Ulysses sync - support for external folders?

Mac & Windows (Desktop)
#1

Hi Matt, hi everyone,

I was testing my full workflow using Aeon Timeline and Ulysses. Everything was smooth. Then I tried to insert in my workflow Git, for version control of my fiction writings.

Since Ulysses at the moment is lacking a solid snapshot (and named) version of a project, I’m planning to use Git to do something similar. However, Git can be used only within an external folder in Ulysses. So I tried to sync an Aeon Timeline project with an external folder in Ulysses, but unluckily I discovered that it only show iCloud folder, the ones within the Ulysses library, and not the external one.

I understand the problems, starting with the possible use of simple .md files in external folders, and the impossibility to use Ulysses advanced features such as the attached notes.

Anyway, I’d be so glad if anyone could come up with some kind of solution (or even workaround) for this. Always hoping for Ulysses team to consider a good version control, that would solve everything.

#2

Hi Luca,
The problem here is that Ulysses does not retain the same IDs for files in external folders if they are moved or renamed.

The moment you move a document, it would have a new ID… which means we would see that as a deletion and a new creation, and therefore delete the original corresponding item from the narrative.

That made it too risky for us to use external folders, so we omit them.

Matt

#3

Yes, as a Ulysses user I know what you mean re a solid named version control system. I have put in a feature request for named versioning with the devs at Ulysses. I also wrote a blog post on my website about this very topic not so long ago, including my own workaround. Take a look at it here:

Scrivener Snapshots in Ulysses

Although, in fairness, my views re Scrivener’s snapshots and the need for them in Ulysses have changed somewhat since writing that article. I am now much sterner with myself re the constant edits I was performing during the writing of my first draft in Ulysses. Instead of a blessing, the concept of ‘snapshots’ had become a curse, stopping me from getting a stable first draft down in one go.

Now I write a full first draft, utilising deletion markups and inline comments and annotations as I write, and then I simply duplicate the entire draft and review each draft side by side, sheet by sheet as I edit.

I considered using Working Copy and GitHub but decided against it. I write relatively short scenes and I can see easily enough where a sheet differs.

But the workaround I propose in my blog article is worth taking a look at.

#4

I totally get it, Matt.
I’m going to try some different workflow in order to maintain all my desiderata, maybe with just some little downside.

I did something similar with my last novel. I think it could help, but I still would prefer to have a version control management able to handle this exact (and very common) flow, instead of duplicating folder.

Anyway, I read your blog post. It’s always interesting to see how people can find workaround. :slight_smile:

#5

Yes, in fairness, I too would like to have the option to have a dedicated named version control system in Ulysses. I’m just not sure I would find it helpful. At least, as I try to remain steadfast and calm my inner critic, a readily available ‘snapshot’ system might just feed the inner critic’s tendencies to jump in and scupper my flow too readily.

The more I think about how Ulysses works with Markdown it has an almost perfect Revision mode (markups for deletion and annotations are super easy to use in the program) and I know that the devs want to improve that whole area in tandem with the work they have done on the Dashboard and Revision mode in general. So perhaps a ‘snapshot’ style system is on the cards.

They are developing tables currently though. Ugh, typical, I have no use for tables in my fiction :rofl:

Anyway, I am glad you found my article interesting. Duplicating sheets and making them Material sheets has worked well for me in the past as a temporary stop gap. Being able to open them side by side in Ulysses is helpful. And in Aeon the material sheet can be ignored from the sync mechanism so it gets around the issue you currently have with External Folders in Working Copy not, ahem, working.

But I am sure you will find your own system.

I often wonder if Scrivener is the way forward and I have periods where I consider moving back to that software. Don’t get me wrong, Scrivener is superb, but I can’t stand the iOS and iPadOS versions of the software. They are so limited and drastically under developed and I just adore writing in Ulysses. It is so powerful yet minimal at the same time.

#6

I thought about it, but the under-par iOS apps and the clunky and old style Mac version, and other features I don’t like a lot, made me stay with Ulysses. Actually I’m super satisfied with Ulysses, this is the only thing I’d love to see in the app to be incredibly happy: named version control and a good compare system, similar to the source control management one (like Git). I find it very useful to see highlighted all the differences, the removed words and sentences, etc.

Maybe I could overcome this by using a notation when revisioning the draft, but I would feel a bit “stressed” by this further attention to have about all my interventions.

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#7

I couldn’t agree more. I own a copy of Scrivener. It was the app which made me switch to the Apple ecosystem. I used version 1 and 2 and own 3. But I can’t bring myself to ditch Ulysses. On all devices it just continues to delight me. So, like you, despite my flirting with the idea of switching to Scrivener, I know I will never move away from Ulysses.

The only feature I crave, other than an improved version control system, is an overhaul of their notes system. I think they should be sortable, titled and also searchable.

But the app is still head and shoulders over Scrivener. Even with these features missing.