Import book

Import is the New book wizard with a first step for the file. Every other step is the same, and screens/03-new-book.md describes them.

The Source step reads before it writes. Pick a manuscript file or folder, or drop one on the field. Nothing is imported yet: the file is read and a report is shown of what an import would make.

What the report states. Chapters, scenes, words, beats and source files, with the file’s own name beside them. Where the import would leave something behind, the report lists each piece under Left behind, in its own sentence. Read it before going on: it is the one chance to see what the file holds before a book is made from it.

The title and the mode are filled in from the file. Both are yours to change on the Basics step before the book is made.

The import makes a new book. The source file is left untouched. You are asked where the new .nomicon goes, as with any new book, and the book is opened when the import finishes. The import is recorded, so the record of the book says which of its words came in rather than being typed.

Nothing picked, nothing done. Closing the file dialog without picking leaves the wizard on the Source step and says no file was picked.

Try: import a folder of markdown chapters, read the report, then open History in the book. The import stands there as an event, and the record counts its characters as imported rather than typed.