Would love to see Line Numbers when Printing a single text file

Greetings! This request relates to the following commands when viewing a single text file:
Text Editing / Show Line Numbers / Only Count Every Fifth Line.

I tend to write in longer segments; most of my individual text files are about 7,000 words long each, before any compiling. When I’m in the revision stage, it helps to print out the file as a hard copy and read it on paper. I can then annotate and mark up the document for any editorial notes. I believe many writers do this as part of their process.

Then, when I return to the lengthy file (soft copy) on my Mac it’s a bit laborious to make the changes digitally: the printed document is paginated (let’s say at 20 pages long), but the digital file in front of me is not. So, for example, when I’m looking at an edit on page 8 of the printed version, it takes me quite some time to find where exactly that lands in the digital version. I scroll, scroll, curiously, wondering where it could be…

I’d like to propose that the concept of “Show Line Numbers” be applied not just to the individual text file in Scrivener, but also to the hard copy when it’s printed. It would be much smoother to orient myself when comparing the hard copy to the soft copy.

I think of Line Numbers like a navigational tool. Using that same navigation system between the hard and soft copies would allow for greater ease, speed, and efficiency when working. I think it could benefit and support a large percentage of the product userbase.

Thank you.

You can set up a compile format that will number the paragraphs this way. (Line numbers in the editor are based on the carriage returns, not line wrapping, so “paragraphs” in that sense.) There are several forum posts with sample projects to help you get this set up, and a forum search for “compile number paragraphs” may turn up others.

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A further problem with this is that the “lines” in the Scrivener editor are unlikely to match the lines in the compiled text as Scrivener is not WYSYWYG.

Unless you do a James Joyce and write 40 page paragraphs, having the paragraph number should allow you to locate what you want easily enough.

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