Setting Up Custom Script Format for Glossary/Index

Scrivener
,
1

Hey I thought I might set up a custom Script Format under Script Settings so that I could automatically format my Glossary and Index entries as I work in a Non-Fiction book project.

But I’ve opened a can of worms to say the least. I really am not getting consistent behavior from my settings no matter what I try.

Are there bugs and problems with this Scrivener Script format definition functionality?

Specifically I thought I would set up a Script Style that had the following elements:

  1. Type (Prefaced with "Type: " and with text completion menu for the following words: who, what, where, when, why, way)
  2. Title (prefaced with "Title: ")
  3. Place and Date (prefaced with "Place: , Date: ")
  4. Description (prefaced with “Description:”)
  5. See Also (prefaced with "See also: ")
  6. Index List (prefaced with "Index: ")

Each of these items would have specific font and formatting. Some would be automatically populated with a specific prefix text string ("See also: " for example). And all would have automatic responce to tab and or return key input that would go to and start the next element.

The format I am after looks like this:

Screenshot 2025-01-08 at 3.30.50 PM
Screenshot 2025-01-08 at 3.30.50 PM1188×500 169 KB

PS: Any suggestions or video tutorial? I have read through all of the documentation on this topic and watched the short segment in the Script Writing vid on the L&L website.

What I’ve done so far is set up the elements, and set the options for the elements (best I know how), but I am experiencing strange and unpredictable behavior.

What I would like to do is have Scrivener respond to tab or return by bringing up the next element, and in some cases, I’d like that element to be prefixed by a string of predetermined text (like "Date: " or "See also: " or "Index: ". Any way to do this? Make it reliable? Any way to visually know what element I am currently typing within?

Thanks, Randall

2

I am a windows user, but if have special pages with special formatting like a glossary, the simplest way to maintain the appearance, is to put these documents in your back matter folder and create a section type called Front or Back Matter (or really any name) and assign to these files with special formatting.
When you compile, then in the use the Section Layout as-is on them which preserves the formatting and assign the Section Layout to the Front/Back Matter section type. If you do it correctly it will look something like this (again in Windows)

image
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