Hi,
I’m new to Scrivener. I wondered if there is a Calendar function in Scrivener (for my characters). I’d like to connect chapters to a calendar so I can check the timelines of various interconnecting threads in a novel. Can anyone point me in the right direction?
Thanks
Bric
No calendar or timeline function in Scrivener, nor is there ever likely to be. But have a look at
as Aeon Timeline was developed by a Scrivener user specifically to sync with Scrivener.
Mr X
No relation to Lit&Lat or Scribblecode.
EDIT: Incidentally, I would download the trial of v. 1.x. That is fully functional and has a 20 days actual use trial period. If you decide to buy, I believe you’ll be eligible for a free update licence for v. 2 when that comes out, but for the moment it is in public Beta testing, and is not yet fully functional … apart from anything else, there is currently no manual or help system.
As a user of both Scrivener and Aeon Timeline, I recommend both, with a Scrapple as a side dish. 
However, if you just want a down and dirty Timeline list of Scenes (Within and only within Scrivener), and be able to display the Scenes in chronological order. Adding Meta-Data yourself, might do the trick. For example, add “Scene Date” or “Timeline” to the Meta-Data, and in the inspector, of the current scene, add dates to this. But be sure to keep it Consistent. year,month,day,time : 1978/11/26 @ 03:33a : OR : 2514/10/31 @ 22:00 h
Military Time, 24 Hour Period, works best in this case, as it’s directly incremental. Then view the document/Scene, or Multiple Highlighted Scenes, or All Scenes as an Outline, sort by “Scene Date” or “Timeline”, Ascending/Descending etc.
Now, telling if the Scenes are out of or in order or not, might be a little tricky. As was that sentence. I might, but not sure if it would work in the long run, create a new Meta-Data, called Binder Order and manually add them as they appear in the binder; example, Binder Order 00,001 through 01,250, and then compare in Outline view if the dates of “Timeline” sequentially add up. But you have to be real careful as you Eyeball that data. But as I said, this is a short term or stop gap measure, as you add or remove, or even just move scenes around in the binder, they’d get out of order real quick.
What would be kinda neat, is if you could use compiler codes, within the Meta-Data, as in; Create Meta-Data “Timeline” and in inspector of that scene etc, give it say “+1586/04/01 11:00h” (for AD) or “-4789/11/11 @ 14:35h” (for BC) [Or at least something equivalent to ± symbols that will list BC before AD and the year/month/day @ 24h Time etc] but ALSO create the Meta-Data called “Order of Appearance” and give each Scene the same auto numbering compiler code ( found [url]https://forum.literatureandlatte.com/t/codes-for-compiler/17289/1] ) the codes: <$hn> or <$n> . To be honest, that’s just an idea I had in response to your situation, and don’t know if it’s currently possible, or if not, if it’ll ever be implemented, at least not without a wishlist-- but I think it was mentioned these codes may or may not be on the way out, as they ultimately numberize the document too much. I’m not up to speed on Lit&Lat’s current thinking or plans, so please DON’T quote me on this. I may have even misread what was said at the time, or taken it out of context.
Basically, what Aeon Timeline version one or the new two, is, is the very useful and beefed up eye-candy of a casual glance and know it all, of what I just hashed out as possible solutions to you.
Any-hows-it, hope for the best, and good luck!
After many complicated side-excursions, I simply write my timeline in Project Notes, which is always available with a click as a sidebar (in full screen) or a sized pane. Mine runs from roughly 1100 to 1871, and contains every significant event pertinent to the WIP.
It ain’t pretty or “graphic”, but it’s easy, accurate, customizable, updatable, and ubiquitous. And wicked helpful.
[url]https://forum.literatureandlatte.com/t/how-to-do-a-timeline-in-scrivener/26821/1]
That page on this forum, has a very useful suggestion on how to Timeline (within Scrivener). Unlike my suggestion of using an added Meta-Data called Timeline, and Dating each scene, then using the Outline as a Sort (ordering). They use the Cork Board with Dates added, manually sorted, but with a link direct to the scene the date is associated with. As well as a Split view of Cork Board and Document Views.
I suppose, my suggestion could evolve, into a Split View as well, but it may feel cramped side-by-side, so maybe a horizontal split could work. It all depends on your screen’s real-estate.
Ahab’s use of Project Notes, is also a very good idea. Easily accessible, and constantly in an order of your own choosing, just be sure to keep up with additions and subtractions as your work flows.
Either way that you accomplish your Timeline, is entirely up to what works best for you.
Again, good luck!
*PS
I’ve also just tried my own advise, and am sad to say, it’s still not possible to sort outline in Windows. So for now, my suggestion is moot. However, I’m not up to date on the use of Scrivener’s Binder, but there may or may not be a way to use the Meta-Data “Timeline” to create a Binder Collection, based on the Dates added to each scene. I’ll look into it.