> ## Documentation Index
> Fetch the complete documentation index at: https://docs.inkwell.app/llms.txt
> Use this file to discover all available pages before exploring further.

# Revisions

> Track line edits, mark and clear revisions, choose colors, and export/import revisions.

Revision tracking in Inkwell helps you mark script changes for production, rewrites, or collaboration. This guide covers revision marks, color coding, and exporting revised drafts.

## What are revisions?

In professional screenwriting, **revisions** indicate which lines have changed between drafts. Productions use revision marks to:

* Track script changes during shooting.
* Identify new dialogue or scenes.
* Coordinate updates across departments (actors, crew, etc.).

Inkwell's revision system follows industry standards, making your scripts production-ready.

## Enabling Revision Mode

Before you can mark revisions, you need to enable **Revision Mode**:

### Toggle Revision Mode

* **Menu Bar**: Select **Revision → Show Revision Mode** (toggle on/off).
* **Keyboard Shortcut**: Press `Cmd+Opt+R`.

### Choose Your Revision Color (Generation)

Inkwell offers 9 industry-standard revision generations:

1. **Blue** (1st revision) — marker: `*` (Shortcut: `Cmd+Opt+1`)
2. **Pink** (2nd revision) — marker: `**` (Shortcut: `Cmd+Opt+2`)
3. **Yellow** (3rd revision) — marker: `***` (Shortcut: `Cmd+Opt+3`)
4. **Green** (4th revision) — marker: `****` (Shortcut: `Cmd+Opt+4`)
5. **Goldenrod** (5th revision) — marker: `*****` (Shortcut: `Cmd+Opt+5`)
6. **Buff** (6th revision) — marker: `******` (Shortcut: `Cmd+Opt+6`)
7. **Salmon** (7th revision) — marker: `*******` (Shortcut: `Cmd+Opt+7`)
8. **Cherry** (8th revision) — marker: `********` (Shortcut: `Cmd+Opt+8`)
9. **Tan** (9th revision) — marker: `*********` (Shortcut: `Cmd+Opt+9`)

**To change colors**:

* Click the **pencil icon** in the window header toolbar (top-right) and select a color swatch.
* Use the **Revision → Generation** menu.
* Press `Cmd+Opt+G` to automatically advance to the next generation (color) in the sequence.

## Revision basics

### How revisions work

Marked lines appear with:

* **Colored highlights** behind the text in the editor.
* **Colored page stripes** on the ScrollMap.
* **Asterisks** in the right margin when exported to PDF or printed (e.g. `*` for Blue, `**` for Pink).

### Automatic vs Manual Marking

**Automatic** (Revision Mode ON):

* Any typing edits or additions are automatically marked with the active revision color.
* Deletions are tracked invisibly so they can be finalized.

**Manual Selection**:

* Select any existing text in the editor.
* Select **Revision → Mark Selection** to apply the current revision color manually.
* Select **Revision → Clear Selection** to remove revision tracking from the highlighted text.

### Navigation between revisions

* **Previous Revision** (`Cmd+Opt+[`): Jump the cursor backward to the previous revision block in the script.
* **Next Revision** (`Cmd+Opt+]`): Jump the cursor forward to the next revision block.

## Committing and clearing revisions

### Commit Current Generation

Once a revision pass is finalized and distributed, you can lock those edits:

* Select **Revision → Commit Current Generation**.
* This commits all additions and deletes any marked text from the current revision color level, preparing the script for the next draft color.

### Clear All Revisions

To strip all revision tracking data completely and start fresh:

* Select **Revision → Clear All Revisions**.

<Warning>
  **Clearing revisions is permanent**. Make sure you have exported a backup PDF or FDX file if you need to reference those change marks later.
</Warning>

## Exporting & Importing revisions

### Export to PDF with revisions

1. Press `Cmd+P` or select **File → Print Preview**.
2. Click **Export PDF**.
3. In the PDF settings sheet, make sure **Include Revision Markers** is checked.
4. Your PDF will print with colored overlays and/or standard asterisks (`*`) in the right margin.

### Export to Final Draft (FDX)

Exporting your script via **File → Export → Final Draft (.fdx)** preserves all revision colors and levels so that other production team members can open the file in Final Draft with your change history intact.

<Note>
  **Fountain plain-text exports strip revision formatting**. Use PDF or FDX if you need to share a revised script.
</Note>

## Common revision questions

<AccordionGroup>
  <Accordion title="Can I mark individual words instead of whole lines?">
    No. In screenwriting, revision marks are tracked per line or paragraph element to ensure readability when printed on set.
  </Accordion>

  <Accordion title="What if I run out of colors?">
    After using all 9 colors (Blue through Tan), you can cycle back to Blue. However, if you are past revision 9, it is standard practice to commit all changes and establish a new "White" script baseline.
  </Accordion>
</AccordionGroup>

## Next steps

<CardGroup cols={2}>
  <Card title="Exporting files" icon="file-export" href="/managing-files/exporting-files">
    Save your revised script as PDF or Final Draft
  </Card>

  <Card title="Formatting basics" icon="book" href="/writing/formatting-basics">
    Master Fountain syntax and screenplay elements
  </Card>

  <Card title="Navigation & productivity" icon="map" href="/writing/navigation-productivity">
    Speed up writing with shortcuts and tools
  </Card>
</CardGroup>