdown menu and choose “Current selection”.
I actually just have each chapter as a text file, but I’m sure the basic premise is the same.
That’s not exactly what I’m asking, though. I was wondering if, instead of having to do the chapters one at a time, if there was a way to compile or export them all at once as separate documents, in a zip file or something similar
Have you tried selecting all the chapters you want to export in the binder, then choosing File > Export > Files? This should export the individual files to a folder, which you can compress in Finder if you want.
The dialog has several options, but perhaps one of them will help you. Obviously you won’t get the control over things like Headers / Chapter title formats that you get with compilation, but perhaps it will be enough for your needs.
That’s better than nothing! Not ideal, but a step in the right direction I might suggest the compile idea over on the wishlist board, but exporting should work for now!! Thank you.
You might like investigate compiling for iBooks from the Format As dropdown. Essentially, iBooks Author expects to have each chapter in a separate .docx which you then import, so that is what is produced by Compile. I assume it still does; I was playing with it a couple of years ago. The only thing I can think of that you might have to ascertain and tweak is a page-break before each of your chapter texts, as I suspect that is what triggers the compiler to begin a new .docx.
