Importing Outline/Folder structure from MultiMarkdown or HTML unordered list or OPML?

[JimmyMcVideo]

So, I'm warming up to Storyist - using the demo - but there's a big thing I'd like to see implemented.

 

Storyist and Scrivener both uses hierarchies really well. So, I can create folders, groups, collections - whatever you want to call them - and they provide a great way to organize things and then manipulate content in a hierarchical/outline manner.

 

Now, Scrivener can do something awesome and that's importing hierarchies from outside the program. I specifically used their MultiMarkdown import. First, I created a lot of content -- too much to reproduce by hand - in OmniOutliner. I used an OmniOutliner plug-in to export a MultiMarkdown text file and imported that into Scrivener. It's great. My OO content shows up in a (parent/child) hierarchy in Scrivener.

 

Can Storyist do anything like this?

 

OmniOutliner, by the way can also export HTML ( with unordered lists) as well as OPML - both of which preserve hierarchy (being able to put stuff within stuff). Looks like RTF and RTFD does too, right?

 

Also, Scrivener can export OPML as well as Outliner content as CSV.

 

If Storyist could implement support for one of these formats that'd be great.

 

In addition to porting over OmniOutliner content through some route, it would be awesome to import FOLDER hierarchy from Mac OS X finder. I actually have a big story guideline that I built using simple Folders (and text files within it). But even if I could just port in the folders (with or without the text inside) that'd be a big help. I'm sure there's someone who could code a solution.

 

Anyway, let me know your thoughts and if I'm missing anything on the Storyist import side.

 

thanks,

J

[JimmyMcVideo]

So, I see in the Export Settings , you can check the box that says "Export to folders matching the project structure."

 

Great, so the Feature Request I was asking for above is the *reverse* of that. Taking Folders (parents) and text inside (children) and bringing them into Storyist. Maybe you could designate if they'd come in under the Notebook category or the Plot category...

[JimmyMcVideo]

I played around more with exporting/importing in Storyist and Scrivener.

 

Let me know if I'm wrong, but it looks like Storyist can only import one file at a time and it must be a text document - you can't select a folder and have it import the folder and its contents.

 

It turns out in Scrivener I can import multiple files, including what I was really hoping for - the ability to select a folder at the Mac finder level and have that imported as a folder (parent) with all it contains (children).

 

Would love to see this kind of thing in Storyist.

 

Overall, I like the *feel* of Storyist better. And I love that it's on iPad!

[Steve]

Hi Jimmy,

 

Sorry for the delayed reply.

 

So, I'm warming up to Storyist - using the demo - but there's a big thing I'd like to see implemented.

 

Storyist and Scrivener both uses hierarchies really well. So, I can create folders, groups, collections - whatever you want to call them - and they provide a great way to organize things and then manipulate content in a hierarchical/outline manner.

 

Now, Scrivener can do something awesome and that's importing hierarchies from outside the program. I specifically used their MultiMarkdown import. First, I created a lot of content -- too much to reproduce by hand - in OmniOutliner. I used an OmniOutliner plug-in to export a MultiMarkdown text file and imported that into Scrivener. It's great. My OO content shows up in a (parent/child) hierarchy in Scrivener.

 

Can Storyist do anything like this?

 

OmniOutliner, by the way can also export HTML ( with unordered lists) as well as OPML - both of which preserve hierarchy (being able to put stuff within stuff). Looks like RTF and RTFD does too, right?

 

Also, Scrivener can export OPML as well as Outliner content as CSV.

 

If Storyist could implement support for one of these formats that'd be great.

 

In addition to porting over OmniOutliner content through some route, it would be awesome to import FOLDER hierarchy from Mac OS X finder. I actually have a big story guideline that I built using simple Folders (and text files within it). But even if I could just port in the folders (with or without the text inside) that'd be a big help. I'm sure there's someone who could code a solution.

 

Anyway, let me know your thoughts and if I'm missing anything on the Storyist import side.

 

thanks,

J

 

Storyist doesn't currently import outlines, but import/export support for OPML files is on the list.

 

Storyist DOES export folder hierarchies (File > Export, choose "Text and Image Files" and check the "export to folders matching the project structure" checkbox). There isn't currently an analog for import on the theory that if you're going to massage your structure into a form to get it into Storyist, you might as well do that in Storyist. However, if you're looking to round trip through Storyist, you'd only do the setup once, and I'm open to revisiting this.

 

-Steve

[Steve]

Hi Jimmy,

 

Let me know if I'm wrong, but it looks like Storyist can only import one file at a time and it must be a text document - you can't select a folder and have it import the folder and its contents.

 

You can import multiple files at once by selecting them in the Finder and dragging them to the Project view.

 

Overall, I like the *feel* of Storyist better. And I love that it's on iPad!

 

Thanks for the kind words, and the for the feature requests. Stay tuned on the OPML front.

 

On the importing hierarchy request: A number of people are using Storyist for iPad with a PC and have asked for a smoother way to get entire projects on and off the iPad. One way to do this (and this is the way I'm leaning) is to add an export option on iPad that includes zipped directories of RTF files. If this happens, I'll add support to the Mac version too, and your request will "come for free." This is probably a little ways off though.

 

-Steve

[JimmyMcVideo]

Hi Jimmy,

 

Sorry for the delayed reply.

 

 

 

Storyist doesn't currently import outlines, but import/export support for OPML files is on the list.

 

Storyist DOES export folder hierarchies (File > Export, choose "Text and Image Files" and check the "export to folders matching the project structure" checkbox). There isn't currently an analog for import on the theory that if you're going to massage your structure into a form to get it into Storyist, you might as well do that in Storyist. However, if you're looking to round trip through Storyist, you'd only do the setup once, and I'm open to revisiting this.

 

-Steve

 

 

Thanks for writing back Steve. I think having some kind of round-trip import/export is *very* important. This recognizes that Storyist is not the only creative tool that a writer can use. And it's not the only tool that creates structure like basic parent/child hierarchies and containers. There are so many tools out there - OmniOutliner is my favorite. But there are all these mind-mapping apps, there's simple folder structure in the Finder level, etc. With a round-trip, these can be in dialogue with Storyist. And if can be more than just individual files, if it can be folders + files (hierarchy) then that would be great.

 

Anyway, you've heard my request. Keep up the great work!