Saving separator options in compile

[Damoeire]

Hi there!

When I save my separator options in compile to single return only, using the alt key, it goes back to the main editor, but when I return to compile, and rechoose my format style, it has always reset back to empty line. It also always reverts to custom compile style, whereas I thought it would make more sense to stay with my project style. Am I missing something?

Thanks in advance,
Damian

[r6d2]

@Damoeire

but when I return to compile, and rechoose my format style, it has always reset back to empty line.

I think this is the catch (underlined above).

If you want to update your custom format preset it’s not enough to Save via holding the Alt key. That only saves it until you select another preset (or, in your case, the same preset). If you don’t rechoose the preset, the change you made will hold and be applied. But if you want to try another presets it is safer to save your own custom format first.

I suggest you to go through section 24.5 Managing Custom Presets of the manual (page 356). An excerpt follows:

Since compile settings are saved into the project whenever you compile, or hold down
the Option key and click the revealed Save button. There is no need to repeatedly save
to a preset in most cases.
So when should you save compile settings? You might wish to save them for use in
other projects, or simply to temporarily use a special-purpose compile preset (like Enumerated
Outline) without losing all of the work you have put into your settings…

Hope this helps!

[Damoeire]

Wow, this is actually why I love scrivener. The way it does it is great, I just didn’t realise, what I need is custom, and that saves within the project. I saw about saving the options on a youtube clip, but didn’t realise it auto saves on every compile. I did have a look in the manual for the relevant section but failed to find it.

Thanks a mill.

[chasman]

I really like Scrivener and I’ve been using it for several years now. The problem, I feel, is that it sometimes deviates from well establish GUI behaviour (paradigms if you want to get technical) for no apparent reason. The Binder for instance pops up different context menus depending where you right-click the entry (on the icon or on the text). That completely threw me… I submitted a bug asking where all the missing stuff was!

I think a similar problem applies here. In OS X you change preference and it will stay changed until you go back and change it again. Simples. When I go back to Compile I expect the Format As setting to be exactly where I left it, not set to say “Custom”. It’s confusing.

[AmberV]

Right-clicking on the icon to load the custom icon menu will be removed in a future version. It made sense at the time, but you’re right, hardly anyone expects that. Instead, there will be a modifier key you can hold down to access the custom icon menu more easily, but normal right-clicks will always go to the standard contextual menu.

As to your objections on signifying that compile settings have changed, I do not agree, or follow your reasoning. If I apply the preset “Standard Manuscript Format” and then spend ten minutes changing everything about it so that it prints to kōans within origami-sized sheets of paper, I certainly would not expect to see “Standard Manuscript Format” when I come back to the compiler later. This is true even if I change one single checkbox. The fact that the compile settings you are looking at are not the preset defaults is very important information.