File compatibility Windows/Mac

Scrivener Scrivener for Windows
1

Hi,
I project to buy a Mac in the next few months. And also Scrivener 2 :=)
I bought Scrivener on PC. So I just wanted to know if the files I have on PC will be compatible on Scrivener 2.
Thanks,

2

Hi Zack,

Both OS versions of Scrivener use the same file format and are compatible. The only difference is that the .scriv file will appear as a single file on the Mac system rather than as a folder like it is on Windows.

3

And make sure you’re using version 2.0 of the Mac one, because they aren’t compatible with versions below that on the mac.

4

Here is a link with a bit more information, too.

5

OK, thank you !

6

Hi,
In the same purpose (I don’t think it’s possible, but I ask) I was wondering if it’s possible to export my personal words list (from the dictionary) from PC to Scrivener MAC.
Thanks,

7

I don’t think so because the windows one uses a 3rd party dictionary, while the Mac one uses the dictionary build into the OS. not unless they have a format you can export the dictionary to that’s common to both.

8

Thanks Garpu,
Doesn’t it mean you can replace the dictionnary built in the OS (by installing an external complementary dictionnary for example) and that could work in Scrivener ?
Thanks

9

No…while you can give Aspell (what Windows Scrivener uses) and Dictionary (what OSX uses) different dictionaries, you can’t choose the program Scrivener uses. Now, if there’s a word list format both dictionary programs use, you could share that word list between dictionary programs. (I’ve got my father-in-law’s mac shut down because of a thunderstorm, so I can’t experiment.)

10

Yes, you can transfer a custom word list from the Mac to your Aspell installation on the PC. You’ll need a plain-text editor that can either do special-character search & replace or regular expressions.

The Mac spelling file is located in ~/Library/Spelling, and will just be the language code that you use to write. So, ‘en’ for English. This file will be formatted as one word per line.

The Windows file is a comma delineated .ini file located in your AppData (LocalData\Applications on XP) folder, under Scrivener\Scrivener\wordlists.ini.

A simple regexp to convert the Mac list to the Aspell list is:

s/\n/, /g

Convert carriage-returns to “comma-spaces” somehow, and then copy and paste that into your wordlists.ini file in the indicated position:

[General]
personal=<<PASTE COMMA-DELINEATED WORDLIST>>

For going the other way, just copy the stuff after “personal=” and convert ", " to RETURN and paste the list into your ‘en’ (or whatever) spelling file on the Mac.

11

Heh, does this mean we get to open up the text editor war? (pardon the pun)

12

:o war.txt

13

Thanks AmberV, it’s great!
But I have to wait to buy my Mac to try it… ;=)