Help with compile settings

Hi Friends! I am compiling a novel, with parts and chapters. I do not divide my chapters by folder. I use folders for parts, and then make each scene a document. I give the first document of each chapter the style “New Chapter” and every other document the style “Scene.” In general, this works beautifully, with each chapter starting on a new page, proper chapter title, etc.

I have ONE chapter that contains only one document. In that chapter, the compiling doesn’t work-- the subsequent chapter doesn’t start on a new page, but just flows continuously. I confirmed that “NEW CHAPTER” doesn’t work properly by selecting “new chapter” as the style for several scenes consecutive scenes, and they do not page break as I would like, but just run together.

I have checked the section layouts: NEW CHAPTER corresponds to “Chapter with Title” section layout, which uses “Page break” as the separator before sections, and “Empty line” as the separator between sections. SCENE corresponds to “Section Text” section layout, which uses “Empty line” as the separator before and between sections.

Why does a “NEW CHAPTER” break properly when it is followed by scenes, but not when it is followed by another “NEW CHAPTER”? What am I missing? Tearing out my hair!! Advice? Thoughts?

Thank you!

Hi.

In your compile format, separators pane.
Your layout (or the setting for folders – whichever is set to be used by your layout in your compile format) is likely set to page break when following a different layout, but not when following self. (“Separator between sections”)
Just tweak that so that it is rather a page break.

(If it is the setting for folders that’s used and tweaking it causes a problem elsewhere, in that same pane rather set your layout (bottom half of the list) not to use default separators and then tweak it to use a page break.) ← You could just set it so right away, and not risk messing up any other parts of your output by tweaking the “folders” separator setting.

Let me know if you need screenshots.

By the way : a “style” is something else completely. I believe you meant “section type”.

Thank you! That did it! I thought “Separator between sections” meant “separator between this and all following sections” and so had it set as a single line!

And you are right-- I meant “Section type”. Sometimes this compile stuff feels like very high level engineering! :slightly_smiling_face:

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