Hello Community,
I am new to Scrivener so be patient. I’m using version 3.1.5.1 on Windows 11, 64-bit.
My issue is with centering titles. The chapter titles appear to be centered while the chapter headings are off just a bit. I had thought it was because of an indent setting, but they appear to be off. Can anyone help?
Ken
Hi 
Welcome to the forum.
You mean in the editor or post-compile ?
If you mean in the compiled output and you already know how to tweak a compile format, check see if the section layout that is handling your chapter headings doesn’t have a title-prefix with, perhaps (for some odd reason), a few useless spaces or a tab.
Also see that the chapter heading demo text isn’t formatted with a first line indent (or indent) on top of being centered.
If the problem is for one – or a few – and not all of them, check that you don’t have one or two space characters prior to the document’s name in the binder.
The titles look right in the editor (and in the editor I do not see Chapter Titles, only Section Titles). Once it is compiled (using Manuscript (Courier)) to PDF, it becomes obvious that the Chapter Titles and Section Titles are not both centered the same. Maybe I need to revisit the tutorials.
Ken
Did you at any point modify the compile format ?
. . . . . . . . . .
Do you mean that your section titles are typed in the editor ?
Then that is why.
Your section title is treated as text, and gets an indent at compile. (Likely, but there is so many variables…)
Technically, you are supposed to only type the title in the binder, have a document just for that and leave the editor blank, and assign that document to the proper section type in the metadata panel.
I may have. It’s been while.
Ken
Quick fix if you actually typed the title in the editor :
Select your title in the editor, then : Format / Preserve formatting.
But doing that, the compiler has no longer any control over it. If you want it to be the same font than the rest, etc, whatever tweaks needed, you’ll have to do yourself in the editor.
(It is really just a quick fix. I don’t quite recommend it.)
You may alternatively use one of the “Header” styles. (That’d already be much better of a fix.)
. . . . . . . .
You can tell by where it (the compile format you are using) is in the list, in the compiler.
If still as it was, never accessed/modified, it’ll be listed under “Scrivener formats”.
I’m not familiar with the metadata panel or assigning documents, but I will look that up now.
You’ve obviously been using this program for a while (you know this program)!
Tried to send a screenshot of my compiler page, but it won’t let me.
On the left side (under Formats) I have:
Default
Enumerated Outline
Full Indented Outline
Manuscript (Courier)
Manuscript (Times)
Modern
Outline Document
Paperback (5.06" x 7.81")
Paperback (6" x 9")
Proof Copy
Script or Screenplay
Ok. It is still factory default.
So that clears that possibility.
Pretty sure now that your issue is that you have it in the editor.
For now, select your section title in the editor, and make it of the “Header 1” style from the style drop down list at the top.
That should fix it.
If it is the wrong font, redefine the style. (Let me know, I’ll explain how.)
If it is too big, go for Header 2.
I changed the compiler to Manuscript (Times) and it compiled perfectly! Chapter Title and Section Title are perfectly centered. Does that mean that Manuscript (Courier) has been tweaked?
It could, but then it wouldn’t be where it is in the list. So, no.
It is probably just a slight text formatting difference that happens to be just what you needed.
Thank you for being so helpful. Is there video tutorial that covers this? If so, could you point me to it?
Hmm… If you can define “this”. (!)
There is so much involved, I wouldn’t know which video tutorial specifically.
The manual is your best friend atm. (My opinion. And I don’t know the video tutorials —someone else might—, myself I never went for any.)
Actually I have only had this program for 3 months–I typically write in Word, but I want to do script writing so I thought I would give this a try. I skipped a lot of the tutorials and just started writing. Now I am almost ready to send to an editor, am not knowing how to structure this is coming back to haunt me.
Thank you so much. That will come in quite handy.
I have to run, but I will start researching tonight.
Thank you for all your wonderful help!!
Ken
There is a bunch of videos if you search “Scrivener” on youtube.
Just coming in here (although I’m a Mac user!) to say that there have been various reports about compiling directly to PDF on the Windows version, and the trecommendation is to compile to DOCX or RTF, open in Word and print/export to PDF from there. It doesn’t have the problems.
Can I also say, that (1) do you have the equivalent of this in Windows:
as that means it the extra step only takes two clicks; and (2) I always compile to RTF and open in my word processor, as I find it easier to spot typos etc. when the text is presented in a different way; though truth to tell, I do more than just that, applying a style sheet etc.
Mark
So, basically that comes to nearly the same thing, though being able to choose (I actually have three word processors + TextEdit—the latter being something to avoid!—but I very rarely use anything other than Nisus Writer Pro) does have its advantages.
Mark
