I just bought scapple and wanted to integrate a scapple file in scrivener. However, instead of a preview I only get a SCAP thumbnail. What can I do?
I export as a png from Scapple and simply drag and drop into Scrivener.
I see. I thought the two work together. At least I expected that an image of scapple is rendered in Scrivener and updated whenever the Scapple file is updated,
If you think about it, there would be quite a daunting task in ‘rendering’ a given Scapple diagram into Scrivener.
The reason is that there can be arbitrary connections between ideas, nodes. Thus a mass of references could be required – and where exactly would you put them so they remained stable during writing, noting, etc.??
Another point is development of your piece, long or short. An essence of writing is the creative practice it really is. You don’t just ‘lay out’ how a text is going to be, even if you are the type to prefer early and strong outlines. Inevitably fresh thoughts and revisions, also editing and corrections occur.
If you want to reflect those in the Scapple diagram, how would you then relate that to the modified text, whichever changs first? Prior connections would be lost, and again the question arises of where you safely would put those connections.
There is a line of solution, if you really want a more limited but somewhat connected ‘diagram’ outliner. This is Aeon Timeline. I’ve felt it overpriced, and awkward in ways the explanation given here would understand, in its abilities to connect with the Scrivener writing reality, but it has abilities you could look into, and may be getting better.
At present there’s Aeon Timeline 2.x, per these comments, and there is a version 3 in a closed beta at the moment which you possibly could join. There are added abilities and the Scrivener connection might be becoming cleaner, but it will be still connections only forward in time, or concept if you use it that way.
Scapple always can express more involved relationships, thus ideas, and asks you to use it s a reference to what you work out with it, a thinking tool. I think that’s solid ground, and actually am experimenting with some other ways of taking that approach.
a postscript to note just above…
I decided to start up my own Scapple just to see, and downloaded the latest, where I also saw the mention that Scapple could drag-drop its information to Scrivener.
And in fact, this works, in some ways that might be useful to you, taking the explanation above into account:
If you select some Scapple items, you can drag them to a folder in the Binder of Scrivener, and a card or document will be created for each item in the diagram. No relations are created, but you could make some links yourself.
Similarly, you can export from a Scapple diagram so there’s no drag-drop and arranging of windows for it in volved.
- if you export as PDF, you get the entire diagram and can import it to Scrivener,Research
- if you export as JPEG, you could import, or you could embed the diagram as a picture within text
- if you export as OPML, you can import that to a Scrivener, and will get documents created for each item as with drag-drop. You are given the choice if the export will be all items, or the ones you have selected, plus by choice also a note.
So maybe these features will answer what you were oriignally hoping to do. Once again, they won’t contain structure of a diagram except by picture, but that may be useful enough.
Hi, thanks for taking the time to answer the question.
On a basic level, I expected to import a scapple file like a web page, and Scrivener renders it.
How could this work? Scrivener calls a UI less version of scapple and asks for a PNG, and if the PNG is clicked in Scrivener, Scrivener opens the associated file in scapple with args that tell it to update the PNG whenever scapple stores the file.
If you would like to do it more elaborately, you might have to implement connections between cards in Scrivener in free form, much like the connections in scapple. Try how users make use of it and see where you can go from there.
Mikay, I think you want to be putting any suggestions in this forum instead:
[url]https://www.literatureandlatte.com/forum/viewforum.php?f=4[/url] (Suggestion Box)
I’m personally not part of the Scrivener team, just trying to help once in a while where persons seem lost.
I think Scapple drag-drop to Scrivener folders should already do as much as can be done, logically, and it’s a nice solution.
See the explanation above as to why more information from Scapple can’t sensibly be used in Scrivener; so that it takes a people to do that.
Well, a postscript here to last reply.
I just joined a invite-only beta program for Aeon Timeline 3, and can say the following, with due care
- it’s very much improved in realizing what’s needed for syncing, and especially with Scrivener
- it’s not ready for prime time yet, evidently skipping its schedule points for the same reasons as Scrivener Win 3 did: that anything to do with words, writers, and stories is by its nature going to be considerably complicated
- they’ve got a good batch of testers, and they are finding a lot of things even though the app basically works, with a cheerful attitude as the Aeon team themselves have.
I think it’s going to be much more worth the price this time, if such a tool would be a help to your writing approaches. If you think it might be worth so to you, I believe you can purchase the current version (2.x) at this time, given you’ve tried v2’'s trial and think this is the sort of thing that would be worthwhile, then get upgraded to 3 without extra charge when it arrives, but check for yourself…
Scapple is much less expensive, and can do many things once you understand and get used to it – not all the same things as Aeon, so you have to try them and understand, I think. I’m still debating myself, how much I want in the way of tools vs. doing the writing itself and free.
Thanks for your reply. I will check out Aeon Timeline!