Scrivener created a duplicate project. Need help

Mac Sonoma 14.1. Scrivener 3.3.6.
Everything seemed fine in scrivener and I closed project I was working on. When I went back to open/work on my project from the template window, clicking on open recent i noticed there were two of my projects with the identical names. Looking at both, one seemed to be my project with latest changes. The other was my project without the lastest changes.
So, I have two projects with the same name. What I am going to do is just create another project with a fresh name and transfer from the correct (with changes saved) duplicate project binder to the new/fresh project binder.
I have been working on this project for a long time and it has many files of research for a series of books. About info, it is over 44MB for the project.
I also work with Scrivener on my Iphone and Ipad–both only show the duplicate project without latest changes.
I would appreciate any feedback. Like everyone my project is important. I do have backups.

The most likely cause of this issue is that you used the Save As command at some point. That creates a duplicate project and continues working in the duplicate.

Here’s what I would do:

  • Close Scrivener. Use Finder to locate both versions on the project. Rename the one with the changes so that you can tell them apart.

(If you aren’t sure which is which, open directly from Finder by double-clicking. Don’t use the Recents menu.)

Depending on the extent of the changes, there are two ways to bring your iOS versions up to date:

  1. Open both projects side by side. Drag the changes into the unchanged version. Synchronize as normal.

  2. Using Finder, drag the unchanged version out of the Dropbox folder, drag the changed version in. Sync as normal.

When you’re done, clear the Recents menu so it won’t lead you back to the “wrong” version.

Thanks for the quick reply.
I’m am almost 99.9 % sure I did not use the save as command. I always close projects with the red x in the upper left.
I think i’m going to start a new project and drag the files from current binder to new project binder?
Is there any reason this would cause any problems. The project is large, but everything is in folders.

Whatever the source of the duplicate project, the mechanism for dealing with it is the same.

Starting a new project should be fine, and dragging between projects is non-destructive to the original project anyway.

Make sure you give the new project a different name to make it clearly identifiable.

I would recommend making sure that your iOS devices are fully synced, then leaving them alone until you’ve got the Mac back to where you want it.

Thanks again for your timely reply.

I was using a Save the Cat template, designed by a trusted/famous story-craft person. I had not used the Manuscript Folder yet to write the story, and would happy to not use that STC act structure.
I will use Scrivener’s Novel Template, which I was considering. I will drag into that.