Can one open the same project in two windows / instances?

[Biff]

Can one open the same project in two windows / instances?

[JimRac]

Hi Biff,

Using current Win Scriv v1.9, no. You are limited to 1 instance of 2 split editor windows or composition/distraction-free mode.

Using Scriv Beta, you are are still limited to 1 instance, but using copyholders you can have 4 split editors going, and launch many individual quick reference windows.

Best,
Jim

[Biff]

Hello Jim!

Using current Win Scriv v1.9, no. You are limited to 1 instance of 2 split editor windows or composition/distraction-free mode.

Yes, it is very cirumstancial to restruct the structure of a book or simply to move some folders / docs with having only one instance. Or might I be missing a sensful method?

Using Scriv Beta, you are are still limited to 1 instance, but using copyholders you can have 4 split editors going, and launch many individual quick reference windows.

I am not sure, does that sound better? What are quick reference windows?

Many thanks!

[JimRac]

Hi Biff,

Quick Reference windows are a new v3 feature that is available in the beta. It's a way to view documents in stand-alone editing windows. See section 12.6 in the Mac manual for a detailed explanation.

See section 8.1.5 of Mac manual for explanation of Copyholders. Also, this blog post: https://www.literatureandlatte.com/blog/scrivener-3-copyholders-and-layouts

But to utilize those features, you'd need to move to the Windows beta. It's a beta, so there will be bugs.Some thoughts about switching over to the beta: https://www.literatureandlatte.com/forum/viewtopic.php?f=57&t=60854

Best,
Jim

[Biff]

Hello Jim,

Many thanks for the links and chapters and explanations.

Some stand-alone editors (staying open all the time) sounds very good, useful.

I'm curious.

Many thanks again, Jim!

[kewms]

Yes, it is very cirumstancial to restruct the structure of a book or simply to move some folders / docs with having only one instance. Or might I be missing a sensful method?

What specifically are you trying to do? Even without the beta, you can have three different views of the overall structure: the Binder, plus Outline (or Corkboard) views in both Editor panes. And if you can't see both the origin and destination folders at the same time to drag and drop, you can use the Move menu commands.

Katherine

[Biff]

What specifically are you trying to do?

Simply moving / copying folders / docs. Alone simply moving a single folder from the top of the binder to its botton is circumstancial, I would think. What is the best way to do it?

And if you can't see both the origin and destination folders at the same time to drag and drop, you can use the Move menu commands.

These(?);


I would think it cannot be more cirumstantial than using these. It just is unusable for me. You have to move the folders one by one or more than one together?

[kewms]

I would think it cannot be more cirumstantial than using these. It just is unusable for me. You have to move the folders one by one or more than one together?

Select everything you want to move in the Binder. Then locate the destination on the Move -> To menu.

Alternatively, open the Outline view so that it shows the files you want. Select them. Scroll (but don't click) the Binder so that the destination is visible. Drag and drop from the Outline to the Binder.

You might also have a look at the Tutorial, available from the Help menu, for more tips about ways to reorganize your project.

Katherine

[Biff]

Select everything you want to move in the Binder. Then locate the destination on the Move -> To menu.

Well, well, this is really circumstancial anyway, I would think. When I wanted to restructure (not only moving folders / docs to another / a same place / mirror them) one each time had to go through the menus again and again, it just does not seem to make sense. Besides of it there does not seem to be a copy option. There does not seem to be a useful method at all to handle the folders / docs like one can handle files / folders in a common file manager.

And I hate having to go through cascading context menus all the time, it cannot be more laborious, I would think, like to get to the favorites item in the menu each time after restarting Scrivener to open the favorite window again (instead of being opened on start up automatically again / how one has left Scrivener).

Alternatively, open the Outline view so that it shows the files you want. Select them. Scroll (but don't click) the Binder so that the destination is visible. Drag and drop from the Outline to the Binder.

Yes, very unhandy, too. It simply is not suitable to conveniently transferring docs, folders. Always clicking on the outliner icon each time after I click an item in the binder to reactivate (my be there is an option to avoid that) it and...so many circumstances using that way. Why not simply allow two instances, two binders or...?

You might also have a look at the Tutorial, available from the Help menu, for more tips about ways to reorganize your project

Yes, but they do not help avoiding the circumstancial moving / copying options, as far as I can see.

Many thanks!

[lunk]

There does not seem to be a useful method at all to handle the folders / docs like one can handle files / folders in a common file manager.

That's because it isn't a file manager. Scrivener is built to handle long-form writing, like novels, and although it does happen that you decide to completely restructure your text, it's not something you would do very often. And for normal, less drastic restructuring, normal drag-drop works without problems.

You still haven't explained exactly what it is you want to do, and why.

[Biff]

That's because it isn't a file manager.

Actually I would not think so.

Scrivener is built to handle long-form writing, like novels, and although it does happen that you decide to completely restructure your text, it's not something you would do very often. And for normal, less drastic restructuring, normal drag-drop works without problems.

Well, well, yes, yes, but why should this exclude senseful transfer options, a "built to handle long-form writing" which obviously does it in a special manner / structure that makes special copying / moving options (like they are available in a file manager) needful / senseful.

You still haven't explained exactly what it is you want to do, and why.

I thought I did, I am afraid I am not able to explain in more exactly, sorry.

[JimRac]

Hi Biff,

I've found Scrivener's restructuring tools to be sufficient, but perhaps my needs are more modest than yours.

For moving binder items around to nearby locations, I prefer using keyboard shortcuts. In the Binder or Outliner, select the item to be moved, then hold down Ctrl and use the arrow keys to move it up, down, left, or right. This also works with multiple adjacent items.

For moving things longer distances, then I'll drag and drop from Binder to Outliner or from Outliner to Outliner. Be sure to lock the Outliner(s), to keep the view static. View > Editor > Lock in Place or Ctrl+Shift+L. For example, if I wanted to move items from the top of the structure to the very bottom, to make that easier perhaps I 'd put the Outliners side by side, expand the left side, collapse the right side, and them move the items from the top left to the bottom right.

Outliners 2.jpg (438.86 KiB) Viewed 3994 times

You mentioned lack of a Copy Document option. What you're looking for is Duplicate, I think. Select the document(s), then right-click and select Duplicate, or select it via Documents > Duplicate. Then drag & drop them where you want them.

Hopefully you find that useful, and do let me know if you have any other questions. If you have a specific binder restructure in mind, a screenshot would be helpful, as the best method is sometimes dependent on the binder structure.

Best,
Jim

[Biff]

Hello Jim!

For moving binder items around to nearby locations, I prefer using keyboard shortcuts. In the Binder or Outliner, select the item to be moved, then hold down Ctrl and use the arrow keys to move it up, down, left, or right. This also works with multiple adjacent items.

Yes, that is easy. Or drag & drop. How could I copy items (without using the context menu / "Duplicate")?

For example, if I wanted to move items from the top of the structure to the very bottom, to make that easier perhaps I 'd put the Outliners side by side, expand the left side, collapse the right side, and them move the items from the top left to the bottom right.

Yes, that is a good mannger. Each time I click documents in the binder (containing documents) the "Outliner" switches to document view, how could I avoid that?

You mentioned lack of a Copy Document option. What you're looking for is Duplicate, I think. Select the document(s), then right-click and select Duplicate, or select it via Documents > Duplicate. Then drag & drop them where you want them.

Yes, lack of document and folder option. Yes, using the duplicate option is possible but quite circumstancial, I would think, causing a renaming of the copy I do not want actually. First mark it, click the item in the contect menu, drag and drop it instead of simply dragging & dropping the item.

Hopefully you find that useful, and do let me know if you have any other questions. If you have a specific binder restructure in mind, a screenshot would be helpful, as the best method is sometimes dependent on the binder structure.

Yes, very useful, thank you. I assume, the best way to use the possibilities of transferring items here...but still...not the way like it could be...No, I am not aware of using a special binder structure I would (like to) use for transferring.

Thank you very much!

[rdale]

For example, if I wanted to move items from the top of the structure to the very bottom, to make that easier perhaps I 'd put the Outliners side by side, expand the left side, collapse the right side, and them move the items from the top left to the bottom right.

Yes, that is a good mannger. Each time I click documents in the binder (containing documents) the "Outliner" switches to document view, how could I avoid that?

The easiest thing to do is to drag from the outliner into the binder. That will solve the issue of clicking on a document and having your editor view change. Or if you have the outliner loaded into two editors, you can drag from one outliner to another outliner view.

Alternately, you can lock the editor (right-click on the icon in the editor's header, then choose the lock option), but that may still cause the outliner to scroll when you click in the binder. If you happen to have a split editor, you can also change which editor the binder selection affects (Navigate->Binder Selection Affects menu).

[Biff]

Thank you .

Alternately, you can lock the editor (right-click on the icon in the editor's header, then choose the lock option), but that may still cause the outliner to scroll when you click in the binder.

Do you mean a left click? So locking it like Bill said by pressing CRL+SHIFT+L?

If you happen to have a split editor, you can also change which editor the binder selection affects (Navigate->Binder Selection Affects menu).

Sorry, where is Navigate?