I’m trying to compile to a LaTeX file using novel class. I want to make the format generic, but of the two novel sets I have at the moment, the Chapter Headings need to be different. I was hoping I could have a a LaTeX Definitions file in the Front Matter folder that creates a \newcommand for the chapter layout. That way, I could redefine the command per project while having my LaTeX Novel Format generic to all projects.
Attempt
In the TXT format’s Document Prefix, I have the line <$include:LaTeX Definitions>. That is absolutely the name of the file — I copied and pasted it.
Problem
When I generate the LaTeX file, the string <$include:LaTeX Definitions> is included unchanged. Other placeholders do work in the Document Prefix, specifically:
<$projectName>
<$fullName>
<$compilegroup>
all are replaced fine.
Questions
Is $include not supported in this context? That would be sad
It looks like maybe the Mac version isn’t working, specifically. This technique works fine on Windows, but when I loaded the test project I made, on a Mac instead (after checking your profile settings), I see the placeholder does nothing.
By the way, another approach to this is to do things a bit more like the LaTeX non-fiction template does, which you’ll find in the Non-Fiction template section when creating a new project. The design approach I went for was to have all general matters relating to the document class itself be defined by the compile Format, but all matters specific to a particular work, such as which packages it needs to include, or commands to define, would be established in its Front Matter folder in a modular fashion. Each “card” is providing a group of functions, such as bibliography support, or proofing tools and page layout (wide margin for notes).
