Scene Numbering in Slugline 2 for macOS

Slugline is for writing, not production, but scene numbers can be a useful writing tool. Slugline 2 makes it easy to add, remove, and modify scene numbers in your screenplay.

Fountain Scene Numbers

Scene numbers, like everything else in Slugline, are expressed in plain text. They are wrapped in #pound signs#, at the end of a Scene Heading.

INT. HOUSE - DAY #1#

The pound signs don’t appear in Preview or print.

Adding Scene Numbers

Since scene numbers are just text, you can type them manually, like an animal. But you might expect “computers” to make this easier.

To add scene numbers to your entire screenplay, make sure you have no text selected, and then choose Format → Formatting Helpers → Scene Numbering.

Ensure that Add Scene Numbers is selected, and then choose Go.

Adding scene numbers in this way will never remove or modify existing scene numbers. If there are existing scene numbers, Slugline 2 will do its best to continue the numbering sequence.

Forced Scene Headings

Forced Scene Headings begin with a non-printing period. You can choose whether or not to include these when adding scene numbers.

Removing Scene Numbers

Removing scene numbers is just as easy. Just choose Remove Scene Numbers, and then Go.

Adding/removing Scene Numbers from a Selection

If no text is selected, the scene numbering operations will work on the entire screenplay. If a portion of the screenplay text that spans at least one Scene Heading is selected, only the selected region will be processed.

Renumbering Scenes

To renumber scenes, first remove the existing scene numbers, then add new ones.

Locking Scene Numbers

A “locked” scene number starts with double pound signs:

INT. HOUSE - DAY ##1#

Locked scene numbers are not removed by Remove Scene Numbers.

You can lock and unlock scene numbers using Lock Scene Numbers and Unlock Scene Numbers. Both of these, like Add and Remove, work on the entire screenplay when no text is selected, or on the selected text region if it includes at least one scene heading.

Numbering Scheme

Slugline will add A, B, C, etc. after scene numbers where necessary.

Scene Numbering on iOS/iPadOS

Slugline for iOS/iPadOS does not have automatic scene numbering yet, but there is a wonderful free online tool for adding scene numbers to Fountain screenplays here.