View and Track Revisions and Edits
What does it do?
So you want to track changes that are made to a script? Perhaps you're looking to:
- Track the revisions to print for production puposes.
- Easily identify your collaborator's changes to the script as you both work.
- See a specific writer's revisions from a particular day.
Whatever the reason, WriterDuet's revision tracking is fully customizable to fit your exact needs!
Tracking vs. Viewing
- Tracking is like "recording." If the box is checked for Track on a revision while you are writing, this means the changes you are making are being "recorded" under this revision. You can always revisit these changes by viewing the revision.
- Viewing is simply that: viewing the revisions. Only once you are tracking your changes under a revision can you view them. It is like "listening" to the "recording."
Create a Revision
- Select Revisions > View & Track
- From the New revision drop-down, select the desired revision type.
- Writers - Select a collaborator on your project to track
- Production - Select a page type (i.e. Blue ([MM/DD/YY]), 2nd Green ([MM/DD/YY]), etc.)
- Custom - Customize the revision name based on date, draft, multiple writers, etc.
- Choose the tracking colors
- The left color selection will alter the text color.
- The right color selection will alter the paper color.
- This will not alter the documents page color in your display. Instead, you will see a color banner on the left edge of any page that has revisions.
- Choose if everyone will be added to this revision.
- This will mean that everyone is added to the viewing and tracking for the revision when it is created.
- This defaults to Yes.
- Select Create
Edit Revision Settings
Track, View, and Ignore can be controlled through the Modes widget, as well, when the revision is active.
- Select Revisions > View & Track
- Open the Edit Checkboxes For: drop-down to select the user(s) you would like to change settings for
- All Users
- [Your name]
- [Collaborator(s)]
- Change the desired user-specific and/or document-specific settings
- Select Done
User-specific settings
These settings will change for the user(s) based on the selection under Edit Checkboxes For:
- Track - will enable recording/memory of changes made to the script.
- If you have created a revision for yourself and a collaborator, turn off tracking for everyone but yourself. Each collaborator will want tracking on for their revisions only.
- View - will enable all collaborators to see the revisions.
- Ignore - will ignore the revisions in your view. If tracking is enabled, it will continue to track.
- Viewing Text color - this checkbox will enable/disable the viewing of the text color
- Viewing Page color - this checkbox will enable/disable the viewing of the page color (a color border on the left edge of the page)
- Symbol - will enable the industry standard * (asterisk) symbol that appears in the right margin next to any revision. You can also change the symbol used in the margin.
Document-specific settings
These settings will change for the document and all users, regardless of user-specific settings.
- Full - will alter the default settings of the page header and the page color border.
- The standard is for the revision header and page color border to only appear on the pages that have revisions.
- Full will place a header and border on every page of the script.
- Remove - will remove that revision tracking and its history from the script entirely.
- Show deleted text will keep deleted text in the script but in red with a line through it.
View of line with revisions:
Show deleted text is activated. The blue banner on the left of the page signifies this is a blue paper revision. The * (asterisk) in the right margin notes a line with a revision.
These revisions will be visible in an exported PDF. Change these settings through Customize > PDF.
Revision Tracking visible in the Modes widget:
Mark will add an * (asterisk) next to the revision. Unmark will remove the revision color, any visible deleted text, and the * (asterisk) for that line.
Mark/Unmark a Revision
If you forgot to have revision tracking on while making edits or you would like to remove a revision from a line, use the Revision Tracking options in the Modes widget on the right to add or remove the revision.
- Highlight the desired text or place your cursor in the desired line
- Select Mark or Unmark as needed
- To mark or unmark the entire line, press Shift and then click Mark or Unmark
- An asterisk will appear in the right margin, the text will change to the revision color, and a color border will appear on the left edge of the page.
Export Revisions
You can export revised pages only or export the full document with revisions visible.
- View the revisions you would like to see
- Revisions must be visible on the page in order to be included in the export
- Go to File > Export
- Select the desired file format
- Select the desired Options.
- See Export a Document for more info