Forum: Author Hangout

Chapter Versions

awnlee jawking 🚫

Are chapter versions under author control?

I've just completed my revision of what has so far been posted of 'Gay!' (although I have yet to upload it). I intend to set the story version to 2.0 to reflect my spring-cleaning.

The chapters currently have a motley assortment of versions 1.00 and 1.10. Since I'll be uploading new versions of each chapter, I'd like to set the new versions to 2.0 in line with the story version to draw a line in the sand for my own purposes. Is that possible, and if so where are the versions managed?

Thanks for your help,

AJ

Replies: Lazeez Jiddan (Webmaster)

The Outsider 🚫
Updated:

I don't believe we have any control over the version numbers for the individual chapters, and they'll keep incrementing each time you upload a change.

You can set the displayed version of the entire story somewhere in the story settings, not when you upload it but somewhere else under Authors/Editors - I can't remember where at the moment. That number displays at the bottom of the last chapter when reading it. (In with the links at the bottom.)

Edit: Found it. Click on the story title in your Stats page and you can edit the version number via a button on the page with the graph of scores.

Ernest Bywater 🚫

Yes, the author can adjust the version number. Normally the Wizard will adjust the version number when you upload a new version.

However, if you go to your Author/Editor page and select the Story Stats button to bring up you list of stories then select the story you wish to adjust to bring up the story page. At the top of the page is a box Edit Title/Desc/Version that you click on to open a window which has a box labelled Version with an up and down arrow on its right end you can use to adjust the version number.

awnlee jawking 🚫

Thanks, but I already knew about the facility to set the story version. What I really want to know is whether there's an equivalent facility for chapter versions.

AJ

Replies: Ernest Bywater

Ernest Bywater 🚫

@awnlee jawking

want to know is whether there's an equivalent facility for chapter versions.

I know if you upload a new single chapter the version number for that chapter changes while the others don't, as I've seen that happen when I correct typos and upload the correction. I would expect a change to the version as described above would affect all chapters the same. I let the system do it's auto changes, and I can see how you may want6 to adjust the number for all of the chapters of the same story, but why would you want to do one chapter and not the others?

I can't see any way to change the version number for a single chapter of a multi-chapter story.

Lazeez Jiddan (Webmaster)

@awnlee jawking

Are chapter versions under author control?

No. They're automatic. Consider them like a counter for how many reposts you've done so far on each chapter. Each repost is a .1 over the initial 1.

So chapter version 1.6 is actually the 6th repost.

The three chapters on the site with version number over 4 shall remain nameless.

Replies: awnlee jawking Vincent Berg helmut_meukel

awnlee jawking 🚫

@Lazeez Jiddan (Webmaster)

Thank you.

Please could you consider adding manual control of chapter versions to the wish list.

Naturally it should be far, far below implementation of a World Literature Organisation Bookshop.

AJ

Vincent Berg 🚫

@Lazeez Jiddan (Webmaster)

The three chapters on the site with version number over 4 shall remain nameless.

Only three? I'm pretty sure I've done more than that myself (or maybe they're all mine!), though my character Lists would break that by themselves (since I typically update them every chapter or 2).

Replies: Lazeez Jiddan (Webmaster) Ernest Bywater

Lazeez Jiddan (Webmaster)

@Vincent Berg

I'm pretty sure I've done more than that myself

No.

A chapter with version 4 means it has been reposted at least 30 times. You've never done that yet. There is a single chapter where the version number is over 8. You do the math.

Ernest Bywater 🚫

@Vincent Berg

Only three?

The counts go 1.0 to 1.1 then 1.2 etc. until 1.9 is followed by 2.0 then 2.1 so to get to 4.0 is a lot of changes. Until I saw Lazeez mention that I thought I'd done a lot of updates to fix typos and make revision, but I've not done that many, just spread them out over more stories.

helmut_meukel 🚫

@Lazeez Jiddan (Webmaster)

awnlee jawking wants to update all chapters to 2.0 to reflect the version number of the story.

Would it work to repost the chapters multible times – without any actual change – to get the counter set to 2.0?
From 1.0 to 2.0 ten reposts,
from 1.1 to 2.0 nine reposts,
... from 1.4 to 2.0 six reposts, ...
and is there a mimimal time lag between reposts to get an increase?

Just curious,

HM.

Replies: awnlee jawking Lazeez Jiddan (Webmaster)

awnlee jawking 🚫

@helmut_meukel

I thought of that, but it would be really, really unfair on the moderators.

Thanks to JoyR's posting of the link showing how to access the dates updated of every chapter on one page, I'm using the dates for my version control rather than the version number.

AJ

Lazeez Jiddan (Webmaster)

@helmut_meukel

and is there a mimimal time lag between reposts to get an increase?

After a certain number of reposts we do a 'diff' on the file and if it's identical, then we don't do a repost.

10 reposts simply to get a counter up is a very big waste of resources, from moderator time/effort to bandwidth and compute resources as each repost resets the ebooks and zip files. I wouldn't do that if I was an author.

Replies: awnlee jawking

awnlee jawking 🚫

@Lazeez Jiddan (Webmaster)

each repost resets the ebooks and zip files

Ouch! I've just reposted 'Gay!' in its entirety, a chapter at a time because that was easiest for me. I did it in three tranches (apart from one escapee) so I hope the moderators were able to divine my intentions and only update the ebook and zip file once per tranche.

AJ

Ernest Bywater 🚫

When I correct a single typo I usually upload the relevant chapter. However, when I revise the story due to a change in writing style I upload the whole story again as one file, but I have Chapter XX as a single line before each chapter as the moderators and the system recognize that as a chapter break. This means I send them the one file to work on and it makes it quicker and easier for them to do, so I'm told.

I'm sure Lazeez and the moderators will be happy to know I've made an executive decision in this last round of revisions just finished is the last of the current completed stories with the exception of Modern Day Witch Hunt, DiD Rules, and Ed's New Life with the first two only being revised as they get updated. From now on only new works - except for those three.

Replies: awnlee jawking

awnlee jawking 🚫

@Ernest Bywater

I upload the whole story again as one file, but I have Chapter XX as a single line before each chapter as the moderators and the system recognize that as a chapter break

A good strategy, but my story file contains extra information for each chapter and I'd have to edit it out to be able to present the moderators with a single, clean file :(

Can you point me to documentation about chapter headings? I'm particularly interested in cases where the chapter name differs from the chapter number, and when the chapter isn't a 'chapter' but eg an 'interlude'.

AJ

Replies: Ernest Bywater

Ernest Bywater 🚫

@awnlee jawking

A good strategy, but my story file contains extra information for each chapter

If you're including the information in the chapter for the readers you can simple include it as a note using either the Note codes or with the notations Note. I often include notes for the reader using blue italic text, while you can also include a note similar to a block quote.
...........................

I used to upload tagged text files and now I upload html files and I simply submit the file with the word Chapter and a number without the html < p > commands and the moderators or the Wizard does the rest.

For anything to do with files and submissions the best help for the site is at:

https://storiesonline.net/article/Text-formatting-guide-for-WLPC-Sites

as it tells you how to use the html on the site as it includes some tips I've learned or been told about, and it has links to:

https://storiesonline.net/doc/Text_Formatting_Information_Guide

https://storiesonline.net/sol-secure/user/help.php#cat-Authors

https://storiesonline.net/author/posting_guidelines.php

..........................

These 2 help files may be of assistance to you:

https://storiesonline.net/h/56/how-to-create-sections-in-multi-chapter-stories

https://storiesonline.net/h/42/how-to-structure-submissions-text-for-best-result

Replies: awnlee jawking

awnlee jawking 🚫

@Ernest Bywater

If you're including the information in the chapter for the readers you can simple include it as a note using either the Note codes or with the notations Note.

No, they're notes for my use only. They include upload indicators and wordcounts.

https://storiesonline.net/h/42/how-to-structure-submissions-text-for-best-result

Many thanks. That page contained something like the information I was looking for. Presumably for an interlude, it would be formatted

Interlude: Interlude-name

AJ

Replies: Ernest Bywater

Ernest Bywater 🚫

@awnlee jawking

No, they're notes for my use only. They include upload indicators and wordcounts.

I keep all that information in a spreadsheet where I can see it all at a glance. While I don't keep that information on a chapter by chapter basis I do keep data on each story with the headings of Copyright date; cover image created date; last updated; word count, story title & series; image lodge at SoL; dates updated to - SoL, FS, SciFi, Lulu Print, Lulu e-book, Legal Deposit, personal web page; and special notes. By using the SUM function on the word count I can get a count of words of completed stories and the works in progress.

I find that easier to manage than if it was with the story.

Ernest

Replies: awnlee jawking

awnlee jawking 🚫

@Ernest Bywater

Sounds eminently sensible, especially when trying to manage stories at multiple locations.

I didn't anticipate reposting the whole story. While a bit of a chore done chapter by chapter (especially for the mods), I think the simplicity of one document still edges it for me.

AJ

Replies: John Demille Ernest Bywater

John Demille 🚫

@awnlee jawking

I didn't anticipate reposting the whole story. While a bit of a chore done chapter by chapter (especially for the mods), I think the simplicity of one document still edges it for me.

That's where something like Scrivener comes in very handy. It allows you to have the story text, any notes about the individual sections and all you need for a book in one document. When it's time to post, you select the sections that you want, you export them in one shot and upload them in one shot.

Ernest Bywater 🚫

@awnlee jawking

I didn't anticipate reposting the whole story. While a bit of a chore done chapter by chapter (especially for the mods), I think the simplicity of one document still edges it for me.

Two points to keep in mind:

1. When you upload a story or chapter you have the opportunity to upload multiple files, so you could upload several chapters as separate files at the one time.

2. When you upload multiple chapters of the same story at the same time the moderators normally join them up and process them together.

I strongly suggest you email Lazeez directly to fully lay out how you operate and ask him for advice.

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Chapter Versions

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