Using corkboard (freeform mode) with dual screens

Scrivener Scrivener for macOS
1

Hello there,

Long time listener, first time caller…

I’ve been using Scrivener for a little over a year now and I love it more with each project. I’m getting pretty close to having my ideal workflow down (At least for screenplays) but there’s one thing I can’t figure out how to do… or if it’s actually possible.

I spend a good amount of time writing summaries in the cork board view and then moving things around to settle on a structure before I finally start writing in earnest. I’ve loved the flexibility of freeform mode to kind of shove things out of the way when I’m not sure what to do with them… and I’m wondering if there might not be a way to take that further using dual screens.

When I work from home I’m on a 27 inch iMac with a 21 inch cinema display hooked up as well. I work in full screen mode, and that allows me to have quick look windows open on the 2nd display while I’m writing. Is there any way to use that 2nd display as a place where I can put note cards that I’m not ready for yet… and then drag them back into the primary workspace when I think I’m ready? I can sort of drag cards over to the second display, but they won’t stick there.

I realize that I could make piles off to the side of the main window, and then scroll over to them, and that’s perfectly fine… I just wasn’t sure if there was some way to use the 2nd display more actively that I wasn’t aware of.

Hope that makes sens, and thanks in advance for any suggestions.

-avi

2

There isn’t a way to display anything other than text in QuickReference panels, if that is what you mean, you can’t have a floating corkboard. What you are describing sounds like an ideal use for the split editor view though.

Here is an example where the corkboard has been reduced to one card wide, in a locked split. You can easily dump cards into this “sideboard”, retrieve them, or open them for editing with Shift-Cmd-O.

3

An effective solution could be implementing a multi-window view on a project, to allow separating the corkboard from the document. I would find it useful, since I always need my cards/diagrams to be in front of me, staring at me while I write…

The temporary solution I use is to print the corkboard, and keep it in a sheet or a series of card cut from the sheet. But I don’t find the process too comfortable.

Paolo

4

Thanks for the suggestion/tip about the split editor view AmberV. I’m going to give that a go!