Add Manuscript

[codemer]

With the recent reemergence of the topic of book series, it occurred to me that what might solve some people's issue is to be able to add multiple manuscripts to your Storyist file. Since the manuscript itself is just open document, you can plop in multiples of those files. To make the feature more friendly, you may want to be able to specify one manuscript as "active", and possibly hide the other manuscripts.

 

I've already bust out two more Storyist files for sequals, and I'd rather be able to keep them all stored together so they can share the notebook and characters.

 

Hrmm... This sounds a little too light, so lets throw in that I'd also like to be able to link notebook entries to manuscripts, maybe using a tagging feature.

 

There, that feels better.

 

Thoughts?

 

IF

[Steve E]

Sounds nice. But let me see if I understand this. Since Storyist files are really a collection of files anyway, why not add multiple manuscript files to the mix so they can all share the same sets of data sheets for Characters, Settings, Notes, etc..

 

I see all sheets (Characters, Settings, Notes, etc.) appearing when any manuscript in the Storyist file is opened as a bit messy. I think I'd prefer to see only a core set of some sheets as identified as "universal". Perhaps a menu command could make or unmake a selected sheet as "attached" to all manuscripts in the Storyist file.

 

Just to complicate things, how about a Merge function in Storyist that merged Storyist files to produce the multiple manuscript condition. And a Separate function to peel off the open, active file into its own Storyist file, of course.

 

Well, you asked for thoughts.

-Thoth.

[marguerite]

Sounds nice. But let me see if I understand this. Since Storyist files are really a collection of files anyway, why not add multiple manuscript files to the mix so they can all share the same sets of data sheets for Characters, Settings, Notes, etc..

 

I see all sheets (Characters, Settings, Notes, etc.) appearing when any manuscript in the Storyist file is opened as a bit messy. I think I'd prefer to see only a core set of some sheets as identified as "universal". Perhaps a menu command could make or unmake a selected sheet as "attached" to all manuscripts in the Storyist file.

 

Just to complicate things, how about a Merge function in Storyist that merged Storyist files to produce the multiple manuscript condition. And a Separate function to peel off the open, active file into its own Storyist file, of course.

 

Well, you asked for thoughts.

-Thoth.

You can actually store multiple stories in one file now (although the "Add Manuscript" option would make that clearer). The problem is that the file soon becomes enormous, which slows everything down (searches, reformatting, etc.). That's why I suggested the template approach in my "Using Storyist" post. Could you hide all manuscripts but one effectively enough that Storyist left the inactive ones out of its processing? Would you want to?

Best,

Marguerite

[Steve E]

Could you hide all manuscripts but one effectively enough that Storyist left the inactive ones out of its processing? Would you want to?

That's what I had in mind. Is it possible? That's for Steve to know and us to find out, or not.

 

While I like the template idea it's lack of integration makes you repeat the work: You have to create a new template every time you want to add a new "permanent" data sheet to the story series. But I agree, having multiple, active stories in Storyist could slow things down to a crawl (or a stop) if the books are big.

 

Again, I like your template idea if only because we can do it now (like pseudo-bookmarks). The Book-Chapter-Section hierarchy proposed (was it last month?) has similar virtues but also the fat file flaw. What can I say? I'm a greedy user who wants it all. I want to have my cake and eat it too. (Shouldn't that be, "eat your cake and still have it" ?)

 

Mmmm. Evil Alien OverCake.

-Thoth.

[Steakpirate]

I think that the best solution would be the ability to "associate" files. This would entail basically a well-placed folder type thing.

"Folder" as in Sections and Characters, but not there because that side of the app is crowded enough as is.

 

The folder would contain links to the different manuscripts (that might open the associated Storyist files), that have been deemed associated.

IE: Sequels, Prequels, and Whee-quels.

 

There would, perhaps, be an interim notebook-style file where you might decide to explain how the present novel leads into that one, or a synopsis.

 

After associating a manuscript would come the ability to tag individual or folders of characters, scenes, chimpanzees, etc., to be available to all of or certain associated Storyist files.

 

What this means: The appearance of those notes under Characters, Scenes, and etc. under that file's respective folders, but in a different color, for the purpose of an example we'll say a bolded orange, to denote that the note doesn't originate there. Editing that file there would take effect on the original Storyist file, and only that file, as that is the true location of the note.

 

In the event that you stick that storyist file on a flash drive, and take it somewhere else to edit, those borrowed notes would be grayed out and inaccessible.

Unless of course you prefer to purple them out.

 

In addition to the ability to associate a note file with another storyist file, would be the option of having the actual note shared;

IE, it is synced across the storyist files.

 

In this case, editions made to an aforementioned notes file without the presence of the associated Storyist file (as in the previous flash-drive situation,) would cause the original contents of the note to be cached somewhere within the storyist file. On its reunion with its associated brethren, and upon opening an associated manuscript,

you would be asked to compare the changes and make sure you want it to be synced, or to decide to revert to the original, or edit either one and then apply the changes.

 

This, I believe, would be a wonderful place to employ the Super-Duper Steakpirate Dual-Screen Comparison Technology™, that we have discussed in other posts.

 

 

 

In my opinion, this feature overall would seem* very simple to achieve as it has elsewhere been stated that Storyist files are glorified, yet tasteful zip files.

 

 

Thank you, and yes, I do do birthdays.

 

In retrospect, I can see this feature being very useful for television writers as far as association of events and characters goes.

I'll stop now, lest I be accused of tooting my own horn. Tooooot

[Steve E]

In my opinion, this feature overall would be very simple to achieve as it has elsewhere been stated that Storyist files are glorified, yet tasteful zip files.

Very simple: perhaps. Things we Storyists had thought were simple we had since discovered were not. Steve will have to weigh in on this.

 

In the meantime, Steakpirate, take a look at the thread on tagging.

 

And congratulations on being promoted from Newbie to fully-fledged forum Member.

-Thoth.

[Steakpirate]

Very simple: perhaps. Things we Storyists had thought were simple we had since discovered were not. Steve will have to weigh in on this.

 

In the meantime, Steakpirate, take a look at the thread on tagging.

 

And congratulations on being promoted from Newbie to fully-fledged forum Member.

-Thoth.

 

Thanks on both counts! When do I get my decoder ring? ^_-

 

I think they're sort of two different ideas. It would be cool to see that sort of tagging for the purposes of sorting your notes by different methods, or associating notes with each other, but my proposed association is more about conserving memory by making files available to each other, trying to solve the problem of organizing multiple related manuscripts.

 

That is not to say that I wouldn't like to see both features in the future. Although I wouldn't mind if tagging had to be turned on in the preferences.