Epub validation errors

[JSWolf]

Originally Posted by DaleDe

Well, taking it out may have let it pass but only if there were errors in the TOC code. This is nothing wrong with an inline TOC. As a matter of fact this is going to be the rule for ePub version 3. The toc.ncx file will be history.

Are you serious that ePub 3 is going to remove the external ToC in favor of an internal ToC? If so, that's going backwards, not forwards.

[Jellby]

Originally Posted by JSWolf

Are you serious that ePub 3 is going to remove the external ToC in favor of an internal ToC? If so, that's going backwards, not forwards.

As far as I know, all that's going to happen is that the NCX format will be dropped and a different format for the external TOC will be used.

[JSWolf]

Originally Posted by Jellby

As far as I know, all that's going to happen is that the NCX format will be dropped and a different format for the external TOC will be used.

But will there be backwards compatibility for the NCX style ToC?

The biggest issue ePub 3 is going to have is readers still using an older version of ePub. So unless publishers want ePub eBooks failing to work on a very large number of readers, they won't be able to use any of the ePub 3 features.

[DaleDe]

Originally Posted by Jellby

As far as I know, all that's going to happen is that the NCX format will be dropped and a different format for the external TOC will be used.

the different format is documented in our wiki under ePub 3. It will be simple <ol> and <li> statements with a <nav> wrapper. It could be internal or external depending on how the reader treats it or it would easily be both. I suspect <ul> tags will be usable instead of <ol> if you don't want the numbers to show up on the screen. There will be an option for books needing to be read in older software to have an ncx file in addition but it would not be used by any reader supported ePub 3. the wiki page is work in process.

[Newauthor]

Originally Posted by DaleDe

There should be something there. If you remove the ; then there is nothing in the whole document, no text, no images, nothing. That is why there is an error. Why would you want an entire page with a ; in the upper left hand corner? Why would you want a blank page. If you really want a blank page consider: <p>This page is intentionally blank</p>

It is likely that this page is an artifact of the fact that Sigil gives you a starting page to begin your book on. In this case you should just remove the whole page. Right click on the entry in the left column of Sigil and delete the file.
Dale

Done and done! Works like a charm. I'll look into this epub 3 wiki as I'm still learning this format. Thanks for all your help!

[charleski]

Originally Posted by JSWolf

Are you serious that ePub 3 is going to remove the external ToC in favor of an internal ToC? If so, that's going backwards, not forwards.

It'll allow books to have different types of ToC, i.e. one for the chapters, one for a list of illustrations, one for a list of tables, etc. (you could probably also use it to provide an index). It'll provide a lot more flexibility that'll be useful for non-fiction especially.

The old NCX can be maintained as well for older systems, though all the new html5 and mathml tags mean that compatibility is going to be a wider issue. In theory the switch elements defined for ePub 2 will allow backwards-compatibility, but it remains to be seen whether generating tools will support this properly and whether publishers will take the time to format the text in different ways for different systems.

[JSWolf]

Do you think ADE can force companies for update their version of ADE on readers that are no longer being made? I doubt it. So I see ePub 3 as tanking because too many devices won't be using ePub 3. Of course, the publishers could sell and ePub 2 and an ePub 3 version.

[st_albert]

Originally Posted by JSWolf

Do you think ADE can force companies for update their version of ADE on readers that are no longer being made? I doubt it. So I see ePub 3 as tanking because too many devices won't be using ePub 3. Of course, the publishers could sell and ePub 2 and an ePub 3 version.

(emphasis mine)

If our sales figures are any guide, the majority of reading devices today use the mobipocket format. Just sayin'.

Not that that's a GOOD thing, of course.

[DaleDe]

Originally Posted by JSWolf

Do you think ADE can force companies for update their version of ADE on readers that are no longer being made? I doubt it. So I see ePub 3 as tanking because too many devices won't be using ePub 3. Of course, the publishers could sell and ePub 2 and an ePub 3 version.

It looks like there is consideration for using ePub 3 books on ePub 2 devices, and the reverse of reading old book with new devices. The standard doesn't address the second path but I would expect the device manufactures to do so. The whole idea of HTML is to ignore things you don't understand. That has been the philosophy from the beginning and it should serve ePuB well. The standard provides for the older toc.ncx continuing support and the ability to work without script support and most other things will fall into the ignore category.

Dale