How to delete blank line spaces in Compile (not via Text Tidying)

Scrivener Scrivener for macOS
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1

I like to space out my work inside my Scrivener projects: a blank line between each paragraph.

Is there a way to delete the blank lines in the Compile process? (Not via Text Tidying because I want to keep the blank lines in the project.)

I’m aware I can do a Find and Replace in Word but hope to eliminate this step.

One idea I had was to use Replacements in Compile to replace blank lines with nothing. But I can’t work out how to put the blank line space in the Replace field. Opt+Return doesn’t work. Neither does copying and pasting a pilcrow.

Does anyone have a solution?

2

Use ⌥ enter to put returns in the replacement rule.

Or copy a return from anywhere and paste it where needed.

3

Not to mess with your process or anything, but it sounds like you are making work for yourself on both ends of the process. Wouldn’t it make much more sense to set your paragraph default to include some Space After, so you neither needed to type all those blank lines nor to remove them later. Just saying!

gr

So happens this is generally what I am doing, because when writing I want to see very clearly my paragraph breaks (space after and no first line indent), but when I compile I want first line indents and no space between paragraphs.

2 Likes
4

Thanks! Unfortunately, these good ideas don’t work.

5

Thanks so much. You solved my problem!

1 Like
6

But they do. The second method can’t possibly fail, so I’ll attach a video showing the first.

Check the video:

⌥⏎ in Project Replace

7

I see what you mean and I appreciate the trouble you’ve gone to.

I wanted to use Replacements in the Compile function so they were eliminated from my compiled document, but not from my Scrivener file. So Project Replace isn’t what I’m looking for.

Opt+Return, and copying and pasting a return in Compile / Replacements doesn’t work. Or maybe it does for you?

I have a solution, though, that doesn’t require using Replacements, as suggested by gr, so with respect for your writing time, please only answer if you’re curious on your own behalf.

Thanks again!

8

It does work … but it doesn’t look as if it’s working when you’re entering the returns, because it doesn’t show the pilcrows.