Label colours in Binder in Scrivener 3

I realise it’s a very minor thing, but… :slight_smile:

Is it possible to view the label colour in the Binder as it was in the older version, where the colour encompassed the file names in a rounded box? Currently the only option I see is a flat line across the entire width of the Binder. There’s nothing wrong with it functionality-wise, of course. I just feel like it looked much nicer before, with the depth it gave the file names. It sort of all blends together now.

Screen Shot 2017-11-21 at 3.49.40 pm.png

I suspect this is just the way it is now, but I thought I’d see if there’s actually an option to change this and I’ve just somehow missed it.

Thanks!

Additionally: I’m beginning to notice it’s not immediately clear which scene I’m working on, given that the current scene colour looks like just another label colour.

I’m with you - the old way shows the nesting of different levels much more clearly.

That’s the way it is now, there aren’t any additional settings that would alter how that look appears. Hey at least it is there though; the initial design only had the dots. :slight_smile:

Okay, thanks for your reply.

Actually, I’ve reverted to just the dots. Unfortunately I find that the highlighted file/scene I’m currently working on gets lost amidst all the other label colours.

Might be time to look back at setting the label color to just effect the document/folder icon. I find this provides all the color queuing I need and doesn’t (with custom reduced opacity) make too much noise, and certainly does not obscure hierarchy.

-gr

People, how do you get the label colours show in the Binder in the first place? I can’t find the setting for this.

Take a look at Scrivener > View Menu > the Use Label Color In options

Thank you @scshrugged. I was searching the Appearance settings in vain.

yes thank you! It took me forever to find this too - I was looking in preferences. I will add a vote to the suggestion that you make the label color look similar to the way it did in Scrivener 2. The dots don’t do enough and the bar across the whole width is just too much.

Thanks for the thought, but that defeats the purpose I use it for. I write multi-POVs so I have always highlighted each individual scene (not chapter) according to the POV voice. Highlighting just the chapter wouldn’t work since I have multiple POVs in a chapter at times.

Agreed. I’ve been working with it for over a day now and I find it just looks a bit OTT. I’ve switched back to the dots but these aren’t as immediately obvious, either. Shame! I think it looked and worked fantastic before!

Sorry, not sure I understand this: if you have the highlight icons option set, it applies to everything in the binder — you actually can’t make it only work for folders — so it will work for your scenes as well.

A combination of Icon and Dot colour is quite effective.

I agree with most here on the regrettable loss of fully-colored chapter/section lines in the Binder. The dots, while subtly attractive, seem to favor design form over function. At least allow user control here, as those of us using Scrivener for 7 years now depend heavily on quick visual identification provided in the “old way.”

My thanks as we’ll to @scshrugged for pointing the way to the dots. With nigh on 40 chapters in various uniquely-colored states (Done, Not Started, Pending Research, etc) I was lost for a whole day (though I did spy the color state in the lower right corner of the Inspector > Notes panel).

Just to make sure we’re on the same page, the discussion above was referring to how the full-width highlight is full-width, and not just text-indent-width. You aren’t just stuck with dots alone: use View/Use Label Color In/Use Full Width in Binder.

Outstanding! Thanks AmberV.

Add me to those not happy with either just dots over the OTT full binder width color. I’ve kicked my colors down to very pale and full width still overwhelms. Guess I’ll try stronger colors and just dots.

Since the Windows version isn’t done yet, how about making it the old way? :smiley:

The only difference is that labels now go all the way across and don’t use an old-fashioned gradient, so I fail to see how it’s OTT…

It feels OTT to me because the colours are flat. The gradient and oval shape just around the text gave some illusion of depth which helped – at least, my eyes – see all the scenes as individual items, rather than just a block of colours crammed together.

I also find it difficult for my eyes to jump to the scene currently open, since the highlighted open file is just another colored bar like all the rest.

I can’t speak for anyone else, but I’m not criticising to nitpick or be difficult. I genuinely feel the binder colours were fantastically helpful in Scrivener 2, and now look overwhelming in their lack of separation, and yet a bit too simplistic at the same time.

First I want to say I bought a Mac just to have Scrivener in the Mac version, this is how much I love Scrivener, and I’m not alone in that I know :slight_smile:. And second I will be buying Scrivener 3 because it is mostly pure awesomeness except for this one thing.

I have to agree with everything CL says. I use colour a lot in my Scrivener 2 and coloured labels most of all.
In Scrivener 3 all the differentiation between my books, chapters, first and subsequent drafts and scenes has gone. Full Width in Binder mode just creates a random mass of colours now, and no matter how much I’ve jiggled the colours it looks… not good and not at all clear. I can no longer tell which is what anymore, everything is on the same flat plane merged together with no indents.

I suspect it’s because I use colour the way I do, and it’d be fine for people using it for first draft, second draft etc only.

The dots are bearable and I’ll use them in the absence of the Scrivener 2 labelling and it’s just a shame that some way isn’t possible of having the much clearer identification that Scrivener 2 labelling has. I shall miss it.

And yes, I’ll be using Scrivener 3 because most of it is totally amazing and a major improvement. Just, the labelling isn’t. If it could ever be changed to have the option of similar labelling to version 2 I’d find Scrivener 3 perfect!

Haters gonna hate, I guess. :stuck_out_tongue:
I like the the new labels. The old ones were dated. I love the new interface. It looks clean and fresh. Good job!