Fountain Compile - Double Spacing

Scrivener Scrivener for macOS
1

Love the new support for Fountain, but I think I found a bug.

When compiling to Fountain, it double spaces everything. This breaks the character/dialogue syntax.

2

I’m not really sure what you mean here - Compile exports Fountain files based on the Fountain syntax, and I have tested round-tripping Fountain files by compiling them and re-importing them. Could you please provide a sample project showing the issue, or provide step-by-step instructions demonstrating why there is a problem based on the Fountain specs?

Thanks and all the best,
Keith

3

I submit this as a bug report via email with documents. I can’t seem to upload a Scrivener file or fountain file to the message boards.

What I mean is, I write in Scrivener:

It prints it as:

Which makes Highland think that the character name and dialogue are not linked together.

EDIT: This on Scrivener 2.4 (22542) on a MBP OS X 10.7.5.

4

This all works fine for me. When you click into the text in Scrivener, is it recognised as the proper script elements (“Action”, Scene Heading" etc) in Scrivener’s script mode? You aren’t typing in Fountain in Scrivener, are you? This assumes you are using Scrivener’s Screenplay script mode.

All the best,
Keith

5

Ah, that would explain it…

I’m writing in fountain inside of Scrivener. That’s the whole point of Fountain. So you don’t have to think about the formatting. Outputting to Fountain seems kind of pointless if you can’t write with fountain inside of Scrivener.

6

If you’re writing in Fountain inside Scrivener, then there is no point using Fountain export - you can just use plain text export. The whole point of Fountain support is that you can write using Scrivener’s script mode but export to Fountain or import from Fountain, allowing workflows not just with Fountain but with FDX and suchlike too.

7

Well, plain text edit doesn’t support using the hierarchy to create the syntax in the fountain file…

I was planning on using Scrivener to outline, using the index card mode and organize it based on the hierarchy… then output a fountain file and write in a plain text editor… but I would end up with something like this:

ACT 1

SEQUENCE 1

A SCENE

= A SUMMARY

ANOTHER SCENE

= ANOTHER SUMMARY

Plain text won’t use the folder names like that, unfortunately.

8

Then you’d use MultiMarkdown, which will do that.
All the best,
Keith

9

Keith,

I strongly agree with Ty.

It’d be wonderful to actually be able to WRITE in Fountain and eschew Screenplay mode.

Exporting to Markdown allows for a properly formatted text file, but it doesn’t include the Fountain hierarchical syntax thereby missing the point of using Scrivener’s wonderful organizational tools. Being able to export that syntax and take advantage of it inside Scrivener is the exact reason I’m not writing in any old text editor.

Is there any chance of you updating this? Any suggestions?

It’d be incredibly frustrating to work my way through a whole bunch of scenes, put them all in screenplay mode, and then manually convert each line into the proper screenplay element. Not having to do that is the point of writing in Fountain in the first place.

Thoughts?

Thanks,

Jeremy

10

There’s nothing stopping you from writing in Fountain syntax. But then you would just compile to plain text rather than to Fountain specifically, since the latter just converts the formatting but you wouldn’t need that doing. If you want the structure included, export to MMD - I’m not sure what you mean about the hierarchy not being included, because Scrivener goes to great pains to include the structure when exporting to MMD, placing the necessary number of hashes around each item’s title. And if you want the summaries included, add them as a title suffix in the “Formatting” pane of Compile. There is nothing that would be gained in Scrivener by adding a separate Fountain export for those who wish to write in Fountain syntax in Scrivener, since this is already possible.

I’ve attached a demo project to demonstrate what I mean - compile and open the results in Slugline.

There is one problem with this approach - scrivener insists on placing hashes either side of the title when exporting to MMD, but it seems that Fountain doesn’t like this Markdown convention, and insists that the hashes only appear on the left of the title. To this end I’ve added an option to the next update of Scrivener that allows the user to decide whether or not the closing hashes. With that change, you will be able to export perfect Fountain files written in Fountain syntax inside Scrivener.

11

Keith,

Thanks so much for the reply and solution. This is what makes Scrivener (and you!) special. Exactly what I was looking for. Really appreciate it.

BTW, I don’t think the attachment came through. Would love to see the file you were talking about.

Gratefully,

Jeremy

12

Hi guys. Not trying to be rude and push you to another package, but Keith mentioned exporting to MMD. One package that offers a lot for Fountain is FoldingText. You can collapse and expand sections of your script quite easily. However, it has no IOS app yet.

13

Whilst I’m always happy for people to promote Jesse’s products here, as he’s a good guy, Scrivener also offers a lot for Fountain - perhaps you haven’t read the whole thread? Scrivener can fully convert between Fountain and its rich text editor, import Fountain and export FDX and so on. The only reason MMD was suggested in this thread is because the op does not want his text converted to Fountain syntax as he is already writing using that syntax.

14

Hi Keith!

Would you be able to point me in the direction of finding this option to not use the closing hashes? I can’t seem to find it.

Thanks!!