Just this... is possible?

It should be.

Look over here (http://www.idpf.org/2007/ops/OPS_2.0_final_spec.html#Section3.0) for the specifications concerning CSS used in ePub files.

Especially of interest to you should be the oeb-page-head and oeb-page-head values for the display property.

Also, read this (from that same page):

[6] The content of an element assigned display: oeb-page-head should be presented only as a header, and the content of an element assigned display: oeb-page-foot should be presented only as a footer. Neither should be simply presented as if it were inline or block. Reading Systems, however, are free to present headers and footers either in special areas as usual for paper publications, or to make them available in another way. For example, a device with a small screen might instead pop them up on demand. For purposes of page layout, these display values are similar to block boxes with an absolute position (i.e. a position value of fixed or absolute). That is, they are removed from the normal flow and a new block box is created with its own flow. Margins, padding and other block characteristics are determined as if the element had position: fixed set.

An element assigned display: oeb-page-head or display: oeb-page-foot shall not be considered in effect while any preceding content remains presented. For example, when rendered to a screen with appropriate style settings, the myhead-classed div element below would become the page header as soon as nothing preceding the containing div is displayed:

<div>
<div class="myhead" style="display: oeb-page-head">
The OEB Publication Structure: Introduction
</div>
<h2>Introduction</h2>
<p>...</p>
</div>

Such a header (or footer) remains in effect until another header (or footer) is in effect instead, or until no part of its parent element remains presented (such as when the div is no longer visible in the above example), whichever occurs first.



Good luck :).

Punksmurf, your comment has nothing to do with footnotes. footers are not the same thing. As to the original question footnotes are simply coded as links to disconnected text. The display of this data is up to the display program but they are most often displayed as end notes.

A specific implementation of footnotes like a wiki has for example is not defined.

Dale

I'm sorry, you're right.

Unless it's been add in recent versions, Sigil currently has no "GUI" support for hyperlink management; they have to be "hand-coded", which is not very friendly. I've already raised a support ticket to request such a facility.

So... no.
Thanks guys!

Just this... is possible?


one problem would be the definition of a 'page'. as e-readers have difficulty handing this, it would seem difficult to define a footer.
unless you 'fix' a page of so many lines long (say 20), that would be retained for most 'normal' font sizes ....

otherwise end-notes ....

As has been said, hyperlinked end-notes really are the way to go with an e-Book.

one problem would be the definition of a 'page'. as e-readers have difficulty handing this, it would seem difficult to define a footer.
unless you 'fix' a page of so many lines long (say 20), that would be retained for most 'normal' font sizes ....

otherwise end-notes ....

As has been said, hyperlinked end-notes really are the way to go with an e-Book.

EPUB actually has support for real headers and footers. See here (http://www.idpf.org/2007/ops/OPS_2.0_final_spec.html#Section3.3), and look for the "oeb-page-head" and "oeb-page-foot" properties. Scroll down to the "[6]" footnote for details.

EPUB actually has support for real headers and footers. See here (http://www.idpf.org/2007/ops/OPS_2.0_final_spec.html#Section3.3), and look for the "oeb-page-head" and "oeb-page-foot" properties. Scroll down to the "[6]" footnote for details.

Right. But no ePUB reading software supports them yet :rolleyes:

Right. But no ePUB reading software supports them yet :rolleyes:

I'm aware of this, yes. Still, that's not the epub's fault. The specification has it, and it would be very nice to have in Reading Systems.

when the tortoise catches up with the hare

EPUB actually has support for real headers and footers. See here (http://www.idpf.org/2007/ops/OPS_2.0_final_spec.html#Section3.3), and look for the "oeb-page-head" and "oeb-page-foot" properties. Scroll down to the "[6]" footnote for details.

Headers and footers have nothing to do with footnotes. My old eBookwise supported headers and footers but modern eBook readers seem not to.

Dale

Headers and footers have nothing to do with footnotes. My old eBookwise supported headers and footers but modern eBook readers seem not to.

Yes, I know. But the way footers are implemented in the epub standard, they could very easily be used for footnotes. See, epub-style footers are not universal throughout the file. You could specify a different footer element ever other element if you wanted to, and then clear it afterwards.

This just begs to be used for footnotes. So you could add a footnote reference to your text like this:


<div class="footnote" style="display: oeb-page-foot">[1] The Lemming Conspiracy by Wacko Cookie</div>
<p>The proof that lemmings indeed do control the world can be found throughout modern literature [1].</p>
<div class="footnote" style="display: oeb-page-foot"></div>
You would need to list the footer above the first reference, and then clear it below the reference. The footer would be displayed while the <p> element is displayed. When the paragraph goes off the screen, the clearing footer would take over.

Yep, Valloric, that's exactly they way I would prefer footnotes to be implemented too (as opposed to endnotes). If only...

oeb-page-foot is good for footers, but for footnotes, I'm not sure. To see what I mean, consider the situation when there are two or more footnotes references[1] being simultaneously displayed on the same screen[2]. How a reader should deal with them?

it won't - unless you 'fix' the length of page yourself ....

oeb-page-foot is good for footers, but for footnotes, I'm not sure. To see what I mean, consider the situation when there are two or more footnotes references[1] being simultaneously displayed on the same screen[2]. How a reader should deal with them?

Well then you would create one footer with both footnotes, and put it above the first reference. You would clear it after the second reference. That way the footer would be in effect while either of the two references are visible, and disappear after they are gone.

Well then you would create one footer with both footnotes, and put it above the first reference. You would clear it after the second reference. That way the footer would be in effect while either of the two references are visible, and disappear after they are gone.

That only works for footnotes that are very short. Otherwise the footer line becomes a paragraph and doesn't fit on the page any longer.

Personally I think a footnote should be done as <ref>This is a footnote</ref> and let the rendering program do it however it wishes. For example you might select the footnote and the program could pop up a window to display it in.

Personally I think a footnote should be done as <ref>This is a footnote</ref> and let the rendering program do it however it wishes. For example you might select the footnote and the program could pop up a window to display it in.

Actually that's exactly what the spec says, Reading Systems can choose how they will display footers and headers. It even mentions the possibility of popping these up separately.

The concept of having footnotes at the bottom of the page is an artifact of printed books. There's no reason why we can't have them as pop-ups. The content producer should be able to add an "display: oeb-page-foot" element describing the reference content above the first reference and have the Reading System take care of the details.

And all this is entirely supported by the spec:
Reading Systems, however, are free to present headers and footers either in special areas as usual for paper publications, or to make them available in another way. For example, a device with a small screen might instead pop them up on demand.

All I'm saying is that you could easily achieve "footnotes" with epub footers.

do ePub current devices support 'pop-ups' ?

do ePub current devices support 'pop-ups' ?

Not a single one.

Then again, ADE and the like have a ways to go to supporting the epub spec in many other areas too, not just headers and footers.