Help! Not working like in the movie...

Scrivener Scrivener for macOS
1

MacBookPro Intel with Tiger 10.4.11

Scrivener launches, I click “Try” to try Demo.
File—>New Project
Assistant window opens, I create and it is saved, but after I click on “Create” the button (which was prior to the click highlight) loses the highlight and the window just stays there.

I have to click cancel to make the Assistant window go away.

Then I have to open the file I just created form the File menu.
It opens OK, but when I click on the Add button nothing happens.

It’s not like in the movie!

I’s appreciate some help because I really want to try out Scrivener for writing a major research project.

Thanks!

2

Sounds like something is definitely wrong.

Could you open up Console.app (Applications / Utilities / Console) and see what gets spewed out there when you try creating a project in Scrivener? Post the results here and it may give me some clue as to what is happening.

(My wild guess would be a fonts issue - font conflicts can cause blank windows and the inability to add documents; they can create havoc for many apps.)

Thanks,
Keith

3

Hope this helps: it also has the exact same problem with Gold and with the Beta.
I’ll look into the fonts issue.

===== Wednesday, 6 February 2008 22:43:39 Europe/London =====
2008-02-06 22:44:07.221 Scrivener[6159] passed-in style: (null), saved style: (null), isEqual: 0
2008-02-06 22:44:07.222 Scrivener[6159] passed-in style: (null), saved style: (null), isEqual: 0
2008-02-06 22:44:07.222 Scrivener[6159] passed-in style: (null), saved style: (null), isEqual: 0
2008-02-06 22:44:07.222 Scrivener[6159] passed-in style: (null), saved style: (null), isEqual: 0
2008-02-06 22:44:07.222 Scrivener[6159] passed-in style: (null), saved style: (null), isEqual: 0
2008-02-06 22:44:07.222 Scrivener[6159] passed-in style: (null), saved style: (null), isEqual: 0
2008-02-06 22:44:07.227 Scrivener[6159] passed-in style: (null), saved style: (null), isEqual: 0
2008-02-06 22:44:07.227 Scrivener[6159] passed-in style: (null), saved style: (null), isEqual: 0
2008-02-06 22:44:07.228 Scrivener[6159] passed-in style: (null), saved style: (null), isEqual: 0
2008-02-06 22:44:07.228 Scrivener[6159] passed-in style: (null), saved style: (null), isEqual: 0
2008-02-06 22:44:07.228 Scrivener[6159] passed-in style: (null), saved style: (null), isEqual: 0
2008-02-06 22:44:07.228 Scrivener[6159] passed-in style: (null), saved style: (null), isEqual: 0
2008-02-06 22:44:07.229 Scrivener[6159] passed-in style: (null), saved style: (null), isEqual: 0
2008-02-06 22:44:07.229 Scrivener[6159] passed-in style: (null), saved style: (null), isEqual: 0
2008-02-06 22:44:07.229 Scrivener[6159] passed-in style: (null), saved style: (null), isEqual: 0
2008-02-06 22:44:07.229 Scrivener[6159] passed-in style: (null), saved style: (null), isEqual: 0
2008-02-06 22:44:07.230 Scrivener[6159] passed-in style: (null), saved style: (null), isEqual: 0
2008-02-06 22:44:07.230 Scrivener[6159] passed-in style: (null), saved style: (null), isEqual: 0
2008-02-06 22:44:07.231 Scrivener[6159] passed-in style: Alignment 4, LineSpacing 0, ParagraphSpacing 0, ParagraphSpacingBefore 12, HeadIndent 36, TailIndent 468, FirstLineHeadIndent 36, LineHeight 0/0, LineHeightMultiple 0, LineBreakMode 0, Tabs (), DefaultTabInterval 0, Blocks (null), Lists (null), BaseWritingDirection -1, HyphenationFactor 0, TighteningFactor 0.05, HeaderLevel 0, saved style: Alignment 4, LineSpacing 0, ParagraphSpacing 0, ParagraphSpacingBefore 24, HeadIndent 36, TailIndent 468, FirstLineHeadIndent 36, LineHeight 0/0, LineHeightMultiple 0, LineBreakMode 0, Tabs (), DefaultTabInterval 0, Blocks (null), Lists (null), BaseWritingDirection -1, HyphenationFactor 0, TighteningFactor 0.05, HeaderLevel 0, isEqual: 0
2008-02-06 22:44:07.231 Scrivener[6159] passed-in style: Alignment 4, LineSpacing 0, ParagraphSpacing 0, ParagraphSpacingBefore 12, HeadIndent 180, TailIndent 450, FirstLineHeadIndent 180, LineHeight 0/0, LineHeightMultiple 0, LineBreakMode 0, Tabs (), DefaultTabInterval 0, Blocks (null), Lists (null), BaseWritingDirection -1, HyphenationFactor 0, TighteningFactor 0.05, HeaderLevel 0, saved style: Alignment 4, LineSpacing 0, ParagraphSpacing 0, ParagraphSpacingBefore 24, HeadIndent 36, TailIndent 468, FirstLineHeadIndent 36, LineHeight 0/0, LineHeightMultiple 0, LineBreakMode 0, Tabs (), DefaultTabInterval 0, Blocks (null), Lists (null), BaseWritingDirection -1, HyphenationFactor 0, TighteningFactor 0.05, HeaderLevel 0, isEqual: 0
2008-02-06 22:44:07.231 Scrivener[6159] passed-in style: Alignment 4, LineSpacing 0, ParagraphSpacing 0, ParagraphSpacingBefore 0, HeadIndent 144, TailIndent 324, FirstLineHeadIndent 144, LineHeight 0/0, LineHeightMultiple 0, LineBreakMode 0, Tabs (), DefaultTabInterval 0, Blocks (null), Lists (null), BaseWritingDirection -1, HyphenationFactor 0, TighteningFactor 0.05, HeaderLevel 0, saved style: Alignment 4, LineSpacing 0, ParagraphSpacing 0, ParagraphSpacingBefore 24, HeadIndent 36, TailIndent 468, FirstLineHeadIndent 36, LineHeight 0/0, LineHeightMultiple 0, LineBreakMode 0, Tabs (), DefaultTabInterval 0, Blocks (null), Lists (null), BaseWritingDirection -1, HyphenationFactor 0, TighteningFactor 0.05, HeaderLevel 0, isEqual: 0
2008-02-06 22:44:07.232 Scrivener[6159] passed-in style: Alignment 4, LineSpacing 0, ParagraphSpacing 0, ParagraphSpacingBefore 0, HeadIndent 108, TailIndent 360, FirstLineHeadIndent 108, LineHeight 0/0, LineHeightMultiple 0, LineBreakMode 0, Tabs (), DefaultTabInterval 0, Blocks (null), Lists (null), BaseWritingDirection -1, HyphenationFactor 0, TighteningFactor 0.05, HeaderLevel 0, saved style: Alignment 4, LineSpacing 0, ParagraphSpacing 0, ParagraphSpacingBefore 24, HeadIndent 36, TailIndent 468, FirstLineHeadIndent 36, LineHeight 0/0, LineHeightMultiple 0, LineBreakMode 0, Tabs (), DefaultTabInterval 0, Blocks (null), Lists (null), BaseWritingDirection -1, HyphenationFactor 0, TighteningFactor 0.05, HeaderLevel 0, isEqual: 0
2008-02-06 22:44:07.232 Scrivener[6159] passed-in style: Alignment 1, LineSpacing 0, ParagraphSpacing 0, ParagraphSpacingBefore 12, HeadIndent 324, TailIndent 441, FirstLineHeadIndent 324, LineHeight 0/0, LineHeightMultiple 0, LineBreakMode 0, Tabs (), DefaultTabInterval 0, Blocks (null), Lists (null), BaseWritingDirection -1, HyphenationFactor 0, TighteningFactor 0.05, HeaderLevel 0, saved style: Alignment 4, LineSpacing 0, ParagraphSpacing 0, ParagraphSpacingBefore 24, HeadIndent 36, TailIndent 468, FirstLineHeadIndent 36, LineHeight 0/0, LineHeightMultiple 0, LineBreakMode 0, Tabs (), DefaultTabInterval 0, Blocks (null), Lists (null), BaseWritingDirection -1, HyphenationFactor 0, TighteningFactor 0.05, HeaderLevel 0, isEqual: 0
2008-02-06 22:44:07.232 Scrivener[6159] passed-in style: Alignment 4, LineSpacing 0, ParagraphSpacing 0, ParagraphSpacingBefore 24, HeadIndent 36, TailIndent 468, FirstLineHeadIndent 36, LineHeight 0/0, LineHeightMultiple 0, LineBreakMode 0, Tabs (), DefaultTabInterval 0, Blocks (null), Lists (null), BaseWritingDirection -1, HyphenationFactor 0, TighteningFactor 0.05, HeaderLevel 0, saved style: Alignment 4, LineSpacing 0, ParagraphSpacing 0, ParagraphSpacingBefore 24, HeadIndent 36, TailIndent 468, FirstLineHeadIndent 36, LineHeight 0/0, LineHeightMultiple 0, LineBreakMode 0, Tabs (), DefaultTabInterval 0, Blocks (null), Lists (null), BaseWritingDirection -1, HyphenationFactor 0, TighteningFactor 0.05, HeaderLevel 0, isEqual: 1
2008-02-06 22:44:07.277 Scrivener[6159] passed-in style: (null), saved style: (null), isEqual: 0
2008-02-06 22:44:07.278 Scrivener[6159] passed-in style: (null), saved style: (null), isEqual: 0
2008-02-06 22:44:07.278 Scrivener[6159] passed-in style: (null), saved style: (null), isEqual: 0
2008-02-06 22:44:07.278 Scrivener[6159] passed-in style: (null), saved style: (null), isEqual: 0
2008-02-06 22:44:07.278 Scrivener[6159] passed-in style: (null), saved style: (null), isEqual: 0
2008-02-06 22:44:07.278 Scrivener[6159] passed-in style: (null), saved style: (null), isEqual: 0
2008-02-06 22:44:07.283 Scrivener[6159] passed-in style: (null), saved style: (null), isEqual: 0
2008-02-06 22:44:07.283 Scrivener[6159] passed-in style: (null), saved style: (null), isEqual: 0
2008-02-06 22:44:07.284 Scrivener[6159] passed-in style: (null), saved style: (null), isEqual: 0
2008-02-06 22:44:07.284 Scrivener[6159] passed-in style: (null), saved style: (null), isEqual: 0
2008-02-06 22:44:07.284 Scrivener[6159] passed-in style: (null), saved style: (null), isEqual: 0
2008-02-06 22:44:07.284 Scrivener[6159] passed-in style: (null), saved style: (null), isEqual: 0
2008-02-06 22:44:07.285 Scrivener[6159] passed-in style: (null), saved style: (null), isEqual: 0
2008-02-06 22:44:07.285 Scrivener[6159] passed-in style: (null), saved style: (null), isEqual: 0
2008-02-06 22:44:07.285 Scrivener[6159] passed-in style: (null), saved style: (null), isEqual: 0
2008-02-06 22:44:07.285 Scrivener[6159] passed-in style: (null), saved style: (null), isEqual: 0
2008-02-06 22:44:07.286 Scrivener[6159] passed-in style: (null), saved style: (null), isEqual: 0
2008-02-06 22:44:07.286 Scrivener[6159] passed-in style: (null), saved style: (null), isEqual: 0
2008-02-06 22:44:07.287 Scrivener[6159] passed-in style: Alignment 4, LineSpacing 0, ParagraphSpacing 0, ParagraphSpacingBefore 12, HeadIndent 36, TailIndent 468, FirstLineHeadIndent 36, LineHeight 0/0, LineHeightMultiple 0, LineBreakMode 0, Tabs (), DefaultTabInterval 0, Blocks (null), Lists (null), BaseWritingDirection -1, HyphenationFactor 0, TighteningFactor 0.05, HeaderLevel 0, saved style: Alignment 4, LineSpacing 0, ParagraphSpacing 0, ParagraphSpacingBefore 24, HeadIndent 36, TailIndent 468, FirstLineHeadIndent 36, LineHeight 0/0, LineHeightMultiple 0, LineBreakMode 0, Tabs (), DefaultTabInterval 0, Blocks (null), Lists (null), BaseWritingDirection -1, HyphenationFactor 0, TighteningFactor 0.05, HeaderLevel 0, isEqual: 0
2008-02-06 22:44:07.287 Scrivener[6159] passed-in style: Alignment 4, LineSpacing 0, ParagraphSpacing 0, ParagraphSpacingBefore 12, HeadIndent 180, TailIndent 450, FirstLineHeadIndent 180, LineHeight 0/0, LineHeightMultiple 0, LineBreakMode 0, Tabs (), DefaultTabInterval 0, Blocks (null), Lists (null), BaseWritingDirection -1, HyphenationFactor 0, TighteningFactor 0.05, HeaderLevel 0, saved style: Alignment 4, LineSpacing 0, ParagraphSpacing 0, ParagraphSpacingBefore 24, HeadIndent 36, TailIndent 468, FirstLineHeadIndent 36, LineHeight 0/0, LineHeightMultiple 0, LineBreakMode 0, Tabs (), DefaultTabInterval 0, Blocks (null), Lists (null), BaseWritingDirection -1, HyphenationFactor 0, TighteningFactor 0.05, HeaderLevel 0, isEqual: 0
2008-02-06 22:44:07.288 Scrivener[6159] passed-in style: Alignment 4, LineSpacing 0, ParagraphSpacing 0, ParagraphSpacingBefore 0, HeadIndent 144, TailIndent 324, FirstLineHeadIndent 144, LineHeight 0/0, LineHeightMultiple 0, LineBreakMode 0, Tabs (), DefaultTabInterval 0, Blocks (null), Lists (null), BaseWritingDirection -1, HyphenationFactor 0, TighteningFactor 0.05, HeaderLevel 0, saved style: Alignment 4, LineSpacing 0, ParagraphSpacing 0, ParagraphSpacingBefore 24, HeadIndent 36, TailIndent 468, FirstLineHeadIndent 36, LineHeight 0/0, LineHeightMultiple 0, LineBreakMode 0, Tabs (), DefaultTabInterval 0, Blocks (null), Lists (null), BaseWritingDirection -1, HyphenationFactor 0, TighteningFactor 0.05, HeaderLevel 0, isEqual: 0
2008-02-06 22:44:07.288 Scrivener[6159] passed-in style: Alignment 4, LineSpacing 0, ParagraphSpacing 0, ParagraphSpacingBefore 0, HeadIndent 108, TailIndent 360, FirstLineHeadIndent 108, LineHeight 0/0, LineHeightMultiple 0, LineBreakMode 0, Tabs (), DefaultTabInterval 0, Blocks (null), Lists (null), BaseWritingDirection -1, HyphenationFactor 0, TighteningFactor 0.05, HeaderLevel 0, saved style: Alignment 4, LineSpacing 0, ParagraphSpacing 0, ParagraphSpacingBefore 24, HeadIndent 36, TailIndent 468, FirstLineHeadIndent 36, LineHeight 0/0, LineHeightMultiple 0, LineBreakMode 0, Tabs (), DefaultTabInterval 0, Blocks (null), Lists (null), BaseWritingDirection -1, HyphenationFactor 0, TighteningFactor 0.05, HeaderLevel 0, isEqual: 0
2008-02-06 22:44:07.288 Scrivener[6159] passed-in style: Alignment 1, LineSpacing 0, ParagraphSpacing 0, ParagraphSpacingBefore 12, HeadIndent 324, TailIndent 441, FirstLineHeadIndent 324, LineHeight 0/0, LineHeightMultiple 0, LineBreakMode 0, Tabs (), DefaultTabInterval 0, Blocks (null), Lists (null), BaseWritingDirection -1, HyphenationFactor 0, TighteningFactor 0.05, HeaderLevel 0, saved style: Alignment 4, LineSpacing 0, ParagraphSpacing 0, ParagraphSpacingBefore 24, HeadIndent 36, TailIndent 468, FirstLineHeadIndent 36, LineHeight 0/0, LineHeightMultiple 0, LineBreakMode 0, Tabs (), DefaultTabInterval 0, Blocks (null), Lists (null), BaseWritingDirection -1, HyphenationFactor 0, TighteningFactor 0.05, HeaderLevel 0, isEqual: 0
2008-02-06 22:44:07.288 Scrivener[6159] passed-in style: Alignment 4, LineSpacing 0, ParagraphSpacing 0, ParagraphSpacingBefore 24, HeadIndent 36, TailIndent 468, FirstLineHeadIndent 36, LineHeight 0/0, LineHeightMultiple 0, LineBreakMode 0, Tabs (), DefaultTabInterval 0, Blocks (null), Lists (null), BaseWritingDirection -1, HyphenationFactor 0, TighteningFactor 0.05, HeaderLevel 0, saved style: Alignment 4, LineSpacing 0, ParagraphSpacing 0, ParagraphSpacingBefore 24, HeadIndent 36, TailIndent 468, FirstLineHeadIndent 36, LineHeight 0/0, LineHeightMultiple 0, LineBreakMode 0, Tabs (), DefaultTabInterval 0, Blocks (null), Lists (null), BaseWritingDirection -1, HyphenationFactor 0, TighteningFactor 0.05, HeaderLevel 0, isEqual: 1
2008-02-06 22:44:07.323 Scrivener[6159] *** -[NSPlaceholderDictionary initWithObjects:forKeys:count:]: attempt to insert nil value

4

Most of the stuff on the console is harmless debug code accidentally left in the last update. The last line is bad, though. Two things:

  1. Have you got any issues with fonts on your system? Have you installed any recently or played with them in any way?

  2. Did you try to open a Scrivener project in Scrivener Gold and then reopen it in Scrivener? (This latter wouldn’t explain the problem with creating new projects, though.)

Best,
Keith

5

Umm… no probs with fonts, but I have lots and they’re managed.

Just experimented, disabled all fonts except for Geneva, Monaco and Lucida Grande, did a restart, and the problem is still there.

Enabled all my fonts (1284 of them) and it looks like its working properly.
Hooray! But I don’t want to enable 1284 fonts in order to get it to work.

Any idea about what fonts are critical for this App?

Thanks for all your help!

PS About the Gold Project, no I don’t think so. I think I deleted all files after experimenting with Gold last week

6

Hmm. Well, Helvetica is critical for any OS X text-based app. Other than that, go into Scrivener’s Preferences, go through all the fonts (in the Text Editing and Fonts & Colors panes of the Preferences panel) and set them to ones that you are going to leave enabled. It’s best to leave Courier enabled, too. Other than that, you should be fine.

It’s funny how this always turns out to be a fonts issue… Glad it is working, though - hopefully with a few changes to the preferences you should be good to go.

All the best,
Keith

7

It’s Courier.

It twigged when I looked at the open window and right at the top, under the toolbar, is a little document icon and the word "Untitled"—in Courier.

A little trial and error proved the point: Running the system now with only Courier, Geneva, Helvetica, Lucida Grande & Monaco. Works OK.

Many thanks!

8

Glad you got it working!
Best,
Keith

9

Dude, you’re up late.

Get some sleep!

:slight_smile: