referring back to where i came from

huebi · 05-18-2012, 01:51 AM

Hi,

i need some stylish ideas on how to linking back.

I have a book with a lot of endnotes collected at the end of the book. Clicking the [n] in the text will link to the appropriate endnote which starts with [n], too. [n] in the endnote is the link to go back to the text. So far so good.

There are a lot of pictures collected at the end of the book too with a more or less lengthy description. Now, not the text is referring to the pictures, but there is a link inside the pictures description linking to a paragraph of the text.

Now i'm searching for ideas on how to present a link inside the text back to the pictures description. It should be small and not disturbing the flow of reading, but of course it shouldnt be to small and clearly points out that this is a backlink.

I'd thought of a small inline picture but i'm afraid that it will not clearly show its purpose. I tend to a text in a smaller font size at the end of the paragraph saying "back to picture collection", but i'm interested on how the experts here would solve this.

mrmikel · 05-18-2012, 07:32 AM

You could adopt the convention that if you click on the title or number of each footnote, it sends you back.

An interesting challenge since ereaders handle things in so many different ways.

I'm not an expert tho.

huebi · 05-18-2012, 07:38 AM

Well right now theres no link from the text to the picture, only from the picture to the text. I'm looking on what to insert in the text.

DiapDealer · 05-18-2012, 07:56 AM

Most people are used to seeing superscripts (which are often too small to easily click/tap/whatever) for forward/back endnote links. I—and lots of others—use a bracketed number [1] for both the forward link and the back link.

Keep in mind that whatever strategy you come up with for the return link is more than likely only ever going to be a fall-back CYA option; since most ereaders already provide some sort of built in "back" functionality (for just this purpose) that the reader will opt for. Which usually has the added benefit of returning you to the "exact" text you started with... instead of a different "page" with your anchor point at the very top.

huebi · 05-18-2012, 08:00 AM

As more and more touch devices are on the market the built in "back" function is more and more difficult to reach. I assume that most readers do not know where to find this functionality.

DiapDealer · 05-18-2012, 08:09 AM

Quote:

As more and more touch devices are on the market the built in "back" function is more and more difficult to reach. I assume that most readers do not know where to find this functionality.

Hmm... just one more reason for me to never get a touch device, then... as I couldn't live without an easy-peasy "Back."

In that case, I would just go for a simple text link that clearly states it's purpose. Otherwise, you run the risk of "sneaking" it right under the nose of the average reader.

snarkophilus · 05-18-2012, 08:39 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by huebi

As more and more touch devices are on the market the built in "back" function is more and more difficult to reach. I assume that most readers do not know where to find this functionality.

Not all newer touch readers are a step backwards. I was happily surprised by how much better the Sony PRS-T1 does this compared with my old PRS-350.

On the T1 when you navigate through a link it leaves on-screen back and forward navigate buttons at the bottom of the screen. See the very bottom of this page in the manual for details.

On the PRS-350 I ended up mapping a long press on one of the buttons as "previous page" with PRS+. There was no simple way I was aware of for doing this with the stock firmware.

Cheers,
Simon.

JSWolf · 05-18-2012, 01:20 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by huebi

As more and more touch devices are on the market the built in "back" function is more and more difficult to reach. I assume that most readers do not know where to find this functionality.

Sony PRS-T1 has a nice easily accessible back hardware button.

Jellby · 05-18-2012, 02:28 PM

A back link is also useful if you are already reading a note for whatever reason, and want to know what it refers to. For instance, you do a text search, find some text in a note and want to see the corresponding main text.

snarkophilus · 05-18-2012, 10:02 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by JSWolf

Sony PRS-T1 has a nice easily accessible back hardware button.

Have you ever used a PRS-T1? The "back" button is an android concept and is usually used more as a "cancel" button to do things like cycle back through menus and exit dialog boxes.

If you are in page history mode the back button cancels this mode, it doesn't move you backwards through the page history. This is detailed in the link in my post above yours.

Additionally, if you are in normal reading mode the back button will stop reading the book (vaguely similar to the home button but not quite). I find this particular behaviour a little counter-intuitive.

Cheers,
Simon.

DaleDe · 05-19-2012, 04:33 PM

I certainly wouldn't depend on everyone owning a Sony. There are many devices without a dedicated back button. Personally the [1] idea works the best and end notes at the end of each chapter works the best as that way a new file does not have to be loaded but it will work at the end of the document as well. Here is one place that Word does a good job in that footnotes in word will be back linked when it is saved at an html.

Dale

JSWolf · 05-19-2012, 04:51 PM

But regardless of how the back button on a T1 performs, there is an easy enough way to get back. All Sony Readers have a back function.

DaleDe · 05-19-2012, 06:10 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by JSWolf

But regardless of how the back button on a T1 performs, there is an easy enough way to get back. All Sony Readers have a back function.

Which is perfect if you only design eBooks to work on Sony devices.

JSWolf · 05-19-2012, 06:41 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by DaleDe

Which is perfect if you only design eBooks to work on Sony devices.

I know a back link is a good thing to have in an ePub as not every reader or app such as desktop ADE has a way to go back.

Chrispman · 12-17-2012, 06:45 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by JSWolf

But regardless of how the back button on a T1 performs, there is an easy enough way to get back. All Sony Readers have a back function.

Were is that hidden on a PRS-350 ???

05-18-2012, 01:51 AM	#1
huebi Zealot Posts: 121 Karma: 5070 Join Date: Dec 2010 Device: none	referring back to where i came from Hi, i need some stylish ideas on how to linking back. I have a book with a lot of endnotes collected at the end of the book. Clicking the [n] in the text will link to the appropriate endnote which starts with [n], too. [n] in the endnote is the link to go back to the text. So far so good. There are a lot of pictures collected at the end of the book too with a more or less lengthy description. Now, not the text is referring to the pictures, but there is a link inside the pictures description linking to a paragraph of the text. Now i'm searching for ideas on how to present a link inside the text back to the pictures description. It should be small and not disturbing the flow of reading, but of course it shouldnt be to small and clearly points out that this is a backlink. I'd thought of a small inline picture but i'm afraid that it will not clearly show its purpose. I tend to a text in a smaller font size at the end of the paragraph saying "back to picture collection", but i'm interested on how the experts here would solve this.

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05-18-2012, 07:32 AM	#2
mrmikel Color me gone Posts: 2,089 Karma: 1445295 Join Date: Apr 2008 Location: Central Oregon Coast Device: PRS-300	You could adopt the convention that if you click on the title or number of each footnote, it sends you back. An interesting challenge since ereaders handle things in so many different ways. I'm not an expert tho.

05-18-2012, 07:38 AM	#3
huebi Zealot Posts: 121 Karma: 5070 Join Date: Dec 2010 Device: none	Well right now theres no link from the text to the picture, only from the picture to the text. I'm looking on what to insert in the text.

05-18-2012, 07:56 AM	#4
DiapDealer Grand Sorcerer Posts: 28,341 Karma: 203719646 Join Date: Jan 2010 Device: Nexus 7, Kindle Fire HD	Most people are used to seeing superscripts (which are often too small to easily click/tap/whatever) for forward/back endnote links. I—and lots of others—use a bracketed number [1] for both the forward link and the back link. Keep in mind that whatever strategy you come up with for the return link is more than likely only ever going to be a fall-back CYA option; since most ereaders already provide some sort of built in "back" functionality (for just this purpose) that the reader will opt for. Which usually has the added benefit of returning you to the "exact" text you started with... instead of a different "page" with your anchor point at the very top.

05-18-2012, 08:00 AM	#5
huebi Zealot Posts: 121 Karma: 5070 Join Date: Dec 2010 Device: none	As more and more touch devices are on the market the built in "back" function is more and more difficult to reach. I assume that most readers do not know where to find this functionality.

05-18-2012, 02:28 PM	#9
Jellby frumious Bandersnatch Posts: 7,543 Karma: 19001583 Join Date: Jan 2008 Location: Spaniard in Sweden Device: Cybook Orizon, Kobo Aura	A back link is also useful if you are already reading a note for whatever reason, and want to know what it refers to. For instance, you do a text search, find some text in a note and want to see the corresponding main text.

05-19-2012, 04:33 PM	#11
DaleDe Grand Sorcerer Posts: 11,470 Karma: 13095790 Join Date: Aug 2007 Location: Grass Valley, CA Device: EB 1150, EZ Reader, Literati, iPad 2 & Air 2, iPhone 7	I certainly wouldn't depend on everyone owning a Sony. There are many devices without a dedicated back button. Personally the [1] idea works the best and end notes at the end of each chapter works the best as that way a new file does not have to be loaded but it will work at the end of the document as well. Here is one place that Word does a good job in that footnotes in word will be back linked when it is saved at an html. Dale

05-19-2012, 04:51 PM	#12
JSWolf Resident Curmudgeon Posts: 79,001 Karma: 144284074 Join Date: Nov 2006 Location: Roslindale, Massachusetts Device: Kobo Libra 2, Kobo Aura H2O, PRS-650, PRS-T1, nook STR, PW3	But regardless of how the back button on a T1 performs, there is an easy enough way to get back. All Sony Readers have a back function.

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