How to create TOC, what does split on SGF markers mean?

[neonbible]

I have an epub where each chapter is a separate HTML file. Ok all good. How do I build a TOC and split it into chapters correctly?

[cuthbert19]

Sigil automatically generates a TOC from the chapter headers, given that you have used the correct tagging for the headers themselves

So, you have to use, eg

<h2>Chapter 1</h2>

for your chapter headers and then you will have a new, shiny ePub file with an embedded TOC

"Split on SGF chapter markers" is used when you have a biiig (x)HTML file with a bunch of chapters in it, and you want to make Sigil automatically split into separate files: you put the markers on the appropriate positions and then you tell Sigil to split it accordingly ... so, it's not anything you need for the epub you're working on right now.

[neonbible]

Thanks

Now I know how to build TOC - yay! Its been a nightmare for me recently.

[neonbible]

Going back to the split function, it doesn't seem to work. Am I right in saying that a marker is a Header tag? After running the function it is still a single HTML file.

[Valloric]

In the Insert menu, you can see that there's an "SGF chapter marker" option that (unsurprisingly) inserts one such marker. The marker looks like a horizontal line in the Book View and like this:

 <hr class="sigilChapterBreak" />

in the Code View. The point of the markers is that you can insert many of them in one XHTML file and then split the whole file into many smaller ones at once, with the Tools->Split On SGF Chapter Markers option.

You can also add these markers to your HTML file with some external application/script before importing the file into Sigil. Power users find this ability quite handy.

[neonbible]

Ah didn't see that option before, thanks a lot!

[theducks]

Originally Posted by Valloric

In the Insert menu, you can see that there's an "SGF chapter marker" option that (unsurprisingly) inserts one such marker. The marker looks like a horizontal line in the Book View and like this:

 <hr class="sigilChapterBreak" />

in the Code View. The point of the markers is that you can insert many of them in one XHTML file and then split the whole file into many smaller ones at once, with the Tools->Split On SGF Chapter Markers option.

You can also add these markers to your HTML file with some external application/script before importing the file into Sigil. Power users find this ability quite handy.

I just tried this with 0.3.0 release. ( i split a lot, this way looked like it would save time)
In BV I inserted some markers in .._split1.xhtml.
Then I used the F6 to split.
Sigil created Section0036 and Section0037 AT THE END of my document list.
I would have expected the splits to be after the parent section (split001)
AFAIK I did not have Sections 0001 thru 0036

[st_albert]

Originally Posted by theducks

I just tried this with 0.3.0 release. ( i split a lot, this way looked like it would save time)
In BV I inserted some markers in .._split1.xhtml.
Then I used the F6 to split.
Sigil created Section0036 and Section0037 AT THE END of my document list.
I would have expected the splits to be after the parent section (split001)
AFAIK I did not have Sections 0001 thru 0036

Yep, that is annoying. Especially for me, running on a KDE linux system where I can't just drag the new splits into the proper place in book view. To do that, I need to externally edit the content.opf file.

but I think there are bugtracker issues already entered for this problem, and hopefully it will be fixed soon (the positioning of splits, not the inability to drag chapters around under KDE).

My usual tasksinvolve converting an InDesign CS4 epub export into a real epub. So in that case, I start with one xhtml file containing the entire book, and I place sigil chapter breaks throughout the whole thing (and a bunch of other edits which I won't go into) before importing into sigil. Then when I hit the split button, all splits occur in the right order.

In other words, I specify ALL splits before I do any. Then, and only then, do they come out in the right order.

[theducks]

Originally Posted by st_albert

My usual tasksinvolve converting an InDesign CS4 epub export into a real epub. So in that case, I start with one xhtml file containing the entire book, and I place sigil chapter breaks throughout the whole thing (and a bunch of other edits which I won't go into) before importing into sigil. Then when I hit the split button, all splits occur in the right order.

In other words, I specify ALL splits before I do any. Then, and only then, do they come out in the right order.

It is weird, because i have been frequently using the split button with good success, (other than the specific conditions that I had bug reported and were fixed) and the new split ended in the proper place.

[st_albert]

Originally Posted by theducks

It is weird, because i have been frequently using the split button with good success, (other than the specific conditions that I had bug reported and were fixed) and the new split ended in the proper place.

Haven't tried it in a while, but I just tested 0.3.1 and found that if I use the "Chapter Break" button, which splits the chapter immediately, it puts the new file in the right place.

But if I do "view -> insert SGF chapter marker", and then do "tools->Split on SGF chapter markers", the part below the marker goes in a new section file at the end of the list.

The auto-generated filenames are different in the two cases as well.

I haven't tried to see what happens if I place multiple SGF chapter markers in the same file (from within sigil) and then split it up.

[theducks]

Originally Posted by st_albert

Haven't tried it in a while, but I just tested 0.3.1 and found that if I use the "Chapter Break" button, which splits the chapter immediately, it puts the new file in the right place.

But if I do "view -> insert SGF chapter marker", and then do "tools->Split on SGF chapter markers", the part below the marker goes in a new section file at the end of the list.

The auto-generated filenames are different in the two cases as well.

I haven't tried to see what happens if I place multiple SGF chapter markers in the same file (from within sigil) and then split it up.

3.0made multiple sequential files at the end. You had best know where they really belonged

[st_albert]

Originally Posted by theducks

3.0made multiple sequential files at the end. You had best know where they really belonged

Which is precisely why I place all the chapter markers into the one, book-length, xhtml file (from ID4 epub export) before I load it into sigil. Some other changes, such as adding <hx> tags, are best done in the original file as well.

Then pull it into sigil, perform the chapter breaks (chapters end up in the correct order, since there was only one file to start with), and do other tweaks.

[cybmole]

trying to get the hang of using this SGF function. it seems to work OK only if I do all steps in order:

1. combine all existing splits into 1 big text file
2. then use find replace to add the sgf tags to each new chapter
3. hit F6

but there is no auto function for step 1. and if i skip step 1 the book order gets mangled.

what I am looking for is a method to take a source epub which has badly placed splits , & change it to one which is split by chapter.

I can do small books manually but given say 90 chapters scattered over say 17 x 260k split files it is a chore

is there a better way ?

[Nigol]

Originally Posted by cybmole

what I am looking for is a method to take a source epub which has badly placed splits , & change it to one which is split by chapter.

I can do small books manually but given say 90 chapters scattered over say 17 x 260k split files it is a chore

is there a better way ?

Here is my shamless plug, I just release a tool that will help you.
Cut your chapter like you want them in sigil and use my tool to add all the separate file you want to the TOC, you can then Mass rename them to Chapter One, etc...

No more need to add heading tags...

http://code.google.com/p/epubfixer/

[Hitch]

Originally Posted by Nigol

Here is my shamless plug, I just release a tool that will help you.
Cut your chapter like you want them in sigil and use my tool to add all the separate file you want to the TOC, you can then Mass rename them to Chapter One, etc...

No more need to add heading tags...

http://code.google.com/p/epubfixer/

Nigol:

Shameless question: if your relocated headings aren't surrounded by heading tags, what ARE they surrounded by? What hierarchal structure are you using? And where?

Hitch