I wanted more info so I went to project statistics for the selected files. This shows a wildly different number, much higher than the stat at the bottom.
This is a huge discrepancy. (estimate at bottom of page is first, statistics is second)
For example:
27,763 - 165,513 (example in screenshots)
78,000-~113,000 words
43,800 words - ~171,000
72,926 - 78,834 (huh this one’s not that bad but still not the accuracy you’d expect)
So you’ll want to know my settings for Project Stats; here they are:
I don’t ever check Count Current Compile Group. I routinely have to compile only a few scrivenings for my critique group, so at any given time 99% of my files do not have the compile box checked.
I “count all documents” for the same reason. the only way I know to “mark for inclusion” is by checking the box next to “include in compile.” So this option, as I’m understanding it, is entirely redundant. I can’t figure how the “current compile group” could be different from boxes that are currently checked to include in compile.
Subdocuments should not matter because this is a selection of files (I’m seeking word count for a Collection; the only way I know to do that is to open it and select the files)… But now that I’m thinking about it, if the chapter folder is in the selected text, and the subfolders as well, could Project Statistics be counting all those subfolders twice? If so that would mean that the count at the bottom of 50 documents is the accurate one.
I was worried it was counting notes, but I don’t see an option not to do that so I presume it doesn’t count notes.
OK I am going to go ahead and post this and I’ll write back if the thing in bold turns out to be the issue, in case it helps someone else.
PS I really wish Scrivener just had a simple word count option that would let me easily count all the words in the manuscript. In theory, what is in the manuscript is roughly what is meant to be in the book. Yes there is some stuff like research or interviews that will ultimately be changed but I shouldn’t have to select every folder and file in the MS just to get a word count. It makes me feel like I’m doing something wrong because I can’t be the only writer using Scrivener that is part of a critique group or whatnot, and thus must frequently compile just a few chapters, necessitating removing the checkbox from all but those chapters. Hence the main word count feature, that is based on those checkboxes, is useless throughout 99% of the project—because for most of the life of the draft I am going to want to share single chapters, not the whole book. Are you guys doing it some other way? I tried export but this puts each section of the chapter as a separate document which then all have to be opened in a text editor and pasted back together. Using compile is more efficient.
Good news! When I changed my settings to exclude subdocuments the word counts became comparable—off by only a few hundred words. Which is fine for my purposes.
It also means that the word count displayed at the bottom is perfectly cromulent so I will just rely on that in the future rather than going to statistics. I don’t love having to select all the docs in the MS, but doing that and glancing at the bottom of the screen doesn’t take more time than going to statistics.
TLDR The solution WAS in bold above.
Anyone who wants to give feedback on the export and compile process I use is welcome to continue the theoretical conversation.
But it does! For example, with your manuscript docs in the Draft folder, click on the Draft folder (with Scrivenerings mode enabled) and the footer will show you that simple total you want. Why does this not work for you?
You say you typically need to compile only portions of the manuscript for your group – in which case you should select those docs and in Compile (right pane) set compile to compile Current Selection.
I don’t love having to select all the docs in the MS, but …
Command-A in the Binder selects all the items in the Collection, so easy enough there. Could you refine your collection setting to weed out the folders?
The “Current Compile Group” is the thing you select in the menu at the top of the Contents pane of the main Compile screen. This setting is useful, for instance, if you have several different stories or essays in your Draft folder, and only want the count for the one you’re currently working on.
FWIW, I use the Outline View as my primary word counter. (Enable the Total Words column.)
It does work, now that I know that word count is actually accurate! I was frustrated because it didn’t match the word count from Statistics and didn’t know which count to trust. But now that I’ve figured out the problem (Statistics was including folders twice) I will ignore the Statistics option and just use the count in the footer.
should select those docs and in Compile (right pane) set compile to compile Current Selection.
Yes, my point was that anyone like me who does this often is not going to ever be able to use the first section of Statistics to get the word count. Because it’s always going to show just a few scrivenings, that which is currently set to compile. So it made me feel like I must be doing something wrong, to have the Statistics primary tab always be so useless.
Now I can use Statistics, I just need to use the second tab for “Selected Documents” and make sure the box for Count Subdocuments is unchecked. So all is well.
The “Current Compile Group” is the thing you select in the menu at the top of the Contents pane of the main Compile screen. This setting is useful, for instance, if you have several different stories or essays in your Draft folder, and only want the count for the one you’re currently working on.
Yes, understood, I meant in the context of the Settings Tab of the Project Statistics.
I think I have it figured it out. “Compiled Statistics Options” and “Selected Statistics Options” are actually referring to the exact same thing (which docs are included to complie, just one applies to the first tab and the other applies the question to the second tab.
Scrivener team might improve this design somewhat by having the settings to the right of each tab, rather than buried on a tertiary tab.
I use the Outline View as my primary word counter. (Enable the Total Words column.)
Good idea! I don’t use outline view as much as I could. But even with Total Words enabled, doesn’t this just show you the total count for each section, which you’d then have to add together manually?
For example, my project is in three parts so when I minimize the folders as much as possible and am clicking on the top-most folder (manuscript) I don’t see total Totals. To see the grand total I’d need to add these three numbers together.
Yes, but you can define what a “section” is. If you need a combined total for parts 1, 2, and 3 often enough for adding manually to be too tedious, just create a new level of hierarchy and put all three parts inside it.
