Perhaps my knowledge is lacking (again), so here’s my question:
If I have saved a preset format, does it also control which “contents” get included in the compile?
This would be very useful, since the project I am working on has different sections that I compile separately into PDFs that I then manipulate later with PDF software.
Thanks!
John
No, the preset saves only the format, not the contents, that way you can apply the same output format to various different cuts of you draft, or completely different projects.
What you can do, however, is use Collections for these.
Press Ctrl+Shift+9 to show (or hide) the collections pane (sits right above the binder).
Press the “+” button to add a new collection. Give it a useful name such as “Material for Bob”.
Go to the binder and just drag and drop over to the new collection any contents you’d like to be in that compile contents.
You can rearrange the contents in the collection to your heart’s content. This won’t change their order in the binder at all.
Set up a new one of these collections for each of the saved sets of contents you want.
When you come to compile (Ctrl+Shift+E) make sure you are in the full compile dialogue that gives you all the different options to tinker (ie the contents, formatting panes, etc) - click on the little blus arrow if you don’t have all this yet.
Near the top of the dialogue is a button marked “Draft” with a little arrow in it. Press the button and you can change the things the compile includes to soemthing other than your draft, including the saved Collections.
Collections are really powerful things, and I suspect very underused in Scrivener. For example, I use them to compensate for the lack of a “Front Matter” folder in the Windows version, by having a “ePub” a “Kindle” and “Printbook” collection, which pulls in material from the draft as well as things like covers, blank spacer pages, title pages, etc from my research folder (Collections can include things not in the Draft folder, and therefore enable you to include such things in the compile.
Thank you, Pigfender! This sounds very interesting, as do your suggestions. It also appears that it will allow me to simplify my compile process, too!
[Edit] - One more question 
. If I work with the “Collection” notes and make changes, are these changes also (hopefully) reflected in the binder?
JohnN
Yes, all changes you make to a file and it’s metadata will be reflected in all instances of that file. Collections are just like windows short-cuts in that sense. Keep in mind that titles changed in a collection will change the title in the binder too, and vice-verse.
Thank you! I think this will meet my needs in this area. 
JohnN
Today I noticed that when I am looking at the “Collection” that the up/down arrows jump me back to the binder. Is this how it is supposed to work? Thanks!!
If I click on one of the documents in a collection, then use the up-arrow, it moves to the previous document. Page up moves to the first document in the collection. And if I’m already at the first document, neither of those keys does anything. Down-arrow and Page Down also work similarly.
I have no idea why your arrow keys are doing this.
Thanks! I exited the program and then restarted but it still jumped back to Binder if I used the up/down arrow icons. Annoying, but not a major burden.