First tell me why you don’t want numbers to start on page 1. In my example, I didn’t want the image to have a number (use the single pages suppression option), and I don’t want the first page of any chapter to have a number (use different new pages). If the page you want to suppress is one of those, you don’t have a problem.
How do you do that ?
Nevermind. I suppose you use
Why I want (to figure out) this ? :
Foreword
How would you include and number differently a foreword to one of your books, without ending up having to either number what comes before, or disturbing the real content page’s number ?
Below are the settings (Mac) and the same project compiled on Windows, with no change except turning off a replacement rule and turning on another, in order to compile the external images.
Do you want it to have roman numerals? No numerals? Count toward later page numbers?
For the sake of this demonstration, lets say that yes, I do.
No. That is the whole point.
Use the same settings I did and put the foreword in the front matter. If the foreword is one page, it won’t have a page number. If it’s multiple pages, the first page won’t have a page number.
Won’t the foreword start at iii if you have a front page + lets say, a copyright page before it ?
Yes. Because it’s the 3rd front matter page.
So then, if whatever other section that comes before (acknowledgement, lets say) has more than one page, you’re screwed. It’ll be numbered too.
?
I wouldn’t call it screwed, since I don’t see why it matters. Surely the value of your book doesn’t depend on tiny numbers at the bottom of some pages. If it does, complete the layout in some other program. In the meantime, in Scrivener, you can compile the front matter starting with 1 (or i) and also compile the rest of the book starting with 1 (or i), and ditto for back matter.
Personally, I’d be fine with having no numbers in front matter at all (and roman numerals in the ToC).
I don’t think there are any hard rules here, but usually page numbers count paper, not from some arbitrary point somewhere after the pages start. I.e. I most often see the title page and following imprint/copyright pages in the count, along with other full-page stuff like the dedication. Those typically won’t have numbers printed on them of course, but once you get to the Contents or whatever, it’s already up to ‘iv’ or ‘v’ or whatever. Overall I would say the way Scrivener works is traditional.
I think as @drmajorbob says, if for some reason you need three different page numbering start points (or where I guess where some pieces of paper aren’t considered a part of the book proper at all), then you’re going to need something other than Scrivener’s more traditional approach.
Can you please just explain to me what the front matter is actually good for since we can already choose where to start the page numbering and whether or not the pages previous to that point are counted in ?
I think it is just logic to have expected it to be inserted after the first pages and to have a header/footer set of its own.
No ?
Otherwise, I don’t see what makes it so different than just having a few documents in the draft folder before getting to chapter 1.
You mean the feature itself (as opposed to the concept)? For most cases it provides a good flexible point where page numbering can reset, along with other header/footer differences. Without that, you need to predict precisely how many pages long this point should be, and if any content adjustments change that, you have to go into your compile settings and fix the number. If you leave it up to the Front Matter folder setting, then you can get a four or ten page introduction from another author at the last minute, pop it in, and get proper numbering.
The other reasons are more niche. Different editions might have need of different types of material, one might have a trilogy in the Draft and this feature makes it possible to not only switch between front matter folders but even have it set up to automatically do so.
But if you don’t need any of that, if you just one a numbering stream that starts at 1 and goes all the way through, or don’t need numbering at all (maybe it isn’t a book), or whatever, feel free to just drop content into the Draft at the top. It’s an optional feature for if you need the capabilities it provides.
Yes.
But the only + I see it provide here is an automatic “bumper” determining where the main body actually starts. (?)
What else ?
I would have expected it to behave as a sperate section of its own.
Not as “first pages”.
As a matter of fact, as I said, I believe it should come after the first pages. Between them and the body.
Anyways, I was just trying to understand the logic. I guess it doesn’t matter this much. If I ever encounter a problem from it, ultimately yes, I can use another software for that part.
This may be an incomplete list:
- It allows 3 numbering start points: front matter, body, and back matter.
- It puts front matter (and back matter) outside the Draft, emphasizing that it’s different material.
- It lets us select front (and back) matter separately from compile flags and groups.
- It allows 3 sets of headers and footers, completely aside from numbering.
- Compile group options provide for a Front Matter folder for print and another for eBooks, without changing Compile flags.
For most people, first pages will be just another way of saying front matter.
So, in the end, if I ain’t mistaken, there is no right answer to the original OP. It just can’t be done. (?)
(Unless he/she doesn’t mind the first page of each of his/her chapters/scenes/documents to be unnumbered.)
You might say it ain’t standard, but yet :
No software does everything, and just because someone wants a thing doesn’t make it standard.
Is that a “no” to the actual question ?
How’s that ?