Scrivener has just started giving me issues compiling. Until a few days ago, I hadn’t used the Compiler since November. Please note I haven’t touched my compilation settings in over a year and no one else has access to my laptop or my project. I am compiling my document as a Manuscript (Times) Word .docx document the way I always do. I’ve compiled this project in the past without issue.
A couple of weeks ago, I compiled the first 15 chapters of my manuscript and had no issues. Today, I’ve been trying to compile my remaining chapters, 16-43, for over two hours but they aren’t compiling properly. Chapter one is always included in the compilation even though it has been de-selected from the chapter list. Other chapters have been randomly included as well. For example, one time, chapters 1-3 plus chapter 6 compiled although none of them are selected. When the chapters I have ticked off are compiling, not all of them are included in the compilation. I thought perhaps it was a problem with my project but I am able to compile the project in its entirety without issues. So my workaround is to delete the chapters I don’t need from the resulting Word document but I’m hoping to get this resolved. I’m at a loss so I hope someone can help. Thank you.
I’m using Scrivener version: 3.1.4.0 (1905013) 64-bit - 19 Jan 2023 and Windows 10 Education 22H2 OS build 19045.2846.
Regarding how you are selecting things, it sounds like maybe you are using the checkboxes to do this? While that should work, to be clear, I would try another method and see if that works better. There are two main approaches I prefer:
For quick one-off compiles of this or that, select what you want to compile in the binder first, and then once in compile, set the top dropdown in the Contents tab to “Current Selection” at the bottom of the list. If you need a more complete compile, with front and back matter, then leave the dropdown alone, and instead use the filter button to its right to “include” by “documents in current selection”.
For a more persistent situation, where you intend to compile a portion of the draft for a while, always having to remember to select is not as efficient. In that case I use a Collection made specifically to act as a compile filter. Collections can be used using the same two approaches described above in terms of options: either as a flat list selection or as a filter against the draft.
That all aside, even if that does work and you are back on track, it would be good to know why this is happening. Since I’m not aware of any known bugs that would cause that, what would help us most is a copy of the project so that all of the conditions and variables are intact, with instructions on how to see the fault happen. If that’s something you’re willing to do, let me know. We can help you scramble the contents of a test project if need be, too.
Thanks for getting back to me. I really appreciate it. I didn’t realize there was another method to select folders within my manuscript for compilation. I’ll give those a try. I’m not comfortable providing a copy of my project but can delete the text in each document and substitute it with some Lorem Ipsum in a few days. It won’t change anything in the project except what’s written on the documents.
Completely understandable! What I’d recommend instead of deleting and replacing with junk text though is the following checklist:
Scrambling a project...
Use File ▸ Save As... and name the copy of the project something clearly temporary. As is normal with this command, you will now be working in the new copy—triple verify that in your title header bar though, as the rest of this checklist will be destructive.
If you take a lot of snapshots, use the Documents ▸ Snapshots ▸ Snapshots Manager menu command. In the left sidebar, press Ctrl+A to select all, and then click the - button to delete them all. This will save a lot of space when sending the demo. If you skip this step though, the following will still scramble them.
Use the Edit ▸ Find ▸ Project Replace... menu command, and fill out the form as follows:
A star has been placed beside easy to miss settings.
Click the Replace button, and once it is finished, close the dialogue.
Browse through the project a bit, and ensure the content is thoroughly mangled beyond all hope of recovery, and secondly, that the bug is still visible.
Lastly, trash any research items or other materials in the binder that are not necessary to viewing the bug, and empty the trash. This should reduce the size of the demo project considerably.
Use the File ▸ Back Up ▸ Back Up To... to create a zipped copy for transfer.
That approach will ensure any formatting or content issues around the lettering remains intact, which could well be a factor. For example if a UTF null character somehow got into the source text and that is causing issues, replacing the visible letters around it would keep the condition. If one of the documents got some wild formatting pasted into it from Word/HTML, that should also preserve it.
Thank you so much for this, Amber. I truly do appreciate it. I’ll get this done as quickly a I can, sometime over the next couple of days. While I’m not sure about a UTF null character, I shouldn’t have any Word/HTML pasted into my manuscript as I write only in Scrivener. But who knows? Where do I send the file once I have it ready?
I was quite interested in the hidden “scrambled text” in this post, but when I expanded it, the picture accompanying it isn’t visible. Is this an android mobile issue, or a broken link? If broken, could you edit the post please?
(I wish I could absorb your incredible knowledge base by osmosis!)
I’m seeing the image at this point in time. It could be that when you checked it, our main website was slow to respond or down briefly, as it is hosted there. If it’s still not there, check your browser settings for blocking off-site images perhaps.
I’ll edit the post to embed it if that still doesn’t seem to work (perhaps it is in my browser cache).
All better, Thank you! I do have a restriction on third party stuff. Would that have done it? (fwiw, i see the placeholders often (maybe only on the android?), but assumed they were from the old forum migration)
There will be some of that, yeah. If you find a post with “missing image” icons that is pre-2021, just click the “Flag” button to alert a moderator with the “other” selection, and I’ll fix it. In some cases you might see old screenshot syntax instead of a missing image. I can fix those, but they are a bit of a bother to dig up.
I do have a restriction on third party stuff. Would that have done it? (fwiw, i see the placeholders often (maybe only on the android?), but assumed they were from the old forum migration)