obsidian-plugin/anthonyfitzpatrick_manuscript-compiler

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Manuscript Compiler User Guide

Introduction

Manuscript Compiler turns an author-reviewed set of Markdown notes into DOCX, ODT, EPUB, HTML, Markdown, or XML. It runs inside Obsidian, works offline, and never changes manuscript notes. Exported files are created in memory and handed to the operating system's download or share flow; manuscript exports are not written into the vault.

The workflow has three stages:

Manuscript — choose the exact book folder and its broad structure.
Contents — review what will be included and correct roles or order when necessary.
Create file — choose a format, formatting, filename, and start the download.

Manuscript Compiler installed and enabled in Obsidian’s Community plugins settings.

Installation

Until Manuscript Compiler is available through Obsidian's Community Plugins catalogue:

Download main.js, manifest.json, and styles.css from a release whose tag exactly matches the manifest version.
Create <vault>/.obsidian/plugins/manuscript-compiler/ if it does not exist.
Put only those three files in that folder.
Restart Obsidian or reload community plugins.
Open Settings → Community plugins and enable Manuscript Compiler.

The plugin is mobile-safe, but the exact save/share experience depends on the mobile operating system and Obsidian host.

Updating

Close any open Manuscript Compiler window.
Back up the vault using the same process used for other important Obsidian data.
Replace main.js, manifest.json, and styles.css with all three files from the same release.
Restart Obsidian.
Open the plugin once and confirm existing profiles and formatting choices remain available.

Never mix files from different release versions. Settings migration is designed to preserve older choices, but downgrading is not a supported migration path.

Creating a manuscript

Recommended folder structure

The compiler works best when the selected folder represents exactly one book. A conventional novel might look like this:

Book title/
├── Ebook Front Matter/
│   ├── Copyright.md
│   └── Dedication.md
├── Manuscript/
│   ├── Part 1 - Departure/
│   │   ├── Chapter 1 - Leaving/
│   │   │   ├── Scene 1.md
│   │   │   └── Scene 2.md
│   │   └── Chapter 2 - Crossing/
│   └── Part 2 - Return/
├── Ebook Back Matter/
│   └── About the Author.md
├── Development/
└── Research/

Manuscript, Draft, Drafts, Book, Content, and Chapters can act as transparent containers. A transparent container organises the vault but does not create a heading in the exported book. Common project folders—such as Development, Research, Archive, Dashboards, Templates, and Exports—are ignored by default and remain visible for review.

Right-click workflow

In File Explorer, right-click the exact book folder and choose Compile manuscript from this folder. The clicked folder becomes the authoritative root; it is not exported as a Part or Chapter.

Right-click a book folder and choose Compile manuscript from this folder to use it as the manuscript root.

You can also open Manuscript Compiler from the command palette or plugin settings. When those routes do not already identify a folder, choose one on the Manuscript screen.

The Manuscript Compiler settings tab provides an Open compiler button alongside defaults, advanced profile tools, and support links.

The Manuscript screen

Confirm the selected folder and choose the structure preset closest to the project. The preset controls initial detection only; Contents corrections remain authoritative.

The Manuscript stage confirms the selected book folder and detected structure before you choose Review Structure.

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CAPTURE

Open Manuscript Compiler from the command palette, invoke the folder chooser, select a safe sample book folder, and capture the selected result on the Manuscript screen.

SHOW

The selected book folder name and safe vault-relative context
A sample tree containing front matter, a transparent Manuscript folder, a Part, a Chapter, Scenes, back matter, and one project folder
The control used to change the selected folder
No private vault names or unrelated personal folders

PURPOSE

Demonstrates how authors who start outside File Explorer choose the exact folder that represents one book.

WHEN REPLACING

Delete this entire placeholder and replace it with the final screenshot and caption.

Structure presets

Novel with Parts — Part folders contain Chapter folders, which contain Scene notes.
Novel — Chapter folders contain Scene notes; no Parts are required.
Chapter notes — each Chapter is a note rather than a folder of Scenes.
Short story — one or more manuscript notes without a Part/Chapter hierarchy.
Anthology — collections and story notes are treated as a multi-work structure.
Custom — retains advanced profile rules and is intended for established non-standard layouts.

Choose the nearest preset and correct exceptions on Contents. Renaming the vault is not required merely to satisfy a preset.

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CAPTURE

Select “Novel with Parts” for a safe sample manuscript and capture the Manuscript screen after automatic detection has completed.

SHOW

“Novel with Parts” visibly selected
The selected manuscript folder
The detected structural summary or scan counts
Front matter, Parts, Chapters, Scenes, back matter, and ignored project material represented in the sample
The enabled Continue action

PURPOSE

Shows how a structure preset produces the initial automatic classification before the author reviews or corrects it.

WHEN REPLACING

Delete this entire placeholder and replace it with the final screenshot and caption.

Reviewing Contents

Contents opens as a compact review, not an editing form. Summary cards show detected manuscript counts, and the outline shows included structure. Ignored material and warnings have focused review filters.

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CAPTURE

Capture the Contents screen in normal review mode immediately after the sample manuscript has been scanned.

SHOW

All summary cards and their detected counts
The primary “Correct structure” button and supporting text
Front matter, one Part, one Chapter, and multiple Scenes in the outline
The Ignored and Warnings review controls in their secondary state
Enough of the page to show that correction controls are not yet expanded

PURPOSE

Shows the automatically detected manuscript structure before any manual correction and explains the normal Contents review state.

WHEN REPLACING

Delete this entire placeholder and replace it with the final screenshot and caption.

Understanding ignored notes

Ignored notes are not deleted or changed. They are excluded from the prepared Book because their folder or content resembles project material, dashboards, notes, revisions, research, templates, or old exports. Review the ignored filter when a manuscript note is missing. If detection is wrong, use correction mode to include it and assign the appropriate role.

Correcting structure

Choose Correct structure to reveal inclusion toggles, type selectors, disclosure controls, and Move up/down actions. The button changes to Finish correcting structure while correction mode is active.

Available roles are Front matter, Transparent container, Part, Chapter, Scene, Back matter, and Exclude. Correct a folder role before correcting many descendants; front/back matter inheritance updates untouched children while preserving explicit overrides.

Keyboard users can Tab to controls, use Space/Enter on buttons and toggles, and use the format radio group's arrow keys later on Create file. Focus remains visible.

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CAPTURE

Activate Correct structure, expand one representative manuscript folder, and capture the Contents screen while correction mode is active.

SHOW

The active “Finish correcting structure” button
An inclusion toggle
A note or folder type selector
Folder disclosure controls
Move up and Move down controls
Ordinary review controls remaining visually secondary

PURPOSE

Explains the active correction state and the controls used to change inclusion, semantic roles, and order.

WHEN REPLACING

Delete this entire placeholder and replace it with the final screenshot and caption.

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CAPTURE

Collapse a folder in correction mode and capture the resulting row without changing the folder's saved descendant choices.

SHOW

The collapsed-folder disclosure icon
The folder name or safe sample name
Its child-item count
The folder's inclusion and type controls
A nearby expanded folder for visual comparison

PURPOSE

Shows how large manuscript trees can be collapsed for easier review without clearing descendant roles or order.

WHEN REPLACING

Delete this entire placeholder and replace it with the final screenshot and caption.

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CAPTURE

Return to normal review mode, select the Ignored review, and capture a safe sample containing grouped project notes.

SHOW

The Ignored review selected
A collapsed Development or Research folder
The ignored item count and exclusion reason
At least one included manuscript item for contrast
No private note titles or project names

PURPOSE

Explains that ignored notes remain unchanged and reviewable while project material is excluded from the prepared Book.

WHEN REPLACING

Delete this entire placeholder and replace it with the final screenshot and caption.

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CAPTURE

Select the Warnings review for a safe sample containing at least one non-blocking structural warning.

SHOW

The Warnings review selected
The warning summary count
A stable warning category and concise author-facing explanation
The related structural row where available
No manuscript prose, YAML values, or absolute vault paths

PURPOSE

Shows where authors review structural concerns before preparing the final export without exposing manuscript content in diagnostics.

WHEN REPLACING

Delete this entire placeholder and replace it with the final screenshot and caption.

When finished, choose Finish correcting structure and continue to Create file. The prepared preview is invalidated whenever inclusion, roles, order, cleaning inputs, or semantic formatting changes.

Create file

Create file shows the prepared Book summary, six format cards, relevant formatting controls, warnings, resolved filename, and the primary create/download action. Switching only the format or filename reuses the same prepared Book. A source-note or semantic-choice change requires Refresh preview.

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CAPTURE

Capture the format-selection area at the top of Create file before opening Advanced formatting.

SHOW

All six format cards: DOCX, ODT, EPUB, HTML, Markdown, and XML
One clearly selected card
The selected card's visible focus or selection treatment
The prepared Book summary above the selector
The filename extension corresponding to the selected format

PURPOSE

Introduces the six export choices and shows that changing format updates the filename while retaining the same prepared Book.

WHEN REPLACING

Delete this entire placeholder and replace it with the final screenshot and caption.

Format selector

Click a card or focus the selected card and use Left/Right or Up/Down arrows. Home selects DOCX and End selects XML. Changing formats corrects the filename extension automatically.

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CAPTURE

Select DOCX on Create file and capture the selected card together with the controls and action that change for DOCX.

SHOW

The DOCX card in its obvious selected state
The “Editable word-processing document” description
The resolved filename ending in `.docx`
The “Create and download DOCX” primary button
The beginning of the DOCX formatting controls

PURPOSE

Shows how the selected format controls the filename, available formatting options, and final download action.

WHEN REPLACING

Delete this entire placeholder and replace it with the final screenshot and caption.

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CAPTURE

Select ODT on Create file and capture the selected card together with the ODT filename and primary action.

SHOW

The ODT card in its obvious selected state
The format description
The resolved filename ending in `.odt`
The “Create and download ODT” primary button
First-line indentation controls available for ODT

PURPOSE

Identifies ODT as the editable OpenDocument choice and demonstrates its format-specific selection state.

WHEN REPLACING

Delete this entire placeholder and replace it with the final screenshot and caption.

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CAPTURE

Select EPUB on Create file and capture the selected card together with its reflowable-book controls and action.

SHOW

The EPUB card in its obvious selected state
The reflowable ebook description
The resolved filename ending in `.epub`
The “Create and download EPUB” primary button
The title-page and table-of-contents choices where visible

PURPOSE

Shows the EPUB choice and the controls relevant to a reflowable ebook package.

WHEN REPLACING

Delete this entire placeholder and replace it with the final screenshot and caption.

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CAPTURE

Select HTML on Create file using keyboard navigation and capture the selected card with a visible focus ring.

SHOW

The HTML card selected
A visible keyboard focus ring distinct from the selected state
The web-readable format description
The resolved filename ending in `.html`
The “Create and download HTML” primary button

PURPOSE

Demonstrates HTML selection, automatic extension changes, and keyboard-accessible format navigation.

WHEN REPLACING

Delete this entire placeholder and replace it with the final screenshot and caption.

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CAPTURE

Select Markdown on Create file and capture its selected card and portability guidance.

SHOW

The Markdown card in its obvious selected state
The “Portable plain-text manuscript” description
The note that Markdown does not support portable first-line indentation
The resolved filename ending in `.md`
The “Create and download Markdown” primary button

PURPOSE

Explains Markdown's portable plain-text role and why print-specific indentation controls are absent.

WHEN REPLACING

Delete this entire placeholder and replace it with the final screenshot and caption.

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CAPTURE

Select XML on Create file and capture its selected card and presentation-neutral guidance.

SHOW

The XML card in its obvious selected state
The structured interchange description
The note that paragraph indentation is controlled by the consuming application
The resolved filename ending in `.xml`
The “Create and download XML” primary button

PURPOSE

Explains XML's semantic interchange role and why it has no presentation or typography controls.

WHEN REPLACING

Delete this entire placeholder and replace it with the final screenshot and caption.

Formatting

Formatting controls are format-specific. Controls that have no meaningful effect are hidden rather than left inert.

Formatting presets

Vellum — Garamond 12 pt, 1.15 spacing, enabled 0.75 cm first-line indentation, A4, # scene breaks, separate Part/Chapter number and title styles, and Chapter page starts.
Standard manuscript — Times New Roman 12 pt, double spacing, enabled 1.27 cm first-line indentation, A4, * * * scene breaks, and Chapter page starts.
Custom — retains exposed manual choices. Changing a formatting control selects Custom where that is the established behavior.

Paragraph indentation

Indent first line of paragraphs controls only later ordinary body paragraphs:

Enabled: later body paragraphs use the selected first-line indent.
Disabled: all body paragraphs are flush left.
In both modes: the first paragraph after a heading or scene break remains flush left.
Headings, title, author, scene separators, and line/paragraph spacing are unaffected.

The first-line indent size appears only when indentation is enabled. Markdown has no portable first-line indentation standard, so it shows an explanation instead of the toggle. XML delegates presentation to the consuming application.

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CAPTURE

Select DOCX and capture the complete standard Formatting section before expanding Advanced formatting.

SHOW

The Document style preset selector
Font, size, and line-spacing controls where displayed
The paragraph-indentation control group
The Scene break selector
Title-page and chapter-page-start choices
The collapsed Advanced formatting control

PURPOSE

Provides an overview of the ordinary format-specific controls authors use most often before creating a file.

WHEN REPLACING

Delete this entire placeholder and replace it with the final screenshot and caption.

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CAPTURE

Create one side-by-side or two-panel image of the DOCX Formatting section with “Indent first line of paragraphs” enabled in one panel and disabled in the other.

SHOW

The exact “Indent first line of paragraphs” label and explanatory description
The enabled toggle with “First-line indent (cm)” visible beneath it
The disabled toggle with the indent-size control absent
Scene break visible in both panels to show unrelated formatting remains available
The statement that first paragraphs after headings and scene breaks remain flush left

PURPOSE

Explains that the toggle affects only later ordinary body paragraphs and demonstrates when the configured indent-size control appears.

WHEN REPLACING

Delete this entire placeholder and replace it with the final screenshot and caption.

Scene breaks

Choose #, *, ***, * * *, a styled blank line, or Custom. Scene separators appear only between included Scenes. The first prose after a scene separator uses First Paragraph styling and stays unindented.

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CAPTURE

Open the Scene break selector for a presentation format and capture the available separator choices.

SHOW

The Scene break label
The `#`, `*`, `***`, and `* * *` choices
The styled blank-line and Custom choices
One clearly selected separator
The custom text field only if Custom is selected

PURPOSE

Shows how authors choose the visible separator placed between Scenes and reinforces that following prose resets to First Paragraph styling.

WHEN REPLACING

Delete this entire placeholder and replace it with the final screenshot and caption.

Title page, front matter, and back matter

Add title page creates a generated title/author section when supported. Front and back matter come from notes assigned those roles; title-page generation does not replace those notes. Matter headings are structural, while matter paragraphs follow the chosen global indentation setting. Disabling indentation is often appropriate for copyright, ISBN, rights, edition, and publisher statements.

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CAPTURE

Capture Contents for a safe sample with the front-matter branch expanded and correctly classified.

SHOW

The Front matter structural role
A Copyright note
A Dedication or Epigraph note
Inclusion state and ordering
The boundary between front matter and the first Part or Chapter

PURPOSE

Shows which notes become front matter and how their order is reviewed independently of the generated title page.

WHEN REPLACING

Delete this entire placeholder and replace it with the final screenshot and caption.

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CAPTURE

Capture Contents for the same safe sample with the back-matter branch expanded and correctly classified.

SHOW

The Back matter structural role
An About the Author note
An Acknowledgements or Also by note
Inclusion state and ordering
The boundary after the final manuscript Chapter or Scene

PURPOSE

Shows which notes are exported after the manuscript body and how their inclusion and order are reviewed.

WHEN REPLACING

Delete this entire placeholder and replace it with the final screenshot and caption.

Advanced formatting

Advanced formatting contains title/author overrides, typography where meaningful, page size for document formats, custom scene separators, structural heading display, manuscript body-heading choices, and filename templates. Use {BookTitle} in a filename template to insert the resolved title.

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CAPTURE

Capture the complete Create file screen with DOCX selected and Advanced formatting expanded, using a safe sample title and author.

SHOW

The prepared Book summary
The selected DOCX card
Standard Formatting controls
Expanded font, size, spacing, page-size, Part-heading, and Chapter-heading controls
The filename template and resolved `.docx` filename
The “Create and download DOCX” primary button

PURPOSE

Provides the definitive overview of everything an author reviews on Create file before starting generation and download.

WHEN REPLACING

Delete this entire placeholder and replace it with the final screenshot and caption.

Export formats

DOCX

DOCX is native WordprocessingML intended for Microsoft Word, LibreOffice, editing workflows, and Vellum import. It includes named structural styles for Title, Author, matter headings, Part/Chapter number and title, First Paragraph, Body Text, and Scene Break. The plugin validates the package structure before download.

ODT

ODT is a native OpenDocument Text package for LibreOffice and compatible editors. Named paragraph styles carry explicit structural formatting and indentation choices.

EPUB

EPUB is a reflowable EPUB 3 package with navigation, ordered spine, XHTML sections, and an embedded offline stylesheet. Reader typography controls can override some presentation, but the package explicitly defines manuscript heading weight and paragraph indentation.

HTML

HTML is one offline HTML5 file with embedded CSS, semantic sections, no JavaScript, and no remote assets. It is suitable for browser reading, inspection, or further controlled processing.

Markdown

Markdown is deterministic portable plain text. Structural headings use standard #, ##, and ### syntax; the source is expected to show heading markers and becomes visually bold in a rendered Markdown view. The exporter never adds leading spaces, HTML, or CSS to imitate first-line indentation.

XML

XML is a deterministic, presentation-neutral interchange document in the Manuscript Compiler namespace. It preserves title, author, matter, Parts, Chapters, Scenes, paragraphs, emphasis, and links without CSS or visual indentation preferences. XML consumers decide how to display it.

Download and completion

After validation, the plugin starts one browser/host download. Desktop systems may show a save prompt or place the file in Downloads. Mobile systems may display a share sheet. The plugin cannot know or remember the final external path.

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CAPTURE

Start a DOCX export and capture the operating-system, browser, or mobile-host download prompt before confirming the destination.

SHOW

The corrected `.docx` filename
The host-controlled Save, Download, or Share action
The file type where the host displays it
Enough surrounding host interface to distinguish it from the plugin
Personal folder names and account details redacted

PURPOSE

Shows that Manuscript Compiler hands the completed file to the host and does not write it into the vault or choose the final destination.

WHEN REPLACING

Delete this entire placeholder and replace it with the final screenshot and caption.

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CAPTURE

Open the generated DOCX in Microsoft Word and capture a representative Chapter page with the Styles pane visible if it does not obscure the manuscript.

SHOW

A structural Chapter heading
A flush-left First Paragraph
An indented later Body Text paragraph
A scene separator followed by flush-left prose
Named paragraph styles in the Styles pane where practical

PURPOSE

Demonstrates the intended DOCX structure and paragraph behavior in Microsoft Word rather than only at package-validation level.

WHEN REPLACING

Delete this entire placeholder and replace it with the final screenshot and caption.

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CAPTURE

Import the same generated DOCX into Vellum and capture the navigator and manuscript pane after import completes.

SHOW

Recognised Part structure in the navigator
Recognised Chapter structure in the navigator
The corresponding manuscript heading in the reading pane
No duplicate Part or Chapter headings
A safe sample title, with the Vellum version recorded for the eventual caption

PURPOSE

Shows that the DOCX/Vellum workflow preserves manuscript hierarchy and avoids duplicate structural headings.

WHEN REPLACING

Delete this entire placeholder and replace it with the final screenshot and caption.

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CAPTURE

Open a generated ODT in LibreOffice Writer and capture a representative Chapter page with the paragraph-style selector visible.

SHOW

A bold structural Chapter heading
A flush-left FirstParagraph
An indented BodyText paragraph
A normal-weight scene separator
The paragraph-style selector identifying structural and body styles

PURPOSE

Demonstrates that ODT's named structural and body paragraph styles render distinctly in LibreOffice Writer.

WHEN REPLACING

Delete this entire placeholder and replace it with the final screenshot and caption.

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CAPTURE

Open the generated EPUB in a mainstream EPUB 3 reader and capture its navigation pane beside a representative Chapter page.

SHOW

Navigation entries for Parts or Chapters
A visibly bold Chapter heading
A flush-left first paragraph
An indented later paragraph
Reader name and version available for the eventual caption

PURPOSE

Shows the EPUB navigation and reflowable manuscript presentation in an actual reader application.

WHEN REPLACING

Delete this entire placeholder and replace it with the final screenshot and caption.

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CAPTURE

Open the generated HTML file locally in a browser and capture a representative Part or Chapter section.

SHOW

A visibly bold Part or Chapter heading
A flush-left first paragraph
An indented later paragraph
A normal-weight scene separator
The local-file location and, where practical, developer tools showing no network requests

PURPOSE

Demonstrates the self-contained offline HTML presentation and its manuscript-specific structural styling.

WHEN REPLACING

Delete this entire placeholder and replace it with the final screenshot and caption.

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CAPTURE

Open the exported Markdown in Obsidian and capture Source view beside Reading view for the same manuscript passage.

SHOW

A Part heading and Chapter heading with clean `#` syntax in Source view
The same headings rendered in Reading view
Two ordinary paragraphs without leading spaces or tabs
Bold, italics, a readable link, and a scene separator
No redundant `**` around heading text

PURPOSE

Explains the difference between clean Markdown source and its rendered presentation inside Obsidian.

WHEN REPLACING

Delete this entire placeholder and replace it with the final screenshot and caption.

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CAPTURE

Open the generated XML in an XML-aware editor or viewer and expand representative semantic elements.

SHOW

The manuscript metadata element
Expanded frontMatter and backMatter elements
One Part, one Chapter, and one Scene
Paragraph and inline emphasis or link elements
No style attributes, CSS, vault paths, YAML, or presentation markup

PURPOSE

Shows XML as deterministic semantic interchange whose visual presentation is controlled by the consuming application.

WHEN REPLACING

Delete this entire placeholder and replace it with the final screenshot and caption.

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CAPTURE

Capture Manuscript Compiler's successful completion state immediately after the host accepts a generated download.

SHOW

The completed export format
The portable filename
Successful validation and download-dispatch status
The available next action
No private filesystem path or Blob URL

PURPOSE

Shows the truthful terminal state recorded after validated bytes have been handed to the browser or operating system.

WHEN REPLACING

Delete this entire placeholder and replace it with the final screenshot and caption.

Troubleshooting

A note is missing

Open Contents, review Ignored and Warnings, then use correction mode. Confirm that every ancestor folder is included and that the note is assigned Scene, front matter, or back matter rather than Exclude.

A folder appears as a heading

Assign it Transparent container if it is organisational only. Assign Part or Chapter only when the folder should create that semantic structure.

The preview is stale

Choose Refresh preview. Included note edits and semantic formatting changes invalidate preparation to prevent exporting different content from the reviewed Book.

The download does not start

Retry after checking host download permissions, popup/download blocking, storage availability, and mobile share-sheet behavior. The plugin does not fall back to writing the export into the vault.

Markdown headings do not look bold

Open the file in a rendered Markdown or Reading view. Clean Markdown source shows # markers; it does not embed presentation markup merely to appear bold in a plain-text editor.

Paragraphs appear indented on a copyright page

Disable Indent first line of paragraphs for that export. All body paragraphs become flush left while structural headings and spacing remain unchanged.

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CAPTURE

Create a safe sample where one Scene is inside an ignored Research folder and capture a two-panel before-and-after correction example.

SHOW

The Scene missing from the normal outline and represented in Ignored review
The Research ancestor folder and its inherited exclusion
Correction mode with the folder included and assigned Transparent container
The child note included and assigned Scene
Safe sample filenames that clearly show the ancestor/child relationship

PURPOSE

Teaches how to recover a manuscript note whose ancestor folder caused it to be ignored without hard-coding a special project layout.

WHEN REPLACING

Delete this entire placeholder and replace it with the final screenshot and caption.

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CAPTURE

Prepare a safe sample, edit one included note after preparation, attempt export, and capture the resulting stale-preview state.

SHOW

The stale-preview warning in full
The “Refresh preview” action
The create/download action blocked or unavailable
Enough Create file context to show which prepared manuscript became stale
No private manuscript prose from the edited note

PURPOSE

Shows that source changes invalidate the reviewed preparation and that the plugin requires an explicit refresh instead of silently rebuilding before export.

WHEN REPLACING

Delete this entire placeholder and replace it with the final screenshot and caption.

Frequently asked questions

Does the plugin modify my notes?

No. Scanning, preparation, and export read notes. Generated manuscript files use the host download/share mechanism.

Does it upload my manuscript?

No. There are no network requests, accounts, telemetry, or cloud services.

Do I need Pandoc, LibreOffice, Word, or another Obsidian plugin?

No external tool is required to generate files. Applications such as Word, LibreOffice, Vellum, and EPUB readers are useful for opening and manually checking their respective formats.

Can I export directly into the vault?

No. Manuscript exports are deliberately delivered outside the vault. The separate diagnostics action can create an explicitly requested redacted support note.

Why was a dashboard ignored?

Dashboards and project notes are not publication content. They remain reviewable and can be explicitly corrected when detection is wrong.

Can one prepared manuscript be exported in several formats?

Yes. Switching formats reuses the same prepared semantic Book as long as source notes and semantic choices remain current.

Why do EPUB readers look different?

EPUB is reflowable and readers expose user typography preferences. The package supplies explicit structural and paragraph rules, but a reader may apply accessibility or user overrides.

Tips

Keep one book per selected root.
Separate manuscript material from Development, Research, Archive, and Exports.
Use transparent containers instead of forcing organisational folders into Parts.
Number folders or use metadata consistently when automatic order matters.
Review ignored content before the first export from a new project.
Use correction mode for exceptions instead of renaming an established vault unnecessarily.
Disable first-line indentation for copyright-heavy or non-fiction-style output.
Open every release candidate in its target application; byte-level validation cannot prove application interoperability.

Performance

The compiler reads and prepares the manuscript once, then exports the prepared Book. Large manuscripts are supported, but initial preparation time depends on note count, manuscript size, device speed, and mobile memory. Keep unrelated research outside the selected root or in clearly ignored folders to reduce discovery work. There is no machine-specific timeout or performance guarantee.

Known limitations

Complex tables, embedded media, and advanced Markdown layout are outside the restrained manuscript model.
Browser/host download prompts differ by operating system, and final external persistence cannot be verified by the plugin.
EPUB structural validation does not replace EPUBCheck or reader testing.
Vellum recognition requires an actual Vellum import test.
Markdown has no portable first-line indentation standard.
XML is intentionally presentation-neutral.
Unusual templates may require corrected roles or manuscript-body heading aliases.

Uninstalling

Finish or cancel any active compilation.
Disable Manuscript Compiler under Community plugins.
Delete .obsidian/plugins/manuscript-compiler/ if desired.

Uninstalling does not remove or alter manuscript notes. Deleting the plugin directory also deletes its saved plugin settings, profiles, history, and compile logs. Exports already downloaded outside the vault are unaffected.

50 KiB Raw Blame History Unescape Escape

Manuscript Compiler User Guide

Introduction

Installation

Updating

Creating a manuscript

Recommended folder structure

Right-click workflow

The Manuscript screen

Structure presets

Reviewing Contents

Understanding ignored notes

Correcting structure

Create file

Format selector

Formatting

Formatting presets

Paragraph indentation

Scene breaks

Title page, front matter, and back matter

Advanced formatting

Export formats

DOCX

ODT

EPUB

HTML

Markdown

XML

Download and completion

Troubleshooting

A note is missing

A folder appears as a heading

The preview is stale

The download does not start

Markdown headings do not look bold

Paragraphs appear indented on a copyright page

Frequently asked questions

Tips

Performance

Known limitations

Uninstalling

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