Scrivener For Dummies

Understanding Files and Folders in Scrivener

Before you dig into working in the Binder, a couple of things require clarification: The concept of folders and files is less rigid in Scrivener than you’re probably used to. A Scrivener folder can contain text, just like a document, and can be converted back to a document at any time.

Document files can contain sub-files, making them a container much like a folder — called a file group — and can be converted to a folder at any time.

Folders and files are essentially the same, except for their icons and default view modes. Files open in Document view, but folders open in the last-used group view (Scrivenings, Corkboard, or Outliner). The distinction can help you organize your documents.

The difference between files and folders as containers really becomes significant only when you compile (export) your manuscript, which I cover in Part IV.

The following are definitions for the terms I use throughout this book when discussing the Binder:

Item: Any file or folder within the Binder, regardless of type.

Document: An item that contains text. A document could be a new file created within the Scrivener project or a file that’s been imported from ...