Negotiating the binder in Windows can be a challenge when you have a lot of outline elements. Currently, in Windows, all levels of the outline in the binder have identical formatting.
In the new 3.0, will there be a way to format binder titles with different font sizes, colors, etc. like one will be able to do in Scrivenings mode? That would make it far easier to visualize the different outline levels in the binder.
Unless I’m misunderstanding the question, you can differentiate levels such as chapter and scene right now in Windows Scriv 1.9.7 and could in previous iterations by assigning colors to labels and using them. Also the icons are different for folders and text files in the Binder, and there is a bit of indenting as you go down levels. Doesn’t that help?
As to different fonts (at least as to size) indicating levels in 3.0, I don’t remember that happening in the Binder (it is in the Editor), but I only skimmed through the Tutorial once. Although I have the Mac version and did upgrade it, I still prefer my Windows laptop, so that’s what I use. I downloaded the Windows beta and took a look, but since it’s not safe to use for work you care about, that’s all I did.
Tribalrose, thanks for the reply. Yes, labels are available, as well as the (small) indenting. But at least on the old windows version, everything was so small that it’s hard to easily scan down a binder list that is all the same font size, and the indents are so small, it’s still hard to scan easily.
Yes, labels are one option, but I use them to indicate stages of development or special “at work” chapters.
Hopefully, the font sizes in the new Windows version will be larger, but allowing the binder elements to inherit any font differences by outline level would make it so much easier to scan down the page for specific folders.
Fingers crossed.
Font and font size in the binder are consistent (given the sort of list it is, it would be rather complex to do it otherwise, if even possible), but you can already in 1.9.7 change the binder font size under Tools > Options > Appearance > Fonts > General > Binder. In 3.0 you’ll be able to increase the indent and also increase spacing between the binder items, which might help with readability. And as Tribalrose suggested, custom icons might help with this, even if you’re already using labels for a different purpose. 3.0 further adds a “binder separator” option that you can apply to items to set them off a bit with a slightly darker background and divider lines, so e.g. you could apply that to parts or chapter folders to give them some distinction.
Thanks! Any little visual change will help! Can special icons be assigned by outline level, or do they have to be changed manually?
Great idea to allow a change in indent spacing.
Don’t know how I missed the font size option for the binder! That’s a huge help on smaller laptop screens.
Icons are still changed manually, as in 1.9.7, although in both versions you can select multiple items to change their icons simultaneously.
Last night after reading and posting to this thread, I went to my 3.0 Scriv on the Mac, and lo and behold, the fonts for my chapters and scenes are differentiated by font in the Binder. Chapter titles are bold, which does make them pop out a bit. I think this must be the default because I don’t remember deliberately setting them up that way, but I’m old enough you should take that with a grain of salt, and I did change a lot of fonts since I don’t like the new flat look on anything.
I take L&L at its word that the new Windows 3.0 will match the Mac 3.0, so I expect you will be able to differentiate your outline levels this way in the Windows version.
Ah, you can’t choose different fonts, but you can select to have folders and/or document groups use a bold face (assuming the overall font chosen for the binder has a bold variant). This isn’t per-level, but if you distinguish levels in the hierarchy with folders and groups as such, that may do what Klester’s after. At least the variety provides some visual distinction that can make the binder easier to navigate.
(To clarify, this isn’t an option currently in Windows, but will be part of overhauled 3.0 options.)
Can you change the background color of a binder separator? It’s currently gray. Thanks
The binder separator is based on the binder background colour and not a separately selected colour, similar to the current document indicator.