I have a couple of questions regarding chapter numbering at compile time using Placeholder Tags.
My binder looks like this:
- Manuscript
- Epigraph
- Chapter 1
- Scene 1
- Scene 2
- Chapter 2
- Scene 1
- Scene 2
And so on.
In compile I’ve been using <$n> to number the chapter level elements (which are folders that contain no text, only the scene sub-documents.)
If I export the entire draft <$n> will label Chapter 1, ‘1’, Chapter 2, ‘2’ etc. All good.
But if I only export a sub-set of chapters for proofing/printing, say chapters 5 and 6, the first chapter (5) exported is numbered ‘1’, regardless of its real chapter position. This is because <$n> increments each time the compiler comes across it.
So, I tried <$position> which would work, except that I have my epigraph in the parent position before chapter 1. So, if I compile chapters 5 and 6 using <$position> they’re numbered ‘6’ and ‘7’. Each chapter number is incremented by one because of the epigraph document.
Obviously Scrivener’s tags are doing their job correctly. I’d just like to know how to work around having the epigraph in position 1. If it worked I’d be happy fudging it with something like <$position>-1
Any advice appreciated. The only other option I can think about is to put the epigraph in Front matter, as those don’t seem to get counted by the compiler. That’s a bit messy as I consider the epigraph part of the text body, and not as front matter. Plus I use 3 different Front matter folders, so I’d need to maintain 3 versions of the same file if I did that.
Actually, you should just be able to go back to using <$n>, as you were before, and then make sure that this option is un-ticked when you select a sub-group for compile:
(Those options are only available when you aren’t compiling the entire manuscript.)
So long as “Treat compile group as entire draft” isn’t selected, Scrivener will compile everything up to the selected material in the background just to calculate the correct numbering.
Well, I’d never changed the compile group selection. I’ve been switching on and off what I wanted in the full list. Now, not only is my chapter correctly numbered but the project target word-count shows the total for the MS too. This is all good.
I’m not surprised it’s already been thought through, but I’m still impressed by the depth of Scrivener.
And the support is exemplary, as ever. Thank you.
(Re. ‘dark side’, I’ve been using a Mac since System 7 when it looked like we actually were sitting on the side of good, relatively speaking. With Tim Cook, Apple’s CEO in China today, trying to pacify complaints about factory working conditions on the iPhone/iPad production line, I’m not so convinced that the division applies any more. Apologies for the politics!)
Just to clarify my position, the “human” politics were not a factor. Apple is no different than other HW manufacturers. Dell, HP, IBM, and all the rest (for those that build your own, Foxcon is foxcon, giga, asus, etc) all use the same business philosophies. Business is about making money for the few. Which means the many will be taken advantage of. It’s just the way it is. If we don’t like it we need to stop using virtually all products we do not make on our own.
My statement was directed more to the OSX vs. Windows side. From that political position what ever side you are on is not the dark side. So pigfender thinks I am on the dark side (OSX) while I think he is on the dark side (windows). While a pun, it is simultaneously the reality of cross platform software. Both camps will look askance at each other with a few diehard evangelists on either side and a whole lot of folks just enjoying life not really caring.
So there. I have taken a simple “poke at piggies eye” and made it into a social statement that no one in their right mind actually wants to read! Take that!
