Quote:
Originally Posted by Tango Mike
Thanks to all, and I understand what you are saying. For my next book I won't do that. But with all the versions live and for sale, it's far simpler to fix the only TOC problem I have, which is in the epub uploaded to iTunes. It's the only one in which the chapter heading links don't put you at the TOC. All the others work as advertised.
I have just changed all the chapter heading links so they take you to the TOC rather than the previous section with the Dedication. It took about 10 minutes.
The only tiny glitch now is that a "back to beginning" link at the end of the novel puts you at the very last chapter of the TOC rather than at the top of it. That link looks like this:
<p class="SceneBreak"><span class="sgc-19"><a href="../Text/Section0005.xhtml#TABLEOFCONTENTS">Back to beginning</a></span></p>
</div>
</body>
</html>
I'd like to change it to take the reader to the top of the TOC. Anyone want to help with that so you can be rid of me? For a while, at least? |
Actually, ignoring @JSWolf's thoughts on the topic for this 5 minutes (JS, it's a matter of taste, really):
What you have done, however, is make the book unacceptable to iBooks.
Apple will reject any ePUB that has an internal, redundant toc such as you have made. Because, according to them, it's not in accordance with ePUB 2.01 spec, which it actually isn't.
I understand your issue--trying to cover all your bases--probably better than most folks here, as we do this commercially and for authors who need/want the widest distribution. Of course, the truth is that 99.8% of all sales will be made on Amazon and Nook, with everyone else--EVERYONE, including Apple--fighting over that remaining 0.2% bone; but nonetheless, Apple will reject that ePUB. It won't make it through their QA.
Personally, I find the "link-back" method not to be poor form, exactly, but incredibly redundant. Most people don't even recognize the chapter headers as link-backs, IME (which is not insignificant); and I don't remember the last time I actually saw any device that didn't have a "jump to" TOC method, whether a tap, click, push...I only make link-back TOC's when the customer is adamantine and won't be moved.
I don't really agree with JS that it's "poor form," but...I would agree that this type of formatting shouldn't be encouraged, if only for no other reason than we should be trying to get device makers/software/firmware to really function from the NCX, rather than any "typed" TOC, and include the ncx in the retailer's previews. IMHO. The "typed toc from the guide" usage, remaining in MOBI, is absolutely--
ABSOLUTELY--going away. I guarantee you it won't exist inside of, say...8 weeks, tops. I don't mean that they won't function any longer; the later KindleGen will not be an "old mobi-killer," but the new
KATE (K8) won't need/use html.tocs.
Hitch