Setting: Since MathType equations cannot be exported live into Word or other programs, I tried the following: import as a “linked to file” a mathtype gif file into Scrivener. MT’s gif files can be edited in MT itself. So I set MT as a gif default editor (in Windows) and within Scrivener (rightclick “Open in external Editor”) I could modify the linked files as needed in the writing process.
Issue: When I edit the gif file (but the problem is general with any other img file too) Scrivener does not update at all the image. I did not find any refresh command either. The referenced gif file is modified but Scrivener shows the old version. I need to exit and re-open Scrivener to fix the problem. This is very annoying. Your manual states at p.129, in the footnote: “you may need to refresh its view”. Yes, but how!
Questions: a) Is there a way to refresh the main window, so to see the correct updated image?
b) And more in general to export in rtf or doc: Is there a way to let Scrivener leave the linked image as it is (i.e. as a link), instead of removing the link altogether and inserting a png file instead?
Thanks.
(WinXp SP3, Sc. v.1.8.5)
There’s no way currently to refresh an image without closing and reopening the project. The footnote in section 14.3 is about viewing imported images in the editor, not linked images within the text, though, so not relevant to this case.
Ultimately though, linked images aren’t going to serve your purpose since they don’t remain linked through compile but are treated as embedded images at that point. You’ll either need to just treat the image as a placeholder and then replace it afterward in Word, or use the Edit > Insert Link method of inserting a link to the image, which will then remain as a link through compile. There may be a way to compile to DOCX and then replace the .png images with the .gif versions, but I’m not familiar enough with Word or the DOCX format to give pointers on that–someone else on the forum may have a suggestion, or an online search may turn up a macro or such to get the job done.
Thanks @MimeticMouton. Knowing that there is no refresh command, saves a lot of time in looking for it! Knowing that exporting in some formats, linked image files remain untouched would be also helpful.
As I found Scrivener an almost perfect text handling app, I shall recognize its weakness for handling images and the alike. Or at least I did always find problems in dealing with it. This affects heavily, among others, technical writing. Scrivener could have a great market in this field. Competitors are few, and apps (like framemaker, or similar) are very expensive, and usually target large corporations not individuals.
Just my two cents: It would be helpful probably if developers would devote specifically a section in this site (and forum, like it is done now for multimarkdown) in discussing and suggesting tips about technical writing, or a section to collect and order resources and links on Scrivener made available around the web.
