Setting title of new documents while in main editor

Scrivener Scrivener for macOS
1

Hi! I used to be able to create a new document (cmd + n) while scrivener’s focus was on the main editor and immediately set the title from the main editor: i.e. after pressing cmd+n, the text cursor would move to the title of the new document (with ‘Show Titles in Scrivenings’ on). This meant I could finish a paragraph, add a new document and title it without having to break my flow by moving focus to the binder.

I haven’t been able to get this behaviour back since I impulsively clicked a cross that appeared after hovering my cursor on the right hand side of a scrivening divider. Does anyone know how to get this behaviour back (I’ve got ‘Show Titles in Scrivenings’ on) ?

2

This?

  1. CMD N

  2. CTRL OPT CMD T

  3. [Write title]

  4. TAB

  5. [Continue typing]

3

It’s now an option:

Preferences > Behaviours > Folders & Files > Always set titles of new items.

There’s no need to press Enter when you’re completed the title – press Tab instead and it will take you back to the Editor.

HTH.

4

I can’t get that to work in Scrivenings…it defaults to the body, not the title. Must be doing something wrong…mmmmmm

5

Didn’t realise we were talking purely about Scrivenings, sorry. I’ll try it when I’m back on a non-iPad.

6

Yes - that’s the problem: the cursor goes to the body when the binder has focus, and the user has to go to the binder or the header (as Bridey suggests they do).

Bridey: your way is an extra step compared to before, and a keyboard shortcut (as opposed to just pressing enter). Also, if you set the title from the header then press TAB to type, the text retains the Scrivening title format rather than the default for new documents, which is a further annoyance. So two further steps! I wonder if this change was unintended: it seems like a bit of a step back.

7

I expect it is unintended, or we are missing how to do it in a more effective way.

8

OK, had a change to play now. Apologies for misreading your request before… I never write in scrivenings so missed what you were getting at.

Here’s a workaround. It’s not as slick as it used to be (from what you’ve said), but it works.

  1. [cmd-n]
  3. [cmd-shift-left]
  4. [cmd-opt-shift-t]
  5. [enter]

I.e. just type the title as the first line of the new document, then select the title and apply the shortcut for ‘Set selected text as title’. When you press Enter, the text is still selected, but ignore that and it will be overwritten.

If you use something like Keyboard Maestro (if you avoid using the mouse then it’s a very worthwhile program – it’s a brilliant adjunct to Scrivener and every other Mac program) then you can chain steps 3-5 into one keystroke.

Not perfect, but at least it’s better than having to go back to the binder.

9

Another way…

  1. Write the title (at the end of the current document)

  2. CMD SHIFT LEFT (to select title in step 1)

  3. CMD OPT K (to split with selection as title)

10

Check to make sure that :
Preference-Behaviors-Folders & Files-Always set titles of new items
is checked. That should bring back the behavior you want.

On another note, the cmd-opt-ctrl-T shortcut - to move focus to the title - does not work for me (Scriv 3.0 on Mac). Am I missing something or is this a bug?